Free Essays on Amanda

I spent one night at Mass General, sleeping with an oxygen mask to pump my lung back up. The doctors sent me home the next morning with a sore back and no sleep This collapsed lung was just a singular event, a one-hit wonder. Wrong. In October, my lung collapsed again. This time I spent two nights with the oxygen mask. This time when I left I was scheduled for surgery a week later. The day of the surgery I saw Mrs. Penn behind the desk, but she didn’ t wave. I realized that with my oxygen mask I was about as recognizable as the face behind Darth Vader’ s mask. Though I knew I was in good hands, my main feeling as a patient was helplessness. Nonetheless, I experienced one small triumph near the end of my stay. On the way to the CT scan, my wheelchair attendant had no clue where we were going. Not only did I know the way, I knew a shortcut. The attendant was impressed. For a moment, I was not a patient, but again part of the invisible fraternity of hospital workers. High school is a strange time. After three years of trying to develop identity and friends in middle school, students are expected to mature immediately on the first day of ninth grade, but I never did this. I never fully realized in the earlier grades how important high school success, as measured by GPA, would be to my future life, and as a result I am applying to college with seemingly contradictory measures of my ability to perform college-level work. If I had worked and studied hard rather than hanging out with friends and viewing high school as an opportunity to socialize, I would not have to apply to school with a 1300 SAT and a 2.7 GPA. Had I taken my grades in my earlier years seriously, I could have been a college's dream candidate. This year I have made an earnest effort to improve my work ethic. My grade point average is rising and my study habits are improving. However, after performing poorly for three years, my GPA cannot reflect the transformation I... Free Essays on Amanda Free Essays on Amanda I spent one night at Mass General, sleeping with an oxygen mask to pump my lung back up. The doctors sent me home the next morning with a sore back and no sleep This collapsed lung was just a singular event, a one-hit wonder. Wrong. In October, my lung collapsed again. This time I spent two nights with the oxygen mask. This time when I left I was scheduled for surgery a week later. The day of the surgery I saw Mrs. Penn behind the desk, but she didn’ t wave. I realized that with my oxygen mask I was about as recognizable as the face behind Darth Vader’ s mask. Though I knew I was in good hands, my main feeling as a patient was helplessness. Nonetheless, I experienced one small triumph near the end of my stay. On the way to the CT scan, my wheelchair attendant had no clue where we were going. Not only did I know the way, I knew a shortcut. The attendant was impressed. For a moment, I was not a patient, but again part of the invisible fraternity of hospital workers. High school is a strange time. After three years of trying to develop identity and friends in middle school, students are expected to mature immediately on the first day of ninth grade, but I never did this. I never fully realized in the earlier grades how important high school success, as measured by GPA, would be to my future life, and as a result I am applying to college with seemingly contradictory measures of my ability to perform college-level work. If I had worked and studied hard rather than hanging out with friends and viewing high school as an opportunity to socialize, I would not have to apply to school with a 1300 SAT and a 2.7 GPA. Had I taken my grades in my earlier years seriously, I could have been a college's dream candidate. This year I have made an earnest effort to improve my work ethic. My grade point average is rising and my study habits are improving. However, after performing poorly for three years, my GPA cannot reflect the transformation I...

Rain Shadows - Orographic Lifting and Precipitation

Rain Shadows - Orographic Lifting and Precipitation Mountain ranges act as barriers to the flow of air across the surface of the earth, squeezing moisture out of the air. When a parcel of warm air reaches a mountain range, it is lifted up the mountain slope, cooling as it rises. This process is known as orographic lifting and the cooling of the air often results in large clouds, precipitation, and even thunderstorms. The phenomenon of orographic lifting can be witnessed on an almost daily basis during the warm summer days in Californias Central Valley. East of the foothills, large cumulonimbus clouds form every afternoon as the warm valley air rises upslope on the west side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Throughout the afternoon, the cumulonimbus clouds form the telltale anvil head, signaling the development of a thunderstorm. The early evenings sometimes bring lightning, showers, and hail. The warm valley air lifts, creating instability in the atmosphere and causes thunderstorms, which squeezes the moisture from the air. Rain Shadow Effect As a parcel of air rises up the windward side of a mountain range, it has its moisture squeezed out. Thus, when the air begins to descend the leeward side of the mountain, it is dry. As the cool air descends, it warms and expands, reducing its possibility of precipitation. This is known as the rain shadow effect and is the primary cause of leeward deserts of mountain ranges, such as Californias Death Valley. Orographic lifting is a fascinating process that keeps the windward sides of mountain ranges moist and filled with vegetation but the leeward sides dry and barren.

