Student Success

Within the past nine weeks of this course I have learned and used many different strategies that will help improve the continual growth in my education and accomplish my academic goals. Some of the strategies and skills that I will apply in achieving academic success are Axia’s educational resources, upholding academic honesty, setting and achieving my future goals, managing my time wisely, improving reading comprehension and retention skills, as well as applying my personality and learning styles. Since using Axia’s educational resources I feel it has brought me one step closer to achieving my academic goals. Axia College has many useful technological tools that provide easy and functional methods of learning. One of the educational tools that I tend to use often is the Center for Writing Excellence. I like this tool because it provides many useful links such as the write point checker, plagiarism checker, as well as the Grammar Mechanics that provides grammar and punctuation rules, notes, and definitions that follow with the skills and drills quizzes. Another tool that is helpful in achieving academic success would be the University Library. Axia’s University Library is a great tool that provides different search engines like EBSCOhost and Gale Power Search. These search engines provide article database searches, journals, books, theses, encyclopedias and many more. Axia Library is a great search engine that is more beneficial for student success with providing the option to search peer reviewed articles, find a specific publication, choose database by subject, and view all databases alphabetically. The University Library is a useful tool that I will take advantage of in furthering my education and achieving academic success. One major think I have learned in this class was upholding academic honesty is a major and serious policy that we as students must follow. Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work, ideas, and accomplishments as your own. I feel that plagiarism is wrong in every aspect whether or not you meant no harm; plagiarism is a serious violation of the student code of conduct and carries many penalties. By me learning and understanding what plagiarism is, this allowed me to create my own work without worrying about paying the consequences’ for steeling someone else’s words. Some examples of disciplinary actions you could encounter if caught for plagiarism can include a failing course grade, suspension, or even expelled from the University. Some strategies I have learned to avoid plagiarism would include submitting my assignment to the plagiarism checker at the CWE prior to posting my assignment to my instructor. I have also used the technique paraphrasing the information into my own words by using the dictionary and thesaurus provided by Microsoft Word. Another strategy I have learned was to make sure I am correctly citing my sources; because it indicates that I have respected the ideas of others. I have learned that it is very important to me as a student to uphold academic honesty throughout the rest of my education. Another strategy I have learned and will continue to take advantage of is setting and achieving my goals. I have the skill to set up and accomplish my future goals in life, as well as follow through with the end result in mind. One major long-term educational and career goal that I have set for myself would be to become head radiologist of a Medical Imaging Center. My short-tem goal I have set to reach my long-term goal would be to continue my current schooling with a high grade point average and finish my bachelors in science. Some obstacles I have encountered are juggling school, work, and family responsibilities. I have learned to prioritize my goals as well as arrange and handle things in order of importance. I have realized that Axia degree relates to my future goals with being able to juggle other responsibilities and have the convenience of online schooling without a dedicated time of day to still accomplish my future goals in life. Managing time wisely is another strategy I will use to accomplish my goals. It is very important to me to manage my time because I have so many daily activities on top of getting my school work done. I know that for me to succeed in life and accomplishing my goals I need to put aside extra time for class and studying. I also have to put time aside for working, and taking care of my other responsibilities. For me to manage my time wisely I will have to manage my goals progress as well as using school resources and technology that it provided for me. Another skill that I have learned and still are improving on would the reading and comprehension and retention skill. This is a very important skill to take advantage of for reading comprehension and mastering academic material. Some of these techniques include a few simple steps such as making sure to eliminate any possible distractions for example television, cell phones, etcetera. Also making sure you are in a quiet relaxed atmosphere. Analyzing your environment prior to reading to improve your comprehension is another useful technique on mastering academic material. Another useful tool that I have learned and will use in future courses to come to help improve mastering academic material would be the Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review study technique as well as pulling vocabulary words from material. The SQ3R is very beneficial with the concept of grasping the material and content in academic readings. The last strategy I will apply to my continual growth in education and accomplishing academic goals would be applying my personality and learning styles. Since I began distance learning I have realized; that when I use certain learning strategies for my personality type and intelligence such as, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence or interpersonal intelligence it makes distance learning easier to manage. Since learning about my multiple intelligences and personality type; it has giving me many study techniques and strategies to apply to my future academic success. Since distance learning I have encountered people with many different intelligences and personality types allowing me to learn each other’s learning strategies and techniques to build and improve on my weaker learning intelligences and personality types. By making all aspects of my intelligences stronger I will become an active and responsible thinker with the skill to accomplish my goals, the will and self-awareness to learn, as well as the ability to self-manage and monitor my progress. By following these strategies I will be off to a great start in pursuing my continual growth in education and accomplishing my future academic goals.

My Childhood Memories

â€Å"It’s hard to keep a secret when it’s written all over your body. † Julia Hobans. This quote is a part of my life. If someone where to look at my body they would find I have more than my fair share of scares, and on top of that I have lived in the most incomprehensibly breathtaking places in the United States; I’ve also lived in the most distastefully horrid places in the country. But the people and one place that has changed me the most on the inside and as well as the outside in Spring Valley CA.Imagine living in a one bedroom, one bathroom tiny cookie cutter an apartment, in the middle of the Spring Valley projects. You always hear the ear splitting sound of a gun being shot, and the obnoxious screaming of a cop siren going down the street. Then every night when you go to bed something is stabbing you in the back and you don’t dare move because if do then you would lose your spot. That was my life for a good five and a half years until I tur ned 14 then my whole life changed.When I choose to move out and to live in my friend Kevin in his house still in Spring Valley. Now Kevin was a few years older than I was, but he was like my brother. Kevin introduced me to Devon, one of his younger friends. He was about my age; about 5. 6’ 5. 7’ with eyes the color of dark brown leather and skin that had a small tan. While I hung out with them more and more I started to get into horrible things like marijuana, meth, and all other different kinds of drugs.I started to like the feelings that I was getting every time I did any of the drugs made me feel like I didn’t have a care in the world or that I could do anything I wanted to that nothing could stop me. With all this Devon introduced me to new people and places. That had exotic parties and drugs to mach. But as time went on I started to get tired of doing the same thing and I start having to pay more and more to get that much sought out for high. But I couldnâ €™t leave, I didn’t know why then but I know now it was, because I was scared of leaving the one guy who ever really noticed me and showed what I thought was love.

Commercial Arable Farming Essay

Seeds Breeders keep bringing out new varieties that are more productive than their predecessors. This is achieved in several areas, better resistance to disease, better standing power (we do not want crops flat on the ground at harvest time) greater tonnage with better quality characteristics. The future is genetic modification (GM) assuming this is put in place with the appropriate level of environmental sensitivity and consequential research. The simple fact is that if it can be made to work we will be able to design plants that will no longer need spraying. These plants will be specifically designed to withstand the diseases and predators in the environment in which they are grown. The only sprays required will be roundup (which biodegrades naturally within ten days) to control all weeds growing in the crop and an herbicide that kills the volunteer crop after harvest. We are talking of an organic utopia. No wonder the Organic lobbies having invested in there so called conversion are so opposed to cheap organic food for all. We are talking vested interests, no moral high ground here. The other major plus of GM is the potential to design crops for the specific purpose of industrial end use such as medicines plastics and oil. The benefit other than renew ability of these organic products would be to take significant arable acres away from growing food. The result might be to see slightly more expensive food, good for this vested interest! Factors Commercial agriculture contains six key factors: 1. Location Commercial farms must move their products to market. Farms need to be located near transportation systems. Trucks, ships, planes, and trains are several ways that products can be moved from where they are grown or made to where customers can buy them. 2. Climate A farm’s soil, as well as the climate of the region in which it is located, determine what crops will grow there or whether the land can support livestock. The temperature and rainfall can also determine the type of crop grown. For example, oranges must be grown in a hot climate. They will not grow if the temperature is too cold. 3. Raw Materials A commercial farm depends on raw material. For example, a farmer will plant grain to get wheat. A farmer will have dairy cows to produce milk. Seeds and animals are two examples of raw materials used in commercial agriculture. 4. Market Forces Supply and demand are important for selling agricultural products. If there is a high deman for a product and low supply, the price will be increased. 5. Labour People who work on farms provide different types of labour. Labour is needed to plant crops, as well as to harvest them. This is important because some produce, such as grapes, need to be hand harvested. 6. Transportation Movement of agricultural products to market depends on transportation systems. For example, produce is shipped by rail in special refrigerated cars, then shipped across the ocean. Some crops such as fruit, must get to the market quickly, or else they will rot; crops like these are often shipped shorter distances or are sold in the regions where they are grown. Physical Factors There are a number of physical factors that makes arable farming in this area Relief- the land is very flat and is mostly 100m above sea level this makes it easy to use machinery and roads and railways have easily been constructed. Soils – mostly fertile boulder clays that were laid down during the last ice age are good for growing cereals, sugar beet and potatoes. Loam soils are good for growing vegetables, fruit and cereals and retain the plant foods and moisture. Waterlogged soils are good for grazing cattle for dairying and the infertile soils in this region such as Breckland can be planted with trees such as pine which can be harvested. Climate – The area tends to be in the rain shadow and rainfall is mostly in the region of 500-700mm per year. There are long warm summers with average temperatures of 17 degrees and long hours of sunshine in the summer which allow sufficient crop growth and the ability to ripen cereal crops. Human Factors Location – it is situated in the east of England to the North of London which means that it is close to a good market for the produce. There is a good motorway network to the most densely populated regions of the UK and also a good east coast railway line which means rappid transport of produce (this is important with perishable food stuff) Politics – Since joining the EU many of the farmers in East Anglia have benefited from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as they have recieved subsidies for growing certain types of cereal crops such as wheat, oilseed rape and linseed. Development Commercial farming is a progression from diversified (sometimes called mixed) farming, when the farmer’s intention is to produce goods for sale primarily for widespread consumption by others. The farmer may acquire a sufficiently large amount of arable land and/or sufficiently advanced technology. In advanced countries, there is also investment in expensive capital equipment like tractors, harvesters and so forth. At this point, it may become more profitable for the farmer to specialize and focus on one or a few particular crops due to economies of scale. This may be further augmented by higher levels of technology that might significantly reduce the risk of poor harvests. Thus, the key difference between commercial farming and less-developed forms of agriculture is the new emphasis on capital formation, scientific progress and technological development, as opposed to a reliance mainly on natural resource utilization that is common to subsistence and diversified agriculture. Types There are types of commercial agriculture: * Intensive Commercial Farming: A system of agriculture in which relatively large amounts of capitol or labour and applied to relatively smaller areas of land. It is practiced in countries where the population pressure is reducing the size of landholdings. The State of West Bengal in India provides one of the best examples of intensive commercial farming. * Extensive Commercial Farming: It is a system of agriculture in which relatively small amounts of capital or labour investment are applied to relatively large areas of land. At times, the land is left fallow to regain its fertility. It is mostly mechanized as labour is very expensive or may not be available at all. It usually occurs at the margin of the agricultural system, at a great distance from market or on poor land of limited potential. It is practiced usually in the tarai regions of southern Nepal. Crops grown are sugarcane, rice and wheat. * Plantation Agriculture: Plantation is a large farm or estate usually in a tropical or sub-tropical country where crops are grown for sale in distant markets rather than local consumption. Factors Commercial agriculture contains six key factors: 1. Location Commercial farms must move their products to market. Farms need to be located near transportation systems. Trucks, ships, planes, and trains are several ways that products can be moved from where they are grown or made to where customers can buy them. 2. Climate A farm’s soil, as well as the climate of the region in which it is located, determine what crops will grow there or whether the land can support livestock. The temperature and rainfall can also determine the type of crop grown. For example, oranges must be grown in a hot climate. They will not grow if the temperature is too cold. 3. Raw Materials A commercial farm depends on raw material. For example, a farmer will plant grain to get wheat. A farmer will have dairy cows to produce milk. Seeds and animals are two examples of raw materials used in commercial agriculture. 4. Market Forces Supply and demand are important for selling agricultural products. If there is a high demand for a product and low supply, the price will be increased. 5. Labour People who work on farms provide different types of labor. Labors are needed to plant crops, as well as to harvest them. This is important because some produce, such as grapes, need to be hand harvested. 6. Transportation Movement of agricultural products to market depends on transportation systems. For example, produce is shipped by rail in special refrigerated cars, and then shipped across the ocean. Some crop such as fruits, must get to the market quickly, or else they will rot; crops like these are often shipped shorter distances or are sold in the regions where they are grown.

