Charlie Wilson’s War

For the second portion of my summer assignment I watched Charlie Wilson’s War. Throughout the movie the various governments affected many of the individuals. The movie is set in the cold war where the United states would not openly oppose the USSR. When the United States took action against the Soviets it had to be done covertly. Charlie Wilson was a U. S. Congressman who decided to help the Afghans in there battle against the Soviets. During the movie Charlie tells of how he originally became interested in politics, When he was a boy his twisted neighbor Charles Hazard, an elected city official, poisoned his dog Teddy. To get back at Mr. Hazard, Charlie went out and got a farming drivers permit and drove voters out to the polls, saying before they went to vote, â€Å"Not to influence your vote, but Charles Hazard poisoned my dog. † It was at this moment that Charlie decided that he wanted to be involved in the government, because through the democratic process he was able to get what he wanted. When faced with the conundrum of how to transport all of the weapons into Afghanistan Charlie asked the President of Pakistan to get involved. The Pakistani president would have not have had to do this step of being a â€Å"middle-man† if the US would have declared war with the USSR, but because of the necessity of covert operations the president of Pakistan had to become involved and risk his country to help the United States and Afghanistan. For Charlie to convince the chairman of the committee overseeing covert operations in the area to vote in his favor he said that he must get a blind pakistani girl out of jail, the girl was put in there because she was raped, and there were not enough witnesses to prove her innocence. The chairman said that if the President of Pakistan released her then he would vote in Charlie’s favor. Because of Pakistan’s Policies the girl was put in jail because she was not able to provide a description of her attacker. Also many Sheep herds were killed by the Soviets Helicopter Pilots.

Virgil’s Aeneas and Dido Essay

Love Stories Introduction Virgil’s Aeneas and Dido   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This romantic story has been in existence for decades. It is therefore evident that it is one of the most narrated romantic stories. It is a love story between Dido and Aeneas, a Trojan soldier (Virgil 21). After the shipwreck, Aeneas and his troop had no option but to seek refuge in Carthage, which was ruled by Dido. When Dido spots Aeneas, she immediately falls in love with him, hence, allows his troops to stay in Carthage. Although Dido admires Aeneas, she does not want to fall in love with him. This is because she wishes to remain loyal to her dead husband (Virgil 12). Her sister however convinces her into falling in love with Aeneas. According to Anna, Dido’s sister, falling in love with Aeneas will be beneficial to Carthage since it will become mightier than before (Virgil 51). Although Dido developed the perception that she and Aeneas were married, this was not the case for Aeneas. This is because after a short period of stay in Carthage, Aeneas decided to leave for Italy. Dido tried to prevent him from leaving but this did not bear any fruits since Aeneas was acting in response to the gods that had visited him at night. When Aeneas finally left Carthage, Dido was left in tears to the extent that she opted to end her life. Strengths and Weakness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This story can be equated as one of the best stories ever written. This is because it has a number of strengths in it. For instance, Dido portrays real love to her dead husband. According to Virgil (12), Dido had sworn never to fall in love again after the death of her husband. This is enough proof that she was quite loyal. The other aspect of real love that comes out in this story is the manner in which Dido falls for Aeneas. It is because of her love towards Aeneas that makes Dido allow the Trojan soldiers to stay in Carthage. Dido’s love for Aeneas was strong to the extent that she did not want her to leave cartage. It was because of the passion she had for Aeneas that made her decide to end her life the day she realized that Aeneas had left her for Italy. Although this story has a number of strengths, it also has several weaknesses as well. For instance, although Dido was in love with Aeneas, this was not the case for Aeneas. Th is is because Aeneas did not seem interested in Dido. This brings out the fact that Aeneas took advantage of Dido’s and was never in love with her. Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story is about a romantic relationship that blossomed between Psyche and Cupid, the son of Venus, who was the goddess of love.According to the story, Psyche was quite beautiful to the extent that Venus, the goddess of love, developed hatred for her (Apuleius 39). He asked her son, cupid, to go and stab her. However, cupid was stunned by Psyche’s beauty to the extent that he stabbed himself instead. Cupid immediately falls in love with Psyche and gradually a relationship blossoms between the two. The most interesting thing about this love is that psyche was not allowed to see the man she was in love with. Out of curiosity, Psyche decides to see who his suitor was. When Cupid was fast asleep, Psyche uses the lamp to know the identity of her lover (Apuleius 26). She is surprised to learn that it was Cupid. Cupid is not happy with psyche; hence, he abandons her and goes back to Venus. Psyche is not ready to let her lover go, hence, she goes to Venus and requests to be allowed to see Cupid (Apuleius 39). Venus is not comfortable seeing Cupid with Psyche, hence, she assigns her difficult tasks in a move to get rid of her. To Venus’ surprise, Psyche accomplishes all these tasks. Cupid finally comes to her rescue and transforms her into a goddess; this implied that she was immortal. Strength and Weakness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unlike the previous story, this one tends to have more strength; hence, it stands a chance becoming the best love story ever written. This is because the story brings out the extent that one can go in the name of seeking love. For instance, although Cupid and Psyche were from two different worlds, they were able to finally marry each other and live happily. Similarly, the power of love is seen when Psyche decides to go search for Cupid (Apuleius 39). Although Psyche was aware that Cupid’s mother was never pleased with her, she still went to Venus to Inquire about Cupid’s whereabouts. Psyche’s love for Cupid is also seen when she accomplishes all the difficult tasks she was given by Venus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The only weakness about this story is the fact that there are a number of unrealistic aspects in it. For instance, it is quite unrealistic for Cupid, a god, to marry Psyche who was a human being. Additionally, the fact that Psyche was finally transformed into a goddess also brings out the unrealistic aspect of this story. Human beings are mortal; hence, it is not possible for them to be transformed into gods and goddesses, which implies that they cannot become immortal. Dante’s Paolo and Francesca   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is a story about Francesca, the daughter to the lord of Ravenna, and Gianciotto, the son to the lord of Rimini. These two cities had continuously been engaged in war. In order to end the continuous conflicts, an agreement be made. The two lords agreed to marry off their children in a move to have a lasting solution to the warfare (Singleton). Since Gianciotto was disabled and ugly, he did not attend the wedding ceremony. Paolo was the youngest brother to Gianciotto. He was picked to represent Gianciotto since he was handsome and good-looking and it was obvious that Francesca would fall in love with him. The plan proceeded well since Francesca did not know the truth until the following morning when she woke up besides Gianciotto (Singleton). Although she is angry, nothing could be done about it since she was already a married woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, since Francesca had fallen in love with Paolo, a secret relationship blossomed between the two (Singleton). After several years, the secret finally came to light when Gianciotto walked on them while they were behind closed door. This discovery angered Gianciotto to the extent that he decided to kill Paolo. However, when he swung the rapier, Francesca rushed between them and the rapier ended up cutting through Francesca’s bosom before finally slitting through Paolo, hence, killing both of them on the spot (Singleton). Strength and Weakness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although it has a tragic end, it is also one of the best-drafted love stories since there are a number of lessons worth learning from it. Compared to other love stories, this one tends to have more weaknesses than strengths. In the case of strength, through marriage, there was peace between Ravenna and Rimini. This implies that love can cause harmony to dominate in a region that that marred by wrangles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story tends to have more weaknesses compared to strengths. The story is marred with a lot of deception. For instance, during the wedding ceremony, Paolo impersonates Gianciotto since he is more handsome. This implied that not only did they lie to Francesca but also her father who was also the lord of Ravenna. It was because of this deception that the marriage between Francesca and Gianciottowas unstable. For instance, since Francesca had fallen in love with Paolo, this relationship still went on even after the wedding. This implied that Paolo was having an affair with Francesca, who was Gianciotto’s wife. It was because of these deceptions that finally resulted to the tragic death of the two couples. Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the three stories are romantic, Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche is the most romantic love story. This is because unlike the rest that end tragically, it is only Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche that ends positively. Similarly, it is also the best love story since it has more strengths than weaknesses. In Apuleius’ Cupid and Psyche, Psyche portrays real love since she was willing to go to her extreme in search for her lover. References Apuleius, Joel. The Tale of Cupid and Psyche. Indianna: Hackett Publishing, 2009. Print. Singleton, Charles. â€Å"Romance Stories: Paolo& Francesca as told by Dante.† Wisdom Portal. 1977. Web. 31 October 2014. Virgil &Maclennan, Keith. Virgil: Aeneid Iv. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013. Print. Source document

Communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Communication - Assignment Example Fortunately, the team leader was an experienced and competent figure and managed to resolve the conflict. He cleared the real problem in a face-to –face conversation and encouraged the conflict parties to collaboration. The effect was amazing! The team finished the project successfully, and team members improved their relationships. The interview with team leaders was a difficult task for me as it required long preparation; however, I had to react on spot in the discussion all the time. The interviewees were pleased with possibility to share their experience and gave extended and interesting answers. I realized that for a leader it is crucial to share with experience as leadership is not devotion, it is a skill, which can be practiced. For instance, some top managers of the companies can change the sphere of their work from car manufacture to laptops production. The experience of team managing is universal and it can be applied to any sphere that is why it is so important to learn all about

Robin hood case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Robin hood - Case Study Example As it is clear now, the band has begun to exceed food capacity, it means no more people will join the band and probably some of the ones within may also decide to leave. This will only weaken Robin against the Sheriff; hence, he needs a stronger economic background. It is a common say that two hands are better than one, and this is fact that works well for political agendas where tyranny of numbers is needed. Therefore, socio culturally, Robin needs to create a network of genuine supporters with whom they share similar agenda that they would want to change if given chance to. He therefore needs to create a very big band of men and consider involving everyone through reasonable agenda. Robin is in a point where he needs to treat all information with the importance that it requires. At this particular time, he needs to be at the receiving end of all the information around the area. He therefore needs to improve on the vigilance so that he is able to tap and filter all the important and relevant information for the purposes of his preparation. He therefore requires the use of technological advancement in the telecommunication sector to aim at achieving information vigilance. In a nutshell, Robin needs to know that he can only win his opposition to the Sheriff when working together with people. He requires a lot of transparency, togetherness and giving yourself out for the service of others. He also needs to be economically and politically empowered to blend his good and readiness to serve

