Oedipus Rex By Sophocles Essays (749 words) - Operas,

Oedipus Rex By Sophocles Where Lies the Blame? In Sophoclese' play "Oedipus The King", the fate of Oedipus, the main character, was foretold at his birth that he would kill his own father and marry his mother. As a young adult, he went to see an oracle after hearing rumors. The oracle told him of his foul fate and he ran away trying to escape the chances of this awful future unaware he running towards what he thought he would escape. Oedipus was partially responsible for his downfall because let curiosity lead him to the oracle where he found out his horrifying fate, he killed his own father when he should have avoided killing anyone, and if he wanted to avoid marrying his mother, he should have never married anyone older than he. After the birth of Oedipus, his parents Lias and Jocasta, King and Queen of Thebes sentenced him to death because the oracle told them that he would kill his father and marry his mother. They were unaware of the fact that did not die, but was adopted by the king and queen of Corinth. Oedipus was never informed that he was abandoned at a young age, found by a shepherd and adopted. One day while attending a dinner, a drunken man accused him of being a bastard. "And I went at last to Pytho, though my parents did not know. But Phoebus sent me home again unhonoured in what I came to learn, but he foretold other and desperate horrors befall me, that I was fated to lie with my mother, and show to daylight an accursed breed which men would not endure, and I was doomed to be the murderer of the father that begot me."(1735, 860-868) In utter fear of his newfound knowledge, he fled from Corinth to make sure to none of what the oracle said would come true. On his travel, he took little precaution in the field ensure falsifying the oracle's prediction. Demanding to know all details about King Lias' death he was described the site where three crossroads met. Upon being told this information, Oedipus recalled the time when had just fled Corinth and came to a spot similar to the one described. Being so distraught with fear and so overwhelmed with emotions, his thinking and reasoning was clearly impaired. "...I was encountered by a herald and a carriage with a man in it...He led the way and the old man himself wanted to thrust me out of the way by force."(1735, 878-882) The old man then struck Oedipus on the head with a two-point goad. His impaired thinking angered him so much, he attacked and killed everyone in the band of travelers, except for one survivor who managed to get away. If Oedipus was dead set on not letting this prediction come true, he would have avoided any sort of conflict with any man. It was a very stupid, impulsive move on his part because he let his confidence override the fact that the gods had planned his life. What Oedipus was unaware of, was the fact that one of the predictions had already come true. He had killed a total stranger not thinking twice about the prediction. Now having only one prediction to contend with, he still did not take any precaution into avoiding the prediction. After coming to Thebes and answering the Sphinx's riddles, he was granted kingship. Since King Lias had just been murdered and Queen Jocasta was widowed, Oedipus married her unaware of his terrible mistake. Not thinking twice about the prediction after he ran away from Corinth, he led a happy life and had four children with his mother. Again, Oedipus did nothing to protect himself against the awful prediction believing he had already falsified the gods prediction. When the townspeople came to Oedipus for help to get rid of the unknown plague sweeping through the city, he sought the help of his wife and many others to help find the murderer of King Lias. All the information that was gathered, he pieced together and finally made the realization he had been living in a false reality that he had dodged the prediction entirely. From the beginning he was dead-set on dodging his fate, yet his ignorance got in the way of reasoning. He did not think twice that he was dealing with the gods. He should have just lived with the fact that the prediction would come true and make the best of it. He could have turned the

A Guide to Alto, the Spanish Word for Stop

A Guide to 'Alto', the Spanish Word for Stop All over the English-speaking countries of the world, people may drive on different sides of the road, but an international constant is an octagonal red STOP sign is used to let drivers know they need to stop. The same cannot be said for Spanish-speaking countries. In Spanish-speaking countries, the red octagonal shape is used to mean stop, however, the word used in the sign changes depending on the Spanish-speaking country you are in. In some places the red octagon says Alto, or in other places, the red octagon says, Pare.   Both signs signify for a driver to stop. But, the word alto does not traditionally mean stop in Spanish. Parer is the Spanish verb meaning to stop. In Spanish, the word alto commonly serves as a descriptive word meaning high or loud. As in, the book is up high on a shelf, or the boy shouted loudly. Where did alto come from? How did this word end up on Spanish stop signs? Alto Defined Most native Spanish speakers do not know why alto means stop. It requires some digging into the historical usage of the word and its etymology. For those with a knowledge of German, a similarity could be drawn between the word alto and the German word  Halt. The word Halt in German has the same meaning as the word halt in English. According to the Spanish Royal Academys dictionary, the second reference to  alto with stop as its  meaning is commonly found on road signs  in Central America, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, and it  comes from the German halt.  The German verb halten  means to stop. The dictionary provides a basic etymology of most words, but it does not go into extensive detail or give a date of first use. According to another Spanish etymology dictionary, the  Diccionario Etimolà ³gico, urban legend traces the Spanish usage of the word  alto with the meaning of stop back to the 15th century during the Italian Wars. The sergeant raised his pike high as a signal to stop the column of soldiers from marching. In this reference, the Italian word for high is alto.   More credence is given to the Spanish Royal Academy dictionarys meaning, suggesting that alto is a direct borrowing from the German halt. The Italian story sounds more like a folk tale, but the explanation is plausible. The Online Etymology Dictionary suggests that the English word halt comes from the 1590s from the French halte or Italian alto, ultimately from the German halt, possibly as a German military term that made its way into the Romance languages. Which Countries Use Which Sign Most Spanish-speaking Caribbean and South American countries use pare. Mexico and most Central American countries use alto. Spain and Portugal also use  pare. Also, in Portuguese, the word for stop is pare.