Education fund scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education fund scholarship - Essay Example Also, the learning experience in college itself imparts great experiences. My first source of inspiration and my happiest memories of childhood are associated with my grandfather. He had lived during Depression and told me stories about his childhood. As a parental figure in my life, he was extremely wise and philosophical. He would read me Shakespeare at bedtime when I was 9 years old and also tutor me in mathematics and science when I got older. He climbed out of extreme poverty by educating himself, became successful and lived the American dream. He was an extraordinary person who demonstrated that education could take you places. He died of cancer when I was 14. I was devastated. I have been living on my own since I was 17. I have come to realize how hard it is to get ahead without a college education. A college education is prerequisite for being successful in today's economy. Unfortunately, higher education is also very expensive. I got my first job as a 1-hour photo processor at 16 (during 1990-1993), while I was still in high school and I have held a variety of jobs. I worked at Radio Shack when I lived in Tucson AZ and I attended the university of Arizona and Pima community college (1994-1996). I volunteered on weekends at the Tucson Humane society in 1995. I cleaned cages, aided in the grooming of the animals and processed adoption applications. In high school, while others saved up for a car, I wanted to save up to buy my first computer. I have always loved to fix things electronic and computers as a kid. That's why I think the course at Devry's I am aiming to take, is a dream come true for me. BS in technical engineering (the development of computer hardware) is so aligned to what I wanted to do, that I am very enthused by it. When I dropped out of school (1996) due to a massive personal setback, and moved to San Francisco, I worked as a waiter and spent my spare time tutoring other people about computers. Now that I am more mature (32 yrs old), I realize what a blessing it is to be able to live in a country that has the resources and values higher education. In the past, (1992-96), when I went to community College, I befriended many older adults, who returned to school to better themselves and become more educated. Now as a "returning" college student myself, I look back and realize how courageous they were to return to school. I am more realistic now, able to imbibe more and my experiences in life have instilled a depth in me that aids faster conceptual understanding. Going back to school is going to be exhilarating, especially studying computers. Most of all, education is going to mean independence for me. I started getting unwell around 3 years ago and started receiving SSI about 2 years ago. I have been getting healthier due to the miracles of modern medicine. Since I have been on SSI, I have been relying on others to help me out with my day-to-day expenses. I believe going back to school and completing a degree will help be more independent and fend for myself. ESSAY #2 describes a situation in your life where your determination and/or perseverance have helped you achieve a goal. (600-word max) College can pose financial, academic and cultural challenges for students. Students who are most adept at facing challenges often have the greatest determination to succeed. We want to know about an experience in your life that

To what extent does the 'cosmological' argument establish the Essay

To what extent does the 'cosmological' argument establish the existence of God - Essay Example 1. Thomas Aquinas adapted Aristotle and Avicenna’s thinking to form his cosmological argument in which he states that the universe is the result of a ‘first cause’ that is itself uncaused, and this ultimate cause according to him, is God. The premise of his argument basically states that every thing that was once non existent has a cause. Since, according to the second premise –something that is finite and dependent (contingent) cannot create itself. In his third premise Aquinas stated that a causal chain cannot stretch back into eternity. This is why Aquinas argues --there must be a first cause-(God)-or there must be something that is not an effect. Other cosmological veterans speculating about God’s existence - (like Aquinas) take the ‘first cause’ to be ‘God’. Aquinas’s argument is based on the fact that God has to exist due to the fact that the universe needs a cause to explain its existence. This cause is furnish ed by the concept of the creation of the universe by a supernatural being outside it, and this being is assumed to be God. Aquinas’s cosmological argument is based on Aristotle’s belief in a ‘first cause It was Aquinas who interpreted Aristotle’s uncaused cause as ‘God’ by modifying his deistic view into a theistic one. According to his cosmological argument, every event has a cause; but every cause has been caused by another. To avoid endless regression, we have to postulate an uncaused and eternal first cause –(or necessary being that created itself)-and that is God. Aquinas wrote, In his book, ‘The Governance of the World’ Aquinas propounds five ways- of proving the existence of God. In the process Aquinas argues for the presence of a benevolent order in the universe that makes even unintelligent entities work towards some goal. On the basis of these phenomenon, Aquinas argues in favour of the existence that is an essential part of

Business Administration class Strategy Formulation Essay

Business Administration class Strategy Formulation - Essay Example This is because in each stage, certain vital activities are done. In Strategy formulation, certain features of the organization are presented. The features are analyzed both internally and externally. These features include the vision, mission statement, objectives, and tactical objectives of the organization. The process starts by first looking at the mission and objectives which describe the companys business goals as well as measurable financial and strategic objectives. Secondly, an environmental scan is done. This includes an internal analysis of the firm as a whole, and its industry (task environment). An external analysis, also known as the PEST analysis follows (â€Å"Pest Analysis†, 2010). In strategy formulation, the information acquired from the environmental scan is used to match the firm’s strengths to its opportunities while addressing its weaknesses and external threats. In strategy implementation, programs, budgets, and procedures are used as means of implementation and this makes it important for success to be guaranteed. In the final stage which is evaluation and control, parameters to be measured are defined. The next step involves defining targets for the measured parameters, performing the measurements, and finally, comparing the measured results to pre-defined standards and make necessary changes. This second stage of strategic management supports the mission and objectives of the organization by creating sustainable competitive advantages. The stage is organized into six sections. Some of these sections are; Corporate-Level Strategy, Competitive Strategy, Functional Strategy, Choosing Strategies, and Troublesome Strategies (Rex, n.d.). Each of these sections has got its own methods of formulation. The level of Corporate-level Strategy is concerned with the direction of the company. It provides a channel for the organization to make some changes and improve their growth objectives and achievement. In the second level, Competitive

Internet and Digital Marketing Communications Essay

Internet and Digital Marketing Communications - Essay Example Dropbox Company is a company that designs a service to share and sync files over the internet between personal computers. It is a downloadable application. Through it, the users can easily share and synchronize files across smart phones and personal computers. The company is located in San Francisco, United States. The company further offers the customers with specific tasks, which include collaboration on office documents, running a startup and backing up photos. Despite the success of the company, the past few years has proven challenging to the management and the entire company. During this time, the company experienced a crisis management problem and lost many of its customers, making the image of the company to be tarnished. The company has since then taken a major step to win back the customers improve the image of the company as well as attracting perspective customers. Despite these great services to the users, users have been asking for new features. Most of these features violate the commitment of the company to offer a simple product that is also easy-to-use. Therefore, Dropbox needs to go beyond syncing and file sharing so that it targets the customer needs. This is the only way it can stay the course. This situation has raised the need for the company to take the company back to its previous performance or to even high heights. The marketing department of this company has been pointed to have the most significant role in this activity. This is because this department has a major responsibility in guiding. and leading the other departments of the company in the development, production, fulfilling the products and the services to the customers. Marketing communication Marketing communication is a strategy that refers to the process of creating awareness, reminding or/and persuading customers of a product or a service (Yeshin, 2002). Marketing communication is significant in influencing a buyer’s purchasing decision. Integrated marketing communication (IMC), on the other hand, refers to judicious and the effective use of promotional tools of a product in passing a message across to the customers or potential customers (Yeshin, 2002). The effect of IMC to the existing and prospective customers is often noticeable. This is because the framework of IMC involves the interaction of different marketing communication elements, which have potential to improve or trigger other communication media to contribute (Belch and Belch, 2003). A marketing plan is important in attaining success in marketing. This is because it enables a company and its marketing team to focus on the marketing process. A marketing plan can be prepared using different approaches. However, there are key stages to these different approaches. These key stages are contained in an acronym SOSTC, that is, situation analysis, objectives, strategies, tactics, and control (Reid, 2003). Integrated marketing communication is an aggressive marketing strategy that aims to capture and use extensive amount of information about customers to set and track marketing strategy

