Geographical and Historical Overview of Poland

Geographical and Historical Overview of Poland Poland is a country located in central Europe to the east of Germany. It lies along the Baltic Sea and today has a growing economy centered on industry and the service sector. Population: 38,482,919 (July 2009 estimate)Capital: WarsawArea: 120,728 square miles (312,685 sq km)Bordering Countries: Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, UkraineCoastline: 273 miles (440 km)Highest Point: Rysy at 8,034 feet (2,449 m)Lowest Point: Raczki Elblaskie at -6.51 feet (-2 m) History of Poland The first people to inhabit Poland were the Polanie from southern Europe in the 7th and 8th centuries. In the 10th century, Poland became Catholic. Shortly thereafter, Poland was invaded by Prussia and divided. Poland remained divided among many different peoples until the 14th century. At this time it grew due to a union by marriage with Lithuania in 1386. This created a strong Polish-Lithuanian state. Poland maintained this unification until the 1700s when Russia, Prussia and Austria again divided the country several times. By the 19th century however, the Polish had a revolt due to the foreign control of the country and in 1918, Poland became an independent nation after World War I. In 1919, Ignace Paderewski became Polands first prime minister. During World War II, Poland was attacked by Germany and Russia and in 1941 it was taken over by Germany. During Germanys occupation of Poland much of its culture was destroyed and there were mass executions of its Jewish citizens. In 1944, the government of Poland was replaced with the communist Polish Committee of National Liberation by the Soviet Union. The Provisional Government was then established in Lublin and members of Polands former government later joined to form the Polish Government of National Unity. In August 1945, U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Joseph Stalin, and Britains Prime Minister Clement Attlee worked to shift Polands borders. On August 16, 1945, the Soviet Union and Poland signed a treaty which shifted Polands borders west. In total Poland lost 69,860 square miles (180,934 square kilometers) in the east and in the west it gained 38,986 square miles (100,973 square kilometers). Until 1989, Poland maintained a close relationship with the Soviet Union. Throughout the 1980s, Poland also experienced a large amount of civil unrest and strikes by industrial workers. In 1989, the trade union Solidarity was granted permission contest government elections and in 1991, under the first free elections in Poland, Lech Walesa became the countrys first president. Government of Poland Today Poland is a democratic republic with two legislative bodies. These bodies are the upper Senate or Senat and a lower house called the Sejm. Each of the members for these legislative bodies are elected by the public. Polands executive branch consists of a chief of state and a head of government. The chief of state is the president, while the head of government is the prime minister. The legislative branch of Polands government is the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Tribunal. Poland is divided into 16 provinces for local administration. Economics and Land Use in Poland Poland currently has a successfully growing economy and has practiced a transition to more economic freedom since 1990. The largest economies in Poland are machine building, iron, steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages and textiles. Poland also has a large agricultural sector with products that include potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat, poultry, eggs, pork and dairy products. Geography and Climate of Poland Most of Polands topography is low lying and makes up a part of the North European Plain. There are many rivers throughout the country and the largest is Vistula. The northern part of Poland has a more varied topography and features many lakes and hilly areas. Polands climate is temperate with cold, wet winters and mild, rainy summers. Warsaw, Polands capital, has an average January high temperature of 32 F (0.1 C) and a July average high of 75 F (23.8 C). More Facts about Poland Polands life expectancy is 74.4 years The literacy rate in Poland is 99.8 percent Poland is 90 percent Catholic Resources and Further Reading Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, April 22). CIA - The World Factbook - Poland. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.htmlInfoplease (n.d.) Poland: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107891.htmlUllman, H.F. 1999. Geographica World Atlas Encyclopedia. Random House Australia.United States Department of State. (2009, October). Poland (10/09). Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2875.htm