Postal and Traditional State Abbreviations Reference Guide

Postal and Traditional State Abbreviations Reference Guide Wondering when to use abbreviations versus the full names when writing about states? As a general rule, the names of states should be spelled out when they appear in sentences  but abbreviated in other contexts. For example: Our family had been  transferred from Endicott, New York, to Raleigh, North Carolina. That was the word used by the people at IBM, transferred.  (David Sedaris, Naked, 1997)Both  men were raised in the Midwest   (Garfield in Ohio, Guiteau in Illinois) by a single, widowed parent.  (Sarah Vowell, Assassination Vacation, 2005) This rule applies also if you are writing something formal and following a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Style, American Psychological Association Publication Manual (APA), or Associated Press Style (AP).   When to Use State Abbreviations In bibliographies,  lists, charts where space is at a premium, reference lists, footnotes and endnotes, and in mailing addresses, state names are usually shortened  using the postal abbreviation. This applies to  Chicago Manual of Style  and the American psychological Association Style (APA). The two-letter, no-period state abbreviations recommended by the U.S. Postal Service (See Postal Abbreviations in the chart below.) should always be used where a Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code follows. These postal  abbreviations may also be used in any context where abbreviations are appropriate. Some writers and editors still prefer to use the older forms of state abbreviations. (See Traditional Abbreviations in the table below.) If you follow this practice, be consistent in your use of the traditional abbreviations, and remember that eight states (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah) are only rarely abbreviated when using the older (pre-ZIP code) forms. Why the ZIP Code Abbreviations Were Developed Before 1963, there were no ZIP  codes used on postal mail in the United States, and the U.S. Post Office preferred that people wrote out state and territory names  completely  to avoid confusion in sorting mail. In the early 1800s, it had established a standardized list of acceptable abbreviations, updating it in 1874. The list remained relatively unchanged until ZIP codes were introduced.   The addition of seven additional characters on a final address line (ZIP code plus two spaces) necessitated the shortening of state abbreviations to fewer characters. The Post Office aimed to fit the final address line into 23 characters to accommodate major addressing systems. U.S. or US for United States Finally, United States may be abbreviated to U.S. when used as an adjective, but in formal writing, its customarily spelled out as a noun. If you are following the Chicago Manual, youll remove the periods to become US except in bibliography or reference entries pertaining to U.S. statutes, court cases, and other legal-context usages, which retain the periods. If youre following APA or AP, you  will keep  the periods there too. MLA prefers to spell out United States as an adjective or a noun in running text. List of State Abbreviations This handy chart has both the postal and the traditional abbreviations, for your reference: STATE POSTAL ABBREVIATION TRADITIONAL ABBREVIATION Alabama AL Ala. Alaska AK Alaska Arizona AZ Ariz. Arkansas AR Ark. California CA Calif. Colorado CO Colo. Connecticut CT Conn. Delaware DE Del. District of Columbia DC D.C. Florida FL Fla. Georgia GA Ga. Hawaii HI Hawaii Idaho ID Idaho Illinois IL Ill. Indiana IN Ind. Iowa IA Iowa Kansas KS Kans. Kentucky KY Ky. Louisiana LA La. Maine ME Maine Maryland MD Md. Massachusetts MA Mass. Michigan MI Mich. Minnesota MN Minn. Mississippi MS Miss. Missouri MO Mo. Montana MT Mont. Nebraska NE Neb. or Nebr. Nevada NV Nev. New Hampshire NH N.H. New Jersey NJ N.J. New Mexico NM N.Mex. New York NY N.Y. North Carolina NC N.C. North Dakota ND N.Dak. Ohio OH Ohio Oklahoma OK Okla. Oregon OR Ore. or Oreg. Pennsylvania PA Pa. Rhode Island RI R.I. South Carolina SC S.C. South Dakota SD S.Dak. Tennessee TN Tenn. Texas TX Tex. or Texas Utah UT Utah Vermont VT Vt. Virginia VA Va. Washington WA Wash. West Virginia WV W.Va. Wisconsin WI Wis. or Wisc. Wyoming WY Wyo.

What started the Credit Crunch and what are the effects of it in the Essay

What started the Credit Crunch and what are the effects of it in the UK - Essay Example This describes the financial situation that forms the foundational basis for this study, the subprime mortgage meltdown in the United States that hit the global stage in the Summer of 2007, which accelerated into what is also termed as the credit crunch. In equating the ramifications of the preceding, the United States will serve as the starting point for the foregoing, tracing how the credit crunch became a global phenomenon, then honing in on how this all has and is impacting the UK economy. The financial services sector is often a little understood arena owing to the complexities of how it operates within the context of international economic activity and the variables of the global market. The intricate nature of the ties between differing regions, and how they interact upon one another represents a complex set of macro and micro economic aspects within which this crisis developed and impacted every corner of the globe. In hindsight, the causes of the credit crisis are understood as were the warnings from economists and banking officials as to the potential ramifications of new types of derivative instruments whose long term effects were not understood, and not tested with regard to varied market and economic scenarios. In that instance, the checks and balances of the market failed, leading to wide spread ramifications. The unique nature of the credit crunch make this an engaging study in that this history making event makes the first major failing of markets since th e Great Depression, and serves as a wake up call for the excesses of the past that we are paying for in the present. This study of â€Å"What started the credit crunch and what effects has it been having on the UK economy† represents a series of broad ramification as well as inputs. In order to equate the preceding, it is necessary to delve deeply

Evaluating an International HRM Strategy Assignment - 1

Evaluating an International HRM Strategy - Assignment Example At the same time, the company should introduce active employee participation policy. The Chinese food and beverage market has become the largest market in the world (Asia Perspective, 2014). Asia Perspective (2014) maintains that the current status of the Chinese food and beverage market is contributed by the fact that the Chinese economy has experienced a phenomenal growth in the recent years and has been able to maintain the growth trend over these years; and it is the fruit of this sustainable economic growth that has enabled its food and beverages market to obtain and retain the current status; consequently, it has attracted many local and international firms to invest in its growing food and beverage market. This graph clearly demonstrates the market potential of Chinese grocery market. The table highlights that the current grocery market are mainly shared by both local and international investors in which lead or majority of the market share is owned by Wal-Mart China as reflected by the table 01. At the same time, some local companies are also competing in the market. Due to this collective investment of both local and international investors, the Chinese grocery market has become balanced as it enables the consumers to experience the benefit of healthy competition in which they will be able to buy products at very competitive prices. In addition, China has a very strong and stable consumer purchasing power and this trend has experienced a sustainable growth and stability over these years. For example, consumers aged 25 to 39 remain the highest earners and they continue to increase as the Chinese market has stable job market for the current and potential graduates (Global Analysis Report, 2014). Fierce competition is unavoidable in the Chinese grocery market. the current trend highlights that many local and international firms actively pursuing their

