Discuss the use of errors in The Brothers Menaechmus to produce Essay

Discuss the use of errors in The Brothers Menaechmus to produce comedy. Do you agree with Plautus that Mistakes are funny - Essay Example Comedy in The Brothers Menaechmus The comedy that is a part of The Brothers Menaechmus has as its principal source, the errors that the characters that are a part of the play commit. The play revolves around a case of mistaken identity, where identical looks are mistaken for the same identity. The play, through comedy and laughter, forces the readers to rethink their ideas about appearance and reality and the fragile nature of an identity that is based solely on appearances. Plautus tries to redefine the limits that were traditionally assigned to comedy as merely a means of eliciting laughter and tries to take it beyond. However, the play tends to mostly do so through a derisive treatment of the women characters. There is also a subversive element in the play; one that is brought about by the resourcefulness that the slave displays, something that wins him his freedom. The principal error in the play leads to a lot of complications within the plot. It however, allows for the producti on of comedy, as the trope of the mistaken identity creates a lot of situations where the audience shares a certain piece of knowledge with the playwright that the other characters do not. This leads to a situation where the errors are funny. If a situation had to arise where the audience too was in the dark regarding the action in the play, then the play would create situations of suspense.

Proposal for a National Bank Essay Example for Free

Proposal for a National Bank Essay Before Alexanders proposal for a National Bank, the United States had no place where to store and save their money. The country didnt have a stable economy and needed improvemt in handling the financial business of the United States. By establishing a national bank, the country woould be able to establish financial order, clarity and precedence in and of the newly formed Unted States. It will also establish credidt, both in country and overseas, for the new nation. And finally it was to resolve the issue of the flat currency, which was issued by the Continental congress immediatley prior to and during the United States Revolutionary War. Although he saw a good future with having a National Bank, Jefferson disagreed completly. The secretary of StateThomas Jefferson and Representative James Madison we opposed, in which they claimed that the bank was unconstitutional, and that it only benefited merchants and investores at the expense of the majority of the population. Like most Southern members of Congress, they believed that it would only benefit business interest in the commercial north, not the southern agricultural interest. Also they stated that the creation of a bank violated the Constitution, which specifically stated that the congress was to regulate weights and measures and issue coined money, instead of bills of credit. A strict interpretation of the constitution states that the government those powers specifically granted to it by the Constitution, and a loose interpretation of the constitution positis that the government powers that are not specifically denied to it by the constituion. Thomas Jefferson believed in a strict interpretation of the constitution while Alexander Hamilton believed in a loose interpretation of the constitution. The chartering of the First Bank of the United States by the U.S Congress was indeed constitional since it depends on how you interpreate the Constitution. Hamiltons propostition is to create a national bank for the well being of the conutry. He states that in the constitution that they can tax the people and the safest place to put the money they collect is in a bank and in which they are able to take out from. (Doc.A Art l, Sect Vlll, para.18) Also he disliked or disagreeded with the idea of only a specific party can chose the idea for a bank for them and believes that the federal government should be supreme over state government.(Doc.B) There are many adavntages of having a national bank. Some advantages if having a bank is government can loan money to people,they can take money from the bank to use for emergancies and they can store their money as well as the advantage that they can print money.(Doc.D) Congress can chose any means not specifically prohibited by the constitution to achieve a constitution end. If the end is constitution and the means is not unconstitutional then the means is also constitutional. (Doc.F)Hamiltons had a clear idea of how he saw the country after having a national bank and saw the future of the country in a capable stand. In the other hand, Thomas Jefferson had acomplete view of how the country might fall into complee disaster if he allows a national bank. He states that he would accepted the idea of a bank but the problem is that he only wants to have gold and silver as coins to pay with but not other types of moniatry. He also says that it is not in the constitutiton that the federalist can create banks so he says that only the state can He also states that it shold be up to the people to decide if they want a bank or not.(Doc.A Art.l, Sec.X, para.l) As well as this he believes that it shows that they are giving all nthe power to someone if they create a bank, that it will ruin state government and that he has the support of the South and West since they are as well farmers. He believes that the North has factories so they had to ask loans from the bank. Also Jefferson feared that the bank would give loans to the merchants in the North instead of giving it to the farmers. (Doc.C) He views that the manufactures might make banking as a business and take adavntage of th famers and lower classess(Doc. E) This does not only worried Thomas Jefferson but James Madison as well. He is really worried about that it will interfer with state bank. As well believes that if the farmers need money, they might not be able to get that help(Doc.G). Both Believe that this change in the country will hurt the greatly and they dont want to be regreating later on when there might not be a possible to change it or even fix it a little. The reason why the chartering of the First Bank of the United States by the U.S Congress was constitutional is beacause it is just pure common sense to have a secure place to keep and hold their money. They couldnt just keep hiding their money under there beds or even in pots since everyone did it in the same place, roberes would know exactly where it is. It is nescecary to have a bank so they ahve a place where to keep it. Also the idea that the federal government is supreme over the state government is key. I agree with the idea of creating a national bank but i believe that it should be up to the poeple if they would like to have one or not. They are they ones who will be living it day by day and with either take adavantage or miss the opprtunity of a life time. Althought Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson disagreed in many occasions and for many reasons, both were looking in to the well being of the country and thats what counts the most. Not only because either of them say so but because in the constitution it states The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. This e=means that it should be up to the state ot people to decide so what better way than to have the people decide if wheter or not they believe they should have on. Their opinon is what counts the most since it is stated in the Constitution, Freedom of Speach.

Cyrus Hall McCormick :: Biography Biographies

Cyrus Hall McCormick The mechanical reaper. A time-saving invention which allowed farmers to more than double their crop size while at the same time spurring other innovations in farm machinery. This reaper, which combined all the steps that earlier harvesting machines had performed separately, was the brilliant innovation of a man, a man named Cyrus Hall McCormick. Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Cyrus was son to a man who's imagination also boggled with new inventions. As a child, Cyrus experimented with different tools in hopes of inventing something which would simplify his father's job. Finally, in 1831, he built his first reaper. Succeeding where his father had failed, Cyrus made some adjustments to his machine before patenting his invention in 1834. At around the same time (1833), a man by the name of Obed Hussey announced a the construction of a reaper of his own. The year was 1840, and by this time, McCormick had started to manufacture his creation and sold it for the first time in Virginia. The reaper's marketing did very well, and it's sales had expanded to other parts of the United States by 1844. Because of it's efficiency, the horse-drawn reaper allowed farmers to harvest five times the regular 2 acre per day amount that skilled workers used to harvest. In 1847, the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company was moved to Chicago. Location, ease of distribution, and reputation were all factors which convinced McCormick that Chicago was the place for him. "Centrally located in the Midwest, he used the Great Lakes to transport reapers to the East, and the Mississippi River to transport to the South."* What more, as industries grew in the Windy City, Chicago soon turned into a major railroad central in the 1850's. This added to the distribution potential which McCormick needed to ship his reapers out to other parts of the US. The company's success thrived under the name McCormick Harvesting Machine Company until McCormick's death in 1884. By this time, McCormick's company had grown to become one of greatest industrial establishments in the United States. Chicago newspapers were bragging about his success and other companies awed at the pace of development. Shortly after his death, the company had a "face-lift." It's name changed to the International Harvester, and sales slowed down from it's initial boom. In 1907, the company produced the Auto Buggy. With this machine, farmers were able to haul their goods to the markets.

