The eNotes Blog Fantasy Books for a Fantasy Land LA Times Festival of BooksHighlights

Fantasy Books for a Fantasy Land LA Times Festival of BooksHighlights This past weekend thousands- yes, thousands- of literature lovers descended upon the University of Southern California’s campus to celebrate 2012’s LA Times Festival of Books. In its second year at the USC location, the event proves that Los Angeles isn’t the pariah of the book world that many would make it out to be. In fact, the topics of several of its many panels and interviews seemed to reflect back on the unique surreality of Los Angeles itself; after all, what better place to discuss monsters, vampires, horror, fantasy, and all out bizarreness than in a land propagated by pure fiction itself? Besides the talks on California literature, discussions on progressing from page to screen, and the multitude of autobiography-toting celebrities stalking the grounds, a couple of panels delved deeper into the correlation between fiction and Los Angeles. One was Sunday’s â€Å"Whimsical Visions† panel, where surrealist writers Amelia Gray, Etgar Keret, Sara Levine, and Ben Loory converged. They talked about their preference for writing outlandish, fantastical elements in their stories. Keret said, â€Å"If you meet a girl and kiss her, and it feels like you’re floating in air, then why not write about floating in air? It’s a real feeling, and a real experience.† It’s the kind of theory that seems to fit into a city that makes no apologies for not grounding itself in reality. The name Los Angeles is synonymous with movies, of course, so their omnipresence at an LA-based book fair is still felt. Interestingly, one upcoming movie is less an adaptation of a single book than it is a 21st-century take on the collected works and life of Edgar Allen Poe. John Cusack was at the festival to speak about â€Å"The Raven†, which opens in cinemas this Friday. For any who haven’t seen the trailer, the movie follows Poe (Cusack) as he helps detectives try to catch a serial killer bent on torturing his victims in the style of the writer’s own stories. (Think â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum†- eek.) When asked what he did to prepare for the role, Cusack said that he read all of Poe’s work, which for him was, â€Å"like going into a nightmare, in a way.† Leave it to Hollywood to turn the bookish inventor of the detective novel into an action star. However, Cusack did promise that avid Poe fans would not be disappointed by the film’s inclusion of specific details and fun tidbits from the writer’s life. Lastly, another panel bent on the fantastical included none other than writers Melissa de la Cruz, Seth Grahame-Smith, Deborah Harkness, and Richard Kadrey. The conversation, titled â€Å"Fiction: Bump in the Night,† covered popular culture’s penchant for zombies, vampires, and monsters. And when these authors talk about their monsters of choice, they’re speaking about much more than a spook hiding under the bed. For Grahame-Smith, the vampires in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer (also being released as a movie) represent slavery; â€Å"They steal your life force to enrich themselves. That’s what slavery is.† De La Cruz, author of the popular occult series â€Å"Witches of East End† reasons why we need fantasy-horror in our lives: â€Å"Ten thousand years ago, we had to kill our food, fight cave dwellers and sabre-tooth tigers. Life was scary. Now we have Wi-Fi everywhere. But we still have that physical need to feel threatened, it’s a reaffirmation of life.† Kadrey said in the same panel, crime and horror is the literature of permission. His thoughts of indulgence bring me back to why the fantasy and surrealist authors present at this years festival seem so pertinent to Los Angeles. The city is pretty overlooked as a literary destination, and yet so much of fiction exists because readers and authors choose to revel in a facade, to escape reality. If LA is the land of the unreal, of the surreal, perhaps it is much more of a literary hub than we give it credit for.

