The Host Chapter 31: Needed

I froze and then looked quickly over my shoulder to see if someone was behind me. â€Å"Gladys was his wife,† Jamie whispered almost silently. â€Å"She didn't escape.† â€Å"Gladys,† Walter said to me, oblivious to my reaction. â€Å"Would you believe I went and got cancer? What are the odds, eh? Never took a sick day in my life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice faded out until I couldn't hear it, but his lips continued to move. He was too weak to lift his hand; his fingers dragged themselves toward the edge of the cot, toward me. Ian nudged me forward. â€Å"What should I do?† I breathed. The sweat beading on my forehead had nothing to do with the humid heat. â€Å"†¦ grandfather lived to be a hundred and one,† Walter wheezed, audible again. â€Å"Nobody ever had cancer in my family, not even the cousins. Didn't your aunt Regan have skin cancer, though?† He looked at me trustingly, waiting for an answer. Ian poked me in the back. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I mumbled. â€Å"Maybe that was Bill's aunt,† Walter allowed. I shot a panicked glance at Ian, who shrugged. â€Å"Help,† I mouthed at him. He motioned for me to take Walter's searching fingers. Walter's skin was chalk white and translucent. I could see the faint pulse of blood in the blue veins on the back of his hand. I lifted his hand gingerly, worried about the slender bones that Jamie had said were so brittle. It felt too light, as if it were hollow. â€Å"Ah, Gladdie, it's been hard without you. It's a nice place here; you'll like it, even when I'm gone. Plenty of people to talk to-I know how you need to have your conversation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The volume of his voice sank until I couldn't make out the words anymore, but his lips still shaped the words he wanted to share with his wife. His mouth kept moving, even when his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side. Ian found a wet cloth and began wiping Walter's shining face. â€Å"I'm not good at†¦ at deception,† I whispered, watching Walter's mumbling lips to make sure he wasn't listening to me. â€Å"I don't want to upset him.† â€Å"You don't have to say anything,† Ian reassured me. â€Å"He's not lucid enough to care.† â€Å"Do I look like her?† â€Å"Not a bit-I've seen her picture. Stocky redhead.† â€Å"Here, let me do that.† Ian gave me the rag, and I cleaned the sweat off Walter's neck. Busy hands always made me feel more comfortable. Walter continued to mumble. I thought I heard him say, â€Å"Thanks, Gladdie, that's nice.† I didn't notice that Doc's snores had stopped. His familiar voice was suddenly there behind me, too gentle to startle. â€Å"How is he?† â€Å"Delusional,† Ian whispered. â€Å"Is that the brandy or the pain?† â€Å"More the pain, I would think. I'd trade my right arm for some morphine.† â€Å"Maybe Jared will produce another miracle,† Ian suggested. â€Å"Maybe,† Doc sighed. I wiped absently at Walter's pallid face, listening more intently now, but they didn't speak of Jared again. Not here, Melanie whispered. Looking for help for Walter, I agreed. Alone, she added. I thought about the last time I'd seen him-the kiss, the belief†¦ He probably wanted some time to himself. I hope he isn't out there convincing himself that you're a very talented actress-slash-Seeker again†¦ That's possible, of course. Melanie groaned silently. Ian and Doc murmured in quiet voices about inconsequential things, mostly Ian catching Doc up on what was going on in the caves. â€Å"What happened to Wanda's face?† Doc whispered, but I could still hear him easily. â€Å"More of the same,† Ian said in a tight voice. Doc made an unhappy noise under his breath and then clicked his tongue. Ian told him a bit about tonight's awkward class, about Geoffrey's questions. â€Å"It would have been convenient if Melanie had been possessed by a Healer,† Doc mused. I flinched, but they were behind me and probably didn't notice. â€Å"We're lucky it was Wanda,† Ian murmured in my defense. â€Å"No one else -â€Å" â€Å"I know,† Doc interrupted, good-natured as always. â€Å"I guess I should say, it's too bad Wanda didn't have more of an interest in medicine.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I murmured. I was careless to reap the benefits of perfect health without ever being curious about the cause. A hand touched my shoulder. â€Å"You have nothing to apologize for,† Ian said. Jamie was being very quiet. I looked around and saw that he was curled up on the cot where Doc had been napping. â€Å"It's late,† Doc noted. â€Å"Walter's not going anywhere tonight. You should get some sleep.† â€Å"We'll be back,† Ian promised. â€Å"Let us know what we can bring, for either of you.† I laid Walter's hand down, patting it cautiously. His eyes snapped open, focusing with more awareness than before. â€Å"Are you leaving?† he wheezed. â€Å"Do you have to go so soon?† I took his hand again quickly. â€Å"No, I don't have to leave.† He smiled and closed his eyes again. His fingers locked around mine with brittle strength. Ian sighed. â€Å"You can go,† I told him. â€Å"I don't mind. Take Jamie back to his bed.† Ian glanced around the room. â€Å"Hold on a sec,† he said, and then he grabbed the cot closest to him. It wasn't heavy-he lifted it easily and slid it into place next to Walter's. I stretched my arm to the limit, trying not to jostle Walter, so that Ian could arrange the cot under it. Then he grabbed me up just as easily and set me on the cot beside Walter. Walter's eyes never fluttered. I gasped quietly, caught off guard by the casual way Ian was able to put his hands on me-as though I were human. Ian jerked his chin toward Walter's hand clasped around mine. â€Å"Do you think you can sleep like that?† â€Å"Yes, I'm sure I can.† â€Å"Sleep well, then.† He smiled at me, then turned and lifted Jamie from the other cot. â€Å"Let's go, kid,† he muttered, carrying the boy with no more effort than if he were an infant. Ian's quiet footsteps faded into the distance until I couldn't hear them anymore. Doc yawned and went to sit behind the desk he'd constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum door, taking the dim lamp with him. Walter's face was too dark to see, and that made me nervous. It was like he was already gone. I took comfort in his fingers, still curled stiffly around mine. Doc began to shuffle through some papers, humming almost inaudibly to himself. I drifted off to the sound of the gentle rustling. Walter recognized me in the morning. He didn't wake until Ian showed up to escort me back; the cornfield was due to be cleared of the old stalks. I promised Doc I would bring him breakfast before I got to work. The very last thing I did was to carefully loosen my numb fingers, freeing them from Walter's grasp. His eyes opened. â€Å"Wanda,† he whispered. â€Å"Walter?† I wasn't sure how long he would know me, or if he would remember last night. His hand clutched at the empty air, so I gave him my left, the one that wasn't dead. â€Å"You came to see me. That was nice. I know†¦ with the others back†¦ must be hard†¦ for you†¦ Your face†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He seemed to be having a difficult time making his lips form the words, and his eyes went in and out of focus. How like him, that his first words to me would be full of concern. â€Å"Everything's fine, Walter. How are you feeling?† â€Å"Ah -† He groaned quietly. â€Å"Not so†¦ Doc?† â€Å"Right here,† Doc murmured, close behind me. â€Å"Got any more liquor?† he gasped. â€Å"Of course.† Doc was already prepared. He held the mouth of a thick glass bottle to Walter's slack lips and carefully poured the dark brown liquid in slow drips into his mouth. Walter winced as each sip burned down his throat. Some of it trickled out the side of his mouth and onto his pillow. The smell stung my nose. â€Å"Better?† Doc asked after a long moment of slow pouring. Walter grunted. It didn't sound like assent. His eyes closed. â€Å"More?† Doc asked. Walter grimaced and then moaned. Doc cursed under his breath. â€Å"Where's Jared?† he muttered. I stiffened at the name. Melanie stirred and then drifted again. Walter's face sagged. His head rolled back on his neck. â€Å"Walter?† I whispered. â€Å"The pain's too much for him to stay conscious. Let him be,† Doc said. My throat felt swollen. â€Å"What can I do?† Doc's voice was desolate. â€Å"About as much as I can. Which is nothing. I'm useless.† â€Å"Don't be like that, Doc,† I heard Ian murmur. â€Å"This isn't your fault. The world doesn't work the way it used to. No one expects more of you.† My shoulders hunched inward. No, their world didn't work the same way anymore. A finger tapped my arm. â€Å"Let's go,† Ian whispered. I nodded and started to pull my hand free again. Walter's eyes rolled open, unseeing. â€Å"Gladdie? Are you here?† he implored. â€Å"Um†¦ I'm here,† I said uncertainly, letting his fingers lock around mine. Ian shrugged. â€Å"I'll get you both some food,† he whispered, and then he left. I waited anxiously for him to return, unnerved by Walter's misconception. Walter murmured Gladys's name over and over, but he didn't seem to need anything from me, for which I was grateful. After a while, half an hour maybe, I began listening for Ian's footsteps in the tunnel, wondering what could be taking him so long. Doc stood by his desk the whole time, staring into nothing with his shoulders slumped. It was easy to see how useless he felt. And then I did hear something, but it wasn't footsteps. â€Å"What is that?† I asked Doc in a whisper; Walter was quiet again, maybe unconscious. I didn't want to disturb him. Doc turned to look at me, cocking his head to the side at the same time to listen. The noise was a funny thrumming, a fast, soft beat. I thought I heard it get just a little louder, but then it seemed quieter again. â€Å"That's weird,† Doc said. â€Å"It almost sounds like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, his forehead furrowing in concentration as the unfamiliar sound faded. We were listening intently, so we heard the footsteps when they were still far away. They did not match the expected, even pace of Ian's return. He was running-no, sprinting. Doc reacted immediately to the sound of trouble. He jogged quickly out to meet Ian. I wished I could see what was wrong, too, but I didn't want to upset Walter by trying to free my hand again. I listened hard instead. â€Å"Brandt?† I heard Doc say in surprise. â€Å"Where is it? Where is it?† the other man demanded breathlessly. The running footsteps only paused for a second, then started up again, not quite as fast. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Doc asked, calling back this way. â€Å"The parasite!† Brandt hissed impatiently, anxiously, as he burst through the arched entry. Brandt was not a big man like Kyle or Ian; he was probably only a few inches taller than me, but he was thick and solid as a rhinoceros. His eyes swept the room; his piercing gaze focused on my face for half a second, then took in Walter's oblivious form, and then raced around the room only to end up on me again. Doc caught up with Brandt then, his long fingers gripping Brandt's shoulder just as the broader man took the first step in my direction. â€Å"What are you doing?† Doc asked, his voice the closest to a growl I'd ever heard it. Before Brandt answered, the odd sound returned, going from soft to screaming loud to soft again with a suddenness that had us all frozen. The beats thudded right on top of one another, shaking the air when they were at their loudest. â€Å"Is that-is that a helicopter?† Doc asked, whispering. â€Å"Yes,† Brandt whispered back. â€Å"It's the Seeker-the one from before, the one who was looking for it.† He jerked his chin at me. My throat was suddenly too small-the breaths moving through it were thin and shallow, not enough. I felt dizzy. No. Not now. Please. What is her problem? Mel snarled in my head. Why can't she leave us alone? We can't let her hurt them! But how do we stop her? I don't know. This is all my fault! Mine, too, Wanda. Ours. â€Å"Are you sure?† Doc asked. â€Å"Kyle got a clear view through the binoculars while it was hovering. Same one he saw before.† â€Å"Is it looking here?† Doc's voice was suddenly horrified. He half spun, eyes flashing toward the exit. â€Å"Where's Sharon?† Brandt shook his head. â€Å"It's just running sweeps. Starts at Picacho, then fans out in spokes. Doesn't look like it's focusing on anything close. Circled around a few times where we dumped the car.† â€Å"Sharon?† Doc asked again. â€Å"She's with the kids and Lucina. They're fine. The boys are getting things packed in case we have to roll tonight, but Jeb says it's not likely.† Doc exhaled, then paced over to his desk. He slouched against it, looking as if he'd just run a long race. â€Å"So it's nothing new, really,† he murmured. â€Å"Naw. Just have to lay low for a few days,† Brandt reassured him. His eyes were flickering around the room again, settling on me every other second. â€Å"Do you have any rope handy?† he asked. He pulled up the edge of the sheet on an empty cot, examining it. â€Å"Rope?† Doc echoed blankly. â€Å"For the parasite. Kyle sent me out here to secure it.† My muscles contracted involuntarily; my hand gripped Walter's fingers too tightly, and he whimpered. I tried to force it to relax while I kept my eyes on Brandt's hard face. He was waiting for Doc, expectant. â€Å"You're here to secure Wanda?† Doc said, his voice hard again. â€Å"And what makes you think that's necessary?† â€Å"Come on, Doc. Don't be stupid. You've got some big vents in here, and a lot of reflective metal.