Rising Fuel Cost in the Airline Industry

Running Head: Rising Fuel Costs and the Airline Industry Rising Fuel Costs and the Airline Industry Of all the changes that we have seen in the economy, fuel has to be at the top of the list as an item whose pricing affects more than just the price we see at the pump. In addition to increased prices at the gas pump, we have also seen products, services, and virtually every item sold increase due to the high cost of fuel. Although fuel prices have dropped today versus what they were in the third and fourth quarter of 2008, businesses had to make quick decisions as to how they were going to handle the rising cost so that they could still return a profit. One of the industries that the increasing price of fuel has made a large impact on is the airline industry. Four of the top airlines: Southwest, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines have all had to institute changes within their organization to minimize the impact of rising fuel costs on their bottom line. Southwest Airlines Last summer, when the price of crude oil increased at an astronomical rate, Southwest Airlines was praised as the airline that would make it through the crises. For years, Southwest used fuel hedging to keep their costs down (Reed, 2008). Fuel hedging consists of a future contract, and in this case, means that Southwest agrees today to pay a certain price per gallon for fuel in the future (Reed, 2008). When barrels of oil began increasing, Southwest was basically â€Å"locked-in† with their fuel pricing. That meant that they did not have the same sense of urgency that other airlines had at that moment in time. Southwest could still charge the same low rates, and not have to plan on making any drastic changes. Southwest began fuel hedging over 14 years ago (Reed, 2008), and was profitable by doing so. The executives of the company at that time developed a strategy many years ago that had paid off for them for quite some time. However, by the end of 2008, when crude oil began dropping, Southwest was at the other end of the spectrum. They were now paying more for fuel than the current price of fuel. This caused Southwest, for the first time in 17 years, to post a loss for the quarter (Fuel contracts 2008). However, Southwest still did not start charging customers for additional items as other airlines began doing. Currently, on their website, they still boast â€Å"Low Fares†¦no hidden fees† (Southwest, 2009). Instead, Southwest opted to make other changes to their organization. These changes went into effect before the oil prices starting dropping. Southwest decided to hedge only 10% of their fuel, in contrast to hedging approximately 75% of their fuel (Cochran, 2009). Although touted as some that Southwest knows what they are doing (Cochran, 2009), it must also be noted that Herb Keller, the former CEO of Southwest, retired last summer. It is difficult to determine at this point if Southwest is as creative, and that is the reason they have dropped their fuel hedging, or if the new leadership is reluctant to take the risks that the former CEO was willing to take and institute into the corporation. It is also difficult to determine if the new CEO is possibly at the eighth stage of Kotter’s model, and trying to anchor new approaches to the Southwest culture (Kotter, 1996). Only time will tell if the CEO’s new approaches will be successful. American Airlines When oil price increased sharply in the summer of 2008, American Airlines was the first major airline to start charging for the first piece of baggage (Johnsson, 2009). According to American Airlines CEO Gerard Arpey (2008), â€Å"Our company and industry simply cannot afford to sit by hoping for industry and market conditions to improve† (Maynard, 2008). Because American was the first to institute these fees, some saw the move as something that could backfire on American, and called the move â€Å"stupid† (Maynard 2008). However, within weeks after American started charging fees, many other airlines followed suit. As of today, although fuel costs have dropped, the baggage fees are still in effect at both American and other major airlines. American Airlines, during this volatile time, took a risk and instituted a non-traditional idea (Kotter, 1996). This move increased their baggage revenue by $94. 1 million dollars in the quarter that they began charging fees. In addition to baggage fees, American also made additional changes in their business. From mid April to mid May in 2008, American Airlines raised their fare rates 14 times to offset the higher costs they were encountering Maynard, 2008). Announcements were also made that additional efforts to reduce losses, such as cutting approximately 300 flights, and retiring approximately 75 aircraft were also taking place (Maynard, 2008). However, despite all of these changes, and generating additional revenue, American Airlines still posted a loss of $341 Million in the last quarter of 2008, and lost another $375 Million in the first quarter of 200 9 (Bigger Q1 loss, 2009). Although the loss was large, it was still better than analysts expected (Bigger Q1 loss, 2009). However, no company can continue posting losses without a major overhaul of change occurring. Although American Airlines appears to be the airline that steps out of their comfort zone and makes changes, they still are not making money. Businesses simply cannot afford to stay in business if they do not make money; therefore, it is important the American Airlines move up their somewhat complacency level, move out of their comfort zone, and arrive at a plan that will boost their bottom line to a profit. Delta Airlines Last year, when oil prices jumped, Delta did not begin charging fees for the first bag. However, they allowed a passenger’s first bag at no charge, but charged fifty (50) dollars each way for the second bag checked. This double in price (from the original $25), along with higher fees for the third, fourth, and up pieces of luggage was a move to help defray the fuel costs (Delta doubles, 2008). In addition, another move made by Delta to help defray the fuel costs was charging Sky Miles or World Perks fliers a $25 to $100 fuel surcharge (Delta doubles, 2008). With fuel costs still increasing, Delta felt that they still had to make additional changes to cover the rising costs. Their fare increase had not been successful because it prevented them from staying competitive (Airlines upping fees, 2008) in the market. Therefore, Delta decided instead to charge frequent fliers, in addition to the $25 phone reservation fee, another $25 fee if the flight included another airline partner (Airlines upping fees, 2008). At this time, Delta also increased their charges for pets, oversized baggage fees, and unaccompanied minor fees (Airlines upping fees, 2008). Delta also announced last year that in 2009 they would reduce capacity six to eight percent, and ask for voluntary job cuts (Trubey, 2008). The interesting information concerning Delta was the fact that after they purchased Northwest Airlines, they lowered or dropped some of their fees. Reservations made over the phone fees was lowered, and curb side administrative fees were dropped (Delta to charge, 2008). Delta Airlines is optimistic that the merger of Delta and Northwest, along with decreased fuel costs, will allow them to post a profit in 2009. Although Delta did not jump on the bandwagon initially with baggage fees, they did change their business plan very quickly in March 2008 (Grantham, 2008). They did not wait around to see what would happen, and quickly arrived at a plan as to how they were going to handle the increase in fuel costs. Delta raised their fares, and also cut unprofitable flights from their schedules. Early in 2008, when fuel prices began increasing, the CEO of Delta remarked that Delta needed â€Å"to ramp up changes to its operations to deal with rising costs (Grantham, 2008)†. The CEO seemed to understand the urgency of the situation, and also had the power, as the CEO, to make those changes. The CEO also announced that they (Delta) would share with the employees the changes that the company was going to make, and how they would make them without the sacrifice of the employees (Grantham, 2008). This move, in my opinion, showed that the CEO had a process for change, and was communicating this to the employees. With the price of fuel increasing so rapidly, it is apparent that most likely employees were nervous about losing their jobs. By the CEO communicating the vision of the change to the employees, it most likely kept the rumor mill down, and got employees to focus on the change itself, instead of unfounded fears. Another move made by Delta to decrease their fuel cost was slowing the flight speed of planes approximately twenty (20) miles per hour. On a flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta, this would add an additional 6 minutes to the flying time. This small difference would not be noticeable to the customer, but would save gallons of fuel, which in turn would save thousands of dollars. Delta also replaced seats and carts with lighter equipment, and was also studying the concept of replacing manuals by electronic means (Chapman, 2008). Over 1. million gallons of fuel per year has been estimated to be saved by making these changes (Chapman, 2008). Delta appears to be very proactive on all of their changes that need to take place within their organization in order to turn a profit. United Airlines When the price of fuel increased last year, United Airlines made their changes in another form. United decided to lay off employees in an effort to maximize the profits on their bottom line. In June 2008 , United announced that it would lay off approximately 1500 employees, remove 100 airplanes from their fleet, and also eliminated one of their divisions (United Airlines, 2008). 00 of the 1500 employees were offered voluntary retirement packages, and certain contingencies must have been met for an employee to be eligible (United Airlines, 2008). This layoff was simply the â€Å"first† of layoffs, as by the end of 2008, United had laid off 2500, or approximately 30% of their employees (United Airlines posts, 2009). After posting a loss in the fourth quarter of 2008, United announced another layoff of approximately 1000 employees by the end of 2009 (United Airlines posts, 2009). This layoff was attributed to the corporation fuel-hedging in 2008 (United Airlines posts, 2009). United made a gamble that fuel would continue to rise, and when fuel prices dropped, they were locked in at higher rates. (United Airlines posts, 2009). This fuel hedging strategy actually backfired on the company, as when fuel prices dropped, the company was paying higher prices. Fuel hedging almost appears to be a gamble that a corporation is taking, and with the price of oil jumping back and forth so rapidly, it is difficult to understand the company’s objective hedging. It is almost as if they copied Southwest’s process, yet it backfired on them. United also jumped on the bandwagon and began charging for the first piece of luggage in September 2008 and also increased the price of the second piece of luggage from $25 to $50 (United Airlines raises fee, 2008). Although this scenario may not be accurate, it is almost as if United Airlines has a hard time going through their own processes and create any kind of plan or urgency levels, and relies on other companies changes to help them get through their own problems. Although United appeared to follow lead in 2008, they have just announced a new â€Å"fat fee† for overweight passengers (Passengers requiring, n. . ). Perhaps the most humorous part about this is that even on United’s website they have stated that this policy was implemented to â€Å"align themselves with other major airlines seating policies (Passengers requiring, n. d. )†. Conclusion When fuel made its dramatic jump in 2008, many of the airlines scrambled to come up with a plan to help offset t he increase. It appears that all were not successful, as in 2009, many are still operating at a loss, and still trying to make changes to their operations. Southwest appears to lead the pack with making the most significant successful changes. Although Southwest did lose money for the first time, they attributed their loss to the fuel hedging. As mentioned earlier, organizations can not continue to lose money, and if the airline industry does not devise a plan with significant changes, and successfully implement these changes, we may either see a bail out from the government, or see airline after airline file for bankruptcy. Perhaps the other major airlines should take a closer look at Southwest’s eagerness to make and implement changes into their company, and apply that to their own organization. Works Cited Chapman, Mary (2008, June 11). To save fuel, airlines find no speck too small. Retrieved April 22, 2009, from The New York Times Web site: http://www. nytimes. com/2008/06/11/business/11air. html? _r=1 Cochran, Jason (2009, Jan 5). Southwest Airlines: Straightening up and flying right. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from Wallet Pop Web site: http://www. walletpop. com/blog/2009/01/05/southwest-airlines-straightening-up-and-flying-right? icid=sphere_blogsmith_inpage_bloggingstocks Grantham, Russell (2008, March 14). Delta to make changes in response to rising fuel costs. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from AJC Web site: http://www. ajc. com/business/content/business/delta/stories/2008/03/14/delta_0315. html Johnsson, J (2009, March 2). U. S. airlines losing less luggage. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from Chicago Tribune Web site: http://archives. chicagotribune. com/2009/mar/02/travel/chi-mon-lost-baggage-uaua-amr-mar02 Maxon, Terry (2008. 12,28). Southwest Airlines adjusts fuel-hedging strategy. Dallas Morning News, Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www. dallasnews. om/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/airlines/stories/122408dnbusssouthwest. 399369b. html (n. d. ) Passengers requiring extra space. Retrieved April 22, 2009, from United Airlines Web site: http://www. united. com/page/article/0,6722,52985,00. html Reed, Dan (2008, July 24). Can fuel hedging keep Southwest in the money. USA Today, Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www. usatoday. com/money/industries/travel/2008-07-23-southwest-jet-f uel_N. htm Reed, Dan (2008, May 21). American Airlines to cut about 300 flights. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from USA Today Web site: http://www. satoday. com/travel/flights/2008-05-21-american-airlines-capacity-cuts_N. htm Trubey, J. S (2008, December 9). Delta president: carrier to turn profit in '09. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from The Business Review Web site: http://albany. bizjournals. com/albany/stories/2008/12/08/daily19. html (2008, April 2). Airlines upping fees to follow fuel costs. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from CBS News Web site: http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2008/04/02/travel/main3988490. shtml (2009, April 20). Bigger Q1 loss for American Airlines but still better than expected. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from Travel blackboard Web site: http://www. etravelblackboard. com/showarticle. asp? id=91065=130 (2008, June 9). United Airlines, Continental Airlines cutting jobs due to ATF price increase. Retrieved April 22, 2009, from DWS Aviation Web site: http://www. dancewithshadows. com/aviation/united-airlines-continental-airlines-cutting-jobs-due-to-atf-price-rise/ (2008, July 30). Delta doubles luggage fee. Retrieved April 19, 2009, from The Seattle Times Web site: http://seattletimes. nwsource. com/html/businesstechnology/2008080585_deltafees

