ICT in Education

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed Essays

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed Essays Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed Paper Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed Paper The first novel that I finished reading was Jurassic Park, by Michael Chriton. That was the first book that captivated my imagination and brought me into the world of reading. I noticed that the book was far better than the movie. My imagination could take me any where and my mind painted extraordinary pictures of hundreds of beautiful dinosaurs walking along side fully developed characters with whom I could relate to. I felt their fear, joy, and even sadness. All I can say is that I was addicted, and I kept on reading. Since than, I have read hundreds of books. I treat the books I read with a lot of caution. Like everyone else, I feel that my time is very precious. If I invest my time into reading, than the reading must yield some sort of profit. As Samuel Patterson once put it, Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. My best friends are friends from whom I might be able to gain some wisdom. The literature I choose to read must contain some wisdom that I can gain. The first book I read where I felt that I had truly gained some wisdom was, Platos Republic. I spent months reading the book. I slowly digest every single word that Socrates had spoken. Even though the book was nearly 3,000 years old, every single idea was totally new to me. I learned about justice, freedom, war, the good, the bad, politics, hate, love, god, and so much more. I was able to incorporate many of those ideas in the world we live in today. For a short time, I studied the Socratic Method, and tried to incorporate his style of conversation with my friends. The book was a book of wisdom. In some ways, it could even be a guide on how to live your life. Its the one book that I can easily recommend to everyone. Another great book of wisdom would have to be The Main Spring of Human Progress, by Henry Grady Weaver. The book tries to explain why American life has become so good over the last one hundred years. It sums up nearly 2,000 years of human struggle over food, money, and literature in order to unmask the reasons as to why we can live so comfortably in the 20th, and now the 21st, century. Perhaps the most significant argument the book made was of the worlds history during the dark ages of Europe. Apparently, while Europe was experiencing the dark ages, the rest of the world was busy at producing advanced mathematical concepts, pieces of art, and works of literature. The book opened my eyes to the world of Islam, a place where oil lamps were being used for lighting (instead of candles), where people washed every day, and beautiful churches were built in the name of god. Eventually, the book took me on a tour through the industrial age and it helped me to appreciate the life I have living in America. Another work of literature that helped set my mind to the way it is today is a short essay called A Message to Garcia, by Elbert Hubbard. This short ten page essay helped me to realize the one thing that must be learned the hard way, a strong and proper work ethic. After reading the essay, hundreds of thoughts burst into my head. I soon began to realize how the rich could become so rich, how America could become so prosperous, and even how to improve my laziness. I stopped asking so many questions and just got to work. No matter how much I might disapprove of something, if a job is given to me, I must try my best to complete the job. This short little essay changed the whole way I treat every second of my life. It is amazing that the mind is one part of the human body that improves the more you use it. I must agree with something that Francis Bacon once said, I would live to study, and not study to live. With that, I hope I can study as well as I live my life.

Will Basic Economic Problem ever be solved Essay

Will Basic Economic Problem ever be solved - Essay Example tisfied with the quality and quantity of goods and services they have, and they always want more; but the nature has finite resources at any given point in time. The problem of scarcity can be solved, and is being solved, through the technological advances. Scarcity means that while a person enjoys one resource at a given time, he has to give up another to let others enjoy, or the society ends up with some people enjoying the resources and some not. Technology in the industrialized nations has made the resources available to almost everyone at the doorstep. For example, medical health services are being provided even to remote areas through telemedicine and e-health, which remotely residing people could never think of availing. Distance education is made possible through online education, and so, remotely residing people, or those who cannot afford high university fee, can also get the same standard of education as those who can afford it. However, the counter-argument is that scarcity can never be solved because it is never enough for everybody. Nature has finite number of resources that have to end at a certain time, but population will keep on growing and requiring. Human beings have finite choices, finite opportunities, finite time on earth, and finite energy to produce resources. Similarly, there is finite labor, capital and other economic resources in the market. Natural resources like air and solar energy are infinite, but labor and capital is required to turn these natural resources into usable energy. Technology can be used to convert solar energy into heat or electrical energy, but labor and capital is required, which is again finite. Hence, cobweb of economic finiteness makes scarcity a big problem. Nonetheless, considering the rate at which technological advances are being made, no one knows what technology holds for us in future with respect to solving the problem of scarcity. To conclude, scarcity is a major economic problem as human needs keep on

