Essay on What Have I Done - Creative Writing - 830 Words

The sweltering heat from the blazing sun lit up the grass verges in the park and bounced off the sparkling water in the lake. It was one of the hottest summer days in New York City’s record and Jodie Lexington, a high school teacher, had the pleasure in relishing in every minute of it. Jodie was relaxing on the freshly cut grass, happily dozing under an apple tree and was thoroughly enjoying the day off from her hectic New York lifestyle. Jodie calmly listened to the birds singing and allowed the gentle breeze to brush her long auburn locks across her face: to her this was paradise. Suddenly the sound of thumping heavy metal music blared, tearing through the silence of the secluded†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Well, urm†¦.,† she stuttered, â€Å"me. I don’t want to listen to that racket, thank you.† â€Å"It’s a free country, miss,† the man grunted, â€Å"if you don’t like it, leave. But both I and my dreadful music are staying put.† Jodie’s cheeks flushed pink with anger and she let out an irritated groan, however the man still paid no attention to her or made no attempt to make any eye contact. So Jodie turned on her heels, picked up her belongings and stormed off to the other side of the park. Sat by the lakeside, Jodie could not believe that a person could be so arrogant and rude towards someone they did not know. Did people not respect each other anymore? She thought men were supposed to be chivrilous or at least kind, but she guessed she thought wrong as usual. Trying no to ruin the rest of her day off, Jodie graded a few test papers from her last English class and paddled her feet in the warm lake. After finishing marking the tests, Jodie lay back on the embankment and began to fall asleep, still disturbed about how ill-mannered and pompous the stranger had been. Later that day a gust of wind woke Jodie suddenly and with a shudder she sat up realizing it was running in to evening. The sun was setting across the city and the warm glow from the sun a sparkling haze across the lake. Jodie hugged her books tight in to her chest and strode along the windingShow MoreRelated The Skill of Writing Essay677 Words   |  3 PagesThe Skill of Writing Writing and reading are two essential skills that we need to have in order to succeed in any field of study that we have chosen. Without these two we would not be here, wouldn’t be writing right now and would be considered the lowest class of our society. There are different aspects of writing that each of us may, or may not, excel at. Some of us are creative enough to write short stories or even novels on fiction while others, like me, are better at writing essays. To accomplishRead MoreThe Relationship Between Madness And Creativity, By Katherine M. Thomas And Marshall Duke1209 Words   |  5 Pagesnatural talent or an acquired skill; writing allows artists to bring their creative expression to life. Interestingly enough, there is a widespread belief that some writers develop their creativity and knack for writing through suffering from a mental illness. This belief stems from past research based on the relationship between madness and creativity, especially in the writing field. Katherine M. Thomas and Marshall Duke wrote the article, Depressed writing: Cognitive distortions in the works ofRead MoreTechnical Writing And Creative Writing1312 Words   |  6 Pagesmany different types of writing. Writing is used in a wide variety of different subjects. Some people think that left part of the brain is used for technical writing and the right side is used for creative writing (Patel). Technical writing is used in the fields of science, engineering, technology and the health sciences (Nordquist). Creative writing is used in novels, poems, epics, short stories, screenplays, songs, television scripts, etc. (YourDictionary). Although they have some minor similaritiesRead MoreStatement of Purpose for Reporters and Creative Writers 938 Words   |  4 PagesReporters and creative writers both further the freedoms of people. They give people the chance to read and learn about the world we live in. Reporters and creative writers must be fantastic writers and de cent editors. Workers in both of these professions will be editing and revising their own pieces of work. I love writing and being creative in my writing style and spend hours at a time just writing, so these qualities are appealing to me. Though both include literary work, both differ the mostRead MoreThe Challenges Of Math And Science Classes Essay968 Words   |  4 Pagesthink art, design, and marketing are creative. However, creativity lies in every field that you are curious in. There is no definite space that creativity exists in. Obviously, this idea struck me later. I also thought a creative person was the one who could compose rhyming poems and stories, who could draw beautiful pictures, or who could sing and dance effortlessly and I also wanted these skills, but it was impossible. Later, I found out, I was creative too. I enjoyed the challenges problems in mathRead MoreEssay on Alex F. Osborn: Brainstorming786 Words   |  4 PagesBrainstorming was born in 1939, which is when Alex F. Osborn began developing ways for creative problem solving. While many people have their own ideas on what brainstorming is from graphs to make a point or writing thoughts down on a sheet of paper and trying to figure them out. After doing my research I found there is more to brainstorming than just the obvious things. Brainstorming is a way of thinking up solutions, ideas or new ways to express something or solve a problem. It can be a difficultRead MoreWriting Is Defined As Fun858 Words   |  4 Pages In my opinion, writing is defined as fun, a way to be creative and a way to help me clear my mind. It allows me to express my own individuality. Writing may be known as a bore to others who cant seem to find their own writing style, but if you have that gift of writing it comes easy no matter what subject or topic. That s where my liking for writing comes in. I ve always been able to take a topic and write about it without any problems. Once my brain gets going, its hard to stop. Several yearsRead MoreWriting Is Defined As Fun862 Words   |  4 PagesA writer to be... In my opinion, writing is defined as fun, a way to be creative and a way to help me clear my mind. It allows me to express my own individuality. Writing may be known as a bore to others who cant seem to find their own writing style, but if you have that gift of writing it comes easy no matter what subject or topic. That s where my liking for writing comes in. I ve always been able to take a topic and write about it without any problems. Once my brain gets going, its hard toRead MoreGrammar Is The Foundation Of The Majority Of Our Literary Works Throughout The Years.887 Words   |  4 Pagesgrammar lessons today should be learned through the use of creative writing rather than more traditional means of grammar instruction. Her article does well as she connects the reader logically and emotionally about how grammar hinders people’s passion of English and writing. Although, I do believe that grammar can first be taught by more traditional means to understand how to use the skil l and then later be applied through creative writing, rather than eliminating grammar lessons altogether. TheRead MoreResponse to Towards a Definition of Creative Nonfiction by Brett Lott761 Words   |  4 PagesDefinition of Creative Nonfiction†, Brett Lott attempts to describe the genre of creative nonfiction by explaining that there is essentially no definitive model. He begins by presenting an abstract definition of the genre which he later molds and amends with additions to become a much more comprehensive working definition. However before exploring the various aspects of creative nonfiction and what it entails, Lott prefaces his essay with the statement that â€Å"we aren’t going to arrive anywhere here†. I found

Occupy Wall Street Movement Essay - 1449 Words

Occupy Wall Street Movement If heavy student loan debt , soaring tuition fee, climbing taxes, plummeting financial aid, nose-diving employment opportunities, exacerbating inequality between common people and wealthy class, are some of the issues that infuriate you and lead you to blame government’s generous bailing out failed banks and other financial institutions then you cannot not know about Occupy Wall Street(OWS) movement. List all information you know about your subject Occupy Wall Street is one of the top 10 US protest movements inspired by popular revolts against authority in Egypt and Tunisia which finally led to toppling of their respective presidents. It began on 17th September 2011 in liberty square in Manhattan’s†¦show more content†¦The modus operandi of this movement is more directed towards direct action, as opposed to taking course of petitioning to authorities’ in other similar movements. The drivers of the movement claim to bring about a revolution through this movement across the globe. However, is the OWS movement actually qualifies to be called catalyst in bringing about the much hyped word ‘the revolution’? In my opinion: ‘NO’. OWS is compelling enough to initiate a dialogue or a discussion about the current state or to let the authority know that citizens are not complacent. Other than that, with no leader, no clear agenda and, no institutional support , I do not see this movement being effective enough in bringing about the so called ‘revolution’. There are three key reasons which lead me to reach this assessment. Firstly, OWS does not recognize the need of leadership. According to the protesters the leadership will result in hierarchy which means inequality. What they fail to understand is that for a movement to have structure, direction and a clear message, it is ok to have a hierarchy, which naturally comes with leadership.(Barnac, The failure of Occupy Wall Street, Jan 2012) Barnac reminds that the success of CivilShow MoreRelatedOccupy Wall Street Movement1039 Words   |  5 PagesOccupy Wall Street Movement Moral and Ethical Implications Occupy Wall Street Movement Moral and Ethical Implications The Occupy Wall Street Movement that started in September 2011 in Liberty Square in the Finical District was movement organized by people to expose corruptions in cooperate America. The Occupy Wall Street Movement was known, as the peaceful protest due to it’s non-violent, non-aggressive nature and spread to over a one hundred and fifty cities crossRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement1625 Words   |  7 PagesStarted on September 17, 2011, the Occupy Wall Street Movement began in the Financial District of New York City and has received resonance in other American cities as well as to 82 other countries. Concentrating on how the current economic system has affected peoples’ lives, the movement raised issues about the lack in democracy of the financial system, social and economic inequality, and the connection between financial and political power. The income inequality between the rich and the poor wasRead MoreOccupy Wall Street Movement1612 Words   |  7 P agesOccupy Wall Street Movement Business Ethics 309 Discuss the moral and economic implications involved in the movement. September 17, 2011 is the day the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement began in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City. The main issues include social and economic inequality, greed, corruption and the undue influence of corporations on government according to The New York Times. The mix of moral foundations based on ideas from the anthropologist Richard Shweder, outline sixRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement1982 Words   |  8 PagesThe Occupy Movement is an international activist movement that fosters social and economic change and originated from the actions of the Occupy Wall Street movement (source #7). The focus is on the Occupy Wall Street movement that was launched on September 17th 2011 and was catalysed by Adbusters activist Micah White. White created a web page about the corruption that was happening surrounding the financial crisis in the United States leading to the most recent recession. Large corporations basedRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement Essay1049 Wor ds   |  5 Pages Occupy Wall Street has been called many things including: unfocused, ungrounded, and silly. Others coin it as â€Å"America’s first internet-era movement† (Rushkoff). In quintessence, Occupy Wall Street is a series of protests and demonstrations that oppose the influence that corporate greed has on American Democracy. The protestors manipulate marches and nonviolent demonstrations to express their dissatisfaction with the state of American Politics and economy. This relates to the political scienceRead MoreEssay on Occupy Wall Street Movement928 Words   |  4 PagesThe Occupy Wall Street Movement that began in New York Sept. 17 and has since spread like wildfire across the world has made an undeniable impact on the social and political climate of the Upper Midwest. | With various Occupy protest committees continuing to spring up across Minnesota and North Dakota, many working people in the region who, previously, might not have come together on other political issues say they have found common ground in the Occupy Movement. Union, non-union, white collarRead MoreEssay about Occupy Wall Street Movement1817 Words   |  8 Pageshead: OCCUPY WALL STREET Assignment #1 Occupy Wall Street Movement Brenda Bryant Dr. Obi. Iwuanyanwu BUS309 Business Ethics October 5, 2012 Discuss the moral and economic implications involved in the movement. The Occupy movement was a protest that gathered local organizers, students, and activists in response to the economic disparity of countries around the world. The protest gained momentum after a continuous series of protests took place in Zuccotti Park in New York Citys Wall StreetRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement and Ensuing Controversy Essay2019 Words   |  9 Pagesin Zuccotti Park, New York which is Wall Street’s financial district under the banner â€Å"Occupy Wall Street†: these three simple words are causing an uproar in America (Engler). Additionally, these three words happen to be protesting the current status of America’s financial condition. With the economy in America being as terrible as it is, and the unemployment rate skyrocketing, it is absolutely necessary for some sort of change to occur. The Occupy Wall Street protesting is most positively a progressiveRead More How the Media Portrays the Occupy Wall Street Movement1000 Words   |  4 Pagesof laws, to grass roots campaigns such as Occupy Wall Street. The Occupy Wall Street campaign has been portrayed negatively by the mainstream media outlets. Newspapers, radio, television, and the internet have painted the movement with offensive undertones, reporting the lows of the movement rather than the revolutionary aspects of the movement. A possible reason that the media has consistently framed this movement in a negative manner is that the movement is operating against the forces of societyRead MoreOccupy Wall Street: Positive Impact of the Protest Movement in USA1235 Words   |  5 PagesOccupy Wall Street Occupy wall Street is a protest movement in the United States of America which began on September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York Citys wall street financial district. This group was initiated by a Canadian activist and it has led to occupy protests and movements around the world. The Occupy Wall Street movement began as a collective expression due to the current economic conditions in the United States of America. Occupy Wall Street has a slogan which is We