Native American Tribes in Virginia and Powhatan the Powhatan

The Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Powhaten), is the name of a Virginia Indian[1] tribe. It is also the name of a powerful group of tribes which they dominated. It is estimated that there were about 14,000-21,000 of these native Powhatan people in eastern Virginia when the English settled Jamestown in 1607. [2] They were also known as Virginia Algonquians, as they spoke an eastern-Algonquian language known as Powhatan.In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a mamanatowick (paramount chief)[3] named Wahunsunacawh created a powerful organization by affiliating 30 tributary peoples, whose territory was much of eastern Virginia, called Tsenacommacah (â€Å"densely-inhabited Land†),[4] Wahunsunacawh came to be known by the English as â€Å"Chief Powhatan. † Each of the tribes within this organization had its own weroance (chief), but all paid tribute to Chief Powhatan. [5] After Chief Powhatan's death in 1618, hostilities with colonists escalated under the chiefdom of his brother, Opechancanough, who sought in vain to drive off the encroaching English.His large-scale attacks in 1622 and 1644 met strong reprisals by the English, resulting in the near elimination of the tribe. By 1646 what is called the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom by modern historians had been largely destroyed. In addition to the ongoing conflicts with the ever-expanding English settlements and their inhabitants, the Powhatan suffered a high death rate due to infectious diseases, maladies introducted to North America by the Europeans to which the Native Americans of the United States had developed no natural immunities.By this time, the leaders of the colony were desperate for labor to develop the land. Almost half of the English and European immigrants arrived as indentured servants. As colonial expansion continued, the colonists imported growing numbers of enslaved Africans for labor. By 1700 the colonies had about 6,000 black slaves, one-twelfth of the population. It was commo n for black slaves to escape and join the surrounding Powhatan; white servants were also noted to have joined the Indians.Africans and whites worked and lived together; some natives also intermarried with them. After Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, the colony enslaved Indians for control. In 1691 the House of Burgesses abolished Indian slavery; however, many Powhatan were held in servitude well into the 18th century. [6] In the 21st century, eight Indian tribes are recognized by the state as having ties with the original Powhatan complex chiefdom. [7] The Pamunkey and Mattaponi are the only two peoples who have retained reservation lands from the 17th century. 5] The competing cultures of the Powhatan and English settlers were united temporarily through the marriage of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Their son Thomas Rolfe was the ancestor of many Virginians; thus, many of the First Families of Virginia have both English and Virginia Indian[1] ancestry. History [edit] Naming and terminology T he name â€Å"Powhatan† is believed to have originated as the name of the village or town that Wahunsunacawh came from. The official title Chief Powhatan used by the English is believed to have been derived from the name of this location.Although the specific situs of his home village is unknown, in modern times, the Powhatan Hill neighborhood in the East End portion of the modern-day city of Richmond, Virginia is thought by many to be in the general vicinity of the original village. Tree Hill Farm, which is situated in nearby Henrico County a short distance to the east, is also considered as the possible site. â€Å"Powhatan† was also the name used by the natives to refer to the river where the town sat at the head of navigation. The English colonists chose to name it instead for their own leader, King James I.Many features in the early years of the Virginia Colony were named in honor of the king, as well as his three children, Elizabeth, Henry, and Charles. Although portions of Virginia's longest river upstream from Columbia were much later named for Queen Anne of Great Britain, in modern times, it is called the James River. It extends from Hampton Roads westerly to the confluence of the Jackson River and Cowpasture River near the town of Clifton Forge. (The Rivanna River, a tributary of the James River, and Fluvanna County, each survive as named in legacy to Queen Anne).However, the only water body in Virginia to retain a name which honors the Powhatan peoples is Powhatan Creek, located in James City County near Williamsburg. Powhatan County and its county seat at Powhatan, Virginia were honorific names established years later, in locations west of the area populated by the Powhatan peoples. The county was formed in may, 1777. [edit] Complex chiefdom Likewise, perhaps more significant misnomers are the terms â€Å"Powhatan Confederacy† and â€Å"Powhatan Confederation. This grouping of tribes is clearly not best-defined in modern terms as a confederacy. That word is generally thought of as a grouping of entities each with greater individual power than the group when united. In many uses, a confederacy is distinctly different in structure from a centralized greater power than the parts, such as the current federal structure of the United States. Many historians attribute to a minor level the failure of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War in part to the weakness of the central government in comparison to the Union. It is important for a reader to note that most historians do not consider this difference as one of the major weaknesses leading to the Southern loss. However, the term Confederacy has become associated with the principal of states' rights versus the central U. S. government). Using the word â€Å"confederacy† to define the Powhatan tribes extant in 1607 can therefore, be misleading when seeking to understand these people, their governments and their culture. It is true that the various tribes each held some individual powers locally.Each had a chief known as a weroance (male) or, more rarely, a weroansqua (female), meaning â€Å"commander,† [8]. As of 2010, we do not know to what degree most of the various tribes belonged to the group by choice or perhaps by coercion or even greater force. As early as the era of John Smith of Virginia, the individual tribes of this grouping were clearly recognized by the English as falling under the greater authority of the centralized power (whatever it is labeled) led by the chiefdom of Chief Powhatan (c. June 17, 1545 – c. 1618), whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh or (in 17th century English spelling) Wahunsunacock. 9]. At the time of the 1607 English Settlement at Jamestown, he ruled primarily from Werowocomoco, which was located on northern shore of the York River. This location of Werowocomoco, itself only rediscovered in the early 21st century, was very central to locations of the various tr ibes. The improvements discovered during archaeological research at Werowocomoco have reinforced the paramount chiefdom of Chief Powhatan over the other tribes in the power hierarchy. Such issues in other cultures and the definitions are covered at some length by author Robert L.Carneiro in his 1981 work on anthropology, The Chiefdom: Precursor of the State. The Transition to Statehood in the New World. The center of power held by Chief Powhatan (and his several successors) is much more concisely defined as a â€Å"complex chiefdom. † [10] To refer to this complex chiefdom, the term â€Å"Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom† has become favored. Over time, this and other revisions to the knowledge and information available about the Powhatan peoples native to Virginia will undoubtedly be made as research work at Werowocomoco and elsewhere continues in the 21st century. See also: Werowocomoco edit] Chief Powhatan builds his chiefdom Wahunsunacawh had inherited control over just six tribes, but dominated more than thirty by the time the English settlers established their Virginia Colony at Jamestown in 1607. The original six constituent tribes in Wahunsunacock's group were: the Powhatan (proper), the Arrohateck, the Appamattuck, the Pamunkey, the Mattaponi, and the Chiskiack. He added the Kecoughtan to his fold by 1598. Some other affiliated groups included the Youghtanund, Rappahannocks, Moraughtacund, Weyanoak, Paspahegh, Quiyoughcohannock, Warraskoyack, and Nansemond.Yet another closely related tribe in the midst of these others, all speaking the same language, was the Chickahominy, who managed to preserve their autonomy from the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom. In his famous work Notes on the State of Virginia (1781–82), Thomas Jefferson estimated that the Powhatan Confederacy occupied about 8,000 square miles (20,000 km2) of territory, with a population of about 8,000 people, of whom 2400 were warriors. [11] Later scholars estimated the population o f the paramountcy[clarification needed] as 15,000. [edit] The English settlers in the land of the Powhatan John Smith taking the King of Pamunkey prisoner', a fanciful image of Opechancanough from Smith's General History of Virginia (1624). The image of Opechancanough is based on a 1585 painting of another native warrior by John White[1] The Powhatan Confederacy were the Indians among whom the English made their first permanent settlement in North America. This contributed to their downfall. Conflicts began immediately; the English colonists fired shots as soon as they arrived (due to a bad experience they had with the Spanish prior to their arrival). Within two weeks of the English arrival atJamestown, deaths had occurred. The settlers had hoped for friendly relations and had planned to trade with the Virginia Indians for food. Captain Christopher Newport led the first English exploration party up the James River in 1607, when he met Parahunt, weroance of the Powhatan proper. The E nglish initially mistook him for the paramount Powhatan (mamanatowick), who was in fact his father, Wahunsunacawh. On a hunting and trade mission on the Chickahominy River in December 1607, Captain John Smith, later president of the colony, was captured by Opechancanough, the younger brother of Wahunsunacawh.Smith became the first Englishman to meet the paramount chief, Powhatan. According to Smith's account, Pocahontas, Wahunsunacawh's daughter, prevented her father from executing Smith. Some researchers have asserted that a mock execution was a ritual intended to adopt Smith into the tribe, but other modern writers dispute this interpretation. They point out that nothing is known of 17th-century Powhatan adoption ceremonies. They note that an execution ritual is different from known rites of passage.Other historians, such as Helen Rountree, have questioned whether there was any risk of execution. They note that Smith failed to mention it in his 1608 and 1612 accounts, and only add ed it to his 1624 memoir, after Pocahontas had become famous. In 1608, Captain Newport realized that Powhatan's friendship was crucial to the survival of the small Jamestown colony. In the summer of that year, he tried to â€Å"crown† the paramount Chief, with a ceremonial crown, to make him an English â€Å"vassal. [12] They also gave Powhatan many European gifts, such as a pitcher, feather mattress, bed frame, and clothes. The coronation went badly because they asked Powhatan to kneel to receive the crown, which he refused to do. As a powerful leader, Powhatan followed two rules: â€Å"he who keeps his head higher than others ranks higher,† and â€Å"he who puts other people in a vulnerable