my ride on a speedboat in the Atlantic Ocean. Essays

my ride on a speedboat in the Atlantic Ocean. Essays my ride on a speedboat in the Atlantic Ocean. Essay my ride on a speedboat in the Atlantic Ocean. Essay Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Description A descriptive essay is one that provides extensive details on the described subject helping the reader to create a mental picture of it. In this descriptive essay, I will describe my ride on a speedboat in the Atlantic Ocean. The trip was spectacular, and land seemed much more beautiful and green from the distance on the speedboat in comparison with the blue ocean. The sky was clear and bright making the ocean even more beautiful. The speedboat, which was white in color, was moving at a high speed leaving a rough water trail on the smooth surface of the ocean. It left waves that would disappear into the distance as we sped. I could feel the boat tilt at the front due to the resistance of the water mass to its high velocity. The breeze blowing on my face was cool despite the hot air at the beach. I had to wear my sunglasses to cover my eyes due to the high speed that caused turbulence in the air. It was, however, welcome as the smell of the breeze was fresh and different from the smell of polluted air on land. The trip made me realize that there were many wonders to be experienced as I felt like I was in a completely different place, and realized how little I appreciated the joys that the world had to offer. The difference between the smooth ocean and the turbulence created by the speedboat made me think of how people go through their lives at a fast pace, failing to appreciate the joys that life has to offer. Narration A narrative gives an account of connected events, which may be in written or spoken form. Narratives can be differentiated into categories such as non-fictional and fictional accounts of real historical events such as myths and legends. The following narrative falls under the fictional category of legends. It is an account of the legend Robin Hood. Robin Hood is a character who is part of the English folklore and is famous for his reputation of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor in accompaniment to his group of â€Å"Merry Men† (Lee et al. 2009). He was a great swordsman, archer and had exceptional skills in combat. Folklore portrays him and his gang as those living in Sherwood Forest where most of the early form of poetry took place, while other versions of literature claim that he hailed from Yorkshire. Most versions of this folklore present him as an individual who was neither a knight nor a peasant, but his character was in between the two personalities. He was famous for fearlessly fighting injustices against the poor. His life is shown as that full of adventure. In the woods of Sherwood Forest, he would poach the king’s deer, which was an illegal act. The legend of Robin Hood has been told for over six hundred years and has undergone different variations according to the location and the culture of the people telling the story. This can be attributed to the fact that during his time little was documented about his escapades leaving his story open for speculation. It is, therefore, difficult to determine the parts of the folklore that are true and which are fiction. Most of what is known of Robin Hood is from ballads such as Robin and the Knight, Robin and the Potter, Robin Hood and the Monk, Robin and the Curtal Friar, Robin and the Silver Arrow and The Death of Robin Hood (Lee et al. 2009). Exemplification An exemplification essay is one where one tries to explain something that is generalized to the reader by providing many examples to support his/her argument. In my exemplification essay, I will show that contrary to popular belief, the best cheap things in life end up being expensive in the long run. Most people in life love freebies, and previously, I would agree that there is more joy in using something that one has not paid for or worked hard to obtain. However, I came to learn the hard way that free things end up being far more expensive than earlier anticipated. For instance, there was an occasion in which my computer antivirus expired, and I decided to go the cheap way and download a free antivirus from the Internet. The antivirus software was supposed to protect my computer from viruses and intrusion for at least six months. However, within two weeks my computer had crashed, shutting down completely. I had to take it to a computer specialist to fix the problem. Clearly, the antivirus had not done its work and fixing the problem cost me a greater amount than purchasing a trusted antivirus would have. Most goods of higher quality are usually more expensive than other low quality goods. For example, when it comes to shoes, those made of leather are much more expensive than the rest. Due to their high quality they last longer than the others, proving to be more efficient in the end. This also applies to engine oil. Using higher quality engine oil will ensure that the vehicle’s engine requires less check-up, as a result, saving on maintenance costs. It is, therefore, true that cheap is expensive. Process A process essay is one that provides a step-by-step explanation of a task or an event. By following a process, the reader should be able to complete the task by following the steps indicated. In this essay, I will describe the process of growing radish. Radishes are fast maturing vegetables and are used in soups and salads (Planet Natural). The steps followed in growing them are as follows: The first step should be deciding the variety that one intends to plant The second step is the selection of a suitable site and land preparation. The third step will be to schedule the planting season as they flourish well in cool weathers. The planting depth should be determined and the seeds planted at the appropriate depth. The fifth step will be constantly watering the radish to ensure that grow fast and do not dry up. The sixth step is harvesting the radish, observing the correct procedure to prevent any damage. The last step cleaning and storing the radish after harvest. Work Cited Lee, Tony; Hart, Sam and Fujita, Artur, â€Å"Outlaw: the Legend of Robin Hood†, Candlewick, 2009. Print. Planet Natural, â€Å"Growing Radish†. 2012. Web. 29 May 2013.

The Impact of Technology on Education Research Paper

The Impact of Technology on Education - Research Paper Example In the present world,technology has an influence on almost every field of life.However,there are some fields where the impact of technology is more apparent than others.As Thadani states,â€Å"the latest developments in technology can be seen and felt in many industries,but there are some areas that have been benefited more than others† Some of those fields include long distance communication, nursing and healthcare, product design and manufacturing, ecommerce, and education. In this paper, we will discuss the impact of technology on education. The aim is to know how different technologies are making educational system more interactive and beneficial for teachers and learners. Education and technology are directly related to each other. Education feeds technology, which in turn, serves education (Fodje). Technology has become an essential part of all educational systems (Pratt). The reason is that the use of technology in classrooms has opened up a way towards an interactive l earning environment for students where they have an easy access to knowledge. In the present world, the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has become extremely important because of the wide range of benefits associated with it. In the field of education, ICT supports both teachers and learners in exchanging information and knowledge in such a way that communication distances between students and teachers become shorter and access to knowledge becomes easy.... Having discussed the need for using technology in educational sector, let us now discuss some of the ways technology is making the processes of teaching and learning easier for teachers and students respectively. Smart Boards Smart boards help teachers in presenting lectures to large audiences using big white screens. This technology not only benefits teachers in communicating knowledge to students but also helps students in learning the knowledge. Students usually take more interest in studies when their teachers make use of technology for knowledge transfer. As Dekunder states, â€Å"SMART Boards, which are made by SMART Technologies of Canada, are interactive whiteboards that are mounted to a wall, like a chalkboard, and connected to a computer and projector† (1). Here, an important point to mention is that smart board is a newer a technology than ordinary projectors. Using ordinary projectors, teachers cannot make any changes to the display being shown on the screen, where as smart boards have a touch sensitive screen using which one can touch the text and can make changes wherever needed. Smart boards play a major role in creating an interactive learning environment. Another advantage of using smart boards is that teachers do not need to sit behind the computer system all the time while delivering lectures; rather they can move in front of the white screen of smart board to edit the data or to move to the next page or slide. The impact of every technology is positive for education considering the ease they provide to both teachers and students. Smart board is one of those technologies the demand of which is increasing in the educational sector with every passing day because of their reliable and high