Propaganda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Propaganda - Essay Example Propaganda is simply the information spread deliberately in order to harm an individual, an institution, a group of people, or even a government. The cultural dictionary defines propaganda as legal and official communications of the government to the public in order to influence them politically. The images associated to propaganda found in this course highlight some of the instances of practice of propaganda. This images include, the image displayed in the third lesson about the young imitating Hitler’s steps and actions, what the Chinese postage stamp implicated in relation to propaganda and finally, the jobs. Looking at how best the practice of propaganda has taken root in the areas of jobs, studied in lesson six and the Chinese postage stamp, studied in lesson five. The post agency of china released stamps with six different designs during the National Tourism Day. The designs showed the picture of the islands of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa, which Chinese occupied illegally (Chong, 2002). The post agency also released postcards and envelops with the same pictures. This is propaganda and the china post agency accepted that was a mistake and thus Vietnam has legal claims for the act. It also follows that in the Postal Service Department, china Postal Agency has trivialized the law. Therefore, Vietnam protested against china and demanded for removal of the images of the island. Vietnam claimed that china used propaganda to prosper their tourism industry by posting the images of the islands of Hoang Sa.... It is absurd to think that the people who quit their jobs in this sector got promotions. Therefore, the government continues propaganda in this sector to restore its self-image. Both in china and the United States, the issue about the stamp and the quitting of jobs by the employees in the two countries respectively, are forms of propaganda. These are similar in that both are deceptive. In china, the China Postal Agency deceives the tourists about the ownership of beautiful sites such as the Vietnam Hoang Sa islands published as a design of stamp and posted on envelops and post cards. On the other hand, the government of the United States gives a false statement on the employment sector. The reporters got instructions that instead of reporting that the economy of America is unhealthy, they report the opposite, the economy of America is very healthy (George, 2008). In real sense, the quitting of jobs of citizens is due to the low payments on high wage jobs. These two countries want to achieve good self-images for their governments, illegally. The extent of the propaganda practiced in the two countries differs in the intensity. In China, the postage stamps affected the country in general. The Vietnam had legal allegations towards China Postal Agency; it did not cause many adverse effects to the citizens and the economy of China. On the other hand, the propaganda practiced in the United States causes adverse effects to both the economy of the country and the citizens (Chong, 2002). Citizens quit the jobs because of low payments with high wage jobs, low living standards thus tempering with the economy, they cannot afford school fees, and basic needs of their families and this in turn affects greatly the economy of the country. Another difference

In Depth Review of Homeowner Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

In Depth Review of Homeowner Policy - Term Paper Example In Depth Review of Homeowner Policy As a policy holder myself, coverage differs from one policy to another. My homeowner policy covers for several things. It includes the physical property damages. In section 1, coverage A of the policy, it states that it pays for a certain percentage of the structure of the home when physically damaged. Included in this section are the roofing, flooring, light fixtures, appliances, kitchen appliances and washers. The policy also covers for the structures that are part of the main house but are considered extensions like the garage and fences however with a small percentage which is about 10 percent of the cost of the main structure insured. Additional living expenses during the peril of fire or lightning, windstorm or hail and explosions are covered too. This is when the owner seeks for a temporary lodging. It takes 20% reimbursement from the structural coverage of the property. My personal property is also covered but scrutinizing it shows some limitations. Jewelleries when not appra ised and scheduled separately in a policy will not be all covered when stolen. The amount limit to be paid only is $1000 even if the value of the jewelleries is three times the limit. In addition the policy exercises the limit in the China wares, cash, and firearms when stolen. In this connection, it is always best to protect personal properties. According to William (2007) it is advisable not to keep valuables in the bedroom because it is the most part of the house being searched by burglars. What is good in my policy is that it has an extra endorsement to cover for an expensive loss of personal belongings. However, if the insurance company pays the stolen personal properties, it is going to price it with today’s value and not the former price when you purchased that personal belonging before minus the depreciation value. However, to avail of these inclusions, the insurer has to make sure her policy has the broad form or the all peril coverage. Having this type of coverage w ould make the policy holder covered for everything with the exception of those within the exclusion of the policy. Most often, policyholders are tricked with this scheme where they believed there are no exceptions. Insurance companies are very tricky in their business that if there is no review done by the policyholder, he will fall into their trap. An example of this situation is the case of Ward Gen. Ins. Svcs. Inc. vs. Employers Fire Ins. Co. (CBS interactive, 2010) who went into hearing to dispute the payment of her loss regarding her data in the computer. The court found out that the loss was not included in the coverage because it was not a direct physical loss. Physical loss means material existence that is tangible (Viau & Kwasniewski, 2001). To this effect, it is clear that the insurer has also to understand the languages used by the insurance companies. The understanding of the term physical loss in the policy is not in congruent to the definition of the insurance company thus fighting the dispute in court is a disappointment on the policy holder’

Financial Institutions Essay Example for Free

Financial Institutions Essay The best financial institution for the high debt and high income professionals looking to obtain insurance and investment advice and services is a financial planning services company such as Ameriprise Financial. Financial planning looks at life events and life goals such as retirement and estate planning and offers advice and provides products to help meet those goals. Many financial planning services companies also offer loans and deposit banking accounts. Generally one representative who is licensed to sell insurance, investments, and loans will work with this couple throughout their relationship with the company. The representative’s goal is to periodically review changes in life events and modify the couple’s insurance and investment portfolio to meet their changing goals and objectives. For this couple, the representative may suggest a product that combines insurance and investment such as an annuity or universal life insurance. The couple can establish a relationship with a financial services firm in a local branch or through an interactive website maintained by the company. In some cases the bank that they are already established with may have a financial planning division that they can access in the local branch or through the bank website. Scenario B The best financial institution for a student looking to establish a checking or saving account, establish credit, and develop a relationship with a financial institution should consider a credit union. A credit union is similar to a bank in that it offers deposit accounts and loan programs, but differs from banks in that credit unions are non-profit organizations that are owned and operated by members as opposed to being owned by stockholders and operated by executive boards. Credit unions generally offer higher interest rates on savings accounts, lower fees on checking accounts, and lower interest rates on loans and credit cards. Credit union membership is generally tied to an organization such as a labor union, many large corporations have employee credit unions, some churches or communities have credit unions for members. This student can establish a credit union relationship through parents or may become employed in a local business that offers credit union membership as an employee benefit. Organizations like the Credit Union National Association provides resources and information for consumers. Scenario C The best financial institution for a small business owner who needs multiple deposit and checking accounts, investment services, and access to branches in other cities should consider a national bank such as Bank of America that has branches nationwide as well as online account access. Bank of America, and similar national banks, offer online payroll processing, credit card processing for retailers, and provide businesses with the option of importing bank statement information into popular accounting software formats such as Quicken, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Money. National banks have departments dedicated to small business lending and offer various types of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. They also have services to meet the needs of specialty industries including financing and leasing partnerships with auto dealers. The business owner can establish a relationship with a banking professional at a local branch or can establish accounts online. National banks generally have extensive, interactive websites which provide information and guidance on establishing the business banking relationship. References Ameriprise Financial. Financial planning advice and financial advisors. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from http://www. ameriprise. com/default-home . asp Bank of America. Small business loans, payroll services other small business services. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from https://www. bankofamerica. com/smallbus iness/index. jsp Credit Union National Association, Consumer Info. Americas credit unions: where people are worth more than money. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from http://www. creditunion. coop/what_is_a_ cu. html