Sad - Online Grading System Essay Example for Free

Sad Online Grading System Essay Currently these are the problems that usually occurs in distributing the students’ report cards. What is the extent of the problems faced by the student in terms of the following? a) Accessibility of the student’s grades. b) Accuracy of the student’s grades given by their teachers. c) Disputes or discrepancies of the students with their grades. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY In order to provide excellent distribution of student’s grades, Trinity Christian School needs to develop an online grading system with an easy to use interface for teachers, and also the students to see their grades. a) To be able to create a system that allows the students all-access to their grades at any given point of time and date. b) To provide a system that updates the data of the grades in real time if not then on a specific time. c) To create a system that notifies the teacher that his/her students has problems/disputes to their grades. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The following below are the users that would benefit greatly on the system: To the Students Students would benefit in using the Online Grading System for involving themselves to partake justifying their grades. Students can also use this system to access or view their grades if ever they took an early vacation and aren’t able to get their report cards. And most importantly is that the student will enhance their sense of responsibility. To the Teachers Teachers will benefit this system in regards to lessening the time distributing report cards to parents/ guardians. To the Parents/Guardians There are some cases that a student would lie about their grades and won’t show the report cards to their parents, this system  will make that situation impossible since the parents or the guardians will have access to the student’s grades and they would know if the student is lying or not. To the Researchers That the researchers would be able to create a fully functional system that would implement the lessons and theories that the researchers have learned. It would give the researchers an idea on how the information technology professionals do their works. To the Future Researchers That this Feasibility study would serve as guidelines. And give an idea to the future researchers in what are the basic needs of an online grading system. DEFINITION OF TERMS Terms here are conceptually and operationally defined for better understanding. Administrator a person who manages a computer system.  Information Technology It defines an industry that uses computers, networking, software programming, and other equipment and processes to store, process, retrieve, transmit, and protect information. Internet a vast computer network linking smaller computer networks worldwide. The Internet includes commercial, educational, governmental, and other networks, all of which use the same set of communications protocols. LAN local area network (LAN) consists of two or more computers connected together in a building or home using software and hardware. A LAN is contrasted to a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, which covers a large geographic area. Network Is a collection of computers and devices interconnected by communications channels that facilitate communications among users and allows users to share resources. Online connected to, served by, or available through a system and especially a computer or telecommunications system. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS Trinity Christian School is one of the outstanding private schools in Bacolod City which is located at Villa Angela Subdivision, Phase 3, Bacolod City,  Philippines, 6100. They create, teach and provide high education standards that caters to the needs of their students, and also engraves the spirit of Christianity to their students, faculty and staff. Trinity Christian Schools offers a continuum of learning from nursery up to high school. Trinity Christian School believes in the importance of building a strong foundation in the learning experience of the student, and in building the values of self-discipline, diligence, and respect for self and others along with the students intellectual development. The study is only implemented for Trinity Christian School and can be networked through the internet by the administrator. The researchers are not liable to the changes of the grades made by the teacher.

Computer Network Security Alternatives :: Computer Network Security Essays

Computer Network Security Alternatives Computer network security and integrity is a large concern among all types and sizes of companies. The options for solving security risks are as varied as the companies themselves. However, it is possible to break down the methods for dealing with security risks into three major categories. Companies have the option to: 1. Select best of breed products for their various security needs and assemble the products together to form their own customized solutions. 2. Purchase a security suite that contains security products that will address their various security needs. 3. Outsource security to another company rather than handle it internally. This paper will summarize primary research conducted by Kang-hun Lee, Yonghoon Choi, Mike Loveridge, Tom Gonzales and David Linford over a three month period to determine market trends in the security software industry. A survey instrument was prepared to capture the following data. 1. What do companies consider threats to their network environment? 2. What preferences do they have regarding specific security services? 3. What sort of security option do they prefer when choosing between: best of breed, suites or outsourcing. Findings and analysis Once the data were collected, we were able to organize and analyze the results. This section will both specify the analytical procedures we used as well as report on the findings. There are three (will be more when other sections get put in) primary types of analysis that we performed. 1. Find the security software preference 2. Segment the market based on preferred security options Finding the security software preference We analyzed the preference data from two perspectives. First of all, we took the data as a whole in order to describe the overall market. Overall Market The first type of analysis that we performed consisted of finding the percentage of respondents that preferred each of the three security options. The results of this analysis are summarized on chart 1. We found at this point that most of the people who took the survey overwhelmingly preferred a security suite approach. Most of those who preferred best of breed indicated that if a suite could provide a best of breed package, then they would prefer a suite.

How to be successful person?

Nowadays, there are many successful athletes, who dedicated their lives to be healthy, because inâ€Å"A Healthy Mind In a Healthy Bodyâ€Å". We all know that sports play an important role in our life, but to become a true sportsman one should possess the quality of head an heart We should take athletes as example for us, because of their courage and ambitions.. One of the most important quality of a sportsman is sportsman ship. Sportsman ship means the true spirit of taking part in sports. A sportsman should never use unfair means for personal gain.Sportsmen should strongly avert on eating fast food because fast food contains excess amount of fat and salt which is unfavourable and an obstacle to becoming a successful sportsman. An excellent sportsman incorporates many traits such as powerful physique, keen senses, discipline, calm and yet gregarious and outgoing. Enough sleep and rest is also a major requisite for becoming a successful sportsman. A sportsman also should have fore sight quick thinking, especially during the team play, for example football.As for me, becoming a successful sportsman just requires integrity and perseverance. If you want to be successful person in your live, you should have some important qualities in your character. In the world there are many successful persons in different area. For example, Margaret Thatcher was a British politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century and is the only woman to have held the office.Margaret Thatcher was hard-working person, who very want to achieve her aim in life. No doubt, that in her character was qualities as determination, diplomacy, foresight, discipline. If you want to achieve success how Margaret Thatcher, you should also have quick thinking, power of persuasion. Another key to be success is in good education. If you study hard, you receive great result and big intellect, which help you have everything, that you want.