Ethics - Governance and CSR

Question: Discuss about the Ethics, Governance and CSR. Answer: Matters relating to public policy are serious thus the process of policy making involves a number of stakeholders. Anything that affects the public, whether directly or indirectly, also affects the business to a greater extent (Pestoff, Brandsen, Verschuere, 2013). Reasonably, this paper asserts the extent to which businesses should be involved in the public policy formulation. Dunn (2015) contends that the various problems encountered by the individual countries and the international community as a whole considerably affects businesses. For this reason, policy formulation and implementation should not be solely left in the hands of the government. When businesses render goods and services to the consumers, they are typically driven by the idea of the public good. The felt public goods and issues determine the businesses opportunities and risks. Additionally, they (goods and issues) are likely to influence the security, sustainability, and success of the individual communities or countries where the businesses are operated (Chin, Hambrick Trevio, 2013). Consequently, the businesses remain integral in the making of public policy. It is inarguable that some developing countries have bad governance. In such cases, the businesses should be transparent, consistent and accountable when it comes to public policy development. In other words, the businesses should remain aware of what they can do and what they cannot do. Business should thus be at the forefront to address both the institutional failures and the government's deficit (Hond et al., 2014). In conclusion, businesses play a significant role in the development of the public policy. Hence, they should highly be regarded in the policy development so as long as their involvement is transparent and accountable. References Chin, M. K., Hambrick, D. C., Trevio, L. K. (2013). Political ideologies of CEOs: Theinfluence of executives values on corporate social responsibility. Administrative Science Quarterly, 58(2), 197-232. Dunn, W. N. (2015). Public policy analysis. Routledge. Hond, F., Rehbein, K. A., Bakker, F. G., Lankveld, H. K. V. (2014). Playing on twochessboards: Reputation effects between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate political activity (CPA). Journal of Management Studies, 51(5), 790-813. Pestoff, V., Brandsen, T., Verschuere, B. (Eds.). (2013). New public governance, the thirdsector, and co-production (Vol. 7). Routledge.

Nonwestern Art Essays - Moche Culture, Andean Civilizations

Nonwestern Art The fascinating Moche period was characterized by a number of developments. Ceramics, textiles and metalwork improved greatly, architectural skills allowed the construction of huge pyramids and other structures and there was enough leisure tune for art and a highly organized religion. The Moche culture, a culture that has left impressive archaeological sites and some of the most outstanding pottery to be seen in Peru's museums, is named after the river which flows into the ocean just south of Trujillo. The Moche culture is especially known for its ceramics, such as Vessel woth the stirrup-ring spout, and the Moches handiwork is considered the most artistically sensitive and technically developed of any found in Peru. The thousands of Moche pots preserved in museums are so realistically decorated with figures and scenes that they give us a very descriptive look at life during the Moche period. Pots were molded into lifelike representations of people, crops, domestic or wild animals, m arine life and houses. Other pots like Vessel were painted with scenes of both ceremonial and everyday life. From these pots, archaeologists know that Moche society was very class conscious. This particular ceramic is decorated in reddish brown over a white background with a Moche priest performing a ritual beneath a starry sky. Such a ceramic would have been actually used in a religious ceremony to store various sacred liquids needed for the completion of such an act. The most important people, the priests and warriors, were members of the urban classes and lived closest to the large ceremonial pyramids and other temples. They were surrounded by a middle class of artisans and then, in descending order: farmers and fishermen, servants, slaves and beggars. The priests and warriors were both honored and obeyed. They are the people most frequently shown in ceramics, which depict them being carried in litters wearing particularly fine jewelry or clothing. The depiction of the priests caused the ceramics bearing their figures to be most revered and sacred. Their authority is evident from pots showing scenes of punishment, including the mutilation and death of those who dared to disobey. Clothing, musical instruments, tools and jewelry are all frequent subjects for ceramics. As there was no written language, most of what we know about the Moche comes from this wealth of pottery. The pottery crafted by the Moche opened a window to the life and times in wh ich they lived, giving future generations accounts of everyday and spiritual life similar to that of Ancient Egypt's wall illustrations. Arts and Painting

Mary Lou Retton, Olympic Gymnastics Champion

Mary Lou Retton, Olympic Gymnastics Champion Mary Lou Retton (born January 24, 1968) won a gold medal for the United States in  womens Olympic gymnastics in 1984. She was the first American woman to win gold in the all-around event, and she won the most Olympic medals of any athlete at the 1984 Games. She also was known for her warm style, enthusiastic personality, iconic pixie haircut, and a more muscular build than many other female gymnasts. Fast Facts: Mary Lou Retton Known For: Gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic GymnastBorn: January 24, 1968 in Fairmont, West VirginiaParents: Ronnie Retton and Lois RettonPublished Work: Mary Lou Rettons Gateways to Happiness: 7 Ways to a More Peaceful, More Prosperous, More Satisfying LifeAwards and Honors: Five Olympic gymnastics medals, including one goldSpouse: Shannon Kelley (divorced)Children: Shayla,  McKenna, Skyla, EmmaNotable Quote: You give up your childhood. You miss proms and games and high school events, and people say its awful...I say it was a good trade. You miss something but I think I gained more than I lost. Early Life Mary Lou Retton was born on Jan. 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia. She was the youngest of five children. Her father Ronnie Retton played basketball in college and was a minor league baseball player. Her mother Lois signed up Mary Lou for dance classes when she was 4, then enrolled her and her older sister in gymnastics classes at West Virginia University. She didnt have to be pushed into working out.  I would sleep in my leotard on Friday nights because I was so excited about gymnastics on Saturday mornings, Retton told Texas  Monthly magazine writer Skip Hollandsworth. She later remembered at age 4 watching Olga Korbut skate in the 1972 Olympics for the Soviet Union and identifying with her courage and vigor. Four years later, it was Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci who caught her eye, inspiring dreams of Olympic gold. Preparing to Compete By the age of 12, Retton had become dedicated to gymnastics and was competing in national and international competitions. Her parents allowed her to move to Houston, Texas when she was 14 to study and train with gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, a Romanian defector who had previously coached Comaneci. She lived with the family of a fellow student and finished high school via correspondence courses while training 8-10 hours a day. She enjoyed the rigorous gymnastics schedule and flourished under Karolyis coaching. Retton stood out physically from many of the other female gymnasts. She was muscular, a change from the petite athletes that fans were accustomed to seeing in competition, even at the highest levels of the sport. One month after beginning her training with Karolyi, Rettons team went to Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, for the McDonalds American Cup Competition. She wasnt ranked high enough to be invited but she went as a substitute. One of her teammates got injured and Karolyi put in Retton. She won the competition and set a meet record, putting her in contention for the 1984 Olympics only two years away. Competition By 1984, Retton had won 14 all-around competitions in a row and was expected to compete in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She was then 16 years old. The Soviet Union and most of its allies were boycotting the Games in response to the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympics. About six weeks before the games were to start, Retton suffered a major knee injury, which turned out to be torn cartilage. She and her parents opted for minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery, which enabled Retton to walk immediately and to begin training after just one week of physical therapy. In the weeks before the Games, Retton would lie in bed, her eyes closed, imagining each piece of equipment and each routine and performing perfectly. Then she imagined receiving the gold medal with The Star-Spangled Banner booming around her. Olympic Showdown Sometimes, creative visualization works. At the Olympics, she won the gold medal in womens gymnastics for the all-around competition. The win was dramatic. Coming into the last event, she was barely behind Ecaterina Szabo of Romania. Retton approached her event, the vault, needing a 9.95 out of 10 to tie Szabo for the gold medal, and a perfect score of 10 to win it outright. She scored a 10. Olympic rules required that she perform another vault, although her first score still would count. So she landed another perfect 10. In addition to the gold medal in the all-around event, Retton won an individual silver for the vault, a bronze for the uneven bars, another bronze for the floor exercise, and another silver as part of the team competition. The five medals were the most for any athlete at the 1984 Olympic Games. Legacy Following her retirement from gymnastics in 1985 after winning her third American Cup title, Retton briefly attended the University of Texas at Austin. She married Shannon Kelley, whom she had met in college, in 1990, and they had four daughters: Shayla,  McKenna, Skyla, and Emma. She made many commercials, appeared in several movies and television shows, and was a popular speaker. Among the other recognition, Mary Lou Retton was the first woman to be featured on the front of a Wheaties box and she became a spokeswoman for the cereal brand. Through the many accolades and honors, she retained her fresh and perky personality and continued to convey a sense of being the girl next door. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. Sources Retton, Mary Lou. Mary Lou: Creating an Olympic Champion. Hardcover, First Edition edition, McGraw-Hill, September 1, 1985. Retton, Mary Lou. Mary Lou Rettons Gateways to Happiness: 7 Ways to a More Peaceful, More Prosperous, More Satisfying Life. Hardcover, Broadway, April 4, 2000. Retton, Mary Lou. The Olympic Dream and Spirit Volume 1: Stories of courage, perseverance and dedication. Mary Joe Fernandez, Bela Karolyi, et al., Paperback, Cross Training Pub, November 1, 1999. Retton, Mary Lou. Encyclopedia, The Gale Group, Inc., 2004.