Essay --

Kate Chopin portrayed in her novels and short stories female emancipation in the 19th century, which was far from being considered acceptable. She also illustrated picturesque descriptions of the South of the United States. Her stories reflect a socio-historical situation between conservatism and modernity, but also depicted female characters aspiring to break free of their subordinate status. In the narrative literature of the 19th century, women, even placed at the center of the story are mostly 'off topic': rarely considered as an autonomous subject. They appear most often as an instrument subjected to social conventions. Chopin was particularly interested in the problems faced by women in marriage. She wanted to show that every vocation requires commitments and it is necessary to give up some of our aspiration to achieve our goal. Her literary style is simple, colorful, and picturesque. Chopin’s art of description is Important; she observed and rendered what is essential. Kate Chopin was concise and knew particularly how to select adjectives; she used punctuation as a rhythmic tool. She meticulously depicted images, used metaphor and particularly irony to reflect, as briefly and precisely as possible, the feeling experienced by the protagonists of her stories. The Story of an Hour written on April 19, 1894, and first published in Vogue on December 6, 1894, doesn’t escape Chopin’s footprint. She used irony as a rhetorical device to express her message indirectly. The story becomes suddenly more interesting, because the reader has to think about the literal significance of the message. There are different types of irony: situational, verbal, and dramatic. This offers a variety of choices for writers to make their works surely i... ...itive. Chopin writes only about an hour of Louise’s life, because she does not want to give the audience details that would make them focus on things that are not a key to the story. She does not want the story to be about their relationship. She writes the short story strictly about freedom and independence; it emphases on liberty and women’s capabilities. Mrs. Mallard did love her husband dearly, but her individuality was more imperative. She had dreamed of it for so long, that when she found out she could finally get it, she would not go back to her old life; her body would not let her. The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin inspired many women to pursue their goals in life, because she reminded them that there was more to life than just being a good wife. She reminded them that women are incredibly powerful, and that they are as capable as men to succeed in life.