† Brandt gestured to a file cabinet against the far wall. â€Å"You let your attention wander for half a minute, and it'll be flashing signals to that Seeker.† I sucked in a shocked breath; it was loud in the still room. â€Å"See?† Brandt said. â€Å"Guessed its plan in one.† I wanted to bury myself under a boulder to hide from the bulging, relentless eyes of my Seeker, yet he imagined I wanted to guide her in. Bring her here to kill Jamie, Jared, Jeb, Ian†¦ I felt like gagging. â€Å"You can go, Brandt,† Doc said in an icy tone. â€Å"I will keep an eye on Wanda.† Brandt raised one eyebrow. â€Å"What happened to you guys? To you and Ian and Trudy and the rest? It's like you're all hypnotized. If your eyes weren't right, I'd have to wonder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Go ahead and wonder all you want, Brandt. But get out while you're doing it.† Brandt shook his head. â€Å"I've got a job to do.† Doc walked toward Brandt, stopping when he was between Brandt and me. He folded his arms across his chest. â€Å"You're not going to touch her.† The throbbing helicopter blades sounded in the distance. We were all very still, not breathing, until they faded. Brandt shook his head when it was quiet again. He didn't speak; he just went to the desk and picked up Doc's chair. He carried it to the wall by the file cabinet, slammed it to the ground, and then sat down hard, making the metal legs squeal against the stone. He leaned forward, his hands on his knees, and stared at me. A vulture waiting for a dying hare to stop moving. Doc's jaw tightened, making a little popping noise. â€Å"Gladys,† Walter muttered, surfacing from his dazed sleep. â€Å"You're here.† Too nervous to speak with Brandt watching, I just patted his hand. His clouded eyes searched my face, seeing features that weren't there. â€Å"It hurts, Gladdie. It hurts a lot.† â€Å"I know,† I whispered. â€Å"Doc?† He was already there, the brandy in hand. â€Å"Open up, Walter.† The sound of the helicopter thumped quietly, far away but still much too close. Doc flinched, and a few drops of brandy splattered on my arm. It was a horrible day. The worst of my life on this planet, even including my first day in the caves and the last hot, dry day in the desert, hours from death. The helicopter circled and circled. Sometimes more than an hour would pass, and I would think it was finally over. Then the sound would come back, and I would see the Seeker's obstinate face in my head, her protruding eyes scouring the blank desert for some sign of humans. I tried to will her away, concentrating hard on my memories of the desert's featureless, colorless plain, as if I could somehow make sure she saw nothing else, as if I could bore her into leaving. Brandt never took his suspicious stare off of me. I could always feel it, though I rarely looked at him. It got a little better when Ian came back with both breakfast and lunch. He was all dirty from packing in case of an evacuation-whatever that meant. Did they have anywhere to go? Ian scowled so hard he looked like Kyle when Brandt explained in clipped phrases why he was there. Then Ian dragged another empty cot beside mine, so that he could sit in Brandt's line of sight and block his view. The helicopter, Brandt's distrustful watch, these were not really so bad. On an ordinary day-if there was really such a thing anymore-either one of these might have seemed agonizing. Today, they were nothing. By noon, Doc had given Walter the last of the brandy. It seemed like only minutes later that Walter was writhing, moaning, and gasping for breath. His fingers bruised and chafed mine, but if I ever pulled away, his moans turned to shrill screams. I ducked out once to use the latrine; Brandt followed me, which made Ian feel like he had to come, too. By the time we got back-after nearly running the whole way-Walter's screams no longer sounded human. Doc's face was hollow with echoed agony. Walter quieted after I spoke to him for a moment, letting him think his wife was near. It was an easy lie, a kind one. Brandt made little noises of irritation, but I knew that he was wrong to be upset. Nothing mattered beside Walter's pain. The whimpers and the writhing continued, though, and Brandt paced back and forth at the other end of the room, trying to be as far from the sound as possible. Jamie came looking for me, bringing food enough for four, when the light was growing orangey overhead. I wouldn't let him stay; I made Ian take him back to the kitchen to eat, made Ian promise to watch him all night so he wouldn't sneak back here. Walter couldn't help shrieking when his twisting moved his broken leg, and the sound of it was nearly unbearable. Jamie shouldn't have this night burned into his memory the way it would surely be burned into Doc's and mine. Perhaps Brandt's as well, though he did what he could to ignore Walter, plugging his ears and humming a dissonant tune. Doc did not try to distance himself from Walter's hideous suffering; instead, he suffered with him. Walter's cries carved deep lines in Doc's face, like claws raking his skin. It was strange to see such depths of compassion in a human, particularly Doc. I couldn't look at him the same way after watching him live Walter's pain. So great was his compassion, he seemed to bleed internally with it. As I watched, it became impossible to believe that Doc was a cruel person; the man simply could not be a torturer. I tried to remember what had been said to found my conjectures-had anyone made the accusation outright? I didn't think so. I must have jumped to false conclusions in my terror. I doubted I could ever mistrust Doc again after this nightmarish day. However, I would always find his hospital a horrible place. When the last of the daylight disappeared, so did the helicopter. We sat in the darkness, not daring to turn on even the dim blue light. It took a few hours before any of us would believe the hunt was over. Brandt was the first to accept it; he'd had enough of the hospital, too. â€Å"Makes sense for it to give up,† he muttered, edging out the exit. â€Å"Nothing to see at night. I'll just take your light with me, Doc, so that Jeb's pet parasite can't get up to anything, and be on my way.† Doc didn't respond, didn't even look at the sullen man as he left. â€Å"Make it stop, Gladdie, make it stop!† Walter begged me. I wiped the sweat from his face while he crushed my hand. Time seemed to slow down and stop; the black night felt unending. Walter's screams got more and more frequent, more and more excruciating. Melanie was far away, knowing she could do nothing useful. I would have hidden, too, if Walter hadn't needed me. I was all alone in my head-exactly what I had once wanted. It made me feel lost. Eventually, a dim gray light started to creep in through the high vents overhead. I was hovering on the edge of sleep, Walter's moans and screams keeping me from sinking under. I could hear Doc snoring behind me. I was glad that he'd been able to escape for a little while. I didn't hear Jared come in. I was mumbling weak assurances, barely coherent, trying to calm Walter. â€Å"I'm here, I'm here,† I murmured as he cried out his wife's name. â€Å"Shh, it's okay.† The words were meaningless. It was something to say, though, and it did seem that my voice calmed the worst of his cries. I don't know how long Jared watched me with Walter before I realized he was there. It must have been a while. I was sure his first reaction would be anger, but when I heard him speak, his voice was cool. â€Å"Doc,† he said, and I heard the cot behind me shake. â€Å"Doc, wake up.† I jerked my hand free, whirling, disoriented, to see the face that went with the unmistakable voice. His eyes were on me as he shook the sleeping man's shoulder. They were impossible to read in the dim light. His face had no expression at all. Melanie jolted into awareness. She pored over his features, trying to read the thoughts behind the mask. â€Å"Gladdie! Don't leave! Don't!† Walter's screech had Doc bolting upright, nearly capsizing his cot. I spun back to Walter, shoving my sore hand into his searching fingers. â€Å"Shhh, shhh! Walter, I'm here. I won't leave. I won't, I promise.† He quieted down, whimpering like a small child. I wiped the damp cloth over his forehead; his sob hitched and turned into a sigh. â€Å"What's that about?† Jared murmured behind me. â€Å"She's the best painkiller I've been able to find,† Doc said wearily. â€Å"Well, I've found you something better than a tame Seeker.† My stomach knotted, and Melanie hissed in my head. So stupidly, blindly stubborn! she growled. He wouldn't believe you if you told him the sun sets in the west. But Doc was beyond caring about the slight to me. â€Å"You found something!† â€Å"Morphine-there's not much. I would have gotten here sooner if the Seeker hadn't pinned me down out there.† Doc was instantly in action. I heard him rustling through something papery, and he crowed in delight. â€Å"Jared, you're the miracle man!† â€Å"Doc, just a sec†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Doc was at my side already, his haggard face alight with anticipation. His hands were busy with a small syringe. He stuck the tiny needle into the crease at Walter's elbow, on the arm that was attached to me. I turned my face away. It seemed so horribly invasive to stab something through his skin. I couldn't argue with the results, though. Within half a minute, Walter's entire body relaxed, melting into a pile of loose flesh against the thin mattress. His breathing went from harsh and urgent to whispery and even. His hand relaxed, freeing mine. I massaged my left hand with my right, trying to bring the blood back to my fingertips. Little prickles followed the flow of blood under my skin. â€Å"Uh, Doc, there really isn't enough for that,† Jared murmured. I looked up from Walter's face, peaceful at last. Jared had his back to me, but I could see the surprise in Doc's expression. â€Å"Enough for what? I'm not going to save this for a rainy day, Jared. I'm sure we'll wish we had it again, and too soon, but I'm not going to let Walter scream in agony while I have a way to help him!† â€Å"That's not what I meant,† Jared said. He spoke the way he did when he'd already thought about something long and hard. Slow and even, like Walter's breath. Doc frowned, confused. â€Å"There's enough to stop the pain for maybe three or four days, that's all,† Jared said. â€Å"If you give it to him in doses.† I didn't understand what Jared was saying, but Doc did. â€Å"Ah,† he sighed. He turned to look at Walter again, and I saw a rim of fresh tears start to pool above his lower lids. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I wanted to know what they were talking about, but Jared's presence made me silent, brought back the reserve I rarely felt the need for anymore. â€Å"You can't save him. You can only save him pain, Doc.† â€Å"I know,† Doc said. His voice broke, like he was holding back a sob. â€Å"You're right.† What's going on? I asked. As long as Melanie was going to be around, I might as well make use of her. They're going to kill Walter, she told me matter-of-factly. There's enough morphine to give him an overdose. My gasp sounded loud in the quiet room, but it was really just a breath. I didn't look up to see how the two healthy men would react. My own tears pooled as I leaned over Walter's pillow. No, I thought, no. Not yet. No. You'd rather he died screaming? I just†¦ I can't stand the†¦ finality. It's so absolute. I'll never see my friend again. How many of your other friends have you gone back to visit, Wanderer? I've never had friends like this before. My friends on other planets were all blurred together in my head; the souls were so similar, almost interchangeable in some ways. Walter was distinctly himself. When he was gone, there would be no one who could fill his place. I cradled Walter's head in my arms and let my tears fall onto his skin. I tried to stifle my crying, but it made its way out regardless, a keening rather than sobs. I know. Another first, Melanie whispered, and there was compassion in her tone. Compassion for me-that was a first, too. â€Å"Wanda?† Doc asked. I just shook my head, not able to answer. â€Å"I think you've been here too long,† he said. I felt his hand, light and warm, on my shoulder. â€Å"You should take a break.† I shook my head again, still keening softly. â€Å"You're worn out,† he said. â€Å"Go clean up, stretch your legs. Eat something.† I glared up at him. â€Å"Will Walter be here when I get back?† I mumbled through my tears. His eyes tightened anxiously. â€Å"Do you want that?† â€Å"I'd like a chance to say goodbye. He's my friend.† He patted my arm. â€Å"I know, Wanda, I know. Me, too. I'm in no hurry. You get some air and then come back. Walter will be sleeping for a while.† I read his worn face, and I believed the sincerity there. I nodded and carefully put Walter's head back on the pillow. Maybe if I got away from this place for a little bit, I'd find a way to handle this. I wasn't sure how-I had no experience with real goodbyes. Because I was in love with him, no matter that it was unwilling, I had to look at Jared before I left. Mel wanted this, too, but wished that she could somehow exclude me from the process. He was staring at me. I had a feeling his eyes had been on me for a long time. His face was carefully composed, but there was surprise and suspicion in there again. It made me tired. What would be the point of acting out a charade now, even if I were that talented a liar? Walter would never stand up for me again. I couldn't sucker him anymore. I met Jared's gaze for one long second, then turned to hurry down the pitch-black corridor that was brighter than his expression.