Mass Shootings and Related Issues of Race and Gender

Mass Shootings and Related Issues of Race and Gender â€Å"Sick,† â€Å"twisted,† â€Å"disturbed,† â€Å"psychotic,† â€Å"mentally ill,† â€Å"psychopath,† â€Å"acted alone.† These words  are familiar to anyone who pays attention to news accounts of mass shootings carried out by white males over the last three decades. Trouble is, none of these guys- Eliot Rodger, Adam Lanza, James Holmes, Jared Loughner, Anders Breivik in Norway, among others- really acted alone. While news accounts typically frame mass shootings by white males as the work of  deranged individuals, the actions of these  men and boys are expressive of widely held patriarchal and white supremacist beliefs. They are the manifestation of  a sick society. The  shooters who left digital trails have made it clear that their actions were prompted by their perceived loss of power and status in society. They felt slighted by women who do not obey them and their desires, by people of color and queer folks who have fought for, earned, and defended their civil rights, and by a society that doesn’t afford them the respect and place they believe they deserve by accident of their race and gender. They are the product of a changed and ever-changing social context in which historic forms of power and domination are being slowly but loudly destabilized, and of a society that socializes them to believe that this is wrong, and that they deserve to be in positions of power. Demographic Shifts in the U.S. and Anomie Among White Men​ Writing in 1897, sociologist Émile Durkheim popularized a theoretical concept that can be  usefully applied to understanding how this perceived problem of individuals is actually a social problem. Anomie, Durkheim explained, is a condition that results when the values and expectations of an individual do not match those that predominate in society. When an individual experiences anomie, they feel disconnected from their society; they feel destabilized. Anomie, per Durkheim, is a state of social derangement. Applying the theory of anomie to the phenomenon of white male shooters throws into relief the conditions of social derangement experienced by boys and men who take such action. White males, especially those with economic privilege relative to others, have historically lived at the top of the power hierarchy in the United States. They hold power in terms of their gender, their race, sometimes their class, and often, their sexuality. But, in today’s social context in which patriarchy, heteronormativity, white supremacy, and economic power have been destabilized by various social movements, legislation, and paradigm shifts in popular consciousness, their power over others is waning. With it, so too is their historically unjustly inflated social status. The Violent Death Grip of Patriarchy and White Supremacy This is not to say that patriarchy, heteronormativity, white supremacy, and economic control by white men are things of the past. These forms of domination live today in a wide variety of attitudes, values, beliefs, and practices. The actions of white male shooters make it fatally clear that the ideologies that undergird these forms of oppression are not only alive, but thriving today. They are expressed in their most overt and terrifying forms in the Youtube videos, chat logs, conversations, and manifestos of Anders Breivik, Elliot Rodger, and Jared Loughner, among others. They were expressed with violence and hatred in a rash of hate crimes against women, people of color, LGBT people, and immigrants following the 2016 presidential election. In this social context of anomie, shooting others is a desperate attempt to reclaim norms lost. It is an assertion of power that has been destabilized by the changing nature of society, its norms, and its values. Yet, the actions of white male shooters are couched within the larger social problem of a troubled masculinity that transcends race. Viewed through a wider lens, the connections between shootings perpetrated by white males and other forms of violent masculine expression, like street harassment, gendered and sexualized violence, hate crimes, gang violence, and white separatist and nationalist movements become clear. Society Needs Masculinity Rooted in Respect and Care for Others A social problem like this requires a social solution. Background checks and reforms to gun laws might reduce gun violence, but they will not stop other forms of violence that stem from a social sickness. Alleviating the social sickness of racism, and the gendered and heterosexist norms of patriarchy  is work that must be done collectively by all of us. We, as a society, must reconfigure what masculinity means, and cast off the dangerous values and expectations that we socialize boys to hold and express in their behavior. Curing this social sickness requires a new masculinity detached from notions of superiority, dominance, control, and compliance of others. It requires what the writers at Rad Dad advocate for in their call for a Feminist Fathers’ Day: a masculinity premised on respect and care for others.

