Fighting for Equality and Freedom Essays - 910 Words

Across all nations and cultures, the enduring pursuit of equality in life seems global and timeless. Some would believe that their own country has achieved a true democracy with no residual inequalities of which to speak, while others know they are at the other end of the spectrum, enduring unjust laws that should not be bestowed on any human. Through the course of history many countries have fought for that democracy and all the equality that it implies. While some believe they have reached that goal, others continue to fight for the most basic human rights, even in this time of enlightenment. The journey each country takes on its road to that place may vary by origination, length, severity and outcome, but the goal seems to be the†¦show more content†¦In more recent history, King reminds readers of the fundamental values that the United States were built on as written in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, showing once again that equality was the inte ntion of the forefathers from the beginning. His vivid examples of the daily injustices still endured by the Negro society despite written law against such behaviors put a visual image to the term â€Å"injustice† that could not be ignored. In one example, King writes, â€Å"your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park†¦and you see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children,† appealing to all people on a different level - that of a mother or father, instead of black or white (177). While imprisoned by an unjust law for leading a peaceful demonstration, a blatant violation of his First Amendment right, King’s thoughtful and thorough response to the eight clergymen’s letter conveyed patience and love while steadfastly demanding equality long overdue. Although decades after King, Aung San Suu Kyi’s agenda wa s basically the same; however, her attempts to gain general equality in a democracy for all citizens of Burma have not been as successful. The excerpt â€Å"From In Quest of Democracy† seems a more formal approach seeking to remind both the junta in charge and the ordinary citizens of the goodness, compassion, andShow MoreRelatedEssay on Fighting for Equality and Freedom1229 Words   |  5 Pagesarose in America’s freedom. The Declaration of Independence stated that â€Å"†¦all men are created equal.† However, the rights for the ‘White Man’ were significantly above all others, and because of this, women and black men lacked the same equality as the ‘White Man’. In WWII, women took up jobs previously held by men, while the African Americans attempted to join the military. They wanted to assist in the war effort and help defend America to gain their freedom. This freedom for America meant toRead MoreAmerica: Racist Tyrant Essa y976 Words   |  4 PagesJean-Jacques Rousseau concludes that the social contract benefits those who are not strong to receive equality in law and civil rights. Jefferson fought for freedom and right for America. King also fought for better civil rights for his black people. They both fought for their people, King however fought peacefully with white people, who in return were cruel. This comparing Jeffersons and Kings fought for freedom, different skin color demonstrates racism causing unfairness to this day still exists becauseRead More America the Racist Tyrant1015 Words   |  5 Pageswrites to a clergyman logically analyzing criticisms while communicating to the public his arguments. Jefferson fought for freedom and right for America. King also fought for better civil rights for his black people. They both fought for their people, King however fought peacefully with white people, who in return were cruel. This comparing Jeffersons and Kings fought for freedom, different ski n color demonstrates racism causing unfairness to this day still exists because the fight for justice andRead MoreAmerican Identity1566 Words   |  7 PagesThe five key values that were studied and learned about in class were civic engagement, freedom, equality, patriotism and democracy. I do not believe that one of these values is more American than the other though three of these mean more to me personally than others. Patriotism, freedom, and equality. Together they make the United States of America unique from any other country. Yes, some countries have freedom, but no other country in the world is like ours because we hold these values nearest andRead MoreAmerican Beliefs and Values719 Words   |  3 Pagesincluded the famous Revolutionary war where the British colonies broke away from England and became independent and free. The American’s beliefs and values developed during this time and became important to why they were fighting for their freedom. Religion, freedo m and liberty, and equality was only three of the many values the Americans had. Religion was important to the Americans during the Revolutionary period. George Washington states in his Rules of Civility, â€Å"When you speak of God or his attributesRead MoreNegritude Positive?1108 Words   |  5 Pagessearching for racial identity, when we could use that time to fight for equality between the races? You tell us, when we find our racial identity what then must we do with it? Continue to be restricted from doing certain things and going certain places because of our racial line? I agree with Du Bois’s argument, that racial identification is a hindrance and that it distracts us from the more important goal of fighting for equality between the races. It limits us from many things such as; education andRead MoreBattle Royal1553 Words   |  7 PagesA Battle Royal for Equality: An Analysis of Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Battle Royal† â€Å"Battle Royal† provides a realistic portrait of the difficulty of being a black person in a Country dominated by white men. Ellison uses several symbols in â€Å"Battle Royal† to illustrate the black struggle for equality. These symbols include the stripper, the flag tattoo on the stripper’s stomach, the blindfold, and the battle itself. The stripper is symbolic of the connection between women and black people in the eyesRead Moreâ€Å"I Am Happy To Join With You Today In What Will Go Down1420 Words   |  6 Pagesdemonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.† (Lerone Bennett Jr. pg.125) Being a hero means to be a leader. To be a leader you have to have strength, courage, and commitment. In the 1960s, there were many leaders fighting for what they believe is the right of freedom and equality of all people. A major leader, Martin Luther King Jr. was involved in the Civil Rights Movement during the 60s. King was influenced by advocates of nonviolence such as Mahatma Gandhi. He wanted to seek equality for AfricanRead MoreWhy The Colonists Bec ome American After The Revolution?1348 Words   |  6 Pagesthat makes up an American was established i.e. freedom, equality, opportunity and such. In order to better understand this we must look at exactly what an American is. So exactly what makes someone an American? When it comes to being American I think there are three main essential characteristics. The first I would say is freedom. To be an American you have to want to be free and believe in freedom. The second would have to be believing in equality for all. Lastly would be living in the United StatesRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem, I, Too1193 Words   |  5 Pagespeople ponder about America, they associate it with a place where citizens have tons of freedom and equality. But sometimes, Americans do not get these freedoms and equality right off the bat as other people in other countries expect. Being an American can come with a lot of perks, such as the freedom to speak your thoughts, freedom to express yourself and several more; However, to obtain these perks, freedoms, and rights, the people must be able to fight and defend their rights. Therefore, along

Cosmetic Surgery Plastic, Reconstructive Surgeries Have...

Cosmetic, plastic, reconstructive surgeries have the word â€Å" surgery† in them, so there are risks go together with them. No surgical procedure is a hundred percent safe. Actually, several surgeries in this area are major surgeries; they are a not all minor surgeries like many people think. According the department of surgery of University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester in New York, â€Å"Breast reconstruction is major surgery, with the risks, discomforts, and recuperation period of most major surgery.† The breast reduction will take about two to five hours, and even longer. The surgeon will make a cut around the nipple then downward on the breast to form a keyhole to put the silicone package in. The process of this surgery can be bloody like any other major surgeries. Cosmetic surgeries are real surgeries that involve risks. Plastic, cosmetic surgeries, no matter how minor, are still medical procedures that can affect the physical well-being and health. Scar s are normal side effects of cosmetic surgery. Basically, cosmetic surgery is a win win situation when women try to get rid of their body failure, and they can get black a satisfied body with some scars. Normally, scars will be fade over time by they will never completely disappear. They will always be there to remind women to something that they have done to win the perfect body. On the other hand, scars can be made worse during the recovery period after the surgery. Wound infection may happen if patient do stringShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Technology On Plastic Surgery1281 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology on Plastic Surgery Ludwig Wittgenstein ,a british philosopher,once said, â€Å"The human body is the best picture of the human soul.† Though this may be untrue, or widely disagreed with, it shows that people are judged by their appearance. But what if someone is born unattractive, should they stay that way for their entire life? If there is a cure to disfigurement, does that mean people should ignore it just because it’s frowned upon? According to the world book encyclopedia,â€Å"Plastic surgery is aRead MorePlastic and Fantasy in U.S. Advertising800 Words   |  4 Pagesherself or himself. Most Americans are now turning to cosmetic surgery in order to obtain the appearance after observing these images. The citizens of the United States who turn to cosmetic surgery often times do not realize the potential risks involved. Cosmetic surgery is not an operation that should be taken lightly; no one should go through it unless it were to be for reconstructive reasons. When people hear the word ‘plastic surgery’ the following comes to mind: liposuction, botox, andRead MoreEssay on History of Cosmetic Surgery1655 Words   |  7 PagesHistory of Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery COM150 Plastic surgery is a medical specialty dealing with on the correction or restoring of external damage to the body. The word plastic comes from the Greek plastikos meaning to mold or to shape (Answers, 2010). Cosmetic surgery involves techniques to enhance the appearance through surgical and medical techniques. I will also investigate the most popular surgery procedures of the last couple years. Do you wonder how this type of surgery went fromRead MorePlastic Surgery: Why Is so Popular? Essay1307 Words   |  6 PagesPlastic surgery is medical process through which people can make their physical aspect look better. There are two major kinds of plastic surgeries: cosmetic and reconstructive. People are and have always concern about their body image and the perspective that other could have about it. Therefore, people are always looking for the solution, which most of the time end up being the plastic surgery. Where these procedures originated? Moreover, how do we get to the actu al point of plastic surgery? ClearlyRead MoreAmerican Teen Cosmetic And Plastic Surgery1432 Words   |  6 Pages American Teen Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Plastic and cosmetic surgeries have become a persisting issue in The United States, with the steady advancement of social media and technology being exposed to teens, many are falling victims to the country’s perception of standard beauty and resorting towards surgical procedures features that are not considered to be attractive among the general public. The United States makes it very easy for teens to proceedRead MoreCosmetic Surgery : Medical Medicine1236 Words   |  5 Pages Cosmetic Surgery Alexis Thomas AHS 128 – Health Sciences Intro Professor Sloan Midlands Technical College - Airport COSMETIC SURGERY 2 Abstract Over recent years, there has been a rising trend in the demand for cosmetic surgeries. These procedures are typically carried out to change, improve, or enhance ones appearance. Cosmetic surgery, also called plastic surgery dates backRead MoreWhy The World Want Plastic Surgery1480 Words   |  6 Pagesa big nose. Bullying is not the only reason to get a plastic surgery but it is a big reason why people resort to such drastic measures. What problems specifically lead to plastic surgery? First, it is important to mention that plastic surgery has two branches. There is cosmetic surgery, people use it to improve there appearance while on the other side reconstructive surgery treats serious health issues. When you hear the words â€Å"plastic surgery† you thing about nose jobs, face lifting and breastRead MorePlastic Surgery And Its Effects Essay1664 Words   |  7 Pages Each year, the plastic surgery industry brings in $10.1 billion dollars in the United States alone (Goudreau). The surgery itself consists of two types: reconstructive surgery, which â€Å"replaces damaged tissue with healthy tissue from another area of the body† (Lee), and cosmetic surgery, which is the removal or addition of tissue in order to â€Å"make a person look younger or more attractive†(Gregg). Plastic surgery comes from the Greek word plastikos, which means to shape or to form (Gregg). DatingRead MoreHuman Self Conscious Is A Serious Problem959 Words   |  4 Page sHave you ever felt unhappy with your looks? Have you ever wanted to change something in you, no matter what the consequences were? In today s society self conscious is a serious problem, people would do anything to change the way they look, even if the procedures are unsafe. Shenise Farrell a student from London, who became tormented with the color of her eyes, decided to transform them from brown to blue. Shenise researched surgery options where she found a clinic in Panama and took the decisionRead MoreWhat Makes Reconstructive Surgery?1936 Words   |  8 PagesReconstructive surgery has been changing the world from celebrities, to everyday people, from young to old, and from cosmetic to emergency. â€Å"According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, including both minimally-invasive and surgical, were performed in the United States in 2012. In addition, 5.6 million reconstructive plastic su rgery procedures were performed last year† (â€Å"14.6 Million Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