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 8

Hannah sat up in bed, gasping. For several moments she didn't know where she was. Through a gap in her curtains she could see the gray light of dawn-just like Hana's gray dawn-and she thought she still might be in the nightmare. But then, slowly, objects in the room became clear. Her bookshelves, crammed with books and crowned with one near-perfect trilobite fossil on a stand. Her dresser, its top piled with things that belonged in other places. Her posters of Velociraptor and T. Rex. I'm me. I remember me. She had never been so happy to be herself, or to be awake. But that dream she'd just had-that had happened to her. A long time ago, sure, but nothing like so long ago as, say, when the T. Rex had been alive. Not to mention the trilobite. A few thousand years was yesterday to Mother Earth. And it was all real, she knew that now. She accepted it. She had fallen asleep and her subconscious had pulled back the veil of the past and allowed her to see more of Hana's story. Thierry, she thought. The people of Hana's clan tortured him. God knows for how long-I'm just glad I didn't have to watch more. But it puts sort of a different twist on things, doesn't it? She still didn't know how the story ended. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. But it was hard to blame him for whatever had happened afterward. An awful feeling was settling in Hannah's stomach. All those things I said to him-terrible things, she thought. Why did I say all that? I was so angry-I lost control completely. I hated him and all I cared about was hurting him. I really thought he must be evil, pure evil. I told him to go away forever. How could I have done that? He's my soulmate. There was a strange emptiness inside her, as if she'd been hollowed out like a tree struck by lightning. Inside the emptiness, a voice like a cool dark wind whispered, But you told Paul that he kept killing you over and over. Is that justifiable? He's a vampire, a predator, and that makes him evil by nature. Maybe he can't help being what he is, but there's no reason for you to be destroyed again because of it. Are you going to let him kill you in this life, too? She was torn between pity for him and the deep instinct that he was dangerous. The cool wind voice seemed to be the voice of reason. Go ahead and feel sorry for him, it said. Just keep him far away from you. She felt better having come to a decision, even if it was a decision that left her heart numb. She glanced around the room, focused on the clock by her bedside, and blinked. Oh, my God-school. It was quarter to seven and it was a Friday. Sacaja-wea High seemed light-years away, like someplace she'd visited in a past life. But it's not. It's your life, now, the only one that counts. You have to forget all that other stuff about reincarnation and vampires and the Night World. You have to forget about him. You sent him away and he's gone. So let's get on with living in the normal world. Just thinking this way made her feel braced and icy, as if she'd had a cold shower. She took a real shower, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt, and she had breakfast with her mother, who cast her several thoughtful glances but didn't ask any questions until they were almost finished. Then she said, â€Å"Did everything go all right at Dr. Winfield's yesterday evening?† Had it only been yesterday evening? It seemed like a week ago. Hannah chewed a bite of cornflakes and finally said, â€Å"Uh, why?† â€Å"Because he called while you were in the shower. He seemed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her mother stopped and searched for a word. â€Å"Anxious. Worse than worried but not as bad as hysterical.† Hannah looked at her mother's face, which was narrow, intelligent, and tanned by the Montana sun. Her eyes were more blue than Hannah's gray, but they were direct and discerning. She wanted to tell her mother the whole story- but when she had time to do it, and after she'd had . time to think it out. There was no urgency. It was all behind her now, and it wasn't as if she needed advice. â€Å"Paul's anxious a lot,† she said judiciously, sticking to the clean edge of truth. â€Å"I think that's why he became a psychologist. He tried a sort of hypnosis thing on me yesterday and it didn't exactly work out.† â€Å"Hypnosis?† Her mother's eyebrows lifted. â€Å"Hannah, I don't know if you should be getting into that-â€Å" â€Å"Don't worry; I'm not. It's over. We're not going to try it again.† â€Å"I see. Well, he said for you to call him to set up another appointment. I think he wants to see you soon.† She reached over suddenly and took Hannah's hand. â€Å"Honey, are you feeling any better? Are you still having bad dreams?† Hannah looked away. â€Å"Actually-I sort of had one last night. But I think I understand them better now. They don't scare me as much.† She squeezed her mother's hand. â€Å"Don't worry, I'm going to be fine.† â€Å"All right, but-† Before her mother could finish the sentence a horn honked outside. â€Å"That's Chess. I'd better run.† Hannah gulped down the dregs of her orange juice and dashed into her bedroom to grab her backpack. She hesitated a split second by the wastebasket, then shook her head. No. There was no reason to take the black rose ring with her. It was his, and she didn't want to be reminded of him. She slung the backpack over her shoulder, yelled goodbye to her mother, and hurried outside. Chess's car was parked in the driveway. As Hannah started toward it she had an odd impression. She seemed to see a figure standing behind the car-a tall figure, face turned toward her. But her eyes were dazzled by the sun and at that instant she involuntarily blinked. When she could see again, there was nothing in that spot except a little swirl of dust. â€Å"You're late,† Chess said when Hannah got in the car. Chess, whose real name was Catherine Clovis, was petite and pretty, with dark hair cut in a cap to frame her face. But just now her slanted green cat eyes and Mona Lisa smile reminded Hannah too much of Ket. It was disconcerting; she had to glance down to make sure Chess wasn't wearing a deerskin outfit. â€Å"You okay?† Now Chess was looking at her with concern. â€Å"Yeah.† Hannah sank back against the upholstery, blinking. â€Å"I think I need to get my eyes checked, though.† She glanced at the spot where the phantom figure had been-nothing. And Chess was just Chess: smart, savvy, and faintly exotic, like an orchid blooming in the badlands. â€Å"Well, you can do it when we go shopping this weekend,† Chess said. She slanted Hannah a glance. â€Å"We must go shopping. Next week's your birthday and I need something new to wear.