Project development and implementation for strategic managers Essay

Project development and implementation for strategic managers - Essay Example I am grateful to my parents, who have always assisted me in every step. This study only became possible for their blessings and confidence on me. Thank you all for believing in me and make myself belief that I can fulfill my dreams. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Chapter 01 – Introduction 4 Chapter 02 - Literature Review 4 Chapter 03 - Research Methods 7 Chapter 04 - Summary of the Response Details 8 Chapter 05 - Data Analysis 10 Chapter 06 – Conclusion 10 Reference List 12 Appendix 13 Chapter 01 – Introduction A project is referred to as an endeavor that is designed for achieving a unique product or result within a given time frame. The aim of a project is to bring beneficial changes to the end user or make value additions (Anderson, Grude and Haug, 2009). However, the temporary character of project differentiates itself with the usual business operation. As a result of that, the management of these two factors is completely different and requires a diffe rent approach. Project management is dubbed as the discipline that encompasses planning, organizing, motivating as well as controlling the resources of the firm to achieve particular goals (Faiz and Edirisinghe, 2009). A number of scholars have emphasized on the fact that a good project manager should encompass both management skills as well as technical knowledge. The primary goal of a project management and organization is the achievement of the project goals. However, the key constraints in this factor are time, scope, quality and budget. In addition, optimum utilization of the resources and integrating these resources to meet the predefined objectives is another challenge (Eastman, Teicholz, Saks and Liston, 2008). In this assignment, the aim is to develop a new software package and ensure its timely delivery to the client. The software to be manufactured is CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software, for the client company XXX3 Ltd. The company is aiming to implement CRM f or the purpose of managing the relationship with customers. XXX3 Limited is an apparel retailing company and therefore the company is obvious to have a diversified customer base. The software will be designed in such a manner that it fulfills all the objectives of the company. It is expected that once the company implements CRM into their system of operation, the company will be able to maintain a good relationship with its customers. Moreover, in this turbulent business environment, management of relationship with the customers is a key issue and therefore implementation of technology or a system that promotes management of relationship with the customers is a necessary activity (Edum-Fotwe, Egbu and Gibb, 2003). Chapter 02 - Literature Review Project Management Theory Project management is a vast area and requires knowledge of domain, technology as well as administration. Moreover, for better project management a company requires specialized skills. Larson and Gray (2006) states t hat maintaining a positive attitude, remaining clear about the project structure and managing proper communication will greatly help a company to achieve success. Project management encompasses 5 stages that are namely initiation, planning and design, execution, monitoring and controlling and closing. (Source: Alterspark, 2013) Stage 1: - Understanding / Initiation – In the first stage, research about the area of concern is carried out and this can

Destination Marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Destination Marketing - Coursework Example Tourism destination has been defined as â€Å"a geographical region, political jurisdiction, or major attraction, which seeks to provide visitors with a range of satisfying to memorable visitation experiences† (Bornhost, Ricthie and Sheehan, 2010). A tourism destination must also seek to enhance the economic and social well-being of the residents within its boundaries. To be called a tourism destination it must also offer a wide range of activities and experience to the tourists. Kenya can be called a tourism destination as it is an attractive, and one of the most developed tourist destinations in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ayoo, 2007). As of 2007 Kenya had 29 National Parks and 29 National Reserves that together occupy about 7.5% of the country’s total area. Biodiversity ranging from marine parks, mountain, arid and semi-arid parks to ecosystems can be found at these parks. The Equator divides the country into almost two equal halves. The country has several attractions such as natural and cultural attractions such as game viewing, bird-watching, deep-sea fishing and mountain climbing, apart from being free of terrorism (Pennington-Gray et al., 2005). The diversity of physical landscape and scenery provide both beauty and variety to the country (Odunga, 2005). Wildlife and nature-based tourism is the greatest attraction for the tourists visiting Kenya. Tourism in Kenya grew over the years and became an important economic activity. However, the sector has been experiencing decline because it could not segregate mass tourism from eco tourism and sustainable tourism. The focus initially was on mass tourism but then the focus shifted towards attracting a niche segment or the upmarket segment (Odunga, 2005). This affected the image of Kenya as a tourist attraction. With another policy shift the focus was again on both mass tourism and the niche segment. The constant shifting of strategies has led to an adverse image of the destination. Tourism in Kenya is in the decline stage of the Tourism Area Life Cycle as product quality has declined. Effective promotion is needed to restore the image that Kenya as a destination carried. Situational analysis would help recommend a suitable promotional strategy to attract the UK tourists, comprising of a niche segment. 2. Situational Analysis An analysis of the macro environment or the external factors that influence tourism in Kenya would help develop the framework for promotion as well as the marketing objectives. 2.1 Environmental Analysis The country is undergoing political instability and political unrest. One of the major issues is the unequal distribution of resources such as land on which tourism depends. Some hold the view that while tourism consumes large resources the distribution of the revenue remains at the discretion of the central government, which often disregards the social and economic needs of the region (Mayaka and Prasad, 2012). The political situation in the country makes the tourism industry vulnerable to uncertainties and volatility. The tourism sector in Kenya contributes to 11 percent of the GDP but the global financial crisis further affected the political events, which resulted in reduced flow of tourists (Mayaka and Prasad, 2012). Tourism has reduced unemployment while maintaining balance of payments (Pennington-Gray et al., 2005). The recession