Adventures of Tom Sawyer Essay

I had often been given a stern warning never to have anything to do with Jim. But whenever Dad repeated that warning, I was never as concerned with the implications of going against the rules, as with the consequences of abiding by them. Besides, I was not so foolish as to be caught crossing the borders because I knew only too well that Dad always meant what he said – or said what he meant – and that no single word from his mouth was meant for the trash can. In other words, I never knew him to beat around the bush as they say; he always hit the snake on the head, whenever he encountered one, that is. â€Å"We’re doing this for your own good,† he always said to us – my brother and I – before ordering us to make sure the house and the compound are as clean as a cow’s nose and cancelling our weekends’ time out with the other neighborhood kids or to the beach. â€Å"Ask Sawyer. † We all loved reading Mark Twain’s â€Å"Adventures of Tom Sawyer† but while my brother and I admired Sawyer, our parents saw the fruits of his mischief as a warning to us. Dad was the one who always spoke, while Mom silently nodded to every word as if Dad was reading the words directly from her mind. Mom never looked directly at us during such sessions. Instead, she looked at Dad all the while only darting a glance now and then from the corner of her eyes. She might have thought her motherliness would get in the way of justice if she ever saw eye-to-eye with either of her sons during those neither-too-long-nor-too-short lecture sessions, which I hated, probably even more than the punishment itself because as soon as they ended, Mom would get the courage to look us in the face and say â€Å"later† with a smile and Dad would wish us â€Å"a great weekend† as they drove off, towards fun. One such day, a Saturday, we discovered that we could take revenge for the punishment. The birds were not singing as joyfully as they used to and the clouds in the sky formed strange animal shapes. We needed something to lift our spirits, so we did the work hurriedly and sneaked out to join our friends from the neighborhood in one of my friend’s house, whose parents had gone on a weekend-long trip. It was party time! No parental guidance. No â€Å"don’t do this†, no â€Å"don’t do that†. Unrestricted freedom! Freedom like we wanted it! Many of our friends brought cans of beer, cigarettes and cigars stolen from their parents’ houses. We played hard rock and danced like little possessed witches and wizards, smoking like steam-engine trains and burning our guts with hard liquor, as if they did not belong to us. Some of my friends and my brother only had a few sips before they saw black and lay down, sprawled like chicken in the sun, while the rest of us, who had four stomachs, continued imbibing like real rockers. It was not long, however, before my eyes created Suzie’s identical twin and the can in my hand saw an opportunity to free itself as the stuff in my stomach erupted like a volcano. The last time I had a glimpse of Suzie, she was hanging in the air, and then someone cut the lights off! I woke up to a strange-looking ceiling – a snow-white ceiling. The smell was strange, too. So was the silence. But the strangest thing was that I felt like I was trapped in a borrowed body. I tried to move my arms and legs, but they were too weak to move. My head felt as heavy as sea sand, too heavy to lift. Someone softly touched my left hand. I turned my head slowly to face Mom and Dad and looked at the clock behind them. It read â€Å"10 0’clock†. Why was I in a hospital bed at ten in the morning? Immediately, my mind raced back. I remembered Suzie and her identical twin sister. No. Suzie did not have any sister, let alone a twin sister. I must have poisoned myself with hard liquor! I had ignored the implications of breaking the rules just to show Suzie I was a real man. I was not sorry for being too foolish to be caught, though. I was sorry because not only had I broke my parents’ rules, but also their hearts. Works Cited Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. California: University of California Press. 2002. Adventures Of Tom Sawyer Essay I will never forget the time I spent with Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn and Joe Harper on Jackson’s Island. We have always wanted to become pirates. Now that we have found the exact opportunity – Tom being scolded by Aunt Polly and Joe Harper having been whipped by his mother for tasting sour cream – we decided that it is now time to pursue our dream to become real pirates. In that way, we will be able to live a life of freedom and fame, and the whole town will hear about our names. The people who mistreated us will also feel sorry for what they had done. Our rendezvous is Jackson’s Island, which is three miles below the town of St. Petersburg. We met there at midnight. That became the start of our lives as pirates of the sea. Personally, I loved the idea of running away from home. I never had to go to school anymore. I didn’t need to follow rules anymore. And as Tom promised often, all we will need to do is to steal, kill and get rich. So when midnight came, the four of us met at Jackson’s Island. Each of us came with something stolen. Tom brought stolen ham, Joe had a one sided bacon and Huck had a skillet and some tobacco leaves. I brought stolen matches from my mom’s drawer. I figured that if we would stay long in the Island, we would need fire for our daily needs. Tom applauded me for bringing some matches. In those days, matches are not commonly used in St. Petersburg. Very few people had them. We found a raft about a hundred yards away. So we decided to have some fun with it and as usual, Tom was the captain. He commanded our pirate ship as we all pretended to be real pirates, using terms we have heard from sailors as well as lines from books we have read. We decided to settle in a virgin forest about two hundred yards above the head of the island. There, we spread our belongings and also built a huge bonfire. We cooked our ham, bacon and corn pone by roasting them in the fire. We ate and ate until we were so full. There was nothing like it. If the other boys in the village saw us that way, they would greatly envy us without a doubt. There was nothing like a pirate’s life. After eating, we lay down on the grass and talked for a while. Tom started to tell us stories about pirates – how extravagant they are, and how rich and famous. We started to ask him many questions about becoming a pirate. He simply told us that all we had to do was steal belongings and kill other people. In the midst of the conversation, Huck Finn began to smoke tobacco! I instantly followed him with that activity and smoked tobacco as well. Tom and Joe simply looked silently at us in amazement. For a long time now, they had wanted to learn how to smoke, but never had the opportunity. Only Huck and I could smoke. After much talking, we all fell asleep one by one. That was our first night as â€Å"pirates†. Tom was the first to wake up in the morning. The first thing we did was to strip ourselves off our clothes and bathe in the sea. After that, we got ready for breakfast. Joe began to slice bacon and would have cooked it, but Tom and Huck asked him to wait. I was the one who caught a couple of sun perch and catfish! We instantly cooked those fishes along with the bacon and they tasted so good. Then after eating, we lay down on the sand for a long time. Sadness started to creep in, but nobody dared to speak about it. Nobody wants to be accused of being a chicken heart. I think Tom was starting to feel homesick too, but he didn’t want to show his feelings. Our growing homesickness was interrupted when we saw a ferry boat afar off, shooting cannon over the water. This is a sign that somebody in the village got drowned. Shooting cannons over the water made drowned people come up to the top. For a while we wondered who got drowned, and then Tom suddenly had a brilliant thought. We are the ones who got drowned! The entire village was searching for us. Our parents missed us, and the other boys surely heard about us. The girls we admired are now talking about us too! We spent the rest of the entire day swimming, talking, eating and exploring the island. When night came, everyone went to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, Joe and Huck were still sleeping. Tom, however, was nowhere to be found. I looked at the spot where he slept and found a note. I opened the note and it read like this: â€Å"If I don’t come back by breakfast time, all my things are yours.. † Upon reading this, I woke Joe and Huck and showed them the note. We waited for Tom for about an hour but he never came. Huck supposed that Tom felt homesick and went back to Aunt Polly’s house. However, Joe defended Tom and said that he knew his friend would never do such a disgrace. Tom, according to Joe, knew the code of pirates and he is too proud to quit and go home just like that. I told Joe to start cooking breakfast and if Tom never returned by the time we ate breakfast, all his things will be ours. But just before we started to eat, Tom appeared dramatically and entered the camp. He had some news for us. He had â€Å"spied† on St. Petersburg and discovered that the whole town was talking about us – the lost pirates. If our bodies were not found until Saturday, our funeral will be pronounced that very Sunday. We instantly felt like heroes. Then suddenly I had a brilliant idea. What if we could make a comeback on the day of our funeral? Tom and the other pirates liked it very much. Tom slept until noon and when afternoon came, we started to plan our appearance at our funeral on Sunday. That Sunday, while the entire town mourned for us and as the minister preached his eulogy for the â€Å"dead boys†, we were hiding in an unused gallery behind the church as we listened to everything that was happening. Suddenly, we made our appearance to the crowd. Needless to say, everybody welcomed us dramatically. Our loved ones cried with joy. We were the talk of the town for several months and I will never ever forget it. It was the best day of our lives. Part 2: The Commentary The pirate boys led by Tom Sawyer built a community that they have entirely created amongst themselves. It is a community apart from the regular life they have known at St. Petersburg. We can safely say that Tom, Joe and Huck built their pirate community based on their childhood imagination. As young people in a simple town, where modern industrialized America has not yet fully penetrated, these three boys have an inclination towards idealism. Their idea of a perfect life is total freedom. Thus, they chose to pretend as pirates and imitate the pirate’s code of conduct in order to experience the life that they have always dreamed about. To them, escaping to Jackson’s Island is more of an escape from reality. Although they have romantic idealisms as pirates in a free world, the reality remains that in the town of St. Petersburg, they are children and they are not as powerful as they suppose themselves to be. Tom Sawyer is just a kid who can get whipped by Aunt Polly any time of day. He is a student who needs to go to school and study his lessons. He is part of society. So as we have stated, going to Jackson’s Island is an escape from reality. The boys thought that they can build a community on their own – apart from society, authority and responsibility. This thought is evident in Tom’s opening thoughts in Chapter 13: â€Å"Tom’s mind was made up now. He was gloomy and desperate. He was a forsaken, friendless boy, he said; nobody loved him; when they found out what they had driven him to, perhaps they would be sorry†¦Yes, they had forced him to it at last: he would lead a life of crime. There was no choice. † (Twain, 1876). In the community that the boys built, each one played an important role. Tom was the leader because he was the one who provided the vision and insight about the life of a pirate. So in essence, he was providing direction for all of them. Almost everything they did during their getaway in the island was a product of Tom Sawyer’s imagination – based on what he read from books and his own thoughts and romantic dreams. Joe Harper, meanwhile was more of a follower. He also executes Tom’s orders. It is evident that Joe admired Tom for everything that he was. Joe once said: â€Å"No, Tom’s true-blue, Huck, and he’ll come back. He won’t desert. He knows that would be a disgrace to a pirate, and Tom’s too proud for that sort of thing. He’s up to something or other. Now I wonder what? † (Twain, 1876) Huck, meanwhile, is a symbol of the free life that Tom and Joe have always longed for. Huck didn’t need to go to school. He is a waif, a vagabond and he is not part of society. The other boys envied Huck because he can smoke tobacco while most boys in St. Petersburg – even Tom and Joe – cannot do that act. Although Tom was the leader, we can say that Huck is the role model for the entire community they have built for themselves. If, for Tom and Joe, the island getaway was an escape from reality, it was a normal day for Huck. He was probably used to going to different places all by himself. The simple community of Huck Finn, Joe Harper and Tom Sawyer was similar to adult communities in that they have a single driving force – the desire to live a life of freedom. If we look at history, almost all communities started with that single driving force. In any given community, there should be a leader, a follower and a symbol of inspiration. As these traits are respectively found in each of our characters, we may say that Tom, Huck and Joe are a perfect embodiment of American idealism. Although their deeds were shown in boyish manner, they represent a greater dimension which reflects the reality of adult life. As the saying goes, â€Å"Men are simply boys who grew up†. Works Cited: Twain, Mark (1993). The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer [electronic version]. New York: Project Gutenberg Ebooks. (Original work published 1876)