Biography of Marco Polo, Merchant and Explorer

Biography of Marco Polo, Merchant and Explorer Marco Polo (c.1254–January 8, 1324) was a Venetian merchant and explorer who followed in the footsteps of his father and uncle. His writings about China and the Mongol Empire in The Travels of Marco Polo had a significant impact on European beliefs about and behavior toward the East and inspired the travels of Christopher Columbus. Fast Facts: Marco Polo Known For: Exploration of the Far East and writing about his travelsBorn: c. 1254 in the city-state of Venice (modern Italy)Parents: Niccolà ² Polo, Nicole Anna DefusehDied: January 8, 1324 in VeniceEducation: UnknownPublished Works: The Travels of Marco PoloSpouse: Donata BadoerChildren: Bellela Polo, Fantina Polo, Moretta PoloNotable Quote: â€Å"I have not told the half of what I saw.† Early Years Marco Polo was born into a prosperous merchant family in 1254 in what was then the Italian city-state of Venice. His father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo had already left Venice for a trading trip before Marco was born, and Marcos mother died before the expedition returned. As a result, young Marco was raised by relatives. Meanwhile, Marcos father and uncle traveled to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), encountering Mongol uprisings and the Byzantine re-conquest of Constantinople along the way. The brothers then headed east to Bukhara (modern-day Uzbekistan), and, from there, were encouraged to meet with the great Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan (the grandson of Genghis Khan) in his court in what is now Beijing. Kublai Khan took a liking to the Italian brothers and learned a great deal from them about European culture and technology. A few years later, Kublai Khan sent the Polo brothers back to Europe on a mission to the Pope, asking that missionaries be sent to convert the Mongols (no mission was ever sent). By the time the Polos returned to Venice the year was 1269; Niccolo discovered that his wife had died in the interim, leaving him a 15-year-old son. The father, uncle, and son got along well; two years later, in 1271, the three left Venice once again and headed east. Travels With His Father Marco, his father, and his uncle sailed across the Mediterranean Sea and then traveled overland, crossing Armenia, Persia, Afghanistan, and the Pamir Mountains. Finally, they set off across the Gobi Desert to China and Kublai Khan. The entire journey took about four years, including a period during which the group stayed in the mountains of Afghanistan while Marco recovered from illness. Despite the hardships, Marco discovered a love for travel and a desire to learn as much as he could about the cultures he encountered. Upon reaching Beijing, the Polos were welcomed to Kublai Khans legendary marble and gold summer palace, Xanadu. All three men were invited to join the emperors court, and all three immersed themselves in Chinese language and culture. Marco was appointed to become a special envoy to the emperor, which entitled him to travel throughout Asia, thus becoming the first European to see Tibet, Burma, and India. His service to the emperor was exemplary; as a result, he received the titles of governor of a Chinese city and earned a seat on the emperors council. Return to Venice After a successful stay of more than 17 years in China, the Polos had become extraordinarily wealthy. They finally left as the escorts to a Mongolian princess named Cogatin, who was to become the bride of a Persian prince. Though they had the use of a fleet of Chinese ships, hundreds of passengers and crew members died during the voyage home. When they reached Persia, the brides Persian prince had died as well, leading to a delay while the right match was found for the young princess. During the multi-year trip, Kublai Khan himself died, which left the Polos vulnerable to local rulers who exacted taxes from the Polos before they were allowed to leave. The Polos returned to Venice as strangers in their own land. When they arrived, Venice was at war with the rival city-state of Genoa. As was the custom, Marco funded his own warship, but he was captured and imprisoned in Genoa. Publication of The Travels of Marco Polo While in prison for two years, Marco Polo dictated an account of his travels to a fellow prisoner (and author) named Rusticello. In 1299, the war ended and Marco Polo was released; he returned to Venice, married Donata Badoer, and had three daughters while reviving his successful business. During this time, The Travels of Marco Polo was published in French. Published before the invention of the printing press, the book was copied by hand by scholars and monks, and each of the surviving 130 or so copies is different. Over time, the book was translated into many different languages and distributed worldwide. At the time of its publication, few readers believed that the book was literally accurate, and many questioned whether it was written by Polo or Rusticello. It seems likely that much of the book is hearsay, as it contains both first-person and third-person passages. Nevertheless, most of the books description of Kublai Kahns court and customs have been authenticated by historians. The Strange Worlds of Marco Polo In addition to accurate, first-hand descriptions of Asian customs, Marco Polos book also provided Europes introduction to paper money, coal, and other important innovations. At the same time, however, it includes stories of people with tails, lands occupied almost entirely by cannibals, and other impossible or unlikely claims. His description of coal is accurate and, in the long run, was very influential: Throughout this province there is found a sort of black stone, which they dig out of the mountains, where it runs in veins. When lighted, it burns like charcoal, and retains the fire much better than wood; inso- much that it may be preserved during the night, and in the morning be found still burning. These stones do not flame, excepting a little when first lighted, but during their ignition give out a considerable heat. On the other hand, his account of the Kingdom of Lambri (theoretically near Java) is pure fiction: Now you must know that in this kingdom of Lambri there are men with tails; these tails are of a palm in length, and have no hair on them. These people live in the mountains and are a kind of wild men. Their tails are about the thickness of a dogs. There are also plenty of unicorns in that country, and abundance of game in birds and beasts. Death Marco Polo spent his final days as a businessman, working from home. He died there at almost 70 years of age, on January 8, 1324, and was buried under the church of San Lorenzo, though his tomb has now vanished. Legacy As Polo neared death in 1324, he was asked to recant what he had written and simply said that he had not even told half of what he had witnessed. Despite the fact that many claim his book to be unreliable, it was a sort of regional geography of Asia for centuries, serving as inspiration for Christopher Columbus- who took an annotated copy along on his first voyage in 1492. Even today, it is considered one of the great works of travel literature. Sources BBC. Marco Polo. BBC History.â€Å"The Travels of Marco Polo/Book 3/Chapter 11.† Codex Hammurabi (King Translation) - Wikisource, the Free Online Library, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.ï » ¿Khan Academy. Marco Polo. Kahnacademy.org.

The Management of Global Trade Distribution - De Beers Essay

The Management of Global Trade Distribution - De Beers - Essay Example It was able to exert monopolistic influence among suppliers in the diamond industry to sell their rough diamonds to De Beers’ channel which was then the Central Selling Organisation or CSO which then enabled De Beers to control the global supply of diamonds even if the diamonds did not came from De Beer’s mines (Ziminisky2013). II. De Beers distribution system: Monopoly De Beers is one of the few companies that exerted monopoly in its supply and distribution that it creative a competitive advantage for the company. During its height in 1902, it was able to control an overwhelmingly 90 percent of the diamond industry that it can dictate the price and availability of diamonds (Sehgal 2011). Monopoly exists when a only a single company exists to dominate a certain industry in the provision of goods or services (Milton 2002). Its high price today and its perception of being a valued commodity can be attributed to De Beers’ strategy to justify the increase of the pric e of diamonds because diamonds perse have no practical use and its high price does not reflect its scarcity because its price remains high even if it is in abundance (Yu nd). III. Forms of distribution of De Beers: CSO and DTC De Beers is probably the most successful and biggest monopoly company in the world that virtually operated in almost absolute cartel from its beginning in 1800s until 2001. It was able to establish its cartel like monopoly in the diamond industry when Ernest Oppenheimer achieved a controlling stake in De Beers in the mid 1920s when it expanded into various operations of the diamond industry with the goal of monopolizing its distribution. It did so by influencing suppliers in a multitude of ways to sell its produce of rough diamonds to De Beers’ channel which was then the Central Selling Organisation or CSO which then enabled De Beers to control the global supply of diamonds even if the diamonds did not came from De Beer’s mines (Bergenstock et al 2006). De Beer’s cartel like distribution channel which is the Central Selling Organisation or CSO and later evolved to become Diamond Trading Centers or DTC is probably the most successful monopolistic distribution system in the world. It can basically dictate the entire diamond industry because it can determine what should be sold, when, where and how much. Since it controlled majority of the supply (85% to 90% of the market) through its CSO or DTC, buyers have no choice but to avail diamonds through De Beers’ distribution system of CSO or DTC. To be able to buy diamonds from De Beers’ distribution system, it has to become a member or â€Å"Sightholder† because De Beers only sell diamonds to qualified â€Å"Sightholders† until today. According to De Beer, this event of selling diamonds are known as â€Å"Sights† because, â€Å"during the sales period, [their] customers are able to physically inspect the stones we are offering them before deciding whether to purchase† (De Beer 2012). These customers are selected according the â€Å"Supplier of Choice contract  criteria† (De Beers 2012). In essence, however, these â€Å"Sightholders† are powerless during â€Å"sights† because they have to accept the terms set forth by De Beers where they are not allowed to negotiate and can only accept