The assessment process of Red Tree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The assessment process of Red Tree - Essay Example 354). This is the reasons why organisations try to decrease the turnover because the selection process is always very costly. Third, the legal implications of incompetent and irresponsible hiring can cause any organisations to lose many thousand dollars. Every now and then, a business organisation is being dragged to the court for discriminatory hiring, negligent hiring, and others (Beardwell and Claydon, 2007, pp. 99-100; Dale, 2006, pp. 241-243). This report is an attempt to explore the selection procedures of the Red Tree Corporation, which is a boxed chocolate manufacturer based on California having many outlets in Washington and Oregon as well. Founded in 1965 based on the insights of Michael Harvey, a local chef, the firm now has grown to be big enough for posting annual revenues of more than 1 million US dollars in the year 2011. Red Tree believes on the business model where it manufactures its boxed chocolates and sells the same mainly through their own outlets and shops wher e they believe they provide a unique customer experience, which is a part of their competitive advantage. It is a public organisation, which has grown extensively over the past few years despite extensive competitive rivalry, economic recession, decreasing consumer confidence and seasonal demand pattern (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian, 2010, p. 195). The company is currently looking for a regional operations manager that would look after all the outlets. This regional operations manager would be a part of the middle tier of management where his responsibilities would serve as a liaison between the top management, CEO, COO and other executives and the store managers. Furthermore, the store managers discuss almost all of their operational issues with the regional manager who is then also... This essay discusses that selecting and recruiting the right people for right jobs has always remained at the heart of human resource management. There are three important reasons why selection of the right employees with the right assessment process is so crucial for any organisation. First, employee performance is what makes up the performance of any organisation. Employees with the correct set of skills and behaviours are more likely to perform better and would need lesser training. Quite understandably, the right time to evaluate the same is while selecting. Second, the costs of hiring, recruitment, selection, orientation, and training makes up a significant chunk of the total costs spent at personnel. This is the reasons why organisations try to decrease the turnover because the selection process is always very costly. Third, the legal implications of incompetent and irresponsible hiring can cause any organisations to lose many thousand dollars. Every now and then, a business or ganisation is being dragged to the court for discriminatory hiring, negligent hiring, and others. The company is currently looking for a regional operations manager that would look after all the outlets. This regional operations manager would be a part of the middle tier of management where his responsibilities would serve as a liaison between the top management, CEO, COO and other executives and the store managers. Furthermore, the store managers discuss almost all of their operational issues with the regional manager who is then also responsible for their performance and sales targets.

Targeted Media and Audience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Targeted Media and Audience - Essay Example It will contain information that is relevant to the press release’s content such as the five W’s (where, who, why, what, when). This paragraph will simply summarize the press release, and provide a hook that appeal to the audience. Body This part will expand on the hook provided in the lead paragraph. It will employ inverted pyramid strategy where the most relevant information and quotes will be provided in the first paragraphs, and less weighty quotes provided in the subsequent paragraphs (American Institute of Architects, 2008 p56). Company Boilerplate This paragraph will provide brief information about Le Tour de Sandwich, including its activities, short history, products and services. Contact Information Name, Title, Phone, Email. Targeted Media and Audience Targeted Media and Audience The targeted audience for the bicycle tour ranges from ages 10 to 80 years. This means that the market is quite large and a detailed press release is required when targeting these cus tomers. It is necessary to prioritize enthusiastic riders more than any other group because they already have more than two rides, and the likelihood that they will register to participate, in the cycling tour, is high (Guffey, 2007 p83). Pro Tour Riders also set the pace for participants who will prefer riding at some considerable speeds. The other major groups to target are teenagers and the old people. Most of the old people will register and join other riders with the aim of exercising and keeping fit. (Stanton, 2007 p122). It is, therefore, apparent that they will turn out, in large numbers, more than other age groups, and register with British Cycling Association. Teenagers, by being the most active group, will highly be willing to participate, in this event. Therefore, it is important to include activities and refreshments they like, during the cycling event (Stanton, 2007 p123). Other people usually prefer participating, in the cycling event as groups. It is, therefore, nece ssary to mention, in the press release that groups such as schools, church organizations, clubs, and other cycling groups are highly considered, in this event. They can come with their own rides, or they can use the event’s rides. Additionally, there are a number of activities that they can participate in (Heath, 2004 p75). Le Tour de Sandwich press release will target a number of media houses both in and outside France. We will primarily target media stations and individual journalists, editor in chiefs, editors, editorial assistants, staff writers, cycling correspondents, bloggers,

Law Enforcement and Policing- (Deputy Sheriff) Essay

Law Enforcement and Policing- (Deputy Sheriff) - Essay Example The sheriff is the head of the department-wide authority. Different ranks have the scope of authority in a given county for analysis purpose we shall take an example of Montgomery county in Tennessee. Here we find that the sheriff is the department-wide authority with an insignia having five gold stars arranged in a pentagon, second in command is the chief deputy sheriff with a badge having four gold stars arranged in a line the chief deputy sheriff is responsible with department-wide jurisdiction with the authority to act in the stead of the sheriff. The captain is third in command where he acts as a division commander his badge is a double gold bars. The lieutenant is forth in command whom is the section commander and carries a insignia with a single gold bar (Inwald, 1988). The sergeant is the fifth in command who his responsibility is the unit or the shift commander for identification he has 3 chevrons. Next to him the investigator is basically called school resource officer, their responsibilities are to provide direction for deputies at crime scenes there is no way of identifying them since they do not wear any insignia. The corporal is responsible for field training officer for patrol shift supervisor or detection division, the corporal wears 2 chevrons with FTO notation for patrol. lastly in the basic organizational structure is the deputy sheriff who is the only one whose badge is silver as opposed to others who have a gold badge in color, he has no insignia (Inwald, 1991). The sheriff has is important in every county due to the functions that he is responsible for within the county, the sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer who is charged with the responsibility of policing the county and keeping the peace, he has the power to make arrests and administration of jail and custody of the inmates. The sheriff also serves as the treasurer of the county and is responsible for collecting all taxes which are levied by the

Letter assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter assignment - Essay Example Fear is one of the emotions regularly observed with Nell since the first day we saw her. It should not be considered unhealthy or abnormal for her to feel fear. Any creation with normal instincts would feel fear of the unknown. A domesticated animal would feel fear when set out in the wild on its own. Fear is what provokes Nell to attack sometimes, which should again be considered normal and healthy. Any wild animal would attack when it feels cornered or endangered. It is the survival instinct embedded in the brain for self-preservation. We never consider those animals abnormal. Nor did we consider to lock up those animals because they pose danger to others. And since Nell displays the ability to be tamed and comforted even when scared, and reacts appropriately and in a timely manner to basic human gestures of comforting and appeasing --- which I firmly believe prove that her logic is working properly --- I would conclude that Nell is very much worthy to be allowed freedom to interac t with regular society. Another fact that I would like to dispute is the perception of Nell being mentally retarded. She is not mentally retarded. She was raised in a retarded environment. Her knowledge is parallel to what she was exposed to since birth. Being mentally retarded is the inability of the brain to cope up with everything presented to it. To consider Nell to be mentally retarded is similar to considering tribesmen as same. We cannot claim retardation to people just because they do not seem to understand nor fit in to what most people deem as normal society. We must also look into their ability to cope up when presented with a different scenario. Nell’s reactions to the novelty of things presented to her were similar to that of tribesmen --- fearful, curious, willing to understand and be understood. It should also be noted that for the past few months that Nell was exposed to our regular society, she adapted wonderfully. Sure she did weird