Gottfried Leibniz-Consciousness and Unconsciousness Research Paper

Gottfried Leibniz-Consciousness and Unconsciousness - Research Paper Example On the other hand, finite minds have limited pleats and folds, which remain confined to limited thinking and mental abilities, and reality serves as the set of all finite minds (Hill, 5). Charlie Dunbar Broad (1975) has also evaluated and analysed the philosophical contributions made by Leibniz, who had presented theory of mind contradictory to Descartes and his school of thought. Instead of submitting to Descartes’ notion of taking body and mind as two separate and interdependent entities, Leibniz views them two parts of one and the same entity (Broad, 89). French philosopher Rene Descartes, in his works, had declared mind and body two entirely different entities, which casually enter into one another for the performance of both the two (Ariew, 26). He states mind as res cogitans or a thinking object, the function of which is mere looking into the things and matters and analysing the same. In addition, mind or soul, according to Descartes, is sublime in nature, which seeks no boundaries to move from one place to the other within the entire universe (31). On the contrary, body remains confined to some specific area, where it has to undergo different processes in order to fulfil the requirements related to its mobility from one place to the other. In addition, body is mortal, while the soul is immortal; it is, therefore, soul is much loftier and sublime than body in the eyes of Descartes. He also asserts that man is alive till the time he is bestowed with the power of thinking. It is therefore he states that â€Å"I think; it is therefore, I exist† (Hill, 3). However, being a true believer of the Jewish traditions, Leibniz follows the philosophy his religious teachings present to humanity. Consequently, he does not agree with the Descartes’ doctrine in its full swing, and without incurring a contradictory argument. He is of the view that there is one entity in the form of two independent but interrelated organs i.e. mind and body, which thou gh work independently without much collaboration with each other, yet they cannot be declared as indifferent to one another altogether. Leibniz holds, according to Broad, that there certainly exist the corporeal substances in the universe; however, each and every substance is actually a living organism, and contains a unique identity in it (87). Moreover, since every organism has its own

The Dynamic Interaction of Language, Communication and Culture Essay

The Dynamic Interaction of Language, Communication and Culture - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the modern world is marked by pluralism. And one prominent sign of this is the existence and presence of diverse languages which are utilized in the process of communicating with one another. However, language and the process of communication are not neutral. Rather, it is highly shaped and influenced by culture. Being such, differences are observable across cultures in its language and communication, thus creating boundaries or separations among and between cultures. In order to bridge this gap, our period has entered into intercultural communication wherein language, communication, and cultural barriers are consistently addressed and re-assessed with the hope of reducing miscommunication and misunderstanding to the bare minimum if not totally or fully eliminated. Thus, the notion of intercultural communication serves both as a challenge and as an ethos that guides our interaction with others in a pluralistic, globalized world. In lig ht of this ideal, this paper intends to look into the dynamic interaction of language, communication, and culture by looking into a case study. Likewise, we are going to use some of the principles of intercultural communication in the analysis of a case particular case, and hopefully, in the end, present some approaches or suggestions that may help in addressing the problems raised and perceived in the by the case analysis. The intertwined relation of language, communication, and culture has long intrigued humanity. However, what has been undeniable is that these three factors play a very significant and important role in the understanding of the nature of a human person and their interactions. The ability to formulate language is said to be distinctively a human activity.

Objectives of Air Traffic Services. (ATS)

Objectives of Air Traffic Services. (ATS)

