BBC †Time Essay

Time is important. Whether I like to say or not, people don’t treat time important, many people wasting their time unconsciously. They spend time on facebook, online games, watching tv. But they never know there are some more important things are waiting for them Everyone has to live for a purpose. Once you set a goal, your life will be a lot more appreciate. Understand yourself about what do you want and how do you want to live, you will cherish a lot around you including people and spending time with them. Time is important. Whether I like to say or not, people don’t treat time important, many people wasting their time unconsciously. They spend time on facebook, online games, watching tv. But they never know there are some more important things are waiting for them Everyone has to live for a purpose. Once you set a goal, your life will be a lot more appreciate. Understand yourself about what do you want and how do you want to live, you will cherish a lot around you including people and spending time with them. Time is important. Whether I like to say or not, people don’t treat time important, many people wasting their time unconsciously. They spend time on facebook, online games, watching tv. But they never know there are some more important things are waiting for them Everyone has to live for a purpose. Once you set a goal, your life will be a lot more appreciate. Understand yourself about what do you want and how do you want to live, you will cherish a lot around you including people and spending time with them.

Japan CCOT Essay

In 1853, Western imperialism was at its height. It was spreading to several countries. British colonized India, the dutch colonized Indonesia, the United States colonized the philippines, and the french colonized vietnam. In 1929, the crash of the stock market brought a worldwide depression, known as the Great Depression. The depression caused instability in many countries. International commerce declined and tax revenues, profits, and personal income decreased. The great depression especially impacted countries that were in need of raw materials. Between the time of 1853 to 1941, Japan’s culture and political structure changed in the hopes of becoming more westernized because they wanted to be seen as equals to the Western countries. Japan also became more militaristic in hopes of not being a victim of imperialism. Although Japan experienced some changes, Japan continued the ideology of kokutai as a method for imperial advancement. Japan’s cultural and political structure changed from being a weak isolated nation to a modern imperialist country. Before Japan westernized, it was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. This was an agricultural economy with a population of 13 billion. Japan did not associate with any other country because they believed foreign influence was a destabilizing factor. This resulted in overcrowded farms and scarce minerals. In 1853, Commodore Perry came to japan with his big black ships. The technological advancements of the ships shocked the japanese. They ended isolationism and opened trade ports in order to avoid destruction. Failure of success, in 1868 the Tokugawa shogun was overthrown and emperor Meiji had complete power. During this time, Japan was very decentralized. There were several semi-independent feudal lords. The emperor saw how Japan was at a great disadvantage from being in isolation for so many years. He knew that in order to strengthen Japan, change was need ed. This resulted in the Meiji Restoration. By 1912 Japan had a highly centralized government. There was a constitution establishing under an elected parliament. Japan had a well developed transport and communication system. Japan also increased their knowledge. There were no more feudal class restrictions in Japan. Japan was no longer weak, instead they were powerful. Japan changed from being a militarily weak country to having a powerful army  and navy. During the Tokugawa Shogunate, samurai were the soldiers of Japan. However, due to the long period of isolationism, samurais were losing their military function. Sumaris were used more for symbolism rather than support. In 1853, Commodore Perry came to Japan and threatened to destroy them if Japan did not open ports for trade. Japan’s army was to weak at that time to ignore this threat. Due to this, the Meiji reformers eliminated the outdated samurais and built a fresh new imperial army. The Meiji reforms did not want to be the target of the West, and to do that they needed to have a strong and superior army. The japanese believed a strong army was the key to imperialist success. A strong army can allow expansion. During the Great Depression, it was difficult for countries to trade. Japan was reliant on imports of resources from other countries such as the United States. The lack of impor ts resulted in Japanese expansion to China. The Japanese thought if they colonized China, they could be a non reliant country. They could support themselves with supplies. Japan were able to use military strategies in order to expand. In 1931, the Japanese blamed the Chinese for putting an unknown bomb in a railway near Shenyang. They used this as an excuse to completely occupy Manchuria. Manchuria had all the necessities that were needed by the Japanese such as coal, iron, and other minerals. This resulted in the colonization of Manchuria. Japan invaded Manchuria so that they no longer had to depend on foreign trade for resources. In 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. This act of aggression showed that Japan believed they were strong enough to fight the militant strong United States. In 1853 the United States had sent a threat to weak Japan, however throughout the years Japan trained its army and back fired at the United States. THis showed how Japan had changed it’s military drastically since 1853. Despite all these changes, Japan continued the belief of Kokutai. Kokutai was strong Japanese identification. Kokutai gave the Japanese one common identity. This related every Japanese to another. Despite the weak military, economy, and culture during the Tokugawa Shogunate Period, it was still a period of advocation for kokutai. According to the Japanese, they believed that the emperor was a descendant of god and so were the Japanese people. This belief made the Japanese think that their race was superior. This nationalism was a uniting factor. The tokugawa Shogunate period used kokutai as means of maintaining the Japanese culture. After the Meiji Restoration, the emperor wanted to maintain this uniting factor so he established a Shinto-oriented state. Shinto teachers would advocate kokutai ideology to children. This resulted in a rise of nationalism. IN 1853, when Japan opened their ports, they ended isolationism. The end of isolationism imported several Western ideas, however the Japanese did not use this as a weakness. Instead they integrated their Japanese beliefs of kokutai with western ideas. They adopted the western culture and used it with national polity. In the 1930’s, Japan saw that imperialism was necessary in order to get the resources they needed. The idea of racial superiority made the Japanese they are better than any other country and they can invade any country they want. In 1937, the Japanese captured Nanking and harmed thousands of civilians because the Japanese believed they were better than the Chinese. This was known as the Nanking Massacre. There was mass murder and mass rape done by the Japanese troops. Since the Japanese were â€Å"superior,† they believed it was okay to treat the Chinese this way. They were inferior because they were not descendants of God. Between the time of 1853 to 1941, Japan’s culture and political structure became more Westernized so that they can be an equal power to the Western imperialistic nations. Japan also became a strong militaristic country, so that they could defend themselves from any hindering imperialistic power. In spite of all these changes, kokutai advocated extreme nationalism and racial superiority throughout Japan. The end of isolationism made Japan rise as an imperialist power. The Great Depression was the main driving factor for imperialistic views in Japan. Japan was able to accomplish their goal of westernizing while still maintaining Japanese distinct ideologies such as kokutai. Through Japan’s progression from 1853 to 1941, it can be seen how significantly the Western nations impacted Pacific nations.

Beneficence vs. Non-maleficence

Beneficence vs. Non-maleficence Beneficence and Non-maleficence are two interrelated concepts which consist of bringing no harm to others. Although the two are interrelated, there is a big difference between the two. Beneficence refers to the act of helping others whereas non-maleficence refers to not doing any harm. Therefore, the main difference between the two is that beneficence asks that you help others while non-maleficence asks that you do no harm to others to begin with. When you combine both concepts, the main point is that you must act selflessly in a way that will help the other individual and you must not act on your own beliefs. As mentioned before, beneficence refers to the actions that help others. In other words, these actions are done for the benefit of others. According to the UCSF school of medicine, â€Å"beneficence is an action that is done for the benefit of others. Beneficent actions can be taken to help prevent or remove harm or to simply improve the situations of others† (Pantilat, 2008). The UCSF school of medicine also provides clinical applications in which they mention how physicians are â€Å"expected to refrain from causing harm, but they also have an obligation to help their patients† (Pantilat, 2008). It certainly seems confusing considering the fact that sometimes in order to provide care, patients can experience harm. UCSF also mentions that there is a difference between obligatory and ideal beneficence. UCSF mentions that there is a common confusion between ideal beneficence and obligatory beneficence. According to the UCSF school of medicine, â€Å"Ideal beneficence co mpromises extreme acts of generosity or attempts to benefit others on all possible occasions† (Pantilat, 2008). According to the UCSF, â€Å"physicians are not necessarily expected to live up to this broad definition of beneficence,† however they most certainly are required to promote the welfare of patients no matter what (Pantilat, 2008). Because of the knowledge that physicians possess, they are obligated to prevent and remove harm and â€Å"weigh and balance possible benefits against possible risk of an action† (Pantilat, 2008). Not only this but the UCSF expands on the definition of beneficence by saying this can also include â€Å"protecting and defending the rights of others, rescuing persons who are in danger, and helping individuals with disabilities† (Pantilat, 2008). The following are a few examples the UCSF provides in regard to beneficence: â€Å"resuscitating a drowning victim, providing vaccinations for the general population, or helping someone quit smoking† (Pantilat, 2008). Non-maleficence as defined earlier basically states that you must do no harm no matter what and refrain from providing â€Å"ineffective treatment or acting with malice toward patients† (Pantilat, 2008). UCSF makes a point to say that this principle offers little useful guidance because many times therapies or treatment provided by physicians can also have serious risks or consequences (Pantilat, 2008)). According to the UCSF, â€Å"physicians should not provide ineffective treatments to patients as these offer risk with no possibility of benefit and thus have a change of harming patients† (Pantilat, 2008). The school of medicine continues to say that, â€Å"In addition, physicians must not do anything that would purposely harm patients without the action being balanced by proportional benefit† (Pantilat, 2008). The reason UCSF says this is because they believe that many procedures and interventions can cause harm in relation to benefits and therefore, the physician must make sure to inform the patient of all risks prior to any procedures. And ultimately, the physician should not pressure the patient into having any procedure done and should solely allow the patient to decide based on the proper information provided to him or her. An example of non-maleficence is stopping any medication that is shown to be harmful or refusing to provide treatment to a patient which has not been proven to be effective in trials. Another example of non-maleficence is not encouraging someone to smoke when you know how harmful it can be.