Adolph Hitler’s Leadership Ethics Essay Example for Free

Adolph Hitler’s Leadership Ethics Essay About 18 months ago, the Council of the Academy of Sciences of South Africa (ASSAf) appointed a Study Panel of eminent scientists to examine and collate the most relevant and reliable evidence on the influences of nutrition on human immunity, particularly in respect of HIV infection and active tuberculosis in South Africa. The decision to focus on this topic was sparked by the prevailing debates and public uncertainty in South Africa regarding the role of nutrition and nutritional supplements such as vitamins and minerals in the management of HIV infection. The Study Panel report released a few weeks ago under the title ‘HIV/AIDS, TB and Nutrition’ observes that South Africa is currently in the throes of three distinct epidemics – malnutrition, HIV infection and TB. The prevalence of each is sufficiently high that the same communities may be affected by all three epidemics in a purely mathematical overlap, but there is also prima facie evidence from observational studies that the three epidemics are in fact often linked in a synergistic relationship in which they mutually reinforce and facilitate one another. The report provides up-to-date and in-depth epidemiological summaries of each. This editorial will however largely concern itself with nutrition and HIV infection. Why nutrition is important for the immune system The body defends itself against microbial invasion by activating its quite complex immune system, and mobilising what the report dubs the ‘flamethrowers’ or respiratory burst whose central role is the intracellular killing of pathogenic organisms by oxidation or ‘burning’. This in turn relies on the availability of energy stored in energy-yielding fuels such as carbohydrates and fats to fuel the ‘respiratory burst’. Largely for this reason, the resting energy expenditure in HIV-infected individuals is increased by at least 10% compared with noninfected persons. This critical chain of complex defensive mechanisms (involving regulatory hormones, neuropeptides, cytokines and neurotransmitters) is obviously undermined if the infected person is not kept supplied with adequate energyladen macronutrients such as carbohydrates and fats. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are equally important as part of the nutritional landscape for the optimal functioning of the immune system. For example, the vitamin B complex – thiamine, riboflavin and niacin – has a critical role in the Krebs cycle via which the required energy is generated. However, oxidants are indiscriminate warriors that will attack and destroy both invader and host cells alike. For this reason, there is a need for ‘fire extinguishers’, and micronutrients fulfil the parallel and important role of serving as antioxidants whose function is to limit and contain the destructive effects of oxidants on the host cells. HIV infection and nutrition HIV infection is associated with weight loss and wasting, both of which are independent contributors to poor clinical outcome. The reasons for the weight loss and wasting are multifactorial, and include the increased resting energy expenditure, food scarcity, and decreased absorption of ingested food due to gastrointestinal disease or viral disruption of the intestinal mucosa. Although a 10% or greater loss of body weight over a year is not uncommon in HIV, there is in fact a high degree of variability in the extent of weight loss and wasting which, not infrequently, is causally associated with secondary infection. Whole-body protein turnover may be as high as 25% in untreated HIV sufferers, leading to cachexia. Also, as already mentioned, resting energy expenditure is increased by 10% in HIV-infected people. It would therefore appear to stand to reason that nutritional intervention in people with HIV infection will improve survival and/or quality of life, but hard evidence to this effect is woefully lacking. Very few randomised, placebo-controlled trials have been conducted in this regard. There is preliminary evidence, however, that specific dietary supplements such as amino acid mixtures increase body weight and reduce HIV viral load. Supplementation with medium-chain triglycerides reduces HIV-associated intestinal dysfunction and fat malabsorption. And ready-to-use therapeutic food improves nutritional status in severely malnourished children. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are essential to immune function, and deficiencies may therefore act as cofactors in HIV transmission and progression. Micronutrient deficiencies are common in HIV-infected people. Multivitamin supplementation has been shown in observational studies to result in a 40 48% slower progression to AIDS and a 40 60% reduction in the risk of death after 8 years of follow-up. But here again, there is an unhappy lack of sufficiently powered randomised controlled trials to confirm these benefits. The World Health Organization, the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society and the Department of Health have all published guidelines for nutrition in HIV/AIDS that have been collated in the ASSAf report. But the report also identifies gaps in our knowledge regarding HIV and nutrition, and recommends areas and topics that ought to be prioritised for research. Daniel J Ncayiyana Editor ‘HIV/AIDS, TB and Nutrition’ – ASSAf Report SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL – FIRST PUBLISHED JANUARY 1884 October 2007, Vol. 97, No. 10 SAMJ 893

Ttrapped teens TV Show Essay Example for Free

Ttrapped teens TV Show Essay My TV show is called trapped teens I chose this particular title because the show is about teenagers who are trapped in a house. In the first of my opening credits it shows the word previously on the screen for 1 second. The colours on this shot which is a big close-up are black orange and yellow. I choose these because they represent different moods. In the next 3 credits it will show what happened previously in case any of the viewers missed it. These obviously would not be here on the first episode. After these shots there is a logo spinning this represents the beginning of a totally new episode. The logo is the letter T connected to another letter T. It has several different colours in it I decided to do this to represent the contestants different moods. In screen shot 6 there are all the contestants walking up some steps into a door. The colours are just plain blue with the exception of the contestants clothing which are brightly coloured so they stand out. This is a long shot the reason for this is because that way you can see all of the contestants. The shot lasts for 2seconds. The music in this shot is upbeat and modern I chose this, as it will grab the audiences attention immediately. Screen shot 7 has all the contestants standing in a line as if they have just got in the door I chose this as it links in with the next shot. Again the background is plain blue and again the contestants are wearing brightly coloured clothes. I used a medium long shot. The reason for choosing this is because I want the viewers to be able to see the contestants face and body features. The shot lasts or 1 second and again the music are upbeat and modern. In screen shot 8 again all the contestants standing in a line it also has jail bars fall from the top of the screen to the bottom. The reason for me doing this is simply because this represents the teenagers being trapped. I also chose it because it shows there is no easy way for the teenagers to escape. There is one possible way and that is the way they came in but they would be unable to break through the steel door. Again the background in this shot is blue and the contestants are all dressed to stand out. The bars on the shot are black so the colour can be separated from the backdrop and the contestants clothes. This camera shot I used in this particular shot was a medium shot I chose this so the viewers can see everything that is happening. This shot lasts for 2seconds and the music again is upbeat and modern but there is a loud crash in this shot when the bars hit the floor. In screen shot 9 the contestants are still behind bars but now they are all holding cards with a letter on them. When the cards are put together they spell the name of the show trapped teens. The reason I decided to do this was because I felt that this would get across a prison like feeling meaning its not just a holiday. Again the backdrop on this shot is blue. I used a close up shot so viewers can see what the cards say. The music again is modern and upbeat and it lasts for 1second. Trapped teens voiceover is going to be Jade Goody. I chose this particular voice because a majority of viewers will recognise it. I also picked Jade because she is a bubbly, energetic and friendly person. So she will give the show some comedy if the contestants fail. The voiceover Jade will be on the show everyday. She will start at 8:00am by saying, day __ in the teen house its 8:00am and the contestants are just about to be woken up. The voiceover would then say something every time something interesting happened, or if the want to get a message across to one or more of the contestants. For example if the wanted a contestant in the talk room. This show will also have presenters. These will interview the contestants after they have being evicted. For this job I have decided to use Ant and Dec. I chose these because again everybody knows who they are and they will bring comedy to the show. Another reason for picking them is because they are award-winning presenters. Overall I personally believe my programme will be successful in targeting my audience ranged between 13 and 18 years old because there is a chance that they could star in the show, and win the star prize of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5000 and a reasonable dream coming true. I also believe it will be successful because shows similar to this have already been screened on TV and have being successful.