Discussion Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion - Article Example This means that even though the actual cause of the firefighter’s death was the fire, Andy and Tara had no intention to commit a murder. However, their criminal offence of arson resulted to the death of firefighters. This implies that the Tara and Andy were responsible for the death. In this regard, as a district attorney I have basis to charge them murder. John and Mary intention was to rob a drug dealer. It worth to note even though they completed their mission, John was left behind resulting to the shooting and death of the drug dealer. Before the robbery, John and Mary had no intention to kill the drug dealer even though John was armed. The fact that the two had conspired to undertake the robbery, Mary’s conviction to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery was correct. However, it was not collect to charge her for murder. On his part, John should have been convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and

Cultural context on mobility, networks, consumer urbanism Essay

Cultural context on mobility, networks, consumer urbanism - Essay Example The fundamental concepts and ideas will be used to explain how the consumption systems of space relates to tourism. Literature Review Consumption relates to the use of natural resources and this is seen in relation to renewable and non-renewable resources (Armstrong, 2012 p328). This means that consumption relates to benefiting from a given resource either in the notional or tangible manner. In this case, 'space' can be seen as a 'consumable' resource that can be put to various uses which can bring varying degrees of satisfaction. De Carteau (1984) attempted to define the concept of 'space' in relation to the concept of 'place' in the quest to describe this abstract concept. In the bid, he stated that: â€Å"a place (lieu) is the order (of whatever kind) in accordance with which the elements are distributed in relationships of coexistence† (p117). This means that a place is defined in relation to the positions and other related things that are located close to a given area. On the other hand, he states that â€Å"a space exists when one takes into consideration the vectors of direction, velocity and time variables... in short space is a practical place† (De Carteau 1984 p117). This means that a space is a defined premises or unit within a given area that has certain laid down features that defines it (Williams, 2009). â€Å"Consumption of space relates to the relationship between the built environment and the organisation of space† (Kent, 1993 p1). The relationship between the built environment in a given area defines the consumption of space in the field of architecture. This is because the work of the architect is chiefly in relation to how the environment is ordered and how a given space is utilised to enhance human interaction and the interaction of the various members of the national environment. The legendary architect, Thackara defined 'space' from three main facades (1997): architectural space, operating environment and telematic sp ace. Architectural space relates to the familiar concepts of dimensions, divisions and the design of structures to that are built on a given piece of land. Operating environment involves a given area where the core activities of the builder is carried out. In the case of Thackara's journal, the main area under discussion was an airport. Thus, the operating environment was the area where aviation activities were carried out. The third component, which is telematic space relates to the area of a given space where electronic communication systems and structures were situated. This gave room for the users of the 'space' to undertake communication through modern gadgets and telecommunication systems like Internet, radars and other things. In Robinson's descriptions, put forward by Kieller (1999), space consumption was seen to be varied in relation to its economics. In his descriptions, Robinson indicated that the dynamics of the use of space relates to changes in economic conditions and demand influenced by the economic gains which are attached to the satisfaction attained. Using the Port Statistics as a yardstick, the fictional Robinson indicated that port traffic in one of Britain's major ports had changed steadly since 1965. This was accelerated rapidly in the 1970s when the North Sea oil was first exploited and imports fluctuated. Due to this, the space of the part had to be varied over and over again to ensure that the changes in the land

Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buddhism - Research Paper Example Buddhism is among the few leading religions. This religion started about 2, 600 years ago in India. Sakya is believed to have started it is a prince of the tribe called Siddhartha Gautama (Kozak, 2011). The basic teachings of Buddha came from the time he became enlightened after a certain farmer had beaten his ox in a grazing field. Buddha wondered why the farmer had beaten up his ox and why a living thing like an animal ought to feed on another creature in order to survive (Kozak, 2011). He was able to discover three prominent marks of reality. Everything that exists is due to conversion from one form to another. Nothing new has been formed, or nothing destroyed completely but simply changed (Kozak, 2011). If man destroys something around the environment, he is destroying himself. Buddha was aware of this truth. For this reason, Buddhists did not kill animals (Kozak, 2011). This is a universal truth that he strongly believed. Everything is constantly changing, and this is the reason why there is a different history from the life that is lived now. People and other living things die out and are being replaced by others. The environment also changes from one state to another (Kozak, 2011). He also believes in constant transformation, and the universe, which is stated as karma. Nothing ever takes place in our lives unless we ought to have it. The measure of what we receive either good or bad is exactly what we earn. This is a lesson that teaches individuals to create a bright future (Kozak, 2011). He believes that suffering is common to all. Everyone gets to suffer from life situations that make us unhappy. The reasons for these sufferings are due to people’s ignorance and greed. Every person should enjoy life without being greedy. In order to do this, all the greediness and ignorance should be cut off entirely (Kozak,

USA Isolationism Essay Example for Free

USA Isolationism Essay Focus areas * What form did Isolationism take? * Why did successive presidents feel they had to follow this policy? * Why did the Isolationism era end? * Was the US truly Isolationist during this period? 1. THE BASIS FOR SUPPORT IN AMERICA FOR ISOLATIONISM * Dislike of entanglement For over 140 years there were no US forces in Europe, and many American wanted to return to this independence from the Western Hemisphere. There was a sense that they needed to escape the corrupted Old World. Many also felt that involvement in WW1 had been a mistake they had been tricked into making by bankers and arms manufacturers. * Sense of self-sufficiency Many Americans were unaware of the complex nature of the American economy and how it relied on the rest of the world. They were happy in the thought that America could provide for America and not need to rely on anyone else. * Domestic priorities Successive Presidents had to follow public opinion and put their emphasis on home affairs. For example, Roosevelt stressed this nationalistic approach during the depression and in hindsight this is understandable intervention in trouble might have hindered the New Deal 2. THE LIMITS OF ISOLATIONSIM * Economic and cultural influences All around the world American influence was being felt in fashions customs. The rest of the world saw US movies, drove Ford cars and drank Coca-Cola. Economically, the USA helped bring stability to countries through investment * Independent internationalism In reality America was not truly isolationist. They did have contacts and dealings with Europe, Asia S.America, although they made no commitments in the international arena or accepted any limitations on their freedom of action. It was involved in a wide spectrum of affairs e.g. economic expansion, German reparations, naval land disarmaments and international efforts to promote peace. Herbert Hoover was the man who oversaw this policy. He saw that it was vital for America to have a world fit to trade with. 3. THE PRACTICE OF ISOLATIONISM IN EUROPE AND LATION AMERICA * Economic assistance to Europe The USA loaned money ($110 million) to Germany so they could pay their reparations, which were in turn given back to the Americans by GB and France as payments for war debts. German reparations were also reorganised in 1924 1929 by Charles Dawes and Owen Young. It was seen as being in the interests of America to rebuild Europes economies as they consumed over 60% of Americas exports * International peace agreements The Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) was the brainchild of the US Sec of State and the French Foreign Minister. This was beneficial to the USA, as only war could remove Americas economic dominance in the world. * Good Neighbour policy This relates to Americas policy in Latin America. It was first coined by FDR, but the policy was active in the 1920s. In this area the USA was far from isolationist, intervening or having its forces in many countries (eg Haiti). These were the actions of a country that thought they knew what was best for its neighbour. One example of this is its support for right-wing regimes (Nicaragua, Cuba, Dominican republic) to keep out any left-wing influence in latin America, which might endanger their economic interests there. 4. FDR AND ISOLATIONISM 1933-38 * Little response to external aggression FDR was restricted in the 1930s to talking about ways in which the US could influence others to keep peace. In the end his peace plans, such as that offered in Jan 1938, were not thought through. FDR offered gestures and a posture of helplessness as the world drifted to war. * Tide of opinion in the 1930s Throughout the 1930s the mood of the country was still isolationist. FDR could not go against the sentiments of the public, nor could he go against the Isolationists in Congress, who he needed to pass his New Deal legislation. * Neutrality legislation Passed between 1935 1937, these were designed to prevent a repeat of the events of 1917 it said that the USA should not trade with any belligerents in times of war, nor should they provide loans. These tie FDRs hands and encouraged the aggressors. 5. THE END OF ISOLATIONISM * Preparation for war The ground work was already being made before Pearl Harbour for the US to enter the war on the side of the Allies. Co-operation with GB extended in 1941 with Anglo-American naval planning; the US navy occupied Greenland to build naval bases; the US marines were sent to Iceland to prevent a possible German invasion; US merchant ships were armed before Pearl Harbour in response to German U-boat attacks; US helped GB navy to pinpoint U-boat positions; the US possibly provoked the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbour. * Action rather than words to counter Japanese and German aggression American destroyers were swapped for leases of GB bases in the Western Hemisphere (Sept, 1940) and a conscription bill was agreed in the same month. In March 1941 the Lend Lease agreement was made this in realty was a declaration of economic warfare against the axis powers. * Continued strong opposition to American intervention in the Second World War After 1939, FDR was trying to educate the American public of the threat to US security if the Axis powers won, but isolationist feeling was still strong in July 1939. As well as the rejection of a proposed revision o the Neutrality laws, during most of 1940 1941, 80% of Americans opposed a declaration of war against the Axis powers, but did favour aid to victims of axis aggression.