Body Piercing: Reclamation, Enhancement, And Self-Expression Essay exam

In America the practice of body piercing is everywhere, especially among young people, who are getting several parts of their bodies pierced either as an affirmation of their personal individuality, as a means of sexual gratification or stimulation, a reclamation of their bodies from physical or emotional trauma, or for as a means of adornment. Whatever the reason, it's widespread. Body piercing is the piercing of the ears, nose, septum, cheeks, lip, tongue, nipples, navel, clitoris, labia, penis, and scrotum. Says California State University anthropologist James Myers, Ph.D. body piercing is "possibly as old as genus Homo." (Todd, Richard, p.1) Body piercing studios are popping up all over the country in a response to the growing demand for having a needle poked through your skin. Contrary to popular belief, body piercing is not being performed by freakish subculture deviants. In order to be a reputable piercer one has to take a rigorous course of education in the principals and met hods of body piercing. This is a step toward the acceptance of body piercing in mainstream America, where it is still viewed with mistrust by many. Body piercing allows a person to express their individuality in a new way: by putting a needle through yourself, you mark your body as your own (Delaney, Jim, p.3). By exploring some of the motivations behind body piercing, onediscovers that it's not an unhealthy practice (unless performed in an unsterile environment or the piercing is not adequately cared for by the piercee- both of which are heavily discouraged by piercing advocates). Indeed, body piercing is a healthy way to express your individuality or improve your self image. In the nineties, more and more young people are sporting rings through various parts of their bodies. This is known as body piercing, and it has made a considerable imprint on young people. Body piercing is the practice of piercing the ears, eyebrows, tongue, nose, septum, lip, cheek, nipples, navel or genitals for varied reasons. It's becoming more and more common: Body piercing shops are cropping up all over the country and business is booming. Says piercer Kent Fazekas, who owns Indianapolis-based Body Accents Inc, " ...I think it's here to stay." (Eckert, Toby, 1) The practice of body piercing among young Americans is part of a quest for individuality. Brooklyn body piercing studio Modern Americ... ...gn statement of who these people are and what they believe in. All too often it is ignorance that leads people to spurn body piercing. By educating yourself on the subject it becomes plain to see that body piercing is a powerful tool for self-expression and emotional security. By going through the pain of the piercing, the emotionally insecure regains a feeling of control. Works Cited 1. Trebay, Guy. "Hole in one" The Village Voice July 7, 1995: p.18 2. Eckert, Toby. "Body Accents Pierces Traditional Business Image with Wares to Wear" Indianapolis Business Journal March 3, 1997: p.45 3. Leo, Jon. "The Modern Primitives" US. News and World Report July 31, 1995: p.16 4. Wattenberg, Daniel. "A Parents' Guide to Body Piercing" Forbes September 23, 1996: pp. 166-173 5. Howard, Dylan. "Holier than Thou" The Yale Daily News November 10, 1995: p.3 6. Todd, Richard. "Look What They've Done to my Bod, Ma" Psychology Today May/June 1993: p.8 7. Delaney, Jim. "Piercing for Beginners" Prime Magazine September 26, 1995: pp. 19-23 8. Alexander, Keith. "About Body Piercing." Body Modification Ezine 3pp. World Wide Web http://www.bme.freeQ.com June 1997