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 105

CHAPTER 105 Night had fallen over Rosslyn. Robert Langdon stood alone on the porch of the fieldstone house enjoying the sounds of laughter and reunion drifting through the screened door behind him. The mug of potent Brazilian coffee in his hand had granted him a hazy reprieve from his mounting exhaustion, and yet he sensed the reprieve would be fleeting. The fatigue in his body went to the core. â€Å"You slipped out quietly,† a voice behind him said. He turned. Sophie's grandmother emerged, her silver hair shimmering in the night. Her name, for the last twenty-eight years at least, was Marie Chauvel. Langdon gave a tired smile. â€Å"I thought I'd give your family some time together.† Through the window, he could see Sophie talking with her brother. Marie came over and stood beside him. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, when I first heard of Jacques's murder, I was terrified for Sophie's safety. Seeing her standing in my doorway tonight was the greatest relief of my life. I cannot thank you enough.† Langdon had no idea how to respond. Although he had offered to give Sophie and her grandmother time to talk in private, Marie had asked him to stay and listen. My husband obviously trusted you, Mr.Langdon, so I do as well. And so Langdon had remained, standing beside Sophie and listening in mute astonishment while Marie told the story of Sophie's late parents. Incredibly, both had been from Merovingian families – direct descendants of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ. Sophie's parents and ancestors, for protection, had changed their family names of Plantard and Saint-Clair. Their children represented the most direct surviving royal bloodline and therefore were carefully guarded by the Priory. When Sophie's parents were killed in a car accident whose cause could not be determined, the Priory feared the identity of the royal line had been discovered. â€Å"Your grandfather and I,† Marie had explained in a voice choked with pain, â€Å"had to make a grave decision the instant we received the phone call. Your parents' car had just been found in the river.† She dabbed at the tears in her eyes. â€Å"All six of us – including you two grandchildren – were supposed to be traveling together in that car that very night. Fortunately we changed our plans at the last moment, and your parents were alone. Hearing of the accident, Jacques and I had no way to know what had really happened†¦ or if this was truly an accident.† Marie looked at Sophie. â€Å"We knew we had to protect our grandchildren, and we did what we thought was best. Jacques reported to the police that your brother and I had been in the car†¦ our two bodies apparently washed off in the current. Then your brother and I went underground with the Priory. Jacques, being a man of prominence, did not have the luxury of disappearing. It o nly made sense that Sophie, being the eldest, would stay in Paris to be taught and raised by Jacques, close to the heart and protection of the Priory.† Her voice fell to a whisper. â€Å"Separating the family was the hardest thing we ever had to do. Jacques and I saw each other only very infrequently, and always in the most secret of settings†¦ under the protection of the Priory. There are certain ceremonies to which the brotherhood always stays faithful.† Langdon had sensed the story went far deeper, but he also sensed it was not for him to hear. So he had stepped outside. Now, gazing up at the spires of Rosslyn, Langdon could not escape the hollow gnaw of Rosslyn's unsolved mystery. Is the Grail really here at Rosslyn? And if so, where are theblade and chalice that Sauniere mentioned in his poem?† I'll take that,† Marie said, motioning to Langdon's hand. â€Å"Oh, thank you.† Langdon held out his empty coffee cup. She stared at him. â€Å"I was referring to your other hand, Mr. Langdon.† Langdon looked down and realized he was holding Sauniere's papyrus. He had taken it from the cryptex once again in hopes of seeing something he had missed earlier. â€Å"Of course, I'm sorry.† Marie looked amused as she took the paper. â€Å"I know of a man at a bank in Paris who is probably very eager to see the return of this rosewood box. Andre Vernet was a dear friend of Jacques, and Jacques trusted him explicitly. Andre would have done anything to honor Jacques's requests for the care of this box.† Including shooting me, Langdon recalled, deciding not to mention that he had probably broken the poor man's nose. Thinking of Paris, Langdon flashed on the three senechaux who had been killed the night before. â€Å"And the Priory? What happens now?† â€Å"The wheels are already in motion, Mr. Langdon. The brotherhood has endured for centuries, and it will endure this. There are always those waiting to move up and rebuild.† All evening Langdon had suspected that Sophie's grandmother was closely tied to the operations of the Priory. After all, the Priory had always had women members. Four Grand Masters had been women. The senechaux were traditionally men – the guardians – and yet women held far more honored status within the Priory and could ascend to the highest post from virtually any rank. Langdon thought of Leigh Teabing and Westminster Abbey. It seemed a lifetime ago. â€Å"Was the Church pressuring your husband not to release the Sangreal documents at the End of Days?† â€Å"Heavens no. The End of Days is a legend of paranoid minds. There is nothing in the Priory doctrine that identifies a date at which the Grail should be unveiled. In fact the Priory has always maintained that the Grail should never be unveiled.† â€Å"Never?† Langdon was stunned. â€Å"It is the mystery and wonderment that serve our souls, not the Grail itself. The beauty of the Grail lies in her ethereal nature.† Marie Chauvel gazed up at Rosslyn now. â€Å"For some, the Grail is a chalice that will bring them everlasting life. For others, it is the quest for lost documents and secret history. And for most, I suspect the Holy Grail is simply a grand idea†¦ a glorious unattainable treasure that somehow, even in today's world of chaos, inspires us.† â€Å"But if the Sangreal documents remain hidden, the story of Mary Magdalene will be lost forever,† Langdon said. â€Å"Will it? Look around you. Her story is being told in art, music, and books. More so every day. The pendulum is swinging. We are starting to sense the dangers of our history†¦ and of our destructive paths. We are beginning to sense the need to restore the sacred feminine.† She paused. â€Å"You mentioned you are writing a manuscript about the symbols of the sacred feminine, are you not?† â€Å"I am.† She smiled. â€Å"Finish it, Mr. Langdon. Sing her song. The world needs modern troubadours.† Langdon fell silent, feeling the weight of her message upon him. Across the open spaces, a new moon was rising above the tree line. Turning his eyes toward Rosslyn, Langdon felt a boyish craving to know her secrets. Don't ask, he told himself. This is not the moment.He glanced at the papyrus in Marie's hand, and then back at Rosslyn. â€Å"Ask the question, Mr. Langdon,† Marie said, looking amused. â€Å"You have earned the right.† Langdon felt himself flush.† You want to know if the Grail is here at Rosslyn.† â€Å"Can you tell me?† She sighed in mock exasperation. â€Å"Why is it that men simply cannot let the Grail rest?† She laughed, obviously enjoying herself. â€Å"Why do you think it's here?† Langdon motioned to the papyrus in her hand. â€Å"Your husband's poem speaks specifically of Rosslyn, except it also mentions a blade and chalice watching over the Grail. I didn't see any symbols of the blade and chalice up there.† â€Å"The blade and chalice?† Marie asked. â€Å"What exactly do they look like?