Essay Sample on “A View from the Bridge” by Arthur Miller

Essay Sample on â€Å"A View from the Bridge† by Arthur Miller A View from the Bridge was written by Arthur Miller from new york, before A View from the Bridge Arthur miller wrote many other plays which were also success storys but some weren’t â€Å"a death of a salesman,† which didn’t have a narrator in it so the audience didn’t immediately understand the meaning of the play when it was first performed on stage. A View from the Bridge used Alfieri as the narrator so the audience understood the play with alfieri and the message of the play which was to compromise in life which Eddie failed to do and the message was more clear.Some of Millers plays such as â€Å"the man who had all the luck† weren’t successes. Many of hundreds of years ago, the ancient greeks produced Greek tragedy.alfieri is connected to Greek tragedy because in a view from the bridge Arthur Miller uses a narrator which in Greek culture is a chorus which is the role of alfieri. A View from the Bridge ends in a tragic ending where rodolpho stabs  Eddie the main hero in the play. Trajedy is a type of drama composed in the Athens in the 6th century. A View from the Bridge uses Alfieri as the narrator who tells the story to the audience.Althought he is a narrator he doesn’t just tell the story and the meaning of the play but he also tells the audience of the time and place of every event that takes place. â€Å"On December 27th I saw him,† Alfieri talks about Eddie when he comes to see him. By talking to the audience he makes it more clear of what is happening and makes the meaning of the play more explicit. He also comments on the action in a previous scene and gives hints as to what is happening next. Alfieri is a lawyer as well as a narrator at the same time. In A View from the Bridge Alfieri is a wise and intelligent character, unlike Eddie who thinks that being manly is very important and Eddie even tries to challenge rodolpho, when rodolpho asks Eddie to hold a chair up from it’s leg but Eddie cant and rodolpho manages to.alfieri doesn’t need manliness he has inner strength because he is very wise and strong minded. â€Å"Eddie im a lawyer’† alfieri hears both sides of the story.e.g when Marco falls in love with Catherine and he wants to marry her but eddy is very against it, and asks Alfieri for legal advice about it. But alfieri just says that there is nothing wrong about a marrying a immigrant. Alfieri’s character is to work out what is right and wrong, and as a lawyer he is there to make peace. In A View from the Bridge Alfieri tries to sort out eddy problems. Eddie is a very much against Marco marrying Catherine and goes to alfieri for help.alfieri helps people by compromising and hearing both sides of the story. Alfieri is a smart man with a intelligent mind. Alfieri compared to other characters in the a view from the bridge speaks proper English because he is well educated. â€Å"Yes we eat very good on the boats,†Marco says this quote. â€Å"Wait a minute†¦ which is†¦ I mean its allright†¦ I mean you know what I mean? This is eddies quote. â€Å"Im inclined to notice the ruins in things,†compared to Marco and Eddie, Alfieri is much more articulate. A View from the Bridge is a play with an audience, alfieri is a bridge between the audience and the characters, because for the characters he is a lawyer and for the audience he is a lawyer and a narrator. Alfieri also helps the characters make the right decision and points them to the right direction that is what his role as a lawyer is. Alfieri has the perspective of knowing everything. Alfieris theme is to make the mood of the play moving. Alfieri hears both sides of the story. In the community Alfieri is a most respected. Arthur Miller put Alfieri into this play as a lawyer because a lawyer can talk to the characters and give them advice. Alfieris feelings towards Eddie are sympathetic. Eddie confides in Alfieri and asks him what he should do; Alfieri wants Eddie to let Catherine marry Marco. The audience must be thinking that Eddie isn’t compromising and being very selfish. Alfieri tries to make Eddie compromise, and reveals eddies feelings, and inner most thoughts through their conversations.alfieri tries to make Eddie see sense. â€Å"She can’t marry you, can she?†He also sees eddies feelings for catherince, and Alfieri sees that Eddie is a desperate man, so desperate, hell do anything. Its the point where Eddie realises that the only way he can stop the marriage is by calling the immigration officers and he does and Marco and rodolpho are taken by the immigration. At the speech Alfieri says â€Å"he allowed himself to be wholly known and for that I will love him more than my sensible clients. He means that even though Eddie was wrong he still believed in himself and if he wanted something he would go for it. You can order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis or dissertation on A View from the Bridge   topics at CustomWritings.com professional custom essay writing service which provides students with high-quality custom written papers at an affordable cost.