August and December Free Essays

The time allocated for teaching and learning is a factor influencing pupils’ academic performance. There are three school terms every year with holidays in between in the months of April, August and December. Research has shown that majority of schools start learning after the first week of the school term. We will write a custom essay sample on August and December or any similar topic only for you Order Now This indicates that there is a lot of time wastage before learning begins. Besides,most schools loose many teaching/ learning hours at the beginning of the term. This wastage leads to less work being covered and syllabus not being completed on time hence contributing to poor performance in KCPE examinations. b. Adequacy of Learning Resources: The adequacy and use of teaching and learning materials affects the effectiveness of a teacher’s lesson. Teaching and learning esources enhances understanding of abstract ideas and improves performance. Adequate learning resources like text books,improvised weather instruments,relevant child friendly library books, wall maps and the exercise books are of paramount importance. This makes learning easier of subjects like Social Studies very abstract to the pupils. Further still,it has been proven that school facilities have a direct effect on teaching and learning. Text books enable the pupils to follow the teacher’s sequence of presentation and aids in understanding of lessons. . School Administration :The quality of school administration plays a vital role in academic performance as it is concerned with pupils, teachers, rules, regulations and policies that govern the school system. In analyzing the efficiency of school administration, the following aspects ought to be considered: Frequency of staff meetings Frequency of checking teachers’ schemes of work and lesson plans Adequacy of teachers’ prior preparation Frequency of class observation by the head teacher. Few staff meetings may lead to less co-ordination of curriculum implementation. This an lead to less monitoring and reporting of the progress of the schools activities to the teachers . Frequency of Checking Teachers’ Schemes of work: The responsibility of checking the professional documents like teachers’ schemes of work and lesson plans lies in the hands of the head teacher. This may be done in person or he may delegate to the deputy head teacher or the senior teacher. Preparation and use of schemes of work by the teachers enhances sequential teaching and results to improved achievement. Checking of teachers schemes of work should be done frequently to allow the head teacher monitor curriculum implementation. Frequency ot Checking the Teachers’ Lessons Plans :Teacners’ lesson plan is a protessional document prepared by teachers for the purpose of presentation of a lesson. The teacher indicates whether the lesson has been taught and objectives achieved; if the lesson is not taught, then the teacher indicates the reason why and when he intends to cover it; if the lesson objectives are not achieved, the teacher plans for remedial lesson in order to make the concept understood by the pupils. Head teachers should monitor lesson plan preparation frequently; otherwise it may lead to poor erformance. Adequacy of Teachers’ Prior Preparation: Adequate prior preparation before a teacher goes to class leads to good performance by the pupils. This promotes sequential presentation of concepts by the teacher to the learners. Always, prior preparation by the teachers leads to systematic delivery of concepts to pupils and enhances performance. Observation of Classes by Head teachers: One of the roles of the head teacher is to carry out internal supervision of curriculum implementation in his/her school. This involves physical observation of teachers’ lessons in progress. One of the head teachers’ roles is regular class supervision in order to promote curriculum goals. Failure to do so may lead to poor performance. 2. Teacher-Based Factors These are the factors within the teachers that could hinder or promote academic performance of pupils in their schools. The following are some of the aspects of teacher based factors: Teachers’ commitment Teachers’ frequency of absenteeism Teachers’ motivation Teachers’ work load. Teachers’ Commitment Level: Good performance is as a result of high commitment levels by the teachers. Studies shows that teachers who lack enthusiasm are unable o teach effectively, making pupils not to learn well. Frequency of Absenteeism among Teachers: When teachers absent themselves from school frequently, pupils go unattended and do not do well in examinations. Absenteeism by teachers reduces the amount of instructional time and this result in the syllabus not being completed. This in return results to lower output of work by the pupils. Teachers’ Motivation:A World Bank Report (1986) acknowledges that teacher satisfaction is generally related to achievement as satisfied teachers would concentrate hence enhancing academic performance of their pupils. Teacher Turn-over Rate:lf the teacher turn-over rate is high then it can contribute to poor performance in examinations. According to Schneider (2003) high teacher turn over forces schools to devote attention, time and financial resources attracting replacement of teachers. Teachers’ Workload: This is the number of lessons teachers take per week. If teachers are not overloaded their output in terms performance should be good. 3. PUPlLS BASED FACTORS These are the factors within the pupils that could enhance or hinder their academic performance. The following are some aspects under pupil-based factors: 1. Pupils’ language use 2. Pupils’ rate of absenteeism 3. Pupils’ lateness to school. Pupils’ Language Use: Pupils who interact using English language tend to understand it better and do well in examinations as all examinations apart from Swahili are written in English language. It is equally true that leaner who also interact well using Swahili language will pass the Swahili exam. Therefore,both languages must be encouraged in equal measure by the teachers,parents and the larger community. Pupils’ Frequency of Absenteeism: These is the aspect of how frequent pupils absent themselves from school. When pupils absent themselves from school, they tend to lose many concepts and definitely may not do well in exams. The effect of absenteeism and irregular school attendance is that materials taught are difficult to understand when studied on one’s own. Continued loss of classes results to loss of content and knowledge. Class assignments,exercises,homework and holiday homework would not be properly and correctly done leading to poor performance. 4. Community-Based Factors Community based factors are factors within the community that impede or enhance pupils’ academic performance. In analyzing the community based factors, the following aspects can be looked into: a) Parents’ Consultation with Teachers:Good performance is realized when parents work in consultation with the teachers in order to understand their children better. Studies shows that most often parents do not consult teachers and that most parents were not so much concerned about education of the children. Bogus (2004) indicated that parents’ interaction with teachers enables them to know what their children are encountering in school and what could be done to deal with the problems. It would also put pupils on alert and tudy in school as they would know that their parents would inquire about their performance. How to cite August and December, Papers

Diminishing Marginal Utility

Question: Discuss about the Diminishing Marginal Utility. Answer: Introduction: Last week after classes I felt quite hungry, so I decide to buy five slices of pizza for $2.5 in one of our nearby shopping mall. After buying the pizza, I ate the first slice and felt like I needed to take another one. After consuming the second slice of pizza, my appetite began to reduce, and I could not derive the same utility as that obtained after consuming the first slice. By the time I was on the fourth slice, I had started feeling some discomfort since my stomach was already full. I didn't even take the fifth slice since it could have led to the negative utility. The second experience was when some years back I tried to ascertain how long I could hold my breath when under water. I held my breath while under water until I almost fainted. The moment I came out of the water, the first breath was very crucial. The second to tenth breath provided an additional utility or satisfaction. By the time I was on the tenth breath, I was already feeling normal as if nothing wrong had happened. My friend's hobby is reading novels, especially during his free time. He usually tells me that he gets more and more satisfaction by reading more and less utility by reading fewer books. In this case, the law fails to prevail since hobby is one of the exceptions or elements which go against the rule. (Sivagnanam Srinivasam, 2010). Reference Sivagnanam, K. J., Srinivasan, R. (2010).Business economics. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill.