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 41

â€Å"Stefan!† Elena screamed and knew that she sounded like a madwoman when she screamed it. There was no answer. She was running. Following the light. â€Å"Stefan! Stefan!† An empty cell. A yellowed mummy. A pyramid of dust. Somehow, subconsciously, she suspected one of these things. And any one would have caused her to run out to fight Bloddeuwedd with her bare hands. Instead, when she reached the right cell, she saw a weary young man, whose face showed that he had given up all hope. He lifted a stick-thin arm, rejecting her utterly. â€Å"They told me the truth. You were exported for aiding a prisoner. I'm not susceptible to dreams anymore.† â€Å"Stefan!† She fell to her knees. â€Å"Do we have to go through this every single time?† â€Å"Do you know how often they re-create you, bitch?† Elena was shocked. More than shocked. But the next moment the hatred had faded from his face. â€Å"At least I get to look at you. I had†¦I had a picture. But they took that, of course. They cut it up, very slowly, making me watch. Sometimes they made me cut it. If I didn't cut it, they would – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, darling! Stefan, darling! Look at me. Listen to the prison. Bloddeuwedd is destroying it. Because I've stolen the other half of your key from her nest, Stefan, and I am not a dream. Do you see this? Did they ever show you this?† She held out the hand with the double fox ring on it. â€Å"Now – now – where do I put it?† â€Å"You are warm. The bars are cold,† Stefan said, clutching her hand and speaking as if reciting out of a children's book. â€Å"Here!† Elena cried triumphantly. She didn't need to take the ring off. Stefan was holding her other hand, and this lock worked like a seal ring. She placed it straight into a circular depression in the wall. Then, when nothing happened, she turned it right. Nothing. Left. The cell bars slowly began to lift into the ceiling. Elena couldn't believe it and for an instant thought she was hallucinating. Then when she turned sharply to look at the ground she saw that the bars were already at least a foot above it. Then she looked at Stefan, who was standing again. Both of them fell back to their knees. They would have both gotten down and wriggled like snakes if necessary, the need to touch was so great. The horizontal struts on the bars made it impossible for them to hold hands as the bars lifted. Then the bars were over the top of Elena's head and she was holding Stefan – she was holding Stefan in her arms! – appalled to feel bones under her hands, but holding him, and no one could tell her he was a hallucination or a dream, and if she and Stefan had to die together, then they would die together. Nothing mattered but that they not be separated again. She covered the unfamiliar, bony face with kisses. Strange, no half-grown, gone-to-the-wild beard, but vampires didn't grow beards unless they had them when they became vampires. And then there were other people in the cell. Good people. People laughing and crying and helping her create a makeshift litter out of stinking blankets and Stefan's pallet and no one screamed when lice jumped on them because everyone knew that Elena would have turned and ripped their throat out like Saber. Or rather, like Saber, but as Ms. Courtland had always said, with feeling. To Saber it was just a job. Then somehow – things had begun to become disconnected – Elena was watching Stefan's beloved face and gripping his litter, and running – he didn't weigh anything – up a different corridor than the one she'd fought and shouldered and pushed and floundered in on her way in. Apparently all the Shi no Shi's salmon had chosen the other corridor to swim up. Undoubtedly there was a safe place for them at the end on that side. And even as Elena wondered how a face could be so pure, and handsome, and perfect, even when it looked almost like a skull, she was thinking, I can run and stoop. And she bent over Stefan and her hair made a shield around them, so that it was just the two of them inside it. The entire outside world was shut out, and they were alone, and she said in his ear: â€Å"Please, we need you to be strong. Please – for me. Please – for Bonnie. Please – for Damon. Plea – â€Å" She would have gone on naming all of them, and probably some over and over, but it was too much already. After his long deprivation, Stefan was in no mood to be contrary. His head darted up and Elena felt more than the usual pain because he was at the wrong angle, and Elena was glad because Stefan had struck a vein down its length and blood was flowing into his mouth in a steady stream. They had to go a little more slowly now, or Elena would have tripped and colored Stefan's face maroon like a demon's, but they were still jogging. Someone else was guiding them. Then, very suddenly they stopped. Elena, eyes shut, mind locked on to Stefan's, would not have looked up for the world. But in a moment they were moving again, and there was a feeling of spaciousness all around Elena and she realized that they were in the lobby and she had to make sure everyone knew. It's on the left side of us now, she sent to Damon. It's close to the front. It's a door with all sorts of symbols above. I believe I'm familiar with the species, Damon sent back dryly, but even he couldn't hide two things from her. One was that he was glad, actually glad to feel Elena's elation, and to know that it was he, in the main part, that had brought it about. The other was simple. That if there was a choice between the life of himself and the life of his brother, he would give his own life. For Elena's sake, for his own pride. For Stefan. Elena didn't dwell on these secret things she had no right to know. She simply embraced them, let Stefan feel them in all their raw vibrancy, and made sure there was no feedback to tell Damon that Stefan knew. Angels were singing in heaven for her. Black Magic rose petals were scattering around her body. There was a release of doves and she felt their wings. She was happy. But she was not safe. She only learned it as she entered the lobby, but they were very lucky that the Dimensional Door was on the side it was. Bloddeuwedd