† Langdon sensed she was toying with him, but he played along, quickly describing the symbols. A look of vague recollection crossed her face. â€Å"Ah, yes, of course. The blade represents all that is masculine. I believe it is drawn like this, no?† Using her index finger, she traced a shape on herpalm. â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. Marie had drawn the less common† closed† form of the blade, although Langdon had seen the symbol portrayed both ways. â€Å"And the inverse,† she said, drawing again on her palm,† is the chalice, which represents the feminine.† â€Å"Correct,† Langdon said. â€Å"And you are saying that in all the hundreds of symbols we have here in Rosslyn Chapel, these two shapes appear nowhere?† â€Å"I didn't see them.† â€Å"And if I show them to you, will you get some sleep?† Before Langdon could answer, Marie Chauvel had stepped off the porch and was heading toward the chapel. Langdon hurried after her. Entering the ancient building, Marie turned on the lights and pointed to the center of the sanctuary floor. â€Å"There you are, Mr. Langdon. The blade and chalice.† Langdon stared at the scuffed stone floor. It was blank. â€Å"There's nothing here†¦ .† Marie sighed and began to walk along the famous path worn into the chapel floor, the same path Langdon had seen the visitors walking earlier this evening. As his eyes adjusted to see the giant symbol, he still felt lost. â€Å"But that's the Star of Dav – † Langdon stopped short, mute with amazement as it dawned on him. The blade and chalice. Fused as one. The Star of David†¦ the perfect union of male and female†¦ Solomon's Seal†¦ marking the Holy of Holies, where the male and female deities – Yahweh and Shekinah – were thought to dwell. Langdon needed a minute to find his words. â€Å"The verse does point here to Rosslyn. Completely. Perfectly.† Marie smiled. â€Å"Apparently.† The implications chilled him. â€Å"So the Holy Grail is in the vault beneath us?† She laughed. â€Å"Only in spirit. One of the Priory's most ancient charges was one day to return the Grail to her homeland of France where she could rest for eternity. For centuries, she was dragged across the countryside to keep her safe. Most undignified. Jacques's charge when he became Grand Master was to restore her honor by returning her to France and building her a resting place fit for a queen.† â€Å"And he succeeded?† Now her face grew serious. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, considering what you've done for me tonight, and as curator of the Rosslyn Trust, I can tell you for certain that the Grail is no longer here.† Langdon decided to press. â€Å"But the keystone is supposed to point to the place where the Holy Grail is hidden now.Why does it point to Rosslyn?† â€Å"Maybe you're misreading its meaning. Remember, the Grail can be deceptive. As could my late husband.† â€Å"But how much clearer could he be?† he asked. â€Å"We are standing over an underground vault marked by the blade and chalice, underneath a ceiling of stars, surrounded by the art of Master Masons. Everything speaks of Rosslyn.† â€Å"Very well, let me see this mysterious verse.† She unrolled the papyrus and read the poem aloud in a deliberate tone. The Holy Grail ‘neath ancient Roslin waits. The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates. Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies. She rests at last beneath the starry skies. When she finished, she was still for several seconds, until a knowing smile crossed her lips. â€Å"Aah, Jacques.† Langdon watched her expectantly. â€Å"You understand this?† â€Å"As you have witnessed on the chapel floor, Mr. Langdon, there are many ways to see simple things.† Langdon strained to understand. Everything about Jacques Sauniere seemed to have double meanings, and yet Langdon could see no further. Marie gave a tired yawn. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I will make a confession to you. I have never officially been privy to the present location of the Grail. But, of course, I was married to a person of enormous influence†¦ and my women's intuition is strong.† Langdon started to speak but Marie continued. â€Å"I am sorry that after all your hard work, you will be leaving Rosslyn without any real answers. And yet, something tells me you will eventually find what you seek. One day it will dawn on you.† She smiled. â€Å"And when it does, I trust that you, of all people, can keep a secret.† There was a sound of someone arriving in the doorway. â€Å"Both of you disappeared,† Sophie said, entering. â€Å"I was just leaving,† her grandmother replied, walking over to Sophie at the door. â€Å"Good night, princess.† She kissed Sophie's forehead. â€Å"Don't keep Mr. Langdon out too late.† Langdon and Sophie watched her grandmother walk back toward the fieldstone house. When Sophie turned to him, her eyes were awash in deep emotion. â€Å"Not exactly the ending I expected.† That makes two of us, he thought. Langdon could see she was overwhelmed. The news she had received tonight had changed everything in her life. â€Å"Are you okay? It's a lot to take in.† She smiled quietly. â€Å"I have a family. That's where I'm going to start. Who we are and where we came from will take some time.† Langdon remained silent. â€Å"Beyond tonight, will you stay with us?† Sophie asked. â€Å"At least for a few days?† Langdon sighed, wanting nothing more. â€Å"You need some time here with your family, Sophie. I'm going back to Paris in the morning.† She looked disappointed but seemed to know it was the right thing to do. Neither of them spoke for a long time. Finally Sophie reached over and, taking his hand, led him out of the chapel. They walked to a small rise on the bluff. From here, the Scottish countryside spread out before them, suffused in a pale moonlight that sifted through the departing clouds. They stood in silence, holding hands, both of them fighting the descending shroud of exhaustion. The stars were just now appearing, but to the east, a single point of light glowed brighter than any other. Langdon smiled when he saw it. It was Venus. The ancient Goddess shining down with her steady and patient light. The night was growing cooler, a crisp breeze rolling up from the lowlands. After a while, Langdon looked over at Sophie. Her eyes were closed, her lips relaxed in a contented smile. Langdon could feel his own eyes growing heavy. Reluctantly, he squeezed her hand. â€Å"Sophie?† Slowly, she opened her eyes and turned to him. Her face was beautiful in the moonlight. She gave him a sleepy smile. â€Å"Hi.† Langdon felt an unexpected sadness to realize he would be returning to Paris without her. â€Å"I maybe gone before you wake up.† He paused, a knot growing in his throat. â€Å"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at – â€Å" Sophie reached out and placed her soft hand on the side of his face. Then, leaning forward, she kissed him tenderly on the cheek. â€Å"When can I see you again?† Langdon reeled momentarily, lost in her eyes. â€Å"When?† He paused, curious if she had any idea how much he had been wondering the same thing. â€Å"Well, actually, next month I'm lecturing at a conference in Florence. I'll be there a week without much to do.† â€Å"Is that an invitation?† â€Å"We'd be living in luxury. They're giving me a room at the Brunelleschi.† Sophie smiled playfully. â€Å"You presume a lot, Mr. Langdon.† He cringed at how it had sounded. â€Å"What I meant – â€Å" â€Å"I would love nothing more than to meet you in Florence, Robert. But on one condition.† Her tone turned serious. â€Å"No museums, no churches, no tombs, no art, no relics.† â€Å"In Florence? For a week? There's nothing else to do.† Sophie leaned forward and kissed him again, now on the lips. Their bodies came together, softly at first, and then completely. When she pulled away, her eyes were full of promise. â€Å"Right,† Langdon managed. â€Å"It's a date.†