The Life and Inventions of Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was born in 1847 on February 11th in Milan, Ohio to middle class parents and died on October 18, 1931, in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1854, his family moved to the vibrant city of Port Huron, Michigan, which ultimately exceeded the commercial excellence of both Milan and Odessa which were the two places Edison had lived. One of the many inventions established by Edison was the tin foil phonograph. When Edison was working on his invention he noticed that the tape of the machine sprang off a noise resembling spoken words when worked at a high speed.The machine had 2 needles in it one was used for recordings and the other for playbacks, the machine plays cylinders rather than disks. At around the age of 12, Edison started to lose his hearing. What caused this to happen was a train conductor smacked him in the ears when he started a fire in a boxcar whilst doing experiments. Edison was an inquisitive child but also a poor student as his mind often wandered. Edison was the y oungest of 7 siblings.One day when Edison was at school his school teacher screamed at him and said that he was rather addled. When his mother found out that someone had discovered him as a scientist his mother was very furious and pulled him out of school and she hmoe schooled him instead. * THOMAS EDISON'S INVENTIONS. 2013. THOMAS EDISON'S INVENTIONS. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. thomasedison. com/Inventions. htm. [Accessed 17 March 2013]. * Thomas Edison Biography – Facts, Birthday, Life Story – Biography. com . 2013.Thomas Edison Biography – Facts, Birthday, Life Story – Biography. com . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. biography. com/people/thomas-edison-9284349. [Accessed 17 March 2013]. * Thomas Edison – The Inventions of Thomas Edison. 2013. Thomas Edison – The Inventions of Thomas Edison. [ONLINE] Available at: http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/bledison. htm. [Accessed 18 March 2013]. * Edison Biography. 2013. E dison Biography. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. thomasedison. com/biography. html. [Accessed 21 March 2013].

Aim Of Molecular Gastronomy Media Essay

Aim Of Molecular Gastronomy Media Essay The art of cooking is as old as humanity and cooking is such an important part of our world which obviously needs scientific attention. Although science has contributed to food safety, hygiene and nutritional aspects, little has been done towards innovation and invention of new dishes. The ancient Greek words, gastro means stomach and nomos means law, collectively termed as gastronomy, which in contemporary hospitality industry means food and culture. It generally refers to the study of relationship between food and culture with interdisciplinary approaches. This literature attempts to explain molecular gastronomy, its origin and evolution, along with its relevance and contributions to the contemporary hospitality industry. Cooking and gastronomy Even though molecular gastronomy has attracted media attention for quite a while, still there is confusion about the true meaning of the term. To explain this, cooking and gastronomy has to be distinguished first. Cooking is the preparation of raw food into edible, whereas gastronomy is the knowledge of whatever concerns man’s nourishment. Gastronomy is about chemical and physical transformation behind the preparation of any food, for example, the reason behind egg white puffs up when whipped or mayonnaise becomes firm. (This, 2006). According to HerveThis, the science of food is not new but dates back to second century BC, when preparation of meat stock-the aqueous solution obtained by thermal processing of animal tissues in water-has been of great interest. Since then, scientists have been interested in food and cooking which gave way to molecular gastronomy. If culinary history is scrutinised, it will be clear that, initially food experts studied the culinary science to steer clear of blind assumptions and unscientific ways of cooking. But today, the science of food has reached its extreme in the form of molecular gastronomy, which chemically examines the food and cooking in its molecular level to give a new face for cooking and change the total concept of commercial cooking in near future. Molecular gastronomy The scientific discipline dedicated to culinary industry and to gastronomical phenomena in general has been called ‘molecular gastronomy’ the late Nicholas Kurti and HerveThis (This, 2005). Molecular gastronomy can also be defined as a field that attempts to improve the culinary techniques through understanding the composition and chemical transformations occurring in food during the process of cooking (Ankeny, Year Unknown). Gastronomy or molecular gastronomy is the science just like any other science in the world, which studies the cause and effect of anything that happens during cooking including the structural difference in same cooking ingredients of different quality, which have an effect on the final product. If we can answer the question, we can correct a mistake, use this knowledge to improve the cooking process or even invent new dishes or ways to prepare food. For example, if we know that when an egg is cooked, water evaporates, the proteins denature and polymerize to enclose water, we can even use substitute methods to cook it, like adding alcohol to it, which denature the egg proteins and gives the same result. Molecular gastronomy also deals with the study of human senses and perception of taste, aroma, texture and temperature, in short, the sensory science known as chemesthesis (berham et. al, 2010). It studies the perception of senses in molecular level in order to understand how different dishes are perceived as awful, average, good or delicious, when they are made of similar ingredients. Although chemesthesis of human beings are the same, people of different genre appreciates different types of food. For example westerner’s cooking style is entirely different from Asians, and while Asians appreciate spicy food, most westerners do not.