Geography and History of the Island Nation of Samoa

Geography and History of the Island Nation of Samoa Samoa, officially called the Independent State of Samoa, is an island nation located in Oceania. It is about 2,200 miles (3,540 km) south of the United States state of Hawaii and its area consists of two main islands - Upolu and Savai. In 2011, Samoa  moved  the International Date Line because it claimed it has more economic ties with Australia and New Zealand (both of which are on the other side of the dateline) than with the United States. On Dec. 29, 2011, at midnight, the date in Samoa changed from Dec. 29 to Dec. 31. Population:  193,161 (July 2011 estimate)Capital:  ApiaArea:  1,093 square miles (2,831 sq km)Coastline:  250 miles (403 km)Highest Point:  Mount Silisili at 6,092 feet (1,857 m) History of Samoa Archeological evidence shows that Samoa has been inhabited for over 2,000 by migrants from Southeast Asia. Europeans did not arrive in the area until the 1700s and by the 1830s missionaries and traders from England began arriving in large numbers.At the beginning of the 20th century the Samoan islands were politically divided and in 1904 the easternmost islands became the U.S. territory known as American Samoa. At the same time, the western islands became Western Samoa and they were controlled by Germany until 1914 when that control passed to New Zealand. New Zealand then administered Western Samoa until it gained its independence in 1962. According to the U.S. Department of State, it was the first country the region to gain independence.In 1997 Western Samoas name changed to the Independent State of Samoa. Today, however, the nation is known as Samoa throughout most of the world. Government of Samoa Samoa is considered a parliamentary democracy with an executive branch of government made up of a chief of state and a head of government. The country also has a unicameral Legislative Assembly with 47 members who are elected by voters. Samoas judicial branch consists of a Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court, the District Court and the Land and Titles Court. Samoa is divided into 11 different districts for local administration. Economics and Land Use in Samoa Samoa has a relatively small economy that is dependent on foreign aid and its trade relations with foreign nations. According to the CIA World Factbook, agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force. The main agricultural products of Samoa are coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, and cocoa. Industries in Samoa include food processing, building materials, and auto parts. Geography and Climate of Samoa Geographically Samoa is a group of islands located in the South Pacific Ocean or Oceania between Hawaii and New Zealand and below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere (CIA World Factbook). Its total land area is 1,093 square miles (2,831 sq km) and it consists of two main islands as well as several small islands and uninhabited islets. The main islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai and the highest point in the country, Mount Silisili at 6,092 feet (1,857 m), is located on Savai while its capital and largest city, Apia, is located on Upolu. The topography of Samoa consists mainly of coastal plains but the interior of Savai and Upolu have rugged volcanic mountains.The climate of Samoa is tropical and as such it has mild to warm temperatures year round. Samoa also has a rainy season from November to April and a dry season from May to October. Apia has a January average high temperature of 86ËšF (30ËšC) and a July average low temperature of 73.4ËšF (23ËšC).To learn more about Sa moa, visit the Geography and Maps section on Samoa on this website Sources Central Intelligence Agency. (28 April 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Samoa. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ws.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Samoa: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108149.htmlUnited States Department of State. (22 November 2010). Samoa. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1842.htmWikipedia.com. (15 May 2011). Samoa - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa

Language as dialect, language and gender in the classroom Essay

Language as dialect, language and gender in the classroom - Essay Example f gender is such a great component of the social and cultural existence of humans that it is almost impossible to talk, interrelate and make judgments on others in the society without first classifying them under a certain category of gender- either male or female (Eckert and McConnell-Ginet (15). Eckert and McConnell-Ginet (10) in the definition of genders as a social construction reveal that this is the manner in which the society is able to carry out the sets of procedures that constitute the differentiation of the gender categories. Despite the fact that biological and physiological construction has a propensity to impact the male and female individuals in society, the perception of gender as a socially constructed phenomenon perceived such differences as being social in nature. Eckert and McConnell-Ginet (22) indicates that the cultural differences between boys and girls are enforced in different levels based on the societies from which they come. The children of different gende rs then indicate a preference for same-sex companies and circle. It is in these same-sex groupings that the boy and girl children begin to behave differently, acquire different perspectives of life and develop discrepant verbal cultures. The manner in which male and female individuals comprehend interrelations is very discrepant, and most times, they are ignorant of such differences. Moreover the males and females tend to suppose that the function from a similar understanding. It is such ignorance and presupposition that fuels gender- founded miscommunication (Eckert and McConnell-Ginet 24). The main point of concern for feminist linguistics is the depiction of language and gender as a social and cultural construction. Eckert and McConnell-Ginet (18) point out that voice is a very important component of language and gender. From the time, they are aged 4-5 years old, children from either sex start to make a distinction between the basic frequencies, which characterizes the voices they

The History of Program Music and its Composers Essay

The History of Program Music and its Composers - Essay Example 3). To further stress this point, the great Frederick Niecks, however, remarked that programme music has always been regarded controversially as its definition is vague and narrow (1). In this context, Niecks wrote (referring to musicians) in the preface of his book entitled Programme Music in the Last Four Centuries: A Contribution to the History of Musical Expression, that "they should embrace all possible kinds, degrees, and characters: the outward and the inward, the simple and the complex, the general and the particular, the lyrical, epic, dramatic, melodramatic, descriptive, symbolical, etc. They should embrace also music with the programme merely indicated by a title, and music the programme of which is unrevealed. The absence of programme and title does not prove the music to be absolute (iii)." Despite having been the one to come up with the phrase "programme music", Frnza Liszt was not its inventor. Programme music has been in existence and practice ever since the 16th century, or probably even before then (Hoffman para. 3). To be able to trace its history, Frederick Niecks outlined six periods while citing the significant composers or musicians during its time. The first period was during the 16th century, a time when allusions were usually made to descriptive vocal compositions that were often inadequate and incorrect (F. Niecks 7). During the second and third quarter of this century, the descriptive vocal pieces of Clement Jannequin emerged. These were La Guerre or La Bataille (War), La Chasse du Livre (The Chase), Le Chant des Oiseaux (the Imitation of Animal Voices), and L'Alouette (Bird Voices) (F. Niecks 7). Battle pieces became the primary favorite then. A... The researcher of this essay states that since the ancient times, music has been used to mimic the sounds of life and nature, real or imagined. As musicians wanted to build a bridge between literature and music, various sounds from animals and nature like tweets, cuckoos, toots, shrieks, cries, horns blowing, hiccups, roars, rain pouring, wind blowing and the like are being used to form a coherent musical composition that conveys a story or a plot. This form of music has been existent since the ancient times, yet it was the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt who actually coined the term â€Å"programme music† in the mid 19th century, a time when Romantic music was very pravalent. For the purpose of discussion, programme music may be defined as instrumental music that attempts to convey a story or arouse mental images without the use of words. Liszt calls composers of programme music as â€Å"poetizing symphonsts†. Furthermore, he also strived to be able to distinguish the p rogramme and its object. He claims that â€Å"the programme has no other object than to indicate preparatively the spiritual moments which impelled the composer to create his work, the thoughts which he endeavoured to incorporate in it. Given the examples of the composers and their works, that were mentioned in the essay, it is hence apparent how experimentation in the genre of programme music was important. It was indeed a risk for these composers to hence pattern the form of their composition to a certain programme they have pictured in their minds.