Focus group discussion Essay Example for Free

Focus group discussion Essay The research utilized two focus groups to represent the student population being evaluated. Each focus group is comprised of four students with one moderator in charge of the discussion and although it was mentioned that the target number of students for the focus group would be seven, only four students from each group attended the session. The students that were sampled had all previously used or had the necessary experience in handling web 2. 0 applications particularly wikis, blogs, social networking technologies (MySpace, Friendster, etc. ) and other Web 2. 0 applications that were used by the students. For the first part of the discussion, the group focused on introductory remarks particular on how they utilize web 2. 0 applications. Both groups were asked the question (as a discussion opener) on how do they enjoy spending their spare time in the internet. According to group 1, half of the group indicated that they had very limited time when online because of the budgetary constraints and thus they are more apt to utilize all of their time in using web 2. 0 applications for learning purposes. On the other hand, the other half of the group expressed their fondness of being able to enjoy chat while online with their friends and browsing through forums for information (whether education or non-education related information). One common trait for all the participants of the first group is their interest in reading and searching for subjects that interest them with the use of web 2. 0 applications. It is interesting to note that, previously they had mentioned that they were utilizing information only or web 1. 0 applications for information but with the influx of web 2.0 applications, they had found it easier to use and more apt to their style of finding information (Hinchcliffe, 2006). Being that web 2. 0 applications are more interactive and provides a venue for two-way communication, they are able to ask questions, search for groups or communities with their desired information. For the second group, it was indicated that the members of the group with the same background utilize their spare time by chatting online with their friends, particularly with the classmates as some of the members of the group are schoolmates and are friends. They are able to share information particular to current blogs and subjects that interest them as a whole. With this they are able to find information faster as they are able to share insights with each other. In addition, they are able to utilize their spare time while online by browsing through subjects often referred to by their classmates within the focus group. Being that they are also previously acquainted with each other, they are able to use web 2. 0 applications at the same time, often during school breaks where they are able to meet with each other and share community sites such as blogs and wikis that highlight their favourite and desired information. This adds to the value of web 2. 0 applications being a very communal information technology tool it is able to put together people with the use of the internet and information put together. As a follow up to the first question, every member of the two focus groups were asked of their level of familiarity with respect to web 2. 0 technologies. Level of familiarity is defined as the ability of these students being evaluated to first identify with web 2. 0 technologies, their level of being able to proficiency in utilizing such tools and their capacity to use such tools in aspects of their daily lives such as interaction with society, learning and education (Hinchcliffe, 2006). The first group explained that there are familiar with the most common web 2. 0 technologies online. Noted web 2. 0 applications such as blogs, community forums and Wikis were identified the most by the users. The respondents in group one generally expressed their feelings that Web 2. 0 applications have been already been there in our daily lives even before it was formalized as Web 2. 0 technologies. As one respondent explains, Web 2. 0 technologies have been present for a considerable amount of time already and have been used as a means of providing and transferring information between each other. However, with the formal induction of these technologies as Web 2. 0 technologies, further improvement and interest was accorded to it, thus the influx of users and it was more and more integrated into society. Forums for example have existed for a considerable amount of time yet only recently has it been given so much interest and improvement that it has started to occupy a considerable amount of society’s â€Å"online† daily lives (Anderson, 2007). For the second group, they had indicated what Web 2. 0 applications are but have little or no idea of it whatsoever. The students on the other hand had already used web 2. 0 applications such as social bookmarking, calendaring, image sharing, collaborative authoring, video sharing and social networking tools but had not identified under one umbrella such as Web 2. 0 technologies (O’Reilly, 2005). Students under this group were able to identify that they had used Wikis and Rallypoints as a tool to share information with their classmates in their classes but were not aware that these tools were considered as Web 2. 0 technologies. On the other hand, one of the students under this group had expressed that she had a rough understanding of what Web 2. 0 technologies is however had not taken into consideration the other Web 2. 0 technologies existing.