Crossing Delancey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Crossing Delancey - Essay Example Crossing Delancey presents traditional Jewish values in an enjoyable and humorous manner and confirms the traditional principles of marriage and relationships. The plot of the film underlines some key aspects, such as love and concern, and evolves around the relationship between Isabelle â€Å"Izzie† and her grandmother Bubbie, who wants her granddaughter to marry a nice Jewish man and start a traditional family. The movie, directed by Joan Micklin Silver, includes many great actors, such Amy Irving as Izzie,  Peter Riegert as Sam, and  Reizl Bozyk as Bubbie. However, Crossing Delancey is a great romantic movie because of how the story progresses, character development, and the acting skills on show. To start with, the plot begins with a young intelligent Jewish woman who values her independence and has a good job. She meets regularly with successful writers, poets, and novelists; she also she has a good number of friends and lives in a nice apartment. Isabelle often visits her grandmother Bubbie,  who wants her granddaughter to marry a nice Jewish man and start her own family. Because of this, Bubbie  asks for help from  Hannah Mandelbaum, a marriage maker, to find Izzie the perfect match. Meanwhile, Isabelle has feelings for Anton Maes, a foreign writer, and wants to be with him; however, Sam the pickle salesman appears in her life when the matchmaker introduces him to Isabelle and her grandmother. Despite this, Izzie is not interested in going out with him due to the busyness of her job, not to mention her desire to be with Anton Maes. As the plot progresses, Bubbie keeps forcing Isabelle to meet new men, as she wants to see her granddaughter get married and to not to b e alone anymore. She told Isabelle that â€Å"it does not matter how much money you make because if you are alone then you are sick.† She also told her that she would be â€Å"alone in a room like a dog.† Izzie asked Sam out to make up for her lack

Week 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 5 - Assignment Example such as there is no positive outcome of resolving the conflict, it is too trivial, disruption would prove to be very costly, etc mangers tend to use the avoiding style of conflict management (Schyns & Hansbrough, 2010). Hence, it is first important to understand why the manager is avoiding conflict before confronting them. With the exception of the above two cases, an employee must confront the manager if a conflict is being avoided. It is very important for an employee to trust and believe in his or her manager. It is only when an employee trusts the manger to act in the best interest of the employee that he or she can dedicate completely and work for the manager. In the absence, of this trust an employee will not only lose confidence but also be de-motivated. This will affect both the performance of the employee as well as the overall output of the team. This attitude of the manager to avoid conflicts can disrupt the dynamics of a group as employees do not feel recognised or rewarded with respect to the work they do in comparison with other employees. This can further escalate the conflicts in a group. Also, the feedback given by a conflict avoiding manager can be very diplomatic and does not serve the purpose of a feedback. Employees need to have a clear understanding of where they stand in the workplace and how they can improve. This cannot be accomplished with a diplomatic feedback. Therefore, it is important that an employee confronts a conflict avoiding

A guideline on the privacy of personal data stored on company-owned Essay

A guideline on the privacy of personal data stored on company-owned mobile devices - Essay Example In terms of maintaining company privacy, the company can use IT experts to track their employees. This is useful for knowing the location of employees at a particular time compared to where they are supposed to be. Employers sometimes allow employees to carry company-issued mobile devices such as iPhones and iPods. It has been in the news that iPhones and iPods are able to track the physical location of the person possessing them secretly. These types of devices can be used for business purpose and track personal information of the user blurs privacy between corporate information and personal information. This is because the devices can track personal location of the user and store it in unencrypted files found in the devices and on the owner’s computer. As a result, the organization IT experts can obtain this data from the employee’s computer according to Bidgol. This type of device is usually equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) that tracks the individualâ €™s location. This proves to a threat to personal privacy of employees and thus the need for organizations to come up with a policy and a legal guideline on the type of information to be gathered using such devices. For instance, there should be a guideline on maintaining an employee’s privacy when using a personal Smartphone while conducting company business. Employees need to know how much to share with organization clients when using either personal device or company device. Organizations further, need to consider the issue of transparency if they are determined to track physical location of their employees or get customers. This will involve informing employees about the policies on how to shield their privacy while using company devices or while conducting company business with personal devices. There is also need for organizations to equip their mobile devices with mobile payment system that will discourage employees from misusing the devices. IT managers have estim ated that employees often spend more than an hour every day on non-work related web services. These include online games, internet surfing, gambling and shopping among others. The downloading and storage of such personal data results in various internet based threats on critical company data stored in the devices misused. The threats include susceptibility to virus and worm attacks, malware infection, and hacking of private and restricted company sites and passwords. In most cases, this leads to the organizations taking tough measures of protecting their devices by installing GPS functionality that later hinders the privacy of the user. The advantages gained by organizations in having their employees work at different locations at different time brings out the need for protecting personal information used by employees while at work. For the same purpose, both the organization and employees should understand the limit and the technical control needed when using such mobile devices. T his includes the organizations coming up with policies based on technical control of their mobile devices to provide about the extent that the device as suggested by Garfinkel and Spafford (2002) can control the personal data of the employee. This may include providing a set download of a specific capacity before a using a personal device for connecting the network of the organization. An organization is required to draw a line regarding personal privacy infringement. Infringement of personal data occurs when the organization exposes personal information that may be a threat to their safety. In order to avoid this,

See description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

See description - Essay Example And as a result, Hinduism lacks a single trend or an individual whose actions can be attributed to the founding of the religion. Hinduism is believed to have developed during the Iron Age India, hence its classification as the earliest religion in the world. Hindu texts are split into two: the revealed (Śruti) and remembered (Smriti). Notably, these writings primarily discuss religion, societal values, myths, rites and the significance of temple within the society. Major scriptures are the knowledge (Vedas), philosophies (Upanishads), cosmology (Puranas), aspirations of life (Mahabharata), roles of various people (Ramayana), philosophical dialogue (Bhagavad Gita) and traditional doctrines (Āgamas). With about one billion faithful, Hinduism is the third largest spiritual organization in the world. According to Pauwels Hindu faithful generally seek guidance from God and blessings from Devas, though the latter is done occasionally (151). Hinduism is based on numerous practices geared towards inculcating the significance of God in everyday life. The faithful can worship anywhere. At home, followers often set up a place of worship and install icons devoted to their respective God. Temples carry the main deity and other associated ‘smaller’ gods. Worshipping at the temples is not mandatory, thus many visit the places only during important religious functions. The faithful do veneration through icons (Murtis), which they believe link man with God. Although, some refer to Hindu religion as henotheistic; that it involves loyalty to one god and allows the existence of others, the perception is a misunderstanding that should be

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Essay Example As long as metals that are Ferro magnetic are not in the magnetic field area during use, the radio waves and the magnetic fields are relatively harmless and pose no serious impacts during normal procedures. The scanner for MRI resembles a huge box that is square shaped and with a tunnel-like hole running through the middle. The user requests the child to lie down on a table that is cushioned with aids such as soft traps and foam cushions employed to ensure the child remains still during the process. A unique frame which slightly resembles a helmet is placed on the part of the body of the child that has been earmarked for observation. When the child has been set in a comfortable and appropriate position, the table begins to move by default into the tunnel of the MRI. At this point, it is crucial that the child maintains relative stillness since any movements will cause blurring of the images and hence poor results. The examiner then departs from the room but remains in constant communication with the child using an intercom. Upon starting the process of MRI, the child may experience sounds that are loud, knocking and thumping in nature that may stay for many minutes at times. Therefore, ear protections such as ear plugs or headphones are availed to protect the hearing of the child. A parent/ guardian can come along with the child’s favorite DVD so that they can watch during the process through the video goggles of the MRI or even music CDs that they can listen to during the process. Parents/ guardians who opt to remain with their children in the operation room are also given ear protection devices to lower the noise emanating from the scanner. In order to yield better image details of the MRI, intravenous contrast could be pumped into the vein of the child. Intravenous contrast is often termed a dye but is basically a liquid without color and not similar to the kind utilized in CT scans and X-rays. In case

Sale of Goods Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sale of Goods Contracts - Essay Example Money is the commonly used consideration in exchange of goods world over as the medium upon which the price of commodities is set after negotiations by the parties involved. Sale of goods contracts do not necessarily require formal documentation for them to be binding. The parties can make contracts expressly by word of mouth, put in writing, partly in writing and partly by word of mouth or the parties can imply them in their conduct. Under the sale of goods contract, the price of goods is determined through several ways including; a joint decision by the parties, adoption of a course reached under the contract, have a fixed price in the contract or have the buyer incur a rational cost for the goods. The goods in question can be either existent or prospect goods that the seller will obtain or produce after entering the sale contract. The buyer may also determine specific details in the goods before completing the sale, or may not give the specific details in the event of general good s or in cases where the goods are a part of already determined goods (Jennifer & Donald, 2007:136).  The capacity to enter into a sale contract in most legal systems across the globe depends on the prevailing rules pertaining to the capability of the buyer to bear liability for their actions. The seller has to be conscious of the age of the buyer, their mental sanity and sobriety at the time of sale in order to ensure that they are legally liable for their actions.    Although the sale contract must not be in writing for it to be binding, it is prudent that the it be in writing in order to avert any cases of vagueness and changes in the terms of sale agreed upon. Issues such as delays in delivery, changes in market prices, changes in the quality of goods agreed, the need to return goods owing to alteration in descriptions or whether the goods can be returned can only be effectively resolved if there is a written agreement upon which reference can be made (Sally, 2004:34). Such c ontracts put in writing may include such aspects of implied terms as: 1. The right of the seller to offer the goods for sale and that they are not subject to any security interests and that the buyer can quietly enjoy the goods. 2. In the event of sales made based on description, the good have to adhere to the descriptions or according to samples agreed upon by the parties. 3. The quality of the goods is satisfactory as agreed unless the buyer gets a notice of any alterations prior to completing the sale. 4. The seller will maintain the fitness of the goods at a reasonable level for the purpose implied or expressed by the buyer. Legal systems in the United Kingdom, like in most of other European countries, recognise both the expressly stated and implied sale contracts, although it gives more credit to the written agreements over the oral contracts. For the written contracts, both parties have to append their signatures on the contract in order for them to be legally binding. General ly, such contracts are final although there can be modification to the original contract if the buyer and the seller come to an agreement to that effect. In the event that any of the parties disagrees, the sale pact should remain as it was in the commencement of the