Online dating Essay Example for Free

Online dating Essay Online dating which allows individuals, couples and groups to make contact and communicate with each other over the Internet, usually with the objective of developing a personal romantic or sexual relationship. Around 30% of Americas 80 million baby boomers are single. Since 2003, several free dating sites, operating on ad based-revenue rather than monthly subscriptions, have appeared and become increasingly popular. These advertisements are nothing but merely deception. The way it works is impractical and unrealistic. Id say it is one of the most passive ways that some lonely person sitting on his couch all day can find the fantasy woman of his dreams. Advertisers use different methods to attract consumers in an effort to entice them to buy their products. E-Harmony, an online dating service, uses a form of deception to attract the consumer in an attempt to lure the person into signing up for their dating service. Their practice is not entirely deceptive, but is for the most part. The ad portrays two people, blissfully in love. With brightly lit smiles while gazing lovingly into each others eyes, each person explains how he or she found their own true love by using this service. The e-Harmony success story continues as they explain how the person they are madly in love with is simply perfect for them in every way. Love and romance practically jumps out from the ad. The ad is somewhat deceptive because it makes it look like all a lonely person who is looking for a meaningful relationship has to do is go to e-Harmony, and he or she will instantly find true love. Yes, it is possible to find someone using this service but it is not realistic. People who use the service go through a longer process, meeting different potential partners, getting to know them and more than likely moving on to the next prospect. The ad makes it look too easy to find someone to be involved with in a serious relationship. By placing the entire focus on the ultimate goal, and exaggerating the potential end result (two people madly in love) plays on the viewers emotions. Someone who is in this situation may be vulnerable, so being subjected to the image of lovers ultimate bliss, may cause him or her not to think rationally. That picture of two exceedingly happy lovers is what that viewer may yearn for to the point of believing what the ad sells, an expectation that is more than likely too high.

Wal Mart case study analysis :: essays research papers

Central Issue The main issue facing the management of Wal –Mart was how to sustain their extraordinary growth. As the domestic market reaches saturation, a strategy for at home and for global expansion will be necessary. Recommendation Wal-Mart needs to identify and nurture the primary core competency that fueled their growth: fulfilling customer needs with a wide spectrum of products at â€Å"everyday low prices†. This competency is the product of the aggregate of competencies across individual skill sets and organization boundaries: Wal-Mart is a leader in channel management, inventory control, distribution and customer service. This is a result of the company’s ability to coordinate a complex information management and distributing network and to efficiently manage supplier relations, through the use of new technologies and the seamless flow of information. Wal-Mart’s extensive communications network connects all stores, warehouses, offices and suppliers. This enables Wal-Mart to not only provide value to its customers by offering a wide variety of goods at the lowest prices, but also to provide value to its suppliers as a large, ever present channel for sale of goods. This channel also prov ides a highly efficient feedback loop on unit sales, demand and inventory, facilitating a just in time supply management system and an effective needs-based position. Through careful bargaining and sheer-size, Wal-Mart has power over the suppliers, and can purchase goods cheaper than the competition. Wal-Mart can also differentiates through private branding, i.e. Sam’s Choice. In addition to the added differentiation, they can become less dependent on branded manufacturers, further eroding the power that suppliers may wield. This also allows them to exploit their initial strategy of opening stores in rural areas that were traditionally neglected, by maintaining a steady supply of low priced goods with low inventory costs. This raises the barriers to entry. By offering such a broad spectrum of products at the lowest prices, Wal-Mart reduces the threat of bargaining power of buyers. Wal-Mart was a leader in Uniform Product Codes scanning. For the two years that it took K-Mart to implement their system, Wal-Mart had, at least temporarily, a competitive advantage that was both valuable and rare. Another characteristic that is valuable and difficult to imitate: a loyal and motivated workforce. It requires time to develop a company culture of dedication and commitment to hard work. Providing value to the customer through low prices and excellent customer service, the threats of substitution are reduced. Customers won’t switch to competitor chains.