Avid Essay Essays

Avid Essay Essays Avid Essay Paper Avid Essay Paper Katerin Leal Period 6th AVID Are Students Risking Their Futures? In Christine Baron’s essay, Apathetic Students Risk Their Futures, is stated that students aren’t taking advantage of the opportunities they have by going to school because they are making up excuses and are better off socializing with others. I agree with Christine Baron, some students have become lazy for their school work. However, not all students are being lazy and not doing their work, there are some students that actually care and want to succeed in life therefore they are the ones that are being motivated and have been doing the assignments and homework that the teachers have asked them. But how do we get the other students to be do their work as well? High school is a big change to most students. While some are working after school others are playing sports, and other even have responsibilities at their home. However, that doesn’t give students an excuse to not do the work that has been assigned to them. â€Å"I had to work until 11 p. m. both nights†, â€Å"I had baseball practice†, â€Å"I was absent again the day you assigned this†, this are some of the excuses that students use when Christine Baron asked her students if had read the reading assignment that was assigned to her class. Sure working until 11 p. m. at night is tiring but students should learn how to manage their time, school should be their number one priority. Also, just because you’re absent from school doesn’t mean that your excused from the assignments that you missed, it’s your responsibility to email your teacher and/or ask your teacher what you missed when you come back to school the next day. In Barons case what had frustrated her was that her students choose â€Å"to give up on homework that’s the least bit challenging†. Other factors that have gotten in the way with students schoolwork is the social network. Student with their cellphones, laptops, iPods, etc. are choosing to socialize rather than actually take advantage of their spare time. I started reading it, but the phone rang†, was one of the other excuses given to Baron. These students are in high school already and its time that they take some responsibility and think about the opportunities they have by going to school. Instead of making up excuses students should just do the work. The challenge that has been presented to some teach ers is â€Å"How can we encourage a lot more kids to care about their education†. In the essay that Baron wrote he states that parents can help with their kids caring of school. With that being said teachers should get together with the parents of those students who are having a hard time to stay focused on their school work. Parents can be a great influence and a lot of help with getting their kids to do the assignment that is being assigned by the teachers. High school is a big change for students, they run into a lot of pressure sometimes even skipping classes which later on leads to skipping school more often than expected, but what these students need to know is that â€Å"caring about their education will benefit them in ways they might not even imagine†. The one thing that teacher cannot do is â€Å"dumb down† the curriculum, because in the end the students aren’t receiving any challenging work. Teacher should push the students on challenging work so they can exceed their expectations. Everyone is capable of succeeding but you have to apply some effort into your work. The students that are caring and doing the work that is being asked by their teachers have a greater chance of becoming the person they really want in life, by working in the job field of their choice, and being financially secured.

Three Mile Island essays

Three Mile Island essays 1979 Three Mile Island Nuclear Reactor Incident Three Mile Island is a nuclear power station located in Middletown, Pennsylvania, along the Susquehanna River, just ten miles south of the Pennsylvania state capital Harrisburg, and is also the site of the worst commercial nuclear disaster in United States history that took place on March 28, 1979 (Nuclear Disaster, 1997). The pilot-operated relief valve (PORV) on the reactor cooling system opened like it was supposed to and then about ten seconds later it should have closed but it remained open, leaking very important reactor coolant water to the reactor coolant drain tank. The operators believed the PORV had shut because instruments showed them that a signal was sent to the valve but they did not have an instrument indicating the valve's actual position. High-pressure injection pumps automatically pushed replacement water into the reactor system (Three Mile Island, 2001). As water and steam escaped through the relief valve, cooling water surged into the pressuriser, raising the water level in it. Operators responded by reducing the flow of replacement water. Their training told them that the pressuriser water level was the only dependable indication of the amount of cooling water in the system. Because the pressuriser level was increasing, they thought the reactor system was too full of water. Their training told them to do all they could to keep the pressuriser from filling with water. If it filled, they could not control pressure in the cooling system and it might rupture (Three Mile Island, 2001). Steam then formed in the reactor cooling system. Pumping a mixture of steam and water caused the reactor cooling pumps to vibrate. Because the severe vibrations could have damaged the pumps and made them unusable, operators shut down the pumps. This ended forced cooling of the reactor. However, as reactor coolant water boiled away, the reactor's fuel core was uncovered and became ev...

Supporting position for the illegal use of steroids for athletes and Research Paper

Supporting position for the illegal use of steroids for athletes and in general use - Research Paper Example In this way, the athletes struggle, and perpetual desire to perform at the height of their abilities is how the spectator believes they integrate with the game or performance in question. Sadly, as has been exhibited over the past few decades, athletes are more than willing to go beyond the bounds of ethics and morality and dope themselves with performance enhancing drugs/steroids as a function to perform beyond the abilities that normal training and everyday dedication can yield. Such a decision has more than one set of drawbacks. As such, the first of these is the moral and ethical drawback that the athlete is ultimately not achieving whatever level of success they do based upon their own natural abilities but rather based upon the unnatural and unethical use of chemicals that do not exist within their body. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the fact that the athletes are doing irrevocable harm to their bodies for but a few brief moments of hoped fame that this will engend er. Accordingly, this brief essay will seek to discuss and draw a level of inference upon these two factors as a way of understanding what the effects of steroid use can ultimately portend for the athlete’s morality as well as general health. ... This is not truly the singular fault of the athlete but also a fault of the way in which our current society seeks to place its athletes and celebrities on something of a pedestal of perfection. In such a sense, it becomes inconceivable for society to understand that the athlete, something of the current idol and/or god, could behave in a way that is unseemly. This measure of disbelief followed by keen disappointment is what has most facilitated the discussion of performance enhancing drugs and ultimately made the topic of this paper something that society is aware of. Although it is not the purpose of this paper to discuss the ways in which psychological interpretations of the athlete have become warped within Secondly, the reader should of course examine the physical repercussions of steroid use. Whereas the previous information listed impacts upon society, its level of trust and belief in the system of athletics that is presented to it, and the level of dishonesty that the given a thlete is comfortable presenting to the audience, the issue of health applies only to the individual athlete as it is their own health that they are jeopardizing by taking performance enhancing drugs such as steroids (Feinberg 1). It should of course be understood that although steroids can have a powerful effect on the way in which an athlete performs and can greatly benefit their ability to pack on the additional pounds and or muscle mass that the game in question requires (Jones 1). However, with such an abilities come at the marked tradeoffs that its detrimental effects on the overall user necessarily portend. Although many athletes and individuals are aware of the short term affects that

Case study IT and Business (Maturity rating) Essay

Case study IT and Business (Maturity rating) - Essay Example ] a culture of plain talking, and telling it as it was†¦removed the notion of an individual win (p.7) and that for special arrangements†¦ all were treated straight forwardly and professionally (p.7). The relationship between business and IT for Sunshine State was commendable considering that they formed joint teams to work on the project. Leadership was also evident in that we see the external suppliers being given autonomy so long as they meet their deliverables. This element of trust and knowledge sharing must have been a big contributor to the project’s success. And what about the number of dissatisfied customers? In the end, there were only 167 of them, and most of these were dissatisfied with their share allocation rather than the share dealing system (p.9). The fortnightly report†¦ was a list of milestones... it had a list of things achieved in the last 2 weeks, a list of things to be achieved in the next 2 weeks, and a set of issues for management attention (p.6). The aim here is to have a formal process that ensures that assessment and reviews of the IT investment by Sunshine State allows for changes to be made based on the outcome of the reviews. Thus by instilling a culture of open communication the company is able to ensure that assessments based on the IT and business metric and service level agreements are analysed and spoken of truthfully such that an iterative process of constant improvement is developed. The programme office was tasked with the development of high level plans that would steer the company towards its longer term objective while not losing sight of the immediate need for an IT system ready for the IPO. The nominee account and bulk dealing where all cost control measures that fitted well with the IT strategic plan and allowed for budgetary control. The longer term objectives concerned the capability for further development and it was recognised early on that it would be possible to make share dealing and related activities a

Foundations of Critical Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Foundations of Critical Care - Essay Example Since this involved events surrounding a complex decision making at higher level where I am being guided by my mentor consistently, I felt John's model of structured reflection will be useful, and I will follow that in this reflective process (Johns, 1995, 226-235). Consequently, I will pay greater attention to my thoughts and emotions surrounding this event of my recent past experiences. This is the story of a patient whom I cared for in my placement in the critical care unit. In my placement in the critical care unit, my mentor assigned this patient to me. This is a middle-aged female patient who had abdominal surgery for her Crohn's disease and had been transferred to the intensive care unit for stabilization in a critical condition following anaesthesia. The intention of admission was to stabilize her and help her complete recovery form anesthesia so she can be extubated in the intensive care unit (Adam and Osbourne, 2005, 1-11). At assignment, I assessed her to find that she was sedated, was having very poor spontaneous breathing response, and intubated. She was connected to monitors, and a central venous pressure (CVP) line was inserted. A separate IV line was there, and it was running frusemide infusion at 2 mg/h since she was quite edematous. She was also advised hydrocortisone 50 mg intravenously three times a day along with her medications (Evans, 1998, 8-1 2). They diagnosed her to be in acute renal failure, and the management was expectant in that it would lead resolution of renal failure quickly. On my systematic assessment on assignment, my examination revealed that she has moderate oozing from her abdominal wound. However, her urine output was less than 40 mL/h, and from the urine in the bag, I thought that her urine was very concentrated. This is unlikely in an edematous patient with frusemide infusion. She was connected to ventilator at a PEEP of 10 to support her breathing. The striking feature was that her CVP was falling (Fitzpatrick and Donnelly, 1997, 271-279), and at the time of my care it was at 6. This was an obvious incongruence, and I discussed this with the Junior Doctor about her situation and requested him to reassess the condition. The doctor refused to relook at the situation and told that it was going fine. I felt frustrated since this patient needed to be assessed immediately for revising the management plan, an d I had hardly anything to do (Dowling et al., 1996, 1211-1214). Significant Issues From my academic learning, I knew that acute renal failure is not uncommon in a patient with prolonged and mutilative surgery. However, the care management must be collaborative in the critical care setting, since nurses remain closely attached to the patients during care delivery monitoring the patient on a minute-to-minute basis. Therefore, I felt I have a chance to know her progress or deterioration better than anyone else (Hudak & Galo, 1997, 16-26). Quite frequently, acute renal failures in postoperative patients are results of fluid depletion or dehydration, since the volume loss in the intraoperative period can be inadequately noticed. As the nurse in charge of her care, I felt the urge to actively participate in her care, and my input from that angle was to reassess her fluid status once again and to