The effect of online gaming on an individual Research Paper

The effect of online gaming on an individual - Research Paper Example Games have been around for quite some time and it has been discovered by human being in order to add joy to their lives. For example, Romans had the Colosseum were best warriors are gathered to fight against each other and the last survival will win the trophy. Some thinkers believe that our life is just a game where we need to stay motivated, skilled and up to date in order to win and survive. Nowadays with the latest technology in hand humans have developed a way to play games from distance using the internet as a tool to connect them together which is called Online Games. The reality of online gaming is quite complicated, as some people believe that the time spent on these games are tremendous and the value added is minimum. However, others believe that online gaming is extremely useful and the value gained from it is huge. In this research, we will discuss the impact of online gaming on individuals in terms of their social life, career and health. Family Online Games usually requ ires people to be around at the same time to play the game and when the player is hooked in a certain task or mission, it is quite difficult for him or her to disconnect the game without finishing what they started. This is because it will affect him/her or their team and they might fail to deliver the objective of this mission, which they may spend lots of time on it. Some players prefer to finish the game they started even if there is an emergency with their families. The decision making process may take a while for a player to know the consequences of his/her action and usually they regret delaying or turning off their families but only when it's too late and the damage have already taken a place. Social life One of the impacts on social life of the player is that most of the online games have a rewarding system where they can get either credit, items or other miscellaneous, which is usually the main reason for players to play these games become better in what they are doing. Thi s competition is fair, however in many cases, friends may turn against each other because of greed, fame or glory and that will destroy their relationships specially if the other players are also real life friends (ScienceDaily, 2007). On the other hand, online games could also deliver value to the player by connecting them with other people and make new friendships in every part of the world. Some players take these relationships seriously and they start to visit each other and meet frequently. Career As for the player’s career, these online games could be useful for him/her since it helps their technical skills in term of keyboarding because they are being exposed to the PC for long hours. Also, their communication skills can be enhanced through online games by trying to communicate with other players from different countries, for example if a middle eastern whose English is quite weak could become better overtime by trying to practice with American players by trying to und erstand their moves or strategies. Finances Online gaming has severe impacts on an individual based on how often they do their gaming over the internet, and how easily they are influenced by external forces, as well as their intrinsic motivation towards certain aspects of life. In this aspect, focus is borne on one’s spending habits, where there is a large amount of advertising found in some websites that harbor the games of interest

Nick and Julia Essay Example for Free

Nick and Julia Essay Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale and George Orwells 1984 are pieces of dystopian literature which embody repressive regimes and governments that rule through oppression and state controlled technology. One would think that love could not possibly be incorporated into such novels. Its antithesis, hate is understandably weaved in and expected, given the genre. However, in 1984 and The Handmaids Tale, two totalitarian stories, the authors have given their protagonists a love interest. It plays both a pivotal and underlying role. There appears many ways in which Atwood and Orwell have approached the love relationships. Both protagonists are highly suspicious of their prospective love interests. Nick and Julia have been introduced in the two novels by chapter four to some degree, the early introduction highlighting their significance as characters. The level on uncertainty is shown through Offred considering Nick to be fishy and Winston not doubting that Julia was spying on him. Both also play with the idea that they might be government agents, and these sentiments as very ironic as one comes to realise that they form relationships, of which a fundamental aspects is trust. The idea of this is to highlight the societies they live in. It is also interesting to note they way they describe their significant others. Immediately, one is drawn to the dark haired girl that becomes known as Julia, the word dark holding a connotation; it can be considered a hidden warning, that Julia is possibly a dangerous character of sorts, that she is an unknown anomaly, hinting she could be a dark horse. One can link this idea of it being a warning with when Winston wakes up with Shakespeare on his lips, which signifies that his Juliet will play a role in his life. These are both proleptic, and to an extent fatalistic as to Winstons demise, as we unravel Julias and also the discovery that Winston eventually ends up in the place where there is no darkness. It is a simple yet effective initial description, helping us to feel the uncertainty the Winston feels. With Nick we are, unlike with Julia, given a detailed portrait. Significantly, Offreds and Nicks initial meeting occurs in the middle of the night. Again, the use of dark features when Offred describes him as a man made of darkness, and also when describing the hairs on his arms. Add to which his French face, it insinuates that he has something deep and abstruse about him, and the idea of his foreign demeanour heightens this theory of the unknown about him. One can look further into this idea of him being an outsider and link it to his part in the resistance, as an outsider of the regime. This notion can be backed up by the rebellious streak he has in the way he is depicted, with his cap being worn at a jaunty angle and also the cigarette he smokes showing that he has something to trade on the black market. The idea of rebellion is also seen in 1984 in chapter three. In Winstons dream the way Julia tore off her clothes seemed to annihilate a whole system. This dream is proleptic of the hope that Julia and Winston can bring Big Brothers regime into disrepute through their relationship. Yet in this dream, Julias naked body aroused no desire in him, however we obtain an insight into the sexual frustration Offred feels despite herself by imagining how Nick might taste. It is possible that one can read into these feelings, that the regimes of Oceania, in Comparison to Gilead, has been more successful in eradicating these sexual desires both states want to remove. We can also draw that both of the affairs were formed through desperation, brought on by the changes in the environment they now live in. Fear plays a part in both novels with Offred scared that Nicks dissident wink is a trap. These are Winstons thoughts when he reads Julias note that simply stated I love you. The paranoia they experience is due to the fact that inside their minds they are against the set up of their lives, as outward defiance would lead to probable death. Therefore when they encounter any sort of mutinous behaviour, their first reaction is fear, such is the control society has over them. It is interesting to note the simplicity of Julias note, a subject, verb and object statement. Compared to the manipulation of language we see throughout the novel, it emphasises the fact that not everything can be changed easily, be it language or feelings. The ways in which both affairs rebel against their respective systems are crucially different. In The Handmaids Tale, Offreds situation pushed her towards Nick because she years to be touched by someone, to be felt so greedily. One can tell of the sexual frustration caused by the Gilead regime as Atwood saturates the scene where Offred is for the first time touched by Nick with the tension felt by them both. Using the present tense, short sharp sentences and Offreds intrinsic dialogue diverged by brief verbal exchanges between them both. To live in a society so devoid in love is the catalyst for her affair, as she considers the parodic ceremony with the Commander to be fucking, with no affection or tenderness, just like what one sees in 1984 with everyones duty to the party. So in essence anything that goes beyond sex for procreation is illegal in the eyes of both Gilead and Oceania. Unlike Offred, Winston is desperate to love but to fulfil his needs sexually; the primary reason that drove him into the relationship in the first place, also Winstons frustration is the reason for his misogynistic feelings, and the motive behind his rebellion.

Examining Cross Cultural Communication In Organizations Cultural Studies Essay

Examining Cross Cultural Communication In Organizations Cultural Studies Essay Cross-cultural communication also referred to as intercultural communication which is a subset of organizational communication, and comprises verbal and non-verbal communication. This in turn involves transfers of information and knowledge between individuals in the organization with significantly different people in different languages and from different cultures. We define cross-cultural communication as a subject which focuses on the communicative activities of people from different cultural background and the essence and rules of the communicative activities (Jia, 1997, 563). Many cultures have their own etiquette when communicating. Communication can only be succeeded if messages are appropriately delivered and received. Especially in cross-cultural communication, two-sides of peoples are from two different countries with different culture, custom, thoughts and languages. This would make a successful communication more difficult to be reached. Miscommunication may lead to conflict, or more serious conflict that already exists. Therefore, it is important to explore the problems of cross-cultural communication, and the problems of deducing those rules of communicative appropriateness that are applied in the other culture. Furthermore, much discussion has focused on differences international negotiating styles. However, there is little attention to examine how and what degree language plays a significant role in a cross-cultural communication. Unfortunately, some monolingual experts believe that any languages can be completely transferred into another language. According Geoff Hart, 2007: Effective and good communication is very important to all organization. In todays business environment, in order to communicate with the outside world, it is essential to have successful communication skills in workplace. Cross-cultural communication in the workplace compounds certain problems. There is lack of interaction in the field of communication among individuals in the organization with significantly different ethnographic profiles. In addition, words imply different meaning in different languages. Much cross-cultural communication in workplace and worker within limited English speaking abilities and their cultural differences leads to misunderstanding and tension at the workplaces. Thus, business is taken very seriously in many cultures that often show up in the workplace. Misunderstandings and miscommunication can cause and enhance conflict in workplace. Within cross-cultural communication, our seemingly normal approaches to meaning-making and communication will never be clear enough that we can see them for what they are which is a set of lenses that shape what we see, hear, say understand, and interpret. Culture is linked to communication and a wide range of human experience including feelings, identity, and meaning-making. Communication is the vehicle by which meanings are conveyed and feelings are expressed. Both conflict and harmony are possible outcomes of any interaction as we communicate using different cultural habits between workers. According Charlotte-Mecklenburg Development Board (WDB), 2002: Cultural barriers between different cultures often cause much frustration, annoyance, and lead to problems that erode efficiency and effective in daily life. The biggest barriers to cross-cultural communication refer to language difficulties. Cultural barriers and language cannot be divided. This is because language carries the information of language and culture. Every kind of language is created and developed in a certain historical circumstance of society. Therefore, Language reflects the feature of nation. It contains not only the historical cultural background of this nation, but also the view of life, the way of life and the way of thought of this nation (Xiao, 1997:159). Some problem increase which are barriers caused by semantics, barriers caused by word connotations, barriers caused by tone differences and barriers caused by differences between perceptions. Barriers caused by semantics word meaning. As weve noted previously, words mean different things to different people. This is particularly true for people from different national cultures. Some words cannot translate and imply to English and special meaning to different people from different cultures. It is reflects the differences of culture most extensively. For example, to conduct business in Korea, you must understand the concept of Kibun, which does not translate into English. Its meaning is something similar to inner feelings or mood: people must communicate in a manner to enhance one anothers Kibun or risk creating an enemy and destroying the relationship (Mary Munter, 1993). Barriers caused by word connotations or implication of words. On the other hand, the meaning extent of a word and the connotation of future are not complete equivalent between different cultures. Negotiations between English and Japanese executive, for instance, are made more difficult because the Japanese word iie translates as no, but its connotation may be no, Im not studying, rather than No, I disagree. Barriers caused by tone differences or the mood or feeling your words convey. The tone changes depending expression of slang, feelings, emotions and thought. Slang may lead barriers to communication. For example, a conversation demonstrative between A and B dealing with slang. A: Will you really join? B: You kill me. It is very confuse for different people to understand the conversation because the sentence of B is slang. It means (If I wont join,) you kill me. The sentence of A is more polite while the sentence of B is more offhand. In some cultures tone is usually more formal, whereas in others it is more informal; in some it is more polite, in others more offhand; in some more impersonal, in others more personal; in some more dry, in others more colorful ( Mary Munter, 1993). Barriers caused by differences between perceptions. People who speak different languages from different cultures look into the world in different ways. Every country perceive different perceptions. PROBLEM THAT FACED IN CULTURES CONTEXT Any communication relies on the context in which it takes place, (Victor, 1992, 137). Some cultures rely on the context of communication much more than others. Contexting refers to the circumstances surrounding the exchange. To make an effective and successful communication, every people have to consider the cultural differences and the preeminent communication process in individualistic. Cultures context refers to high context and low text communication. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time while low context refers to societies where people tend to have many connections but of shorter duration or for some specific reason. High contexts cannot carry the context information internally and hard to enter if as an outsider. Instead, low contexts are easy to enter if as an outsider because the environment contains the information and form relationships. The exchange of information between workers from high-context and low-context has to work together in cultural context occur the problems. These problems can be categorized as differences in direction, quantity and quality. High-context cultures like China adapt to their close friends, relatives and also to colleagues or in-group members at differences in direction employees. They communication with them mightily and exchange specific information regarding many different talks and topics. In comparison, like Germany, their direction of communication is orientated on personal characters and referred to situations as direction difference. They mostly communicate within their out-groups in a broad and dispersedly way as quantity difference. They exchange information through communication just to the necessary extent so that work can be done and will not discuss or exchange information in the work environment and colleagues as quality difference. In China, the workers discuss everything in advance and consider meetings where the already commonly agreed decision will be announced. The Germans in contrast inform the participating attendants in a meeting about the hard and necessary facts. The decision-making process takes place within the meeting. Besides this, communication is also related to appearance such as clothes and accessories. In cross-communication cultural, these is relating to the context including formal and informal, status and individuality. In Islam, Muslim women are expected to cover in their entirety including the face, except for their eyes, while in Western countries most women, even in a business context, will wear smart attire. Western cultures tend to gravitate toward low-context starting points, while Eastern and Southern cultures tend to use high-context communication.