Greetings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Greetings - Essay Example There is reverence in his actions, and his movements appear to be measured, most likely due to the importance of his role. It is difficult to determine whether the dialogue is a normal part of the ceremony, or whether there is some debate about what is going on. In the third part, one of the men speaks something softly, which is difficult to hear, but suggests that there may be some contention about the way that events are proceeding. Based on observation and listening to the four clips, most of the conversations appear to be instructions. One indication of this is the fact that they are given loudly, suggesting that they are not conversational in nature. Although multiple people do speak, their body language suggests that they are not speaking to each other, but to the room as a whole. Following this first considerations, the four scenes were reexamined, with the text above the videos and the transcripts themselves taken into account. On the basis of this it can be concluded that some of the first perspectives I proposed were correct, while others were not. The additional information agrees with the concept that this is a ceremony, and that the role of the individual distributing the kava is important. However, the one of the first lines shows that the person distributing is just a random person from the group. One part that was interesting, which was not immediately obvious when only considering the audio is the partial debate about what person should be given the kava next. One person argues that the person given the first drink should be the one who called the meeting rather than the highest ranking person. In the third clip a cup is given to one individual, who also argues that the cup should be given to the person who called the meeting before him. As such, the transcript and descriptions show that the ceremony was not as straightforward as it

Contrasting the View of the Ultimate Reality in Relation to Science Essay Example for Free

Contrasting the View of the Ultimate Reality in Relation to Science Essay What compels mankind to seek unity between, science and religion, two compartmentalized and distinct aspects of our world? John Polkinghorne states, in â€Å"Does God Act in the Physical World†, â€Å"The demand for an integrated account of both theological and scientific insight impels us to the task† (Polkinghorne 59). Yet Polkinghorne is not alone is his quest; in â€Å"Emptiness and Form† Fritjof Capra connects the ultimate reality with the physical world. While Polkinghorne and Capra agree on certain ideals, such as the man’s inability to fully grasp the ultimate and the incorporation of quantum mechanics in each one’s respective argument, they also contrast in terms of the religions they use to defend their argument. This leads to differences in their views on the ultimate and His interaction with the physical world. While this leads to two distinct and diverse arguments, I believe that both arguments are equally presented in a reputable and successful manner. At one point in each of their respective arguments, Polkinghorne and Capra clearly state that the understanding of the ultimate reality cannot be fully understood by humankind. Polkinghorne writes, â€Å"We are a long way from a full understanding of our own powers of agency, let alone how it is that God works in the world† (Polkinghorne 74). Due to our limited minds and capabilities, mankind will never be able to fully grasp the ultimate reality in its full essence. It is quite mindboggling, if not impossible, to fully understand the ultimate reality, when it is as an infinite and omnipresent being. â€Å"The reality underlying all phenomena is beyond all forms and defies all description and specification† (Capra 211). The professor who taught my freshman Colloquium on Science and Religion once stated that God cannot be put in a test tube. While he did say this statement as a means to refute the existence of an ultimate reality, his assertion is valid; there is only so much we can know about the divine. It is crucial that both Polkinghorne and Capra affirm this position in order to clarify that while it is possible to unify the ultimate reality with the physical world, we will never fully understand the relationship. In evolution terms, there seems to be a â€Å"missing link† that allows us to connect both aspects. Also, both Polkinghorne and Capra use the ideas and concepts of quantum mechanics as premises when connecting the ultimate reality with the physical world. Capra’s discussion of electrons and photons becomes the premise for one of his deductions. Capra writes, â€Å"The full interaction between the electrons will involve a series of photon exchanges†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (216). This leads to the assertion that there are no true forces in the subatomic world but that these interactions are due to the exchange of particles, that according to the quantum field theory are created and destroyed (Capra 217). These two premises lead Capra to state, â€Å"The electromagnetic forces are due to the presence of virtual photons ‘within’ charged particles†¦[and]†¦the forces between particles appear as intrinsic properties of the particles. † After deducing this premise Capra goes on to say, â€Å"Such a view of forces is also characteristic of Eastern mysticism which regards motion and change as essential and intrinsic properties of all things† (221). In order to clarify this statement he utilizes aspects of Chinese religion and explains how this assumption of quantum mechanics is connected to the ultimate reality. Like Capra, Polkinghorne makes use of the theories and ideas of quantum mechanics as premise to relate the ultimate with the physical. One of the ideas he uses is the chaos theory. The theory says that events in a chaotic system are random but Polkinghorne employs this theory in his argument in order to show how deterministic chaos is not a valid argument, which will eventually lead to his idea of an open system. He says, â€Å"A chaotic system is not totally ‘chaotic’ in the popular sense, corresponding to absolutely random behavior. † There are certain possibilities known as a â€Å"strange attractor† and its limited to a certain extent, but this â€Å"detailed future behaviour of a chaotic system is unknowable† (Polkinhorne 52). Later on in his argument, Polkinghorne discusses the idea of deterministic chaos and consider it from a different viewpoint. He writes: Instead of adopting the conventional strategy of saying this shows that simple determinism underlies even apparently complex random behavior, I prefer the realist strategy of seeking the closest alignment of ontology and epistemology†¦[which] has the additional advantage of accommodating the notion of top-down causality in a natural way (Polkinghorne 64). The premise of top-down causality leads to his connection of the ultimate reality with the physical world and that God interacts with the world in a top-down fashion. If the ultimate reality does truly interact with the world, then this will lead to the discussion of an open system in which Polkinghorne also uses the basis of quantum mechanics in order to make a postulation. Another major theories Polkinghorne frequently refers to in his argument is the Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, which states that we cannot simultaneously know the position and momentum of any particle (53). This idea of uncertainty in the physical world is the premise that leads to Polkinghorne’s assumption of the universe as an open system. He writes, â€Å"The ‘gaps’ of quantum uncertainty operate only in particular circumstances†¦to produce an openness at the lever of classical physics† (Polkinghorne 60). While Polkinghorne advocates the idea of an open system, it is evident that his counter partner, Capra, sees the universe as a closed system. One of the major differences between Capra and Polkinghorne is the concept of a closed system versus an open system. Capra respectively agrees and accepts with the view of the universe as a closed system. Capra explains this concept by first explaining the idea of matter and empty space or the full and the void. He discusses how these are interconnected. â€Å"The two cannot be distinguished† (Capra 208). In Eastern religions, this Void â€Å"has an infinite creative potential†¦[which]†¦like the quantum field, it gives birth to an infinite variety of forms which it sustains and eventually reabsorbs† (Capra 212). The notion of it sustaining itself and reabsorbing leads to the idea of a system that is set up and is able to maintain itself without the help of an ultimate being. Buddhism expressed this idea of form and emptiness in a single whole entity. Capra quotes, â€Å"‘Form is emptiness, and emptiness is indeed form. Emptiness is not different from form, form is not different from emptiness. What is form that is emptiness, what is emptiness that is form’† (215). Also, Capra states that this form and emptiness is elevated into a vacuum diagram that â€Å"contains an unlimited number of particles which come into being and vanish without end. † This â€Å"physical vacuum†¦contains the potentiality for all forms of the particle world† (Capra 222). This system implies that the relationship between the ultimate reality and the physical world is one where the divine has set up system and does not intervene in our world. This premise eventually leads to the idea that there is no free will and that the universe is determined. This view of the universe completely changes the way we perceive the world. Without free will morals and ethics lose validity and are worthless to society. It is quite evident that Polkinghorne disagrees with this concept and presents his views of an open system. Polkinghorne would classify the idea of a universe as an closed system under â€Å"a minimalist response [which] is to decline to speak of particular divine actions and to confine theological talk to the single great act of holding the universe in being. † Polkinghorne believes that most scientists do not even consider this notion of a minimalist to be valid. He states that while God did establish the laws and set up the universe, this does not impede his interaction in the universe (Polkinghorne 54). He sees the connection between the ultimate reality and the physical world as â€Å"relating divine agency to human agency. † Polkinghorne explains, â€Å"When we act, we seem to do so as total beings† (57). Therefore God acts in the same as humans do, but it is seen as a God in relation to his creation. This premise leads to the top-down notion of the parts depending on the whole. With this top-down premise, Polkinghorne strengthens his argument of an open system by exhibiting that we are dependent on God, whether through the establishment of the laws or divine intervention in the universe. Polkinghorne also classifies the closed system as a â€Å"block universe†. He writes, â€Å"It is sometimes claimed that science endorses the alternative view that the universe ‘is’ rather than ‘becomes’† (Polkinghorne 68). This implies that the universe has a certain determinacy and that God does not act in the universe. Since the universe â€Å"is†, then it is conclusive that God must know the future because it is already determined. The view of the open system appears to be more logical and realistic, but at the expense of God’s infinite and omnipresent capabilities. He says, â€Å"†¦it is the universe of becoming that is the correct picture, then surely God must know it in its temporality, as it actually is. God must not just know that events are successive; they must be known in their succession† (Polkinghorne 69). While I agree that the universe is an open system, it cannot be at the expenditure of God. Say a person is on a roof looking down at an intersection; he can see all and everything laid out before him. He observes two cars coming at the intersection at the same time and foresees an accident. This is analogous to God and the universe, where God is in a position to see all and foretell all. Obviously, this is not a perfect analogy since the person is constricted by time and therefore could be incorrect in his assumptions. Therefore, if we accept the premise that God is infinite and outside the constricts of time, then we can conclude that God or the ultimate reality knows the future in an open system. The most crucial difference between the arguments of Polkinghorne and Capra is their definition of the ultimate reality. In each of their respective claims, the view of the ultimate reality has a drastic effect on the outcome of each argument. The belief in certain characteristics of an ultimate reality is important when there is an attempt to connect it to the physical world. Through further analysis of both arguments, it is evident that the difference between Polkinghorne and Capra is basically a Western Religion versus Eastern Religion discussion. It is evident that Capra takes the side of Eastern Religion; his book is titled The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism. Throughout his argument he constantly refers to the ideas and beliefs of religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese religion. He quotes from their texts in an attempt to connect their ultimate reality with the physical world. On the other hand, Polkinghorne utilizes Western religion as a means of connecting the ultimate reality with the physical world. Specifically he uses the values and teachings of Christian traditions. He says that the discussion of the unity of the ultimate reality and the physical world is â€Å"a perennial issue on the Christian agenda† (Polkinghorne 48). One aspect of the arguments that I found to be perplexing was the use of the same laws of the physical world as at he basis of each author’s respective argument. Obviously, Polkinghorne and Capra have their own agenda and argument. Therefore, what does this say about the laws of the physical world; can they simply manipulate to agree with any form of the ultimate? This cannot be valid or then the laws of the physical world can be disfigured in order to fit any belief system or value; either Polkinghorne must be right and Capra wrong, or vice versa. We cannot accept this dualistic view of the world that the universe can be open in some instances and closed in others. Yet, this view arises when we fail to realize that there is one ultimate reality or truth. If there was one truth, then there would only be one way to connect this ultimate to the physical world. At the same time, we cannot say that Polkinghorne is correct and Capra is wrong, or vice versa. If the premises that they base their arguments off are valid then we cannot deduce which argument is better, but only say that it is a conflict of realities. The success of the arguments lies in the belief of the premises of the religious and physical world. Faith is the true deciding factor that will allow us to declare a winner in this pursuit of the unity of the ultimate reality and the physical world. If we assume that the premises of the physical world and quantum mechanics in each argument to be the same, then the only significant difference between each argument is the view of the ultimate reality. Since I have Christian traditions and beliefs I would strongly side with Polkinghorne’s argument. Yet, if there is a person who has no solid beliefs, then these two arguments would seem valid and justifiable in their eyes, due to their lack of knowledge of the ultimate reality.