Thesis Project Manual Essay Example for Free

Thesis Project Manual Essay Research Description 1.1. Overview of the Current State of Technology This section gives the reader an overview of the specific technology or field in the international or local setting. The information regarding the technology or field should be contemporary and not based on outdated sources. Discussion must not be too technical or too detailed. This section ends with a discussion on the problems faced by or that still exist in the specific technology or field (e.g., limitations of existing software or algorithms). 1.2. Statement of the Problem This section contains the statement of the problem which summarizes the closing discussions in Section 1.1 of the Thesis Proposal. The problem statement would lead to the research objectives. If possible, limit this to one (1) sentence only. 1.3. Research Objectives 1.3.1. General Objective This subsection states the overall goal that must be achieved to answer the problem. 1.3.2. Specific Objectives This subsection is an elaboration of the general objective. It states the specific steps that must be undertaken to accomplish the general objective. These objectives must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timebounded. Each specific objective may start with ―to design/survey/review/analyze†¦Ã¢â‚¬â€" Studying a particular programming language or development tool (e.g., to study Windows/Object-Oriented/Graphics/C++ programming) to accomplish the general objective is inherent in all thesis and, therefore, must not be included here. 1.4. Scope and Limitations of the Research This section discusses the boundaries (with respect to the objectives) of the research and the constraints within which the research will be developed. Thesis Proposal Outline and Contents 3 1.5. Significance of the Research This section explains why research must be done in this area. It rationalizes the objective of the research with that of the stated problem. Avoid including here sentences such as ―This research will be beneficial to the proponents/department/collegeâ€â€" as this is already an inherent requirement of all CS thesis projects. Focus on the research’s contribution to the Computer Science field. 2.0. Review of Related Literature This chapter discusses the features, capabilities, and limitations of existing research, algorithms, or software that are relevant and related/similar to the thesis. The reviewed works and software must be arranged either in chronological order, or by area (from general to specific). Observe a consistent format when presenting each of the reviewed works. In this chapter, the maximum number of pages is 10. 3.0. Research Methodology This chapter lists and discusses the specific steps and activities that will be performed by the proponents to accompl ish the project. The discussion covers the activities from the proposal stage to the final stage. Examples of activities include inquiry, survey, research, brainstorming, canvassing, consultation, review, interview, observe, experiment, design, test, document, etc. The methodology also includes the following information: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 4.1. Who is responsible for the task The resource person to be contacted What will be done When and how long will the activity be done Where will it be done Why should be activity be done Calendar of Activities This chapter contains the Gantt chart showing the schedule of activities outlined in Chapter 3 of the Thesis Proposal. The following table is an example of a Gantt chart: ACTIVITY JAN Data Gathering **** Software Requirements Analysis Initial Architectural Design FEB ** **** MAR **** APR **** ** †¦ Thesis Proposal Outline and Contents 4 Appendix A. Bibliography Appendix B. Resource Persons For each resource person, specify the following items: Appendix C. Personal Vitae For each proponent, specify the following items:

Fresno State :: essays research papers

Fresno State coach Jerry Tarkanian will announce his retirement from coaching Friday after a 31-coaching career, the past seven seasons at Fresno State, a source close to Tarkanian told ESPN.com on Thursday. Tarkanian's attorney met with Fresno State president John Welty Thursday and the three are expected to meet again later Thursday to finalize the details of his retirement. A source close to the 71-year old Tarkanian said he would be retained as a consultant at Fresno State -- his alma mater -- at an estimated salary over $100,000 for two years. A source also said the floor at the Save Mart Center, set to be finished in 2003, would also be named for Tarkanian. A source close to Tarkanian said he was worn down after Wednesday night's first-round postseason NIT loss to Temple at Selland Arena. Tarkanian will end his career with 778 wins and 202 losses in 31 seasons. He entered the season as the fourth active winningest coach in Division I and he entered the season as the top active winningest coach by percentage at .802, but that dropped to .794 after the 19-15 season. The 19 wins prevented him from getting his 30th 20-win season. Tarkanian took three different teams at Long Beach State, UNLV and Fresno State to 18 NCAA Tournaments. He went to four Final Fours, including one national championship with UNLV in 1990. He took Fresno State to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2000 and '01, the first time the Bulldogs had been to the NCAAs since 1984. The program had only been to the NCAAs three times prior to Tarkanian's arrival. He also raised the first $1 million for the Save Mart Center. Fresno State ended its season Wednesday night with an 81-75 loss to Temple in the NIT.