The Political Environment Of The Business Politics Essay

The Political Environment Of The Business Politics Essay A business organization is surrounded by various factors that help in the development and growth of the business. These factors constitute the environment of a business. Environment refers to all those factors or forces that can have a strong impact on the functioning of the business and its operations. A business is been circled through some pattern or forces that puts a business to take effective decisions to make all the components work in an efficient manner. These environmental forces have their different adverse effect depending on the level of the organization. The Business environment generally can be divided in two types: MICRO ENVIRONMENT: The micro environment is also known as the internal environment of the business. Micro environment includes all those factors that are in the control of the business. Internal environment determines the strengths and weakness of the company. This environment is the backbone of the business that help a company to know its business and its important parts that together make a business perform. It involves the factors that are directly attached with a business unit. Basically, Micro environment includes: -Customers -Suppliers -Products -Shareholders -Competitors -Employees MACRO ENVIRONMENT: The macro environment is also known as the external environment of the business. Macro Environment includes all those factors on which the business has no control. Due to this, they have a dramatic effect on the success and profits of the business. External Environment determines the Threats and opportunities of the company. It involves the factors that are indirectly attached with the business. Macro Environment includes: -Economic Environment -Technological Environment -Cultural Environment -Demographic Environment -Natural Environment -Global Environment -Political-Legal Environment POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS The Political environment includes all laws, government agencies that influence an organization. Political environment can affect a business either positively or negatively depending on the prevailing situation in a particular country. Generally political environment includes: Political-legal institutions The form of government The ideology of the ruling party The strength of opposition Role and responsibility of bureaucracy These factors influence the business in an enormous amount. The political system prevailing in a country decides, promotes, encourages, directs and controls the business activities of that country. A country requires a honest, stable, efficient and dynamic political system for its economic growth. These are explained as: POLITICAL-LEGAL INSTITUTIONS: India is a democratic country. In india, there are three types of political institutions namely legislative, executive and judiciary. -Legislative Of the three, the legislature is the most powerful political institution with boost powers such as law-making, budget, Policy making, Budget approving, Executive control, etc. The impact of Legislature on Business is very influencing. It decides that what business activities should be carried out in a country, Who should own them, what should happen to their earnings and various other factors. -Executive: It is also known as Government institution. Government is the central authority that has the power to regulate the business and control its operations. This institution defines the boundaries of a business unit. Executive Institutions aims at Directing and controlling of Business activities. Executive Environment involves Responsibility of Business to Government and The responsibility of Government to The Business. -Judiciary: Judiciary provides the business, a manner in which the work of the Business has to be fulfilled. The judiciary in India is influenced by its political system. The Government of India defines the legal framework within which firms do their respective business. Indian Judiciary has mainly two powers: >The authority of the courts to settle legal disputes. >The authority of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of legislation. THE FORM OF GOVENRMENT: The political environment of a business is also affected by the form of the government a country has. The Government of India, mainly known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India. It Governs 28 states and 7 union territories. It is Situated in New Delhi that is the capital of India. The government comprises three branches: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. The executive branch is headed by the President, who is the Head of State and exercises his or her power directly or through officers subordinate to him. The legislative branch or the Parliament consists of the lower house, the Lok Sabha, and the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, as well as th President. The judicial branch has the Supreme Court at its apex, 21 High Courts, and numerous civil, criminal and family courts at the district level. India is the largest democracy in the world. Government type in India: In India, every district and state has a different government type to run at various levels. Some of them are: Absolute monarchy a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Communist a system of government in which the state devices and controls the economy and a single often authoritarian party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make growth toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Constitutional a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and restrictions of that government. Democracy a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but periodically renewed. Democratic republic a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens allowed to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Monarchy a government in which the supreme power is stuck in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole complete ruler or a sovereign such as a king, queen, or prince having a limited authority as per the constitution. Socialism a government in which the means of setting up, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that supposedly seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Totalitarian In Totalitarian, the government seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by taking political and economic matters, the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population. THE IDEOLOGY OF THE RULING PARTY: Ideology basically means the facts in mind of a person that how one perceives the ideas and strategies of himself to achieve the desired goals and targets. Ideology deals with the Psychology of a person. In constitutional terms, Ideology refers to the political abilities and ideas of a ruling party in power. Ruling party in power means the party that comes into power by lawful means and who has the powers to rule his/ her specified area. In India, various ruling parties are ruling from the past times. Some of them are: INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS BHARTIYA JANATA PARTY SAMAJWADI PARTY COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS: Indian National Congress (INC) is the largest political ruling party in India. INC is one of the oldest political democratic ruling parties in the world. It was founded in 1885 by members of occultist movement. It was not so much popular at that time. But After the independence (1947), when the ruling come on the hands of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira C:UsersAnshulDownloads170px-Jawaharlal_Nehru.jpg C:UsersAnshulDownloads170px-Indira_Gandhi_1966.jpg Gandhi, INC has touched the new peeks of success every time by its strong decision making and ideas that leads the whole country. In 2009, the congress becomes the single largest party in Lok Sabha where 205 of INC candidates got elected to the 543-member house. BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is also one of the largest political ruling party in India. BJP was established in 1980. BJP concentrates of factors like self-reliance,  social justice, foreign policy, Fiscal Policy, etc. C:UsersAnshulDownloadsAb_vajpayee.jpg The BJP headed the national government from 1998 to 2004, under the Leadership of  Atal Bihari Vajpayee, making it the first non-Congress  government to last the full term in office. SAMAJWADI PARTY: Samajwadi Party  is a  political party  in  India operated in Uttar Pradesh. It was founded on October 4, 1992. This party aims at serving the society especially to the classes which are not so popular as compared to other segments. It mainly worked on the Backward Classes. THE STRENGTH OF OPPOSITION: The opposition in a democracy plays as vital a role as the government. In India, there are a lot of opposition parties that are constantly quarrelling among themselves. This is the greatest back point of Indian democracy. In India there is no strong and fair opposition strength. The opposition parties do not have any clear cut programme and policies. The leaders of the opposition parties also have no idea of their aims and objectives. They always quarrel for power and their ruling. There are often defections in the parties. People do not have trust in such parties, and so the oppositions fails to secure a majority in the elections. In the legislature itself, their leaders indulge in negative criticism to gain their political ends. Oppositions play a very significant role in the democracy of a country. The opposition can help a country in accelerating its resources, and it may also slower down the pace of the country. For instance, the violence in Gujarat, Bihar, Assam and Punjab resulted in great loss of life and the oppositions power to achieve their objectives. The Governments policy of State Trading in Food grains was wrongly criticized for political reasons. The result was that procurement targets could not be reached and wheat had to be import to build up comfortable buffer stock. This was essential to hold the price-line. Such a destructive move towards is against the national interest. The main reason for slow growth of India is the opposition parties. These parties only aim at selfishness and they forget their aims and objectives. Parties can come together on the basis of ordinary ideology. For example, the Bharatiya Janata Party was a combination of a number of strong political parties. It could not rule the nation for any length of time. It was thrown out of power due to the inter-quarrelling of the opposition parties. In a democracy, the Government and the opposition parties should together aim at only one objective i.e. the benefit of people. The opposition should criticize the government in such rules that will affect the interest of the people. Criticism should be based on sound ideas, rules and principles. Opposition parties must keep in mind that they may be called upon by the people to form the Government by any time. Therefore, they should do their work will full efficiency and dedication. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF BUREAUCRACY: A  bureaucracy  is a group of non-elected officials within a government or other institution that implements the rules, laws, ideas, and functions of their institution. Bureaucracy is also known as Personnel management, manpower management, etc. because it mainly deals with public administration. It deals with classification, recruitment promotion compensation, discipline and retirement benefits of the personnel in government. ROLE OF BUREAUCRACY IN INDIA 1. Implementation of Policy It is the most important and fundamental function of Bureaucratic approach. It executes laws and policies to attain the goals of welfare state that is social equity economic development. It is done with the help of civil servants. 2. Formulation of Policy- Formulation of Policy is the second function of Bureaucratic approach. It is performed by political executives. Civil servants advise the ministers in policy making. Political executives being amateurs cannot understand the technical complexities and difficulties of the policies and hence they depend upon the expert advice of professional civil servants. 3. Delegated Legislation- This is a legislative function that is performed by the Civil Service. Due to lack of time, pressure of work and increased complexities of legislation, the legislative makes laws in short form and delegates the powers to the subordinate executives to complete the Laws, rules and regulations. 4. Administrative Adjudication- This is a judicial function performed by the civil service. The civil servants settle disputes between the citizens and the state.