Explaining The Iraqi Invasion Of Kuwait Politics Essay

Explaining The Iraqi Invasion Of Kuwait Politics Essay Baram (1994) explains that Iraqs claim to invade Kuwait is based on the argumentation that Kuwait was a district governed by Basra under Ottoman rule and, thus, Iraqi leaders have seen it as historically belonging to Iraq (p.5). Baram goes on to explain that this claim is wrong because Kuwait has long before been under autonomous rule by the Sabah family. Furthermore, she states that Iraqs aspiration to bring Kuwait under its control is partly due to Iraqs need to strengthen and stabilize its regimes legitimacy by uniting the different religious and ethnic minorities of Iraq under Iraqi patriotism (p.5). Iraq opposed the British-drawn borderline between Iraq and Kuwait because it left Iraq with only a short Gulf coastline and gave Kuwait control over the entrance and exit of Iraqs only port (p.6). Even though Iraq accepted Kuwait as a sovereign state in 1963, it did not accept the exact borderline. Iraq was supported by the Soviet Union and because the latter would not support an ann exation of Kuwait by Iraq, Iraq did not act earlier (p.6). Moreover, Iraq received aid from Kuwait during the Iran-Iraq war. Following this war, due to bad economic policies, Iraqi economy stagnated and as a result, Iraq could not demobilize its army which amounted to over 1 million at the end of the 1980s. The reason for this was that Saddam could not risk a high number of unemployed men which might result in social unrest (p.7). However, in order to keep such a high number of soldiers in the standing army, Saddam needed a good reason. Therefore, he started to revitalise the American and Zionist enemy (p.7). Iraq kept on spending on military expenditures which had the intention to turn Iraq into the Gulfs hegemonic power as Iraqs weapons could be used against Israeli offenses which, additionally, would make Iraq the Arabs protector (p.7). The downfall of the Soviet Union was disastrous for Iraq as it lost its biggest supporter in the face of the US. Furthermore, Iraq was alarmed by the Eastern European democratic revolutions bringing the totalitarian regimes down which were equally designed as Saddams Iraq (p.7). Another reason for Iraqi worries in the late 1980s was Iraqs failure to force the Syrian army to leave Lebanon and which was tolerated by the US and other Arab states (p.9). This became, according to Baram, an example for Iraq which saw the possibility to invade Kuwait and which then would be treated by external players like the Lebanon case (ibid.). After the end of the Iran-Iraq war, Iraq invoked the Kuwait crisis two years later by bringing up several issues, such as the border dispute with Kuwait, the Israeli-Palestinian problem, Americas presence in the Gulf, the issue of oil production quotas and Iraqs demand for financial aid (p.9). In order to solve all these issues, Iraq increasingly started to see an invasion of Kuwait as the best solution (ibid.). In 1990, Iraq for the first time publicly offered to take up the role of the Soviet Union as protector for the Arabs (p.10). Additionally, Iraq started to threat Israel in case it would attack any Arab state. These manoeuvres had the purpose to avert the public from increasing economic hardship, as well as the happenings in Eastern Europe and the regimes failure in the Lebanon case (p.11). Iraqs increasing public threats and announcements opened up the danger of Saddam being sucked into a war by his own rhetoric (p.14). Furthermore, this approach showed that Iraq was more and more diverting from a path of domestic policies to external ones in order to solve Iraqs problems (ibid.). Saddam by including the Israeli-Palestinian rhetoric and pan-Arab security, diverted the Arab world with Libya, the PLO, and Jordan being its closes supporters, but also Egypts Mubarak in the beginning supported Iraqs approach towards Arab security by believing in Iraqs good intentions (p.16). After receiving support from at least a fraction of the Arab states for its Arab security approach, Iraq started to accuse Kuwait of stealing oil from Iraq and thus, two strategically important islands in the Gulf should be given to Iraq (ibid.). Iraqi-Kuwait relations further deteriorated when oil prices fell and the OPEC quota was not fully supported by Kuwait (p.17). This in turn led to Iraq starting to mobilise troops and station them at the Kuwaiti border. Iraq shifted its demands whenever it fitted best from economic reasons to territorial claims (p.19). Egypts Mubarak in this period publicly proclaimed that Saddam promised to him that he would not attack Kuwait. The USAs reaction to the build up of the crisis was to send their ambassador Glaspie to talk to Saddam. The ambassador misjudged the situation which had the outcome that diverting and ambiguous signals were sent to Saddam and Washington (p.20). Glaspie did not put pressure on Iraq, instead she followed the approach to ally with it and improve US-Iraq relations (p.20). Glaspie, being in line with the State Departments pos ition, told Saddam that the US does not interfere in inter-Arab affairs such as the Iraq-Kuwait border dispute (ibid.). Seen in this context, the American diplomatic approach was not helpful because it sent the wrong signal to Saddam, namely that America would not use force in inter-Arab disputes (ibid.). Furthermore, in July 1990, the State Department spokesperson announced that the US has no special defence or security commitments to Kuwait (p.21). This made Saddam believe that he could invade Kuwait without US involvement and that it would not make a difference if he took only parts or the entire area of Kuwait (p.21). Taking this risk of invading all of Kuwait was based on the assumption to solve the economic problems of Iraq and to put Iraq into a power position in the Arab region and by doing so mobilise domestic support (p.25). A further explanation of why Iraq invaded all of Kuwait was, according to Baram, Saddams personality treats. Advisors could not interfere in any decis ions already made by Saddam because of his personality. He saw himself as invincible warrior and empire-builder (p.26). Barams text about the reasons of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait is very comprehensive and comprehensible and it looks at the issue in detail and from different perspectives. What was especially interesting was the detailed description of the US diplomatic approach and how a misjudgement can lead to such far-reaching outcomes. Furthermore, Barams text looks in detail at Saddam as leader and how his decisions were very logical and calculating even though they were based on false assumptions and miscalculations. Therefore, Barams text shows that Saddam did not in any way act irrationally or injudiciously. However, it could be looked at in more detail in how far Saddam became able to act in this way after the fall of the Soviet Union, its main supporter. Baram mentions that the Soviet Union would not support an invasion of Kuwait, but she does not go into more detail concerning the timing of the invasion of Kuwait and the downfall of the Soviet Union. I think the question could have been e xplored in more detail in how far that was also a part of the reason for Saddams invasion at that time or Saddams possibility for invasion since the Soviet Union no longer kept Iraq from invasion. Mark Heller (1994) discusses Iraqs army power and Western perception of the strengths of the Iraqi army. His claim is that the Gulf war was a result of Western misperception of Iraqs army strength and capabilities (p.37). According to him, a Western threat to use military force would have been enough in 1990 after the invasion to persuade Saddam to leave, however, the debate in the Western public undercut this option and made it impossible (ibid.). It was argued that a war with Iraq would result in high numbers of casualties and thus, the message that was send to Saddam was that a military US intervention was very unlikely and withdrawal was not necessary (ibid.). Heller argues that the debate about Iraqi army strength completely ignored the armys performances in the past, which had not been able to perform well in wars against foreign powers even if its weapons were plenty and effective (p.38). The reason for this is that due to Iraqs regime type, it had to give more priority to the preservation of the regime than to the military (p.47). This is due to the fragmentation of the Iraqi population and the lack of legitimacy as well as national identity which makes the regime vulnerable and the army less effective (ibid.). For this reason, Saddam had acquired weapons which could be operated by a highly centralised small elite of soldiers in order not to have to rely on the rest of the army which was rather ineffective (p.48). Heller argues that a war might have not been prevented but at least American response could have been more effective diplomacy-wise if the military capabilities of Iraq had not been overestimated by the public (p.38). Thus, Iraq would have withdrawn if the diplomatic messages and pressure would have been more evident. This article shows a very interesting view point which is not taken up by most other texts which deal with the topic. It shows a completely different angle by looking at US diplomatic shortcomings and where these were rooted in. Even though this article is rather short and more detailed evidence should be given about the public debate in the West, this article tries to give a plausible explanation for US behaviour and why the US did not put more diplomatic pressure on Iraq. However, a little flaw that occurs to me in this text is that even tough the military strength of the standing army overall were more limited, the weapons that could be used by a small elitist group could still be as disastrous concerning casualties as a high number of soldiers. Therefore, in my opinion the argument that the public overestimated the military capabilities loses a little bit of its ground. Nevertheless, the end argument still works because Saddam could have been deterred if the US had used more dipl omatic pressure but this was halted due to public discourse. Clawson (1994) discusses Iraqs economic situation prior to the war and the effects of economic sanctions on Iraq. Clawson establishes that Iraq has all the good preconditions for a well-working economy and a prosperous population. This includes that Iraq has the second largest oil reserves in the world, Iraq has vast and rich agricultural areas and a, to a certain extent, well-trained manpower is available; nevertheless, Iraq has economic problems and the people liver under economic hardship (p.69). According to Clawson, the Iraqi economy has a lot of potential; however, successive Iraqi regimes have put ideology before economic stability and the well-being of the Iraqi population (ibid.). Due to damaging policies, especially the oil and the agricultural sector have been harmed (ibid.). Iraq pursued a confrontational policy towards the oil industry by making claims to Kuwaiti oil fields and it did not pursue closer relations with other oil states as well as developed countries in ord er to profit from efficient technology for oil production. Furthermore, the Baath party completely controlled the economy which halted economic growth (p.70). The government, especially under Saddam, wasted its resources for large-scale projects and investments which did not serve any useful purpose for economic growth. Clawson attributes this to Saddams Nebuchadnezzar complex which means that Saddam wants to build glorious buildings in order to underline his magnificence as a leader (ibid.). In the time prior to the war, Iraq claimed that its financial situation leads it to take action. Iraq, furthermore, claimed that Kuwait is to be blamed for part of its economic situation, which was used in order to distract the Iraqi public from the fact that it was Saddams disastrous economic policies which are responsible for the peoples hardship (p.71). According to Clawson, Iraqs economic situation in 1990 was actually better than it had been the years 1986 to 1989, which could be seen in I raqs ability to repay more debts in 1990 (ibid.). Therefore, Iraqs economic problems are long-term and not due to an allegedly short-term crisis with Kuwait. Saddam was unwilling to cut back on his grand projects for his own glorification and thus, was unable to meet the peoples expectation that after the Iran-Iraq war the economic situation of the population would improve (p.72). Saddams quest for more and more grand projects could only be continued if more money would flow in. At the same time, the argument that many economically important sites have been irreversibly destroyed during the Iran-Iraq war is also not true (p.77). Rather the damage was minor or at least easily reparable and not all economically important places have been destroyed if they were not associated with military sites (ibid.). Therefore, the main obstacle to economic growth for Iraq is Saddams anti-growth policies and the claim that Kuwait is responsible for it or that Iraq would recover with more money floa ting in is wrong. Clawsons article gives a good insight into Iraqs economic situation prior to the war and what the reasons for Iraqs miserable economic situation are. The article invalidates the claim that Iraqs invasion can be justified by short-term economic problems. Rather it is the regimes attempt to divert the attention from its own bad economic policies. Even though this article shows a different perspective on the underlying problems of Iraqs bad economic situation and it does invalidate the claim that Kuwait is in any way involved in Iraqs financial problems, this does not give a satisfactorily explanation why Iraq acted as it did towards Kuwait. The author indeed states that Saddam wanted to disguise the fact that it is his long-term policies that are damaging the economy. However, Saddam could have done that by different means. Therefore, this article should be treated as a one-sighted argument in the context of other arguments. Otherwise, the question could arise why Saddam did not simply spend a little more fraction of the money on the population in order to avoid unrests in the future, or why Saddam did not try to get closer to other states, Western and Arab, in order to receive more aid etc? Thus, overall the articles gives an interesting insight in the domestic economic situation of Iraq but it falls short of giving a complete and satisfactory explanation on why Iraq invaded Kuwait and why not another state or why it did not use other tools to counteract to the economic problems. Halliday (1994) does not approach the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in terms of the reasons for Iraqs decision; rather he describes the invasion and its impact on International Relations theories. Halliday states that the Gulf war in 1990 was one of the most significant international crises of the post-1945 epoch (p.109). Not only was a very high number of soldiers involved but also a high number of international diplomats and diplomacy attempts from various countries. According to Halliday, not enough attention was given to historical events. According to him, the crisis began with the death of Khomeini in 1989 (p.115). Saddam was not able to gain any influence in Iran because it remained stable after the death and therefore, Iraq turned to Kuwait (ibid.). Moreover, Halliday states that the ideology of the Baath party was not taken into account and thus, the outcome was wrongly predicted. Baathism represents the ideal for an Arab nation, a glorification of war and the strong man who figh ts for the Arab nation (p.115). Furthermore, the reason why all the diplomatic efforts that were actually undertaken failed was that Saddam believed that the US would not intervene militarily (p.116). Additionally, Saddam was only expecting sanctions which would have not meant an irreconcilable for him and Iraq (ibid.). According to Halliday, realists see the Gulf war as an interstate-conflict. For transnationalists the economic dimension was most important and the preservation of economic, i.e. oil, interests on all sides (p.120). For Marxists and structuralists, in turn, the war was one of a dominant and a subordinated power and which was justified by Western materialist interests, i.e. oil and which reinforced hegemonic power in the Middle East (ibid.). However, all these theories fail to explain the entirety of the Gulf war. Realists cannot properly explain why Iraq invaded all of Kuwait if it was not seen as one of the biggest miscalculation and misjudgements by Saddam (p.120). Furthermore, Iraqs references to pan-Arabism and Islamic issues cannot be properly explained by realist theory. Transnationalism, in turn, do not have a satisfactorily explanation for the UNs decision outcome which was not based on mutual decisions by various states but rather it was based solely on US ideas (ibid.). Furthermore, Marxists and structuralists theory is not completely applicable either because if the war was of imperial nature then this would mean that Iraq has to display a more progressive level of development in the international arena, which is not the case due to Iraqs Baathist ideology and its brutal regime among other reasons (p.120). As a reason Halliday concludes that such an event as the Gulf war in 1990 means that theoretical approaches have to be revised and thought through again more thoroughly (p.129). However, this does not mean that the existing theories have to be overthrown altogether, rather the war tested the limits of these theories and accordingly they have to be amended and adjusted. Even though this article does not contribute to the answering of the above stated question, it does give an interesting insight into the studies of IR and the reactions of theorists from different strands to this political event. Furthermore, it shows how such an event as the Gulf war can lead to a revision even if of limited degree of the existing theories. The summary of the article above is only a small extract of Hallidays text but it still shows the impact of political events on the studies of IR. The text is well-written and comprehensible, however, one question arises for me and that is how an outcome due to misconceptions and a rational intention are mutually exclusive as stated by Halliday in the context of realist assumptions? Saddam could have had intentions based on rational thinking; however, these rational ideas could have been based on misjudgements. Even tough this point is not clear to me, the overall message of the article, namely that the war presented new realitie s and facts which cannot be satisfactorily explained by existing theories and, therefore, a revision and partial reconsideration has to take place, is still an important conclusion. This shows that IR theories cannot be rigid and that constant improvement is important if they want to be able to explain and discuss political events in a future international arena.

Jacksons Disagreement :: essays research papers

Materialism is the belief that all things can be explained in physical terms or by science. Frank Jackson argues against this belief. Jackson’s philosophy is that not only are materialism false, but he also claims that consciousness is a subjective experience that can not be defined by any physical term or by science. The nonphysical experience known as qualia is Jackson’s explanation of consciousness. Qualia is the nonphysical feeling that can not be explained in physical terms or by science. Humans can not understand the feeling of qualia without experiencing it themselves. Materialism suggests that everything that occurs have some type of scientific relationship or physical term. Jackson goes through his argument looking for proof until he gets one idea. Jackson performs an experiment that demonstrates that consciousness is a qualia feeling and that one can not understand or learn the feeling with out experiencing it. The subject he uses is Mary. Mary is an extremely bright scientist and since she could remember she was placed in a room with nothing but black and white. With limiting her sight to only this black and white gray-scale, she is unaware of what true color looks like. All her life she is educated through newspapers, television and teachers giving lectures. Near the end of the experiment she has mastered every aspect of the physical terms and science explaining the process of viewing color. One example was that she knew that an apple was red, but she cannot grasp the concept if she has never seen it. The final part of the experiment is to pre sent to her real color. They use a red apple to demonstrate this. The hypothesis for the experiment follows the laws of materialism. They hypothesized that Mary would not have a shocking reaction to the apple. They believed that she would know that the apple carried those characteristics. In the conclusion of the experiment they find out that their hypothesis was wrong and that Mary was shocked to find out what red really looked like. For the first time in her life she noticed that there was more to the red apple than the physical description. She felt qualia, the feeling of actually seeing the color. This proves that materialism cannot fully explain the world.