Discussion week 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion week 6 - Assignment Example e working age population which is expected to increase to 37% by 2020, and the hospitals are gaining market share making a monopoly to increase prices they charge to customers. The demand and supply issues in the market create legal and standard issues, doctors malfunction on patients because of unavailability of required medicines. As a nurse the most critical reason is the new drugs and technologies that are being introduced in the market. There are too many innovations in medical industry and it becomes difficult to cope up with new information. Every day there is a new discovery; doctors are continuously making researches in the field. Although if looked at it otherwise, it is better for the patients who face with diseases that have no remedies. However, as a leader of the nursing community I will motivate my staff to learn the news ways in medicine to apply them on the patient. In the same amount of staff members I will conduct training sessions to ensure that they are well aware about the new treatment and have full knowledge of its implementation. This would reduce the cost of the hospitals and the same nursing staff would be updated with the new

Consumer Reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer Reports - Essay Example But those whose treatment consisted of mostly talk therapy did almost as well if they had 13 or more visits with the therapist." (1) More scientific data is needed before health professionals can determine whether or not this is true. Both problems are much more complex than the article indicates. Either can be strictly psychological and, therefore, benefit more from talk therapy than drugs. They may also stem from a strictly physical problem and, therefore would appear to benefit more from drugs. Or the third scenario would be that they are both caused by a combination of the physical and psychological. If this is true, then a healthy response to treatment would respond better to both treatments: talk therapy and drugs. Some early analyses seemed to suggest that medications were better if the client were severely depressed. Giving away their pro-drug bias, the American Psychiatric Association jumped on the results and recommended drugs as the first line of treatment in people who are severely depressed. Now, all too quietly, the truth emerges.

Law case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law case - Essay Example Beth's profits fell alarmingly. Beth advised Morris that financially she could no longer continue with the agreement and would have to close the business. Further, she accused Morris of knowing that the competitor was about to open up and therefore she was commencing legal action to rescind the contract based on fraudulent misrepresentation. Morris contacted Beth and made the following comments: "I absolutely deny your accusation. By my reckoning you still owe me $55,000. However, if you continue with the agreement I'll reduce that amount to $35,000." Beth accepted the deal. Six (6) months later Beth landed a huge contract laminating all the posters for a chain of tourist attractions along the north coast of New South Wales. Beth's profits have soared. Morris is now demanding that the original contract price be complied with (i.e. Beth pays the remaining $55,000). This discussion is going to specifically deal with what a valid contract contains, because if these elements are essential to determining a valid contract. This is done from a sale of goods perspective; however the basics are the same whatever the type of contract. Finally this discussion will stress the importance of these elements and the necessity for all three, i.e. agreement, consideration and intention, to be present or the contract is void or voidable. The first element that will be dealt with is the notion of agreement between the seller and the buyer. This element contains the ingredients of offer and acceptance. The notion of a valid offer has to be distinguished from a mere invitation to treat, for example goods in a store on display is a mere invitation to treat and an offer happens until the buyer takes the goods to the sales person and it is the discretion of the sales person to accept the individual's offer to buy. The sale of goods concerns a bilateral agreement whic h consists of an exchange of promises, i.e. Item on sale for 10.00 (Invitation to Treat); Item taken to till which equates to - I will buy this item for 10 pounds (Offer); 10 pounds asked for by sales person (Acceptance); hence important with the sales of goods, when it comes to the standing of an advertisement or goods display or the communication of acceptance because there has to be an exchange of promises as opposed to the offeror alone making a promise and the acceptance is the act that the offeror has promised to pay for (unilateral agreement), i.e. rewards for lost items returned to the offeror. Therefore the sale of goods concerns a bilateral agreement, where two promises are exchanged as the offer and acceptance. An offer is a clear promise to be bound, as long as terms are accepted. A valid offer must be clearly communicated by writing, mouth or act in order to allow the other person or group of persons1 to decline or accept. In relation to sales of goods there is no requi rement for the agreement and offer to be in writing, as with the sale of property; however the offer has to be certain in its terminology and must be clearly distinguishable from an invitation to treat. In respect to certainty of terms both parties must make their intentions clear, as the courts will not enforce a vague agreement2 or an incomplete agreement3; in addition it has to be more than a wish to enter negotiations, which the individual does not want to be bound (invitation to treat)4. Therefore the elements of a valid

Read the requirment carefully and finish on time Essay

Read the requirment carefully and finish on time - Essay Example 59). According to the company’s handbook (1935, p 10), the company began its business by erecting numerous roadside dangers and other warning signs. The company was in charge of road signs until early 1930s when the local authorities took control of the signs. The achievements gained by the company were destroyed when most of their road signs were destroyed during the Second World War. By then, the company had erected approximately 6,500 direction signs and 15,000 village signs (The Automobile Association Handbook). The company published an AA Member’s Special Handbook in 1908. By using the handbook, the company’s clients could find the location of AA agents across the country and mechanics. The clients also received free legal services for one year (Passmore 2003, p. 62). The company has grown from a small company to become on the leading companies in the world. The motor insurance service has grown to become one of the largest in London and the United Kingdom a t large. The insurance industry is experiencing growth that is generated by new entrants with new products and way of doing things. It is due to these factors that the company needs to explore means of ensuring that it remains among the best service providers in this industry. SWOT Analysis Strengths The Automobile Association has various strengths that it can exploit to gain a competitive edge in the market. The first strength the company has built over the years is its reputation of being reliable in providing services. The company’s clients need not worry when they are in some form of discomfort since they trust in the company to deliver. The company is also renowned for having qualified and competent staff. This includes qualified mechanics for the garage sections and the staff in other areas. Weaknesses Despite having the above notable strengths, the company also has some weaknesses that can be exploited by the competitors. The competitors in the British market arise fro m firms such as RAC and Green Flag and Direct Line and a host of many other small players (Harison & John, 2008). The second placed RAC is becoming a serious threat to the existence of the company. The company offers all the services that the Automobile Association offers in addition to security services. This therefore means that the company has a more complete package than the Automobile Association even though they are still young in client size. The second weakness of the company is the high employee turnover. On one hand, the rivals lure some of the employees away from the company with huge salaries. Since the Automobile Association is renowned for having top class employees, the competitors target these employees instead of struggling to breed their own. On the other hand, some of the employees such as mechanics use the money from their savings to open their own businesses using the reputation of having worked for the Automobile Association. Opportunities The current economic condition is tough on some people. This people however require motor insurance and other related services. These types of people will therefore look for cheaper options that also provide quality and reliable services. The company can gain from such people by introducing products for all classes of people. The other option that could be more profitable is for the company to merge with one of the competitors such as RAC. This would

Martin Luther King and Alice Walker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Martin Luther King and Alice Walker - Essay Example Martin Luther King's epiphanies however, were such that they changed the face of a nation. When the Other Dancer is the Self by Alice Walker takes a beautiful and pertinent look at what drives women and particularly little girls. Beauty is something we all strive for, especially in today's media conscious world. It is really a connection between self confidence and self esteem that Alice Walker talks about. In the beginning of her memoir she speaks about being beautiful or 'cute' and having attention poured upon her. She remembers everything she is wearing and even what the day was like until the change occurs. In some instances where a tragic event changes a person's life they forget the good times, when everything seemed to be alright and focus rather on the event that changed their lives. Alice Walker has a vivid memory of the times when her confidence was high. There are essentially two paragraphs that describe these times and then one line that explains the change. That one line has its purpose in that effectively closes a chapter. Walker writes: "It was great fun be ing cute. But then, one day, it ended."(Walker 55). Alice Walker remembers then the tiniest detail of what changed her life and that scar that seemed to rip a gaping hole through her existence. There are actually two turning points within this story that both deal with the 'self' and the coming of age into a world where ones physical appearance no longer matters as much. When Alice Walker was shot, she had been known as a certain person and she feels thereafter that she was no longer that person. She remembers being changed and asking those around her whether or not she had changed. "Years later, in the throes of a mid-life crisis, I ask my mother and sister whether I changed after the 'accident.' 'No,' they say, puzzled. 'What do you mean'" (Walker 56). In this journey Walker begins to ask herself whether the change was part of her imagination. She wonders if that change was something so small yet significant that others could not see it. There are two ways of looking at this chang e or turning point. The first transition is when she was shot and when she imagined this change as being all-encompassing. The second change is when she realizes that it really made no difference and the way she sees herself is not necessarily the way the world sees you. Take for instance an acne sufferer: their condition has cleared up but they are so fixated on the one blemish that does not clear up that they believe this all other people see. They are often shocked when those around them honestly never noticed it. Alice Walker's perception of herself changed when her child likened her blind-eye to the way the world looks from a distance. This is a remarkable definition of the 'self', and once a new way of defining the 'self' is recognized, it puts everything else into perspective. Women are eternally concerned about their appearance perhaps still due to the old way of thinking in biological terms. Hundreds of years ago, a woman's future relied on finding a man and being able to k eep him. He was her security, which meant that keeping him from straying was important and therefore preservation of appearance was also imperative. This mind-set has not yet been abolished. The way others view our appearance is very much dependent on how we view ourselves and what we are aware of within that self. Alice Walker was more confident after the

Main goal of a business organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Main goal of a business organization - Essay Example It is recommended that Navigation Systems, Inc. pay up front. It should be noted that the current inflation rate in the European Union where Germany is a part of is in an uptrend. Table 1 shows the inflation rate of EU from 2000 to 2006. The previous year reports an inflation rate of 2.3% which is the highest in the seven-year-period. The introduction of a single denomination in the European Union has been unable to curb the high levels of interest rates. Thus, the company expects that even if the cost of the GPS circuit card is relatively lower priced when it is paid six months before delivery at an inflation rate of less than or equal to 1.4%, this will situation will be impossible given the prevailing inflation rate. Paying up-front will entail the company to pay 1.47 million, lower than the 1.478016 at the cost at an inflation rate of 2.4% which expected by the IMF for 2007.