My Life in the Light of the Rule of Benedict

We live in a time impatiently dashing towards the next. Ours is a society plagued by the need to move on without resolving issues of the here and now. We readily throw objects for the latest, and within the same breath complain that things are not the way they used to be. We so willingly burn bridges, and under the same lifetime demand for meaningful and lasting connections. Our lives are imbalanced and devoid of meaning because we are so caught up in the demands that society imposes upon us. And at the end of each day we feel so empty and restless, longing for something more. The good news is that meaning and purpose can be found for those who truly want it in their lives and are willing to do what it takes to find it and keep it. The book of St. Benedict was written some 15 centuries ago. But it finds place even in modern times. The precepts that it gives are enduring for those who want to find a semblance of spiritual peace in our chaotic and often uncertain world. The book is mainly about how man can strike a balance between his work and his spiritual life of prayer and meditation. This work of St. Benedict, which was written in the Middle Ages, became the foundations of the monastic life, where men of God were men of the world as well, doing menial jobs even as they tend to their spiritual lives. St. Benedict’s philosophy revolved around three main concepts: peace, pray and work. That in spite of the daily grind and drudgeries of our existence, we can all strive to find peace in our lives through finding time to pray and sanctify all our daily activities. He believes that the men of God should never turn their backs to the world and their responsibilities to their communities because a life of prayer without the actual good work that benefits other people is useless. Our duty as Christian is two-fold, the daily worship of God and the daily service to mankind. In every aspect of living, there is a way to find balance and address these two things at the same time. The wonderful thing about The Book of Benedict is that while it deals with profound issue of faith and grace, it also has practical advices on how to observe them in the real world. Balance and moderation is the key to a peaceful and content life. We must never be tempted to excesses and overindulgence. In food, two of a kind is sufficient so that if a person does not eat one, then there is always a second option. In my life I make it a point to enjoy my food, the key to feeling food is to savor every bite and celebrate the blessings that it represents. There are some cases when celebrating through food is well-deserved, but still, it should be taken in moderation. As St. Benedict said, â€Å"For nothing is so contrary to Christians as excess, as our Lord saith: ‘See that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting’ (Lk 21:34).† I have realized that food, to be truly enjoyed need not be taken in excessive amounts. The secret is in learning how to delight in and appreciate each small bite of food. In terms of clothing and other possessions, the same principle of moderation and appropriateness should apply. The clothing that we buy should be suitable to its use and to the climate of the place that we live in. Circumstances and not wants should dictate our choice of the clothes to buy. Of course every article of clothing should be tasteful in design, never ostentatious and ornamental, but tasteful and practical. And for those who have too much should give them away to the less privileged so that other people can find use for them. Looking at St. Benedict’s philosophies of moderation and appropriateness, I have realized that the tendency to hoard and acquire more material belongings is at the very heart of the loneliness that afflicts most of us. We are never happy with what we have, always wanting more in an effort to cover up the emptiness that we feel. The sad truth is that most of us look outside ourselves for answers, when all that we could ever need has been laid out in front of us. All that is needed is that we spend the time to look at all the blessings that we have and give thanks for them. My life is dictated by duties and responsibilities. But I know the value of prayers in my life. I make the time to attend to matters of my soul, even as I try to fulfill my duties to my family and my community. I have realized that I have everything I need to have a happy and full life. It is just a matter of changing how we look at our lives. If we continue to define our lives by what we do not have, then we shall never be content even while we are drowning in material possessions. The grace to have a grateful heart can only be achieved through constant prayer, and while my day is filled with things to do, I make it a point to make prayer a necessary habit. Indeed the secret to a happy life is no longer a secret. St. Benedict has long given us the power to define our own lives. Our lives may be filled with the realities of work and responsibilities, but in prayer we find a safe haven where we can find peace and the strength to carry on with what needs to be done for the day.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 40