Internet and the Issues It Gave Birth to Assignment

Internet and the Issues It Gave Birth to - Assignment Example The present paper has identified that  the internet has a profound impact on culture, both good and bad. A culture can be defined in the simplest possible terms as the sum total of the ideologies, customs, rituals, language, and lifestyle of a people that sets them apart from other people. In fact, the world is filled with diverse cultures which have their roots reaching even the Stone Age. The first impact the internet has in this field is the assimilation of these cultures resulting in the creation of a world uniform culture. To elaborate, the coming of the internet hugely helped the spread of western culture throughout the world. As most Asian and African countries look westward for technology and development, they inadvertently take up the lifestyle of western civilization that is highly liberal in nature. Yet another terrible blow is the disappearance of regional languages and the dominance of English. As English is the language that is mostly used in higher researches and as it is the main language in use on the net, it becomes necessary for other people to adopt English as a means of communication, thus leading to the erosion and gradual demise of their regional languages. As stated in Forbes and Mahan, (Eds.) (135), since the primary language of the internet is English, it would transmit the elements of Western values including an emphasis on material goods, entertainment, sex, and romance. The way the dressing sense of the modern youth has changed is the most effective example of this influence. If one can see young people wearing jeans and t-shirts in all countries and cultures and if they are seen eating pizza and hotdogs forgetting their traditional food items, as everybody knows, it is the internet to be blamed. However, the other side of the argument, though quite feeble, is that the internet does not necessarily eliminate the values of indigenous cultures. As Nakamura (88-89) states, the internet has the potential for challenging western influe nce; and moreover, it can turn to be an effective device for non-western users. The author points out the example of New Media Center Sarai New Delhi which has developed software for indigenous non-literates. According to Lessig (10), people around the world have the opportunity to build and cultivate a culture; perhaps a cyber-culture that would reach beyond the local boundaries. Unfortunately, the internet offers people the opportunity to destruct their cultures too. Ethical issues associated with the use of internet Though the accurate meaning of ethics vary from culture to culture and people to people, there are certain universally accepted norms of ethics that distinguish humans from other animate and inanimate beings. One can undoubtedly say that the security and freedom provided by internet lure many people into forgetting their ethics and morality to enjoy the unlimited chances of enjoyment available on the net. The first one in this row is the adoption of pseudo-identity on the internet to cheat people. As everybody knows, it is possible to hide one's real identity and this provides people immeasurable chances of carnal pleasure, monetary frauds, and other innumerable ways of cheating. To be precise, the availability of porn sites which often impart biased views on sex is responsible for the increasing sexual atrocities or crimes against females throughout the world.