Thomas Hardy :: History

Thomas Hardy About Thomas Hardy and his Wessex Thomas hardy was born in 1840 and died 1928. During his 88-years old life he wrote fifteen novels and one he never published. He also wrote over 900 poems. He wrote and published four volumes of short stories. He was born, and lived the best part of his life, near Dorchester, the county town of Dorset and Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Oxford. To the section of south-west England he gave the fictional name Wessex, called his first book of poetry ‘Wessex poetry’ and his first collection of short stories he called ‘Wessex tails’. He even called his dog ‘Wessex’. Thomas hardy was born in a cottage which had been built for his grandfather and was brought up buy his Mum, Dad and Nan. The cottage was an isolated building on the edge of a wild heath-land, for which Thomas hardy, in one of his novels, invented the name ‘Egdon heath’. The family Hardy was made up of a Mum, Dad, a gifted boy Thomas, two sisters and a brother. The children had to make their own fun and entertainment. So they would usually listen to their father’s tales. They would involve danger, excitement, interesting characters and a dramatic ending. Thomas hardy based some novels on his relative’s storeys. The telling of such tales was a regular pastime for the small family, and as he grew up, he learned to shape them for a wider audience. For instance, when Thomas was still a boy, he knew he wanted to be a writer. As a child, the lady of the manor at the local mansion particularly favoured Thomas. She was childless, and showed special interest in Thomas, treating him almost like a child of her own, and inviting him to her grand house. Thomas’s mother resented this and according to Thomas hardy, she openly defied the lady. No one knows what exactly happened, but it is certainly true that Thomas’s mother took young Thomas away from the village school, which the lady had founded, and sent him to a school in Dorchester. Thomas Hardy’s mother had a strong will of her own, unlike the heroine of ‘the son’s veto’ who all allows her life to be ruled by the middle- class people. Her marriage has put her among, and, in the end, to be fatally frustrated by the snobbery of her own son. Thomas Hardy :: History Thomas Hardy About Thomas Hardy and his Wessex Thomas hardy was born in 1840 and died 1928. During his 88-years old life he wrote fifteen novels and one he never published. He also wrote over 900 poems. He wrote and published four volumes of short stories. He was born, and lived the best part of his life, near Dorchester, the county town of Dorset and Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Oxford. To the section of south-west England he gave the fictional name Wessex, called his first book of poetry ‘Wessex poetry’ and his first collection of short stories he called ‘Wessex tails’. He even called his dog ‘Wessex’. Thomas hardy was born in a cottage which had been built for his grandfather and was brought up buy his Mum, Dad and Nan. The cottage was an isolated building on the edge of a wild heath-land, for which Thomas hardy, in one of his novels, invented the name ‘Egdon heath’. The family Hardy was made up of a Mum, Dad, a gifted boy Thomas, two sisters and a brother. The children had to make their own fun and entertainment. So they would usually listen to their father’s tales. They would involve danger, excitement, interesting characters and a dramatic ending. Thomas hardy based some novels on his relative’s storeys. The telling of such tales was a regular pastime for the small family, and as he grew up, he learned to shape them for a wider audience. For instance, when Thomas was still a boy, he knew he wanted to be a writer. As a child, the lady of the manor at the local mansion particularly favoured Thomas. She was childless, and showed special interest in Thomas, treating him almost like a child of her own, and inviting him to her grand house. Thomas’s mother resented this and according to Thomas hardy, she openly defied the lady. No one knows what exactly happened, but it is certainly true that Thomas’s mother took young Thomas away from the village school, which the lady had founded, and sent him to a school in Dorchester. Thomas Hardy’s mother had a strong will of her own, unlike the heroine of ‘the son’s veto’ who all allows her life to be ruled by the middle- class people. Her marriage has put her among, and, in the end, to be fatally frustrated by the snobbery of her own son.

Leadership and Constitutionality In Times of War Essay -- War Governme

Leadership and Constitutionality In Times of War In times of crisis, nations look to leaders who will protect them from the dangers they fear. The United States has seen multiple wars and lived them out under multiple leaders, each of which had varying policies for protecting the American citizens from enemies, both foreign and domestic. Today we find ourselves asking how our present leader will protect the American citizens from outside terrorists, and wondering how previous leaders would react to the current situation. Some of the greatest and most revered presidents found themselves in the same situation we find ourselves today: where to draw the line between constitutionality and the safety of the American public. A closer look at three past presidents offers three different experiences with wartime policy and the preservation of civil rights in times of national emergency. The Father who Never Forgot: Madison’s Wartime Policy It would be impossible to say that James Madison ever forgot his writings of 1787. The Constitution would be forever engraved on his mind, the reminder of a shared vision between leaders who held history in the palms of their hands and shaped it into a fair and just Republic. Madison, as author of the document defining that very vision, shaped his own life and political policy to constantly mirror that vision. Of all the presidents of the United States, Madison was most likely the one who remained most loyal to the Constitution. Even in times of war, when other presidents would take further executive measures (as they were allowed,) Madison was reluctant to jeopardize his citizen’s civil rights. Madison’s wartime policy clearly reflects a leader dedicated to the Constitution and its pres... ... co-founders so carefully laid out in the document they produced that sweltering summer of 1787. Works Cited â€Å"Adams, John.† The American President. Accessed February 27, 2003; available from http://www.americanpresident.org/presbios/presbios.htm. LaFeber, Walter. The American Age: U.S. Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad, 1750-Present. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., Inc., 1994. â€Å"Madison, James.† The American President. Accessed February 27, 2003; available from http://www.americanpresident.org/presbios/presbios.htm. Rehnquist, Chief Justice William A. â€Å"Civil Liberty in Wartime: Remarks of Supreme Court Chief Justice William A. Rehnquist at the Director’s Forum, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, November 17, 1999.† [speech online] Accessed February 27, 2003; available from http://www.totse.com/en/politics/political_spew/rant1.html.

International Change and the Social World Essay

In meeting the demands of a global economy, technological advancements especially in the field of telecommunications and information technology are key factors in making possible various transactions faster, cheaper, more reliable and convenient. Needless to say, these technological advances are important tools if companies and other business ventures are to survive in the digital economy. These technological advancements however, are evolving far too fast which consequently generate pressing problems that ought to be considered. On a preliminary note, the aforementioned rapid technological evolutions pose serious questions if our societal structures can rapidly adapt to these changes and more importantly, if we, ourselves can rapidly adapt and be able to integrate for ourselves these changes. In line with this, what follows is a discussion of how such changes affect the global economy. Within this context, the task of this paper is to discuss the effects of work transformation in society with a particular emphasis on how it affects the people management systems around the world. Weick and Quinn (1999) contend that changes in the organization of work within societies may either be characterized as â€Å"discontinuous and episodic† or â€Å"continuous and emergent† (p.361). The difference between the two lies in the emphasis on intentionality, planning, management control, and specific outcomes in the former and the emphasis on improvisation, spontaneity, and ongoing action in the latter. The two perspectives stated above have a direct effect in the formation of an organizational framework. This is another way of saying that the manner in which organizational change is perceived supports an appreciation of the multidimensional nature of organizational phenomena. The organization of phenomena stems from the human need to conceptually order reality. Such a process is ensured through the creation or adoption of a language that may account for the reality perceived by the individual or by the social group. The importance of such a process stems from its issuance of a fixed and thereby more manageable reality. Such a reality, however, is continuously distorted due to the steady input of new forms of conceptualizations that also opt to enable the manageability of reality. Such a process is apparent within the business sector in the gradual shift from an information-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. The later form of economy recognizes that knowledge occupies a focal point in relation to the function of society. As a result of this, organizations became increasingly aware of the need for a ‘knowledge focus’ in their organizational strategies as they respond to changes in their environment. ‘Knowledge focus’ refers to the deobjectifcation of knowledge in favour of the codification of knowledge into systems (Bell, 1999, p.x). Within such an economy, organizational actors and the complex social interactions that take place amongst them recreate organizations through the continuous process of change. According to Tsoukas and Vladimirou (2001), what makes knowledge organizational is it codification in the form of propositional statements set within a group’s collective understanding (p.974). It is important to note that such a process of knowledge codification requires the existence of local knowledge. Within an organization, such forms of local knowledge are evident in the company’s culture; the development of such is dependent upon the existing organizational framework. Such a point brings to focus one of the main elements of the labour market that determines the existing workforce’s productivity and performance within a particular society. The reason for such a focus is evident if one considers that the current shift in economy [from an information based economy to a knowledge-based economy] gives precedence on the role of the members of the workforce in the maintenance of an organizations overall knowledge based culture. In line with this, Davinport (1999) contends that such a culture necessitates a new mode of framing the human capital. According to Davinport, it is time to conceive of workers â€Å"not as human capital but as human capital owners and investors† (1999, p.7). Davinport argues that such a conception is not entirely new since it echoes the conception of the employee as an asset. The difference of such a view stems from the conception of the worker as the owner of the capital since workers are the ones who decide in which field they will contribute the specific talents and expertise they possess within the current market. The organization’s role thereby is fixed to the extent that its main role lies in utilizing and developing the skills offered by the member’s of their workforce. Organizations must thereby adopt new working practices or upgrade workplace skills. An example of this is evident in the content of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) of the United Kingdom which states that â€Å"in a mass customisation environment, where systems of production and distribution are readily imitated and leapfrogged, organisations must therefore continually invest in physical and human capital to keep ‘ahead of the game’†(2001, p.10). As a result of the above stated paradigmatic shift from an information-based economy to a knowledge based economy certain developments occurred within the economic, political, and technological fields. Such developments are evident in the increase in business competition and the advent of information technologies (Weatherly, 2003, p.2). Political and economic developments are evident in the increase in business competition which is a result of the globalization of trade and key economic sectors [e.g. telecommunication, electricity, transportation, financial services]. Technological developments, on the other hand, are evident in the advent of information technology which can best be seen through the continuous popularity and easy accessibility of the internet. According to Lev (2001), such developments within the above stated fields have dramatically changed the structure of organizations to the extent that intangibles [human capital] became the major value drivers of business within developed economies (p.8-14). The reason for this is evident if one considers that from a strategic perspective it has been noted that â€Å"fully one-third of the information used to justify the investment decision is non-financial† (Ernst & Young, 1997, p.10). Examples of such factors are â€Å"quality of management, effectiveness of new product development, strength of market position, strength of corporation culture, and effectiveness of compensations policies† (Weatherly, 2003, p.4). Such factors have an overall link to business systems since they are partially if not fully determined by the company’s culture maintained by its overall organizational framework. Furthermore, since the above stated factors are considered in the determination of investment decisions, it also follows that they have a direct effect in terms of the economic conditions of a business organizations and hence the economic side of society as a whole. As was stated above, one of the defining factors of the current paradigm shift within the market can be traced from the shift of importance from the tangible assets to the intangible assets. Tangible assets consists of financial assets [financial capital] and physical assets [e.g. property, equipment, and other furnishing] whereas intangible assets consists of intellectual capital [e.g. patent formulas and product designs] and human capital. The focus of this paper from the onset has been to lay down the current transformations of work in the period of globalization. What follows is the specification of how these changes have affected society at large. In Work, Self, and Society, Catherine Casey specifies the manner in which changes in work have affected society. Casey (1995) argues that the current conception of work which is defined by the effects of industrialization has turned the worker into a product or a commodity of the market. She states, The convergence of work and virtue (through methodical adherence to one’s ‘calling’)†¦set in place a type of citizen-worker that would subsequently come to typify modern forms of social organization. In modern society people have defined themselves and in turn have been socially defined, by the type of work that they do in the public sphere. (1995, p.28) In other words, the results of industrialization have led to the commodification of the individual as the individual derives his value from his work. The manner in which this is enabled is further evident in the current shift from an information based economy to a knowledge based economy as the value of the worker is considered to be dependent upon his knowledge. This shows how the nature of work within a post-industrial society has changed to the extent that the market has become dependent upon the mental labour and the mental knowledge of the worker [mental labour is considered to be the core of industrial activity] (Lawson, Jones, & Moores, 2000, p.99).   To a certain extent, one might note that this may prove to be beneficial for individual societies since the aforementioned paradigm shift has enabled the development of regional specialties and economies. Sabel (1999) states that the changes in the work paradigm within the post-industrial society has led to the development and growth of â€Å"twentieth century variants of industrial districts in Italy, West Germany, Japan, Denmark, Austria, France, and the United States† (p. 243). Such an assumption however may be considered as the result of a form of hasty generalization since although such developments have enabled organizations around to world to place greater focus upon the members of the workforce as well as upon the development of industrial districts around the world [the development of such is expected to pave the way for the industrialization of all countries and hence the development of these countries] such developments still place the worker in a disadvantaged position as he remains to be a commodity within the market whose value is dependent upon what the work system prescribes. References Bell, D. (1999).   The Axial Age of Technology, Foreword. The Coming of the Postindustrial Society.   New York: Basil Book. Casey, C. (1995). Work, Self, and Society: After Industrialism. London: Routledge. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2001.   Raising U.K. Productivity: Why People Management Matters. Davenport, T. (1999).   Human Capital: What It Is and Why People Invest.   San Francisco: Doubleday. Ernst & Young LLP. (1997). Measures that matter. Retrieved March 22, 2009 from www.cbi.cgey.com. Lawson, T., M. Jones, & R. Moores. (2000). Advanced Sociology Through Diagrams. Oxford: Oxford U.P. Lev, B. (2001). Intangibles: Management, measurement and reporting. Washington, DC: Brookings Inst. P. Sabel, C. (1999). Flexible Specialisation and the Re-emergence of Regional Economies. Modernity: Critical Concepts Ed. M. Waters. London: Taylor & Francis. Tsoukas, H. & Vladimirou, E. (2001). What is organizational knowledge? Journal of Management Studies, vol. 38, no.7. 973-93 Weatherly, L. (2003). Human capital-the elusive asset: Measuring and managing human capital: A strategic imperative for HR. Research Quarterly, Society for Human Resource Management. Weick, C. & Quinn, R. (1999). Organizational change and development.   Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 50: 361-386.