position, without altering his own stance, ranks higher. † To finish the â€Å"coronation†, several English had to lean on Powhatan's shoulders to get him low enough to place the crown on his head, as he was a tall man.Afterwards, the English might have thought that Powhatan had submitted to King James, whereas Powhatan likely thought nothing of the sort. [13] In fact, only by being warned beforehand by a sympathizing servant, was an assassination plot led by braves averted (the British also refused to let the natives take their muskets for â€Å"safekeeping†). [citation needed] After John Smith became president of the colony, he sent a force under Captain Martin to occupy an island in Nansemond territory and drive the inhabitants away. At the same time, he sent another force with Francis West to build a fort at the James River falls.He purchased the nearby fortified Powhatan village (present site of Richmond, Virginia) from Parahunt for some copper and an English servant named Henry Spelman, who wrote a rare firsthand account of the Powhatan ways of life. Smith then renamed the village â€Å"Nonsuch†, and tried to get West's men to live in it. Both these attempts at settling beyond Jamestown soon failed, due to Powhatan resistan ce. Smith left Virginia for England in October 1609, never to return, because of an injury sustained in a gunpowder accident.Soon afterward, the English established a second fort, Fort Algernon, in Kecoughtan territory. The Coronation of Powhatan, oil on canvas, John Gadsby Chapman, 1835 In November 1609, Captain John Ratcliffe was invited to Orapakes, Powhatan's new capital. After he had sailed up the Pamunkey River to trade there, a fight broke out between the colonists and the Powhatan. All of the English ashore were killed, including Ratcliffe, who was tortured by the women of the tribe. Those aboard the pinnace escaped and told the tale at Jamestown. During that next year, the tribe attacked and killed many Jamestown residents.The residents fought back, but only killed twenty. However, arrival at Jamestown of a new Governor, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, (Lord Delaware) in June of 1610 signalled the beginning of the First Anglo-Powhatan War. A brief period of peace came on ly after the capture of Pocahontas, her baptism, and her marriage to tobacco planter John Rolfe in 1614. Within a few years both Powhatan and Pocahontas were dead. The Chief died in Virginia, but Pocahontas died while in England. Meanwhile, the English settlers continued to encroach on Powhatan territory.After Wahunsunacawh's death, his younger brother, Opitchapam, briefly became chief, followed by their younger brother Opechancanough. In 1622 and 1644 he attacked the English to force them from Powhatan territories. Both these attempts were met with strong reprisals from the English, ultimately resulting in the near destruction of the tribe. The Second Anglo–Powhatan War that followed the 1644 incident ended in 1646, after Royal Governor of Virginia William Berkeley's forces captured Opechancanough, thought to be between 90 and 100 years old.While a prisoner, Opechancanough was killed, shot in the back by a soldier assigned to guard him. He was succeeded as Weroance by Necoto wance, and later by Totopotomoi and by his daughter Cockacoeske. The Treaty of 1646 marked the effective dissolution of the united confederacy, as white colonists were granted an exclusive enclave between the York and Blackwater Rivers. This physically separated the Nansemonds, Weyanokes and Appomattox, who retreated southward, from the other Powhatan tribes then occupying the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.While the southern frontier demarcated in 1646 was respected for the remainder of the 17th century, the House of Burgesses lifted the northern one on September 1, 1649. Waves of new immigrants quickly flooded the peninsular region, then known as Chickacoan, and restricted the dwindling tribes to lesser tracts of land that became some of the earliest Indian reservations. In 1665, the House of Burgesses passed stringent laws requiring the Powhatan to accept chiefs appointed by the governor. After the Treaty of Albany in 1684, the Powhatan Confederacy all but vanished.Red line s hows boundary between the Virginia Colony and Tributary Indian tribes, as established by the Treaty of 1646. Red dot on river shows Jamestown, capital of Virginia Colony. [edit] Capitals of the Powhatan people The capital village of â€Å"Powhatan† was believed to be in the present-day Powhatan Hill section of the eastern part of Richmond, Virginia, or perhaps nearby in a location which became part of Tree Hill Farm. Another major center of the confederacy about 75 miles (121 km) to the east was called Werowocomoco. It was located near the north bank of the York River in present-day Gloucester County.Werowocomoco was described by the English colonists as only 15 miles (24 km) as the crow flies from Jamestown, but also described as 25 miles (40 km) downstream from present-day West Point, measurements which conflict with each other. In 2003 archaeologists initiated excavations at a site in Gloucester County that have revealed an extensive indigenous settlement from about 1200 ( the late Woodland period) through the early Contact period. Work since then has added to their belief that this is the location of Werowocomoco. The site is on a farm bordering n Purtain Bay of the York River, about 12 nautical miles (22 km) from Jamestown. The more than 50 acres (200,000 m2) residential settlement extends up to 1,000 feet (300 m) back from the river. In 2004, researchers excavated two curving ditches of 200 feet (60 m) at the far edge, which were constructed about 1400 CE. In addition to extensive artifacts from hundreds of years of indigenous settlement, researchers have found a variety of trade goods related to the brief interaction of Native Americans and English in the early years of Jamestown.Around 1609, Wahunsunacock shifted his capital from Werowocomoco to Orapakes, located in a swamp at the head of the Chickahominy River, near the modern-day interchange of Interstate 64 and Interstate 295. Sometime between 1611 and 1614, he moved further north to Matchut, in present-day King William County on the north bank of the Pamunkey River, not far from where his brother Opechancanough ruled one of the member tribes at Youghtanund. [edit] Characteristics The Powhatan lived east of the fall line in Tidewater Virginia.They built their houses, called yehakins, by bending saplings and placing woven mats or bark over top of the saplings. They supported themselves primarily by growing crops, especially maize, but they also fished and hunted in the great forest in their area. Villages consisted of a number of related families organized in tribes led by a chief (weroance/werowance or weroansqua if female). They paid tribute to the paramount chief (mamanatowick), Powhatan. [3] According to research by the National Park Service, Powhatan â€Å"men were warriors and hunters, while women were gardeners and gatherers.The English described the men, who ran and walked extensively through the woods in pursuit of enemies or game, as tall and lean and possessed of handsome physiques. The women were shorter, and were strong because of the hours they spent tending crops, pounding corn into meal, gathering nuts, and performing other domestic chores. When the men undertook extended hunts, the women went ahead of them to construct hunting camps. The Powhatan domestic economy depended on the labor of both sexes. † [14] All of Virginia's natives practiced agriculture. They periodically moved their villages from site to site.Villagers cleared the fields by felling, girdling, or firing trees at the base and then using fire to reduce the slash and stumps. A village became unusable as soil productivity gradually declined and local fish and game were depleted. The inhabitants then moved on. With every change in location, the people used fire to clear new land. They left more cleared land behind. The natives also used fire to maintain extensive areas of open game habitat throughout the East, later called â€Å"barrens† by European colonis ts. The Powhatan also had rich fishing grounds.Bison had migrated to this area by the early 15th century. [15] [edit] The Powhatan people today [edit] State and federal recognition As of 2010, the state of Virginia has recognized eight Powhatan Indian-descended tribes in Virginia. Collectively, the tribes currently have 3,000-3,500 enrolled as tribal members. [16] It is estimated, however, that 3 to 4 times that number are eligible for tribal membership. [12] Two of these tribes, the Mattaponi and Pamunkey, still retain their reservations from the 17th century and are located in King William County, Virginia.Since the 1990s, the Powhatan Indian tribes which have state recognition, along with the other Virginia Indian tribe which has state recognition, have been seeking federal recognition. It has been a difficult process. They have been hampered by the lack of official records verifying heritage and by the historical misclassification of family members in the 1930s and 1940s, largel y a result of Virginia's state policy of race classification on official documents.After Virginia passed stringent segregation laws in the early 20th century and ultimately the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 which mandated every person who had any African heritage be deemed black, Walter Plecker, the head of Vital Statistics office, directed all state and local registration offices to use only the terms â€Å"white† or â€Å"colored† to denote race on official documents and thereby eliminated all traceable records of Virginia Indians. All state documents, including birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, tax forms and land deeds, thus bear no record of Virginia Indians.Plecker oversaw the Vital Statistics office in the state for several decades, beginning in the early 20th century, and took a personal interest in eliminating traces of Virginia Indians. As a follower of the eugenics movement and, by modern day standards, a white supremacist, Plecker fal sely surmised that there were no true Virginia Indians remaining as years of intermarriage has diluted the race. Over his years of service, he conducted a campaign to reclassify all bi-racial and multi-racial individuals as black, believing such persons were fraudulently attempting to claim their race to be Indian or white.The effect of his reclassification has been described by tribal members as â€Å"paper genocide†. Initially, the Virginia tribes' efforts to gain federal recognition encountered resistance due to federal legislators' concerns over whether gambling would be established on their lands if recognition were granted, as it would raise federal tax concerns and also casinos are illegal in Virginia. In March 2009, five of the state-recognized Powhatan Indian tribes and the one other state-recognized Virginia Indian tribe introduced a bill to gain federal recognition through an act of Congress. The bill, â€Å"The Thomasina E.Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act†, included a section forbidding the tribes from opening casinos, even if casinos became legal in Virginia. The House Committee on Natural Resources recommended the bill be considered by the US House of Representatives at the end of April, the House approved the bill on June 3, 2009. The bill was then sent to the Senate's Committee on Indian Affairs, who recommended it be heard by the Senate as a whole in October. On December 23, 2009, the bill was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under general orders, which is where the bill is currently.