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

Marketing - Assignment Example Mr. Khan a banker as well as an expert swimmer was a participant of this fateful underwater reality challenge which was co created by the two multinational giants, Unilever and mindshare, who are still unable to account for the tragic accident that took place. During the execution of the same stunt, Mr. Khan apparently lost control, he tossed, turned and struggled but could never recover and eventually drowned while performing this challenge for the program. Daunted and terrified co-contestants and crew hurried and tried to save but could not find him in the murky, misty waters of the lake. It is believed, that the personal security precautions were inadequate at the time of shooting the stunt, while participants also seem to lack training or briefing for the very harsh fateful reality show. Besides the inadequate security measures, the underlying question of corporate social responsibility of the two multinational giants, in the making of this reality show still remains unanswered. And it seems there was no document regarding the planning and preparation of the show. Moreover, Unilever, being the fastest growing FMCG in the world, had control over the media, and swept away any news regarding the dreadful event. The traditional media was put on silence and was forbidden to utter any word related to Mr. khan’s tragic death. This avoidance of media, has called into question the social, ethical, as well as the moral responsibilities of the

Today’s “Alternative” Newspapers Essay Example for Free

Today’s â€Å"Alternative† Newspapers Essay Two fundamental cultural currents swept through America in the latter half of the Twentieth Century. In the mid-1950’s the Beat Generation began flourish primarily cour-tesy of the â€Å"hip† authors of the time: Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Bur-roughs. Within a short decade the second wave, arguably built on the first, known as â€Å"hippies† developed primarily through the young musicians of the era: The Warlocks, later known as The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane to name just two. Along with the music came the War in Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement, campus protests and a very healthy distrust of anyone over thirty and anything of Mainstream America. The flower children of the sixties had no trust of the â€Å"establishment† newspapers and alternative â€Å"free presses† came into being. Like most things in popular culture the East and West Coast took the lead and eventually any city of size or any city with a large university had a â€Å"radical† free press. Two of the oldest were The Village Voice in New York (Greenwich Village) was born in 1955. The West Coast had the LA Free Press, es-tablished in 1965. These two â€Å"alternative†, â€Å"radical† or â€Å"underground† papers were the strongest and most influential of the genre which included The Detroit Free Press, the Berkeley Barb and the San Francisco Oracle among a host of others. (1) All of the papers shared an â€Å"in your face† attitude towards â€Å"Amerika† as their edi-tors preferred to write. All of the papers were ferociously opposed to the War in Vietnam, the â€Å"military-industrial complex† and traditional politicians. Their reporters religiously covered every rock music show that came to town and every album they produced. Popu-lar â€Å"underground† comics, such as The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Susie Cream-cheese and Mr. Natural provided ribald if not pornographic humor. Not to be forgotten was some of the strangest classified ads to ever be published. As Grace Slick, songstress and radical voice of the Jefferson Airplane proclaimed at Woodstock, â€Å"It’s a new dawn. † Times changed and virtually all of the free presses faded like so many denim jeans. The two notable exceptions just happened to be the oldest, The Village Voice and the LA Free Press. Both have gone from hard copy newsprint found in â€Å"head shops† to electronic print found by Google. But the attitude remains. The LA Free Press, always the most radical, lists a daily death count of Iraqi citizens and bills itself as â€Å"the true alternative to corporate controlled media. † (2) The Village Voice is still growing on its radical liberal roots but has a mellower style and prefers to rejoice in all things New York. (3) Despite their longevity and acceptance by a now-international audience, either paper would still blanch at the thought of being considered â€Å"mainstream† and both are still in-fluential, entertaining and worth reading. Works Cited (1) Stephens,Mitchell. â€Å"History of Newspapers†. Colliers Encyclopedia On-Line. http://www. nyu. edu/classes/stephens/Colliers%20page. htm (2) The Los Angeles Free Press. http://www. losangelesfreepress. com/ (3) The Village Voice. http://www. villagevoice. com/