† Hannah grinned in spite of herself. â€Å"Maybe a new necklace,† she muttered. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Nothing.† I wonder what happened to Ket, she thought. Even if Hana died young, at least Ket must have grown up. I wonder if she married Ran, the guy who wanted to â€Å"mate† her? â€Å"Are you sure you're okay?† Chess said. â€Å"Yeah. Sorry; I'm a little brain-dead. I didn't sleep well last night.† Her plan for Chess was exactly the same as for her mother. Tell her everything-in a little while. When she was less upset about it. Chess was putting an arm around her, steering skillfully with the other. â€Å"Hey, we've got to get you in shape, kid. I mean, first it's your birthday, then graduation. Isn't that psychologist doing anything to help?† Hannah muttered, â€Å"Maybe too much.† That night, she was restless again. The school day had passed uneventfully. Hannah and her mother had had dinner peacefully. But after her mother went out to a meeting with some local rockhounds, Hannah found herself wandering around the house, too wound up to read or watch TV, too distracted to go anywhere. Maybe I need some air, she thought-and then she caught herself and gave a self-mocking grin. Sure. Air. When what you're really thinking is that he just might be out there. Admit it. She admitted it. Not that she thought Thierry was very likely to be hanging around her backyard, considering what she'd said to him. And why should you want to talk to him? she demanded of herself. He may not be completely and totally and pointlessly evil, but he's still no boy scout. But she couldn't shake a vague feeling of wanting to go outside. At last she went out on the porch, telling herself that she'd spend five minutes here and then go back inside. It was another beautiful night, but Hannah couldn't enjoy it. Everything reminded her too much of him. She could feel herself softening toward him, weakening. He had looked so stricken, so devastated, when she told him to go away†¦. â€Å"Am I interrupting?† Hannah started. She wheeled toward the voice. Standing on the other side of the porch was a tall girl. She looked a year or so older than Hannah, and she had long hair, very long hair, so black that it seemed to reflect moonlight like a raven's wing. She was extraordinarily beautiful-and Hannah recognized her. She's the one from my vision. That flash of a girl telling me that Thierry was cunning. She's the one who warned me about him. And she's the figure I saw behind Chess's car this morning. She must have been watching me then. â€Å"I'm sorry if I scared you,† the girl said now, smiling. â€Å"You looked so far away, and I didn't mean to startle you. But I'd really like to talk to you if you have a few minutes.† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hannah felt strangely tongue-tied. Something about the girl made her uncomfortable, in a way that went beyond the dreamlike weirdness of recognizing somebody she'd never seen in her present life. But she's your friend, she told herself. She's helped you in the past; she probably wants to help you again now. You should be grateful to her. â€Å"Sure,† Hannah said. â€Å"We can talk.† She added somewhat awkwardly, â€Å"I remember you.† â€Å"Wonderful. Do you really? That makes everything so much easier.† Hannah nodded. And told herself again that this girl was her friend, and nobody to be hostile to or wary of. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The girl glanced around the porch, where there was dearly no place to sit. â€Å"Ah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hannah was embarrassed, as if the girl had asked, â€Å"Do you entertain all your visitors outside?† She turned around and opened the back door. â€Å"Come on in. We can sit down.† â€Å"Thank you,† the girl said and smiled. In the bright fluorescent lights of the kitchen, she was even more beautiful. Hauntingly beautiful. Exquisite features, skin like silk. Lips that made Hannah think of adjectives like full and ripe. And eyes that were like nothing Hannah had ever seen before. They were large, almond-shaped, heavy-lashed, and luminous. But it wasn't just that. Every time Hannah looked, they seemed to be a different color. They changed from honey to mahogany to jungle-leaf green to larkspur purple to misty blue. It was amazing. â€Å"If you remember me, then you must know what I'm here about,† the girl said. She rested an elbow on the kitchen table and propped her chin on her fist. Hannah said one word. â€Å"Thierry.† â€Å"Yes, From the way you say that, maybe you don't need my advice after all.† The girl had an extraordinary voice as well; low and pleasant, with a faint husky throb in it. Hannah lifted her shoulders. â€Å"Well, there's still a lot I don't know about him-but I don't need anybody to tell me that he's dangerous. And I've already told him to go away.† â€Å"Have you really? How remarkably brave of you.† Hannah blinked. She hadn't thought of it as being so brave. â€Å"I mean, you do realize how powerful he is? He's a Lord of the Night World, the head of all the made vampires. He could†-the girl snapped her fingers- â€Å"call out a hundred little vampires and werewolves. Not to mention his connection with the witches in Las Vegas.† â€Å"What are you trying to say? That I shouldn't have told him to go away? I don't care how many monsters he can call out,† Hannah said sharply. â€Å"No. Of course you don't. Like I said, you're brave.† The girl regarded her with eyes the deep purple of bittersweet nightshade. â€Å"I just want you to realize what he's capable of. He could have this whole county wiped out. He can be very cruel and very childish-if he doesn't get what he wants he'll simply go into a rage.† â€Å"And does he do that a lot-go into rages?† â€Å"All the time, unfortunately.† I don't believe you. The thought came to Hannah suddenly. She didn't know where it came from, but she couldn't ignore it. There was something about this girl that bothered her, something that felt like a greasy stone held between the fingers. That felt like a lie. â€Å"Who are you?† she said directly. When the girl's eyes-now burnt sienna-lifted to hers this time, she held them. â€Å"I mean, why are you so interested in me? Why are you even here, in Montana, where I am? Is it just a coincidence?† â€Å"Of course not. I came because I knew that he was about to find you again. I'm interested in you* because-well, I've known Thierry since his childhood, before he became a vampire, and I feel a certain obligation to stop him.