How Do Drugs Interact With Receptors Biology Essay

How Do Drugs Interact With Receptors Biology Essay Illustrate with named drug examples. Receptors are highly important in cell function as they allow communication between a cell and its neighbours and controls the way a cell functions with stimuli or depression, usually from the central nervous system via the brain and spinal cord (Patrick, 2005). The nerves that communicate with their respective cells do not connect directly to their target cells, and there has to be some way of carrying their message across a gap of only 100 Ã…, and this is achieved by the release of chemical messengers from the nerve cell to interact with receptors in the target cell membrane (Patrick, 2005). These receptors are protein molecules, usually embedded in the cell membrane, with a certain area of this protein on the outside of the cell which is able to bind this chemical messenger due to the proteins structure. This binding of the chemical messenger leads to the activation of the receptor which leads to the desired effect which can occur via a numb er of methods (Katzung, 2001). When this process goes wrong, for example of too much or not enough messengers are released, then disease states can occur, with Parkinsons disease, depression and psychosis being among many diseases thought to be resulting from this sort of pathophysiology (Patrick, 2005). When this occurs, drugs, which may be defined as any substance that brings about a change in biological function through its chemical actions (Katzung, 2001), can be used to have an effect on the desired receptors to increase or decrease their activity, and hopefully restore the balance as close to the physiological normal as possible. In this essay, I shall first discuss how drugs can have their effect on receptors and will then go on to discuss how these drugs work on different types of receptors to treat disease. There are many, many different receptors in the body with different shapes, sizes, regulating factors and functions. These can be classified into five main classes: (i) ligand gated ion channels, (ii) intracellular receptors for lipid soluble agents, (iii) ligand regulated transmembrane enzymes, (iv) cytokine receptors, and (v) G proteins and second messengers (Patrick, 2005). Throughout the essay, I will try to explain how drugs interact with receptors and how this can affect their function. I will also try and use a balanced coverage of the above receptor classes as examples when describing how drugs can affect a receptors function. Firstly, a drug may be used to mimic the action of a natural chemical messenger to activate the receptor and cause an increase of activity at that cell, for example, initiating muscle movement or secretion of a hormone (Patrick, 2005). These types of drugs are called agonists, but their function at a receptor depends on a number of factors that need to be considered when designing new drugs. One requirement is that the drug has to have the correct binding groups, so that the required number of interactions, for example, ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, van der Waals interactions etc.; can be made between the drug and the receptor, and that these interactions are strong enough to stimulate the receptor, but not too strong so that the drug does not leave the receptor after binding (Katzung, 2001). The drug must also have the correct size and shape to fit into the receptor binding site and allow these interactions to occur. If the drug is too small, the drug will not be able to sufficie ntly form the required interactions with the receptor, and if too big, the drug will not be able to fit into the binding site at all. This has become a lot easier since the protein structures of many receptors, and their binding sites, have been identified via genetic engineering, computer based molecular modeling and X ray crystallography, allowing for the design of specific drugs to fit these binding sites (Patrick, 2005). In terms of how the chemical messengers and drugs have their effect on the receptor to activate it, it is thought that the binding interactions of the messenger molecule cause the receptor to change shape. As an example, if a receptor had three binding sites, when the agonist reaches the receptor, it may only interact with two of the three required interactions. In order for the third interaction to take place, the protein must undergo a conformational change, and with this change, the receptor will become activated and cause a change in the cells activity (Katz ung, 2001). This is a very simplified view and in reality, the conformational changes needed to open a channel such as an ion channel are complex and often, the lock gate is not in close proximity to the receptor binding site, but the same ideas are common to both. A very common prescribed agonist is Salbutamol, a selective ÃŽ ²-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, in the treatment of asthma (Waldeck, 2002). This is a G protein coupled receptor which is expressed mainly in the lungs in the alveolar walls. When this receptor is activated, levels of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) via G-protein activation of adenyl cyclase. The increase in cAMP in the cells influences cAMP dependant protein kinases which contribute to regulation of muscle tone and reduce free calcium ions on the cell by stopping their influx from outside the cell and also their release from intracellular stores (Kroeze, 2003). This then results in relaxation of the central and peripheral airway smooth muscle and therefore bronchodilation (Sears, 2005). Benzodiazepines can be used as anticonvulsants for treatment of epileptic seizures and work by acting as agonists of the GABAA receptor in the central nervous system. These work by binding to a specific benzodiazepine binding site at the interface of the ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ³ subunits which is present on a subset of GABAA receptors (Treiman, 2001). When a benzodiazepine binds to this site, it increases the affinity of the receptor protein to bind GABA, and therefore increases the chance that the channel will open. With the channel more likely to be open, this allows the flow of chloride ions through the channel and therefore hyperpolarizes the membrane and makes the associated neuron less likely to potentiate an action potential, hence the drugs sedative properties (Treiman, 2001). Agonists are a good therapeutics agent for when there is not enough chemical messenger in a system, but what if there is too much being produced? In this situation, an antagonist is used. An antagonist is a drug that can bind to a receptor binding site but does not produce a functional conformational change like an agonist, or if it does change the shape of the receptor protein, it does so in a way in which the desired effect on the cell does not occur (Patrick, 2005). These are called competitive antagonists as they compete with the natural chemical messenger for the receptor binding site and therefore block the action of the messenger, preventing it from having its effect. Competitive agonists are usually designed to bind to the binding site more strongly, so enhancing its anagonistic effects (Patrick, 2005). Antagonists can also work on the receptors but not actually at the binding site. These are termed allosteric antagonists with the drug binding to a different part of the recep tor and the interactions involved may then distort the shape of the receptor in such a way that the natural chemical transmitter cannot bind as the binding site will no longer be compatible. This is an example of non-competitive antagonism as the drug is not competing with the natural chemical messenger for the same binding site (Katzung, 2001). An example of an ion channel antagonist is Amlodipine, which has its effect on voltage gated L-type (slowly inactivating) calcium channels (Abernethy, 1999). This drug is used for a variety of cardiovascular diseases, for example, hypertension and angina pectoris (Abernethy, 1999). With the calcium channels blocked, there is less influx of calcium into the cell, and in smooth muscle cells, this decrease in the intracellular messenger leads to a reduction in muscle contraction. This means that vasodilation takes place and leads to a decrease in blood pressure (Abernethy, 1999). Sometimes, a drug is discovered that cannot be classed as a pure agonist or a pure antagonist, its action involves it having some effect on a receptor to produce its activation, but not as much as would be seen with an agonist. These are termed partial agonists. There are many theories into how these work because it does seem strange that an agonist can only work partially. One such explanation is that when the partial agonist binds to the binding site, it does form the required interactions to produce a conformational change, but this change is not exactly the same as a pure agonist, and so may only activate the channel partially, for example, by only partly opening an ion channel (Patrick, 2005). Another theory involves the partial agonist being able to bind to the receptor in more than one place, so one method of binding would produce an agonist effect and the other an antagonist effect. This balance between the two would result in only a proportion of the receptors being activate d, hence, the partial antagonistic effect (Katzung, 2001). An example of a partial agonist is clozapine which is classified as an atypical antipsychotic and can be used for its anti-depressive and anti-anxiolytic effects in some patients. Along with effecting dopamine receptors, it also binds to serotonergic receptors, particularly the 5-HT1A receptor, to which it has its partial agonist effect (Meltzer, 1989). There is another way drugs can interact with receptors and this is in the form of an inverse agonist. These work on the principle that some receptors have constitutive activity, for example the GABA receptors, in which they are active at all times, regardless of signals they are receiving, so can be active even without the presence of a natural chemical messenger or an agonist (Patrick, 2005). This can even be true when an antagonist is present as the antagonist has the same binding affinity to both the active and inactive receptors, so there is no change in biological activity because the active receptor remains active. An inverse agonist has the effect of binding to the receptors and stabilising them in the inactive state, so will reduce the number of active receptors that are functioning, so will almost prevent any receptors from being active as it even stops the constitutive activity, so has a negative efficacy (Patrick, 2005). Figure 1 represents a diagrammatical representation of this (Lambert, 2004). Cimetidine, a H2 receptor inverse agonist, is used for the treatment of dyspepsia and peptic ulcers (Wallmark, 1983). It works by blocking the binding of histamine to the receptor on the parietal cells which reduces the amount of acid that is secreted by these cells into the stomach (Wallmark, 1983). The parietal cells secrete more acid when stimulated by histamine release after a meal, but also have a constitutive activity, which the inverse agonist also suppresses (Wallmark, 1983). Fig. 1 Graphical representation of the negative effect that inverse agonists have on receptors when compared to an antagonist and an agonist (Lambert, 2004). In conclusion, there is many ways in which drugs can act on receptors to modify their effect and this can be utilised for treating disease when a system goes out of balance. As mentioned previously, huge advancements have been made since more is now known regarding the structure of receptors and their binding sites. In the future, with more knowledge acquired in this field, further drugs can be manufactured which can be much more specific to their respective receptor and so can produce specific desired effects. This is of particular importance in conditions affecting the brain as disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and Parkinsons disease are associated with an imbalance in neurotransmitters and improvements in the drugs available to us to treat such conditions will benefit millions of people all around the world.

Emilias Contemporary Stand :: essays research papers

Emilia’s Contemporary Stand In equation with the Elizabethan era, Shakespeare offers us a male dominated society in his renowned tragedy, Othello. Consequently, this definitely persuades a negative attitude and demeanor towards the women of the times. The female characters in the play: Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca; play relevant roles in contributing to one’s understanding of this exhausted Elizabethan view. In contrast to the larger portion of the play, Emilia, spouse to the scandalous Iago, takes an opinionated stand for Desdemona in relation to her wholesome gone sour relationship with the Moor of Venice, Othello. I recognize Emilia’s â€Å"Betrayal lecture† as a justified outlook in accordance with today’s period and events surrounding Desdemona’s and Othello’s fatal misunderstanding. In Act IV, scene ii and iii, Emilia shows her contemporary views about relationships to the audience and talks to Desdemona while doing so. She believes that many men and women are commonly guilty of cheating and betrayal of their partner. At this point, Othello’s worries of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness have wholly increased, and he begins to accuse her of cheating on him. Desdemona then hopes Othello sees to her honesty and truthfulness of the matter. â€Å"I hope my noble lord esteems me honest† (Act IV, scene II line 67). Othello counters her begging by beginning his sarcasm and request for her to never have been born. He says, â€Å"O, ay. As summer flies are in the shambles,that quicken even with blowing. O Thou weed, Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne’er been born!†(Act IV scene II lines 68-70) As Desdemona constantly denies his accusations, Othello becomes very angry. He asks for her forgiveness (jokingly) and says â€Å"I took you for that cunning whore of Venice† (Act IV, scene ii, line 93). Desdemona is left mad by Othello’s ridicule and listens to Emilia’s contrasting attitude. As Othello and Lodovico leave the scene, the Moor commands Desdemona to exit Emilia’s presence and exclaims, â€Å"get you to bed on th’ instant.(Act IV scene iii line 7). Emilia fervently disagrees with Othello and graces us with her pro- female attitudes once again by saying, â€Å" I would you had never seen him†, with Desdemona agreeing light-heartedly as well.(Act IV scene iii lines 19-20) . Emilia displays to Desdemona a helping hand and says to leave Othello if she is so hurt by his â€Å"understandings†. â€Å"†¦Having the world for your labor, ‘tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right† She is basically explaining to Desdemona to leave Othello for his ludicrous antics.