World Situation Scope Essay Example for Free

World Situation Scope Essay IA Review of the World Situation Scope This paper will focus its attention on the CIAs assessment of the world situation in regards to terrorism. The focus of the paper will be the September 11th attacks made on American soil as well as go into the history of Al Qaeda, their resources for planning terrorism and their history in recruitment. Since the release of the original document, which discussed the state of world security in May 0f 1949, there has been many changes to the political structure of the areas discussed. At the time of the original document, the major issues which concerned American security involved the recently defeated Germans, the USSR, the Far East, the Near East and Latin America. However, the security of the United States of America has been under constant stress since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Though programs have been altered or created in the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the Central Intelligence Agency, there remains a threat on Americans, and American holdings throughout the world. As Andrew Kydd and Barbara Walter explain, there is a distinct politic to the notion of terrorism. However, these tactics are not always effective. There are many events of terrorism in the world each year, yet only a handful are regarded with any merit. According to Kydd and Walter, through a well argued and insightful article, it is the trust between groups that must be destroyed for an extremist attack to be successful. This is the motivation behind the response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. On Begin Match to source 7 in source list: (11-30-05) http://www. adultbuzz. com/121201/page4. phtmlDecember 6, 2001,End Match then Begin Match to source 7 in source list: (11-30-05) http://www. adultbuzz. com/121201/page4. phtmlAttorney General John Ashcroft addressed the Senate Judiciary CommitteeEnd Match in praise of this act, and its restructuring of the NSA, CIA and FBI. (Ashcroft 524) His rhetoric was patriotic and concise, and his views of the USA PATRIOT act and its changes seemed sincere. This was supported with the passage of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which paved the road for the Patriot act itself. Eric Rosand wrote about the resolution in 2003. His response to its necessity was one of sympathy to the government, for having to face such a difficult challenge. However, not everyone who has commented on the alterations of the US governmental policy has done so with such reverence. David Cole compared the investigations into possible terrorist cells in the United States, to the Palmer Raids of 1919 where, following a series of bombings, J. Edgar Hoover led a series of round ups of immigrants across the country and held them without trial or charge in unconscionable conditions, interrogated incommunicado and in some cases tortured. (529) This attitude has spread throughout the country, as the appearance of impropriety has permeated the governments handling of the terrorists investigations. Mary Jacoby brings up the question of the legal definition of Detainee. This is in response to the holding of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. The prisoners of this facility have been acquired from around the world from the war in Afghanistan, and from arrests done in dozens of countries around the world. However, the problem arises when the soldiers fighting for the Afghan military are brought in as detainees, rather than prisoners of war. While the Guantanamo prison has its apologists, such as Charles Krauthammer who states that freeing of these men would be lunacy (537) the fact remains, that in strict terms, the United States is in break of the Geneva Convention by holding POWs. Fernando Reinares noted in his article, The Empire Rarely Strikes Back, that after more than 2400 acts of terrorism against American citizens and interests there have been only three occasions of overt military response. (Reinares 92) However, because of the incredible size and depth of impact of the September 11th attacks, war became unavoidable. There did arise a problem with the military action, however, as a growing public opinion seemed to point the target as Islam itself, rather than just Al-Qaeda. This prompted the United States to enlist the help of as many Islamic nations as possible to counter act this perception. (Aretxega 143) This coalition of Islamic nations does nothing to counteract the rise in racial profiling within the United States. Sherry Colb wrote about the foreseen changes in American law enforcement following the September 11th attacks. Her article articulated the problem of racial profiling and its consequences. Cold notes that real numbers do not support profiling. (539) However this does not stop the utilization of profiling in airports, or in traffic stops. However, this too has its supporters, from such sources as law professor Roger Clegg. His response to the topic of racial profiling is one of acceptance and justification. So what? (Clegg 542) Clegg asks of the act of profiling. However his racial make up lends itself easily to such opinions, as an educated white male is rarely accosted for being white, educated or male. Key Findings Research into this fact has revealed that there are several locations outside of the United States where Americans and American holdings are under the greatest threat. There are varied threat levels in these locations, which range from possible altercations, to threats to life and property. However, there are countries which pose a threat to the safety of the United States in ways other than travel advisories. Some nations and their governments have strong anger towards the United States. These nations have alluded to, or are actively pursuing policies which are intended to cause harm to the United States of America. Some of these nations, such as North Korea and Iran, have instituted programs which are designed to test the United States. Other countries have entered into, or have begun to create trade unions which are designed to damage the United States position on the world market. Regardless of the type of threat these nations pose, there remains the necessity to understand and counteract these programs. This is difficult, however, as the degree and sophistication of these programs varies as widely as the threats themselves. The addressing of these issues are of critical importance to the continued safety of the United States and its citizens at home and abroad. Analysis 1. North Korea: Nuclear weapons proliferation. This nation has been a location of turmoil since its liberation from Japanese control following World War II. [i] However, in recent years, the threat of North Korea upon the United States has increased as the power and stability of the North Korean government, under the leadership of Kim Jong- Il, has begun to wane. Over the course of the past few years, Kim Jong-Il has made public statements attesting to his desire to develop nuclear weaponry for possible use against the United States of America. This threat has been elevated as of October 9, 2006. On this date, the North Korean military conducted its first successful test of its nuclear weapon. Though the yield of the weapon was low, reportedly only 550 tons,[ii] it does justify concerns that the government of North Korea may indeed develop a combat ready nuclear devise in the near future. The small yield of the blast is not thought to be indicative of their capabilities, however. Large scale underground nuclear testing requires large areas, 50-60 square miles of desert, to accomplish. North Korea does not have significantly large areas of land that are undeveloped or do not contain ground water. [iii] Because of this, the damage that would have been caused by a larger yield test would have been too great to the infrastructure of the nation to allow. Managing the crisis The threat that North Korea poses to the United States is being managed, currently, through various levels of diplomatic means. There have been several calls for 6-party talks, meetings involving multiple nations Begin Match to source 9 in source list: http://www. spacewar.com/2003/031015003520. s1ia1dhk. htmlthe United States, China, Russia, South Korea, North Korea and JapanEnd Match however these meetings have yet to occur. Because of this, the threat that North Korea poses to the United States remains serious. 2. Iran: Terrorist support and instigation of hostilities. The government of Iran has been at ends with the administration of the United States for many years. The current leader of the Iranian government, President Mahmud Ahmdi-Nejad, has openly stated his contempt for the presence of the United States military in the Middle East. Travel to the country of Iran by Americans is not recommended as the United States holds no Begin Match to source 4 in source list: (7-27-06) http://www. mahablog. com/category/blogging/diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to American citizens in Iran. [End Matchiv] Iran Begin Match to source 4 in source list: (7-27-06) http://www. mahablog. com/category/blogging/is aEnd Match Muslim nation, and therefore has issues with the world view of the current war on terrorism, which is being headed by the United States of America. There is strong international sentiment that the Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (1-2-07) http://www. pwgd. com/blog/lb/6196-fbino-hard-evidence-connecting-bin-laden-connected-to-911-how-israeli-terrorist-became-a-victim-global-snapshots-capitalist-intersection-of-class-nationalrace-gender-oppression/war on terror is a war against theEnd Match religion of Islam and therefore a war against all Muslims. While this is not the case, few nations in the region have actively attempted to dispel this misconception. The relations between Iran and the United States is strained for another reason Irans support of the terrorist group, Hezbollah. While originating and operating outside of Irans borders, Hezbollah has been linked to various acts of violence throughout the Middle East. Most recently, during the short war between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah was involved in acts of violence, kidnapping and attacks on Israeli interests. Iran has been known to, and is suspected to still be funding this group. Following the hostilities of the war between Israel and Lebanon, a large influx of money was seen within Lebanon. Though the money was given out by cells of the Hezbollah group, to people whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the fighting, it is widely accepted that the money originated from the government of Iran. Because of these issues, Iran has been seen as one of the key threats to United States security. Their open support of anti-American factions within Iraq, as well as multiple allusions towards their seeking nuclear weapons, has kept Iran on the list of chief threats. 3. Afghanistan: Center of Al-Qaeda recruitment. The terrorist group, Al-Qaeda continues to be a Begin Match to source 12 in source list: http://www.parstimes. comthreat to theEnd Match safety and Begin Match to source 12 in source list: http://www. parstimes. comsecurity of the United States. End Match Since Begin Match to source 12 in source list: http://www. parstimes. comtheEnd Match attacks on September 11, 2006, Osama bin-Laden and his terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, have been linked to multiple acts of violence around the world. The nation of Afghanistan was, until the invasion by coalition forces in 2001, ruled by the Taliban a hard-lined government with strong ties the terrorist group. Bin-Laden and Al-Qaeda have been hunted since the September 11th attacks, and many key leaders have been captured or killed. However the presence of the group in Afghanistan is increasing again and Osama bin Laden remains at large. [v] The war within Afghanistan has continued since 2001, with no certainty for an end. This has caused dangerous instability within the region. Despite the institution of a democratically elected government within the nation, political stability has not been reached. 4. Mexico: Unprotected border crossings and illegal immigration. The number one priority of preventing terrorism is to prevent terrorist travel. This tactic however has not been serious employed with regards to border security and finding and preventing terrorism since the focus as previously stated is more about finding terrorists not finding the means by which they are mobile. One system that has not be utilized in border security is the means by which to detect whether documentation is authentic since terrorists have system by which they infiltrate a country their travel channels should be found and exploited but no real clause in the Patriot Act has been given or stated. Terrorists establish themselves in the United States through their travel channels by which there is a paper trail of documents; therefore, the Patriot Act, and NAFTA should not only be focusing their efforts at the borders where the terrorists may or may not be traversing but the government should also be wary of terrorist activity already transpiring inside the country, as The US 9/11 Commission on Border Control, Begin Match to source 2 in source list: http://elections.donyell. netEach of these checkpoints or portals is a screening-a chance to establish that people are who they say they are and are seeking access for their stated purpose, to intercept identifiable suspects, and to take effective action. [End Matchvi] Begin Match to source 2 in source list: http://elections. donyell.net TheEnd Match United States since September 11 has kept a more watchful eye on the Mexican border to ensure that large trucks are not passing the borders which could hold weapons, but this seems to be the only action officials and military are taking in regards to border control according to Zagorin in The Mexican Border Will Get a Closer Look. [vii] In this article Zagorin is hard pressed to find any true action the US is taking in regards to border control and Zagorin sites many examples of how Mexico is making its own efforts to decreased the chances Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. al-Qaeda terroristsEnd Match coming Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. into the countryEnd Match or leaving the country, Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. The Mexicans will also focus on flight schools and aviation facilities on their side of the frontier. another episode has some senior U. S. officials worried; the theft of a crop-duster aircraft south of San Diego, apparently by three men from southern Mexico who assaulted a watchman and then flew off in a southerly direction End Match Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. a senior U. S. law-enforcement official notes that crop dusters can beEnd Match sued Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. to disperse toxicEnd Match substance Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. TheEnd Match Begin Match to source 3 in source list: (7-23-06) http://www. usatoday. com/printedition/news/20060413/a_felony13. art. htmpeople who enter the country legally and then overstay their visas-as many as 40% of the nations estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, are guilty of a civil violation. [End Matchviii] Thus Begin Match to source 3 in source list: (7-23-06) http://www. usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060413/a_felony13. art. htmitEnd Match becomes apparent that the United States is focusing more attention on illegal immigration than on terrorism since all of their efforts are geared toward this goal. Since these hijackers could have been apprehended but were not, and the government has only increased the number of patrols on the either border and not per se the system by which illegal immigrants are apprehended it stands to reason that the government is not altogether prepared or establishing a methodology in apprehending terrorists, they are merely cracking down by using brute force without strategy. Conclusion The safety of the United States is in constant turmoil. While much has been done over the course of the past five years, there are few authorities who would actually state that the country is safe. Though the year 2006 was free of any dramatic assaults against the United States, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have become increasingly costly. Both have served to empower our enemies, rather than defeat them. In the information presented in this paper it gave different avenues by which the United States could be making a better effort to fight terror by simply having a different strategy on terrorism inclusive of finding their travel channels and relying on identification and false passports. The United States approach to border control, since they are using the same system now as prior to September 11 have not changed how they approach terrorists and their apprehension thus leaving room terrorists to take advantage of this lax method and exploit it. This year has seen, however, a dramatic reversal in the power center of the nation following the November elections, the congressional majorities both switched to the Democrats. The result of this switch is unclear, as of yet, however, there are many who are hopeful that the new majority will take the steps necessary to permanently secure the safety of the nation. Notes on Sources 1. The CIA World Fact Book is a very useful tool in todays world of global thought. The information that is found there is an excellent starting point for gathering an understanding of any world nation. 2. The Global Security Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that is dedicated to keeping track of the proliferation of nuclear weaponry. 3. The United States Department of State is part of the US government, and posts its de-classified information on the internet. 4. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations is the central location for information on any criminal that is deemed to be of a threat to the nation as a whole. 5. Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. The 9/11 Commission wasEnd Match created Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. toEnd Match investigate Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. theEnd Match short comings Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. ofEnd Match the United States security, and find out how and why Al-Qaeda was able to attack from within the United States. 6. Time magazine has been a trusted name in world news for decades. The weekly journal offers insight to world events. 7. USA Today is another trusted source of news. This daily journal centers on the issues that directly involve the United States.   [i] North Korea. CIA World Fact Book. United States Government: Central Intelligence Agency. 2006. Date of access: December 1, 2006. Begin Match to source 11 in source list: (2-3-07) http://www. canadaol. com/search. php? opt=2keyword=+haitiURL: https://www. cia. gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/End MatchknBegin Match to source 11 in source list: (2-3-07) http://www.canadaol. com/search. php? opt=2keyword=+haiti. htmlEnd Match [ii] Nuclear Weapons Testing. Global Security Foundation. Date of access: December 1, 2006. URL: Begin Match to source 10 in source list: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_nuclear_weaponshttp://www. globalsecurity. org/wmd/world/dprk/nuke- test. htmEnd Match [iii] ibid. [iv] Begin Match to source 8 in source list: (5-6-03) http://www. itravelnow. com/nukebrowser. php? filnavn=http://travel. state. gov:80/iran_warning. htmlTravel Warning:End Match Iran. Begin Match to source 8 in source list: (5-6-03) http://www. itravelnow. com/nukebrowser. php? filnavn=http://travel. state. gov:80/iran_warning. htmlUnited States Department of State. Bureau of Consular Affairs. End Match 2006. Date of Access: December 1, 2006. URL: Begin Match to source 6 in source list: (9-24-06) http://iran. gerffa. org/index. htmlhttp://travel. state. gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_920. htmlEnd Match [v] Osama Bin Laden. Federal Bureau of Investigations. 2006. Date of access: December 1, 2006. URL: Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (1-2-07) http://www.pwgd. com/blog/lb/6196-fbino-hard-evidence-connecting-bin-laden-connected-to-911-how-israeli-terrorist-became-a-victim-global-snapshots-capitalist-intersection-of-class-nationalrace-gender-oppression/http://www. fbi. gov/wanted/terrorists/terbinladen. htmEnd Match [vi] The US 9/11 Commission on Border Control. (2004). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. P569-574. [vii] Zagorin, Adam. (22 November 2004). Bordering On Nukes? Time. Vol. 164 Issue 21, p19. [viii] Kiely, Kathy. (13 April 2006). GOP View: Illegal Immigration wont be Felony. USA Today.