Dead Poet society :: essays research papers

â€Å"I want to make them free thinkers† says Mr Keating to Mr McAllister. This essay will define the meaning of â€Å"free thinker†, its importance to the young men of Mr Keating's class, the meaning of Mr Keating's statement and finally the different impacts that this new way of thinking has on the boys. A â€Å"Freethinker† as defined by The Macquarie Dictionary is â€Å"someone who forms their opinions independently of authority or tradition, especially in matters of religion†. Therefore a free thinker is someone who can produce ideas for themselves and is not solely reliant on the thoughts and actions of others to predetermine their life path. To pass from childhood to adulthood is usually an adjustment from following the rules and regulations of figures in society such as parents and teachers to making conscience independent decisions about future actions based on one's own beliefs and ideas. Often this pathway is a difficult voyage and those who go through are usually aided by mentors that they can get guidance from. Mr Keating in the Dead Poets Society was such a mentor for a group of confused young men who had been used to convention and stifling of creativity and freethinking all of their time at Welton Preparatory School for Boys. What Mr Keating means by â€Å"i want to make them free thinkers† is that he wants the young men of his English class all to live a fulfilled life and to do this they must stop following the set structure like a herd of sheep following one and another For example in the movie â€Å"Dead Poet Society† when Mr Keating gets all the boys within his English class to ripe out the introduction entitled â€Å"Understanding Poetry† by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. Evans explains Poetry by being able to be graded on a graph to determan if a poem is good or not. Mr Keating gets the boys to understand that you can not tell if a poem is good or not by a graph but by how much it means to you and the way it makes you feel. This is becoming a free thinker not using a set structure but actually understanding and appreciating it. He also believes that you can not set an age where free thinking should begin and it should be something that happens all throughout life. For the boys t o learn and accomplish the things that Mr Keating wants them to within his class, they must think with there minds and not using a book.

As Long as the Grass Grows or Water Runs Essay

Directions: As you read the chapter, think about and answer the following questions. What is the major theme in this chapter? The major theme was Native American survival and the effects of Americans taking their land, raiding their communities, and spreading diseases. What evidence does Zinn cite to illustrate the overall impact of Indian removal? He uses the story â€Å"Fathers and Children† to show the overall impact. The book talked about how the Native Americans were treated horrible. They were kicked out of their home and their homeland and as the horrors went on the Native population began to decrease majorly. How do Jefferson’s views concerning Indian policy differ when he served as Secretary of state and as President? Why did his views change? When he was Secretary he believed that the Indians should be left alone, but when he became President he believed the Indians should be forced out because this allowed for vast open lands for the Americans to occupy with ag, market, commerce, and develop a good economy. He also wanted to gain more respect from the American citizens (majority of population) How does Andrew Jackson’s early political/military career foreshadow his Indian policies as President? Before he was President he had a hatred for the Indians and had battled many of them at war. When he became President he had more power to allow him to try to get rid of the Indians permanently. How does Zinn’s view of the War of 1812 contrast with traditional histories? Zinn believed that war was unnecessary. Zinn thought that we were trying to expand our land but the histories say that we were just fighting the war to get away from England. Why does Zinn juxtapose the Nullification Controversy of 1832 and the enforcement of Worcester v. Georgia? He is trying to show the reader that people still believed the Indians should be left alone and that they were willing to fight for the Indian’s rights. Some states tried to abolish federal tariffs to help out, but those on Jackson’s side outnumbered these people. What is the significance of the phrase: â€Å"As  long as grass grows or water runs†? I believe this is saying that the situation between these two different civilizations will always remain the same, which was on bad terms. So as long as the grass continues to grow and the water still runs, things between them will continue to stay that way.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 15