had methodically destroyed the other side until it had collapsed into a mound that was nothing but splintered wood. Elena and Bloddeuwedd's feud might have started out as a quarrel between a hostess who thought her guest had broken the house rules and a guest who just wanted to run away, but it had become a war to the death. And given the way vampires, werewolves, demons, and other folk down here in the Dark Dimension reacted, it had created a sensation. The Guardians had their hands full keeping people out of the building. Dead bodies lay strewn on the street. Oh, God, the people! The poor people! Elena thought, as this at last came into her field of view. As for the Guardians, who were keeping this place clear and fighting Bloddeuwedd on her behalf – God bless you for that, Elena thought, envisioning a standing-room-only lobby as they tried to race with Stefan across the floor. As it was, they were alone. â€Å"Now we need your key again, Elena,† Damon's voice, just above her, said. Elena gently pried Stefan off her throat. â€Å"Just for a moment, my darling. Just for a moment.† Looking at the door, Elena was confounded for several moments. There was a hole, but nothing happened when she put the ring in it and pushed, jammed, or twisted left or right. Out of the corner of her eye she saw some dark shadow above her, dismissed it as irrelevant, and then had it come screaming at her like a dive-bomber, steel talons reaching for her. There was no roof. Bloddeuwedd's talons had methodically ripped it away. Elena knew it. Because somehow Elena suddenly saw the whole of the situation, not just her part in it, but as if she were someone outside her body, who understood many more things than puny little Elena Gilbert did. The Guardians were here to prevent collateral damage. They could or would not stop Bloddeuwedd. Elena knew that, too. All the people running down the other corridor had been doing what an owl's prey normally does. They had been dashing for the bottom of their burrow. There was an enormous safe room there. Somehow, Elena knew it. But now, blurrily but definitely, Bloddeuwedd saw the ones she had been after in the first place, the nest robbers, the ones who had forever put out one of her huge round orange far-seeing eyes, and cut her so deeply that the other eye was filling with blood. Elena could feel it. Bloddeuwedd could see they were the ones who had caused her to smash her beak. The criminals, the savages, the ones she would tear to pieces slowly, slowly, a limb at a time, switching from one to another as she clutched five or six in one set of claws, or as she watched them, unable to run from lack of limbs, writhing beneath her. Elena could sense it. Beneath her. Right now†¦they were directly beneath Bloddeuwedd. Bloddeuwedd dove. â€Å"Saber! Talon!† shouted Sage, but Elena knew that there would be no distraction now. There would be nothing but killing and tearing, slowly, and screams echoing off the single lobby wall. Elena could picture it. â€Å"It won't open, damn it,† shouted Damon. He was manipulating Elena's wrist to move the key in the hole. But no matter how he pulled or pushed, nothing happened. Bloddeuwedd was almost upon them. She accelerated, throwing telepathic images before her. Sinew stretching, joints cracking, bone splintering†¦ Elena knew – NOOOOO! Elena's cup of rage ran over. Suddenly she saw everything she needed to know in one great sweeping epiphany. But it was too late to get Stefan inside the door, so the first thing she shouted was â€Å"Wings of Protection!† Bloddeuwedd, barely six feet away, slammed into a barrier that a nuclear missile could not have harmed. She slammed into it at the speed of a racing car and with the mass of a medium-sized airplane. Horror exploded beak first against Elena's wings. They were clear green at the top, dotted with flashing emeralds, and shading into a dawn pink covered with crystals at the bottom. The wings enwrapped all six humans and two animals – and they did not move by one millimeter when Bloddeuwedd smashed into them. Bloddeuwedd had made herself roadkill. Shutting her eyes, and trying not to think of the maiden who had been made of flowers (and who had killed her husband! Elena told herself desperately) with dry lips, and wetness trickling down her cheeks, Elena turned back to the door. Put the ring in. Made sure it was flush. And said, â€Å"Fell's Church, Virginia, USA, Earth. Near the boardinghouse, please.† It was well after midnight. Matt was sleeping on the bunker's cot, while Mrs. Flowers slept on the couch, when they were suddenly wakened by a thump. â€Å"What on earth?† Mrs. Flowers got up and stared out the window, which should have been dark. â€Å"Be careful, ma'am,† Matt said automatically, but couldn't help adding, â€Å"What is it?† – as always, expecting the worst and making sure the revolver with the blessed bullets was ready. â€Å"It's†¦light,† Mrs. Flowers said helplessly. â€Å"I don't know what else to say about it. It's light.† Matt could see the light, throwing shadows on their bunker floor. There was no sound of thunder, and hadn't been since he woke up. Hastily he ran to join Mrs. Flowers at the window. â€Å"Did you ever†¦?† exclaimed Mrs. Flowers, lifting her hands and dropping them again. â€Å"Whatever could it mean?† â€Å"I don't know, but I remember everybody talking about ley lines. Lines of Power in the ground.† â€Å"Yes, but those run along the surface of the earth. They don't point upward, like – like a fountain!† Mrs. Flowers said. â€Å"But I heard that wherever three ley lines come together – I think Damon said – they can form a Gate. A Gate to where they were going.† â€Å"Dear me,† said Mrs. Flowers. â€Å"You mean you think one of those Gateway things is out there? Maybe it's them, coming back.† â€Å"It couldn't be.† The time Matt had spent with this particular old woman had made him not only respect her, but love her. â€Å"But I don't think we should go outside, anyway.