Our Practitioner Article :: Essays Papers

Our Practitioner Article There is always some bandwagon that education seems to jump onto. Unfortunately, sometimes when the majority is in support of the same system, there is a loss of objectivity. They are unable to see both the good and the bad because they are anxious to have developed the "perfect" system. You don’t have to be an educator, but simply a citizen who reads the newspaper or watches the news, to realize that the newest bandwagon is high-stakes testing. In fact those who are parents or have some involvement in a child’s life are most likely seeing the change occurring in the school they are involved with. Some people may argue that testing has always been done. So what is different now? The difference is that now testing (in the form of "high-stakes" testing) is leaving dangerous aftereffects. The end result that may come leaves one even more wary. So, what exactly is high-stakes testing? Is there an exact definition? Personally we believe that one may describe what high-stakes testing is. But, it is more important and more effective to emphasize the unfair strategies high-stakes testing utilizes as well as the disturbing effects it is causing. High-stakes testing is an assessment of students, which carries serious consequences for students or educators. If the student passes, they proceed. If they do not pass, they must repeat the level they are currently at. Why do some people think high-stakes testing is the answer? What are the effects of high-stakes testing? Are there alternatives to high-stakes testing? Fortunately, these are some of the questions we have addressed in this article. High-stakes testing has been implemented in order to "raise the bar for all students and add accountability for academic performance" (Tennessee Department of Education). Many states implement the tests so that they can gather information about student achievement over time. Policy makers have good intentions in that they believe that these tests will improve education. The major goal and hope is that setting high standards of achievement will inspire greater effort on the part of students, teachers, and educational administrators (AERA position statement). As stated previously, many policy makers have good intentions when they implement high-stakes testing. We are not pointing fingers at who is bad and who is good. We are simply pointing out the fact that perhaps the policy makers and society as a whole need to reevaluate what we want from our education system.

Management of Change Essay -- essays research papers

Management of Change Journal Personal/Interpersonal Change Entry 1: On Thursday night February 10th, I left work at 8:30 p.m. Earlier that day my boyfriend asked if I had plans to go out that night. At the time I felt tired and I said no. Once I got home my friends called and asked if I would go to Riley’s with them and of course I did. I am the type of person that doesn’t go out very often, because I stay so busy with school and by the end of the day I’m usually too tired. I was out having a good time with the girls, when he called and asked where I was. I told him I was at Riley’s with some friends; I could tell by the sound of his voice he wasn’t happy with the situation. His behavior became aggressive, and because I had been drinking I became defensive. Some of the friends I went out with that night he seems not to get along with and feels that they have a negative influence on me. The conversation ended with him hanging up on me. We both engaged in aggressive behavior, because we were yelling at each other and said some things that normally would not have been said if we would have dealt with the situation differently. I lost focus of the problem because of anger and neither of us got our point across. I should have called and let him know ahead of time that I was going out with my friends and none of this would have happened. From this situation I have learned to be more considerate towards him with my actions and communicate without saying things out of anger that occur from the situation. The Material we covered in class relating to aggressive behavior is that we both expressed our feelings in a negative inappropriate fashion. We both also lost the message during expression because we both became angry and the point wasn’t conveyed properly. He also wasn’t positively influencing my behavior, because I just became angry and defensive with him. He became aggressive when I told him where I was at, and I didn’t call before I had went out to Riley’s. I became aggressive when he crossed on my side of the invisible net, and said the friends I was with was a negative influence. I learned that I need to be more responsible with my actions, like calling before I decide to go out and make plans ahead of time. Also instead of raising my tone of voice I should speak more calmly and remain more assertive. Entry 2: Friday afternoon February 11th I was t... ...y problems. So once my sister returned I said thanks for the offer for dinner but I’m going to go ahead and leave. I kissed her and the baby and told them I loved them and I left. I feel that I dealt with the situation correctly because he is the type of person that no one can get along with. This engagement relates to material covered in class because aggressive behavior is behavior expressing personal feelings in an inappropriate way where another person feels violated. He did not convey his feelings to me because he did it in a way that I wasn’t willing to listen to him and his opinion didn’t make any sense at all. I became aggressive when he told me how and what I should do to make my situation better when the advice he was telling me didn’t sound very appealing and I didn’t agree with it. He became aggressive when he realized that I wasn’t listening to any of the information he was telling me. From this situation I have learned that everyone has a different opinion and each person has a different way of expressing their opinion. Its how their opinion is interpreted by the receiver. I feel that I might need to be more open but I don’t agree with certain things he had to say. Management of Change Essay -- essays research papers Management of Change Journal Personal/Interpersonal Change Entry 1: On Thursday night February 10th, I left work at 8:30 p.m. Earlier that day my boyfriend asked if I had plans to go out that night. At the time I felt tired and I said no. Once I got home my friends called and asked if I would go to Riley’s with them and of course I did. I am the type of person that doesn’t go out very often, because I stay so busy with school and by the end of the day I’m usually too tired. I was out having a good time with the girls, when he called and asked where I was. I told him I was at Riley’s with some friends; I could tell by the sound of his voice he wasn’t happy with the situation. His behavior became aggressive, and because I had been drinking I became defensive. Some of the friends I went out with that night he seems not to get along with and feels that they have a negative influence on me. The conversation ended with him hanging up on me. We both engaged in aggressive behavior, because we were yelling at each other and said some things that normally would not have been said if we would have dealt with the situation differently. I lost focus of the problem because of anger and neither of us got our point across. I should have called and let him know ahead of time that I was going out with my friends and none of this would have happened. From this situation I have learned to be more considerate towards him with my actions and communicate without saying things out of anger that occur from the situation. The Material we covered in class relating to aggressive behavior is that we both expressed our feelings in a negative inappropriate fashion. We both also lost the message during expression because we both became angry and the point wasn’t conveyed properly. He also wasn’t positively influencing my behavior, because I just became angry and defensive with him. He became aggressive when I told him where I was at, and I didn’t call before I had went out to Riley’s. I became aggressive when he crossed on my side of the invisible net, and said the friends I was with was a negative influence. I learned that I need to be more responsible with my actions, like calling before I decide to go out and make plans ahead of time. Also instead of raising my tone of voice I should speak more calmly and remain more assertive. Entry 2: Friday afternoon February 11th I was t... ...y problems. So once my sister returned I said thanks for the offer for dinner but I’m going to go ahead and leave. I kissed her and the baby and told them I loved them and I left. I feel that I dealt with the situation correctly because he is the type of person that no one can get along with. This engagement relates to material covered in class because aggressive behavior is behavior expressing personal feelings in an inappropriate way where another person feels violated. He did not convey his feelings to me because he did it in a way that I wasn’t willing to listen to him and his opinion didn’t make any sense at all. I became aggressive when he told me how and what I should do to make my situation better when the advice he was telling me didn’t sound very appealing and I didn’t agree with it. He became aggressive when he realized that I wasn’t listening to any of the information he was telling me. From this situation I have learned that everyone has a different opinion and each person has a different way of expressing their opinion. Its how their opinion is interpreted by the receiver. I feel that I might need to be more open but I don’t agree with certain things he had to say.

How Act 2, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet May Have Been Staged Essay

Open in London in 1599, William Shakespeare’s Globe theatre grew to be recognized as the most popular playhouse in the region and home to some of the greatest players in England. The King’s Men, previously the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, were a playing company for whom Shakespeare was a member of for most of his career. They frequently performed in the Globe and staged many of Shakespeare’s works. Nevertheless, the lack of stagecraft information provided from these XVI century texts has made it hard to interpret how Shakespeare originally intended his plays to be performed in the Globe. In particular, the famous tragedy of Romeo and Juliet suggests that there are many alternative staging options for each scene. However, from a close reading of the play-text as a manual for performance, it is possible to describe how the play may have been staged, specifically in Act 2, Scene 1, by analysing elements such as the acting measures, the costume d esign and the stage setting. To commence, in the Elizabethan and Jacobean period, there were many important rules in regards to acting that players had to consider when performing in the Globe theatre. When Shakespeare wrote his plays, he included as many female characters as he did male characters. Nonetheless, the traditions and values of the Renaissance did not allow women to act or become actors, due to the fact that it was considered immoral for a woman to be on stage. At the time, they had no social status other than their association with their husbands or fathers. Moreover, actors were considered to have a low social status, thus it was considered improper and socially unacceptable for a woman to become a performer. Instead of editing all of Shakespeare’s texts to adher... ...e theatre’s unique structure. Works Cited Adams Novak, Elaine. Staging Shakespearean Theatre. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 2000. Print. Hodges, C. Walters. The Globe Restored: A Study of the Elizabethan Theatre. London: Oxford University Press, 1968. Print. Leed, Drea. â€Å"Elizabethan Make-up.† Elizabethan Costuming Page. 2010. Web. 10 December 2013. Smith, Irwin. Shakespeare’s Globe Playhouse. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1956. Print. Staging Shakespeare. Seminars on Production Problems. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 1990. Print. The Arden Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s Theatres and the Effects of Performance. London: Arden Shakespeare, 2013. Print. The Oxford Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 2000. Print. The Signet Classic Shakespeare. Hamlet. New York: New American Library, 1998. Print.

Why Are Teenagers Stressed?