But after an endless time in the soft, kind darkness, something was forcing Elena back up into light. Real light. Not the terrible green half-light of the Tree. Even through shut eyelids she could see it, feel its heat. A yel ow sun. Where was she? She couldn't remember. And she didn't care. Something was saying inside her that the gentle darkness was better. But then she remembered a name. Stefan. Stefan was†¦? Stefan was the one who†¦the one she loved. But he'd never understood that love was not singular. He'd never understood that she could be in love with Damon and that it would never change an atom's worth of her love for him. Or that his lack of understanding had been so wrenching and painful that she had felt torn into two different people at times. But now, even before she opened her eyes, she realized that she was drinking. She was drinking the blood of a vampire, and that vampire wasn't Stefan. There was something unique in this blood. It was deeper and spicier and more heavy, al at once. She couldn't help opening her eyes. For some reason she didn't understand, they flew open and she tried immediately to focus on the scent and feeling and color of whoever was bending over her, holding her. She couldn't understand, either, her sense of letdown when she slowly realized that it was Sage leaning over her, holding her gently but securely to his neck, with his bronze chest bare and warm from the sunlight. But she was lying down flat, on grass, from what her hands could feel†¦and for some reason her head was cold. Very cold. Cold and wet. She stopped drinking and tried to sit up. The light grip became firmer. She heard Sage's voice say, and felt the rumbling in his chest as he said it, â€Å"Ma pauvre petite, you must drink more in a moment or so. And your hair has Stillsome of the ashes in it.† Ashes? Ashes? Didn't you put ashes on your head for†¦now what had she been thinking about? It was as if there was a block in her mind, keeping her from getting close to†¦ something. But she wasn't going to be told what to do. Elena sat up. She was in – yes, she was very sure – the kitsune paradise, and until a moment ago her body had been arched back, so that her hair had been in the clear little stream that she had seen earlier. Stefan and Bonnie had been washing something pitch-black out of her hair. They both were smudged with black as well: Stefan had a big swath across one cheekbone, and Bonnie had faint gray streaks below her eyes. Crying. Bonnie had been crying. She was Stillcrying, in little sobs that she was trying to suppress. And now that Elena looked harder she could see that Stefan's eyelids were swol en and that he had been crying too. Elena's lips were numb. She fel back onto the grass, looking up at Sage, who was wiping his eyes furtively. Her throat ached, not just inside, where sobbing and gasping might make it hurt, but outside, too. She had a picture of herself slashing at her own neck with a knife. Through her numb lips, she whispered, â€Å"Am I a vampire?† â€Å"Pas encore,†Sage said unsteadily. â€Å"Not yet. But Stefan and I, we both had to give you massive amounts of blood. You must be very careful in the next days. You are right on the brink.† That explained how she felt. Probably Damon was hoping that she would become one, wicked boy. Instinctively, she held out her hand to Stefan. Maybe she could help him. â€Å"We just won't do anything for a little while,†she said. â€Å"You don't have to be sad.†But she herself Stillfelt very wrong. She hadn't felt this wrong since she'd seen Stefan in prison and had thought that he would die at any moment. No†¦it was worse†¦because with Stefan there had been hope and Elena had the feeling that now hope was gone. Everything was gone. She was hol ow: a girl who looked solid, but whose insides were missing. â€Å"I'm dying,†she whispered. â€Å"I know it†¦Are you al going to say good-bye now?† And with that Sage – Sage! – choked up and began to sob. Stefan, Stilllooking so oddly mussed, with those traces of soot on his face and arms and his hair and clothes soaking wet, said, â€Å"Elena, you're not going to die. Not unless you choose to.† She had never seen Stefan look like this before. Not even in prison. His flame, his inner fire that he showed to almost no one but Elena, had gone out. â€Å"Sage saved us,†he said, slowly careful y, as if it cost him great effort to speak. â€Å"The ash that was fal ing – you and Bonnie would have died if you'd had to breathe any more of it. But Sage put a door back to the Gatehouse right in front of us. I could barely see it; my eyes were so ful of ashfal , and it's only getting worse on that moon.† â€Å"Ashfal ,†Elena whispered. There was something at the bottom of her mind, but once again her memory failed her. It was almost as if she'd been Influenced to not remember. But that was ridiculous. â€Å"Why were ashes fal ing?†she asked, realizing that her voice was husky, hoarse – as if she'd cheered too long at a footbal game. â€Å"You used Wings of Destruction,†Stefan said steadily, looking at her with his swol en eyes. â€Å"You saved our lives. But you kil ed the Tree – and the star bal disintegrated.† Wings of Destruction. She must have lost her temper. And she'd kil ed a world. She was a murderer. And now the star bal was lost. Fel ‘s Church. Oh, God. What would Damon say to her? Elena had done everything – everything wrong. Bonnie was sobbing now, her face turned away. â€Å"I'm sorry,†Elena said, knowing how inadequate this was. For the first time she looked around miserably. â€Å"Damon?†she whispered. â€Å"He won't speak to me? Because of what I did?† Sage and Stefan looked at each other. Ice went down Elena's spine. She started to get up, but her legs weren't the legs she remembered. They wanted to unlock at the knees. She was staring down at herself, at her own wet and smudged clothes – and then something like mud came down her forehead. Mud or congealing blood. Bonnie made a sound. She was Stillsobbing, but she was speaking, too, in a new husky voice that made her sound much older. â€Å"Elena – we didn't get the ashes out of the top of your hair. Sage had to give you an emergency transfusion.† â€Å"I'l get the ashes out,†Elena said flatly. She let her knees bend. She fel onto them, jarring her body. Then, twisting, she leaned down to the little brook and let her head fal forward. Through the icy shock she could dimly hear exclamations from the people above water, and Stefan's sharp, Elena, are you All right? in her head. No, she thought back. But I'm not drowning, either. I'm washing out my hair. Maybe Damon will at least see me if I'm presentable. Maybe he'll come with us and fight for Fell's Church. Let me help you up, Stefan sent quietly. Elena had come to the end of her air. She pul ed her heavy head out of the water and flipped it, soaking but clean, so that it fel down her back. She stared at Stefan. â€Å"Why?†she said – and then, with a sudden panic – â€Å"Has he left already? Was he angry†¦with me?† â€Å"Stefan.†It was Sage, speaking tiredly. Stefan, who was staring out of his green eyes like a hunted animal, made some faint sound. â€Å"The Influence, it is not working,†Sage said. â€Å"She will remember on her own.†