Part III Dors Venabili VENABILI, DORS-The life of Hari Seldon is well encrusted with legend and uncertainty, so that little hope remains of ever obtaining a biography that can be thoroughly factual. Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of his life deals with his consort, Dors Venabili. There is no information whatever concerning Dors Venabili, except for her birth on the world of Cinna, prior to her arrival at Streeling University to become a member of the history faculty. Shortly after that, she met Seldon and remained his consort for twenty-eight years. If anything, her life is more interlarded with legend than Seldon's is. There are quite unbelievable tales of her strength and speed and she was widely spoken of, or perhaps whispered of, as â€Å"The Tiger Woman.† Still more puzzling than her coming, however, is her going, for after a certain time, we hear of her no more and there is no indication as to what happened. Her role as a historian is evidenced by her works on- Encyclopedia Galactica 1 Wanda was almost eight years old now, going by Galactic Standard Time -as everyone did. She was quite the little lady-grave in manner, with straight light-brown hair. Her eyes were blue but were darkening and she might well end with the brown eyes of her father. She sat there, lost in thought. Sixty. That was the number that preoccupied her. Grandfather was going to have a birthday and it was going to be his sixtieth-and sixty was a large number. It bothered her because yesterday she had had a bad dream about it. She went in search of her mother. She would have to ask. Her mother was not hard to find. She was talking to Grandfather-about the birthday surely. Wanda hesitated. It wouldn't be nice to ask in front of Grandfather. Her mother had no trouble whatever sensing Wanda's consternation. She said, â€Å"One minute, Hari, and let's see what's bothering Wanda. What is it, dear?† Wanda pulled at her hand. â€Å"Not here, Mother. Private.† Manella turned to Hari Seldon. â€Å"See how early it starts? Private lives. Private problems. Of course, Wanda, shall we go to your room?† â€Å"Yes, Mother.† Wanda was clearly relieved. Hand in hand, they went and then her mother said, â€Å"Now what is the problem, Wanda?† â€Å"It's Grandfather, Mother.† â€Å"Grandfather! I can't imagine him doing anything to bother you.† â€Å"Well, he is.† Wanda's eyes filled with sudden tears. â€Å"Is he going to die?† â€Å"Your grandfather? What put that into your head, Wanda?† â€Å"He's going to be sixty. That's so old.† â€Å"No, it isn't. It's not young, but it's not old, either. People live to be eighty, ninety, even a hundred-and your grandfather is strong and healthy. He'll live a long time.† â€Å"Are you sure?† She was sniffing. Manella grasped her daughter by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. â€Å"We must all die someday, Wanda. I've explained that to you before. Just the same, we don't worry about it till the someday is much closer.† She wiped Wanda's eyes gently. â€Å"Grandfather is going to stay alive till you're all grown up and have babies of your own. You'll see. Now come back with me. I want you to talk to Grandfather.† Wanda sniffed again. Seldon looked at the little girl with a sympathetic expression on her return and said, â€Å"What is it, Wanda? Why are you unhappy?† Wanda shook her head. Seldon turned his gaze to the girl's mother. â€Å"Well, what is it, Manella?† Manella shook her head. â€Å"She'll have to tell you herself.† Seldon sat down and tapped his lap. â€Å"Come, Wanda. Have a seat and tell me your troubles.† She obeyed and wriggled a bit, then said, â€Å"I'm scared.† Seldon put his arm around her. â€Å"Nothing to be scared of in your old grandfather.† Manella made a face. â€Å"Wrong word.† Seldon looked up at her. â€Å"Grandfather?† â€Å"No. Old.† That seemed to break the dike. Wanda burst into tears. â€Å"You're old, Grandfather.† â€Å"I suppose so. I'm sixty.† He bent his face down to Wanda's and whispered, â€Å"I don't like it, either, Wanda. That's why I'm glad you're only seven going on eight.† â€Å"Your hair is white, Grandpa.† â€Å"It wasn't always. It just turned white recently.† â€Å"White hair means you're going to die, Grandpa.† Seldon looked shocked. He said to Manella, â€Å"What is all this?† â€Å"I don't know, Hari. It's her own idea.† â€Å"I had a bad dream,† said Wanda. Seldon cleared his throat. â€Å"We all have bad dreams now and then, Wanda. It's good we do. Bad dreams get rid of bad thoughts and then we're better off.† â€Å"It was about you dying, Grandfather.† â€Å"I know. I know. Dreams can be about dying, but that doesn't make them important. Look at me. Don't you see how alive I am-and cheerful-and laughing? Do I look as though I'm dying? Tell me.† â€Å"N-no.† â€Å"There you are, then. Now you go out and play and forget all about this. I'm just having a birthday and everyone will have a good time. Go ahead, dear.† Wanda left in reasonable cheer, but Seldon motioned to Manella to stay. 2 Seldon said, â€Å"Wherever do you think Wanda got such a notion?† â€Å"Come now, Hari. She had a Salvanian gecko that died, remember? One of her friends had a father who died in an accident and she sees deaths on holovision all the time. It is impossible for any child to be so protected as not to be aware of death. Actually I wouldn't want her to be so protected. Death is an essential part of life; she must learn that.† â€Å"I don't mean death in general, Manella. I mean my death in particular. What has put that into her head?† Manella hesitated. She was very fond, indeed, of Hari Seldon. She thought, Who would not be, so how can I say this? But how could she not say this? So she said, â€Å"Hari, you yourself put it into her head.† â€Å"I?† â€Å"Of course, you've been speaking for months of turning sixty and complaining loudly of growing old. The only reason people are setting up this party is to console you.† â€Å"It's no fun turning sixty,† said Seldon indignantly. â€Å"Wait! Wait! You'll find out.† â€Å"I will-if I'm lucky. Some people don't make it to sixty. Just the same, if turning sixty and being old are all you talk about, you end up frightening an impressionable little girl.† Seldon sighed and looked troubled. â€Å"I'm sorry, but it's hard. Look at my hands. They're getting spotted and soon they'll be gnarled. I can do hardly anything in the way of Twisting any longer. A child could probably force me to my knees.† â€Å"In what way does that make you different from other sixty-year-olds? At least your brain is working as well as ever. How often have you said that that's all that counts?† â€Å"I know. But I miss my body.† Manella said with just a touch of malice, â€Å"Especially when Dors doesn't seem to get any older.† Seldon said uneasily, â€Å"Well yes, I suppose-† He looked away, clearly unwilling to talk about the matter. Manella looked at her father-in-law gravely. The trouble was, he knew nothing about children-or about people generally. It was hard to think that he had spent ten years as First Minister under the old Emperor and yet ended up knowing as little about people as he did. Of course, he was entirely wrapped up in this psychohistory of his, that dealt with quadrillions of people, which ultimately meant dealing with no people at all-as individuals. And how could he know about children when he had had no contact with any child except Raych, who had entered his life as a twelve-year-old? Now he had Wanda, who was-and would probably remain to him-an utter mystery. Manella thought all this lovingly. She had the incredible desire to protect Hari Seldon from a world he did not understand. It was the only point at which she and her mother-in-law, Dors Venabili, met and coalesced-this desire to protect Hari Seldon. Manella had saved Seldon's life ten years before. Dors, in her strange way, had considered this an invasion of her prerogative and had never quite forgiven Manella. Seldon, in his turn, had then saved Manella's life. She closed her eyes briefly and the whole scene returned to her, almost as though it were happening to her right now. 3 It was a week after the assassination of Cleon-and a horrible week it had been. All of Trantor was in chaos. Hari Seldon still kept his office as First Minister, but it was clear he had no power. He called in Manella Dubanqua. â€Å"I want to thank you for saving Raych's life and my own. I haven't had a chance to do so yet.† Then with a sigh, â€Å"I have scarcely had a chance to do anything this past week.† Manella asked, â€Å"What happened to the mad gardener?† â€Å"Executed! At once! No trial! I tried to save him by pointing out that he was insane. But there was no question about it. If he had done anything else, committed any other crime, his madness would have been recognized and he would have been spared. Committed-locked up and treated-but spared, nonetheless. But to kill the Emperor-† Seldon shook his head sadly. Manella said, â€Å"What's going to happen now, First Minister?† â€Å"I'll tell you what I think. The Entun Dynasty is finished. Cleon's son will not succeed. I don't think he wants to. He fears assassination in his turn and I don't blame him one bit. It would be much better for him to retire to one of the family estates on some Outer World and live a quiet life. Because he is a member of the Imperial House, he will untie** allowed to do this. You and I may be less fortunate.† Manella frowned. â€Å"In what way, sir?† Seldon cleared his throat. â€Å"It is possible to argue that because you killed Gleb Andorin, he dropped his blaster, which became available to Mandell Gruber, who used it to kill Cleon. Therefore you bear a strong share of the responsibility of the crime and it may even be said that it was all prearranged.† â€Å"But that's ridiculous. I am a member of the security establishment, fulfilling my duties-doing what I was ordered to do.† Seldon smiled sadly. â€Å"You're arguing rationally and rationality is not going to be in fashion for a while. What's going to happen now, in the absence of a legitimate successor to the Imperial throne, is that we are bound to have a military government.† (In later years, when Manella came to understand the workings of psychohistory, she wondered if Seldon had used the technique to work out what was going to happen, for the military rule certainly came to pass. At the time, however, he made no mention of his fledgling theory.) â€Å"If we do have a military government,† he went on, â€Å"then it will be necessary for them to establish a firm rule at once, crush any signs of disaffection, act vigorously and cruelly, even in defiance of rationality and justice. If they accuse you, Miss Dubanqua, of being part of a plot to kill the Emperor, you will be slaughtered, not as an act of justice but as a way of cowing the people of Trantor. â€Å"For that matter, they might say that I was part of the plot, too. After all, I went out to greet the new gardeners when it was not my place to do so. Had I not done so, there would have been no attempt to kill me, you would not have struck back, and the Emperor would have lived. Do you see how it all fits?† â€Å"I can't believe they will do this.† â€Å"Perhaps they won't. I'll make them an offer that, just perhaps, they may not wish to refuse.† â€Å"What would that be?† â€Å"I will offer to resign as First Minister. They don't want me, they won't have me. But the fact is that I do have supporters at the Imperial Court and, even more important, people in the Outer Worlds who find me acceptable. That means that if the members of the Imperial Guard force me out, then even if they don't execute me, they will have some trouble. If, on the other hand, I resign, stating that I believe the military government is what Trantor and the Empire needs, then I actually help them, you see?† He mused a little and said, â€Å"Besides, there is the little matter of psychohistory.† (That was the first time Manella had ever heard the word.) â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"Something I'm working on. Cleon believed in its powers very strongly-more strongly than I did at the time-and there's a considerable feeling in the court that psychohistory is, or might be, a powerful tool that could be made to work on the side of the government-whatever the government might be. â€Å"Nor does it matter if they know nothing about the details of the science. I'd rather they didn't. Lack of knowledge can increase what we might call the superstitious aspect of the situation. In which case, they will let me continue working on my research as a private citizen. At least, I hope so. And that brings me to you.† â€Å"What about me?† â€Å"I'm going to ask as part of the deal that you be allowed to resign from** the security establishment and that no action be taken against you for** the events in connection with the assassination. I ought to be able to â€Å"But you're talking about ending my career.† â€Å"Your career is, in any case, over. Even if the Imperial Guard doesn't up an order of execution against you, can you imagine that you will Be allowed to continue working as a security officer?† â€Å"But what do I do? How do I make a living?† â€Å"I'll take care of that, Miss Dubanqua. In all likelihood, I'll go back to Streeling University, with a large grant for my psychohistorical research, I'm sure that I can find a place for you.† Manella, round-eyed, said, â€Å"Why should you-â€Å" Seldon said, â€Å"I can't believe you're asking. You saved Raych's life and own. Is it conceivable that I don't owe you anything?† And it was as he said. Seldon resigned gracefully from the post he had held for ten years. He was given a fulsome letter of appreciation for his services by the just-formed military government, a junta led by certain members of the Imperial Guard and the armed forces. He returned to Streeling University and Manella Dubanqua, relieved of her own post as security officer, went with Seldon and his family. 4 Raych came in, blowing on his hands. â€Å"I'm all for deliberate variety in the weather. You don't want things under a dome to always be the same. Today though, they made it just a little too cold and worked up a wind, besides. I think it's about time someone complained to weather control.† â€Å"I don't know that it's weather control's fault,† said Seldon. â€Å"It's getting harder to control things in general.† â€Å"I know. Deterioration.† Raych brushed his thick black mustache with the back of his hand. He did that often, as though he had never quite managed to get over the few months during which he had been mustacheless in Wye. He had also put on a little weight around the middle and, overall, had come to seem very comfortable and middleclass. Even his Dahl accent had faded somewhat. He took off his light coverall and said, â€Å"And how's the old birthday boy?† â€Å"Resenting it. Wait, wait, my son. One of these days, you'll be celebrating your fortieth birthday. We'll see how funny you'll think that is.† â€Å"Not as funny as sixty.† â€Å"Stop joking,† said Manella, who had been chafing Raych's hands, trying to warm them. Seldon spread his own hands. â€Å"We're doing the wrong thing, Raych. Your wife is of the opinion that all this talk about my turning sixty has sent little Wanda into a decline over the possibility of my dying.† â€Å"Really?† said Raych. â€Å"That accounts for it, then. I stopped in to see her and she told me at once, before I even had a chance to say a word, that she had had a bad dream. Was it about your dying?† â€Å"Apparently,† said Seldon. â€Å"Well, she'll get over that. No way of stopping bad dreams.† â€Å"I'm not dismissing it that easily,† said Manella. â€Å"She's brooding over it and that's not healthy. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.† â€Å"As you say, Manella,† said Raych agreeably. â€Å"You're my dear wife and whatever you say-about Wanda-goes.† And he brushed his mustache again. His dear wife! It hadn't been so easy to make her his dear wife. Raych remembered his mother's attitude toward the possibility. Talk about nightmares. It was he who had the periodic nightmares in which he had to face down the furious Dors Venabili once more. 5 Raych's first clear memory, after emerging from his desperance-induced ordeal, was that of being shaved. He felt the vibrorazor moving along his cheek and he said weakly, â€Å"Don't cut anywhere near my upper lip, barber. I want my mustache back.† The barber, who had already received his instructions from Seldon held up a mirror to reassure him. Dors Venabili, who was sitting at his bedside, said, â€Å"Let him work, Raych. Don't excite yourself.† Raych's eyes turned toward her momentarily and he was quiet. When the barber left, Dors said, â€Å"How do you feel, Raych?† â€Å"Rotten,† he muttered. â€Å"I'm so depressed, I can't stand it.† â€Å"That's the lingering effect of the desperance you've been dosed with. The effects will wash out.† â€Å"I can't believe it. How long has it been?† â€Å"Never mind. It will take time. You were pumped full of it.† He looked around restlessly. â€Å"Has Manella been to see me?† â€Å"That woman?† (Raych was getting used to hearing Dors speak of Manella with those words and in that tone of voice.) â€Å"No. You're not fit for visitors yet.† Interpreting the look on Raych's face, Dors quickly added, â€Å"I'm an exception because I'm your mother, Raych. Why would you want that woman to see you, anyway? You're in no condition to be seen.† â€Å"All the more reason to see her,† muttered Raych. â€Å"I want her to see me at my worst.† He then turned to one side dispiritedly. â€Å"I want to sleep.† Dors Venabili shook her head. Later that day she said to Seldon â€Å"I don't know what we're going to do about Raych. Hari. He's quite unreasonable.† Seldon said, â€Å"He's not well, Dors. Give the young man a chance.† â€Å"He keeps muttering about that woman. Whatever her name is.† â€Å"Manella Dubanqua. It's not a hard name to remember.† â€Å"I think he wants to set up housekeeping with her. Live with her. Marry her.† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"Raych is thirty-old enough to make up his own mind.† â€Å"As his parents, we have something to say-surely.† Hari sighed. â€Å"And I'm sure you've said it, Dors. And once you've said it, I'm sure he'll do as he wishes.† â€Å"Is that your final word? Do you intend to do nothing while he makes plans to marry a woman like that?† â€Å"What do you expect me to do, Dors? Manella saved Raych's life. Do you expect him to forget that? She saved mine, too, for that matter.† That seemed to feed Dors's anger. She said, â€Å"And you also saved her. The score is even.† â€Å"I didn't exactly-â€Å" â€Å"Of course you did. The military rascals who now run the Empire would have slaughtered her if you didn't step in and sell them your resignation and your support in order to save her.† â€Å"Though I may have evened the score, which I don't think I have, Raych has not. And, Dors dear, I would be very careful when it came to using unfortunate terms to describe our government. These times are not going to be as easy as the times when Cleon ruled and there will always be informers to repeat what they hear you say.† â€Å"Never mind that. I don't like that woman. I presume that, at least, is permissible.† â€Å"Permissible, certainly, but of no use.† Hari looked down at the floor, deep in thought. Dors's usually unfathomable black eyes were positively flashing in anger. Hari looked up. â€Å"What I'd like to know, Dors, is why? Why do you dislike Manella so? She saved our lives. If it had not been for her quick action, both Raych and I would be dead.† Dors snapped back, â€Å"Yes, Hari. I know that better than anyone. And if she had not been there, I would not have been able to do a thing to prevent your murder. I suppose you think I should be grateful. But every time I look at that woman, I am reminded of my failure. I know these feelings are not truly rational-and that is something I can't explain. So do not ask me to like her, Hari. I cannot.† But the next day even Dors had to back down when the doctor said, â€Å"Your son wishes to see a woman named Manella.† â€Å"He's in no condition to see visitors,† snapped Dors. â€Å"On the contrary. He is. He's doing quite well. Besides, he insists and is doing so most strenuously. I don't know that we'd be wise to refuse him.† So they brought in Manella and Raych greeted her effusively and with the first faint sign of happiness since he had arrived at the hospital. He made an unmistakable small gesture of dismissal at Dors. Lips tightened, she left. And the day came when Raych said, â€Å"She'll have me, Mom.† Dors said, â€Å"Do you expect me to be surprised, you foolish man? Of course she'll have you. You're her only chance, now that she's been disgraced, ousted from the security establishment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Raych said, â€Å"Mom, if you're trying to lose me, this is exactly the way of doing it. Don't say things like that.† â€Å"I'm only thinking of your welfare.† â€Å"I'll think of my own good, thank you. I'm no one's ticket to respectability-if you'll stop to think of it. I'm not exactly handsome. I'm short. Dad isn't First Minister anymore and I talk solid lower-class. What's there for her to be proud of in me? She can do a lot better, but she wants me. And let me tell you, I want her.† â€Å"But you know what she is.† â€Å"Of course I know what she is. She's a woman who loves me. She's the woman I love. That's what she is.† â€Å"And before you fell in love with her, what was she? You know some of what she had to do while undercover in Wye you were one of her ‘assignments.' How many others were there? Are you able to live with her past? With what she did in the name of duty? Now you can afford to be idealistic. But someday you will have your first quarrel with her-or your second or your nineteenth-and you'll break down and say, ‘You-**† Raych shouted angrily, â€Å"Don't say that! When we fight, I'll call her unreasonable, irrational, nagging, whining, inconsiderate-a million adjectives that will fit the situation. And she'll have words for me. But they'll all be sensible words that can be withdrawn when the fight is over.† â€Å"You think so-but just wait till it happens.† Raych had turned white. He said, â€Å"Mother, you've been with Father now for almost twenty years. Father is a hard man to disagree with, but there have been times when you two have argued. I've heard you. In all those twenty years, has he ever called you by any name that would in any way compromise your role as human being? For that matter, have I done so? Can you conceive of me doing so now-no matter how angry I get?† Dors struggled. Her face did not show emotion in quite the same way that Raych's did or Seldon's would, but it was clear that she was momentarily incapable of speech. â€Å"In fact,† said Raych, pushing his advantage (and feeling horrible at doing so) â€Å"the fact of the matter is that you are jealous because Manella saved Dad's life. You don't want anyone to do that but you. Well, you had no chance to do so. Would you prefer it if Manella had not shot Andorin-if Dad had died? And me, too?† Dors said in a choked voice, â€Å"He insisted on going out to meet the gardeners alone. He would not allow me to come.† â€Å"But that wasn't Manella's fault.† â€Å"Is that why you want to marry her? Gratitude?† â€Å"No. Love.† And so it was, but Manella said to Raych after the ceremony, â€Å"Your mother may have attended the wedding because you insisted, Raych, but she looked like one of those thunderclouds they sometimes send sailing under the dome.† Raych laughed. â€Å"She doesn't have the face to be a thundercloud. You're just imagining it.† â€Å"Not at all. How will we ever get her to give us a chance?† â€Å"We'll just be patient. She'll get over it.† But Dors Venabili didn't. Two years after the wedding, Wanda was born. Dors's attitude toward the child was all Raych and Manella could have wanted, but Wanda's mother remained â€Å"that woman† to Raych's mother.