† â€Å"Dear Matt. You are such a comfort to me,† Mrs. Flowers murmured. Matt didn't really see how. It was all her stored food and water they were using. Even the fold-up cot was hers. If he had been on his own he might have investigated this†¦extraordinary thing. Three spotlights shining out of the ground at an angle so that they met just about at the height of a human being. Bright lights. And getting brighter every minute. Matt sucked in his breath. Three ley lines, huh? God, it was probably an invasion of monsters. He didn't even dare to hope. Elena didn't know if she had needed to say USA or Earth, or even if the door could take her to Fell's Church, or if Damon would have to give her the name of some gate that was close to it. But†¦surely†¦with all those ley lines†¦ The door opened, revealing a small room like an elevator. Sage said quietly, â€Å"Can you four carry him if you have to fight, too?† And – after a second to unravel what this meant – three shrieks of protest, in three different feminine tones, came. â€Å"No! Oh, please, no! Oh don't leave us!!† – Bonnie, begging. â€Å"You're not coming home with us?† – Meredith, straight-from-the-shoulder. â€Å"I order you to get in – and make it quick!† – Elena. â€Å"Such a dominant woman,† murmured Sage. â€Å"Ah, well, it seems the Great Pendulum has swung again. I am only a man. I obey.† â€Å"What? Does that mean you're coming?† Bonnie cried. â€Å"It means I am coming, yes.† Gently, Sage took Stefan's wasted body in his arms and stepped into the little cubicle inside the door. Unlike the first keys Elena had used today, this one seemed to work more like a voice-activated elevator†¦she hoped. After all, Shinichi and Misao had each only needed one key for themselves. Here, a number of people might want to go to the same place at once. She hoped. Sage back-kicked Stefan's old bedding away. Something rattled on the ground. â€Å"Oh – † Stefan reached helplessly for it. â€Å"It's my Elena diamond. I found it on the floor after†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Plenty more where that came from,† Meredith said. â€Å"It's important to him,† Damon, who was already inside, said. Instead of crowding farther into the elevator, the little room that might disappear at any second, that might be gone for Fell's Church before he could turn back, he walked out into the lobby, looked closely at the floor, and knelt. Then, quickly, he reached down and then got up and hurried into the little room again. â€Å"Do you want to hold it or shall I?† â€Å"You hold it†¦for me. Take care of it.† Anyone who knew of Damon's track record, especially with regards to Elena or even an old diamond that had belonged to Elena, would have said Stefan had to be a madman. But Stefan wasn't mad. He clasped his hand over his brother's that held the diamond. â€Å"And I'll hold on to you,† he said with a faint, wry smile. â€Å"I don't know if anyone is interested,† Meredith said, â€Å"but there is a single button on the inside of this contraption.† â€Å"Push it!† cried Sage and Bonnie, but Elena cried more loudly, â€Å"No – wait!† She'd spotted something. Across the lobby, the Guardians had been unable to stop a single, apparently unarmed citizen from entering the room and crossing the floor at a high-paced graceful glide. He must have been over six feet tall, wearing an entirely white tunic and breeches, which matched his long white hair, alert foxlike ears, and the long flowing silky tail that waved behind him. â€Å"Shut the door!† bellowed Sage. â€Å"Oh, my!† breathed Bonnie. â€Å"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?† snarled Damon. â€Å"Don't worry. It's only a fellow prisoner. A silent fellow. Hey, you got out, too!† Stefan was smiling and that was enough for Elena. And the intruder was holding out something to him that – well, it couldn't be what it looked like – but it was getting quite close now and it looked like a bouquet of flowers. â€Å"That is a kitsune, is it not?† Meredith asked, as if the world had gone mad around her. â€Å"A prisoner – † said Stefan. â€Å"A THIEF!† shouted Sage. â€Å"Hush!† said Elena. â€Å"He can probably hear even if he can't speak.† By then the kitsune was upon them. He met Stefan's eye, glanced at the others and held out the bouquet, which was heavily sealed in plastic wrap and some kind of long stickers with magical-looking inscriptions on them. â€Å"This is for Stefan,† he said. Everyone, including Stefan, gasped. â€Å"Now I must deal with some tiresome Guardians.† He sighed. â€Å"And you must press the button to make the room go, Beauty,† he said to Elena. Elena, who had momentarily been fascinated by the whisking of a fluffy tail around silken breeches suddenly blushed scarlet. She was remembering certain things. Certain things that had seemed very different†¦in a lonely dungeon†¦in the dark of artificially formed night†¦. Oh, well. Best to put a brave face on it. â€Å"Thank you,† she said, and pushed the button. The doors began to close. â€Å"Thank you again!† she added, bowing slightly to the kitsune. â€Å"I'm Elena.† â€Å"Yoroshiku. I am – â€Å" The door shut between them. â€Å"Is it that you have gone crazy?† Sage cried. â€Å"Taking a bouquet from a fox!† â€Å"You're the one who seems to know him, Monsieur Sage,† Meredith said. â€Å"What's his name?† â€Å"I do not know his name! I do know he stole three-fifths of the Seine Cloister Treasure from me! I know that he is expert, but expert at cheating at the cards! Ahh!† The last was not a cry of rage but an exclamation of alarm, for the little room was moving sideways, plunging downward, almost stopping, before it resumed its former steady motion. â€Å"Will it really take us to Fell's Church?† Bonnie asked timidly, and Damon put an arm around her. â€Å"It'll take us somewhere,† he promised. â€Å"And then we'll see. We're a pretty able set of survivalists.† â€Å"Which reminds me,† Meredith said. â€Å"I think Stefan looks better.† Elena, who had been helping to buffer him from the dimensional elevator's motion, glanced up at her quickly. â€Å"Do you really? Or is it just the light? I think he should be feeding,† she said anxiously. Stefan flushed, and Elena pressed fingers to her lips to stop them trembling. Don't, darling, she said voicelessly. Every one of these people have been willing to give their life for you – or for me – for us. I'm healthy. I'm still bleeding. Please don't waste it. Stefan murmured, â€Å"I'll stop the bleeding.† But when she bent to him, as she had known he would, he drank.