Black House Chapter Seven

7 GOD MAY KNOW where Henry Leyden found that astounding suit, but we certainly do not. A costume shop? No, it is too elegant to be a costume; this is the real thing, not an imitation. But what sort of real thing is it? The wide lapels sweep down to an inch below the waist, and the twin flaps of the swallowtail reach nearly to the ankles of the billowing, pleated trousers, which seem, beneath the snowfield expanse of the double-breasted waistcoat, to ride nearly at the level of the sternum. On Henry's feet, white, high-button spats adorn white patent-leather shoes; about his neck, a stiff, high collar turns its pointed peaks over a wide, flowing, white satin bow tie, perfectly knotted. The total effect is of old-fashioned diplomatic finery harmoniously wedded to a zoot suit: the raffishness of the ensemble outweighs its formality, but the dignity of the swallowtail and the waistcoat contribute to the whole a regal quality of a specific kind, the regality often seen in African American e ntertainers and musicians. Escorting Henry to the common room while surly Pete Wexler comes along behind, pushing a handcart loaded with boxes of records, Rebecca Vilas dimly remembers having seen Duke Ellington wearing a white cutaway like this in a clip from some old film . . . or was it Cab Calloway? She recalls an upraised eyebrow, a glittering smile, a seductive face, an upright figure posed before a band, but little more. (If alive, either Mr. Ellington or Mr. Calloway could have informed Rebecca that Henry's outfit, including the â€Å"high-drape† pants with a â€Å"reet pleat,† terms not in her vocabulary, had undoubtedly been handmade by one of four specific tailors located in the black neighborhoods of New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, or Los Angeles, masters of their trade during the thirties and forties, underground tailors, men now alas as dead as their celebrated clients. Henry Leyden knows exactly who tailored his outfit, where it came from, and how it fell into his hands, but when it comes to persons such as Rebecca Vilas, Henry imparts no more information than is already likely to be known.) In the corridor leading to the common room, the white cutaway appears to shine from within, an impression only increased by Henry's oversized, daddy-cool dark glasses with bamboo frames, in which what may be tiny sapphires wink at the corners of the bows. Is there maybe some shop that sells Spiffy Clothes of Great 1930s Bandleaders? Does some museum inherit this stuff and auction it off ? Rebecca cannot contain her curiosity a moment longer. â€Å"Mr. Leyden, where did you get that beautiful outfit?† From the rear and taking care to sound as though he is muttering to himself, Pete Wexler opines that obtaining an outfit like that probably requires chasing a person of an ethnicity beginning with the letter n for at least a couple of miles. Henry ignores Pete and smiles. â€Å"It's all a matter of knowing where to look.† â€Å"Guess you never heard of CDs,† Pete says. â€Å"They're like this big new breakthrough.† â€Å"Shut up and tote them bales, me bucko,† says Ms. Vilas. â€Å"We're almost there.† â€Å"Rebecca, my dear, if I may,† Henry says. â€Å"Mr. Wexler has every right to grouse. After all, there's no way he could know that I own about three thousand CDs, is there? And if the man who originally owned these clothes can be called a nigger, I'd be proud to call myself one, too. That would be an incredible honor. I wish I could claim it.† Henry has come to a halt. Each, in a different way, shocked by his use of the forbidden word, Pete and Rebecca have also stopped moving. â€Å"And,† Henry says, â€Å"we owe respect to those who assist us in the performance of our duties. I asked Mr. Wexler to shake out my suit when he hung it up, and he very kindly obliged me.† â€Å"Yeah,† Pete says. â€Å"Plus I also hung up your light and put your turntable and speakers and shit right where you want 'em.† â€Å"Thank you very much, Mr. Wexler,† Henry says. â€Å"I appreciate your efforts in my behalf.† â€Å"Well, shit,† Pete says, â€Å"I was only doing my job, you know? But anything you want after you're done, I'll give you a hand.† Without benefit of a flash of panties or a glimpse of ass, Pete Wexler has been completely disarmed. Rebecca finds this amazing. All in all, sightless or not, Henry Leyden, it comes to her, is far and away the coolest human being she has ever been privileged to encounter in her entire twenty-six years on the face of the earth. Never mind his clothes where did guys like this come from? â€Å"Do you really think some little boy vanished from the sidewalk out in front of here this afternoon?† Henry asks. â€Å"What?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"Seems like it to me,† Pete says. â€Å"What?† Rebecca asks again, this time to Pete Wexler, not Henry. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"Well, he ast me, and I tol' him,† Pete says. â€Å"That's all.† Simmering dangerously, Rebecca takes a stride toward him. â€Å"This happened on our sidewalk? Another kid, in front of our building? And you didn't say anything to me or Mr. Maxton?† â€Å"There wasn't nothin' to say,† Pete offers in self-defense. â€Å"Maybe you could tell us what actually happened,† Henry says. â€Å"Sure. What happened was, I went outside for a smoke, see?† This is less than strictly truthful. Faced with the choice of walking ten yards to the Daisy corridor men's room to flush his cigarette down a toilet or walking ten feet to the entrance and pitching it into the parking lot, Pete had sensibly elected outdoor disposal. â€Å"So I get outside and that's when I saw it. This police car, parked right out there. So I walked up to the hedge, and there's this cop, a young guy, I think his name is Cheetah, or something like that, and he's loadin' this bike, like a kid's bike, into his trunk. And something else, too, only I couldn't see what it was except it was small. And after he did that, he got a piece a chalk outta his glove compartment and he came back and made like X marks on the sidewalk.† â€Å"Did you talk to him?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"Did you ask him what he was doing?† â€Å"Miz Vilas, I don't talk to cops unless it's like you got no other choice, know what I mean? Cheetah, he never even saw me. The guy wouldn't of said nothing anyhow. He had this expression on his face it was like, Jeez, I hope I get to the crapper before I drop a load in my pants, that kind of expression.† â€Å"Then he just drove away?† â€Å"Just like that. Twenty minutes later, two other cops showed up.† Rebecca raises both hands, closes her eyes, and presses her fingertips to her forehead, giving Pete Wexler an excellent opportunity, of which he does not fail to take full advantage, to admire the shape of her breasts underneath her blouse. It may not be as great as the view from the bottom of the ladder, but it'll do, all right, yes it will. As far as Ebbie's dad is concerned, a sight like Rebecca Vilas's Hottentots pushing out against her dress is like a good fire on a cold night. They are bigger than you'd expect on a slender little thing like her, and you know what? When the arms go up, the Hottentots go up, too! Hey, if he had known she was going to put on a show like this, he would have told her about Cheetah and the bicycle as soon as it happened. â€Å"All right, okay,† she says, still flattening the tips of her fingers against her head. She lifts her chin, raising her arms another few inches, and frowns in concentration, for a moment looking like a figure on a plinth. Hoo-ray and hallelujah, Pete thinks. There's a bright side to everything. If another little snotnose gets grabbed off the sidewalk tomorrow morning, it won't be soon enough for me. Rebecca says, â€Å"Okay, okay, okay,† opens her eyes, and lowers her arms. Pete Wexler is staring firmly at a point over her shoulder, his face blank with a false innocence she immediately comprehends. Good God, what a caveman. â€Å"It's not as bad as I thought. In the first place, all you saw was a policeman picking up a bike. Maybe it was stolen. Maybe some other kid borrowed the bike, dumped it, and ran away. The cop could have been looking for it. Or the kid who owned the bike could have been hit by a car or something. And even if the worst did happen, I don't see any way that it could hurt us. Maxton's isn't responsible for whatever goes on outside the grounds.† She turns to Henry, who looks as though he wishes he were a hundred miles away. â€Å"Sorry, I know that sounded awfully cold. I'm as distressed about this Fisherman business as everyone else, what with those two poor kids and the missing girl. We're all so upset we can hardly think straight. But I'd hate to see us dragged into the mess, don't you see?† â€Å"I see perfectly,† Henry says. â€Å"Being one of those blind men George Rathbun is always yelling about.† â€Å"Hah!† Pete Wexler barks. â€Å"And you agree with me, don't you?† â€Å"I'm a gentleman, I agree with everybody,† Henry says. â€Å"I agree with Pete that another child may well have been abducted by our local monster. Officer Cheetah, or whatever his name is, sounded too anxious to be just picking up a lost bicycle. And I agree with you that Maxton's cannot be blamed for anything that happened.† â€Å"Good,† Rebecca says. â€Å"Unless, of course, someone here is involved in the murders of these children.† â€Å"But that's impossible!† Rebecca says. â€Å"Most of our male clients can't even remember their own names.† â€Å"A ten-year-old girl could take most of these feebs,† Pete says. â€Å"Even the ones who don't have old-timer's disease walk around covered in their own . . . you know.† â€Å"You're forgetting about the staff,† Henry says. â€Å"Oh, now,† Rebecca says, momentarily rendered nearly wordless. â€Å"Come on. That's . . . that's a totally irresponsible thing to say.† â€Å"True. It is. But if this goes on, nobody will be above suspicion. That's my point.† Pete Wexler feels a sudden chill if the town clowns start grilling Maxton's residents, his private amusements might come to light, and wouldn't Wendell Green have a field day with that stuff ? A gleaming new idea comes to him, and he brings it forth, hoping to impress Miz Vilas. â€Å"You know what? The cops should talk to that California guy, the big-time detective who nailed that Kinderling asshole two-three years ago. He lives around here somewhere, don't he? Someone like that, he's the guy we need on this. The cops here, they're way outta their depth. That guy, he's like a whaddayacallit, a goddamn resource.† â€Å"Odd you should say that,† Henry says. â€Å"I couldn't agree with you more. It is about time Jack Sawyer did his thing. I'll work on him again.† â€Å"You know him?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"Oh, yes,† Henry says. â€Å"That I do. But isn't it about time for me to do my own thing?† â€Å"Soon. They're all still outside.† Rebecca leads him down the rest of the corridor and into the common room, where all three of them move across to the big platform. Henry's microphone stands beside a table mounted with his speakers and turntable. With unnerving accuracy, Henry says, â€Å"Lot of space in here.† â€Å"You can tell that?† she asks. â€Å"Piece of cake,† Henry says. â€Å"We must be getting close now.† â€Å"It's right in front of you. Do you need any help?† Henry extends one foot and taps the side of the flat. He glides a hand down the edge of the table, locates the mike stand, says, â€Å"Not at the moment, darlin',† and steps neatly up onto the platform. Guided by touch, he moves to the back of the table and locates the turntable. â€Å"All is co-pacetic,† he says. â€Å"Pete, would you please put the record boxes on the table? The one on top goes here, and the other one right next to it.† â€Å"What's he like, your friend Jack?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"An orphan of the storm. A pussycat, but an extremely difficult pussy-cat. I have to say, he can be a real pain in the bunghole.