Free Essays on My First Race

My First Race My first mountain bike race was an experience I will never forget. The day started off before the hot sun had even rose. The morning dew was still lying on the ground like a blanket of crystals. As I loaded up the car with the help of my parents, I realized that I was extremely anxious and ready to go. Pulling out of the drive way there was no stopping until we reached the race site, an hour and a half away, at Kickappoo State Park. When arriving I remember seeing bright neon orange signs directing us through the park and to the registration table. After registering and buying a one day racing license, I realized that I was not ready to go. So I frantically ran to the car, unloaded everything that I was going to need including my bike. Then I quickly put my bike together and made sure everything was in the best working shape it could be. However, I would find out later that this was not the case. So after getting everything ready I jumped on my bike and went for a quick warm-up ride to get my aching muscles loosened up. When I returned from this ride, I did a quick look over of my clean bike and was ready to start the race. When it was time to start the race my stomach was a nervous mess. I honestly thought I was going to be sick, but the time had come to start the race. The starter explained all the rules and how the course would be marked off, then counted down from three. As I heard him say go my adrenalin took over my body and the race was on. Riding this course before I had some insight on the harder parts of the trail, this allowed me to pace myself and not burn all of my energy at the very beginning. As the race went on my heart and breathing started getting faster and more intense. As this happened I realized that I had to bear through the excruciating pain and plow on. Once we got further into the trail, everyone realized that it was a muddy mess that smelled of rotten leaves. So much to our surprise a... Free Essays on My First Race Free Essays on My First Race My First Race My first mountain bike race was an experience I will never forget. The day started off before the hot sun had even rose. The morning dew was still lying on the ground like a blanket of crystals. As I loaded up the car with the help of my parents, I realized that I was extremely anxious and ready to go. Pulling out of the drive way there was no stopping until we reached the race site, an hour and a half away, at Kickappoo State Park. When arriving I remember seeing bright neon orange signs directing us through the park and to the registration table. After registering and buying a one day racing license, I realized that I was not ready to go. So I frantically ran to the car, unloaded everything that I was going to need including my bike. Then I quickly put my bike together and made sure everything was in the best working shape it could be. However, I would find out later that this was not the case. So after getting everything ready I jumped on my bike and went for a quick warm-up ride to get my aching muscles loosened up. When I returned from this ride, I did a quick look over of my clean bike and was ready to start the race. When it was time to start the race my stomach was a nervous mess. I honestly thought I was going to be sick, but the time had come to start the race. The starter explained all the rules and how the course would be marked off, then counted down from three. As I heard him say go my adrenalin took over my body and the race was on. Riding this course before I had some insight on the harder parts of the trail, this allowed me to pace myself and not burn all of my energy at the very beginning. As the race went on my heart and breathing started getting faster and more intense. As this happened I realized that I had to bear through the excruciating pain and plow on. Once we got further into the trail, everyone realized that it was a muddy mess that smelled of rotten leaves. So much to our surprise a...

White Paper For Vietnam Essay Example

White Paper For Vietnam Essay Example White Paper For Vietnam Essay White Paper For Vietnam Essay History of Vietnam is the history of scourge and wars starting with the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, also known as North Vietnam by Ho Chi Minh in Ha Noi on 2nd September, 1945 with the declaration of Independent State with Tonkin and Anan provinces also taken over. This was a starting phase of the aggression, which began to take shape into full-fledged war between South and North Vietnam and turned the course of history of Vietnam. Geneva Peace Accord signed under the gloominess of Korean War by France and Vietnam in 1954 shows the signs of the beginning of the Cold War. And due to the pressures exerted from Soviet Union and the People’ Republic Of China, Vietnam delegation promised to create a temporary partition of their nation at the seventeenth parallel. Moreover, Communists also began to believe that with their superior position and better organization, they can take over Southern Vietnam politically but this did not happen. On 2nd September 1945, the day was the mark of the French colonial rule over Vietnam, Statue of the Frederic Auguste Barholdi’s Liberty Enlightening the world was placed at the avenue Pugiener and gathered was the crowd of 400,000 people to mark the failure to oust France in 1880’s. From the place, Ho Chi Min showed independence of Vietnam and Liberty ensued. Under the shadow of international turmoil at the aftermath of First World War and the Communists regime: Soviet Union and China, The Vietnam War also known as the Second Indochina War was one more step to make United States raise their brows and reconsider their international relations. After the Geneva Peace Accord was signed, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam land reform programs took the shape of mass killings on their prospective enemies. Later Ho Chi Minh apologized and in the South, Emperor Bao Dai formed the non-communist state who was an ardent supporter of France and Japan and made Ngo Dinh Diem his Prime Minister. In the back drop of this turn over, Catholics and around 90,000 Viet Minh fighters entered North to regroup themselves. According to the Geneva Conference of 1954, the partition of Vietnam was only temporary, making waves for the National Assembly elections on 20th July 1956. The agreement that ensued led to the division of two Military Zones to be separated by the Demarcation line known as Demilitarized Zone. Among other Nations, United Nations refused to became signatory to Geneva agreement and the President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem refused to hold elections. This raised the question over United States commitment for democracy and also possiblity of any elections that can be run in Communist North. In 1954, just two months after the Geneva convention, North Vietnam formed what is known as Group 100 with its headquarters at Ban Nameo. After 1954, South Vietnam became part of Asia and Senator John F Kennedy followed parenthood approach as the Middlebrow logic of political obligation in his 1956 speech to the American friends of Vietnam. As the events unfolded, Vietnam was on the verge of war and bloodshed. In 1955, North Vietnam started with the ‘anti-landlord’ campaign, whereby they either imprisoned or killed number of counter-revolutionaries, according to the various historical versions ranging between 6, 000 to 200, 000. Vietnam became the land where new kind of aggression was unleashed against the advocators of independence and the very concept of democracy. The brutalities and armed attacks were leashed at the behest of the Communist regime in Hanoi and in 1965, the aggressions became more severe. Just like Greece, the Guerrilla warfare forces began to use neighboring territories as their place of their activities. North Vietnam was striving to use any means to control South Vietnam and to support them were the Communist China and other Communist states supplying them with new weapons. To support the regime was the Lao Dong, who set up complete machinery in South Vietnam to run their espionage and subversion activities in 1960. It was mainly because of the malicious reasons. And for ten years to the date 1960, South Vietnam confronted their aggressors. In a report titled Threat to the State issued by the Central Research Agency with evidence clearly stated North Vietnam designs over South Vietnam. At the behest of South Vietnam, United States took its stand to give this part of Vietnam his military and strategic support.