The eNotes Blog Double, Double, Toil and Trouble Branagh’s Macbeth is a Wonderfully TempestuousProduction

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble Branagh’s Macbeth is a Wonderfully TempestuousProduction For a brief week, the Seattle International Film Festival was able to bring Manchester International Festival’s production of Macbeth to the Uptown Theater in Seattle. As a part of a series called National Theater Live (which includes Othello with Adrian Lester and Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller), this production stars the illustrious Kenneth Branagh as the titular Scottish King. I was lucky enough to get tickets to see this thunderous play. Co-directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford, the production was spectral, but appropriately stark. A lot of the eerie desolation came from the fact that it takes place in a deconsecrated Manchester church. The floors of the church were ripped out, so the stage was a pit of austere earth across which the witches skulked and the Scottish thanes clashed bloodily. Rain was poured unsparingly onto the actors. The dim lighting was the perfect harshness for this sinister play. In this shadowy setting, Branagh emerges as a bold and complex Macbeth. As a director and an actor, it’s clear that he is an absolute master of the Shakespearean text. The madness that corrupts Macbeth’s mind as he progresses through his evil deeds is nearly tangible. The raw emotion that Branagh brought to the role was especially palpable in the scene in which Macbeth learns of his wife’s death. â€Å"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,† laments Macbeth, each word laden with passion. Branagh’s normally lucid diction is marred by the strangled emotion. â€Å"Out, out, brief candle,† he chokes, â€Å"Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/That struts and frets his hour upon the stage/And then is heard no more. It is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,/Signifying nothing.† He is matched in every way by Alex Kingston’s performance as Lady Macbeth. In my opinion, Lady Macbeth is the most succulent role of the Scottish play- and Kingston’s performance was violently impressive. Even as someone who is very familiar with Macbeth on page and stage, Kingston’s ferocity often took me aback. It takes guts to invest that much energy into a character who is so cruelly ambitious that she is willing to dash out the brains of her own infant in order to gain power. The tumult of scene after scene works to propel the plot extremely effectively. Every moment seems urgent, and every word seems to burn with intensity. No one is a letdown- from John Shrapnel as a jolly and naà ¯ve King Duncan to Ray Fearon as a sturdy Macduff to Rosalie Craig, who stands out in her singular scene as a surprisingly fierce Lady Macduff. This National Theater Live production of Macbeth is truly grotesque- in the best way possible. The feral movements of the scenes showcase the savage glory of Shakespeare’s work. A breathtaking performance of a vicious story, it is at once fair and foul.