† Crowd noises, a buzz of conversation interlaced with children's voices and songs thumped out on an old upright piano, have been audible through the windows since they entered the room, and when Pete has placed the record boxes on the table, he says, â€Å"I better get out there, ‘cuz Chipper's probly lookin' for me. Gonna be a shitload of cleanup once they come inside.† Pete shambles out, rolling the handcart before him. Rebecca asks if there is anything more Henry would like her to do for him. â€Å"The overhead lights are on, aren't they? Please turn them off, and wait for the first wave to come in. Then switch on the pink spot, and prepare to jitterbug your heart out.† â€Å"You want me to turn off the lights?† â€Å"You'll see.† Rebecca moves back across to the door, turns off the overhead lights, and does see, just as Henry had promised. A soft, dim illumination from the rank of windows hovers in the air, replacing the former brightness and harshness with a vague mellow haze, as if the room lay behind a scrim. That pink spotlight is going to look pretty good in here, Rebecca thinks. Outside on the lawn, the predance wingding is winding down. Lots of old men and women are busily polishing off their strawberry shortcakes and soda pop at the picnic tables, and the piano-playing gent in the straw boater and red sleeve garters comes to the end of â€Å"Heart and Soul,† ba bump ba bump ba ba bump bump bump, no finesse but plenty of volume, closes the lid of the upright, and stands up to a scattering of applause. Grandchildren who had earlier complained about having to come to the great fest dodge through the tables and wheelchairs, evading their parents' glances and hoping to wheedle a last balloon from the balloon lady in the clown suit and frizzy red wig, oh joy unbounded. Alice Weathers applauds the piano player, as well she might: forty years ago, he reluctantly absorbed the rudiments of pianism at her hands just well enough to pick up a few bucks at occasions like this, when not obliged to perform his usual function, that of selling sweatshirts and baseball caps on Chase Street. Charles Burnside, who, having been scrubbed clean by good-hearted Butch Yerxa, decked himself out in an old white shirt and a pair of loose, filthy trousers, stands slightly apart from the throng in the shade of a large oak, not applauding but sneering. The unbuttoned collar of the shirt droops around his ropy neck. Now and then he wipes his mouth or picks his teeth with a ragged thumbnail, but mainly he does not move at all. He looks as though someone plunked him down by the side of a road and drove off. Whenever the careering grandkids swerve near Burny, they instantly veer away, as if repelled by a force field. Between Alice and Burny, three-fourths of the residents of Maxton's belly up to the tables, stump around on their walkers, sit beneath the trees, occupy their wheelchairs, hobble here and there yakking, dozing, chuckling, farting, dabbing at fresh strawberry-colored stains on their clothing, staring at their relatives, staring at their trembling hands, staring at nothing. Half a dozen of the most vacant among them wear conical party hats of hard, flat red and hard, flat blue, the shades of enforced gaiety. The women from the kitchen have begun to circulate through the tables with big black garbage bags, for soon they must retire to their domain to prepare the evening's great feast of potato salad, mashed potatoes, creamed potatoes, baked beans, Jell-O salad, marshmallow salad, and whipped-cream salad, plus of course more mighty strawberry shortcake! The undisputed and hereditary sovereign of this realm, Chipper Max-ton, whose disposition generally resembles that of a skunk trapped in a muddy hole, has spent the previous ninety minutes ambling about smiling and shaking hands, and he has had enough. â€Å"Pete,† he growls, â€Å"what the hell took you so long? Start racking up the folding chairs, okay? And help shift these people into the common room. Let's get a goddamn move on here. Wagons west.† Pete scurries off, and Chipper claps his hands twice, loudly, then raises his outstretched arms. â€Å"Hey, everybody,† he bellows, â€Å"can you truly believe what a gol-durn gorgeous day the good Lord gave us for this beautiful event? Isn't this something?† Half a dozen feeble voices rise in agreement. â€Å"Come on, people, you can do better than that! I want to hear it for this wonderful day, this wonderful time we're all having, and for all the wonderful help and assistance given us by our volunteers and staff!† A slightly more exuberant clamor rewards his efforts. â€Å"All right! Hey, you know what? As George Rathbun would say, even a blind man could see what a great time we're all having. I know I am, and we're not done yet! We got the greatest deejay you ever heard, a fellow called Symphonic Stan, the Big-Band Man, waiting to put on a great, great show in the common room, music and dancing right up to the big Strawberry Fest dinner, and we got him cheap, too but don't tell him I said that! So, friends and family, it's time to say your good-byes and let your loved ones cut a rug to the golden oldies, just like them, ha ha! Golden oldies one and all, that's all of us here at Maxton's. Even I'm not as young as I used to be, ha ha, so I might take a spin across the floor with some lucky lady. â€Å"Seriously, folks, it's time for us to put on our dancing shoes. Please kiss Dad or Mom, Granddad or Grandma good-bye, and on your way out, you may wish to leave a contribution toward our expenses in the basket on top of Ragtime Willie's piano right over here, ten dollars, five dollars, anything you can spare helps us cover the costs of giving your mom, your dad, a bright, bright day. We do it out of love, but half of that love is your love.† And in what may seem to us a surprisingly short amount of time, but does not to Chipper Maxton, who understands that very few people wish to linger in an elder-care facility any longer than they must, the relatives bestow their final hugs and kisses, round up the exhausted kiddies, and file down the paths and over the grass into the parking lot, along the way a good number depositing bills in the basket atop Ragtime Willie's upright piano. No sooner does this exodus begin than Pete Wexler and Chipper Maxton set about persuading, with all the art available to them, the oldsters back into the building. Chipper says things like, â€Å"Now don't you know how much we all want to see you trip the light fantastic, Mrs. Syverson?† while Pete takes the more direct approach of, â€Å"Move along, bud, time to stir your stumps,† but both men employ the techniques of subtle and not-so-subtle nudges, pushes, elbow grasping, and wheelchair rolling to get their doddering charges through the door. At her post, Rebecca Vilas watches the residents enter the hazy common room, some of them traveling at a rate a touch too brisk for their own good. Henry Leyden stands motionless behind his boxes of LPs. His suit shimmers; his head is merely a dark silhouette before the windows. For once too busy to ogle Rebecca's chest, Pete Wexler moves past with one hand on the elbow of Elmer Jesperson, deposits him eight feet inside the room, and whirls around to locate Thorvald Thorvaldson, Elmer's dearest enemy and fellow inhabitant of D12. Alice Weathers wafts in under her own guidance and folds her hands beneath her chin, waiting for the music to begin. Tall, scrawny, hollow-cheeked, at the center of an empty space that is his alone, Charles Burnside slides through the door and quickly moves a good distance off to the side. When his dead eyes indifferently meet hers, Rebecca shivers. The next pair of eyes to meet hers belong to Chipper, who pushes Flora Flostad's wheelchair as if it held a cr ate of oranges and gives her an impatient glare completely at odds with the easy smile on his face. Time is money, you bet, but money is money, too, let's get this show on the road, pronto. The first wave, Henry had told her is that what they have here, the first wave? She glances across the room, wondering how to ask, and sees that the question has already been answered, for as soon as she looks up, Henry flashes her the okay sign. Rebecca flips the switch for the pink spot, and nearly everybody in the room, including a number of old parties who had appeared well beyond response of any kind, utters a soft aaah. His suit, his shirt, his spats blazing in the cone of light, a transformed Henry Leyden glides and dips toward the microphone as a twelve-inch LP, seemingly magicked out of the air, twirls like a top on the palm of his right hand. His teeth shine; his sleek hair gleams; the sapphires wink from the bows of his enchanted sunglasses. Henry seems almost to be dancing himself, with his sweet, clever sidestepping glide . . . only he is no longer Henry Leyden; no way, Renee, as George Rathbun likes to roar. The suit, the spats, the slicked-back hair, the shades, even the wondrously effective pink spot are mere stage dressing. The real magic here is Henry, that uniquely malleable creature. When he is George Rathbun, he is all George. Ditto the Wisconsin Rat; ditto Henry Shake. It has been eighteen months since h e took Symphonic Stan from the closet and fit into him like a hand into a glove to dazzle the crowd at a Madison VFW record hop, but the clothes still fit, oh yes, they fit, and he fits within them, a hipster reborn whole into a past he never saw firsthand. On his extended palm, the spinning LP resembles a solid, unmoving, black beachball. Whenever Symphonic Stan puts on a hop, he always begins with â€Å"In the Mood.† Although he does not detest Glenn Miller as some jazz aficionados do, over the years he has grown tired of this number. But it always does the job. Even if the customers have no choice but to dance with one foot in the grave and the other on the proverbial banana peel, they do dance. Besides, he knows that after Miller was drafted he told the arranger Billy May of his plan to â€Å"come out of this war as some kind of hero,† and, hell, he was as good as his word, wasn't he? Henry reaches the mike and slips the revolving record onto the platter with a negligent gesture of his right hand. The crowd applauds him with an exhaled oooh. â€Å"Welcome, welcome, all you hepcats and hepkitties,† Henry says. The words emerge from the speakers wrapped in the smooth, slightly above-it-all voice of a true broadcaster in 1938 or 1939, one of the men who did live remotes from dance halls and nightclubs located from Boston to Catalina. Honey poured through their throats, these muses of the night, and they never missed a beat. â€Å"Say, tell me this, you gates and gators, can you think of a better way to kick off a swingin' soiree than with Glenn Miller? Come on, brothers and sisters, give me yeahhh.† From the residents of Maxton's some of whom are already out on the floor, others wheelchair-bound on its edges in various postures of confusion or vacuity comes a whispery response, less a party cry than the rustle of an autumn wind through bare branches. Symphonic Stan grins like a shark and holds up his hands as if to still a hopped-up multitude, then twirls and spins like a Savoy Ballroom dancer inspired by Chick Webb. His coattails spread like wings, his sparkling feet fly and land and fly again. The moment evaporates, and two black beachballs appear on the deejay's palms, one of them spinning back into its sleeve, the other down to meet the needle. â€Å"All-reety all-righty all-rooty, you hoppin' hens and boppin' bunnies, here comes the Sentimental Gentleman, Mr. Tommy Dorsey, so get off your money and grab your honey while vocalist Dick Haymes, the pride of Buenos Aires, Argentina, asks the musical question ‘How Am I to Know You?' Frank Sinatra hasn't entered the building yet, brethren and sistren, but life is still fine as mmm-mmm wine.