Greenblatt Guru of New Historicism

Greenblatt Guru of New Historicism According to M.A.R Habib, New Historicism has become a literary term closely associated with Greenblatt, who is generally regarded as the guru of New Historicism and, as a predictable result of his sudden prominence, the focus of much criticism. By breaking disciplinary boundaries between the text and history, and between fiction and reality, New Historicism, eventually and inevitably, has now come to terms with the decision to set up its priority in a place between textualism and contextualism. In other words Karbe believes that text or phenomena cannot be somehow torn from history and analyzed in isolation outside of the historical process (401). Against the traditional view to history as Tyson says history is a matter of interpretations, not facts, and that interpretations always occur within a framework of social conventions(289),so the new historicist critics believes that all historical analysis is unavoidably subjective. Historians must therefore reveal the ways in which they know they have been positioned, by their own cultural experience, to interpret history (290). In order to know the rule of literature in new historicism and the relation between the society and environment of the time or generally the role of history of time and place to create a literary work, it would be highly important to explain some details to understand this notion better. Like the other new historicist critics Tyson believes that for new historical critics, a literary text doesnt embody the authors intention or illustrate the spirit of the age that produced it, as traditional literary historians asserted. In continues he assert that: Nor are literary texts self-sufficient art objects that transcend the time and place in which they were written, as New Critics believed. Rather, literary texts are cultural artifacts that can tell us something about the interplay of discourses, the web of social meanings, operating in the time and place in which the text was written. And they can do so because the literary text is itself part of the interplay of discourses, a thread in the dynamic web of social meaning. For new historicism, the literary text and the historical situation from which it emerged are equally important because text (the literary work) and context (the historical conditions that produced it) are mutually constitutive: they create each other (291-2). Like the dynamic interplay between individual identity and society, literary texts shape and are shaped by their historical contexts. Michael Payne asserts; new historicism is a collection of practices rather than school or a method (2), so thats why flourishing in the 80s, New Historicism mainly based on French philosopher Michel Foucaults theories offered just such a critique of history, and the dominant new historicist theories which have been used in this study would be according to the Foucaults definitions of this term. The new historicism explores the place of literature in an ongoing contest of power within society which has been defined widely latter by Foucault whose ideas have strongly influenced the development of new historicism, power circulates in all directions, to and from all social levels, at all times(Tyson 284). The others notions which are directly related to the new historicism are discourse, identity and the episteme of the time. Dr. Chung Hsiung Lai in his es say Limits and Beyond: Greenblatt, New Historicism and a Feminist Genealogy says that language is bound up with questions of identity because it is through language that we speak of ourselves and interact with others (4). We can promote the role of language in a new historicist reading to discursive power or social self fashioning force which Foucault explain them later fully. New historicist reading of the literary work according to Foucault, could be reading it according to dominant discourse and episteme of the time of the writer which could help the researcher to comprehend the identity of the creative characters of the selected works better and also helps to understand the intention of the author to create this imaginative world. Accordingly it is beyond argument that notwithstanding Greenblatt as a dominant figure in new historicism, Foucaults theories as a new historicist author have been concerned largely with the concepts of power, knowledge and discourse, These concepts alongside of the other concepts like identity and episteme are those which could applied in the text of so many literary works in a new historicist reading of them; but the author that has been selected for this study is Margaret Atwood who the notion of new historicism is highly applicable in her novels especially the selected ones The Handmaids Tale and Edible Woman. Atwood has created a stunning Orwellian vision of the near future in The Handmaids Tale. This is the story of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order who have only one purpose: to breed. In Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading and forming friendships, Offreds persistent memories of life in the time before and will to survive are acts of rebellion. According to Dr. Chung Hsiung Lai Greenblatt evokes the traditional privileging of speech over writing, where meaning are thought to be somehow less ambiguous as the speaker consciously aims at reducing the chances of misinterpretation (5).Howells in her essay Margaret Atwoods Dystopian Vision: The Handmaids Tale and Oryx and Crake asserts that this novel might usefully begin with this statement, for Offreds fictive autobiography come to us as a written text, and only at the end do we discover that, what we have been reading was actually a spoken narrative which has been transcribed from the old caste types and reconstructed for publication long after the narrator is dead(165). The second novel which has been analyzed in this study is Edible Woman, The edible woman of the novels title is, most obviously, a doll shape cake cooked and consumed in the novels conclusion. However the title also refers to the novels main character, Marian MacAlpin, who is so preoccupied with food that she interprets life around her in terms of food consumption, eventually come to identify with food, and develops a serious eating disorder as well as some romantic relations, love affairs, a broken marital engagement, a planned pregnancy and birth. The concept of body is what Atwood use widely, during the plotline of these two novels, and Foucault in Discipline and Punishment and also History of Sexuality use and explain this notion which would be highly useful in this study and At the centre of the study is a triangulated set of concepts concerning the body and its articulation with relations of power and knowledge. Barry Smart asserts that Genealogical analysis reveals the body as an object of knowledge and as a target for the exercise of power. The body is shown to be located in a political field, invested with power relations which render it docile and productive, and thus politically and economically useful (69) Thus the exercise of power necessarily puts into circulation apparatuses of knowledge, that is creates sites where knowledge is formed. Foucault himself in Discipline and Punishment asserts that a knowledge of the body that is not exactly the science of its functioning, and a mastery of its forces that is more than the ability to conquer them(26). and also Bartky believes that Both [feminism and Foucault] identify the body as the site of the power (102).Thus this analysis of power has set in motion an entirely new way of examining power relations in society, focusing more on resistance than simple passive oppression. Foucault also interested in the way that power operates through different forms of regime at particular historical period , Foucaults genealogical analyses begin with an examination of the character of modern power relations literally with the question of how power is exercised and the associated issue of the relationships between power and knowledge(Smart p. 69), and also Mills declares that For Foucault, discipline is a set of strategies, procedures and ways of behaving which are associated with certain institutional contexts and which then permeate ways of thinking and behaving in general(44). History is the other word, plays a dominant role in Foucaults ideas. Sara Mills explains that for Foucault the past is not seen as inevitably leading up to the present, a view of history which renders the past banal; it is very strangeness of the past which makes us able to see clearly the strangeness of the present(24). Then in The Archaeology of Knowledge Foucault develops the term episteme that is the body of knowledge and the ways of knowing which are in circulation at the particular moment. This study has been circulated around those Foucaults ideas which are relevant to analysis of selected novels. Argument David Staines in his essay Margaret Atwood in Her Canadian Context introduces Atwood as a prolific writer and a hit with literary critics, who became internationally famous after the popular and critical success of her 1984 novel, The Handmaids Tale. Atwood began her career in the 1960s, teaching English and at first publishing poetry, short stories and literary criticism. Her other novels include Surfacing (1972), Cats Eye (1988), Alias Grace (1996) and the 2000 Booker Prize winner, The Blind Assassin. About the concept of history Atwood in one of her lectures on her first historical novel asked a fundamental question which she tries to answers in her later novels, she asked What does the past tell us?Then she answered, In and of itself, it tells us nothing. We have to be listening first, before it will say a word; and even so, listening is telling and then retelling( Coomi S. Vevaina 86. ) . Coomi S. Vevaina tries to explain how far Atwood believe the concept of history and how far she used this concept in her Novels; he declares that in all her [Atwoods] works, Atwood reveals a distinctly postmodern engagement with history(87). He then continues that by recording some tapes Offred becomes an elocutionary act and her narrative(87); or better to say her story status warning against moral dictatorship and atrocity is summarily dismissed in an editorial aside by the male professional historian how is interested in reconstructing his grand impersonal narrative of a vanished nations hi story(87). Howells in her essay regarding the dystopian vision in Margaret Atwoods Handmaids tale asserts that this novel might usefully begin with this statement, for Offreds fictive autobiography come to us as a written text, and only at the end do we discover that, what we have been reading was actually a spoken narrative which has been transcribe from the old caste types and reconstruct for publication ling after the narrator is dead(165). Thus by help of this story we recognize the episteme of the time which Atwood tries to criticize, episteme according to Foucault is: the total set of relations that unite, at a given period, the discursive practices that give rise to epistemological figures, sciences, and possibly formalized systemsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The episteme is not a form of knowledgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦or type of rationality which, crossing the boundaries of the most varied sciences, manifests the sovereign unity of a subject, a spirit, or a period; it is the totality of relations that can be discovered for a given period, between the sciences when one analyses them at the level of discursive regularities(191). Moreover Howells believes that the issue of language and power has always been crucial in construction of dystopias:throughout the history of dystopian fiction the conflict of the text has often turned on the control of language (166). and it is Offreds attempt to seize it [the language] to make it hers (Cixous, Medusa. 343), which gives her narrative its appeal as one woman story of resistance against patriarchal tyranny. In both Edible woman and Handmaids Tale the efforts of heroin for resistance is obvious because both of them revolt against something and someone, Such revolts about conditions, staff, practices, and treatments have at root been resistances against the very materiality of the prison and punishment as instruments of power, resistances against a particular technology of power exercised over both the mind and body of the individual (Smart 74). Identity is the matter which Atwoods protagonist deals with and the great impact of society on them is not deniable, they are what the society likes to be, thats why they are looking for a way to resistance. As the case in point Goldblatt in Reconstructing Margaret Atwoods Protagonists asserts that in The Edible Woman Marians body is also a battlefield. Unable to cope with her impending marriage to Peter, Marian finds herself unable to ingest any food that was once alive. Repulsed by her societys attitude of consumerism (275), On the other hand the story of Offred in Gilead society is the same, Goldblatt continues Offreds identity and value as a child bearer as well in The Handmaids Tale, are proclaimed by her clothes in her totalitarian city of Gilead, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ she is no longer owns a name; she if Of Fred, the concubine named for the man who will impregnate her(276). Considering the new historicist approach according to Foucaults ideas (especially those which are fit to selected novels) the researcher wants to proof that, the purpose of present study is to trace the fundamental and substantial elements of new historicism in Atwoods Handmaids Tale and The Edible Woman. In order to gain the purpose the researcher tries to answer the following questions: Upon what social understanding do these works depends? What other cultural events occurred surrounding the original production of these texts? How may these events be relevant to the text under investigation? Why might reader at a particular time and place find these works compelling? Do contemporary issues and cultural milieu of the time of the author operate together to create her novels? Significance of the study There are two main reasons, which make doing this research important. The first reason is the author herself who is the contemporary leading novelist. And the second one is that this research gives a chance to know how Foucault ideas as an approach applicable on Atwoods selected novels. What makes this research significant is that up to the present time there are so many researches and studies on Atwoods short stories, poem or novels but in none of the researches deal with new historical approach. The present study wants to show, against so many critics who place Atwood in the list of feminist critics, there are others aspects rather than feminism in Atwoods works that could be noticeable. Sawicki asserts that Foucault emphasis on the sexual body as a target and vehicle of this new form of power / knowledge is reproduced in feminist analyses of modern form patriarchal control over womens mind and bodies in the context of the emergence of the sciences of medicine, social work, and psychology(290). From this stand point which most of the protagonist of Atwoods Novels are women, to look at the overall pattern it is generally accepted these heroines are in search of knowledge in order to gain power for resistance but in contrast to the traditional definition of power, the power which Foucault talks about is totally different. Mark Robson in Routledge Critical Thinkers: Stephen Greenblatt indicates that: Central to Foucaults work is the notion that knowledge is always a form of power. Thus advances in psychiatry or in the treatment of illnesses also lead to new ways of controlling the people who are mad or ill. Such control tends to reinforce the power of those in a position to impose the categories. But this does not mean that power is simply exercised from the top down. As Foucault puts it:power is everywhere; not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere ( 55). To sum up, the present study tries to insist on the element of new historicism specially Foucaltian approach on Atwoods selected novels which are believed that would be fully applicable. Review of Literature This study is a library research and all the information is obtain through different books, whether directly or indirectly discussing the materials, essays, electronic sources and many other possible sources in which the related materials can be found. This research is mainly focused on the original text of selected novels which are published, and also secondary sources, which explain and criticized these Novels, are used in order to help elaboration of the novels. The primarily concentration is on those studies which are related to the conception of new Historicism. Coral Ann Howells in The Cambridge Companion to Margaret Atwood tries to gather essays by Twelve leading international Atwood critics, provides the most comprehensive and up to date account of Atwoods novels. These essays consider Atwood theme, language, humor and narrative techniques. As a case in point Somacarreras essayPower politics: power and identity or Vevainas Margaret Atwood and history with many other essay from this book could help this study to move up in a better way. The Greenblatt Readers which is edited by Michael Payne makes available in one volume Greenblatts most important writing on culture, Renaissance studies and Shakespeare. It also features occasional pieces on subjects as diverse as storytelling and medicals, demonstrating the range of his cultural interests. Taken together, the text collected here dispel the idea that new historicism is antithetical to literary and aesthetic value. By the help of this book the researcher would like to reveal the progressive process of new historicism from Greenblatt to Foucault. Especially part one of this book which dedicate to culture and new historicism, could be highly useful for present study. Rutledge Critical Thinkers are some books which offer introductions to major critical thinkers who have influenced literary studies and humanities. Each book will equip the reader to approach these thinkers original text by explaining their key ideas, showing the reader why they are considered to be significant; Stephen Greenblatt by Mark Robson is the one of these series which not only introduce Greenblatt as a leading figure of new historicism but also ties to explain exactly what new historicism means and the relevance of new historicism to all aspects of literary criticism this book will help the researcher to find the dominant similarity and contrast between Greenbelts new historicism and Foucaltian new historicism. Various articles which make use of the theories of Foucault are referred to, such as Saundra lee Bartkys Foucault, Femininity, and the Modernization of Patriarchal Power, in which the author exclusively examines the discursive pressures upon the female body. In The History of Sexuality, Volume I: an Introduction Foucault provides much useful information on the origin, definition, and the treatment of the sexual body. This information is also useful in discussions concerning body and resistance. Gary Gutting in The Cambridge Companion to Foucault tryes to present a systematic and comprehensive overview of Foucaults major theme and texts from his early works on madness through his history of sexuality, and relates his work to significant contemporary movements such as critical theory and feminism. This book consist of several articles by different thinkers such as Foucault mapping of history by Thomas Flynn , Power/Knowledge by Joseph Rouse and Foucault feminism and question of identity by Jana Sawicki, which help the researcher in this study. Lisa Downing is Professor of French Discourses of Sexuality and Director of the Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Sexuality and Gender in Europe at the University of Exeter. her book The Cambridge Introduction to Michel Foucault provides ways in to understanding Foucaults key concepts of subjectivity, discourse and power. The book also explores the critical reception of Foucaults works and acquaints the reader with the afterlives of some of his theories, particularly his influence on feminist and queer studies. Each of these books represents fully the term of new Historicism which can be good theoretical bases for present study. Methodology New historicism study is a divergent field with numerous ideas, theoreticians, articles, and branches. One prominent flow of this kind of criticism is limited to Foucaults Ideas regarding power, identity, episteme, history, sexuality, knowledge, discourse and culture. According to Gearhart in Cultural Analysis and Its Discontents The issue of culture has been at the center of critical and literary-critical studies for quite some time now, and nowhere has it been more prominent than in the influential form of literary criticism that has come to be known as the new historicism. Colebrook in his book New literary Histories: New Historicism and Contemporary Criticism asserts that new historicism, a term applied to a trend in American academic literary studies in the 1980s that emphasized the historical nature of literary texts and at the same time (in contrast with older historicisms) the textual nature of history. As part of a wider reaction against purely formal or linguistic critical approaches such as the new criticism and deconstruction, the new historicists, led by Stephen Greenblatt, drew new connections between literary and nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ literary texts, breaking down the familiar distinctions between a text and its historical background as conceived in established historical forms of criticism. Inspired by Michel Foucaults concepts of discourse and power, they attempted to show how literary works are implicated in the power relations of their time, not as secondary reflections of any coherent world view but as active participants in the continual remaking of meanings(Baldick 227). New historicism is less a system of interpretation than a set of shared assumptions about the relationship between literature and history, and an essayistic style that often develops general reflections from a startling historical or anthropological anecdote. The framework of this study is Foucault ideas but before that the reader should become familiar with the concept of new historicism form Greenblatt to Foucault in order to understand its process and changes; so the chapter two has been devoted to this notion. Therefore, one principle aim is to know how literature of the specific time could be read according to new historicism. Following this new historicism methodology, chapters three and four argue the dominant concepts of new historicism according to Foucaults definition of this notion and their application to selected novels. These concepts could be the episteme of the time of the author which influence her work of art, power circulation and the role of body in this circulation, challenges of protagonist for gaining knowledge and identity and so on. And chapter five could be a conclusion and sum up of this study. Limitation and delimitation of study The present study is concerned only with Margarets two selected Novels, rather than her poetries or short stories. The choice of novels was also difficult because Margaret Atwood has variety of novels which more or less deal with different subject matters, therefore it is not possible to cover all of them in this study. As a result, the researcher concentrates only two novels which are most famous ones and suit the capacity of the content of the study. These selective novels can be studied from different approaches but the researcher is not going to say what other have said, so she chooses to examine the notion of new historicism according to Foucault definition of this term because this notion has variety sub branches. According to present study the new historicist elements such as Apparatus, Discipline, Discursive Practice, Episteme, Ethics, Identity and Power will be discuss fully in the shadow of Michel Foucault definition of these terms. In this study, the researcher will use the philosophers and theories which are related to her discussion and help its progress. Tentative outline The Concepts of Identity, Power and Knowledge: A Foucaltian Study of Margaret Atwoods Handmaids Tale and Edible Woman. Abstract Acknowledgements Chapter I. Introduction General Background The Argument Literature Review Thesis Outline Approach and Methodology New Historicism Definition of Terms Chapter 2. New Historicism from Foucault to Greenblatt Chapter 3. Foucaltian study of Handmaids Tale Chapter 4. Foucaltian study of Edible Woman Chapter 5. Conclusion Summing up Findings and implications Suggestion for farther reading Bibliography Definition of the Key Terms The below key terms are among many which may use in the present study: Andocentric: centered on the male. The term has been coined by feminist theorist wishing to describe a habit of mind and set of attitudes which are based upon a male perspective and which ignore female experience and interest (Hawthorn 10). Apparatus: Foucault generally uses this term to indicate the various institutional, physical and administrative mechanism and knowledge structure, which enhance and maintain the exercise of power within the social body (Hawthorn 12). Bio-power: Numerous and diverse techniques for achieving the subjugation of bodies and the control of populations (History of Sexuality, Foucault 77). Confession: an important component of bio-power. People are taught that their liberation requires them to tell the truth, to confess it to someone who is more powerful and this truth telling will somehow set them free (Dreyfus and Rabinow p. 141, History of Sexuality, 58-65). Discipline: The methods, which make possible the meticulous control of the operation of the body, which assure the constant subjection of its forces and impose upon it a relation of docility-utility (Discipline and Punishment, Foucault 137). Episteme: a term coin by Foucault and widely used by Derrida, to indicate the totality of relations and laws of transformations uniting all discursive practice at any moment of time. Episteme established rules by the dominant power in a social body that effect individual and their knowledge of true or false (Mills 28). Historicism: a means of working with the problem that all history is history from the perspective of the historian. Historicism is a means of validating for itself the perpetual critical relation at play between history and human sciences (The Order of Things, Foucault 372).all knowledge is rooted in the life, a society and a language that have a history; and it is in that very history that knowledge finds the element enabling with other form of life (The Order of Things, Foucault 372-3) Language or discursive practice: this term refer to historically and culturally specific set of rules for organizing and producing different form of knowledge. It is a matter of rules, which, a bit kind the grammar of language, allow certain statement to be made (Mills 53). Power: power is not a thing but relation, it is not simply repressive but productive, and also it is not simply a property of the state, but exercise throughout the social body (Mills 34). Subject: Foucault uses the term subject in place of the individual, which is structuralisms preferred term for the self, in two ways: He uses the subject as both the grammatical subject, and subject as a verb (Mills 1617).