Eliezer’s Relationship with His Father Essay

In his book, Night, Elie Wiesel spoke about his experience as a young Jewish boy in the Nazi concentration camps. During this turbulent time period, Elie described the horrifying events that he lived through and how that affected the relationship with his father. Throughout the book, Elie and his father’s relationship faced many obstacles. In the beginning, Elie and his father have much respect for one another and at the end of the book, that relationship became a burden and a feeling of guilt. Their relationship took a great toll on them throughout their journey in the concentration camps. As the story begins, Wiesel said, â€Å"My father was a cultured man, rather unsentimental. He rarely displayed his feelings, not even with his family, and was more involved with the welfare of others than with that of his own kind†. Chlomo, Elie’s father, was well respected in the Jewish community of Sighet. In Sighet, numerous members of the community came to meet with him for many unknown reasons. Wiesel felt that his father devoted too much time to make others happy and not enough to time with his own family. When Elie decided to take his studies of religion into greater exploration, his father dismissed his idea and claimed that he was too young. This is proof that the two did not have a strong bond but many different views of how to do things in life. Their lives took a turn for the worst when the Wiesel family were forcefully taken and placed into cattle cars to Auschwitz, a concentration camp. Elie’s view began to change and he started to see his father as someone who he admires and did not want to lose. As the family arrived at Birkenau they are given the order â€Å"Women and children to the left. Men to the right. † Elie was young and could have gone with either his mother and sister or father, but instead he decided to stay with his father who would have stayed all by himself if Elie had not joined him. At this moment, he realized that he must hold on to his father in order for them to survive this nightmare. On their arrival at the camp, Elie’s father has an attack of colic and asked where the toilets where located. The Gypsy who was in charge, punched his father with such intensity that he fell down and squirmed back to his place in line. â€Å"I stood petrified. What had happed to me? My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent. † Wiesel goes through a rollercoaster of emotions when dealing with his father. At times, Chlomo became his only hope and the only reason that he did not die. At other times, he felt that his father was a burden and was pulling him down. He couldn’t march well or keep up with the others. Through all of this despair and anguish their bond became stronger than ever. When the Russians were close to Buna the Germans rounded up all the prisoners they could and evacuated the camp. Elie was in the infirmary due to an infection on his foot, but all he could think about was staying close to his father. They had already suffered and endured so much that it was not the time to be separated. After many days of running, marching, and a long train ride under horrendous weather they reached Buchenwald. By then Elie’s father was already sick and weak. The sirens began to wail and they were chased into the blocks. At this point, sleep was all that mattered to Elie, not his father. When Wiesel awoke the next morning he realized that he had forgotten his father and went out to look for him. He thought if he didn’t find him he would be able to use all his strength to continue his fight for survival†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Instantly, I felt ashamed, ashamed of myself forever†. Before his father died, Elie only heard his name â€Å"Eliezer†. Wiesel became haunted by this experience and tells the horrific events of the Holocaust hoping that no other person will ever have to experience a situation with their family like this again. In the end, Elie Wiesel who survived this terrible experience of the Holocaust learned that even in tough times small indifferences don’t seem to matter.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 13