Saving-investment Behaviour in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Saving-investment Behaviour in Pakistan Essay Saving and investment are two key macro variables with micro foundations which can play a significant role in economic growth, inflation stability and promotion of employment especially if seen in the context of a developing country. For self-reliance and growth objectives, mobilization of domestic resources and their efficient utilization are the two major policy-oriented focuses today (Khan 1993). National savings are critically important to help maintain a higher level of investment which is a key determinant for economic uplift. Thereby, necessitating the analysis of saving-investment behavior and its determinants for policy implications; this is a demanding area because of continuing debate on the potential role of their determinants. In the United States, the total investment rate rose throughout the 1990s, reflecting mostly a rapid acceleration in the purchase of machinery and equipment by the business sector, notably in real terms. In contrast, the national saving rate remained flat during the 1990s, masking significant offsetting changes in the public and private sector components. As a result, the US current account deficit widened to 4.5 percent of GDP in 2000, before narrowing somewhat in the downturn. In Japan, although both national saving and investment rates trended down during the 1990s, their levels are still well above the OECD average. Such high levels are not easy to justify, especially in the case of the investment considering the weak output growth performance. In the case of saving also, it is not clear that the substantial demographic transition ahead, together with other factors, can fully account for the high saving rate. Parallel declines in saving and investment have left the Japanese current account surplus in a range of 2 to 2.5 percent of GDP. (www.oecd.org/dataoecd/2/40/2726831.pdf). According to this website, there are factors driving developments in investment and saving. The rise in total investment in most countries during the 1990s was largely concentrated in the business sector, where spending on capital goods accelerated sharply, especially in volume terms. In fact, after moving more or less in line with real output throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, real business investment pulled away in the following years in some Countries. The other factor is development in saving rate. After being on a trend decline throughout the 1970s and 1980s, gross national saving rates have stabilized or risen in a large number of OECD countries since the early 1990s. Notable exceptions to this pattern are Germany, where the national saving rate continued to decline until 1995 and has remained flat since then, and Japan, where it has trended down throughout the past decade, although it remains higher than elsewhere. Developments in public-sector saving have been the dominant influence on the direction of changes in national saving in the 1990s. In most countries, both actual and cyclically-adjusted budget deficits have either turned into comfortable surpluses or at least moved in a direction that has contributed to an increase in total national saving. At the same time, the rebound in the government saving rate in the second half of the 1990s has been accompanied by a substantial decline in private-sector saving, in a few cases completely offsetting the rise in public saving. Africa achieved relatively high growth rates in the first decade of the twenty-first century, culminating in a continent-wide average growth rate of 6.1 percent in 2007. Although rates varied across the continent, this relatively fast growth was generally shared, with several countries experiencing growth rates that exceeded their population growth rates, thus leading to increases in per capita income. This rapid growth was generally due to increased investment financed by high commodity prices, resource extraction, foreign direct investment (FDI) and inflows of other foreign resources, as well as macroeconomic stability and better economic management.( Economic Report on Africa 2010 ) According to this report, although, there is scant evidence that inflation reduction in many African countries achievements was accompanied by increased investment, economic growth and diversification, and robust employment creation in these countries. Investment increment contributed to the significant decline in inflation rates in many countries. In Ethiopia, Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been increasing during the last ten years. Out of the total investment projects licensed during 1992-2002, FDI’s share was about 20%. Ethiopia remains an untapped and unexploited market for investors compared to neighboring countries like Sudan and Uganda. France, Germany, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States are the major sources of FDI. Out of the total 392 FDI projects licensed by 2003, 12.7% were in agriculture and mining, 46.57% in manufacturing and processing, and 40.7% in trade, hotels, and tourism. (An investment guide to Ethiopia opportunities and conditions, 2004) According to this investment guide, there is untapped and unexploited Area of investment opportunity. Basically, these opportunities are available in Agriculture and related activities, Health services, Mining, Hydro power, Tourism and Manufacturing for both domestic and abroad investors. Particularly Ethiopian investors also can invest in the financial sector in the country. To support and appreciate investment practice in Ethiopia there is Technical and financial support. The Ethiopian Investment Commission, the Ministry of Trade, the Development Bank of Ethiopia and other government institutions provide financial and technical support for research projects, provide market information, and monitor production and export statistics for the industry. The Ethiopian Manufacturing Industries Association and the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce provide the relevant trade and technical information. The Government also encourages floriculture by allocating land and providing infrastructure. (An investment guide to Ethiopia opportunities and conditions, 2004)

Lost Love Essay -- essays research papers

My Lost Love It was ever so dark that evening. It hurt to look at her. It was like looking at my heart barely beating on the floor. I couldn't stand it. Love never hurt me this much. I can't believe this happened. Why me? Why her? Why us? In an instant it was over. I remember the first time we met. It was actually kind of funny. She was walking her dog. Actually, the dog was walking her. I was reading a poem and walking along. When all of the sudden, we collided. The second I looked up into her eyes, I fell for her harder than an avalanche off of Mount Everest. I think she felt the same way because we didn't look away for what seemed like 5 hours. We talked in the park for about an hour and a half. She told me her name was Kristeen Thorne and told me that she was a new student at Orangeville High School; the same school I attended. We found that we had six out of seven classes together, which was a very good thing. I asked her to go out with me that Friday night. We went to the movies first, and then we went to Vinnie Vicci's Italian restaurant. The date was perfect and the person I was with made the date seem like Heaven. We dated non- exclusively for about one month. On our one month anniversary, I gave her my letter jacket which I earned playing varsity football. And while I did that, I asked her to date exclusively. She answered my question so fast I didn't realize that she said yes. We started going out together almost every weekend and talked on the phone all night and walked with each other to class everyday, and I gave her a ride to and from school everyday. We had been going out for about 3 months. The student body voted us cutest couple of the year. We had to get our pictures taken for the year book. We went to the spring dance together and were voted the king and queen of the dance. Then the school year came to an end. That summer we spent most of the time together. We went to Kyber Lake for the Fourth of July weekend. My dad let us borrow his boat for the weeken d, and we stayed at a camp ground. On Friday, when we got there, I took the boat for a test drive to see if it was still running. It's was working. I took her to the little secret cove that only I knew. We stayed in that cove for about 2 hours just talking and kissing and gazing at each other. At that time, the only thing I was hoping for was that this moment never would end. When I look... ...d all he can do is stare. Tell my sister not to cry. Tell Dad to be brave. And when I go to heaven, put "Daddy's Girl" on my grave. Someone should have told him, not to drink and drive. If only they had told him, I would still be alive. My breath is getting shorter. I'm becoming very scared. Please don't cry for me. When I needed you, you were always there. I have one last question, before I say good bye. I didn't drink and drive, so why am I the one to die?" " I know I have to get on with my life, but I will always love and cherish you. Our love will always be like the stars eternal shine." I said as I wiped the tears from my face. " One more thing before I go, I love you! Remember that!" I looked at her grave imagining her face. I stood there for a couple of minutes not saying a word. Then I turned and began to walk to my car. When I got into the car, I sat there, remembering, one at a time, all the things we did together. The final thing I sa w was the twinkle in her eye and the smile on her face when she promised me that she would never leave me. Then I drove home knowing, I would never get to kiss her sweet, gentle lips good night ever again.