The Origins Of Theatre And Playwrights English Literature Essay

The Origins Of Theatre And Playwrights English Literature Essay This essay aims to discuss the effectiveness of political theatre in causing social change, looking specifically at the practice of the contemporary political playwright Augusto Boal including the influence of social theorist Karl Marx on Boals work and how Marxism affected Boals style of theatre. This essay will begin by looking at the origins of theatre and how it has been used since then as a medium of promoting political thought. However, in order to understand political theatre we must first be able to understand what is mean by politics, the Oxford Reference Dictionary (1991:647) describes something political as affecting the State or its Government; of public affairs. From this definition we are able to deduce that political theatre is theatre that is produced in order to affect or influence the community and those in power with regard to public affairs. This type of theatre has been used and enjoyed since the very beginning of theatre as we know it today, which began in Ancie nt Greece in the celebration of the festival of Dionysos, the God of ecstasy. The festival included prayer and procession as well as singing and dancing, there may also have been groups of performers who would answer each other through the medium of song or dance. It is believed that it was Thespis who stood out and performed first without the chorus, and thus creating what we understand to be a protagonist. (GREEK THEATRE 1) Competitions then began to take place during the festivals in which playwrights would enter their plays to be performed, either a tragedy, or a comedy and satyr play. The Greek playwrights would present the audience with ideas to think about and reflect over; during the plays a Parabasis, or stepping aside would take place, this was an opportunity for the playwright to comment upon the state of city affairs or anything else that he so wished. Aristophanes thought that, the dramatist should not only offer pleasure but should, besides that, be a teacher of morali ty and a political advisor.(in Boal 2008:xiii) In his plays, Aristophanes would satirise the most important people of the day, in between the scenes the chorus would perform short, satirical pieces of song and dance always attacking well known individuals by name, for example he ridiculed the demagogue Kleon in his play Babylonians. However, a plays success depended on the funding from the wealthy aristocracy ay the time, the choragus therefore the plays produced may be seen to reflect the view of the choregus rather than that of the playwright, because without them a play would not have the funding to be performed. Greek society was much controlled by the economic minority, the Bourgeoisie, but nothing was done to change this. This state of affairs in Ancient Greece is very similar to the social situation that Karl Marx was fighting against when he introduced his communist manifesto; the alternative to capitalism. Marx believed that human beings have been conditioned throughout his tory to behave a certain way by economic institutions and that in order for an equal society without a social hierarchy then the proletariat must seize power from the bourgeoisie through a social revolution and place everything in collective ownership. In his book Theatre of the Oppressed Augusto Boal writes how Marx believed that art is a key way of offering knowledge, but this knowledge is conveyed from the perspective of the artist, social surroundings or whoever provides sponsorship or payment. Mainly, it is the part of society that maintains economic power that holds control over any means of communication. Bordwell and Thompson (in Woodson, no date) back this up: Each art form is controlled, not by the artists, but by larger social institutions. In a capitalist society, an artist may believe he or she is using the art form for personal expression, but he or she is actually producing merchandise of a kind acceptable to the society. It is only from the arrival of Karl Marx and his theories on socialism that playwrights and practitioners have begun to use theatre as a means for change. Bertolt Brecht was greatly influenced by the Marxist theory because he too wanted to create change, the major goal of the historical avant-garde was to challenge the institution of bourgeois art (Kistenberg 1995:29); Pescator described Brechts work as a Marxist-based analysis of social relations. Brecht agreed with Marx that it was the capitalists that created the bourgeois society, and that drama can be used as a medium of didacticism. It was from this belief that Brecht adopted Piscators form of avant-garde theatre known as epic theatre. Epic theatre has many parallels with Cartesian tradition in which people are encouraged into rational thought; it underlines the socio-political content of drama rather than trying to manipulate the emotions of the audience. Brecht stated that there must be a transformation of psychological confl ict into historic condition (in Basuki no date) in theatre in order to release the self and to create rational thought. This Cartesian belief is needed so that neither the audience nor the actor tries to empathise with the action and characters on stage and are able to view the action with a critical mind. In order to do this Brecht proposed that theatre needed to give to the audience a process of alienation because alienation is necessary to all understanding (Brecht in Basuki no date) so that they are able to form an opinion unfettered by empathy. The term Brecht used to describe this distancing of the audience is Verfremdungseffekt, which when translated, means alienation. In a description about epic theatre Brecht gives an explanation about the difference between a spectator watching dramatic theatre and one watching epic theatre: The dramatic theatres spectator says: Yes, I have felt like that too-Just like me-Its only natural-Itll never change-The suffering of this man appals me, because they are inescapable-Thats great art; it all seems the most obvious thing in the world-I weep when they weep, I laugh when they laugh. The epic theatres spectator says: Id never have thought it-thats not the way-Thats extraordinary, hardly believable-Its got to stop-The sufferings of this man appal me, because they are unnecessary-Thats great art: nothing obvious in it-I laugh when they weep, I weep when they laugh (Brecht in Basuki no date) This quote from Brecht shows us how he intended epic theatre to work and its popularity among playwrights and directors is a great example of how successful epic theatre is as a form of didacticism. However, in Brechts plays the separation between the stage and the audience is still present. The spectator is persuaded to think the thoughts and opinions that presented to them through the action on stage because it is the playwrights who condemns the characters or the events that have taken place; the audiences thoughts are merely pointed in the right direction by the dramatist (OPPRESSED xx) Augusto Boal, though highly influenced by the likes of Marx and Brecht took the format of epic theatre to a new level. He found ways of combining Marxist theory with new ways of writing and analysis. He believed that in order to liberate the audience from the constraints of stage and spectator, they themselves must be part of what is happening on stage To transform is to be transformed.(Boal 2008: xxi) and thus becoming spect-actors. From this belief Boal created the Theatre of the Oppressed in which the audience are asked to intercede, and suggest the next course of action for the actors to perform or actually perform themselves, whilst the actors assist and persuade the audience to take the role of a spect-actor. For example, in forum theatre, the actors perform a short play with which ends with unresolved oppression and then it is performed again but this time the spect-actor is able to become involved and suggest ways to fix the oppression. Boal saw the spectators invasion of the stage as a symbolic moment in their transformation, This invasion is a symbolic trespass. It symbolises all the acts of trespass we have to commit in order to free ourselves from what oppresses us. (Boal 2008:xxi) By doing this the spect-actor is made aware of what he needs to do in order to change the situation in his real social setting, and by breaking down the wall between spectator and acto r, Boal also breaks the wall between the oppressor and the oppressed. (BOAL ESSAY) English Theatre company Cardboard citizens is one of the leading producers of Forum Theatre in the UK, this company is made up of homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless. Cardboard Citizens tour the UK, performing for other Homeless people, and as it states on their website, aiming to problem-solve together. (CARDBOARD WEBSITE) Although this is an excellent way of trying to create social change, it may be the case that the company perform to an audience who are already aware of the situation being presented to them, and are therefore preaching to the converted. In The Transparent Closet: Gay Theatre for Straight Audiences, Richard Hall (in Kistenberg 1995:76) suggests: Theatre is inefficient as an instrument for social change. It either speaks to those already in support of its views, or to those who are so secure in their power that they dont mind hearing themselves abused, as long as the abuse is entertaining. Although theatre is an excellent form of communication, it is unable to access the parts of society in which people do not watch theatre that is seen to be anything other than mainstream entertainment i.e. Musicals etc. This then stops the theatre from being its most effective. As well as this, political theatre may become an outlet for people to confirm their opinions, for example, David Hares play Stuff Happens was written as a reaction to the Iraq War, somebody who has negative beliefs about this event may watch the play just so their opinions are confirmed. This again may stop the theatre from being at its most effective. Although Cardboard Citizens use of forum theatre has helped many homeless peoples situations and is working to gain understanding of the struggles homeless people encounter, Elizabeth Burns states that the audience view themselves as part of a performance rather than performance as part of their lives (in Kistenberg 1995:32) She believes that the audience are me rely props for the actors and that because they are in a state of being neither fully part of the performance nor full separate then it isnt much different from their usual role as spectator. If this is the case then the spectators of Cardboard Citizens performances, even if they were able to present their theatre to a much wider and varied kind of audience, would not be much changed by what they have seen. Boals next step in creating social change could be seen to have a great impact on society, he generated a form of theatre named Legislative Theatre in which theatre is used to create an active and practical change in society. Boal ran for election and was voted in to be one of 42 vereadores  of Rio, (BOAL ESSAY) he used his new political position to create Legislative Theatre. In this type of theatre Boal attempted To use theatre within a political system to create a truer from of democracy (Boal 2008:i) This type of theatre uses all the techniques of the theatre of the oppressed in order to create new laws, Boal would take his theatre to the streets of Rio and asked the people what they thought of certain issues then proposed his findings to the council chamber. In this way he was able to put forward laws to be passed that had a significant impact on the people of Rio, for example, one law that was passed was one which protected the witnesses of crimes. (LEGISLATIVE THEATRE 104). Theatre is not just about entertaining the masses; it provides a means in which to get a message across. Although all of theatre could be said to be political in a broader sense, it is political theatre that has been established as designing a theatre that is left wing and that expresses the need for radical change. Political theatre has thrived under oppressive governments as a means of communicating political opinions; however this has not always been the case. In spite of how seemingly political Greek theatre appears the censorship of the plays provides evidence towards the fact that it was not and it did little to challenge and change the social hierarchy of the time because it was controlled by the people in power. Greek theatre started by being interactive and an open form of communication; however the right to speak was taken away when the citizens were split into chorus and audience. It is seemingly ironic then that it was someone speaking out of turn that first created this form of theatre but by being made to be the audience the rest were stifled. Looking back at how political theatre has developed over the years it is clear of the relevance of each individual practitioner at the respective times in which they were writing, for example, in the years of extreme censorship by the Bourgeoisie when Brecht was writing he was one of the first practitioners to use theatre to make people aware of their situation therefore enlightening them because it was the first time they had been shown the truth. However now, in the 21st Century when people are able to access, via the means of the internet for example, all types of imformation without censorship they are given the opportunity through practices such as Boals to actively change society. Boals Legislative Theatre encapsulates the aim of political theatre. As Brecht used Epic theatre in order to create social change, Boal took his format and physically created change through the placement of new laws. This is ultimately the aim of political theatre, to release the oppressed from the op pressor. Conclusion. Zortman (2) says that The avant-garde artists were denounced as breeders of the proletarian world revolution Quotes 356 / 1403words.