â€Å"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,† Meredith said for the tenth time. Her usual y composed face was flushed, and her eyes were bright with unshed tears. Matt didn't remember ever seeing her so upset about something, especial y something that had ended up not being a big deal. Sure, Celia could have been hurt, but the car hadn't touched her. â€Å"I'm fine, real y I am, Meredith,† Celia assured her again. â€Å"I just didn't see you. I don't know how, but I didn't. Thank God for Alaric,† Meredith said, throwing a grateful glance at Alaric, who was sitting close beside her and rubbing her back. â€Å"It's okay, Meredith,† he said. â€Å"It's al okay.† Alaric seemed more concerned for Meredith than for Celia, and Matt didn't blame him. Babbling was pretty out of character for Meredith. Alaric wrapped his arms tightly around Meredith, and she visibly relaxed. Celia, on the other hand, tensed noticeably as Meredith leaned into Alaric's embrace. Matt traded a rueful glance with Bonnie. Then Stefan reached out and stroked Elena's shoulder absently, and Matt was surprised to feel a jealous pang of his own. Wasn't he ever going to get over Elena Gilbert? It had been more than a year since they dated, and about a century in experience. Bonnie was stil watching him, now with a speculative gleam in her eyes, and Matt shot her a bland smile. He'd just as soon not know what Bonnie saw in his face when he looked at Elena and Stefan. â€Å"Around this bend and up the slope is the Plunge,† he said to Celia, ushering her forward along the trail. â€Å"It's a little bit of a hike, but it's the best place around here for a picnic.† â€Å"Absolutely the best,† said Bonnie cheerily. â€Å"We can jump down the waterfal .† She fel in on Celia's other side, helping him to herd her away from the two couples, who were murmuring to one another softly as they fol owed behind. â€Å"Is that safe?† asked Celia dubiously. â€Å"Total y,† said Bonnie. â€Å"Everybody jumps the waterfal here, and nobody's ever gotten hurt.† â€Å"Usual y it's safe,† said Matt, more cautiously. â€Å"You and Meredith might want to think about not swimming, Celia.† â€Å"I hate this,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I hate having to be extracareful because of some dark thing that we don't know anything about. Everything should be normal.† Normal or not, it was a magnificent picnic. They spread their blankets on the rocks near the top of the waterfal . The smal fal s plummeted down the side of the cliff and ended in a deep pool of effervescent water, making a sort of natural fountain that spil ed into a clear bronze-green pool. Mrs. Flowers had packed salads and breads and desserts for them, as wel as meat and corn to gril on a hibachi Stefan had brought from the boardinghouse. They had more than enough food for a couple days of camping, let alone one lunch. Elena had stowed cold drinks in a cooler, and, after hiking up the trail in the Virginia summer heat, everyone was happy to crack open a lemonade or soda. Even Stefan took a water bottle and drank as he started heating the gril , although it was automatical y understood by everyone that he would not be eating. Matt had always found the fact that he never saw Stefan eating a little creepy, even before Matt knew he was a vampire. The girls squirmed out of jeans and tops to display their bathing suits, like caterpil ars transforming into butterflies. Meredith was tan and lean in a black one-piece. Bonnie was wearing a petite mermaid-green bikini. Elena wore a soft gold bandeau that went with her hair. Matt watched Stefan watching her appreciatively, and felt that little twist of jealousy again. Both Elena and Bonnie pul ed their T-shirts back on over their bathing suits almost immediately. They always did: Their pale skin burned instead of tanned. Celia lounged on a towel, looking spectacular in a casual yet daringly cut white swimsuit. The effect of the pure white against Celia's coffee-colored skin was amazing. Matt noticed Meredith's eyes passing over her and then glancing sharply at Alaric. But Alaric was too busy shucking down to a pair of red trunks. Stefan stayed out of the direct sunlight, remaining in his dark jeans and black T-shirt. Wasn't that a little creepy, too? Matt thought. Stefan's ring protected him from the sun's rays, didn't it? Did he stil have to stick to the shadows? And what was with the black clothing? Was he pretending to be Damon now? Matt frowned at the thought: One Damon had been more than enough. Matt shook his head, stretched his arms and legs, turned his face toward the sun, and tried to get rid of his thoughts. He liked Stefan. He always had. Stefan was a good guy. A vampire, a dry voice in the back of his mind noted, even a harmless one, can rarely be described as a good guy. Matt ignored the voice. â€Å"Let's jump!† he said, and headed toward the waterfal . â€Å"Not Meredith,† said Stefan flatly. â€Å"Not Meredith, and not Celia. You two stay here.† There was a little silence, and he glanced up from the gril to see his friends staring at him. He kept his face neutral as he returned their gazes. This was a life-or-death situation. It was Stefan's responsibility now to keep them safe, whether they liked it or not. He looked at them each in turn, holding their eyes. He was not going to back down. Meredith had risen to her feet to fol ow Matt to the fal s' edge, and she hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure how to react. Then her face hardened, and Stefan saw that she had chosen to take a stand. She stepped toward him. â€Å"I'm sorry, Stefan,† she said, her voice level. â€Å"I know you're worried, but I'm going to do what I decide I want to do. I can look after myself.† She moved to join Matt, who was standing at the edge of the cliff, but Stefan's hand whipped out to grab her wrist, his fingers as strong as steel. â€Å"No, Meredith,† he said firmly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bonnie's mouth drop open. Everyone was looking at him with puzzled, anxious faces, and Stefan tried to soften his tone. â€Å"I'm just trying to do what's best for you.† Meredith sighed, a long, gusty sound, and seemed to be making an effort to let go of some of her anger. â€Å"I know that, Stefan,† she said reasonably, â€Å"and I appreciate it. But I can't go through the world not doing the things I usual y do, just waiting for whatever this is to come get me.† She tried to move around him, but he sidestepped to block her way again. Meredith glanced at Celia, who threw up her hands and shook her head. â€Å"Don't look at me,† Celia said. â€Å"I have no urge to jump off a cliff. I'm just going to lie in the sunshine and let you al work this out yourselves.† She leaned back on her hands and turned her face toward the sun. Meredith's eyes narrowed and she whirled back to Stefan. As she was opening her mouth, Elena broke in. â€Å"What if the rest of us go first?† she suggested placatingly to Stefan. â€Å"We can make sure there's nothing clearly dangerous down there. And we'l be near her at the bottom. Nobody's ever been hurt jumping here, not that I've heard of. Right, guys?† Matt and Bonnie nodded in agreement. Stefan felt himself softening. Whenever Elena used her logical voice and her wide, appealing eyes, he found himself agreeing to plans that, in his heart of hearts, he thought were foolhardy. Elena pressed her advantage. â€Å"You could stand right by the water below, too,† she said. â€Å"Then, if there's any problem, you could dive in right away. You're so fast, you'd get there before anything bad could happen.† Stefan knew this was wrong. He hadn't forgotten that sick swoop of despair, of realizing he was too slow to save someone. Once again, he saw Damon's long, graceful leap toward Bonnie that had ended with Damon fal ing to earth, a wooden branch driven through his heart. Damon had died because Stefan was too slow to save him, too slow to realize the danger and save Bonnie himself. He'd also been too late to save Elena when she had driven off the bridge and drowned. The fact that she now lived again didn't mean he hadn't failed her then. He remembered her pale hair floating like seaweed in the chil y water of Wickery Creek, her hands stil resting on the steering wheel, her eyes closed, and shuddered. He had dived repeatedly before he found her. She had been so cold and white when he carried her to shore. Stil , he found himself nodding. What Elena wanted, Elena got. He would stand by and protect Meredith as best as he could, and he prayed, as far as a vampire could pray, that it would be enough. The rest of the friends stayed at the top while, down at the bottom of the fal s, Stefan surveyed the pool at his feet. The water sprayed up exuberantly from where the fal s hit the surface. Warm, pale sand encircled the pool's edges, making a tiny beach, and the center of the pool seemed dark and deep. Matt jumped first, with a long, wavering whoop as he plummeted. The splash as he hit the water was huge, and he seemed to stay submerged for a long time. Stefan leaned forward to watch the water. He couldn't see through the foam thrown up by the fal s, and an anxious quiver shot through his stomach. He was just thinking of diving in after him when Matt's sleek wet head broke the surface. â€Å"I touched the bottom!† he announced, grinning, and shook his head like a dog, throwing glittering drops of water everywhere. He swam toward Stefan, strong tan limbs moving powerful y, and Stefan thought how easy everything seemed for Matt. He was a creature of sunlight and simplicity, while Stefan was stuck in the shadows, living a long half-life of secrets and loneliness. Sure, his sapphire ring let him walk in the sun, but being exposed to the sunlight for a long time, like today, was uncomfortable, as if there were some kind of itch deep inside him. It was worse now that he was readjusting to a diet of animal blood again. His unease was yet another reminder that he didn't real y belong here. Not the way Matt did. He shrugged off his sour feelings, surprised at their emergence in the first place. Matt was a good friend. He always had been. The daylight must be getting to him. Bonnie jumped next, and surfaced more quickly, coughing and snorting. â€Å"Oof!† she said. â€Å"I got water up my nose! Ugh!† She pul ed herself out of the water and perched on a rock near Stefan's feet. â€Å"You don't swim?† she asked him. Stefan was struck with a flash of memory. Damon, tanned and strong, splashing him and laughing in one of his rare fits of good humor. It was hundreds of years ago now. Back when the Salvatore brothers had lived in the sunlight, back before even the great-grandparents of his friends had been born. â€Å"Not for a long time,† he answered. Elena jumped with the same casual grace as she did everything else, straight as an arrow toward the bottom of the fal s, her gold bathing suit and her golden hair gleaming in the sunshine. She was underwater for longer than Bonnie had been, and again Stefan tensed, watching the pool. When she broke the surface, she gave them a rueful grin. â€Å"I couldn't quite reach the bottom,† she said. â€Å"I was stretching and stretching down. I could see the sand, but the water pushed me back up.† â€Å"I didn't even try,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I've accepted that I'm too short.† Elena swam away from the bottom of the fal s and climbed onto the sand, settling next to Bonnie at Stefan's feet. Matt climbed out of the water, too, and stood near the fal s, gazing up critical y. â€Å"Just jump feetfirst, Meredith,† he cal ed teasingly. â€Å"You're such a show-off.† Meredith was poised at the edge of the fal s. She saluted them and then leaped into a perfect swan dive, arching swiftly toward the pool, disappearing smoothly beneath the water with barely a splash. â€Å"She was on the swim team,† Bonnie said conversational y to Stefan. â€Å"She has a row of ribbons and trophies on a shelf at home.† Stefan nodded absently, his eyes scanning the water. Surely Meredith's head would break the surface in a second. The others had taken about this long to reemerge. â€Å"Can I jump yet?† Alaric cal ed from above. â€Å"No!† Elena shouted. She rose to her feet and she and Stefan exchanged a worried glance. Meredith had been down there too long. Meredith surfaced, sputtering and pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. Stefan relaxed. â€Å"I did it!† she cal ed. â€Å"I – â€Å" Her eyes widened and she began to shriek, but her scream was cut off as she was abruptly yanked under the water by something they couldn't see. In the space of a breath, she was gone. For a moment, Stefan just stared at where Meredith had been, unable to move. Too slow, too slow, an internal voice taunted him, and he pictured Damon's face, laughing cruel y and saying again, So fragile, Stefan. He couldn't see Meredith anywhere under the clear, effervescent water. It was as if she had been taken suddenly away. Al of this flew through Stefan's head in only a heartbeat, and then he dived into the water after her. Underwater, he couldn't see anything. The white water from the fal s bubbled up, throwing foam and golden sand in front of him. Stefan urgently channeled his Power to his eyes, sharpening his vision, but mostly that just meant that now he could see the individual bubbles of the white water and the grains of sand in sharp relief. Where was Meredith? The bubbling water was trying to push him up to the surface, too. He had to struggle to move forward through the murky water, reaching out. Something brushed his fingers and he grabbed at it, but it was only a handful of slippery pondweed. Where was she? Time was running out. Humans could go without oxygen for only a few minutes before brain damage set in. A few minutes after that, there would be no recovery at al . He remembered Elena's drowning once more, the frail white shape that he had pul ed from Matt's wrecked car, ice crystals in her hair. The water here was warm, but would kil Meredith just as surely. He swal owed a sob and reached out frantical y again into the shadowed depths. His fingers found skin, and it moved against his hand. Stefan grasped whatever limb it was, tight enough to bruise, and surged forward. In less than a second more, he could see that it was Meredith's arm. She was conscious, her mouth tight with fear, her hair streaming around her in the water. At first he couldn't see why she hadn't come to the surface. Then Meredith gestured emphatical y, reaching to fumble at long tendrils of pondweed that had somehow become entangled with her legs. Stefan swam down, pushing against the white water from the fal s, and tried to work his hand under the pondweed to pul it off her. It was wrapped so tightly around Meredith's legs that he couldn't get his fingers beneath it. Her skin was pressed white by the strands. Stefan struggled for a moment, then swam closer and let Power surge into him, sharpening and lengthening his canines. He bit, careful not to scratch Meredith's legs, and pul ed at the pondweed, but it resisted him. A little late, he realized that the resilience of the plants must be supernatural: His Power-enhanced strength was enough to break bones, tear through metal, and should have had no problem with a bit of pondweed. And final y – so slow, he reprimanded himself, always just so damn slow – he realized what he was looking at. Stefan felt his eyes widen in horror. The tight strands of pondweed against Meredith's long legs spel ed out a name.