Whistle Man Essay

Brian Ridden, is an entertaining book for teens that reflects the Australian identity In several ways. This is because It recaps real events, through the eyes of an ordinary orphan named Garret Clan. Garrett does this by revealing how the characters, setting and plot during the sass's In Australia, represents the Australian Identity. In this fabulous book, Ned Is shown as a hero due to Garrett, though It doesn't give enough evidence about the other side of him. Firstly, the characters exemplify what Australia was like back in the day, with its main focus Ewing on Ned Kelly.Ned Kelly who is the most likely story hero from Australia's history is known by Garrett to have many terrific values. This is shown in the book when Garrett quoted, â€Å"Ned has a good heart as all he wants to do is to help the Irish poor. † Although Whistle Man is really Garret's story. The two extreme ways of Kelly (the local murderer and the uncontrolled bush ranger), are the choices that also face Garr ett over the years as he grows to maturity. â€Å"Should he work Joyfully to build his own farm and life, or should he follow in the footsteps of End's crusade? ‘ quoted on age 112.Secondly, the setting of this book Is In Victoria which was at a time when most of the Australian population lived In the farming towns and most people had an Irish background. This was quoted after Garrett was tired of doing chores and said â€Å"Most of us are living on farms and are Irish-born, but no other people has to do as much work as what I have to do on the farms†. The setting during the sass's in Australia was considerably different to what it is like now. This is because now when you look around the streets you see most people living in the city with a mix of diverse backgrounds.Though in sass's, all the people who you would see were â€Å"white† Australians who lived in country towns. Thirdly, the plot demonstrates the Australian identity in a number of ways. Brian Riddle 's new story, Whistle Man, achieves this by highlighting the choices that shape a person's life. This is shown from Garrett Clan, who encounters Ned Kelly in 1874. â€Å"Ned was four years older than me and was the tough bushman who I wanted to be†, said Garrett. Garrett, an orphan raised by an old family friend, worships the courteous and untroubled Ned. Ned, In return, helps find him work and his own horse.But he also tries to steer Garrett clear of the local land politics that would soon create a phenomenal bush ranging story. Lastly, Whistle Man is an excellent addition to the many stories about Ned Kelly and embodies the Australia identity through several themes. The first theme is to choose your own destinies in what you desirably believe in. This was shown as it presents Ned as a believable person, who despite what anyone else thought, was determined to help the Irish poor. This was also quoted by Garrett who said â€Å"Ned is very determined to help the Irish poor an d I am going to help him achieve this†.The second theme is that we must all make our own admiration but In return respect others. This was shown in the book after Garrett was about to leave and Magnums said â€Å"l noticed before you didn't respect yourself so you disrespected others, but now you have found that respect In your heart and I am beginning to see the major transformation. † To conclude, Whistle man Is an Incredible book that showcases the Australian identity through the characters. Setting, plot and themes. The reader sees the choices made that lead to some tragedies.

A critical appreciation of Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale” Essay