Effective Communication in Teaching Essay

Effective communication skills are essential for early childhood educators to ensure a high level of academic care is provided and to develop strong relationships both inside and outside the classroom. Without good communication there is no connection and a teacher will struggle to provide any type of educational experience to the children in their care. As stated by Johnson (1999)â€Å"communication is an ongoing process of sending and receiving messages that enable humans to share knowledge, attitudes and skills. Effective teaching depends on successful communication† (p4). Johnson (1999) believes that â€Å"communication is the driving force in any relationship or situation† (p3), therefore without effective communication the relationship and learning process will suffer. The two types of communication used by teachers are verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication is the most obvious form and is used in an early childhood education setting constantly throughout the day. This can include teacher to child, teacher to teacher, child to child and teacher to parent. In an early childhood education setting, communication between teachers and children begins with a greeting in the morning as classes commence, and would continue constantly throughout the day. A typical day in a pre-school or infant’s school classroom would include activities such as roll call, group discussions and presentations like show and tell or news. These events would be a daily occurrence working to encourage communication between the teacher and the students, as well as between the students themselves, by giving each party a chance to speak and listen and exchange information and ideas. The day would continue with the teacher presenting new ideas and skills as part of the curriculum and, on a more casual basis, outside the classroom, during breaks and sport sessions. It is important for early childhood educators to be able to recognise the different learning styles of children and be flexible when communicating concepts and the content of lessons. A study by Geng (2011) discusses several different techniques that can be used when communicating with children and these include voice control, for example, using a certain tone  of voice to demand attention at the front of the class or a softer tone when trying to form a bond in the first phases of a relationship. Another useful technique when communicating with young children is to use short phrases and deliver instructions in a clear and concise manner. By using too many words, or words children do not understand the main message can be lost as they become confused or lose focus. Another way to ensure children follow along easily is to repeat instructions and new information, reiterating the main points to ensure they are heard and understood. Requesting a student to repeat the instruction back to the class allows the teacher to ensure they understand and is another chance for the instruction to be given to the class again. Visual clues are also used in a learning environment and within early childhood education these can include tools such as flash cards, pictures or posters and can be particularly useful when learning new words, spelling and basic mathematics, such as times tables. Non verbal communication is just as important as the more obvious verbal form. An early childhood educator must be able to communicate non-verbally. Johnson (1999, p.6) believes that children react better to this type of communication. Some examples of non verbal communication include facial expressions, touching and body movements, eye contact and use of personal space. By teaching children to understand non-verbal communication cues, their overall skills are enhanced as the two types of communication cannot succeed without each other. Knott (1979) defines the types of non-verbal communication in three categories: kinetic; body movements and gestures, paralanguage; voice qualities such as grunting and yawning, and the use of social and personal space. She states that these types of communication â€Å"play a significant role in the development of effective communication†¦ they are integral elements in all face to face communication† (p 227). It is essential that children learn to interpret these types of non-verbal communication. When combined with verbal communication, these skills will assist them to successfully communicate throughout life in many different situations, not just in an early childhood education setting. To enable educators to be the best they can be they must be able to communicate well with their peers. Exchanging ideas and information on the curriculum, teaching strategies, students, and problem solving ideas are daily occurrences for teachers. This will assist them in developing skills and furthering their knowledge. Both verbal and non-verbal communication is used between peers. An example of verbal communication between teachers would be colleagues exchanging ideas in staff meetings and discussions and a non-verbal example would include written reports and records about the students. Teachers play an important role in helping children develop relationships with one another. As an early childhood educator they are witness to the forming of many friendships between the children in their care. It is vital that these relationships are encouraged and guided to ensure all children feel happy, loved and secure with their place in the class or friendship group. Communication is the key to successful relationships and Kranyick (1975) believes that the ability to listen well is just as valuable as being able to project your message well. â€Å"The basic premise of the integrated day and family grouping is based on children learning from each other, they must listen to each other† (p 4). If children are not taught the importance of listening they may find their relationships suffer as it will be harder to form a bond if the other child feels what they are saying is not of value or importance. To support the education of communication within the early childhood years, the Australian Government has developed The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). It is an outline for teachers comprising of five learning outcomes. One of the outcomes is ‘Children are Effective Communicators’. The document states that â€Å"communication is crucial to belonging, being and becoming†¦ children communicate with others using gestures, sounds, language and assisted communication† (p 38). The document goes on to say that â€Å"Children feel a sense of belonging when their language, interaction styles and ways of communicating are valued†, which reiterates Kranyick’s (1975) beliefs discussed earlier. The importance of the relationship between teachers and parents must not be underestimated. A positive partnership is essential in order to ensure that a child’s education is supported and encouraged from not only inside the classroom but also at home. As stated by Hughes & MacNaughton (2001) â€Å"Communication between parents and staff is an important part of the daily life in early childhood centres†¦ research has shown that good staff-parent communication contributes significantly to the success of early childhood programs†. An effective way to reach out to a parent or carer is through an information and feedback session, commonly known as a ‘parent – teacher night’. This allows the teacher to discuss a student’s progress and development, as well as voice any concerns they may have. It is also an opportunity for parents and carers to ask questions and learn how to better support their children on their educational journey. In conclusion, good communication within an early childhood education setting is vitally important. It is essential that early childhood educators focus on developing strong and effective communication skills to be able to ensure a high level and successful educational experience for the children in their care. It is important that these skills are passed on to young children as when they develop good communication skills it can only help to build their foundation for learning and forming relationships as they go through the journey of life, including their future years of study and work, as well as their relationships with friends and family. In the words of Geng (2011) â€Å"communication is therefore a fundamental component in promoting positive behaviour†. REFERENCES Johnson, M. (1999). Communication in the classroom. Place, stateUS Department of Education. Geng, G. (2011). Investigation of teachers’ verbal and nonverbal strategies for managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) students’ behaviour within a classroom environment. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 36 (Issue 7), 17-30. Kranyik, M. (1975). Teaching to listen and listening to teach. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Conference on the Language Arts in Elementary School., Boston, MA. publisher. Arnold, M. (1979). Early child-child communication. Theory into Practice, Volume 18 (Issue 4), 213-219. Knott, G. (2011). Nonverbal communication during early childhood. Theory into Practice, Volume 18 (Issue 4), 226-233. Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for the Council of Australian Governments. (2009). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. Canberra, Australia. Author. McNaughton, D., Hamlin, D, McCarty, J, Head-Reeves, D, Schreiner, M. . (2007). Learning to listen: teaching an active listening strategy to preservice educational professionals. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. , Volume 27 (Issue 4), 223-231.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 20