This is a pro and con essay about weather there should be gun control in the united States

This is a pro and con essay about weather there should be gun control in the united States No Longer NeededAudience- The English 101 teachers and anyone who supports the use of guns.As life began humans only knew two things, they must survive and mate. In the survival category fell gathering food and protecting themselves from other creatures. As humans began to develop, weapons were invented. For example, first there were spears, then bows and arrows, and eventually guns. Guns became a necessity to hunt for food and to protect themselves from other, harmful people. This was the case when the United States of America was formed. Since then, over 200 years ago, the military has become very powerful and the need to hunt has been eliminated by ranches and slaughterhouses. For this reason, and many others, the question to ask is why guns should be illegal for the public to use and possess in the United States.As guns become more common in the household, they because more available to kids.Kids with gunsIn today's society kids have to go to school scared, no knowing if they wil l be shot by a crazy classmate. Over the past ten years there has been a huge rise in school shootings. Something else very alarming is each year more than 35,000 people are killed by guns (Gun Control par. 2). Attacks made with a gun are five times more likely to result in death than similar attacks that are made with a knife (Gun Control par. 2) and in 1997 guns were used in approximately 70 percent of the murders in the United States (Gun Control par. 2).The statistics about un violence are alarming, even with these outrageous statistics, supporters of the right to bear guns always turn to the second amendment of the constitution. It states "A will-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state,