John Keats, a poet of the romantic era, composed this poem in the spring of 1819. Being a poet of the Romantic era, he was a Nature lover, but instead of looking at Nature as a guide or teacher, he was in pursuit of beauty within Nature. The romantic poets emphasized on emotions, they believed in the power of imagination and experimented with new ideas and concepts. Keats is generally considered the most tragic of the Romantic poets as he was faced by a series of sad experiences in his life. The poem was written a few months after the death of the poet’s brother. Ode to a Nightingale is one of the five â€Å"spring ode’s † composed by Keats. He emphasized on sensuousness, that is, his works appealed to all the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. An ode is a lyric, which is lofty in style and is usually addressed formally to its subject. Greek and Roman mythology were inspiration for his poetry. Medieval elements and romances and Arthurian legends were incorporated into his poetry. He had the gift of a vivid and picturesque imagination that fills his poetry with a brilliant sense of imagery. The poet begins by explaining the nature and cause of the sadness he is experiencing. This sadness is converted into physical ache and â€Å"drowsy numbness†. He feels as if he might have consumed some sort of drug to ease his pain, this resembles the qualities of the Lethe, a river in Hades, the underworld, where the dead drank and went into total oblivion and lost all senses. The feeling is a result of the deep awareness of happiness of the nightingale he hears singing; his resulting pleasure is so intense it has become painful. The nightingale is referred to the â€Å"light winged Drayad of the trees†, implying that it is a tree nymph. Dwelling amidst the darkness of the trees in a forest, it sings unconstrained. The poem shows the contrast between the poet, who is earthbound and the nightingale, which is free and possesses seemingly ethereal qualities. The poet uses alliterative sounds produced by the repetition of ‘d’ (‘drowsy’, ‘dull’, ‘drunk’ and ‘drains’), ‘m’ (‘my, ‘dumb’, ‘hemlock and ‘minute’) and ‘p’ (‘pains’, ’emptied’, ‘opiate’, ‘past’). In the second stanza, Keats longs for some intoxicant, â€Å"a draught of vintage†, which will help him to achieve a union with the nightingale, allowing him to forget his suffering and despair which will take him out of the mutability of all experiences in the mortal world. To him, a glass of this wine will transport him into that joyous world of the nightingale. He says that this red wine, will inspire him more than the colourless waters of the Hippocrene, which is the fountain of the muses, a source of poetic inspiration. He desires to be completely absorbed in the bird’s song. He wants to â€Å"fade away† with the nightingale, to drown all his sorrows and miseries and forget the unhappiness, the unhappiness that the nightingale has never experienced. The nightingale, according to the poet has not been tainted by the ‘ weariness’ ‘the fever ‘ and ‘ the fret’ and therefore would not be accustomed to human suffering or unhappiness. In the line â€Å"to think is to be full of sorrow†, Keats seems to imply that if a being has any perception of itself or its surroundings, then it would certainly be habituated to misery. Keats then goes on to explain another cause of sadness that beauty is transient and it gradually loses its lustre. He also explains that separation is inevitable and one will invariably have to be separated from his or her loved ones. His desire to die is not because he wanted to be extinct but that he wanted to be in a world that is closed by contentment, that is, the bird’s world. Keats decides against relying on Bacchus, the Greek god of wine and instead hopes to rely on the â€Å"viewless wings of Poesy’. This shows that he still wants to escape from the misery but instead of drinking he would rather escape through the world of fantasy and imagination. For him, the outlet to his pent up emotions is poetry. He says that whatever light or happiness that penetrates through the thick foliage in the forest, he will bask in its glory and accept with all humility. The fifth stanza continues with paradoxical ideas, although the natural beauty of his environment is physically denied from him, it is not withheld from his mind’s eye. The â€Å"embalmed darkness† signifies that darkness is  soothing when one does not want to be disturbed and wishes peace. He says that the vegetation is so thick and he cannot see, but he is still able to describe the â€Å"grass†, â€Å"the thicket† and the â€Å"fruit-tree wild† as if they were commonly found in the material world. He says that the smell of the flowers was so sweet and so invigorating that the flies were intoxicated by their fragrance. Keats refers to the nightingale as a â€Å"darkling † this signifies the dark and sad feeling represented by the nightingale. The poet realises that the ultimate form of escape from the troubles of life would be death. He realises that death will take away his pain and put and end to all his tribulations. He calls to death like a lover as he says, â€Å"I have been half in love with easeful death†. Death at such a moment, listening to the nightingale pouring forth its soul in ecstasy, would be an ultimate ending to his life. Keats, being a master of paradox, speaks of the natural art of the bird’s song which is associated with the high requiem which indicates mortality and the plaintive anthem is associated with mortality. In stanza seven, he says that although all humans must die, the nightingale is in a sense eternal through its song. He says that human life dies, but the beauty of something as special as the nightingale’s song will live forever. Keats thinks about the classical world of emperors and of Ruth, and considers how the song has been heard for many centuries. Keats also talks of â€Å"Charm’d magic casements, opening on the foam/ of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn†. This signifies that the song, a thing of beauty lasts forever and perhaps possesses the power of introducing one to a world of fantasy. With the use of the word â€Å"forlorn â€Å", the poet is transported back into the world of reality. The phrase â€Å"the fancy cannot cheat so well/ as she is famed to do, deceiving elf† shows that the power of perception and imagination stimulated by the bird has cheated him and that it cannot take him away from the world that he is a part of. The same music, which instigated him to take his own life, now brings him back to the realm of reality. The song gradually fades out and is now â€Å"buried deep /In the next  valley -glades†. Keats is unable to decipher the real world from the illusionary and wonders if the song was a â€Å"vision† or a â€Å"waking dream†. The monotonous song is not a part of his world any longer and he is away from that world of stupor. The ode to a nightingale according to me is an amalgamation of an attempt to escape from the sorrows of life and an acceptance of the human conditions accompanied by human suffering. It showcases Keats’s path to realisation and his transition beyond the mundane world which is full of â€Å"sorrow / And leaden-eyed despairs† to the mystical universe of Nature.