â€Å"Ohhhh.† Bonnie melted back into the bucket seat. â€Å"It was like†¦kapow! Zap! Zowie! Like†¦fireworks.† â€Å"You're smirking.† â€Å"I am not smirking,† Bonnie said with dignity. â€Å"I am smiling in fond remembrance. Besides – â€Å" â€Å"Besides, if you hadn't Called him, we'd still be stuck in that horror of a room. Thank you, Bonnie. You saved us.† Abruptly Meredith was at her most serious and sincere. â€Å"I guess Elena was maybe right when she said he didn't hate all humans,† Bonnie said slowly. â€Å"But, you know, I just realized. I couldn't see his aura at all. All I could see was black: smooth hard black, like a shell around him.† â€Å"Maybe that's how he protects himself. He makes a shell so no one can see inside.† â€Å"Maybe,† Bonnie said, but there was worried note in her voice. â€Å"And what about that message from Elena?† â€Å"It says that Tami Bryce is definitely acting strangely and that she and Matt are going out to check out the Old Wood.† â€Å"Maybe that's who they're going to meet – Damon, I mean. At 4:44, like he said. Too bad we can't call her.† â€Å"I know,† Meredith said grimly. Everyone in Fell's Church knew that there was no reception in the Old Wood or the cemetery area. â€Å"But go ahead and try anyway.† Bonnie did, and as usual got a no-service message. She shook her head. â€Å"No good. They must already be in the woods.† â€Å"Well, what she wants is for us to go ahead and get a look at Isobel Saitou – you know, because she's Jim Bryce's girlfriend.† Meredith made a turn. â€Å"That reminds me, Bonnie: did you get a look atCaroline's aura? Do you think she has one of those things – inside her?† â€Å"I guess so. I saw her aura, and yuck, I never want to see it again. She used to be a kind of deep bronzy-green, but now she's muddy brown with black lightning zigzagging all through. I don't know if that means one of those things was inside her, but she sure didn't mind cuddling up to them!† Bonnie shuddered. â€Å"Okay,† Meredith said soothingly. â€Å"I know what I would say if I had to make a guess – and if you're going to be sick, I'll stop.† Bonnie gulped. â€Å"I'm all right. But we're seriously going to Isobel Saitou's house?† â€Å"We're very seriously going there. As a matter of fact, we're almost there. Let's just brush our hair, take a few deep breaths, and get it over with. How well do you know her?† â€Å"Well, she's smart. We didn't have any classes together. But we both got out of athletics at the same time – she had a jumpy heart or something, and I used to get that terrible asthma†¦.† â€Å"From any exertion except dancing, which you could keep up all night,† Meredith said dryly. â€Å"I don't know her very well at all. What's she like?† â€Å"Well, nice. Looks a bit like you, except Asian. Shorter than you – Elena's height, but skinnier. Sort of pretty. A little shy – the quiet type, you know. Sort of hard to get to know. And†¦nice.† â€Å"Shy and quiet and nice sounds good to me.† â€Å"Me, too,† Bonnie said, pressing her sweaty hands together between her knees. What sounded even better, she thought, was for Isobel to be not at home. However, there were several cars parked in front of the Saitou house. Bonnie and Meredith knocked on the door hesitantly, mindful of what had happened the last time they had done this. It was Jim Bryce who answered, a tall, lanky boy who hadn't filled out yet and stooped a bit. What Bonnie found amazing was the change in his face as he recognized Meredith. When he'd answered he'd looked awful; his face white under a medium tan, his body somehow crumpled. When he saw Meredith, some of the color came to his cheeks and he seemed to†¦well, to smooth out like a piece of paper. He stood taller. Meredith didn't say a word. She just stepped forward and put her arms around him. He clutched at her as if he was afraid she'd run away, and buried his face in her dark hair. â€Å"Meredith.† â€Å"Just breathe, Jim. Breathe.† â€Å"You don't know what it's been like. My parents left because my great-grandpa's really sick – I think he's dying. And then Tami – Tami – â€Å" â€Å"Tell me slowly. And keep breathing.† â€Å"She threw knives, Meredith. Butcher knives. She got me in the leg here.† Jim plucked at his jeans to show a small slit of a hole in the fabric over the lower part of one thigh. â€Å"Have you had a tetanus shot recently?† Meredith was at her most efficient. â€Å"No, but it's not really a big cut. It's a puncture wound, mainly.† â€Å"Those are exactly the kind that are most dangerous. You need to call Dr. Alpert right away.† Old Dr. Alpert was an institution in Fell's Church: a doctor who even made house calls, in a country where carrying around a little black bag and stethoscope was pretty much unheard-of behavior. â€Å"Ican't . I can't leave†¦.† Jim jerked his head backward toward the interior of the house as if he couldn't bring himself to say a name. Bonnie tugged at Meredith's sleeve. â€Å"I have a very bad feeling about this,† she hissed. Meredith turned back to Jim. â€Å"You mean Isobel? Where areher parents?† â€Å"Isa-chan, I mean Isobel, I just call her Isa-chan, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's all right,† said Meredith. â€Å"Just say what comes naturally. Go on.† â€Å"Well, Isa-chan only has her grandma, and Grandma Saitou doesn't even come downstairs much. I made her lunch a while ago and she thought I was – Isobel's father. She gets†¦confused.† Meredith glanced at Bonnie, and said, â€Å"And Isobel? Is she confused, too?† Jim shut his eyes, looking utterly miserable. â€Å"I wish you'd go in and, well, just talk to her.† Bonnie's bad feeling was only getting worse. She really couldn't stand another scare like the one at Caroline's house – and she certainly didn't have the strength to Call again, even if Damon weren't in a hurry to get somewhere. But Meredith knew all this, and Meredith was giving her the sort of look that couldn't be denied. It also promised that Meredith would protect Bonnie, no matter what. â€Å"Is she hurting anybody? Isobel?† Bonnie heard herself ask as they crossed through the kitchen and toward a bedroom at the end of the hallway. She could hardly hear Jim's whispered, â€Å"Yeah.† And then, as Bonnie groaned internally, he added, â€Å"Herself.† Isobel's room was just what you'd expect from a quiet and studious girl. At least one side was. The other side looked as if a tidal wave had picked everything up and thrown it down again randomly. Isobel was sitting in the middle of this mess like a spider on a web. But that wasn't what made Bonnie's gut churn. It was what Isobel was doing. She had laid out beside her what looked a lot like Mrs. Flowers' kit for cleaning out wounds, but she wasn't healing anything. She was piercing herself. She had already done her lip, her nose, one eyebrow, and her ears, many times. Blood was dripping from all these places, dripping and falling onto the unmade sheets of her bed. Bonnie saw all that as Isobel looked up at them with a frown, except that the frown was only half there. On the pierced side, the eyebrow didn't move at all. Her aura was shattered orange with black lashings through it. Bonnie knew, all at once, that she was going to be sick. She knew it with the deep knowledge that overcame all embarrassment and which sent her flying to a wastebasket she didn't even remember seeing. Thank God, it had a white plastic bag lining it, she thought, and then she was completely occupied for a few minutes. Her ears recorded a voice, even as she was thinking she was glad she hadn't had lunch. â€Å"My God,are you crazy ? Isobel, what have you done to yourself? Don't you know the kind of infections you can get†¦the veins you can hit†¦the muscles you can paralyze†¦? I think you've already pierced the muscle in your eyebrow – and you shouldn't still be bleeding unless you've hit veins or arteries.