† Rebecca Vilas cannot believe what she is seeing. This guy is getting just about everyone out onto the floor, even some of the wheelchair cases, who are dipping and swirling with the best of them. Dolled up in his exotic, astonishing outfit, Symphonic Stan Henry Leyden, she reminds herself is corny and breathtaking, absurd and convincing, all at once. He's like . . . some kind of time capsule, locked into both his role and what these old people want to hear. He has charmed them back into life, back into whatever youth they had left in them. Unbelievable! No other word will do. People she had written off as shuffling basket cases are blooming right in front of her. As for Symphonic Stan, he's carrying on like an elegant dervish, making her think of words like suave, polished, urbane, unhinged, sexy, graceful, words that do not connect except in him. And that thing he does with the records! How is that possible? She does not realize that she is tapping her foot and swaying in time to the music until Henry puts on Artie Shaw's â€Å"Begin the Beguine,† when she literally begins her own beguine by starting to dance by herself. Henry's hepcat jive-dance, the sight of so many white-haired, blue-haired, and bald-headed people gliding around the floor, Alice Weathers beaming happily in the arms of none other than gloomy Thorvald Thorvaldson, Ada Meyerhoff and â€Å"Tom Tom† Boettcher twirling around each other in their wheelchairs, the sweeping pulse of the music driving everything beneath the molten radiance of Artie Shaw's clarinet, all of these things abruptly, magically coalesce into a vision of earthly beauty that brings tears stinging to her eyes. Smiling, she raises her arms, spins, and finds herself expertly grasped by Tom Tom's twin brother, eighty-six-year-old Hermie Boettcher, the retired geography teacher in A17 formerly considered something of a stick, who without a word fox-trots her right out to the middle of the floor. â€Å"Shame to see a pretty girl dancing all on her lonesome,† Hermie says. â€Å"Hermie, I'd follow you anywhere,† she tells him. â€Å"Let's us get closer to the bandstand,† he says. â€Å"I want a better look at that hotshot in the fancy suit. They say he's blind as a bat, but I don't believe it.† His hand planted firmly at the base of her spine, his hips swerving in time to Artie Shaw, Hermie guides her to within a foot of the platform, where the Symphonic One is already doing his trick with a new record as he waits for the last bar of the present one. Rebecca could swear that Stan/Henry not only senses her presence before him but actually winks at her! But that is truly impossible . . . isn't it? The Symphonic One twirls the Shaw record into its sleeve, the new one onto the platter, and says, â€Å"Can you say ‘Vout'? Can you say ‘Solid'? Now that we're all limbered up, let's get jumpin' and jivin' with Woody Herman and ‘Wild Root.' This tune is dedicated to all you beautiful ladies, especially the lady wearing Calyx.† Rebecca laughs and says, â€Å"Oh, dear.† He could smell her perfume; he recognized it! Undaunted by the steamy tempo of â€Å"Wild Root,† Hermie Boettcher slides into a back step, extends his arm, and spins Rebecca around. On the first beat of the next bar, he catches her in his arms and reverses direction, spinning them both toward the far end of the platform, where Alice Weathers stands next to Mr. Thorvaldson, gazing up at Symphonic Stan. â€Å"The special lady must be you,† Hermie says. â€Å"Because that perfume of yours is worth a dedication.† Rebecca asks, â€Å"Where'd you learn to dance like this?† â€Å"My brother and I, we were town boys. Learned how to dance in front of the jukebox at Alouette's, over by Arden.† Rebecca knows Alouette's, on Arden's Main Street, but what was once a soda fountain is now a lunch counter, and the jukebox disappeared around the time Johnny Mathis dropped off the charts. â€Å"You want a good dancer, you find yourself a town boy. Tom Tom, now he was always the slickest dancer around, and you can plunk him in that chair, but you can't take away his rhythm.† â€Å"Mr. Stan, yoo-hoo, Mr. Stan?† Alice Weathers has tilted her head and cupped her hands around her mouth. â€Å"Do you take requests?† A voice as flat and hard as the sound of two stones grinding together says, â€Å"I was here first, old woman.† This implacable rudeness brings Rebecca to a halt. Hermie's right foot comes gently down atop her left, then swiftly moves off, doing her no more injury than a kiss. Towering over Alice, Charles Burnside glares at Thorvald Thorvaldson. Thorvaldson steps back and tugs at Alice's hand. â€Å"Certainly, my dear,† says Stan, bending down. â€Å"Tell me your name and what you'd like to hear.† â€Å"I am Alice Weathers, and â€Å" â€Å"I was here first,† Burny loudly repeats. Rebecca glances at Hermie, who shakes his head and makes a sour face. Town boy or not, he is as intimidated as Mr. Thorvaldson. † ‘Moonglow,' please. By Benny Goodman.† â€Å"It's my turn, you jackass. I want that Woody Herman number called ‘Lady Magowan's Nightmare.' That one's good.† Hermie leans toward Rebecca's ear. â€Å"Nobody likes that fella, but he gets his own way.† â€Å"Not this time,† Rebecca says. â€Å"Mr. Burnside, I want you to â€Å" Symphonic Stan silences her with a wave of his hand. He turns to face the owner of the remarkably unpleasant voice. â€Å"No can do, mister. The song is called ‘Lady Magowan's Dream,' and I didn't bring that snappy little item with me this afternoon, sorry.† â€Å"Okay, bud, how about ‘I Can't Get Started,' the one Bunny Berigan did?† â€Å"Oh, I love that,† Alice says. â€Å"Yes, play ‘I Can't Get Started.' â€Å" â€Å"Happy to oblige,† Stan says in Henry Leyden's normal voice. Without bothering to jive around or spin the records on his hands, he simply exchanges the LP on the turntable for one from the first box. He seems oddly wilted as he steps to the mike and says, â€Å"I've flown around the world on a plane, I settled revolutions in Spain. Can't get started. Dedicated to the lovely Alice Blue Gown and the One Who Walks by Night.† â€Å"You're no better'n a monkey on a stick,† says Burny. The music begins. Rebecca taps Hermie on the arm and moves up alongside Charles Burnside, for whom she has never felt anything but mild revulsion. Now that she has him in focus, her outrage and disgust cause her to say, â€Å"Mr. Burnside, you are going to apologize to Alice and to our guest here. You're a crude, obnoxious bully, and after you apologize, I want you to get back into your room, where you belong.† Her words have no effect. Burnside's shoulders have slumped. He has a wide, sloppy grin on his face, and he is staring empty-eyed at nothing in particular. He looks too far gone to remember his own name, much less Bunny Berigan's. In any case, Alice Weathers has danced away, and Symphonic Stan, back at the far end of the platform and out of the pink spot, appears to be deep in thought. The elderly couples sway back and forth on the dance floor. Off to the side, Hermie Boettcher pantomimes dancing and quizzes her with a look. â€Å"I'm sorry about that,† she says to Stan/Henry. â€Å"No need to apologize. ‘I Can't Get Started' was my wife's favorite record. I've been thinking about her a lot, the past few days. Sort of took me by surprise.† He runs a hand over his sleek hair and shakes out his arms, visibly getting back into his role. Rebecca decides to leave him alone. In fact, she wants to leave everyone alone for a little while. Signaling regret and the press of duty to Hermie, she makes her way through the crowd and exits the common room. Somehow, old Burny has beaten her to the corridor. He shuffles absently toward Daisy wing, head drooping, feet scuffing the floor. â€Å"Mr. Burnside,† she says, â€Å"your act may fool everyone else, but I want you to know that it doesn't fool me.† Moving by increments, the old man turns around. First one foot shifts, then a knee, the spavined waist, the second foot, finally the cadaverous trunk. The ugly bloom of Burny's head droops on its thin stalk, offering Rebecca a view of his mottled scalp. His long nose protrudes like a warped rudder. With the same dreadful slowness, his head lifts to reveal muddy eyes and a slack mouth. A flash of sheer vindictiveness rises into the dull eyes, and the dead lips writhe. Frightened, Rebecca takes an instinctive step backward. Burny's mouth has moved all the way into a horrible grin. Rebecca wants to escape, but anger at having been humiliated by this miserable jerk lets her hold her ground. â€Å"Lady Magowan had a bad, bad nightmare,† Burny informs her. He sounds drugged, or half asleep. â€Å"And Lady Sophie had a nightmare. Only hers was worse.† He giggles. â€Å"The king was in his countinghouse, counting out his honeys. That's what Sophie saw when she fell asleep.† His giggling rises in pitch, and he says something that might be â€Å"Mr. Munching.† His lips flap, revealing yellow, irregular teeth, and his sunken face undergoes a subtle change. A new kind of intelligence seems to sharpen his features. â€Å"Does you know Mr. Munshun? Mr. Munshun and his li'l friend Gorg? Does you know what happened in Chicago?† â€Å"Stop this right now, Mr. Burnside.† â€Å"Duz you know uff Fridz Haarman, him who wazz zo loff-ly? Dey called him, dey called him, dey called him ‘da Vamp, Vamp, Vamp of Hanover,' yez dey dud, dud, dud. Evveybuddy, evveybuddy, evvey-buddy haz godz nide-marez all da dime, dime, dime, ha ha ho ho.† â€Å"Stop talking like that!† Rebecca shouts.†You're not fooling me!† For a moment, the new intelligence flares within Burny's dim eyes. It almost instantly retreats. He licks his lips and says, â€Å"Way-gup, Burn-Burn.† â€Å"Whatever,† Rebecca says. â€Å"Dinner is downstairs at seven, if you want it. Go take a nap or something, will you?† Burny gives her a peeved, murky look and plops a foot down on the floor, beginning the tedious process that will turn him around again. â€Å"You could write it down. Fritz Haarman. In Hanover.† His mouth twists into a smile of unsettling slyness. â€Å"When the king comes here, maybe we can dance together.† â€Å"No, thanks.† Rebecca turns her back on the old horror and clacks down the hallway on her high heels, uncomfortably aware of his eyes following her. Rebecca's nice little Coach handbag lies flat on her desk in the windowless vestibule to Chipper's office. Before going in, she pauses to rip off a sheet of notepaper, write down Fritz Harmann(?), Hanover(?), and slip the paper into the bag's central compartment. It might be nothing it probably is but who knows? She is furious that she let Burnside frighten her, and if she can find a way to use his nonsense against him, she will do her best to expel him from Maxton's. â€Å"Kiddo, is that you?† Chipper calls out. â€Å"No, it's Lady Magowan and her freakin' nightmare.† She strides into Chipper's office and finds him behind his desk, happily counting out the bills contributed that afternoon by the sons and daughters of his clientele. â€Å"My li'l Becky looks all ticked off,† he says. â€Å"What happened, one of our zombies stomp on your foot?† â€Å"Don't call me Becky.† â€Å"Hey, hey, cheer up. You won't believe how much your silver-tongued boyfriend conned out of the relatives today. A hundred and twenty-six smackers! Free money! Okay, what went wrong, anyhow?† â€Å"Charles Burnside spooked me, that's what. He ought to be in a mental hospital.† â€Å"Are you kidding? That particular zombie is worth his weight in gold. As long as Charles Burnside can draw breath into his body, he will always have a place in my heart.† Grinning, he brandishes a handful of bills. â€Å"And if you have a place in my heart, honey-baby, you'll always have a place at Maxton's.† The memory of Burnside saying, The king was in his countinghouse, counting out his honeys makes her feel unclean. If Chipper were not grinning in that exultant, loose-lipped way, Rebecca supposes, he would not remind her so unpleasantly of his favorite resident. Evveybuddy haz godz nide-marez all da dime, dime, dime that wasn't a bad description of the Fisherman's French Landing. Funny, you wouldn't think Old Burny would take more notice of those murders than Chipper. Rebecca had never heard him mention the Fisherman's crimes, apart from the time he groused that he would not be able to tell anyone he was going fishing until Dale Gilbertson finally got off his big fat butt, and what kind of crappy deal was that?