Essay --

Great Leap Forward: Before the Cultural Revolution took place, Mao had an attempt to modernize China’s economy so that by 1988, China would have an economy equivalent to America’s. Mao first announced a Five Year Plan that would last from 1958 to 1963. Mao toured China and thought that China was capable of doing anything they put their minds to, and the top two things Mao wanted to do was to advance their industry and agriculture. By doing this, Mao believed that, the country would change from an agrarian economy, an economy relating to only agricultural and rural matter, to a communist society. He also believed that both agriculture and the industry had to grow to allow the other to grow. Industry could profit if the workers were fed well, and the farmers could prosper if they had quality technology and good tools. To do this, Mao split China into a series of communes. Each commune contained about 5000 families. Everyone in the commune gave up their tools, equipment, food, animals, and anything they owned to the commune. People now worked for their commune and not for themselves. Every life was now controlled by the commune. Twelve families formed one work team and twelve work teams formed a brigade. Each subdivision was give n a certain task or job to complete. For example, one work team would be used to harvest wheat, and another team would bake the wheat, and eventually the entire brigade would produce loafs of bread. By the end of 1958, 700 million people had been placed into 26,578 communes. The speed of this achievement was amazing, however there was propaganda everywhere to try and make the farmers and workers happy. Propaganda packages were delivered to the fields, so the farmers could listen to political speec... ...what actually happened to Lin Biao. Some say it was â€Å"Mao’s elimination of Lin†, by loyal Chinese military planes, but in any case, Lin Biao’s death is still a mystery. After Lin Biao’s premature death, members of his high military command were â€Å"purged†, the Gang of Four feel apart and Zhou Enlai took control over most of the government. After Lin’s death, much of the Chinese population began to feel that the Cultural Revolution not really a â€Å"revolution† but more of an ordinary struggle for power. Zhou tried to stabilized China by putting the educational system back in action, and restoring numerous former officials to power. They both threw their power to Deng Xiaoping, who had been purged in the beginning years of the Cultural Revolution. This move was extremely opposed by the radical communists, Jiang and her allies, who became known as the Gang of Four. Essay -- Great Leap Forward: Before the Cultural Revolution took place, Mao had an attempt to modernize China’s economy so that by 1988, China would have an economy equivalent to America’s. Mao first announced a Five Year Plan that would last from 1958 to 1963. Mao toured China and thought that China was capable of doing anything they put their minds to, and the top two things Mao wanted to do was to advance their industry and agriculture. By doing this, Mao believed that, the country would change from an agrarian economy, an economy relating to only agricultural and rural matter, to a communist society. He also believed that both agriculture and the industry had to grow to allow the other to grow. Industry could profit if the workers were fed well, and the farmers could prosper if they had quality technology and good tools. To do this, Mao split China into a series of communes. Each commune contained about 5000 families. Everyone in the commune gave up their tools, equipment, food, animals, and anything they owned to the commune. People now worked for their commune and not for themselves. Every life was now controlled by the commune. Twelve families formed one work team and twelve work teams formed a brigade. Each subdivision was give n a certain task or job to complete. For example, one work team would be used to harvest wheat, and another team would bake the wheat, and eventually the entire brigade would produce loafs of bread. By the end of 1958, 700 million people had been placed into 26,578 communes. The speed of this achievement was amazing, however there was propaganda everywhere to try and make the farmers and workers happy. Propaganda packages were delivered to the fields, so the farmers could listen to political speec... ...what actually happened to Lin Biao. Some say it was â€Å"Mao’s elimination of Lin†, by loyal Chinese military planes, but in any case, Lin Biao’s death is still a mystery. After Lin Biao’s premature death, members of his high military command were â€Å"purged†, the Gang of Four feel apart and Zhou Enlai took control over most of the government. After Lin’s death, much of the Chinese population began to feel that the Cultural Revolution not really a â€Å"revolution† but more of an ordinary struggle for power. Zhou tried to stabilized China by putting the educational system back in action, and restoring numerous former officials to power. They both threw their power to Deng Xiaoping, who had been purged in the beginning years of the Cultural Revolution. This move was extremely opposed by the radical communists, Jiang and her allies, who became known as the Gang of Four.

The Master vs. The Student: Antonioni and Coppola Essay -- Michelangel

The Master vs. The Student: Antonioni and Coppola Michelangelo Antonioni initiated a shift in Italian film in the 1950s. He kept some aspects of Italian Neorealism but then moved away into the world of the art film. With Blow-up, which was made possible by a deal MGM for a series of films in English, he takes a meandering, odd storyline and places it in trendy, ?swinging? London (Thompson & Bordwell, 426-7). He further reinforces the distance between the diegetic world of the film and the audience through precisely spacious camera techniques. ?I want to re-create reality in an abstract form. I?m really questioning the nature of reality,? Antonioni has said honestly about the film (Arrowsmith, 112). He has taken the audience-active film to a new and interesting level. Blow-up has often times been compared to Francis Ford Coppola?s The Conversation. The two films not only share a similar plot (two men, both leaders in their fields, inadvertently stumble across a murder or murder plot and must reevaluate themselves while reevaluating their creations) but Coppola uses much of the same camera techniques as Antonioni, as well. The film is not a total emulation, though; Coppola adds his own twist by taking space and contorting it, whereas Antonioni might leave it in the abstract. In examining the two aspects of space and self-evaluation, one can see that Coppola?s The Conversation does not imitate Antonioni?s Blow-up as much as it learns from it. Antonioni?s most noticeable and intriguing tool of Blow-up is the use of space within each frame. Antonioni, on the cusp of Neorealism, often times places the camera far from Thomas (the main character played by David Hemmings), letting him move about freely within the frame. ... ...as far back in the room the camera could get, it seems). All of these shots reinforce the loneliness, desperation, and isolation of these two stranded souls. All these shots lend to the two breaking down barriers within themselves to reach a better, actualized self. And, all of these shots could easily have been produced by Antonioni or Francis Coppola; perhaps there is hope for a new wave of the Antonioni-art-film style. Works Cited Arrowsmith, William. (1995). Antonioni, The Poet of Images. New York: Oxford. Brunette, Peter. (1998). The Films of Michelangelo Antonioni. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University. Leprohon, Pierre. (1963). Michelangelo Antonioni: an Introduction. New York: Simon and Schuster. Thompson, Kristen & Bordwell, David. (2003). Film History, an Introduction. Boston: McGraw Hill. The Master vs. The Student: Antonioni and Coppola Essay -- Michelangel The Master vs. The Student: Antonioni and Coppola Michelangelo Antonioni initiated a shift in Italian film in the 1950s. He kept some aspects of Italian Neorealism but then moved away into the world of the art film. With Blow-up, which was made possible by a deal MGM for a series of films in English, he takes a meandering, odd storyline and places it in trendy, ?swinging? London (Thompson & Bordwell, 426-7). He further reinforces the distance between the diegetic world of the film and the audience through precisely spacious camera techniques. ?I want to re-create reality in an abstract form. I?m really questioning the nature of reality,? Antonioni has said honestly about the film (Arrowsmith, 112). He has taken the audience-active film to a new and interesting level. Blow-up has often times been compared to Francis Ford Coppola?s The Conversation. The two films not only share a similar plot (two men, both leaders in their fields, inadvertently stumble across a murder or murder plot and must reevaluate themselves while reevaluating their creations) but Coppola uses much of the same camera techniques as Antonioni, as well. The film is not a total emulation, though; Coppola adds his own twist by taking space and contorting it, whereas Antonioni might leave it in the abstract. In examining the two aspects of space and self-evaluation, one can see that Coppola?s The Conversation does not imitate Antonioni?s Blow-up as much as it learns from it. Antonioni?s most noticeable and intriguing tool of Blow-up is the use of space within each frame. Antonioni, on the cusp of Neorealism, often times places the camera far from Thomas (the main character played by David Hemmings), letting him move about freely within the frame. ... ...as far back in the room the camera could get, it seems). All of these shots reinforce the loneliness, desperation, and isolation of these two stranded souls. All these shots lend to the two breaking down barriers within themselves to reach a better, actualized self. And, all of these shots could easily have been produced by Antonioni or Francis Coppola; perhaps there is hope for a new wave of the Antonioni-art-film style. Works Cited Arrowsmith, William. (1995). Antonioni, The Poet of Images. New York: Oxford. Brunette, Peter. (1998). The Films of Michelangelo Antonioni. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University. Leprohon, Pierre. (1963). Michelangelo Antonioni: an Introduction. New York: Simon and Schuster. Thompson, Kristen & Bordwell, David. (2003). Film History, an Introduction. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare :: Character Analysis, Classics