6 Steps to Tailor Your Resume for Any Job Posting

6 Steps to Tailor Your Resume for Any Job Posting All of the job search advice these days stresses the need to tailor your resume to the job you are applying for, rather than blitzing out 50 generic ones. Trouble is, you’re not quite sure how to tailor your resume. Here are a few tips you can follow to make sure this process is a breeze, setting you up for success with whatever hiring manager gets your documents.1. Read carefully.First step is actually reading and comprehending the job posting and what it’s asking for in a candidate. Do yourself a favor and read it through with a highlighter. Mark all of the most important aspects, particularly anything that’s repeated or out of the ordinary- or that happens to match your particular skills. Knowing what the job entails is your top priority. Nothing else matters.2. Don’t bury the lead.Figure out what the most important or exciting match between your candidacy and the posting might be. What will really get the hiring manager’s attention? Maybe itâ₠¬â„¢s your current position, or a certification you recently achieved. Even if it isn’t your most recent accomplishment. Then make sure to feature that right up front- as in: the first section of your resume.3. Revamp your bullets.Be sure to take your major focus points out of later bullet points. But do also make sure to include some of the most relevant soft skills that would make you stand out as ideal for the job. Spin these bullet points to support your main focus and supplement your candidacy for that one job. 4. Cross check again and again.Now that you’ve done some work on your resume, go back to your highlighted job posting and make sure that anything you highlighted there appears verbatim somewhere on your resume- and preferably somewhere prominently featured.5. Add detail.Wherever possible, add numbers and details to help your skills (aka â€Å"Customer service skills†) shine out as something more tangible. (Aka â€Å"Boosted revenues by 10% and upped customer retention†).6. Pimp your cover letter.Don’t make the mistake of sending a perfectly tailored resume with a generic cover letter. Make sure you also spend some time tailoring your cover letter, in much the same way.Bottom line: Make sure both your resume and your cover letter pass the keyword test, including and/or featuring any and every keyword that appears in the job posting.

Condense position papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Condense position papers - Essay Example And even if he chooses the former, who are we to blame or persecute him Whatever he does to himself is for his own good. In the same way that an ordinary heterosexual person aims for the betterment of himself and of the others as well, so do the homosexual. I believe that is not for us to judge a person, a homosexual at that, based on sexual preferences. I firmly believe that if ever the homosexuals are given the chance to choose whom to love or admire, they would choose the normal choice - a male for a female and vice versa. They would never want to be put in such humiliating situations that could earn the ire of their parents, family, friends, and even the government. Indeed, not a single crime may be imputed directly to the homosexual preference of an offender. "Coming out can sometimes lead to a life crisis, which can elevate to suicidal thoughts or even committing suicide."1 So, let us leave them alone, or we might end up becoming worse than the persons whom we thought are secon d-class individuals. As previously stated in the essay, "acceptance is the key and fear is the originator of all things 'immoral.'" In relation to the matter of choices, I also agree with the idea of abortion.

Critical Thinking Application Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking Application Paper - Essay Example The ability of each individual to think critically varies. Critical thinking hinges on a few critical elements, these being precision, significance, vigor, fairness and rationality. Today in our rapidly evolving and changing business environment where there is a constant pressure to innovate products and services, an organization cannot remain competitive without the incorporation of critical thinking in its decision making processes. This being only possible if the employees of an organization are equipped to undertake a process of decision making that is purposeful and directed and hence in line with critical thinking. According to Process Management for a business to succeed it is essential that employees are taught to become more conscious of the thought process of an organization and that of the customers. They should be proficient in ‘language precision, being able to examine hidden assumptions, identify effective inferential reasoning and evaluate claims and reasons†™ in order to think critically. There are many examples of critical thinking in a work environment.

BMW's Acquisition of The Rover Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

BMW's Acquisition of The Rover Group - Essay Example Since the acquisition of Rover, BMW has tried many times to enforce the competitiveness of the acquired company, but with no particular result. In this context, the gains from the particular acquisition could be strongly doubted. The Resource/ Competence Matrix presented below can help towards the identification of the role of BMW in the development of Rover Group, the gains for the latter and the policies that should be applied by BMW in order to improve the performance of Rover Group not only within its market but internationally. The acquisition of Rover from BMW has been proved a wrong decision: through the years the company’s losses were severe; Rover failed to meet the targets set by the management team of BMW (at least as set in the firm’s acquisition in 1994). In 2000 ‘Rover sold to The Phoenix Consortium and Land Rover sold to Ford; BMW keep MINI brand’ (BMW, official website, 2007) The use of the Resource/ Competence Matrix (as presented below) in order to identify the possible competitive advantages gained from the alliances, can lead to the assumption that there has been no particular benefit for BMW from the acquisition of Rover. On the other hand, Rover has been benefited in terms that it has managed to be ‘alive’ until today. In the Resource/ Competence Matrix below the resources used in the particular acquisition and the competencies involved are being analyzed in order to understand the consequences of the above acquisition for both the firms involved. It should be noticed that in order for the data related with the two firms to be represented appropriately in the Resource/ Competence Matrix, the following issue should be taken into consideration: in the development of HR there are four factors that need to be taken into consideration: ‘culture management, strategic decision-making, fast change, and market driven connectivity – together comprise the HR competency domain of

EU law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

EU law - Essay Example All of these rights were previously established in the EC Treaty. Also relevant in relation to citizens’ rights is article of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, which binds the institutions, bodies and the Member States when they implement EU law. This paper examines the effects of Lisbon treaty. An overview of other treaties Before the signing the Lisbon treaty, the European Union entered into different treaties that lead to the Lisbon one. This section outlines these treaties. The European Coal and Steel Community treaty (ECSC) (Treaty of Paris): this treaty was signed in 1951 in Paris creating regional institutions meant to manage trade of coal and steel. Members who signed this treat included France, Italy, West Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (Chalmers, 2006). European Economic Community (EEC) Treaty (treaty of Rome): This was signed in 1957 by the same countries that formed treaty of Paris. On the same day, another treaty European Atomic Energy Comm unity (the EURATOM Treaty), was signed by the six countries. Other important treaties that followed included. European Communities (the Merger Treaty of 1965): This treaty merged the three previous treaties (ECSC, EURATOM and EEC) to create the European Communities, as known as the community Market, which was signed in 1967 (Chalmers, 2006). Upon the signing of this treaty, key institutions of the European Union were formed; this included the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Court of Justice. Single European Act: this important treaty was reached in 1987, which amended the previous three founding treaties, thus creating an â€Å"internal market† for member states; the market was implemented in 1992. The goals of this treaty included forming a single currency and creating a free market. The Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty): this was reached in 1992 but was enforced in 1993, creating the European Union, whic h was based on the European Communities. This particularly treat founded a â€Å"three pillar† system. The last treaty signed before the Lisbon treaty was the Treaty of Amsterdam, signed in 1997 that was enforced in 1999.this treaty amended and also renumbered the European Union and the European Community (Chalmers, 2006). Lisbon Treaty: provisions on Democratic Principles Democratic principles provided in the Lisbon Treaty fundamentally purposed to enhance the democratic authority of the Union in the Preamble. These new reforms mainly strengthened the role of the European Parliament, country parliaments, as well as providing for citizen’s initiatives, with an aim of increasing democratic legitimacy of the European Union. The Treaties contained provisions focused at cementing democracy in its representatives as well as their participatory dimensions by founding new participatory mechanisms, like the European citizens’ initiative, and new guides of communication and information with the European civil society. The European Parliament (EP): The Lisbon Treaty moved one step ahead in regard to the idea of representation by establishing that the European Parliament should be composed of representatives of the Union’s citizens, appointed for five years through direct universal suffrage in a free and fair secret election. According to these regulations, the European Council had to determine through accord, on the initiative of its Parliament, future composition of the latter

Internship Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Internship Report - Essay Example The coffee factory is an old design factory located on the same piece of land where coffee is grown. It is a family owned factory run by the family. A part from the production of coffee, the family also engages in the production of sugarcane and feedlot beef. Internship activities 1) Understanding and evaluating the operations and activities within the factory- the nature and location of machines, lighting etc 2) Identifying the risks and hazards in the factory. This involves evaluating all possible causes of risks and hazards that may endanger the lives of workers and visitors at the factory 3) Examine the mechanisms put in place to control hazards and risks at the workplace. Specifically, identify the strategies put in place to prevent or minimize harm from hazards in the workplace 4) Evaluate the reporting mechanisms used within the factory to report hazards. 5) Examine how the factory management communicates hazards and risks to its employees. This will involve focusing on the mechanisms used to provide employees with up to date and timely information on hazards and risks 6) Propose and implement mechanisms that can be used to enhance the safety of the factory Completed activities so far 1. Understanding and evaluating the operations and activities within the factory. 1. Identifying sources of risks and hazards within the factory. 2. Examining mechanisms used to control hazards. Based on the completed activities so far, I have been able to learn a few things relating to safety management at the workplace.