Book Summary of LIVING WITH CHINA essays

Book Summary of LIVING WITH CHINA essays This is a book Summary I did for an International Polictics Course. I do not wish to have my name published, because if the teacher found out I submitted it I would be expelled. I attend SUNY in NY, USA. I recieved an A on this paper. The only comments she made was that I needed to replace the Whichs with thats Living With China: U.S. -China Relations in the Twenty-First Century is a book edited by Ezra F. Vogel which assess the political, economic, and human rights issues which the U.S. must consider in developing a consistent and mutually beneficial foreign relations policy toward China in the twenty- first century. Tension between U.S.- China relations date back to World War Two. Additionally, the Tienanmen Square incident in 1989, further aggravated U.S.-China relations. Since the end of the Cold War, and especially since 1991, the United States has had no consistent foreign policy in regards to China. This book is a compilation of background papers, from numerous authors, which were written for the November 1996, American Assembly meeting whose purpose was to discuss and work to reach a consensus on U.S.-China relations. The essays deal with the issues that will mold future relations with China. The book consists of an Introduction, eight chapters and an Address to The American Assembly given by Senator Sam Nunn. The introduction gives a brief overview of political events and history which have led to the then current (1997) state of relations between the United Sates and China. In addition, it gives a concise, clear summary of what issues China and the U.S. agree upon and which issues they do not. The most notable disagreements between U.S. and China are over Taiwan and Tibet, and human rights. The introduction further goes on to include a summary of each chapter in the book. The eight chapters include topics on issues over Tawain, Tibet, Hong Kong, the Tiananmen Squar...

Torture and Terrorism in the Modern World

Torture and Terrorism in the Modern World Torture inflicts severe pain to force someone to do or say something and has been used against prisoners-of-war, suspected insurgents and political prisoners for hundreds of years. In the 1970s and 1980s, governments began to identify a specific form of violence called terrorism and to identify prisoners as terrorists. This is when the history of torture and terrorism begins. While many countries practice torture against political prisoners, only some name their dissidents terrorists or face potential threats from terrorism. Torture and Terrorism Around the World: Governments have used systematic torture in conflicts with rebel, insurgent or resistance groups in long-running conflicts since the 1980s. It is questionable whether these should always be called terrorism conflicts. Governments are likely to call their non-state violent opponents terrorists, but only sometimes are they clearly engaged in terrorist activity. Israeli Supreme Court License to Torture RulingRussian torture in the Chechnya warEgyptian torture of domestic and foreign terrorists Detainee Interrogation Practices Considered to be Torture: The issue of torture in relation to terrorism was raised publicly in the United States in 2004 when news of a 2002 Memorandum issued by the Justice Department for the CIA suggested that torturing Al Qaeda and Taliban detainees captured in Afghanistan might be justified to prevent further attacks on the U.S. A subsequent memo, requested by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2003, similarly justified torture on detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Definition of TortureHoodingSleep Deprivation and  WaterboardingAmerican torture methodsThe Crucifixion of Manadel Al Jamadi, Abu Ghraib Prison Detainee Terrorism and Torture: Selected Reports and Legislation Since 9/11: In the years immediately preceding the 9/11 attacks, there was no question that torture as an interrogation practice is out-of-bounds for American military personnel. In 1994, the United States passed a law prohibiting the use of torture by American military under any circumstances. Furthermore, the U.S. was bound, as a signatory, to comply with the 1949 Geneva Convention, which prohibits torturing prisoners-of-war. After 9//11 and the beginning of a Global War on Terror, the Department of Justice, Department of Defense and other offices of the Bush Administration issued a number of reports on whether aggressive detainee interrogation practices and suspending Geneva Conventions is legitimate in the current context. Here are rundowns of a few key documents. 2002: Justice DepartmentTorture Memo2003: Defense Department Working Group Report, Detainee Interrogation in the Global War on Terror2006: Bush and Senate Agree to New Legislation2006: Military Commissions Act International Conventions Against Torture: Despite ongoing debates about whether torture is justified against terrorism suspects, the world community finds torture consistently finds torture repugnant under any circumstances. Its not a coincidence that the first of the declarations below appeared in 1948, just after the end of the Second World War. The revelation of Nazi torture and science experiments performed on German citizens in World War II produced a global abhorrence of torture, anytime, anywhere, conducted by any party- but especially sovereign states. International Conventions Against Torture1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights1948 European Convention on Human Rights1955 Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights1969 American Convention on Human Rights1975 World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo1975 Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Torture1984 Convention Against Torture Also see: Human Rights and Terrorism: An Overview \ Torture Interrogation in a Time of Terror: Analysis of Legal Issues