<< In the play Hamlet by William Shakesphere, the main character, Hamlet, has a high level of intelligence. In Denmark, Hamlet is the son of the king who had recently passed away, and the queen who betrayed her husband to marry Hamlet's uncle soon after his death. Hamlet is hurt and uproared by his mother's betrayal and his uncle's rise to become king. He has an extraordinary understanding and comprehension of others and himself. Hamlet understands himself and uses this as a strength for his revenge. He feels very strongly about his father's murder and hopes to seek a confession from King Claudius. "i'll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saw books, all forms, all pressures past that youth and observation copied there" <act one, scene five> this is when hamlet becomes determined to carry out the revenge after he speaks to the ghost. He shows strong signs of a studious nature and plans to carry them out against claudius. which he does, but not by blantent confrontation. He's wise enough to know claudius would never admit his sin that "is rank, it smeels to heaven", so he divises the mousetrap play. This plan shows he thinks straight but will not act too quickly on this. He gives this plan great thought and makes careful decisions. Hamlet's understanding of others helps discover the murderer of his father. His quick instincts tell him that the childhood friends Claudius wante d him to reunite with were spies. By asking them simple questions, Hamlet found Rosencrantz and Guildenstein weren't who they said they were.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 27. NEEDS

I DIDN'T GET VERY FAR BEFORE DRIVING BECAME IMPOSsible. When I couldn't see anymore, I let my tires find the rough shoulder and rolled slowly to a stop. I slumped over on the seat and allowed the weakness I'd fought in Jacob's room crush me. It was worse that I'd thought – the force of it took me by surprise. Yes, I had been right to hide this from Jacob. No one should ever see this. But I wasn't alone for very long – just exactly long enough for Alice to see me here, and then the few minutes it took him to arrive. The door creaked open, and he pulled me into his arms. At first it was worse. Because there was that smaller part of me – smaller, but getting louder and angrier every minute, screaming at the rest of me – that craved a different set of arms. So then there was fresh guilt to season the pain. He didn't say anything, he just let me sob until I began to blubber out Charlie's name. â€Å"Are you really ready to go home?† he asked doubtfully. I managed to convey, after several attempts, that it wasn't going to get any better anytime soon. I needed to get past Charlie before it got late enough for him to call Billy. So he drove me home – for once not even getting close to my truck's internal speed limit – keeping one arm wrapped tightly around me. The whole way, I fought for control. It seemed to be a doomed effort at first, but I didn't give up. Just a few seconds, I told myself. Just time for a few excuses, or a few lies, and then I could break down again. I had to be able to do that much. I scrambled around in my head, searching desperately for a reserve of strength. There was just enough for me to quiet the sobs – hold them back but not end them. The tears didn't slow. I couldn't seem to find any handle to even begin to work with those. â€Å"Wait for me upstairs,† I mumbled when we were in front of the house. He hugged me closer for one minute, and then he was gone. Once inside, I headed straight for the stairs. â€Å"Bella?† Charlie called after me from his usual place on the sofa as I walked by. I turned to look at him without speaking. His eyes bugged wide, and he lurched to his feet. â€Å"What happened? Is Jacob . . . ?† he demanded. I shook my head furiously, trying to find my voice. â€Å"He's fine, he's fine,† I promised, my voice low and husky. And Jacob was fine, physically, which is all Charlie was worried about at the moment. â€Å"But what happened?† He grabbed my shoulders, his eyes still anxious and wide. â€Å"What happened to you?† I must look worse than I'd imagined. â€Å"Nothing, Dad. I . . . just had to talk to Jacob about . . . some things that were hard. I'm fine.† The anxiety calmed, and was replaced by disapproval. â€Å"Was this really the best time?† he asked. â€Å"Probably not, Dad, but I didn't have any alternatives – it just got to the point where I had to choose. . . . Sometimes, there isn't any way to compromise.† He shook his head slowly. â€Å"How did he handle it?† I didn't answer. He looked at my face for a minute, and then nodded. That must have been answer enough. â€Å"I hope you didn't mess up his recovery.† â€Å"He's a quick healer,† I mumbled. Charlie sighed. I could feel the control slipping. â€Å"I'll be in my room,† I told him, shrugging out from underneath his hands. â€Å"‘Kay,† Charlie agreed. He could probably see the waterworks starting to escalate. Nothing scared Charlie worse than tears. I made my way to my room, blind and stumbling. Once inside, I fought with the clasp on my bracelet, trying to undo it with shaking fingers. â€Å"No, Bella,† Edward whispered, capturing my hands. â€Å"It's part of who you are.† He pulled me into the cradle of his arms as the sobs broke free again. This longest of days seemed to stretch on and on and on. I wondered if it would ever end. But, though the night dragged relentlessly, it was not the worst night of my life. I took comfort from that. And I was not alone. There was a great deal of comfort in that, too. Charlie's fear of emotional outbursts kept him from checking on me, though I was not quiet – he probably got no more sleep than I did. My hindsight seemed unbearably clear tonight. I could see every mistake I'd made, every bit of harm I'd done, the small things and the big things. Each pain I'd caused Jacob, each wound I'd given Edward, stacked up into neat piles that I could not ignore or deny. And I realized that I'd been wrong all along about the magnets. It had not been Edward and Jacob that I'd been trying to force together, it was the two parts of myself, Edward's Bella and Jacob's Bella. But they could not exist together, and I never should have tried. I'd done so much damage. At some point in the night, I remembered the promise I'd made to myself early this morning – that I would never make Edward see me shed another tear for Jacob Black. The thought brought on a round of hysteria which frightened Edward more than the weeping. But it passed, too, when it had run its course. Edward said little; he just held me on the bed and let me ruin his shirt, staining it with salt water. It took longer than I thought it would for that smaller, broken part of me to cry herself out. It happened, though, and I was eventually exhausted enough to sleep. Unconsciousness did not bring full relief from the pain, just a numbing, dulling ease, like medicine. Made it more bearable. But it was still there; I was aware of it, even asleep, and that helped me to make the adjustments I needed to make. The morning brought with it, if not a brighter outlook, as least a measure of control, some acceptance. Instinctively, I knew that the new tear in my heart would always ache. That was just going to be a part of me now. Time would make it easier – that's what everyone always said. But I didn't care if time healed me or not, so long as Jacob could get better. Could be happy again. When I woke up, there was no disorientation. I opened my eyes – finally dry – and met his anxious gaze. â€Å"Hey,† I said. My voice was hoarse. I cleared my throat. He didn't answer. He watched me, waiting for it to start. â€Å"No, I'm fine,† I promised. â€Å"That won't happen again.† His eyes tightened at my words. â€Å"I'm sorry that you had to see that,† I said. â€Å"That wasn't fair to you.† He put his hands on either side of my face. â€Å"Bella . . . are you sure? Did you make the right choice? I've never seen you in so much pain -† His voice broke on the last word. But I had known worse pain. I touched his lips. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I don't know. . . .† His brow creased. â€Å"If it hurts you so much, how can it possibly be the right thing for you?† â€Å"Edward, I know who I can't live without.† â€Å"But . . .† I shook my head. â€Å"You don't understand. You may be brave enough or strong enough to live without me, if that's what's best. But I could never be that self-sacrificing. I have to be with you. It's the only way I can live.† He still looked dubious. I should never have let him stay with me last night. But I had needed him so much. . . . â€Å"Hand me that book, will you?† I asked, pointing over his shoulder. His eyebrows pulled together in confusion, but he gave it to me quickly. â€Å"This again?† he asked. â€Å"I just wanted to find this one part I remembered . . . to see how she said it. . . .† I flipped through the book, finding the page I wanted easily. The corner was dog-eared from the many times I'd stopped here. â€Å"Cathy's a monster, but there were a few things she got right,† I muttered. I read the lines quietly, mostly to myself. â€Å"‘If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and ifall else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.'† I nodded, again to myself. â€Å"I know exactly what she means. And I know who I can't live without.† Edward took the book from my hands and flipped it across the room – it landed with a light thud on my desk. He wrapped his arms around my waist. A small smile lit his perfect face, though worry still lined his forehead. â€Å"Heathcliff had his moments, too,† he said. He didn't need the book to get it word perfect. He pulled me closer and whispered inmy ear, â€Å"‘I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!'† â€Å"Yes,† I said quietly. â€Å"That's my point.† â€Å"Bella, I can't stand for you to be miserable. Maybe . . .† â€Å"No, Edward. I've made a real mess of things, and I'm going to have to live with that. But I know what I want and what I need . . . and what I'm going to do now.† â€Å"What are we going to do now?† I smiled just a bit at his correction, and then I sighed. â€Å"We are going to go see Alice.† Alice was on the bottom porch step, too hyper to wait for us inside. She looked about to break into a celebration dance, so excited was she about the news she knew I was there to deliver. â€Å"Thank you, Bella!† she sang as we got out of the truck. â€Å"Hold it, Alice,† I warned her, lifting a hand up to halt her glee. â€Å"I've got a few limitations for you.† â€Å"I know, I know, I know. I only have until August thirteenth at the latest, you have veto power on the guest list, and if I go overboard on anything, you'll never speak to me again.† â€Å"Oh, okay. Well, yeah. You know the rules, then.† â€Å"Don't worry, Bella, it will be perfect. Do you want to see your dress?† I had to take a few deep breaths. Whatever makes her happy, I said to myself. â€Å"Sure.† Alice's smile was smug. â€Å"Um, Alice,† I said, keeping the casual, unruffled tone in my voice. â€Å"When did you get me a dress?† It probably wasn't much of a show. Edward squeezed my hand. Alice led the way inside, heading for the stairs. â€Å"These things take time, Bella,† Alice explained. Her tone seemed . . . evasive. â€Å"I mean, I wasn't sure things were going to turn out this way, but there was a distinct possibility. . . .