† She smiled, meeting Hannah's steady gaze easily. â€Å"And my name †¦ is Maya.† She said the last words slowly, and she seemed to be watching Hannah for a reaction. But the name didn't mean anything to Hannah. And Hannah simply couldn't figure out whether this girl called Maya was lying or not. â€Å"I know you've warned me about Thierry before,† she said, trying to gather her thoughts. â€Å"But I don't remember anything about it except you telling me. I don't even know what you are-I mean, are you somebody who's been reincarnated like me? Or are you†¦ ?† She left the question open-ended. As a matter of fact, she knew Maya wasn't human; no human was so eerily beautiful or supernaturally graceful. If Maya claimed she was, Hannah would know for sure it was a deception. â€Å"I'm a vampire,† Maya said calmly and without hesitation. â€Å"I lived with Thierry's tribe in the days when you lived with the Three Rivers clan. In fact, I'm the one who actually made him into a vampire. I shouldn't have done it; I should have realized he was one of those people who couldn't handle it. But I didn't know he'd go crazy and become†¦ what he is.† She looked off into the distance. â€Å"I suppose that's why I feel responsible for him,† she finished softly. Then she looked back at Hannah. â€Å"Any other questions?† â€Å"Hundreds,† Hannah said. â€Å"About the Night World, and about what's happened to me in past lives-â€Å" â€Å"And I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to answer most of them. There are rules against talking about the Night World-and anyway, it's safer for you not to know. As for your past lives, well, you don't really want to know what he's done to you each time, do you? It's too gruesome.† She leaned forward, looking at Hannah earnestly. â€Å"What you should do now is put the past behind you and forget about all this. Try to have a happy future.† It was exactly what Hannah had decided to do earlier. So why did she feel like bristling now? She weighed different responses and finally said, â€Å"If he wants to kill me so much, why didn't he just do it last night? Instead of talking to me.† â€Å"Oh, my dear child.† The tone was slightly patronizing, but seemed genuinely pitying. â€Å"He wants you to love him first, and then he kills you. I know, it's sick, it's twisted, but it's the way he is. He seems to think it has to be that way, since it was that way the first time. He's obsessed.† Hannah was silent. Nothing inside her stood up to say that this was a lie. And the idea that Thierry was obsessed certainly rang true. At last she said slowly, â€Å"Thank you for coming to warn me. I do appreciate it.† â€Å"No, you don't,† Maya said. â€Å"I wouldn't either if someone came to tell me things I didn't want to hear. But maybe someday you will thank me.† She stood. â€Å"I hope we won't have to meet again.† Hannah walked her to the back door and let her out. On the porch, Maya turned. â€Å"He really is insane, you know!† she said. â€Å"You'll probably begin to have, doubts again. But he's obsessive and unstable, just like any stalker; and he's really capable of anything. Don't be fooled.† â€Å"I don't think I'm ever going to see him again,† Hannah said, unreasonably annoyed. â€Å"So it's going to be kind of hard to fool me.† Maya smiled, nodded, then did the disappearing act. Just as Thierry had, she turned and simply melted into the night. Hannah stared out into the darkness for a minute or so. Then she went back into the kitchen and called Paul Winfield's number. She got his answering machine. â€Å"Hi, this is Hannah, and I got your message about making another appointment. I was wondering if we could maybe do it tomorrow-or anyway some time over the weekend. And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She hesitated, wondering if it was something she should say in person, then shrugged. Might as well give him time to prepare. â€Å"And I'd like to do another regression. There are some things I want to figure out.† She felt better after she hung up. One way or another, she would get at the truth. She headed into her bedroom with a faint, grim smile. And stopped dead on the threshold. Thierry was sitting on her bed. For a moment Hannah stood frozen. Then she said sharply, â€Å"What are you doing here?† At the same time, she glanced around the room to see how he had gotten in. The windows were shut and only opened from inside. He must have walked in while I was in the kitchen talking with Maya. â€Å"I had to see you,† Thierry said. He looked- strange. His dark eyes seemed hot somehow, as if he were burning inside. His face was tense and grim. â€Å"I told you to keep away from me.† Hannah kept fear out of her voice-but she was scared. There was a sort of electricity in the air, but it wasn't a good electricity. It was purely dangerous. â€Å"I know you did, and I tried. But I can't stay away, Hannah. I just can't. It makes me †¦ crazy.† And with that, he stood up. Hannah's heart seemed to jump into her throat and stay there, pounding hard. She fought to keep her face calm. He's fast, a little voice in her head seemed to say, and with relief she recognized the dark wind voice, the cool voice of reason. There's no point in running from him, because he can catch you in a second. â€Å"You have to understand,† Thierry was saying. â€Å"Please try to understand. I need you. We were meant to be together. Without you, I'm nothing.† He took a step toward her. His eyes were black and fathomless, and Hannah could almost feel their heat. Obsessed, yes, she thought. Maya was right. He may jut on a good front, but underneath he's just plain crazy. like any stalker. â€Å"Say you understand,† Thierry said. He reached a pleading hand toward her. â€Å"I understand,† Hannah said grimly. â€Å"And I still want you to go away.† â€Å"I can't. I have to make sure we'll be together, the way we were meant to be. And there's only one way to do that.† There was something different about his mouth, Two delicate fangs were protruding, indenting .his lower lip. Hannah felt a cold fist dose over her heart. â€Å"You have to join the Night World, Hannah. You have to become like me. I promise you, once it's over, you'll be happy.† â€Å"Happy?† A wave of sickening revulsion swept over Hannah. â€Å"As a monster like you? I was happy before you ever showed up. I'd be happy if you'd just keep out of my life forever. I-â€Å" Stop talking! The cool wind voice was screaming at her, but Hannah was too overwrought to listen. â€Å"You're disgusting. I hate you. And nothing can j ever make me love you ag-â€Å" She didn't get to finish. In one swift movement, he was in front of her. And then he grabbed her.