Healthsouth: The Rise and Fall Essay -- essays research papers

Running head: HEALTHSOUTH: THE RISE AND FALL HealthSouth: The Rise And Fall Abstract Richard Scrushy (Scrushy) had a vision and was driven by his leadership and entrepreneurial abilities. Scrushy was the mastermind and major creator of HealthSouth Corporation (HealthSouth). Scrushy served as chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation for more than 20 years. A Biographical Sketch: Richard Scrushy and HealthSouth. Retrieved March 22, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.richardscrushy.com/biography.aspx. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged HealthSouth Corporation and CEO Richard Scrushy with fraud, alleging the earnings of HealthSouth have been extremely overstated since approximately 1999. Bassing, T. (2003, March 19). SEC charges Scrushy; 41.4B civil fraud alleged. Birmingham Business Journal. Retrieved March 23, 2005, from World Wide Web: http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2003/03/17/daily30.html?t=printable. Scrushy has been replaced Jay Grinney (Grinney) who recently accepted the position of President and C EO of HealthSouth. Grinney has a vision for HealthSouth and is confident he will succeed in restoring the corporation to its original status of leadership in the world of healthcare. HealthSouth: The Rise and Fall   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard Scrushy (Scrushy) was born in Selma, Alabama in 1952. He had two siblings which consisted of an older sister and a younger brother. Scrushy was raised by two working parents and the family attended a local Methodist Church located in Selma. As a young boy, Richard was always able to find a job making money. His entrepreneur endeavor’s emerged during his teenage years and continued there after. A Biographical Sketch: Richard Scrushy and HealthSouth. Retrieved March 22, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.richardscrushy.com/biography.aspx.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scrushy chose to continue his education beyond high school and was graduated from college, but not before marrying his first wife and becoming the father of two children. During his years in higher education, he became interested in respiratory therapy and enrolled in the respiratory therapy program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Scrushy was intellectually gifted, had excellent leadership abilities and quickly began climbing the corpo... ...ushy Please Step Forward, The New York Times A Biographical Sketch: Richard Scrushy and HealthSouth. Retrieved March 22, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.richardscrushy.com/biography.aspx. Rehab Resource (March 1, 2005). Administrator’s Corner, Volume 5, Issue 3 Retrieved March 22, 2005 from the World Wide Web: Institute For Global Ethics, November 10, 2003, http://www/globalethics.org/newsline/members/issue.tmpl?articleid=11100316510695 Retrieved March 22, 2005 from the World Wide Web: U.S. Department of Justice, September 29, 2004, www.usdoj.gov/usao/aln Retrieved March 22, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.al.com/specialreport/birminghamnews/healthsouth/scrushypay.jpg Retrieved April 5, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.healthsouth.com/medinfo/home/app/frame. Retrieved April 5, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.al.com/specialreport/birminghamnews/healthsouth/index.ssf   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved April 5, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2004-10-25-scrushy-cover_x.htm Retrieved April 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: A Guide To The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, 2002. http://www.soxlaw.com/

The Imagery of Fire in Virgil’s Aeneid Essay -- Allen Mandelbaum

The Imagery of Fire in Virgil’s Aeneid In discussing fire imagery in the Aeneid I will attempt in the course of this paper to bring in an analytic device to aid in assembling the wide array of symbols into a more uniform set of meaning. Consistently throughout the Aeneid, fire serves to provoke the characters to action. Action which otherwise it is not clear they would enter upon. Fire clears the way for the juggernaut plot to advance. Juno, first of all, described as burning - pondering (with her hatred of the Dardans) goes to Aeolus with the idea of sending the winds to create an under-handed storm to destroy the Trojans, at the sight of their fleeing ships and successful escape from the Greeks (I.75)1. Fire from the Greeks burns down Troy. Forced by necessity to flee for their lives, Aeneas can gain his fathers acquiescence only with the portent of two flaming omens. Cupid in the form of Ascanius induces Dido with a fated love for Aeneas, consummated by their union in the cave. Jupiter with these words on his lips send s Mercury down to a lingering Aeneas at Carthage. Mercury, carry across the speeding winds the words I urge: his lovely mother did not promise such a son to us; she did not save him twice from Grecian arms for this–but to be master of Italy a land that teems with empire...to place all earth within his laws. But if the brightness of such deeds is not enough to kindle him...does he–a father–begrudge Ascanius the walls of Rome? (IV.310-311) Mercury flies down to Aeneas and delivers these very words among others, Aeneas is struck dumb by this (and not for the last time) and afterwards He burns to flee from Carthage (IV.375). Much later , but significantly, the Fury Allecto is sent by Juno to Amata, wife of... ...ld end here, it is just this absence of this full light the dimness of the darkness visible which constitute Virgil's true and deliberate commentary on his world. Bachelard, Gaston. the Psychoanalysis of Fire. trans. Alan CM Ross,pref. Northrop Frye Boston: Beacon Press, 1964. (Orig pub. in French under the Title La Psychoanalyse du Feu 1938 by Librarie Gallimard) Eliade, Mircea. ch. 3 the Misfortunes of History, Ch. 4 the Terror of History Cosmos and History: the Myth of the Eternal Return. trans. Willard R. Trask. New York: Harper and Row, 1959 (Orig. pub. in French under the title Le Myth de Eternal Retour... 1949 by Librarie Gallimard) Johnson, W R. Darkness Visible, a study of Vergil’s Aeneid. Berkeley: Univ. California Press, 1976. Mandelbaum, Allen, the Aeneid of Virgil: a verse translation by Allen Mandelbaum. New York Bantam: Books, 1971-1981.