† â€Å"When?† I asked again. â€Å"Perrine Bruyere has a waiting list, you know,† she said, defensive now. â€Å"Fabric masterpieces don't happen overnight. If I hadn't thought ahead, you'd be wearing something off the rack!† It didn't look like I was going to get a straight answer. â€Å"Per – who?† â€Å"He's not a major designer, Bella, so there's no need to throw a hissy fit. He's got promise, though, and he specializes in what I needed.† â€Å"I'm not throwing a fit.† â€Å"No, you're not.† She eyed my calm face suspiciously. Then, as we walked into her room, she turned on Edward. â€Å"You – out.† â€Å"Why?† I demanded. â€Å"Bella,† she groaned. â€Å"You know the rules. He's not supposed to see the dress till the day of.† I took another deep breath. â€Å"It doesn't matter to me. And you know he's already seen it in your head. But if that's how you want it. . . .† She shoved Edward back out the door. He didn't even look at her – his eyes were on me, wary, afraid to leave me alone. I nodded, hoping my expression was tranquil enough to reassure him. Alice shut the door in his face. â€Å"All right!† she muttered. â€Å"C'mon.† She grabbed my wrist and towed me to her closet – which was bigger than my bedroom – and then dragged me to the back corner, where a long white garment bag had a rack all to itself. She unzipped the bag in one sweeping movement, and then slipped it carefully off the hanger. She took a step back, holding her hand out to the dress like she was a game show hostess. â€Å"Well?† she asked breathlessly. I appraised it for a long moment, playing with her a bit. Her expression turned worried. â€Å"Ah,† I said, and I smiled, letting her relax. â€Å"I see.† â€Å"What do you think?† she demanded. It was my Anne of Green Gables vision all over again. â€Å"It's perfect, of course. Exactly right. You're a genius.† She grinned. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Nineteen-eighteen?† I guessed. â€Å"More or less,† she said, nodding. â€Å"Some of it is my design, the train, the veil. . . .† She touched the white satin as she spoke. â€Å"The lace is vintage. Do you like it?† â€Å"It's beautiful. It's just right for him.† â€Å"But is it just right for you?† she insisted. â€Å"Yes, I think it is, Alice. I think it's just what I need. I know you'll do a great job with this . . . if you can keep yourself in check.† She beamed. â€Å"Can I see your dress?† I asked. She blinked, her face blank. â€Å"Didn't you order your bridesmaid dress at the same time? I wouldn't want my maid of honor to wear something off the rack.† I pretended to wince in horror. She threw her arms around my waist. â€Å"Thank you, Bella!† â€Å"How could you not see that one coming?† I teased, kissing her spiky hair. â€Å"Some psychic you are!† Alice danced back, and her face was bright with fresh enthusiasm. â€Å"I've got so much to do! Go play with Edward. I have to get to work.† She dashed out of the room, yelling, â€Å"Esme!† as she disappeared. I followed at my own pace. Edward was waiting for me in the hallway, leaning against the wood-paneled wall. â€Å"That was very, very nice of you,† he told me. â€Å"She seems happy,† I agreed. He touched my face; his eyes – too dark, it had been so long since he'd left me – searched my expression minutely. â€Å"Let's get out of here,† he suddenly suggested. â€Å"Let's go to our meadow.† It sounded very appealing. â€Å"I guess I don't have to hide out anymore, do I?† â€Å"No. The danger is behind us.† He was quiet, thoughtful, as he ran. The wind blew on my face, warmer now that the storm had really passed. The clouds covered the sky, the way they usually did. The meadow was a peaceful, happy place today. Patches of summer daisies interrupted the grass with splashes of white and yellow. I lay back, ignoring the slight dampness of the ground, and looked for pictures in the clouds. They were too even, too smooth. No pictures, just a soft, gray blanket. Edward lay next to me and held my hand. â€Å"August thirteenth?† he asked casually after a few minutes of comfortable silence. â€Å"That gives me a month till my birthday. I didn't want to cut it too close.† He sighed. â€Å"Esme is three years older than Carlisle – technically. Did you know that?† I shook my head. â€Å"It hasn't made any difference to them.† My voice was serene, a counterpoint to his anxiety. â€Å"My age is not really that important. Edward, I'm ready. I've chosen my life – now I want to start living it.† He stroked my hair. â€Å"The guest list veto?† â€Å"I don't care really, but I . . .† I hesitated, not wanting to explain this one. Best to get it over with. â€Å"I'm not sure if Alice would feel the need to invite . . . a few werewolves. I don't know if . . . Jake would feel like . . . like he should come. Like that's the right thing to do, or that I'd get my feelings hurt if he didn't. He shouldn't have to go through that.† Edward was quiet for a minute. I stared at the tips of the treetops, almost black against the light gray of the sky. Suddenly, Edward grabbed me around the waist and pulled me onto his chest. â€Å"Tell me why you're doing this, Bella. Why did you decide, now, to give Alice free reign?† I repeated for him the conversation I had with Charlie last night before I'd gone to see Jacob. â€Å"It wouldn't be fair to keep Charlie out of this,† I concluded. â€Å"And that means Rene and Phil. I might as well let Alice have her fun, too. Maybe itwill make the whole thing easier for Charlie if he gets his proper goodbye. Even if he thinks it's much too early, I wouldn't want to cheat him out of the chance to walk me down the aisle.† I grimaced at the words, then took another deep breath. â€Å"At least my mom and dad and my friends will know the best part of my choice, the most I'm allowed to tell them. They'll know I chose you, and they'll know we're together. They'll know I'm happy, wherever I am. I think that's the best I can do for them.† Edward held my face, searching it for a brief time. â€Å"Deal's off,† he said abruptly. â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"You're backing out? No!† â€Å"I'm not backing out, Bella. I'll still keep my side of the bargain. But you're off the hook. Whatever you want, no strings attached.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Bella, I see what you're doing. You're trying to make everyone else happy. And I don't care about anyone else's feelings. I only need you to be happy. Don't worry about breaking the news to Alice. I'll take care of it. I promise she won't make you feel guilty.† â€Å"But I -â€Å" â€Å"No. We're doing this your way. Because my way doesn't work. I call you stubborn, but look at what I've done. I've clung with such idiotic obstinacy to my idea of what's best for you, though it's only hurt you. Hurt you so deeply, time and time again. I don't trust myself anymore. You can have happiness your way. My way is always wrong. So.† He shifted under me, squaring his shoulders. â€Å"We're doing it your way, Bella. Tonight. Today. The sooner the better. I'll speak to Carlisle. I was thinking that maybe if we gave you enough morphine, it wouldn't be so bad. It's worth a try.† He gritted his teeth. â€Å"Edward, no -â€Å" He put his finger to my lips. â€Å"Don't worry, Bella, love. I haven't forgotten the rest of your demands.† His hands were in my hair, his lips moving softly – but very seriously – against mine, before I realized what he was saying. What he was doing. There wasn't much time to act. If I waited too long, I wouldn't be able to remember why I needed to stop him. Already, I couldn't breathe right. My hands were gripping his arms, pulling myself tighter to him, my mouth glued to his and answering every unspoken question his asked. I tried to clear my head, to find a way to speak. He rolled gently, pressing me into the cool grass. Oh, never mind! my less noble side exulted. My head was full of the sweetness of his breath. No, no, no, I argued with myself. I shook my head, and his mouth moved to my neck, giving me a chance to breathe. â€Å"Stop, Edward. Wait.† My voice was as weak as my will. â€Å"Why?† he whispered into the hollow of my throat. I labored to put some resolve into my tone. â€Å"I don't want to do this now.† â€Å"Don't you?† he asked, a smile in his voice. He moved his lips back to mine and made speaking impossible. Heat coursed through my veins, burning where my skin touched his. I made myself focus. It took a great deal of effort just to force my hands to free themselves from his hair, to move them to his chest. But I did it. And then I shoved against him, trying to push him away. I could not succeed alone, but he responded as I knew he would. He pulled back a few inches to look at me, and his eyes did nothing to help my resolve. They were black fire. They smoldered. â€Å"Why?† he asked again, his voice low and rough. â€Å"I love you. I want you. Right now.† The butterflies in my stomach flooded my throat. He took advantage of my speechlessness. â€Å"Wait, wait,† I tried to say around his lips. â€Å"Not for me,† he murmured in disagreement. â€Å"Please?† I gasped. He groaned, and pushed himself away from me, rolling onto his back again. We both lay there for a minute, trying to slow our breathing. â€Å"Tell me why not, Bella,† he demanded. â€Å"This had better not be about me.† Everything in my world was about him. What a silly thing to expect. â€Å"Edward, this is very important to me. I am going to do this right.† â€Å"Who's definition of right?† â€Å"Mine.† He rolled onto his elbow and stared at me, his expression disapproving. â€Å"How are you going to do this right?† I took a deep breath. â€Å"Responsibly. Everything in the right order. I will not leave Charlie and Rene without the best resolution I can give them. I won't deny Alice her fun, if I'm having a wedding anyway. And I will tie myself to you in every human way, before I ask you to make me immortal. I'm following all the rules, Edward. Your soul is far, far too important to me to take chances with. You're not going to budge me on this.† â€Å"I'll bet I could,† he murmured, his eyes burning again. â€Å"But you wouldn't,† I said, trying to keep my voice level. â€Å"Not knowing that this is what I really need.† â€Å"You don't fight fair,† he accused. I grinned at him. â€Å"Never said I did.† He smiled back, wistful. â€Å"If you change your mind . . .† â€Å"You'll be the first to know,† I promised. The rain started to drip through the clouds just then, a few scattered drops that made faint thuds as they struck the grass. I glowered at the sky. â€Å"I'll get you home.† He brushed the tiny beads of water from my cheeks. â€Å"Rain's not the problem,† I grumbled. â€Å"It just means that it's time to go do something that will be very unpleasant and possibly even highly dangerous.† His eyes widened in alarm. â€Å"It's a good thing you're bulletproof.† I sighed. â€Å"I'm going to need that ring. It's time to tell Charlie.† He laughed at the expression on my face. â€Å"Highly dangerous,† he agreed. He laughed again and then reached into the pocket of his jeans. â€Å"But as least there's no need for a side trip.† He once again slid my ring into place on the third finger of my left hand. Where it would stay – conceivably for the rest of eternity.