Taxes Essay Example

Taxes Essay Example Taxes Essay Taxes Essay Taxes Course Name: Instructor: Institution: Date: Taxes Part A: Why the UK government taxes its citizens U.K taxation involves payment to the central and local government. In 1963, the U.K spent 12 billion a year. Currently, it spends over 600 billion. Due to the great recession suffered by the U.K in the past decades, the U.K is forced to levy taxes on its citizens, as there is a big gap between the cash inflow and outflow in the government. By levying taxes, it reduces the amounts it spends. Until 1930, the government could balance their budget and money levied from taxed was used to pay government expenditure. The government could also resort to borrowing from the economies private sector or even abroad. Though government borrowing could be quite large especially during some war periods, it did not destroy the balance budget principle. In 1945, budget deficit became a norm in the UK. The government has financed the sale of publicly owned assets in the 1980s, which are limited since they are sold once. In this case, the government had to find another way of raising enough revenue to finance their expenditure through levying taxes. UK is going through a world economic crisis now and, it is therefore, forced to tax its citizens. The current crisis focuses on the Euro Taxation in the UK has Bridged the gap between the rich and the poor. The rich are taxed highly and the poor taxed low. This is done to fulfill the canon of equity so that the poor are able to survive on there little income. Tax is used to redistribute wealth in the UK. Tax money of the rich and the middle class will be used in funding benefits program for the low-income persons in the population, therefore, redistributing wealth. A progressive taxation system is adopted to enable equality and wealth between individuals. The UK economies pounds are used to reprise its items all through its economy. The subsidizing of some products and goods reprises them. The governments will subsidies a product by making a difference between the fair market value of the product. This includes what should be made out of the product according to the government. They subsidize by making payments to the seller using the taxpayers’ pounds. People’s interests will be represented by elected officials to keep the scheme of taxes fair. People are free to oppose any unnecessary tax. When they fail to do this, they will be liable to unwanted tax. In most cases, taxpayers seldom resist tax increased by the central government. Despite this, representation still exists. UK carries out taxation to avoid the current losses of more than ?20 billion a year it makes. This is currently with their debt still being handled at the cur rent rate. Taxation prevents most of the pressure in the NHS where the sixth formers lack maintenance allowances and go on a national strike in the UK (Macht, 2001). The main purpose for the UK tax system is to reduce the tax burden, which can be calculated by the GDP percentage taken from the taxes. Secondly, to improve incentives since government reduces tax rates on proceeds and business profits. This helps improve incentives and generate capital in the nation as a way of enabling long-run growth. Thirdly, UK spends the money from the tax than income. This is to move the balance of taxation from income tax towards taxes on spending since income taxes have an effect on work incentives. Lastly, UK government uses taxes in a way that make markets work better. It also considers externalities. The government uses the tax system to correct market failures in this case. A good tax system should be efficient, equitable, transparent, certain, flexible and understandable to the user. In UK, a progressive tax systems rate of tax rises with income. The average tax rate rises from five percent on incomes ranging between ?7,500. The systems are not progressive as it was twenty years ago. Its progressive nature has reduced over the years. Before 1979, the highest rate of income tax was 83 per cent, with a 15 per cent extra for investment income. Currently, taxpayers are experiencing the same rate of tax of twenty-two from the rate of forty per cent. The national insurance contribution is eleven per cent and those earning more pay one percent extra. This makes the 33 per cent, and 41 per cent total rates. Part B: Comparison of UK tax system with that of the United States Since the local revenues are small in the UK, the central government revenues are a greater fraction of the overall government revenues. However, there is a federal government system in the US and important local revenues. The indirect taxes comprise 87 per cent of the local level and state revenues. The US direct taxes are having a higher fraction of Gross National Product than in the UK. Low-income earners are taxed heavily in the US because of the net social security contributions. In the UK, those taxed heavily are the on middle- and higher-income classes (Smith, 1970) The United States depends on the corporation income tax than the UK does. Tax nominal rate in the UK is higher than in the US, though the structures are different. The UK has used a procedure of integration in handling individual and corporate income tax. Its basic rate is 38.75 per cent that is withholding tax on individual tax at source. In the US, expenditure is less as compared to the UK. The UK levies high taxes on tobacco and gasoline. US, on the other hand, levy high taxes on liquor. The U.S. tax system has gone through changes that have shifted the tax system in a less progressive direction. First, there has been a Reduction in the rates of personal income In 1960s, the legal individual tax rates applying to the dollar of the top incomes was 91 percent. On 1998, it reduced to 28 percent and went to 39.6 percent in 1993. In 2003, it reduced to 35 percent. Secondly, as a portion of gross domestic product, corporate income taxes have dropped from 3.5– 4.0 to 2 percent of GDP. Corporate profits, on the other hand, as a share of GDP remain the same over time. This shows that owners of capital above average incomes earn greater net taxes today. Thirdly, payroll tax rates managing Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare have risen. There has also been a rise in the employee and employer tax rate on labor income from six to15 percent. Moreover, the Social Security payroll tax is a minor tax burden. In conclusion, these three changes have reduced the progressive nature of the tax system in the US. In US, someone giving cash is able to use his tax return to remove from his or her income the value of cash given before calculating the income tax. In the UK, fewer people fill a tax return to manage their income tax using the PAYE system. Due to this, UK manages this differently. A taxpayer earning less, therefore, paying low tax can claim the tax paid on their cash they have donated. The taxpayer can claim back the difference if it is a higher rate. Tax paid on donation is claimed back in both countries A UK resident who is not domiciled there is liable to income tax on all income sources and gains. He can register to be taxed in such a way that he will only be liable on UK tax on overseas income. A person who has been a UK resident for seven out of the previous nine tax years should pay a yearly UK tax charge of ?30,000 to claim the payment basis. This applies when he is not domiciled there. UK offshore anti-avoidance provisions review income and gains in offshore structures to tax on behalf of beneficial owners. This applies only to individuals who are UK residents Residency is a crucial factor for UK tax exposure. The US, on the other hand, taxes the worldwide income and capital gains of all its citizens, permanent residents who hold the green card and person’s tax resident. This tax applies to citizens and green card holders irrespective of where they live. US persons, who are not residents like the employees on secondment, usually are not informed of the US worldwide tax net. They, therefore, do not adjust their investment portfolios. The US has a broad set of anti-avoidance regulations that often affect many categories of non-US investments. Lack to enquire into the tax description of non-US investments may result in seriously unpleasant tax penalty. US federal tax applies to common income at marginal rates of up to 35% and assets gains seized for more than a year at 15%. Where varieties of offshore anti-deferral rules exist, unpleasant outcome may follow. Two offshore anti-deferral rules pertain to investments through trusts or holding company structures. One of them applies based on if the investment may be negatively classified. When the gains in investments negatively classified are taxed highly, ordinary income earners suffer additional interest charge compounded in the duration of the holding period. Few investors may take reassurance in knowing that tax and interest charges may not exceed gain amount. Other investors prefer to avoid the relevance of these rules. In both the US and UK there exist intermediaries that can act as tax competent medium. These intermediaries choose from private trusts formed by the individual to well-known bodies such as Community Foundations. However, in the US, these models have become advanced. They have allowed the creation of Charitable Remainder, trusts which grasp the donor’s capital and make accepted annuity payments on that capital. The donor or the Charity can receive these payments and the other part finally getting the capital. In both countries, the donor will get the tax break, but in the US, the tax break can be taken on donations involving difficult financial arrangements. Work Cited Macht, N. L. (2001). Taxes. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. National Bureau of Economic Research, Brookings Institution. (1964). The Role of direct and indirect taxes in the Federal revenue system: A conference report of the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Brookings Institution. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Smith, K. H. (1970). Taxes. Minneapolis: Lerner Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.