CinnZeo Strategic Expansion Plan Research Paper

CinnZeo Strategic Expansion Plan - Research Paper Example Accordingly a business venture may decide to pull out if its initial experience is not very positive or even negative. Alternatively it may decide to re-enter at another time, depending on the changes in the infrastructure and other conditions, such as the earning and spending capacity, receptiveness of the population for its products and services, and changes in cultural and other demographics that make for more favorable conditions. CinnZeo has entered Saudi Arabia in a modest way and in fact appears to have a planned strategy to cover most of the Middle Eastern region, seeing that it has a presence in Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Dammam, Dhahran, Yanbu and a host of other locations in the Gulf. It is now concentrating on locations within Saudi Arabia and Ha’il city in particular. The remainder of this paper will be geared towards determining whether it would be advisable to expand further in Saudi Arabia, using Ha’il City as an example. II. Demographics The demographics and psychographics of a native population play a very important part in whether a company or a business product or service is welcomed and tolerated in a region or a country. For example, it would be foolhardy to open a liquor store or one that sold pork meat in S. Arabia, or indeed anywhere in the Muslim world, as these products are frowned upon by the followers of Islam. The culture of a region also plays a very important part in the receptiveness or otherwise of a product or service. For example, Saudi women are not allowed to travel unless they are chaperoned by a male, or even to drive a car for that matter. It would thus make more sense for CinnZeo to cater to family style outlets, where there are seating arrangements for the whole family and they can sit in and enjoy to their heart’s delight. An alternative suggestion would be to create roadside cafe style locations where families can sit out, but this would be feasible only in the late evenings and cool of the night- the day heat is too stifling for it to be considered in the daytime (About.com, 1992). As far as the age factor is considered, there are no barriers that cannot be broken with good and culturally sensible advertising. Showing the whole Arab family enjoying mouthwateringCinnZeo creations in the fuzzy warmth of a CinnZeo outlet would give a very positive impression. This can be shot in different backgrounds at various times of the day-in the early morning, at midday, or the late evenings when other people are shown walking or relaxing outside. The CinnZeo logo should be associated with quality and comfort, so that the public is intrigued enough to try it out not only once but more than once. A group of college males, or even females enjoying a late afternoon brunch at a CinnZeo cafe while their driver waits patiently is sure to pique interest among the Arab youth population. Modern Saudi Arabia is full of locals turned into foreign educated graduates who eventually become more used to We stern style cultures abroad than their own. They are young and want to enjoy and experiment and get away once in a while. CinnZeo outlets would provide them with a good opportunity. Added to this let us not forget the worker migrants of Saudi Arabia that come from a host of other nations, among them Mexico, Canada and the USA where CinnZeo would already be known and appreciated. This population can therefore form a staple base for CinnZeo products with the local population hopefully not far behind. As regards the locations and ease of access in Ha’il City, this would depend on the already available infrastructure. Locating the CinnZeo flagship outlet in or near

Internship Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Internship Report - Essay Example The coffee factory is an old design factory located on the same piece of land where coffee is grown. It is a family owned factory run by the family. A part from the production of coffee, the family also engages in the production of sugarcane and feedlot beef. Internship activities 1) Understanding and evaluating the operations and activities within the factory- the nature and location of machines, lighting etc 2) Identifying the risks and hazards in the factory. This involves evaluating all possible causes of risks and hazards that may endanger the lives of workers and visitors at the factory 3) Examine the mechanisms put in place to control hazards and risks at the workplace. Specifically, identify the strategies put in place to prevent or minimize harm from hazards in the workplace 4) Evaluate the reporting mechanisms used within the factory to report hazards. 5) Examine how the factory management communicates hazards and risks to its employees. This will involve focusing on the mechanisms used to provide employees with up to date and timely information on hazards and risks 6) Propose and implement mechanisms that can be used to enhance the safety of the factory Completed activities so far 1. Understanding and evaluating the operations and activities within the factory. 1. Identifying sources of risks and hazards within the factory. 2. Examining mechanisms used to control hazards. Based on the completed activities so far, I have been able to learn a few things relating to safety management at the workplace.

Sociology for Social Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sociology for Social Work - Essay Example Applied research on the other hand, as postulated by Pickering (2001), has to do with pursuing knowledge so as to enhance program application or policy assessment. In most instances, social programs are assessed on the basis of their effectiveness in diminishing an experienced problem or in enacting desirable changes. Information retrieved by way of applied research can be inculcated into social programs like the one Ms. W was signed into. It is characteristic of all sociological research to commence with a theory. As such, the research identifies a client, for our case Ms W, whereupon he attempts an explanation, ultimately offering the derived explanation for the exhibited behaviour patterns. As postulated by Frankfort-Nachmias and Leon-Guerrero (2003), the researcher identifies causal relationships between variables. Variables in sociological research are features of individuals or items that ideally can take on two or more values. As sociologists try to explain Ms W’s behaviour they may give a specific explanation regarding the relationship that characterises two variables, for instance, the husbands death and her denial to own her problems. Ms W. denial can be measured according to a variety of variables. These could be her lack of acknowledgment of having paranoid schizophrenia, her s trange behaviour in public as well as her refusal to take medication. The researcher states the relationship that exists between these variables in a hypothesis as Astbury (1996) contends. A hypothesis is a tentative statement which tends to assume to know how the variables relate to each other. A researcher could assume that upon the death of Ms. W’s husband together with the frustration she received from her dealings with the government, she was overwhelmed and thus broke down into paranoiac schizophrenia. Research methods are constituted by a combination of