Writing about Construction Sequence of a Storage Ponds Research Paper

Writing about Construction Sequence of a Storage Ponds - Research Paper Example The stored water can be used for irrigation, and also fighting fire.But for the Forest Hills Metropolitan District Storage Pond Development, the new storage ponds would be used for â€Å"Water Augmentation purposes (releasing water from the ponds back into the Bear Creek watershed for use by water users downstream with senior in the event of a forest fire. It is however important that the basic procedure in the construction of a pond is followed so that the owner can come up with a top quality pond that is easy to maintain (Hyde & Perry 5). The first step in this process is finding a good location for the pond. This process is more important than the actual pond construction. Most sites are unsuitable for pond construction and whether the construction is inch perfect or not, the pond will fail if the site is not good enough. It is therefore important to analyze the safety of the area, topography, geological makeup, features of the drainage area and the water holding ability of the s oil in that particular area. Pond safety When planning for a pond, do not ignore the chances of the pond failing and in addition to the damage that can be caused by the rapidly released water. It is therefore important to locate the pond in an area where such a failure cannot cause damage to infrastructure or risk the lives of people or livestock. If it has to be in such an area, it is important to seek the services of an engineer who can come up with a design that is safe and fail proof. The site should not have any underground cables or pipelines as they can be broken or cause injury during excavation. This should also be the case to areas with electricity lines crossing above as they could be caught by a fishing line if they hang low. Water bodies attract different sorts of people from children to adults, this applies to ponds as well. It is therefore important to make the pond safe for activities like fishing. The pond owner should have any stumps removed so that boat riders sho uld not have any trouble when having fun in the pond (Hyde & Perry 7). Soils in the Pond The texture of soil can vary depending of the depth and might change strongly over a short distance. For the site to be appropriate for a pond, the soil has to be able to hold water. The soil layer should be thick in order to prevent excessive leaks, clay soil is recommended for pond construction since their texture is good and even better when it is a mixture of sand and clay. Sands with course textures do not hold water and are not recommended. A mixture of sand and gravel is even worse. In case a part of the pond has poor soil, it can be made impervious by adding betonies clay, this is however an expensive affair and it is advisable that an alternative pond site is chosen (Hyde & Perry 10).The profile of the soil beneath the damn should be studied as well because if it is not impervious, the water can seep away in the long run and therefore the foundation of the pond should be sealed using im pervious soil to make seepage impossible. Geology Building a pond in areas with limestone deposits is risky since the area might have invisible crevices which could make the pond to leak, such areas even have granular soils which leak even when wet. Such sites should have a thorough investigation done of them so that it is certain that they can hold water. Topography The cost of construction of a pond mainly depend on the lay of the land since if a pond with a high storage volume is needed, the site should have a low earth fill so that excavation work does not cost too much. A site with two ridges towering over either sides is good since it allows a large area to be flooded with ease. These areas also reduce the chances of some areas of the pond having shallow water. Excavated ponds are

Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Buddhism - Research Paper Example His followers believe him to have become an enlightened person who knew about the subtle realities of life and discovered that the reason there exists suffering is due to a constant desire to either crave for something or avert something (Ba Khin & Confalonieri, 1999, 168). According to the Buddha, if one took control of such desires completely, one would end his suffering and become awakened and would have reached the state known as nirvana (Ba Khin & Confalonieri, 1999, 168). This brings me to my research statement which would be to discover whether Buddhism seems to revolve around the life and teachings of the Buddha alone or the ultimate end of suffering by controlling craving and ignorance is the main motive of following this religion? Since Buddhism took shape from Asia it still remains to garner the most following from this part of the world, however it is observed to be practiced the world over. It is not easy to estimate the number of Buddhists currently in the whole world s ince it is practiced differently in some parts of the world. Since at the time of the Buddha there were no methods to write, all the teachings of the Buddha were memorized and passed down through disciples and followers. Later on the teachings were gathered and written down. Due to this fact, different schools of thought in Buddhism differ on the perfect formula to attain liberation from the suffering of the world, the authenticity of various teachings and scriptures as well as ensuing practices? Three basic pillars serve as the foundation of Buddhist teachings and are known as the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings), and the Sangha (the community) (Kozak, 2011, 66). All Buddhists need to follow and adhere by the three jewels and their religion is considered incomplete without fully adhering to these concepts. Other practices may include renouncing the material world to follow on the path of their founder, and developing mindfulness of their surroundings through the practice of meditation. 2. Life of the Buddha According to various narratives, Siddhartha Gautama was a young prince about whom an astrologer once prophesized that he would renounce worldly lifestyle to become a holy man, if he saw life outside his palace (Zamosky, 2007, 7). In an attempt to avert this, his father the king, prevented his son from leaving until Siddhartha Gautama finally ventured out of the palace at the age of 29 and saw the suffering outside his palatial life (Zamosky, 2007, 8). His encounters made him abandon royal life and set out to discover spirituality. He soon found out that craving for something or the other was the main cause of suffering in humans, thus when this cause know as ‘craving’ is controlled, so is suffering. 3. Causes of Suffering and its Solution a. The Four Noble Truths According to various historians, the ‘Four Noble Truths’ were one of the primary teachings imparted by Gautama Buddha to his disciples after he had re ached Nirvana. On close observation it becomes apparent that they contain the same theme located in the Buddha's teachings: Everyone encounters suffering in life in one way or another. Craving for something is the desire to become happy with the acquisition of that thing. Another version of craving is when you seek to avoid something and that is known as aversion. Both craving and aversion lead to eventual suffering. The only way to end suffering is to stop