Why Are Teenagers Stressed? BY Testators Can you trust everything you see or hear now-a-days? The media Is full of constant propaganda, propaganda which brainwashes the minds of young people. Children as young as 3 are already worrying about their appearances, as seen on the television shows such as ‘Toddlers and Tiaras. ‘ I believe the media has a much stronger impact on teenagers than any other age group. Everywhere you go, there will always be that â€Å"look,† that celebrities have and that every young person aspires to look like.Teenage girls will go to all extents in order to achieve the media's perception of a beautiful woman, when in fact few teenagers know that what they are seeing In magazines and on billboards are not In fact real humans, but they are what society has created. When parents think their children are safe at home, they are wrong. Young people's minds are being filled with poison which is also known as the perfect image.Shows such as ‘ Keeping up with the Sardinian,' Toddlers and Tiaras,' ‘America's next top model,' ‘Jersey Shore,' and '16 and Pregnant,' are giving teenagers the wrong idea that you must be ‘slim, fake, very award, and covered In make-up' to be considered anything near beautiful. Shows such as these are giving the Impression that you must be a specific way to be successful and/or notorious. This already creates large numbers of very unconcealed women, as they feel they are not ‘beautiful, ‘because they are not covered in make-up.These types of situations create stress for teenagers as they feel they must look a certain way to be deemed beautiful. When asked, 87% of British teenagers claimed to be unhappy with their physiques and 64% of those under 13 had already turned to tenting In order to lose weight as stated by In the Dally Mall Newspaper article. Many teenagers are pressured by their families Into doing well in their GASES_ This makes them feel like they must do well in order to keep their families happy. I can speak from personal experiences when I say that I felt even more pressured because I knew that my family were expecting good grades from me.This creates a large amount of stress for teenagers as they feel they must do well in order to make their families proud and In order to go to university to get a good job. It is said by the majority of the elder generation that going to university means that you will have a better future as you will get a good Job, which entails a larger salary as opposed to someone who did not attend university. This is not necessarily true as people who do not attend university can still manage to get a well-paid Job. Also, family members may expect their child to do a specific profession which the child themselves does not want to do.This means that the teenager Is pushed into schools which allow the best support in he subjects which will open pathways to these careers. This can also create higher levels as s tress as teenagers are being forced Into doing a subject they do not wish to do, which makes it more challenging to succeed, thus creating more stress. The teenagers which come from working class families, unfortunately, have it a lot harder than those that come from middle class or upper class families. A working class teenager may be pressured by their families to get a job as soon as possible in order to help out their living situation.This can create stress because distributing enough mime for school and work can not only be exasperating but It can also be difficult. At the case for those which come from working class families. Not only can teenagers be stressed from working, they can also be stressed as they are being put into a situation where money is a problem and they are constantly living under the threat that certain necessities may be cut off due to an outstanding bill payment or something as extreme as being kicked out the house. Society has a large impact on the amount of stress that a teenager has.By society I mean all things surrounding hem, media (as I previously discussed), friends, and the general public. Whether you want to admit it or not, everywhere you go, everything you do, you are always being judged, by everyone. Many people are aware of this whilst others aren't. The fact that we live in a country where everyone is Judged by the color of their skin, the way they present themselves and by their appearances makes it a more difficult place to fully be accepted. This applies stress to young people as they feel they need to be accepted in society by becoming something that they are now.The factor which disheartens me the most is that in society you are expected to be a specific way In order to be accepted and if you are anything other than ‘perfect,' you are looked upon as ‘morally wrong. ‘ Which leads me onto my next point, the general public (specifically the older generation) has generalized teenagers as being anti-so cial and rude when in fact only a minority of teens are actually this. By generalizing an age group based upon a few individuals can make it more challenging for the younger generation to speak their mind and have their voices heard.This also creates stress by making teenagers feel as if they are not important because of what they are depicted as. To sum up, teenagers have many reasons to feel like they have a build-up of stress, but I believe the two main factors are family and education as most of teenagers spend the majority of their time either in school and/or in the presence of their families. This means that they are constantly being told what to do, what to achieve and what is expected of them. Which makes life as a teen more difficult than it needs to be.

Dante’s Inferno Essay

Dante’s Inferno is the most well-known and influential work of the thirteenth century. Dante’s Inferno is not a simple story of his journey through Hell. He depicts Hell with a very vivid picture and description. Dante’s Inferno is one part of the Divine Comedy. The Divine Comedy contains very realistic and frank concepts of the politics, religion and culture of Italy in the late thirteenth and early the fourteenth centuries. This paper develops the most salient political, cultural, and theological elements of Dante’s Inferno, what he wants to tell about his values through his book, and how the book represents western European Mediterranean culture around 1300. In this time period, Italy was in political chaos. It lacked a stable and secure government. Furthermore, there were competing political factions and turmoil. In these troubled circumstances, Dante’s represents the political thought of the European nations in his book Inferno. The most salient political element of Inferno is the competing political factions in Italy. During his journey in the book Inferno, he criticizes the political factions in Italy many times. As he says, â€Å"From there downward he is all of chosen iron, save that his right foot is of baked clay, and he stands erect on that more than on the other.†(Canto XIV) The right foot of baked clay represents the corruption of the church by political factions. Moreover, Dante also thinks that the cause of rebellion was political factions, too. According to the book, he states, â€Å"But that ungrateful populace malign which descended from Fiesole of old, and smacks yet of the mountain and the rock, will hate thee because of thy good deeds; and this is right, for among the bitter sorb trees it is not fitting the sweet fig should bear fruit.† (Canto XV) This phrase, â€Å"Ungrateful populace malign which descended from Fiesole of old†, represents the Fiesole people who settled down in Florence (Firenze). Dante thought that the Fiesole was the cause of political factions in Firenze. In addition, â€Å"the bitter sorb trees† means the political faction in Firenze and ‘the sweet fig’ represents Dante himself. Dante thinks all of the political corruption came from the political factions. According to his thought, political factions are regarded as a sin in Hell. For example, Dante’s political enemy placed in the fifth level, the wrathful level. He is very  excited to see his political enemy being punished and moreover Dante wants him to be punished more harshly. As he says, â€Å"Master, it certainly would make me happy to see him dunked deep in the slop just once before we leave the lake – it truly would†(Dante 140, Canto VIII). He was a member of the political faction opposite Dante, the Black Guelphs. As you see, Dante hates political factions in Florence. He frankly criticizes political factions in his book. The most salient cultural elements in Dante’s Inferno are Roman-Greco traditions, beliefs, and culture. Roman-Greco culture is the key element in Dante’s Inferno. He borrows many stories from Roman-Greco mythology. In Inferno, Roman-Greco traditions and beliefs are very significant for leading the story. For example, the idea of evil and the order of sinners are all from Roman-Greco culture. Furthermore, Zeus’s mythology is in Inferno, too. The most major theological element in Dante’s Inferno is the concept of the belief in the Holy Trinity. Firstly, the existence of Hell is an element of th e Christian tradition. The belief in the Holy Trinity concept informs the structure of Hell. There are nine circles in Inferno. ‘9’ is the Holy number in Christianity. In the Inferno, 9 Concentric Circles are the fundamental structure of Hell. Dante uses numbers 1,3,9(3), 10,(31), 100(10). There are three animals, 100 Canti Jesus. Among the numbers ‘10’ is the perfect number in Christianity. Dante may want to express the heaven after the nine circles, thus heaven will be the tenth circle. In addition, there are many references to the Bible and Christian theology. For example, in the First Circle of Hell, there are spirits of those who lived virtuously but without Christianity. Dante thinks that the lack of Christianity is also a sin. â€Å"The good Master to me, â€Å"Thou dost not ask what spirits are these that thou seest. Now I would have thee know, before thou goest farther, that they sinned out; and if they have merits it sufficeth not, because they had not baptism, which i s part of the faith that thou believest; and if they were before Christianity, they did not duly worship God: and of such as these am I myself.† (Canto IV). Through Dante’s Inferno, there are Nine Circles in Hell. According to the Nine Circles in Hell, we can study the culture and society aspects in the thirteenth century through the gravity of the offence. The Nine Circles are divided by the gravity of the offence. The First Circle is for people who placed in Limbo such as virtuous pagans, the Second Circle to the Fifth  Circle: Lust, gluttony, greed, and anger. The Sixth Circle is for heretics, the seventh represents violence, the eighth circle exists for people who commit sin of fraud and the Last Ninth Circle is for people who commit malice or treachery. According to the each circle of sins in Hell, we assume that heretics, violence and fraud treated heavily in the thirteenth century. Not only the gravity of the offence in the thirteenth century, but also we can see the society aspects from Dante’s Inferno. Through the book, we can guess that the simony prevailed in the thirteenth century. For instance, there were spirits in Hell who perpetrate simony. Furthermore, the pope’s status raised and it became very powerful in Europe compare to before the thirteenth century. As he says, â€Å"†¦but already the time is longer that I have cooked my feet, and that I have been thu s upside down, than he will stay planted with red feet; for after him will come, of uglier deed, from westward, a shepherd without law†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Canto XVIII) This phrases represent of the Clement V who will come from Avignon. Avignonese Captivity is an incident that Clement V moved the Vatican to the Southern part of France. This incident signifies that the pope’s status raised and it was really powerful as much as he could move the Vatican. Lastly, the most important thing to Dante through the book is an act of treachery. Through Dante’s Inferno, he made the last circle of Hell for people who commit treachery. It is because he was afraid of the temptation of treachery. He dearly wanted to go back to his town at that time. However, if he goes back to his town, he had to take a opposite political party who exiled Dante from his hometown. It means that he commits treachery to people who followed him. He would not want to commit treachery to people who supported him. Thus, through the book, he articulates his value that he would not commit treachery to people who followed him. Not only the determination of the act of treachery to Dante, but also he completes the definition of the God in Hell an d understands about the structure of Hell through the book, Inferno. In conclusion, the most salient political element of Dante’s Inferno is competing political factions. Because of troubled circumstances in Italy in the thirteenth century, Dante hates about the competing political factions and he thinks that all causes of political chaos in Italy is competing political factions. The cultural element in Inferno is Roman-Greco tradition, beliefs culture. Through the book, Dante borrowed many stories  from Roman-Greco tradition culture. For example, the order of sinner and the concept of evil were borrowed from Roman-Greco tradition culture. Furthermore, a mythology about the Zeus is one of the examples of Roman-Greco beliefs. Theological element of Dante’s Inferno is the belief of the Holy Trinity by using numbers such as 1,3,9,10,100. Also, he borrowed and used references to the Bible and Christian theology. We also can guess the culture and social aspect in 1300. At that time period, simony prevailed all over Europe and the popeâ€⠄¢s status was very powerful. Through the book, Inferno, Dante wants to articulate his thought of treachery. He determines that he would not commit treachery because of temptation by his own desire. Dante’s Inferno was the most experimental work in the thirteenth century. His book implies political, religious and cultural elements in the thirteenth century.