Mb0038 †Management Process and Organization Behavior

Explain the process of negotiation. Negotiation is a dialogue intended to resolve disputes, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for individual or collective advantage, or to craft outcomes to satisfy various interests. It is the primary method of alternative dispute resolution. Negotiation occurs in business, non-profit organizations, government branches, legal proceedings, among nations and in personal situations such as marriage, divorce, parenting, and everyday life. The study of the subject is called negotiation theory.Professional negotiators are often specialized, such as union negotiators, leverage buyout negotiators, peace negotiators, hostage negotiators, or may work under other titles, such as diplomats, legislators or brokers. Negotiation typically manifests itself with a trained negotiator acting on behalf of a particular organization or position. It can be compared to mediation where a disinterested third party listens to each sides' arguments and attempts to help craft an agreement between the parties.It is also related to arbitration which, as with a legal proceeding, both sides make an argument as to the merits of their â€Å"case† and then the arbitrator decides the outcome for both parties. There are many different ways to segment negotiation to gain a greater understanding of the essential parts. One view of negotiation involves three basic elements: process, behavior and substance. The process refers to how the parties negotiate: the context of the negotiations, the parties to the negotiations, the tactics used by the parties, and the sequence and stages in which all of these play out.Behavior refers to the relationships among these parties, the communication between them and the styles they adopt. The substance refers to what the parties negotiate over: the agenda, the issues (positions and – more helpfully – interests), the options, and the agreement(s) reached at the end. Another view of negotia tion comprises 4 elements: strategy, process and tools, and tactics. Strategy comprises the top level goals – typically including relationship and the final outcome. Processes and tools include the steps that will be followed and the roles taken in both preparing for and negotiating with the other parties.Tactics include more detailed statements and actions and responses to others' statements and actions. Some add to this persuasion and influence, asserting that these have become integral to modern day negotiation success, and so should not be omitted. Skilled negotiators may use a variety of tactics ranging from negotiation hypnosis, to a straight forward presentation of demands or setting of preconditions to more deceptive approaches such as cherry picking. Intimidation and salami tactics may also play a part in swaying the outcome of negotiations.Another negotiation tactic is bad guy/good guy. Bad guy/good guy tactic is when one negotiator acts as a bad guy by using anger and threats. The other negotiator acts as a good guy by being considerate and understanding. The good guy blames the bad guy for all the difficulties while trying to get concessions and agreement from the opponent This is a unique combination framework that puts together the best of many other approaches to negotiation. It is particularly suited to more complex, higher-value and slower negotiations. Prepare: Know what you want.Understand them. Open: Put your case. Hear theirs. Argue: Support your case. Expose theirs. Explore: Seek understanding and possibility. Signal: Indicate your readiness to work together. Package: Assemble potential trades. Close: Reach final agreement. Sustain: Make sure what is agreed happens. There are deliberately a larger number of stages in this process as it is designed to break down important activities during negotiation, particularly towards the end. It is an easy trap to try to jump to the end with a solution that is inadequate and unacceptable.Note also that in practice, you may find variations on these, for example there may be loops back to previous stages, stages overlapping, stages running parallel and even out of order. The bottom line is to use what works. This process is intended to help you negotiate, but do not use it blindly. It is not magic and is not a substitute for thinking. If something does not seem to be working, try to figure out why and either fix the problem or try something else. Although there are commonalities across negotiations, each one is different and the greatest skill is to be able to read the situation in the moment and adapt as appropriate.

A Successful Teacher

Teaching is a special calling. It is not a job well – suited to everyone. Teaching is still more of an art than a science. So teachers should be artists in this domain. Teaching should provide an opportunity for students to develop a strong sense of creativity, a high self-esteem a life- long respect for learning. A teacher will be one factor that helps a student learn and progress along their way through life. Many individuals believe that being a teacher is an easy task. Our society believes that any person can become a teacher, but experience has shown that not everyone is capable of being a teacher.There are many personality traits that are required to be an effective teacher. â€Å"How to be a successful teacher? † It is an important question that we can answer by infinite words and endless sentences. However, here are some top keys for being a successful and ideal teacher. Every teacher can benefit from focusing on these important qualities. Success in teaching, a s in most areas of life depends almost entirely on your attitude and on your approach. 1- Sense of Humor : A sense of humor can help you become a successful teacher. Your sense of humor can relieve tense classroom situations before they become disruptions.A sense of humor will also make the class more enjoyable for your students and possibly make students look forward to attending and paying attention Most importantly, a sense of humor will allow you to see the joy in life and make you a happier person as you progress through this sometimes stressful career. 2- A positive Attitude A positive attitude is a great asset in life. You will be thrown many curve balls in life and especially in the teaching profession. A positive attitude will help you cope with these in the best way.Your composure will ease your possible anger and will decrease the pressure that you may face. For example, you may find out the first day of school that you are teaching English 2 instead of English 1. This wo uld not be an ideal situation, but a teacher with the right attitude would try to focus on getting through the first day without negatively impacting the students. 3- High Expectations : An effective teacher must have high expectations; you should strive to raise the bar for your students. If you expect less effort, you will receive less effort.You should work on an attitude that says that you know students can achieve to your level of expectations, thereby giving them a sense of confidence too. This is not to say that you should create unrealistic expectations. However, your expectations will be one of the key factors in helping learn and achieve. 4-Consistency: In order to create a positive learning environment, your students should know what to expect from you every day. You need to be consistent, this will create a safe learning environment for the students and they will be more likely to succeed.It is amazing that students can adapt to teachers throughout the day that range fro m strict to easy. However, they will dislike an environment in which the rules are constantly changing. 5. Fairness: Many people confuse fairness and consistency. A consistent teacher is the same person from day to day. A fair teacher treats students equally in the same situation. For example, students complain of unfairness when teachers treat one gender or group of students differently. Students pick up this so quickly, so be careful of being labeled unfair. . Flexibility: One of the tenets of teaching should be that everything is in a constant state of change. Interruptions and disruptions are the norm and very few days are typical. Therefore, a flexible attitude is important not only for your stress level, but also for your students who expect you to be in charge and take control of any situation. Finally, there are some points that every teacher should pay attention to in order to be an ideal teacher : 1- Never lose your temper, be self-contain. – Do not let your student s know your self-points. 3- Do not break the rules and the regulations. 4- Be patient. 5- Be unpredictable, do not be a stereo type teacher. 6- Variety and speed†¦. †Variety is the spice of life†. 7- Love your students and treat them kindly. 8- Be punctual in appointments. 9- Be tolerant. 10- Pay attention to the differences that may be found among the students. ( disparity in mental and understanding abilities ) . Whenever there is a will, there is a way†¦..

An Investigation Into Smes Survival and the Discrimination Between Fgsmes and All Other Smes