Rock Around the Clock essays

Rock Around the Clock essays When Diane Dupuy made herself a name by performing great puppet shows, she would get enthusiastic reviews wherever she went. Once Bill Cosby saw Dianes performance and moved by her performance he told her to consider black light theatre for her act. With this inspiration Diane decided to combine her two interests, interest of this black light theatre that she did not know of and love of working in the arts with disabled people. She found the Famous People Players in 1974 on 110 Sudbury Street, Toronto, ON and from then on the company has been inspiring audiences with their black light theatre acts consisting of life size puppets and props that Dianes mother herself made. I, myself thought the theatre was a great place and would recommend anyone of any age to go there. As long as you have the imagination of a child or once being one you will be amazed by the act. I am now going to write about three elements or aspects I found strong or weak throughout the act, Rock Around the Clock wh ich is an act which plays different plays with music from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. One of the best aspects of the show I thought was the puppets. They were bright, colourful and because they were bright and colourful, they were very catchy to the human eye. You could not miss them and your eyes just had to be focusing on them, what they were doing, and the show. You would get inspired, every time, of how different the puppets were. From Elvis, to Poison Ivy the variety of the puppets also caught the attention of your eye. The last thing I liked about the puppets was that how each puppet was perfect with their song as in the skunk pair in the love song, or the Poison Ivy ion the Poison Ivy song. The puppets came in all shapes, colour, and sizes. An aspect which was almost perfect was the music. It had a great variety to the type as in romantic, action, adventure, etc. The next thing is that the music always fit in ...

IKEA IN CHINA ( international business) Research Paper

IKEA IN CHINA ( international business) - Research Paper Example Moreover, there are also possibilities of a Free Trade Agreement. Also, the currency in Qatar is stable and no foreign exchange controls are imposed (Zahra, 2014). IKEA in Qatar has to go through a detailed political insight before establishing their business. Qatar is open to the foreign businesses and the political factors will help IKEA to prevail their policies. The stable currency allows IKEA to carry out their strategy of good quality products in affordable prices. Reduced tariffs and no unnecessary trade restrictions would allow IKEA to carry out their sales without hindrance (Fromherz 112). However, there are certain tender bond requirements and joint venture requirements for international businesses that may hinder IKEA’s smooth growing in Qatar. Moreover, there is an increasing tax on corporate income which may threaten IKEA’s future profitability (Healy 53). Qatar’s socio-cultural factors are highly important in considering the market for international businesses. Qatar has a small population of about 1 million and out of those only one-fifth of the population is Qataris while four-fifths are foreign workers. The resources, stable government and political system, and the strong economic system are leading to a population growth gradually. Qatar has a diversified culture with many locals and foreigners from South Asia, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, and other countries. The reform minded government is currently spending heavily on the infrastructure and construction sectors to improve the lifestyle and standards of living of the people (Algethami, 2013). The affect of socio-cultural factors on IKEA’s strategy will be notable. These are important as they would determine the acceptance of IKEA and their products in the local market. IKEA will face challenges as they will have to fulfil the demands and expectations of locals who belong to different cultures rather

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Statistics - Essay Example 2. You wish to estimate the weight of the students at EKU. Using the question 2 data, calculate your sample mean to the nearest tenth of a pound. Use that estimate to construct 95% confidence interval for the true average if you know that the standard deviation of the population is 2.3 pounds. Construct 95% confidence interval if you do not know the true standard deviation. Comment on why those confidence intervals are different. Both confidence intervals are slightly different because one is computed based on known population standard deviation, ÏÆ' and z distribution and other is calculated based on sample standard deviation, s and t distribution. The t distribution has slightly broader tails then z distribution, therefore, the confidence interval is also slightly wider as compared to z distribution. 3. The average height in the United States for men is 69.3 inches. The standard deviation for the population of the men in the US is 3.4 inches. You measure a sample of people from Richmond and find that the average of these 16 men is 71.4 inches with a sample standard deviation of 4.8 inches. Assume all testing is for 95% confidence. 4. We wish to compare the weights of the people of Richmond, Kentucky with those of Lexington, Kentucky. We do not know the standard deviation for the population as a whole and we cannot assume that the unknown sigma is the same for each city. We take a sample from each city and the results are as follows All the three models are statistically significant and also, In model 3, individually, Parent’s income and Years of education significantly predicts person’s annual income . However, the adjusted R2 value for the model 3 is highest of all the regression models. Therefore, the best model is given by Adjusted R2 is a measure of Goodness-of-fit and penalizes the R2 for adding additional explanatory variables. The higher the value of adjusted R2,