The Origins of the Boxer Uprising essays

The Origins of the Boxer Uprising essays The Origins of the Boxer Uprising was published in 1987 by University of California Press. Since the 1960s, the Qing archives in both Beijing and Taiwan have been opened to scholars. Additional sources such as Jiao-wu jiao-an dang (Archives on Missionary Cases) and documents from Shandong have been made public. The author, Joseph W. Esherick, was intent on using the new resources available to disprove previous notions about the Boxer Uprising. Esherick stated in the preface of the book that he intended on disproving the ideas of Victor Purcell. Purcells The Boxer Uprising: A Background Study, published in 1963, was the last serious treatment on the subject of the origins of the Boxers until Eshericks time. The major problem in Purcells book was that Purcell believed there to be an alleged Boxer shift from an anti-dynastic to a pro-dynastic stance. (pg xvi) Esherick sought to prove that from the very beginning the Boxers were a loyalist movement, and there never was an anti-dynastic phase. The authors sources came from both parts of the world, places such as Shandong University, the First Historical Archives in Beijing, the Palace Museum in Taiwan, the East Asian Library of the Hoover Institution, the Stanford University Library, the University of California Library, Harvard University Library and others. Esherick also included oral history told by the people of Shandong and other focal points of Boxer activities. A key factor for some of the sources is that they werent available to the scholars until that time. Esherick restate that fact repeatedly throughout the book. The book began with detail background of the cults that eventually spawned the Boxers themselves. Afterwards, Esherick started a narrative of an overview of economic and political conditions in Shandong between 1898 and 1899. There is also a description of the hist ...

Definition and Examples of Inflectional Morpheme

Definition and Examples of Inflectional Morpheme In English morphology, an inflectional morpheme is  a suffix thats added to a word  (a noun, verb, adjective or an adverb) to assign a particular grammatical property to that word, such as its  tense, number, possession, or comparison. Inflectional morphemes in English include the  bound morphemes  -s (or -es); s (or s); -ed; -en; -er; -est; and -ing. These suffixes may even do double- or triple-duty. For example, - s can note possession (in conjunction with an apostrophe in the proper place), can make count nouns plural, or can put a verb in the third-person singular tense. The suffix -ed can make past participles or past-tense verbs.   Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, authors of Linguistics for Everyone, explain  why theres overlap:  This lack of distinction in form dates back to the  Middle English  period (1100–1500 CE),  when the more complex inflectional affixes found in  Old English  were slowly dropping out of the language.(Wadsworth, 2010) Contrast With Derivational Morphemes Unlike derivational morphemes, inflectional morphemes  do not change the essential meaning or the  grammatical category of a word. Adjectives stay adjectives, nouns remain nouns, and verbs stay verbs. For example, if you add an -s to the noun carrot to show plurality, carrot remains a noun. If you add -ed to the verb walk to show past tense, walked is still a verb. George Yule explains it this way: The difference between  derivational  and inflectional morphemes is worth emphasizing. An inflectional morpheme never changes the  grammatical category  of a word. For example, both  old  and  older  are adjectives. The  -er  inflection here (from  Old English  -ra) simply creates a different version of the adjective. However, a derivational morpheme can change the grammatical category of a word. The verb  teach  becomes the noun  teacher  if we add the derivational morpheme  -er  (from Old English  -ere). So, the suffix  -er  in  modern English  can be an inflectional morpheme as part of an adjective and also a distinct derivational morpheme as part of a noun. Just because they look the same (-er) doesnt mean they do the same kind of work.  (The Study of Language, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2006) Placement Order When building words with multiple suffixes, there are rules in English that govern which order they go in.  In this example, the suffix is making a word into a comparative: Whenever there  is  a derivational suffix and an inflectional suffix attached to the same word, they always appear in that order. First the derivational (-er) is attached to  teach, then the inflectional (-s) is added to produce  teachers. (George Yule, The Study of Language, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2006) Linguistics for Everyone lists additional examples to drive home the point about placement order of the affixes: For example, the words  antidisestablishmentarianism  and  uncompartmentalize  each contain a number of derivational affixes, and any inflectional affixes must occur at the end:  antidisestablishmentarianisms  and  uncompartmentalized. (Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck. Wadsworth, 2010) The study of this process of forming words is called  inflectional morphology.