Introduction In a competitive global market, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an increasingly important role in a nation’s economy. Today they make a substantial contribution to job creation, innovation, as well as entrepreneurial skills. A report conducted by European Commision(2005) stated that in the enlarged European Union of 25 countries, 23 million SMEs provide about 75 million jobs and account for 99% of all enterprise. SMEs are also the vital attributes for lifting the productivity of economy. This is primarily because SMEs are been considered as having a key role to play in providing new products. Take UK for example, SMEs have become more and more dynamic. SMEs have enjoyed higher productivity growth than large firms since 1998, and the proportion of SME employers reporting that they have undertaken either product or service innovation in the past 12 months has increased from 32% in 2005 to 48% in 2006(BERR,2002). An important aspect of SMEs, especially for the young SMEs, is their survival rate, according to Haugh and McKee(2000), survival means continue to exist in the future. Although we have seen a large increase in new company formations and higher levels of their survival rates than the past, we cannot neglect the fact that the rate of failure of these SMEs is also very high. Some of the firms fail in their infancy stage and some fail within several years after start-up. Some statistics suggest that the failure rate of SMEs in their first five years is more than 50% (Reiss, 2006). There are many reasons that contribute to SMEs’ failure: insufficient capital, poor management skills, poor human resources, lack of innovations and so on. Factors that contribute to small business survival and non-survival In order to prosper, all SMEs need to ensure that they are alert both to opportunities for achieving success and threats to their survival. Only when the company are aware of and deal with these factors correctly, they can survive, grow and succeed. 1. Financial circumstances 1. 1 Access to Finance Obtaining the right finance is a pivotal factor to a new firm’s survival and high growth. For SMEs, there are various types of finance available, including bank loans, borrowing from family and friends, obtaining equity investment from business angels, venture capitals and so on. Obviously, different options have different profits and constraints. The advantage of loan finance is that it will not dilute ownership structure of the firm. However, excessive reliance on loan finance could be a financial threat to their firm’s solvency. Astebro and Bernhardt (2003) stated that there was a significant negative correlation between having a bank loan and the survival of the business. Since loan means a continuing obligations for the firm to repay the principal debt and associated interest on a predetermined timetable. This kind of loan covenants can place strain on a firm’s cash flow position, if a firm’s capital contains a high proportion of debt, then the firm has to generate more cash to cover the repayment obligations, however it may have greater threat to default due to a sudden interruption in income. 1. 2 Financial Health A critical reason for SMEs’ failure is that they cannot identify and react to threats to their financial healthy. For example, the substantial increases in overheads could be a threat to financial healthy since it is a signal of weak cost management. Significantly increasing overheads will reduce the available cash flows and profits, eventually reduce the probability of survival. According to Schaefer (2006), over-expansion is a leading cause of business failure. This often happens when business owners confuse success with how fast they can expand their business. A large amount of bankruptcy is due to rapidly expanding firms. Birley and Niktari (1995) found that, in the opinion of many accountants and bank managers, 70% of SMEs failures were caused by a very large extent to being under-capitalized, to short-term liquidity problems or insufficient working capital. So in order to survive, firms have to look out for financial threats to the firms’ solvency and maintain effective management control over their finances. 2. Human capital In most SMEs, power is centralized in the hands of the owner-managers and the owner-managers always play multiple roles in a company, including general manager, sales manager, production manager, financial manager and so on, so that characteristics of the owner-managers, such as education background, family business background, personal goals, previous work experience, strategic awareness have a significantly impact on firm’s activities and performance. Several studies indicate that in SMEs, the personality of the owner-managers is a critical determinant of corporate structure and strategy(Miller and Droge 1986; Miller and Toulouse 1986). Owner-managers who are inability to motivate staff, rarely listen to others’ advices, have little knowledge of marketing strategy, finance, and personnel management may act as a significant constraint to SMEs’ survival. On the other hand, owner-managers are not experts at everything, many owner-managers in small firms are lack of the leadership and management skills which are necessary for the firms’ survival and growth. Deakins and Freel (1998) found that one of the critical factors in the success of a SME was the ability to build an ‘entrepreneurial team’. The presence of a diversified management team may imply a greater variety of complementary skills: marketing skills, business skills, as well as technological skills, this is also crucial for SMEs in relation to the long term success of the firm. So building a entrepreneurial team will definitely increase SMEs’ viability. 3. Over-dependent Some firms do not have the appropriate strategy and become excessive reliance on a single customer or a small client base. The more a firm relies on a particular client, the more possibly it is damaged by factors out of its control than if it has a wide client base. Natwest (1997) stated that an important reason for SMEs failure is over-reliance on one or two customers and lack of sales. Failures often occur due to firms’ sole customer withdrawing its orders or going bankrupt. The same principles also apply to a firm’s supplier base. If there is a breakdown in the commercial relationship between the firm and its single supplier, the prodution of the firm will be damaged. As a result, if a young firm wants to survive, it should seek to cultivate a wide client (supplier) base instead of depending on a small number of regular clients (suppliers). However diversification strategy can realize this. Diversification across production and services can satisfy different types of customers and reduce the probability of over-dependent. 4. Training One of the factors that contribute to SMEs failure is low level of management performance and inefficient operation, which is a result of lack of training. It is generally acknowledged that the majority of the small-firm owners run their business just based on their own experience and common sense, without getting professional or other formal qualifications. Stanworth and Gray (1992) pointed out that minority of small-firm owners who participate in management training tend to have better educational qualifications, and their businesses have better survival and growth rates than other small firms. Also, Kitson and Wilkinson (1998) found a positive link between training and innovation and growth, as training was provided by 60% of innovating firms but only 41% of non-innovators, and 72% and 68% of medium and fast-growing firms, respectively, compared with 46% of stagnant and declining firms. Training could cover a wide range of areas including accessing to and managing finance, cost management, personnel management, marketing strategy, information use and retrieval, operation management and so on, which equip small-firm owners and employees with the skills necessary to survival and the further growth. So training is also an important factor that contributes to small firms’ survival which can be easily ignored. 5. Innovation In this era of knowledge economy, innovation become inextricably linked with a firm’s survival, successful entrepreneurship always relies heavily on innovation. It is extremely important for new small firms who still enter industries where economics of scale plays a critical role, by innovation small firms could compete on the basis of added value, therefore enhancing the likelihood of survival. On the other hand, innovation intrinsically linked with a company’s diversification strategy, through innovative activity, firms have the chance to produce new products and services so that they can attract more customers and increase their market share. Also, cost reduction can be achieved by innovation in operation processes, marketing and organizational forms. For example, in order to expand, some firms may choose a strategy called e-marketing to reduce cost, they may create a impressive and special site to grab people’s attention, on the website, a convenient online selling system is provided. Also, the firm may send their new products and services details to their target customers and potential customers, sometimes combining with even fun facts. So business innovation is especially important not only for large companies but also SMEs’ survival, lack of innovation could be a barrier to a small firm’s growth. Discrimination between fast growth firms and all other SMEs Different SME tends to have different growth rate, some of them grow rapidly and are recognized as FGSMEs(fast-growth small-to-medium enterprises). According to Caroline and Kosmas, FGSMEs are firms that achieve at least 20% annual compound sales growth over a 5-year period. Birch (1995) found that FGSMEs make up 3% of all small firms. Based on former research, there are many firm-based characteristics, which are concentrated on both customers and organizations aspects, such as satisfaction of customers, financial perspectives, staff retention, number and quality of successful innovations and so on, to discriminate between FGSMEs and all other SMEs. 1. Customer Focus FGSMEs are customer centric, regularly receiving feedback from clients and taking their requests and complaints seriously into consideration (Tan, 2007). They always try to retain clients through improving the quality of products and services or developing new products. According to the BSC, customer perspectives focus on traditional marketing issues such as market share, customer satisfaction and service quality ratings, customer loyalty, and customer perceived value (Kaplan & Norton, 2000). 2. Financial Perspectives FGSMEs tend to spend a lot of time and effort in analyzing the financial health of their firms. On the contrary, other SMEs always analyze cash flows on a regular basis, relying on occasional ‘back of the envelope’ calculations. Financial summaries provided by accountants are used for mandatory reporting purposes instead of financial management (Barnes et al. , 1998). 3. Internal Business Perspective Internal business performance indicators contains traditional operational terms such as tender success rate, data rejection percentages, time per customer (Kaplan & Norton, 2000), on-time delivery, the number of new products launched and product defects (Zaman, 2003). FGSMEs tend to manage and examine their business processes. For example, Liaise marketing (a supermarket broker) CEO, Tony Merlino stated that their firm measures manufacturer sales, market share and store visits to make sure that their sales team operates properly and efficiently. 4. Employee Focus Kaplan and Norton (2000) pointed that innovation, learning, and growth perspectives are closely linked to improve employee job satisfaction and commitment, and develop employees’ technical ability and innovation skills. According to the previous literature, FGSMEs seem to pay a lot of attention on employees. Nicholls-Nixon, 2005; Tan, 2007). So we can see that these fast-growth firms all have a strong emphasis on making their employees as part of the performance measurement system. Staff’s ideas and feelings are very important and cannot be ignored easily. Conclusion This study aims at identifying the factors that contribute to SMEs’ survival. Finding on the study sug gests that effective financial management, outstanding leadership and training play a critical role in SMEs’ survival, while excessive depend on one or two customers(suppliers) will be dangerous and may lead to a death. On the other hand, the study makes a distinction between FGSMEs and other SMEs based on four perspectives, finally draw the conclusion that FGSMEs tend to pay more attention on customers, financial management, internal business operation and employees. REFERENCE Astebro, T. and Bernhardt, I. 2009. â€Å"Dissecting Behaviours Associated with Business Failure: A Qualitative Study of SME Owners in Malaysia and Australia†. Journal of Asian social science 5 (9): 98–104. Barnes, L. , Coulton. T. Dickinson. S. Dransfield, J. Field, N. Fisher, et al. 1998. A New Approach to Performance Measurement for Small and Medium Enterprises†. Performance measurement – theory and practice, 1, 86-92. BERR. 2002. ENTERPRISE: UNLOCKING THE UK’S TALENT. [online]. [Accessed 9th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: < http://www. berr. gov. uk/files/file44992. pdf> Berry,M. 1998. â€Å"Strategic Planning in Small High Tech Companies†. Long Range Planning 31(3) : 455-466 Birch, D. 1995. Who's Creating Jobs? Cambridge: Cognetics, Inc. Birley, S. and Niktari, N. 1995. The Failure of Owner-Managed Businesses: The Diagnosis of Accountants and Bankers. London: Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Caroline, S. T. and Kosmas, X. S. 2005. Firm performance measurement in fast growth small-to-medium enterprises [online]. [Accessed 10th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: European Commision. 2005. The new SME definition User guide and model declaration [online]. [Accessed 10th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: Enterprise Britain: Growth, Innovation and Public Policy in the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Sector. 1994–1997. Cambridge: ESRC Centre for Business Research, pp. 16–27. Haugh. M and McKee. L. 2000. Survival, independence, control: uncovering the shared values in the SME. [online]. [Accessed 12th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: Kaplan, R. S. , and D. P. Norton. 2000. The Strategy-Focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Kitson, M. and Wilkinson, F. 1998. â€Å"Employment structure, recruitment, labour turnover, training and labour force flexibility† in Cosh, A. and Hughes, A. (eds), Natwest. 1997. Natwest Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain. Small Business Research Trust Nicholls-Nixon, C. L. (2005). Rapid Growth and High Performance: The Entrepreneur's ‘Impossible Dream'? Academy of management executive, 19(1), 77-89. Noor, H. A. 2003. † Start-up financing, owner characteristics, and survival†. Journal of Economics and Business 55 (2003): 303–319. Stanworth, J. and Gray, C. 1992. â€Å"Entrepreneurship and education: action-based research and training policy implications in Britain†. International Small Business Journal 10(2), 11–23. Schaefer, P. 2006. The seven pitfalls of business failures and how to avoid them. Accessed 9th February 2010 Available from World Wide Web: www. usinessknowhow. com/startup/business-failure. html Tan, C. S. L. 2007. Sources of Competitive Advantage for Emerging Fast Growth Small-to-Medium Enterprises: The Role of Business Orientation, Marketing Capabilities, Customer Value and Firm Performance. RMIT University, Melbourne. Zaman, M. 2003. Balanced Score card Implementation in Australian Companies – an Exploratory Study of Current Corporate Practice and Strategic Intent. Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Business.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 7