† Bonnie retched dryly into the wastebasket, and spat. And just then she heard a meaty thud. She looked up, half knowing what she would see. But it still was a shock. Meredith was doubled over from what must have been a punch in the stomach. The next thing Bonnie knew, she was beside Meredith. â€Å"Oh, my God, did shestab you?† A stab wound†¦deep enough into the abdomen†¦ Meredith clearly couldn't get her breath. From somewhere a bit of advice from her sister Mary, the nurse, floated into Bonnie's mind. Bonnie pounded with both fists on Meredith's back, and suddenly Meredith took a huge gulp of air. â€Å"Thanks,† she was saying weakly, but Bonnie was already dragging her away, away from the laughing Isobel and a collection of the world's longest nails and the rubbing alcohol and other things that she had on a breakfast tray beside her. Bonnie got to the door and almost collided with Jim, who had a wet washcloth in his hand. For her, she supposed. Or maybe for Isobel. All Bonnie was interested in was making Meredith pull up her top to make absolutely, positively sure that there were no holes in her. â€Å"I got it – out of her hand – before she punched me,† Meredith said, still breathing painfully as Bonnie anxiously scanned the area above her low-rise jeans. â€Å"I'll have a bruise, that's all.† â€Å"She hit you, too?† Jim said in dismay. Except that he didn't say it. He whispered it. You poor guy, Bonnie thought, finally satisfied that Meredith wasn't perforated. What with Caroline and your sister Tami and your girlfriend, you don't have the first idea of what's going on. How could you? And if we told you, you'd just think we were two more crazy girls. â€Å"Jimmy, youhave to call Dr. Alpert right away, and then I think they're going to have to go to the hospital in Ridgemont. Isobel's already done permanent damage to herself – God knows how much.All those piercings are almost certainly going to be infected. When did she start this?† â€Å"Um, well†¦she first started acting weird after Caroline came to see her.† â€Å"Caroline!† Bonnie blurted, confused. â€Å"Was she crawling?† Jim gave her a look. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Never mind Bonnie; she was joking,† Meredith said easily. â€Å"Jimmy, you don't have to tell us about Caroline if you don't want to. We – well, we know she was over at your house.† â€Å"Doeseverybody know?† Jim asked miserably. â€Å"No. Just Matt, and he only told us so that somebody could go check on your little sister.† Jim looked guilty and stricken at once. The words poured out of him as if they'd been bottled up and now the cork was out of the bottle. â€Å"I don't know what's going on anymore. All I can tell you is what happened. It was a couple days ago – late evening,† Jim said. â€Å"Caroline came over, and – I mean, I never even had a crush on her. It's like, sure, she's good-looking, and my parents were away and all, but I never thought I was the kind of guy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Never mind that now. Just tell us about Caroline and Isobel.† â€Å"Well, Caroline came over wearing this outfit that was – well, the top was practically transparent. And she just – she said, did I want to dance and it was, like, slow dancing and she – she, like,seduced me. That's the truth. And the next morning she left – just about the time Matt came. That was the day before yesterday. And then I noticed Tami acting – crazy. Nothing I could do would stop her. And then I got a phone call from Isa-chan and – I've never heard her so hysterical. Caroline must have gone straight from my house to her house. Isa-chan said she was going to kill herself. And so I ran over here. I had to get away from Tami anyway because me being there at home just seemed to make it worse.† Bonnie looked at Meredith and knew that they were both thinking the same thing:and somewhere in there, both Caroline and Tami propositioned Matt, too. â€Å"Caroline must have told her everything.† Jim gulped. â€Å"Isa-chan and I haven't – we were waiting, you know? But all Isa-chan would say to me was that I was going to be sorry. ;;You'll be sorry; just wait and see,' over and over and over. And, God, Iam sorry.† â€Å"Well, now you can stop being sorry and start calling the doctor. Rightnow , Jimmy.† Meredith gave him a swat on the behind. â€Å"And then you need to call your parents. Don't give me those big brown puppy-dog eyes. You're over eighteen; I don't know what they can do to you for leaving Tami alone all this time.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"But me no buts. Imean it, Jimmy.† Then she did what Bonnie knew she would, but was dreading. She approached Isobel again. Isobel's head was down; she was pinching her navel with one hand. In the other, she held a long, shining nail. Before Meredith could even speak, Isobel said, â€Å"So you're in on it, too. I heard the way you called him  ¡Ã‚ ®Jimmy.' You're all trying to take him away from me. All you bitches are trying to hurt me.Yurusenai! Zettai yurusenai! â€Å" â€Å"Isobel! Don't! Can't you see that you're hurtingyourself ?† â€Å"I'm only hurting myself to take away the pain. You're the one who's really doing it, you know. You're pricking me with needles inside.† Bonnie jumped inside her own skin, but not just because Isobel suddenly gave a vicious thrust of the nail. She felt heat sweep up into her cheeks. Her heart began to pound even faster than it was already going. Trying to keep one eye on Meredith, she pulled her mobile phone out of her back pocket where she'd stashed it after the visit to Caroline's house. Still with half her attention on Meredith, she went on the Internet and rapidly entered just two search words. Then, as she made a couple of selections from her hits, she realized that she could never absorb all the information in a week, much less a few minutes. But at least she had a start. Just now, Meredith was backing away from Isobel. She put her mouth close to Bonnie's ear and whispered, â€Å"I think we're just antagonizing her. Did you get a good look at her aura?† Bonnie nodded. â€Å"Then we probably should leave the room, at least.† Bonnie nodded again. â€Å"Were you trying to call Matt and Elena?† Meredith was eyeing the mobile phone. Bonnie shook her head and turned the phone so Meredith could see her two search words. Meredith stared, then lifted dark eyes to Bonnie's in a kind of horrified recognition. Salem witches.