Osmolarity and Osmolality in Chemistry

Osmolarity and Osmolality in Chemistry Osmolarity and osmolality are units of solute concentration that are often used in reference to biochemistry and body fluids. While any polar solvent could be used, these units are used almost exclusively for aqueous (water) solutions. Learn what osmolarity and osmolality are and how to express them. Osmoles Both osmolarity and osmolality are defined in terms of osmoles. An osmole is a unit of measurement that describes the number of moles of a compound that contribute to the osmotic pressure of a chemical solution. The osmole is related to osmosis and is used in reference to a solution where osmotic pressure is important, such as blood and urine. Osmolarity Osmolarity is defined as the number of osmoles of solute per liter (L) of a solution. It is expressed in terms of osmol/L or Osm/L. Osmolarity depends on the number of particles in a chemical solution, but not on the identity of those molecules or ions. Sample Osmolarity Calculations A 1 mol/L NaCl solution has an osmolarity of 2 osmol/L. A mole of NaCl dissociates fully in water to yield  two moles  of particles: Na  ions and Cl-  ions. Each mole of NaCl becomes two osmoles in solution. A 1 M solution of sodium sulfate, Na2SO4, dissociates into 2 sodium ions and 1 sulfate anion, so each mole of sodium sulfate becomes 3 osmoles in solution (3 Osm). To find the osmolarity of a 0.3% NaCl solution, you first calculate the molarity of the salt solution and then convert the molarity to osmolarity. Convert percent to molarity:0.03 % 3 grams / 100 ml 3 grams / 0.1 L 30 g/Lmolarity NaCl moles / liter (30 g/L) x (1 mol / molecular weight of NaCl) Look up the atomic weights of Na and Cl on the periodic table and add the together to get the molecular weight. Na is 22.99 g and Cl is 35.45 g, so the molecular weight of NaCl is 22.99 35.45, which is 58.44 grams per mole. Plugging this in: molarity of the 3% salt solution (30 g/L) / (58.44 g/mol)molarity 0.51 M You know there are 2 osmoles of NaCl per mole, so: osmolarity of 3% NaCl molarity x 2osmolarity 0.51 x 2osmolarity 1.03 Osm Osmolality Osmolality is defined as the number of osmoles of solute per kilogram of solvent. It is expressed in terms of osmol/kg or Osm/kg. When the solvent is water, osmolarity and osmolality may be nearly the same under ordinary conditions, since the approximate density of water is 1 g/ml or 1 kg/L. The value changes as the temperature changes (e.g., the density of water at 100 C is 0.9974 kg/L). When to Use Osmolarity vs Osmolality Osmolality is convenient to use because the amount of solvent remains constant, regardless of changes in temperature and pressure. While osmolarity is easy to calculate, its less difficult to determine because the volume of a solution changes according to temperature and pressure. Osmolarity is most commonly used when all measurements are made at a constant temperature and pressure. Note a 1 molar (M) solution will usually have a higher concentration of solute than a 1 molal solution because solute accounts for some of the space in the solution volume.

Analytical Report --blackberry company Research Proposal

Analytical Report --blackberry company - Research Proposal Example It is imperative for BlackBerry to develop a sustainability business model because even the survival of the company is imperiled. Introduction and Global Overview of Issue Research in Motions (RIM) is a leading mobile communication company and the company behind the success of award-winning brand BlackBerry. The product lines of award-winning and innovative BlackBerry includes smartphones and software for both small businesses and enterprises. Research In Motion (RIM) develops the supporting platform and devices of BlackBerry. Research In Motion (RIM) is a Canadian hardware and software company located in Waterloo, Ontario. BlackBerry allows virtual real time communication so that one can stay connected all the time with people and things that matter the most. The chief selling point of BlackBerry is that it provides push email access globally via wireless networks and provides a wireless messaging system. Other factors that contributed for the popularity of BlackBerry are its system atic and comprehensive approach to security. The devices of BlackBerry are versatile and offer range of functions such as email, SMS, telephony, web browsing and so on (O’Connor, n.d.). ... While the BlackBerry has a comprehensive built-in framework for security at both server and device level, it is still prone to various probable attacks (O’Connor, n.d.). The degree of severity of these attacks may vary as per the involvement of user; the backdoor of device allows exporting confidential data from the device itself to be utilized as proxy for attackers. However, the attacks are certainly autonomous and require user to perform number of actions in order to make the attack successful. In addition, the practicality of these attacks largely depends upon the configuration of the current control provided in BlackBerry devices such as IT Policy Setup, Application Control, and Firewall. Usage of these mechanisms of available security, the risks associated with the prior mentioned attacks can be reduced greatly. The prime purpose of this report is to analyze the current strategic position of BlackBerry in the industry of smart-phones. Global smartphone market has become extremely competitive and crowded in recent few years. In the last year, the statistics revealed that the smartphone market is led by Android (Google) having 70.1% share, followed by iOS of Apple at 21%, BlackBerry stands at 3.2% while Windows Phone at 2.6% (Teh, 2013, p. 1). The worldwide growth of smartphones market is 41.7% whereas the BlackBerry has experiences negative growth by declining by 43.1% (Teh, 2013, p. 1). In few words, it can be said that BlackBerry is in predicament. Despite losing market share, BlackBerry still has 79 million users all over the world. Immediate attention based in benefits, usability and features already overcome during the promotion of the latest smartphones offered by BlackBerry that is, BlackBerry 10