Spelling Tips When to Drop the “E” - Proofread My Paper

Spelling Tips When to Drop the â€Å"E† - Proofread My Paper Spelling Tips: When to Drop the â€Å"E† Thanks to acid house, the phrase â€Å"dropping an ‘e’† sounds rather unsavory these days. Nevertheless, in some situations, dropping an â€Å"e† is essential to correct spelling (which is how we proofreaders get our kicks). More specifically, you need to be careful when adding a suffix to a word that ends in â€Å"e† because this changes how certain words are spelled. Luckily, there are a couple of helpful guidelines to follow. Suffixes Starting with Vowels The most important rule is that, most of the time, you should drop the â€Å"e† from the end of a word when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel (e.g., â€Å"-ing,† â€Å"-ed† or â€Å"-able†). For example, the suffix â€Å"-ed† can be added to the word â€Å"talk† to make the past tense â€Å"talked† without any problem. But when a word already ends in â€Å"e,† like â€Å"dance,† we drop the final â€Å"e† so that the past tense is â€Å"danced† (i.e., â€Å"danc-ed,† not â€Å"dance-ed†). Other examples include: Suffix Example Word Modified Version -able Live Livable -age Dote Dotage -ed Inspire Inspired -est True Truest -ing Note Noting -ion Adulterate Adulteration -ory Celebrate Celebratory -ous Fame Famous This isn’t a complete list of relevant suffixes (â€Å"-er,† â€Å"-ation† and â€Å"-ist† are common too), but it should give you a sense of what to look out for. A Few Exceptions As with any rule, there are exceptions to the convention outlined above, such as words that end with double vowels, â€Å"-ce† or â€Å"-ge.† Double Vowels Words that end in double vowels (e.g., â€Å"-ee† or â€Å"-oe†) don’t always require the final â€Å"e† to be dropped when adding a vowel suffix: Agree → Agreeable Shoe → Shoeing However, some modifications do require you to drop the final â€Å"e†: Argue → Arguable Accrue → Accruing There’s no shortcut to getting things right here, so you should always double check the spelling with these and similar words. â€Å"-ce† and †-ge† Here the rule is not to drop the final â€Å"e† from words that end with either â€Å"-ce† or â€Å"-ge† when adding a suffix that starts with an â€Å"a† (e.g., â€Å"-able†) or an â€Å"o† (e.g., â€Å"-ous†): Advantage → Advantageous Bridge → Bridgeable Efface → Effaceable Suffixes Starting with Consonants Finally, suffixes that begin with consonants, most of which dont require dropping the final â€Å"e† from words that end in that letter; the noun â€Å"time,† for instance, can be modified to â€Å"timely† by simply adding the suffix â€Å"-ly.† The problematic words are those that end in â€Å"-ue† like â€Å"true,† â€Å"due† or â€Å"argue,† which do require you to drop the final â€Å"e† when adding a suffix that starts with a consonant: True → Truly Due → Duly Argue → Argument

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring - Essay Example Conversely, the "legal" definition of foreign debt is debt issued according to foreign (New York, UK, et cetera) law, regardless of whether it is in local or foreign currency and regardless of who, foreign or domestic resident, is holding these claims." Debt Renegotiation - a Background: Argentina bogged down by its mounting external debts decided to settle all the foreign currency public debt by replacing the debts with new securities calculating at the rate of 35 cents per every dollar of debt. The government also decided to repudiate all the past interest due on those debts. The government also announced that those bondholders who do accept the government's proposal by the deadline will not be paid anything. Though the announcement of the settlement of the debts in this way is criticized vehemently by the bondholders the government announced that by the deadline more than 75 percent of the country's creditors accepted the proposal. However the Institute of International Finance observed that such an aggressive conduct by the government of Argentina was sure to affect its long term economic growth and stability. The Institute also commented on the lack of progress on the implementation of the structural reforms to boost the economic development. Debt Management of the Governments: It so happens in most of the countries the government becomes the largest single borrower of the country. The effectiveness of the debt management largely influences the development of the domestic capital market. The debt management also reflects on the fiscal policies of the country and the spread of the respective countries government bonds in the US and other treasuries world over by affecting the market prices and tradability of the bonds. The... The government also announced that those bondholders who do accept the government’s proposal by the deadline will not be paid anything. Though the announcement of the settlement of the debts in this way is criticized vehemently by the bondholders the government announced that by the deadline more than 75 percent of the country’s creditors accepted the proposal. However the Institute of International Finance observed that such an aggressive conduct by the government of Argentina was sure to affect its long term economic growth and stability. The Institute also commented on the lack of progress on the implementation of the structural reforms to boost the economic development. Debt Management of the Governments: It so happens in most of the countries the government becomes the largest single borrower of the country. The effectiveness of the debt management largely influences the development of the domestic capital market. The debt management also reflects on the fiscal policies of the country and the spread of the respective countries government bonds in the US and other treasuries world over by affecting the market prices and tradability of the bonds. The debt management policies of the government will have a strategic implication on the growth and development of the economy as a whole. A good debt management of any country should reflect in the reduction of the borrowing costs, greater access to the capital markets of international standing.