Pol Pot of the Khmer Rouge Regime in Cambodia- Major Influences & Essay

Pol Pot of the Khmer Rouge Regime in Cambodia- Major Influences & Motivations - Essay Example It was also in France where he became acquainted with the prospective leaders of Khmer Rouge and the masterminds of one of the most atrocious governments in human history. This essay discusses Pol Pot’s and the Khmer Rouge’s regime in Cambodia, as well as Pol Pot’s major influences and inspirations. While in France Pol Pot began to gain and nourish his leftist, revolutionary ideas. For instance, Saloth Sar took on his pseudonym, Pol Pot, while in Paris. At the same time, he became fascinated with Marxism and joined the French Communist Party’s Cambodian wing.3 Pol Pot made friends with other Cambodians in France who shared his own beliefs, most of whom would be his strongest comrades for decades to come. One of his notorious friends was Ieng Sary. Sary would eventually become the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea.4 A cohesive faction was emerging. Pol Pot socialized with numerous other Khmer scholars, such as the revolutionists Keng Vannsak and Thiounn Mumm. Numerous of these students belong to the elite families of Cambodia. For instance, Thiounn was part of the most influential clan in Phnom Penh. Studying applied science, Mumm in all probability familiarized and invited Pol Pot into the Communist Party.5 Similarly, Keng Vannsak had ro yal acquaintances. He studied Cambodian linguistics in France. Even though interested in leftist ideas, Keng Vannsak did not become a communist; but he was a passionate patriotic.6 Pol Pot and his friends started to create their radical ideologies while in France. Progressively, these radical ideologies were expressed in enormously nationalistic ways. The revolutionary ideology was to be fully independent, with the goal of building a self-governing and autonomous Cambodia. This objective would eventually put these Paris-schooled radicals against Vietnamese-inspired Khmer radicals. In the early 1950s, in

Chaucer writes a 'feminine kind of romance' ( Burrow). Discuss with Essay

Chaucer writes a 'feminine kind of romance' ( Burrow). Discuss with reference to 3 canterbury tales - Essay Example n the battles and events of the past, such as the battles of Troy, the conquests of Alexander the Great or the chivalric traditions rising out of the Arthurian legend. Among these stories, the primary focus was typically placed upon the action of the story, the battles and the skirmishes that occurred between characters, and the aftermath of such behavior, such as the winning of the lady, the acquisition of worldly fame or the re-enforcement of nobility. However, not all stories followed this basic formula, especially as the written tradition began to grow through the 14th century. As writers began to experiment with various means of recording the stories that had been passed down through the oral tradition as well as working to develop stories of their own, new modes of expression began to emerge. For example, Colin Burrow assertively states that Chaucer wrote a feminine kind of romance. What is a feminine kind of romance and how does this apply to Chaucer? To answer these questions , the following paper will first define the characteristics of the kind of ‘feminine’ romance Burrow was discussing and then analyze three of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales – the Wife of Bath, the Prioress and the Knight’s Tale – to determine whether this description applies. The concept of the feminine romance has a great deal to do with the underlying structural format of the novel, particularly as it relates to the issues surrounding gender and the differences between the various ways in which the genders relate to others. For example, studies continue to show even today that women place greater emphasis upon the concept of relationships while men place more emphasis upon action.2 It should not be surprising, therefore, to discover that feminine romances, as such, are primarily concerned with the relationships of characters rather than the actions they undertake. This includes a certain focus upon the emotional lives of the characters as opposed to their physical