Sopwith Camel - Top World War I Fighter

Sopwith Camel - Top World War I Fighter The iconic Allied aircraft of World War I (1914-1918), the Sopwith Camel entered service in mid-1917 and helped the reclaim the skies over the Western Front from the Deutsche Luftstreitkrfte (Imperial German Air Service). An evolution of an earlier Sopwith fighter, the Camel mounted twin .30 cal. Vickers machine guns and was capable of around 113 mph in level flight. A difficult aircraft for novices to fly, its idiosyncrasies made it one of the most maneuverable aircraft on either side in the hands of an experienced pilot. These characteristics helped make it the most lethal Allied fighter of the war.   Design Development: Designed by Herbert Smith, the Sopwith Camel was a follow-on aircraft to the Sopwith Pup. A largely successful aircraft, the Pup had become outclassed by new German fighters, such as the Albatros D.III in early 1917. The result was a period known as Bloody April which saw Allied squadrons sustain heavy losses as their Pups, Nieuport 17s, and older aircraft were downed in large numbers by the Germans. Initially known as the Big Pup the Camel was initially powered by a 110 hp Clerget 9Z engine and featured a visually heavier fuselage than its predecessor. This was largely composed of fabric over a wooden frame with plywood panels around the cockpit and an aluminum engine cowling. Structurally, the aircraft featured a straight upper wing with a very pronounced dihedral on the lower wing. The new Camel was the first British fighter to utilize twin .30 cal. Vickers machine guns firing through the propeller. The metal fairing over the guns breeches, which was intended to keep the weapons from freezing at higher altitudes, formed a hump which led to the aircrafts name. A nickname, the term Camel was never officially adopted by the Royal Flying Corps. Handling Within in the fuselage, the engine, pilot, guns, and fuel were grouped within the first seven feet of the aircraft. This forward center of gravity, coupled with the significant gyroscopic effect of the rotary engine, made the aircraft difficult to fly particularly for novice aviators. This was a significant change from earlier Sopwith aircraft which had been considered fairly easy to fly. To facilitate the transition to the aircraft, two-seat trainer variants of the Camel were produced. The Sopwith Camel was known to climb in a left turn and dive in a right turn. Mishandling the aircraft often could lead to a dangerous spin. Also, the aircraft was known to be consistently tail heavy in level flight at low altitudes and required steady forward pressure on the control stick to maintain a steady altitude. While these handling characteristics challenged pilots, they also made the Camel extremely maneuverable and lethal in combat when flown by a skilled pilot such as Canadian ace William George Barker. Sopwith Camel - Specifications: General Length: 18 ft. 9 in.Wingspan: 26 ft. 11 in.Height: 8 ft. 6 in.Wing Area: 231 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 930 lbs.Crew: 1 Performance Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Clerget 9B 9-cylinder Rotary engine, 130 hpRange: 300 milesMax Speed: 113 mphCeiling: 21,000 ft. Armament Guns: 2 Ãâ€" .30 cal. Vickers machine guns Production Flying for the first time on December 22, 1916, with Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker at the controls, the prototype Camel impressed and the design was further developed. Accepted into service by the Royal Flying Corps as the Sopwith Camel F.1, the majority of the production aircraft were powered by 130 hp Clerget 9B engine. The first order for the aircraft was issued by the War Office in May 1917. Subsequent orders saw the production run total around 5,490 aircraft. During its production, the Camel was fitted with a variety of engines including the 140 hp Clerget 9Bf, 110 hp Le Rhone 9J, 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape 9B-2, and 150 hp Bentley BR1. Operational History Arriving at the front in June 1917, the Camel debuted with No.4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service and quickly showed its superiority over the best German fighters, including both the Albatros D.III and D.V. The aircraft next appeared with No. 70 Squadron RFC and ultimately would be flown by over fifty RFC squadrons. An agile dog fighter, the Camel, along with the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a and the French SPAD S.XIII, played a key role in reclaiming the skies over the Western Front for the Allies. In addition to British use, 143 Camels were purchased by the American Expeditionary Force and flown by several of its squadrons. The aircraft was also used by Belgian and Greek units. Other Uses In addition to service ashore, a navalized version of the Camel, the 2F.1, was developed for use by the Royal Navy. This aircraft featured a slightly shorter wingspan and replaced one of the Vickers machine guns with a .30 cal Lewis gun firing over the top wing. Experiments were also conducted in 1918 using 2F.1s as parasite fighters carried by British airships. Camels were also used as night fighters though with some modifications. As the muzzle-flash from the twin Vickers wrecked the pilots night vision, the Camel Comic night fighter possessed twin Lewis guns, firing incendiary ammunition, mounted on the upper wing. Flying against German Gotha bombers, the Comics cockpit was situated farther aft than the typical Camel to allow the pilot to more easily reload the Lewis guns. Later Service By mid-1918, the Camel was slowly becoming out-classed by new fighters arriving on the Western Front. Though it remained in frontline service due to development issues with its replacement, the Sopwith Snipe, the Camel was increasingly used in a ground support role. During the German Spring Offensives flights of Camels attacked German troops with devastating effect. On these missions the aircraft typically strafed enemy positions and dropped 25-lb. Cooper bombs. Replaced by the Snipe at the conclusion of World War I the Camel downed a minimum of 1,294 enemy aircraft making it the deadliest Allied fighter of the war. Following the war, the aircraft was retained by several nations including the United States, Poland, Belgium, and Greece. In the years after the war, the Camel became entrenched in pop culture through a variety of films and books about the air war over Europe. More recently, the Camel commonly appeared in the popular Peanuts cartoons as the favored plane of Snoopy during his imaginary battles with the Red Baron.