There was a sort of universal gasp. Stefan went white, his compressed lips showing in a tight line. Bonnie felt as if she were choking on words, on explanations, on recriminations about Caroline's own behavior. Elena may have had as many boyfriends as the stars in the sky, but in the end she had given all that up – because she fell in love – not that Caroline would know anything aboutthat . â€Å"Don't have anything to say now?† Caroline was taunting. â€Å"Can't find any cute answer? Bat got your tongue?† She began to laugh, but it was forced, glassy laughter, and then words were spilling out of her almost as if uncontrollably, all words that weren't supposed to be spoken in public. Bonnie had said most of them at one time or another, buthere , andnow , they formed a stream of venomous power. Caroline's words were building up to some kind of crescendo – something was going to happen – this kind of force couldn't be contained – Reverberations, Bonnie thought as the sound waves began building up†¦. Glass,her intuition told her.Get away from glass. Stefan just had time to whirl to Meredith and shout,†Get rid of the lamp.† And Meredith, who was not only quick on the uptake but also a baseball pitcher with a 1.75 ERA, snatched it up and threw it at – no, through – – an explosion as the porcelain lamp shattered – – the open window. There was a similar shattering in the bathroom. The mirror had exploded behind the closed door. Then Caroline slapped Elena across the face. It left a bloody smear, which Elena patted tentatively. It also left a white handprint, turning to red. Elena's expression was one to wring tears from a stone. And then Stefan did what Bonnie considered the most astonishing thing of all. He very gently put Elena down on the floor, kissed her upturned face, and turned to Caroline. He put his hands on her shoulders, not shaking, only holding her still, forcing her to look at him. â€Å"Caroline,† he said, â€Å"stop it.Come back. For the sake of your old friends who care for you, come back. For the sake of the family that loves you, come back. For the sake of your own immortal soul,come back. Come back to us!† Caroline just eyed him belligerently. Stefan half turned aside, toward Meredith, grimacing. â€Å"I'm not really cut out to do this,† he said wryly. â€Å"It's not any vampire's forte.† Then he turned toward Elena, his voice tender. â€Å"Love, can you help? Can you help your old friend again?† Already Elena was trying to help, trying to get to Stefan. She had pulled herself up very shakily, first by the rocking chair and then by Bonnie, who tried to help her under the burden of gravity. Elena was as wobbly as a newborn giraffe in roller skates, and Bonnie – almost half a head shorter – was finding her hard to handle. Stefan made a motion as if to help, but Matt was already there, steadying Elena on the other side. Then Stefan had Caroline turned around, and he was holding her, not letting her dart away, forcing her to face Elena fully. Elena, while being held at the waist so that her hands were free, made some curious motions, seeming to draw designs more and more quickly in the air in front of Caroline's face, at the same time clasping and unclasping her hands with the fingers in different positions. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Caroline's eyes followed the movements of Elena's hands as if compelled, but it was clear from her snarling that she hated it. Magic, Bonnie thought, fascinated. White Magic. She's calling on angels, just as surely as Caroline was calling demons. But is she strong enough to pull Caroline out of the darkness? And at last, as if to complete the ceremony, Elena leaned forward and kissed Caroline chastely on the lips. All hell broke loose. Caroline somehow squirmed out of Stefan's grip and tried to claw Elena's face with her nails. Objects in the room went sailing through the air, propelled by no human force. Matt tried to grab Caroline's arm and got a punch in the stomach that doubled him over, followed by a chop to the back of the neck. Stefan let go of Caroline to scoop up Elena and get her and Bonnie out of harm's way. He seemed to assume that Meredith could take care of herself – and he was right. Caroline swung at Meredith, but Meredith was ready. She grabbed Caroline's fist and helped her in the direction of the swing. Caroline landed on the bed, twisted, and then rushed Meredith again, this time getting a grip on her hair. Meredith pulled free, leaving a tuft of hair in Caroline's fingers. Then Meredith got under Caroline's guard and hit her squarely on the jaw. Caroline collapsed. Bonnie cheered and refused to feel guilty about it. Then, for the first time, as Caroline lay still, Bonnie noticed that Caroline's fingernails were all there again – long, strong, curved, and perfect, not one of them chipped or broken. Elena's Power? It must be. What else could have done it? With just a few motions and a kiss, Elena had healed Caroline's hand. Meredith was massaging her own hand. â€Å"I never realized ithurt so much to knock people out,† she said. â€Å"They never show it in movies. Is it the same for guys?† Matt flushed. â€Å"I†¦uh, I've never actually†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's the same for everyone, even vampires,† Stefan said briefly. â€Å"Are you all right, Meredith? I mean, Elena could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No, I'm fine. And Bonnie and I have a job to do.† She nodded at Bonnie, who nodded weakly back. â€Å"Caroline's our responsibility, and we should have realized why shereally had to come back this last time. She doesn't have a car. I'll bet she used that downstairs telephone and tried to get somebody to pick her up, but couldn't, and then she came upstairs again. So now we have to take her home. Stefan, I'm sorry. It hasn't been much of a visit.† Stefan looked grim. â€Å"It's probably as much as Elena could take, anyway,† he said. â€Å"More than I thought she could take, honestly.† Matt said, â€Å"Well, I'm the one with the car, and Caroline is my responsibility, too,† he said. â€Å"I may not be a girl, but I'm a human.† â€Å"Maybe we could come back tomorrow?† Bonnie said. â€Å"Yes, I suppose that would be best,† Stefan said. â€Å"I almost hate to let her go at all,† he added, staring at the unconscious Caroline, his face shadowed. â€Å"I'm afraid for her. Very much afraid.† Bonnie pounced on this. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I think – well, it may be too early to say, but she seems to be almost possessed by something – but I have no idea what. I think I have to do some serious research.† And there it was again, the ice water dripping down Bonnie's back. The feeling of how close the frigid ocean of fear was, ready to topple down on her and take her on a swift trip to the bottom. Stefan added, â€Å"But what's certain is that she was behaving strangely – even for Caroline. And I don't know whatyou heard when she was cursing, but I heard another voice behind it, prompting her.† He turned to Bonnie. â€Å"Did you?† Bonnie was thinking back. Had there been something – just a whisper – and just a beat before Caroline's voice came? Less than a beat, and just the faintest of sibilant whispers? â€Å"And what happened here may have made it worse. She called on Hell at a moment when this room was saturated with Power. And Fell's Church itself is at the crossing of so many ley lines, it isn't funny. With all that going on – well, I just wish we had a good parapsychologist around.† Bonnie knew they were all thinking of Alaric. â€Å"I'll try to get him to come,† Meredith said. â€Å"But usually he's off in Tibet or Timbuktu doing research these days. It'll take a while even to get a message to him.† â€Å"Thank you.† Stefan looked relieved. â€Å"Like I said, she's our responsibility,† Meredith said quietly. â€Å"We're sorry to have brought her,† Bonnie said loudly, rather hoping that something inside Caroline could hear her. They said their good-byes separately to Elena, not sure of what might happen. But she simply smiled at each of them and touched their hands. By good luck or by the grace of something far beyond their understanding, Caroline woke up. She even seemed mostly rational, if a little fuzzy, when the car reached her driveway. Matt helped her out of the car and walked her to the door on his arm, where Caroline's mother answered the doorbell. She was a mousy, timid, tired-looking woman who did not seem surprised to be receiving her daughter in this state on a late summer afternoon. Matt dropped the girls off at Bonnie's house, where they spent a night in worried speculation. Bonnie fell asleep with the sound of Caroline's curses echoing in her head. Dear Diary, Something is going to happen tonight. I can't talk or write, and I don't remember how to type on a keyboard very well, but I can send thoughts to Stefan and he can write them down. We don't have any secrets from each other. So this is my diary now. And†¦ This morning I woke up again. I woke up again! It was still summer outside, and everything was green. The daffodils in the garden are all in bloom. And I had visitors. I didn't know exactly who they were, but three of them are strong, clear colors. I kissed them so I won't forget them again. The fourth one was different. I could only see a shattered color, laced with black. I had to use strong words of White Power to keep that one from bringing dark things into Stefan's room. I'm getting sleepy. I want to be with Stefan and feel him holding me. I love Stefan. I would give up anything to stay with him. He asks me, Even flying? Even flying, to be with him and keep him safe. Even anything, to keep him safe. Even my life. Now I want to go to him. Elena (And Stefan is sorry about writing in Elena's new diary, but he has to say some things, because someday maybe she will want to read them, to remember. I've written down her thoughts in sentences, but they don't come that way. They come as thought-fragments, I guess. Vampires are used to translating people's everyday thoughts into coherent sentences, but Elena's thoughts need more translation than most. Usually she thinks in bright pictures, with a scattered word or two. The â€Å"fourth one† that she talks about is Caroline Forbes. Elena has known Caroline almost since babyhood, I think. What bewilders me is that today Caroline attacked her in almost every way imaginable, and yet when I search Elena's mind I can't find any feelings of anger or even any pain. It's almost frightening to scan a mind like that. The question I'd really like to answer is: What happened to Caroline during the short time she was kidnapped by Klaus and Tyler? And did she do what she did today of her own free will? Does some remnant of Klaus's hatred still linger like miasma, tainting the air? Or do we have another enemy in Fell's Church? And most importantly, what do we do about it? Stefan, who is being pulled from the compu.