Hydrogen Powered Cars essays

Hydrogen Powered Cars essays Hydrogen, the simplest element, is composed of one proton and one electron. It makes up more than 90% of the composition of the universe. More than 30% of the mass of the sun is atomic hydrogen. It is the third most abundant element in the earth's surface, and is found mostly in water. Under ordinary conditions, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and nonpoisonous gas composed of diatomic molecules (H2). When cars burn gasoline, they would ideally burn it perfectly and create nothing but carbon dioxide and water in their exhaust. Unfortunately, the internal combustion engine is not perfect. In the process of burning the gasoline, it also produces; Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas , Nitrogen oxides, the main source of urban smog , unburned hydrocarbons, the main source of urban ozone . Catalytic converters eliminate much of this pollution, but they aren't perfect either. Air pollution from cars is a real problem in big cities. Carbon is also a problem. When Carbon burns, it turns into a lot of carbon dioxide gas. Gasoline is mostly carbon by weight, so a gallon of gas might release 5 to 6 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere. The U.S. is releasing roughly 2 billion pounds of carbon into the atmosphere each day. If it were solid carbon, it would be extremely noticeable, it would be like throwing a 5-pound bag of sugar out the window of your car for every gallon of gas burned (Knapp 1). But because the 5 pounds of carbon comes out as an invisible gas (carbon dioxide), most of us are oblivious to it. The carbon dioxide coming out of every car's tailpipe is a greenhouse gas. The ultimate effects are unknown, but it is a strong possibility that, eventually, there will be climate changes that affect everyone on the planet. For this reason, there are growing efforts to replace gasoline with hydrogen. There are two possible sources for the hydrogen. Electrolysis of water; Using electricity, it is easy ...