The Devil and Tom Walker

â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† was an Early Romanticism written by Washington Irving. Irving was a reluctant lawyer who preferred writing and is now mostly known for â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hallow†. Irving was the first American to achieve international reputation. In 1815 Irving traveled through Europe, remaining there for 17 years. Although when â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† was first published in 1824 it was not well received and even caused Irving to stop writing fiction all together, today it is considered an illustrious Early Romantic.Irving retuned to America in 1832 to live with his brother. Irving died at the age of 76 and was buried near the haunting ground of his famous horseman-in New York’s Sleepy Hallow Cemetery. Elements of Romanticism pervade all of Irving’s writings. His love of scenes of nature, his sense of wonder, and his optimism all show through, even in his early work; these elements became progressively more pronounced as the freedom of expression which that era had fostered took root. Ultimately, Irving’s work has come to be viewed as emblematic of the Romantic era.Romanticism did not always end with a happy ending. In fact, the originals of the romanticism stories were about the evil of human nature. The work of early American writers like Irving show the influence of European Romanticism. ?Washington Irving would use an emphasis on nature, the supernatural, and superstitions in his stories. â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† pictures nature as mysterious. Tom walked through a swamp that was so thick that when it was noon it would still be very dark. At times, water logs would look like alligators floating in the water.The supernatural area also played an essential role in the story. The devil, being the supernatural being, seemed to have the ability to trade riches for a person's soul. Tom, having sold his soul, wanted to outsmart the devil by recruiting the help of another supernatu ral power, God, by carrying a bible. Greed is one of the most important themes of â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† Tom is approached by Old Scratch and offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. Initially, Tom is so greedy that he declines because he would have to share the fortune with his wife.Eventually, however, Tom is duped by the false kindness of Old Scratch and blinded by his own greed. As Irving writes, Tom â€Å"was not a man to stick at trifles when money was in view. † Once established as a moneylender in Boston, Tom is described ironically as a â€Å"universal friend of the needy,† even though â€Å"In proportion to the distress of the applicant was the hardness of his terms. † Though he becomes wealthy, Tom still remains stingy: he refuses to furnish his mansion or feed his horses properly.Still, he denies his greed. When accused by a customer of taking advantage of his misfortune, Tom answers â€Å"The devil take me if I have made a farthing ! † Of course, immediately Old Scratch appears at the door. Irving’s moral is clear: â€Å"Such was the end of Tom Walker and his ill-gotten wealth. Let all griping money-brokers lay this story to heart. † In conclusion, â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker†, by Washington Irving portrays a man set in New England in the 1720’s who allowed greed and selfishness to control him.Tom Walker, protagonist of the story, pledged both himself and his morals to the devil for the sake of riches and wealth. A landslide of deceit swept the main character into the pit of emptiness, selfishness, and greed. Disappointment haunted Tom in the end. The end resulted in complete moral decadence as selfishness consumed him. These unattractive traits took time to develop before really injuring Tom. In this story Irving not only gives you an entertaining story but also gives you lesson on greediness.

How was world war 1 won by the allies essays

How was world war 1 won by the allies essays How was World War I won by the allies? The first world war must have been one of the greatest technological period in the decennia , and one of the most cruel because they did not yet know what they had found out for example mustard gas ,the tanks and their rifles, which caused great loses on both sides of the war. I will answer the question How was WWI won by the allies? I will discuss what I think what was the most important event in 1916, 17 and 18. In February 1916 the Germans captured strategic points, the French forts where first to fall. Both sides gave all , the French and the Germans attacked and counter attacked each other until one finally the French army got so thin and scattered that the Germans where closing in. But the English came to help and planned an attack on the Somme; a 1.25 million people had died. Including the best, most experienced soldiers and officers from Germany. This was seen as an expensive failure, but now we see it as an event that had an influence on the end of the war. Also new tactics like, the creeping barrage, the artillery ambush and the tank, where developed and used by the Allies, because the artillery became more and more accurate. In 1917 the creeping barrage where brought into plan. This was a unit of soldiers moving forward slowly behind a barrage of artillery, and when retreating from up marching German soldiers the Germans would be hit by the artillery, this was only possible by the accuracy of the artillery. The Germans introduced the submarines because they suspected that USA was supplying the French and the English with food and other goods, they not only sank military boats but also passengers boats, this raged the Americans and declared war on the Germans in 1st of April. The Americans send troops but not enough yet they still didnt h ...

Comparative politics wk2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Comparative politics wk2 - Essay Example Since Vladimir Putin orchestrated the consolidation in 1999, the problems of centralized power continue to haunt the society as the political, geographic, and economic powers among others continue to reside in wealthy individuals close to the leadership (World Savvy Monitor, 2008). The over centralization and some policies enacted, deny freedom not only to the citizens, but also to the foreigners. It is always difficult for people to exercise competition, within areas where democracy is not fully embraced. The power of democracy links electoral result as means of instigating political parties and strengthening competition. During president Putin’s era, several reforms in the Electoral body took place, which have limited political competition. According to Shishlov (2004), â€Å"the December 2002 law on elections of state Duma Deputies shortened campaign period, limited the conditions under which candidates could be removed from the ballot, imposed restriction on media coverage and expanded the Central Election Commission’s Authority over subordinate regional elections commission.† The political system of the Russian federation is centralized giving the few (president, prime minister, federal assembly, and the multiparty political system) concentrated power to exercise control over the resources and the society. Through this, the president uses his power t o appoint important government postings to groups of elites loyal to the Kremlin, 75 percent coming from the Russian security forces to serve in the Russian corporate sector higher ranks (World Savvy Monitor, 2008). Often, the appointed individuals serve as state machineries and various functions of different departments have been altered by the centralized power, to act as administrative instruments. According to Shishlov, â€Å"single centre of power controls everything; the media, the secret services, business, the courts, parliament and the elections†