Quotes From Leo Tolstoys Classic Anna Karenina

Quotes From Leo Tolstoy's Classic 'Anna Karenina' Anna Karenina  has long been considered one of the greatest works in  world literature. First published in 1877, the Russian classic was inspired by a tragic incident that author Leo Tolstoy witnessed. The lengthy novel spans a wide breadth  of subject matter, including love, infidelity, and death. Get better acquainted with its themes with the following quotes, or revisit Anna Karenina if youve read the novel already but havent done so recently. This expansive novel is divided into several different books. Excerpts From Book  1 Book 1, Chapter 1 Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Book 1, Chapter 9 The place where [Kitty] stood seemed to him a holy shrine, unapproachable, and there was one moment when he was almost retreating, so overwhelmed was he with terror. He had to make an effort to master himself, and to remind himself that people of all sorts were moving about her, and that he too might come there to skate. He walked down, for a long while avoiding looking at her as at the sun, but seeing her, as one does the sun, without looking. Book 1, Chapter 12 The French fashion - of the parents arranging their childrens future - was not accepted; it was condemned. The English fashion of the complete independence of girls was also not accepted, and not possible in Russian society. The Russian fashion of matchmaking by the officer of intermediate persons was for some reason considered disgraceful; it was ridiculed by everyone, and by the princess herself. But how girls were to be married, and how parents were to marry them, no one knew. Book 1, Chapter 15 I see a man who has serious intentions, thats Levin; and I see a peacock, like this featherhead, whos only amusing himself. Book 1, Chapter 18 And as soon as her brother had reached her, [Anna] flung her left arm around his neck and drew him rapidly to her, and kissed him warmly, with a gesture that struck Vronsky by its decision and its grace. Vronsky gazed, never taking his eyes from her, and smiled, he could not have said why. But recollecting that his mother was waiting for him, he went back again into the carriage. Book 1, Chapter 28 Ive been the cause of that ball being a torture to her instead of a pleasure. But truly, truly its not my fault, or only my fault a little bit, she said, daintily drawling the words a little bit. Passages From Book 2 Book 2, Chapter 4 The highest Petersburg society is essentially one: in it everyone knows everyone else, everyone even visits everyone else. Book 2, Chapter 7 Steps were heard at the door, and Princess Betsy, knowing it was Madame Karenina, glanced at Vronsky. He was looking toward the door, and his face wore a strange new expression. Joyfully, intently, and at the same time timidly, he gazed at the approaching figure, and slowly he rose to his feet. Book 2, Chapter 8 Alexey Alexandorivich had seen nothing striking or improper in the fact that his wife was sitting with Vronsky at a separate table, in eager conversation with him about something. But he noticed that to the rest of the party this appeared to be something striking and improper. He made up his mind that he must speak of it to his wife.   Book 2, Chapter 21 She flew over the ditch as though not noticing it. She flew over it like a bird; but at the same instant Vronsky, to his horror, felt that he had failed to keep up with the mares pace, that he had, he did not know how, made a fearful, unpardonable mistake, in recovering his seat in the saddle. All at once his position had shifted and he knew something awful had happened. Book 2, Chapter 25 He vividly recalled all the constantly recurring instances of inevitable necessity for lying and deceit, which were so against his natural bent. He recalled particularly vividly the shame he had more than once detected in her at this necessity for lying and deceit. And he experienced the strange feeling that had sometimes come upon him since his secret love for Anna. This was a feeling of loathing for something - whether for Aleksey Alexandrovich, or for himself, or for the whole world, he could not have said. But he always drove away this strange feeling. Now, too, he shook it off and continued the thread of his thoughts. Highlights From Book 3 Book 3, Chapter 1 To Konstantin, the peasant was simply the chief partner in their common labor. Book 3, Chapter 5 The longer Levin mowed, the oftener he felt the moments of unconsciousness in which it seemed that the scythe was mowing by itself, a body full of life and consciousness of its own, and as though by magic, without thinking of it, the work turned out regular and precise by itself. These were the most blissful moments.   Book 3, Chapter 12 He could not be mistaken. There were no other eyes like those in the world. There was only one creature in the world who could concentrate for him all the brightness and meaning of life. It was she. It was Kitty. Book 3, Chapter 23 I want you not to meet that man here, and to conduct yourself so that neither the world nor the servants can reproach you...not to see him. Thats not much, I think. And in return you will enjoy all the privileges of a faithful wife without fulfilling her duties. Thats all I have to say to you. Now its time for me to go. Im not dining at home. He got up and moved toward the door. Book 3, Chapter 32 Levin said what he had genuinely been thinking of late. He saw nothing but death or the advance toward death in everything. But his cherished scheme only engrossed him all the more. Life had to be got through somehow till death did come. Darkness had fallen, upon everything for him; but just because of this darkness he felt that the one guiding clue in the darkness was his work, and he clutched it and clung to it with all his strength. Quotes From Books 4 and 5 Book 4, Chapter 1 The Kareninas, husband and wife, continued living in the same house, met every day, but were complete strangers to one another. Aleksey Aleksandrovich made it a rule to see his wife every day, so that the servants might have no grounds for suppositions, but avoided dining at home. Vronsky was never at Aleksey Aleksandrovichs house, but Anna saw him away from home, and her husband was aware of it. Book 4, Chapter 13 Levin got up and escorted Kitty to the door. In their conversation everything had been said; it had been said that she loved him and that she would tell her father and mother that he would come tomorrow morning. Book 4, Chapter 23 Oh, why didnt I die? It would have been better! Book 5, Chapter 1 What doubt can you have of the Creator when you behold His creation? the priest went on in the rapid customary jargon. Who has decked the heavenly firmament with its stars? Who has clothed the earth in its beauty? How could it be without the Creator? he said, looking inquiringly at Levin. Book 5, Chapter 18 Levin could not look calmly at his brother; he could not himself be natural and calm in his presence. When he went in to the sick man, his eyes and his attention were unconsciously dimmed, and he did not see and did not distinguish the details of his brothers condition. He smelled the awful odor, saw the dirt, disorder, and miserable condition, and heard the groans, and felt that nothing could be done to help. It never entered his head to analyze the details of the sick mans situation. Book 5, Chapter 18 But Kitty thought, and felt, and acted quite differently. On seeing the sick man, she pitied him. And pity in her womanly heart did not arouse at all that feeling of horror and loathing that it aroused in her husband, but a desire to act, to find out the details of his condition, and to remedy them. Book 5, Chapter 20 In spite of death, he felt the need for life and love. He felt that love saved him from despair, and that this love, under the threat of despair, had become still stronger and purer. The one mystery of death, still unsolved, had scarcely passed before his eyes, when another mystery had arisen, as insoluble, calling to love and to life. The doctor confirmed his suspicion about Kitty. Her indisposition was pregnancy. Book 5, Chapter 33 Hideous! As long as I live I shall never forget it. She said it was a disgrace to sit beside me. Selections From Book 6 Book 6, Chapter 16 And they attack Anna. What for? Am I any better? I have, anyway, a husband I love - not as I would like to love him, still I do love him, while Anna never loved hers. How is she to blame? She wants to live. God has put that in our hearts. Very likely I should have done the same. Book 6, Chapter 18 The one thing, darling, is that I am so glad to have you! said Anna, kissing her again. You havent told me yet how and what you think about me, and I keep wanting to know. But Im glad you will see me as I am. Above all, I wouldnt want people to think that I want to prove anything. I dont want to prove anything; I merely want to live. Book 6, Chapter 25 And he set off for the elections without appealing to her for a candid explanation. It was the first time since the beginning of their intimacy that he had parted from her without a full explanation. From one point of view this troubled him, but on the other hand he felt that it was better so. At first there will be, as this time, something undefined kept back, and then she will get used to it. In any case, I can give up anything for her, but not my independence, he thought. Book 6, Chapter 32 And though she felt sure that his love for her was waning, there was nothing she could do, she could not in any way alter her relations to him. Just as before, only by love and by charm could she keep him. And so, just as before, only by occupation in the day, by morphine at night, could she stifle the fearful thought of what would be if he ceased to love her. Excerpts From Book 7 and 8 Book 7, Chapter 10 Tell your wife that I love her as before, and that if she cannot pardon me my position, then my wish for her is that she may never pardon it. To pardon it, one must go through what I have gone through, and may God spare her that. Book 7, Chapter 11 An extraordinary woman! Its not her cleverness, but she has such wonderful depth of feeling. Im awfully sorry for her. Book 7, Chapter 11 Youre in love with that hateful woman; she has bewitched you! I saw it in your eyes. Yes, yes! What can it all lead to? You were drinking at the club, drinking and gambling, and then you went. Book 7, Chapter 26 Now nothing mattered: going or not going to Vozdvizhenskoe, getting or not getting a divorce from her husband. All that did not matter. The only thing that mattered was punishing him. When she poured out her usual dose of opium, and thought that she had only to drink off the whole bottle to die, it seemed to her so simple and easy that she began musing with enjoyment on how he would suffer, and repent and love her memory when it would be too late. Book 7, Chapter 31 But she did not take her eyes from the wheels of the second car. And exactly at the moment when the midpoint between the wheels drew level with her, she threw away the red bag, and drawing her head back into her shoulders, fell on her hands under the car, and with a light movement, as though she would rise immediately, dropped on her knees. And at the instant she was terror-stricken at what she was doing. Where am I? What am I doing? What for? She tried to get up, to throw herself back; but something huge and merciless struck her on the head and dragged her down on her back. Book 8, Chapter 10 But now, since his marriage, when he had begun to confine himself more and more to living for himself, though he experienced no delight at all at the thought of the work he was doing, he felt absolutely convinced of its necessity, saw that it succeeded far better than in the past, and that it kept on growing more and more. Book 8, Chapter 14 Just as the bees, whirling round him, now menacing him and distracting his attention, prevented him from enjoying complete physical peace, forced him to restrain his movements to avoid them, so had the petty cares that had swarmed about him from the moment he got into the trap restricted his spiritual freedom; but that lasted only so long as he was among them. Just as his bodily strength was still unaffected in spite of the bees, so too was the spiritual strength that he had just become aware of.