Senate Seats up for Election in 2016

Senate Seats up for Election in 2016 Republicans had a huge year in the 2010 elections following the rebellion by conservatives over President Obamas big government push. As a result, Republicans have a big task ahead of them in defending many competitive seats. The Democrats faced a similar situation in 2014 after having more than 20 seats to defend thanks to the success of the party in 2008. In that cycle, many toss-up and red-state Democrats faced re-election for the first time since casting a ballots for Obamacare, and lost. Will Republicans avoid the same fate? (Senate seats are up for election every six years, with approximately 1/3 of the seats up every two years.) Safe Republican Seats Up for Re-election The GOP should have 24 seats to defend out of the overall 34 seats up for election. Luckily, 18 of those seats will start in the likely Republican column. While many of these seats were held by Democrats before 2010, they were still red seats at heart and Obamacare helped end the myth of the blue dog Democrats. The likely safe seats include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah. While Iowa is the one state on this list twice won by President Obama, popular US Senator Chuck Grassley should have little trouble winning re-election. With the right recruit, Democrats can be competitive in any number of these seats, but they start off in the safe zone for the GOP. (See a complete breakdown of all 24 Republican seats up for re-election.) Big Races for Republican Incumbents These are the six seats that Democrats will likely target in 2016 as many of them featured some surprising and unexpected results in 2010. Democrats will be hoping to ride the coat-tails of a possible Hillary Clinton Presidential run to propel big victories in the states. Florida - Marco Rubio is running for President. He has opted not to try to simultaneously run for the Presidency and the US Senate, and current state laws would have prevented him from doing so. The field is wide open on the both the Republican and Democratic sides.Illinois - Moderate Mark Kirk won a close election (2 points) over close Obama friend Alexi Giannoulias in 2010. Illinois is a fairly blue state, but Kirk has had plenty of success there. Democrats have rallied around congresswoman Tammy Duckworth who will provide a very stiff challenge.New Hampshire - Kelly Ayotte had a blowout, 24-point victory in 2010. She will probably be a strong bet for re-election and at least one early poll showed her in a strong position even against one of the states top Democrats. The Democrats have recruited Governor Maggie Hassan to challenge Ayotte.Ohio - The good news for Republicans is they had huge victories in three of the five most competitive seats for 2016. Ohio follows Florida and New Hampshire as a state where the incumbent will be coming off big double-digit victories. Here, Rob Portman cruised to a 57-39% victory over his Democratic opponent in 2010. The Democrats have rallied around former Governor Ted Strickland and polls have showed a tight race. Pennsylvania - Like Illinois, Pennsylvania will be a big question mark. Pat Toomey had a 2-point victory in 2010 and will need to rely on his work over the previous six years to improve that. A strong Presidential run by a Democrat could give the potential challenger significant coat-tails in this race.Wisconsin - The big surprise of 2010 was Ron Johnsons 52-47 victory over progressive US Senator Russ Feingold. Johnson has proven an odd state to handicap given its support for both President Obama and constitutional conservative Scott Walker as Governor. Russ Feingold has decided to try and win his seat back, and early polls show he might be able to do it. Safe Democratic Seats Up for Re-election The Democrats should only have 10 seats up for election in 2016. Luckily for them, most of these will be safe. After all, these Democrats are the lucky few who survived the tea party sweeps in 2010. The early safe bets are California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Most of these seats should survive incumbent retirements as well. (See all 10 Democratic Senate seats up or re-election in 2016) Big Races for Democratic Incumbents Colorado - This is one of the seats that got away from Republicans in 2010 and it will be one of two real shots at a pick-up in 2016. A large field has yet to be whittled down.Nevada - Democrats went all in to save US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada. Reid will be nearing 80 years old in 2016 and has opted to retire. Republican Congressman Joe Heck will make the open seat immediately competitive.

Pricing and Distribution in Marketing Decisions Essay - 1

Pricing and Distribution in Marketing Decisions - Essay Example This paper illustrates that for many years, the Ford Escort was among the top-selling automobiles in America. The Ford Motor Company uses the value pricing strategy to gain a market share in the global market. This strategy has been used as an initial step of eliminating the common costly customer returns. This initiative seeks to enhance the customer’s buying experience with a view to curbing the distrust in relation to the sale of retail cars. It is for this reason that the Ford Motor Company has at one time tried low-pricing on its vehicle models including the Ford Escort. Such moves are meant to increase the profit margins of the company. As a result, the scantly equipped models were eliminated. They were then replaced with fairly loaded automobiles which had comparable prices. The company eventually witnessed increased sales. A true account is that production of vehicles with similar options increases manufacturing efficiency. A number of models irrespective of the model style were sold for the same price. As much as many consumers around the world found it hard to believe the existence of such an offer, they still went ahead to purchase the products. Ford has also used price discrimination for instance in Great Britain and Belgium to maximize its profits. This pricing strategy makes economic sense in light of imposing different charges for different countries. The Toyota Motor company also used the price discrimination strategy. The Lexus Es was therefore sold for different prices for instance in the US as compared to the European countries. Toyota has also employed the predatory pricing strategy to market the Lexus Es as a luxury car. This strategy has been very common with Japanese companies. Toyota takes advantage of its profitable position in Japan. Toyota has since used its strong profit position in Japan to subsidize the aggressive pricing in other markets across the world. Predatory pricing has since received sharp criticisms from market sha reholders across the globe.