Araby by James Joyce Essay Example for Free

Araby by James Joyce Essay What impression of Dublin and its people does James Joyce give in his story Araby? James Augustine Alrysius Joyce, an Irish writer, was born in Dublin 2nd February 1882 and died in Zurich, Switzerland 13th January 1941. He was born into a well-off Catholic family and was the eldest surviving child; two of his siblings died of typhoid. Joyce was originally educated at Clongowes Wood College, a boarding school in County Kildare, which he left at the age of 6 because his father could no longer pay the fees. James Joyce studied at home for a brief period of time before being offered a place in the Jesuits Dublin School. At the age of 16 he rejected Catholicism which changed his life completely. At the age of 20, after graduating from the UDC (University College Dublin) he left for Paris and tried studying different occupations like teaching, journalism and even a doctor. At the age of 21 he returned to Ireland after receiving news that his mother was diagnosed with cancer. After she had died James Joyce became a heavy drinker but gradually stopped as he got over her death. He then stayed in Dublin for a period of time from 1904-1907 writing the Dubliners and also started many other books. The book Dubliners is a collection of short stories and Araby, like all of them, have paralysis meaning that they cant leave Dublin. For example in the short story Clay Maria has the chance to make a new life and leave Dublin but turns it down because she is too scared. This also occurs in A Painful Case and Eveline, as they dont have to courage to leave Dublin. In the short story The Boarding House, Bob Doran wishes to leave Dublin but cant because he is trapped inside marriage. Most of the short stories, unlike Araby, go in circles, for instance, Two Gallants when Lenehan just wanders around Dublin. This also occurs in The Dead because a horse just goes around and around in circles, and also in An Encounter when a pervert tries to stop but end back in the same perverted world. At the end of the short stories James Joyce always write an epiphany, which is a revelation, but in all but one story the revelation is only noticed by the reader but in Araby both the reader and the protagonist the protagonist is the main character have an epiphany an epiphany is a moment of revelation, usually at the end of the story. In the streets of Dublin James Joyce writes them as being blind, meaning that its a dead end and there is nothingness, it also means that you cant escape and there is nowhere to go (there is no way of getting out of Dublin). The main reason is that there is no vision, meaning that you cant see how terrible and run down Ireland really is. He describes all things by the colours brown and yellow that symbolises human excrements. He writes the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns, the word feeble shows that the light is not even strong enough to even penetrate the darkness. Jostled by drunken men and bargaining women, the word bargaining in this case can mean two things. The first meaning of it is that they are just selling items and changing the prices of them, and the second meaning is that the women are bargaining for their bodies, they are prostitutes. There are street singers who sing about the problems in Ireland. Also that weather is always extremely violent, and this is shown by the words cold air stung us, rain impinge upon the earth and the air was pitilessly raw. Religion in Dublin is exceedingly poor. In the second paragraph it says a priest, had died showing that the faith in Dublin has disappeared off the face of the earth. Inside the house of the dead priest there were books that were curled and damp meaning that the interest in them was lost. The books were The Abbot which is a religious story, The Devout Communicant which is a book on how to receive Holy Communion well and the last one The Memoirs of Vidocq which is about a thief. The books are muddled up indicating that religion in Ireland is a sham. When it talks about the priest again it first says very charitable priest making you think that the priest was a good man, and suddenly says in his will he had left all his money to institutions and the furniture of his house to his sister presenting the complete opposite. This means that the priest was only charitable went he knew he was dieing and he wasnt a nice man. In the dead priests wild garden there is an apple tree in the centre signifying the Garden of Eden which is a source of evil. In a bush in the garden, there is a rusty bicycle-pump, this can denote three things. The first description of the bicycle-pump is that there is no escape because, if you cant pump up your tires, then you cant go anywhere. The second explanation represents the snake, or Satan, in the Garden of Eden because the pump is approximately the same size a snake. The last reason, symbolizes a heart, meaning that, because the heart is not pumping, there is no love or life in Dublin, symbolizing that everything is hopeless. A good part in the story when you know that religion is just a phoney in Dublin is when the boys Aunt says Im afraid you may have to put off your bazaar for this night of Our Lord actually saying that he should just forget about it in a nasty way. Although she I using religious word she is using them without kindness, meaning that she is not caring about him. The family life in Dublin isnt very pleasant either. In the beginning of the book, the boy says if my Uncle was seen turning the corner, we hid in the shadow indicating that he doesnt live with his parents, and also that hes scared of him. On the night of the bazaar his Uncle came home late, I heard him talking to himself meaning he was obviously drunk and had forgotten all about Araby. The love in Dublin is bland. For the boy he loves and stalks Mangans sister. She is called thins because he doesnt actually know her name so he names her Mangans sister. He defines her as light because he thinks of Dublin as the dark and Mangans sister as a light to brighten up Dublin. When he looks at her her dress swung as she moved her body, and the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side, she is describes as lively and everyone else is not. Followed her, or stalking her is the meaning, I kept her brown figure always in my eye, brown indicating that she is actually just an ordinary person with nothing special about her. Within one paragraph there are five words chalice, prayers, praises, tears and adoration, he describes her with religious word, and because he left Catholicism she is now his secular religion (one without God). She is also like music to his ears because it says my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running upon the wires. Also showing that he uses her in a secular religion is a sentence saying I pressed the palms of my hands together until they trembled, murmuring: O love! O love! many times showing that he worships her a lot. At last she spoke to me, this is the moment he was waiting for the whole time. She then talks about Araby and says she cant go. While she was talking to him she turned a sliver bracelet, silver indicating bright. In two sentences he uses six words to describe how radiant and bright she is and how drawn he is to her, they are light, lamp, white, lit, lit and white, repeating white and lit. Waking and sleep thoughts and chafed against the work of school imply that he cant do anything besides thinking about Araby and Mangans sister, and it also says I strove to read hinting the same thing. Lie at the window signals that he stalks and spies on Mangans sister, and he is singing because he is happy about getting Mangans sister a present. Lastly he has a sexual desire for Mangans sister because it says border below the dress suggesting that he is growing quite fast and is into the puberty stage of life. Araby is a fair or, a bazaar which is a foreign word from the east. In the boys eyes, Araby is an exotic place that gets away from all the darkness of Dublin. Also Araby is close to the word Arabia which is in the east signifying that its exotic, rich. And because it is in the east it signifies that the sunrise comes from the east, representing a new day, a new hope, a new light. Also Jesus resurrected in the east, epitomizing a new beginning or day. When he eventually arrives to Araby, he goes around the stalls and finds that most of them are closed. There is one that is open but when he sees the people at the stall he discovers they all speak in English accents indicating that the bazaar is not exotic at all. A young lady, who is probably a prostitute, because she is seen flirting with two men at the same time, asks the boy if he wants to buy anything but he says no, thank you. And from this, all of his dreams end because, the items are too expensive and mundane. At the end of the story there is an epiphany, which is the moment of revelation, to both the reader and the protagonist, because usually the epiphany is only recognisable to the reader. On the second from last paragraph at the end it says complete darkness signifying that all hope is gone. The whole of the last paragraph says gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger, this is the exact moment when he realises that all Dublin was in vain and all he did was in vain. He figures out from this that there actually is no love, no romance and no chivalry.

Habits That Hinder Thinking :: essays research papers fc

John and Julie, your two best friends, have just read an article about the death penalty. It explains the reasons why death by lethal injection is a legitimate punishment for certain crimes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Julie reads the article, she strongly agrees with what the author has to say. â€Å"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,† she imagines. Without examining the ideas that are involved, she’s satisfied with everything the article says because, â€Å"It’s only fair.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John, on the other hand, is deeply offended before he’s even finished reading the article. He leans heavily on the feeling that God has the only power to decide someone’s fate, not man. â€Å"It’s not right to interfere with another person’s existence on Earth,† he thinks to himself as he keeps reading.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What Julie and John don’t know is that they’ve both used some habits that hinder thinking to come up with their opinions. They both had strong initial feelings about the death penalty. And they both finished with those same feelings because they were the most satisfying. But Julie and John failed to try to learn about their opposing opinion. Without even realizing it, they both became victims of thobbing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henshaw Ward termed thobbing for considering and evaluating ideas. â€Å"The term combines the th from thinking, the o from opinion, and the b from believing† (qtd. in Ruggiero 53). You can be aware of when you are thobbing by paying close attention to your initial opinions, especially the ones that are very strong.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many habits that can hinder one’s thinking, causing their mind to fall victim to thobbing. Julie and John both used conformity and resistance to change, and rationalizing habits when coming up with an opinion about the death penalty article.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Art of Thinking, Ruggiero states that â€Å"harmful conformity is what we do instead of thinking in order to belong to a group or to avoid the risk of being different. Such conformity is an act of cowardice, a sacrifice of indepedence for a lesser good(49).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Julie and John may have been conforming when they developed their opinions about the article on the death penalty. They had probably dealt with the argument before and were exposed to other people’s opinions. Then when they came across this article, they were most satisfied with the belief they were familiar with. They remembered the other people’s attitudes and conformed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John belongs to a church where he practices his belief in Christianity.

A Comparison Between The Works Of Amedeo Modigliani And Jacques Villon :: essays research papers

Italian-born Cubist painter, Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) and the French, Jacques Villon (1875-1963), both painted vibrant and expressive portraits during the early twentieth-century. In this case, the chosen portraits are Modigliani's "Portrait of Mrs. Hastings", 1915 and Villon's "Mme. Fulgence", 1936. Both of these compositions are portraits. Nothing is of more importance than the sitter herself. The female sitter in Modigliani's piece, sits in an almost dizzying pose with a twist in her elongated neck (a Modigliani trademark), a stylized and mask-like head and a columnar neck. All of which give the sitter a blank and ashen expression. She looks at the viewer, head-on with a most piercing air in her eyes. In Villon's case, his female sitter has been created solely with the use of layered colours and a very random synthetist outline technique (a similar technique the post-impressionist painter Gaugin used). Modigliani outlines his figure moreso in black than Villon. Mme. Fulgence's age is understood by the strong dynamic colour quality that has been used to break her face apart. In a way, these colourful divisions act as wrinkles. For instance, the chunk of layered pink on her lip creates a scowl and the heavily applied white on her nose helps it to seem upright; a 'snobbish' upturn. Colours such as the orange, have been used to highlight her left cheek and only visible ear. With these effects, the viewer sees Mme. Fulgence as a very proper and'posh' (if you will) woman. Bitterness is only a common linkage with the other attributes. Modigliani's Hastings on the other hand seems to be an intense woman of a compassionate nature. Both of these pieces have relied heavily on the expressive and wild use of colour to create emotional expressions and unerring form. Both of these portraits are created using oil paints--Modigliani's on cardboard and Villon's on canvas. The most important element that draws their work away from the mainstream is their heavy application of paint. Although they both apply their colour liberally, Modigliani's strokes are thick, jagged, and for the most part random. His brushstrokes are also particularly long, whereas Villon's are short and brief. Modigliani uses monochromatic hues of red to create the prominent colour of the piece and like Villon, he has used a very vague background to express the importance of his sitter. Colour is of equal importance in both pieces as it draws the viewer in and allows the viewer's eyes to be brought around the piece. Modigliani has split his background from top to bottom, using red and strokes of burnt sienna at first, then an auburn and deeper red for the bottom.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 8

â€Å"It was seriously creepy,† said Bonnie. They had al bundled into Matt's car, Elena hopping onto Stefan's lap and Meredith onto Alaric's (which, Bonnie had noted, Dr. Celia had seemed less than thril ed by). Then they'd hurried back to the boardinghouse, looking for counsel. Once there, they'd al crowded into the parlor and spil ed out the story to Mrs. Flowers, talking over one another in their excitement. â€Å"First Celia's name – in my blood – appearing out of nowhere,† Bonnie went on, â€Å"and then there's this weird accident that could have killed her, and then Meredith's name appears, too. It was al just real y, real y creepy.† â€Å"I'd put it a bit more strongly than that,† Meredith said. Then she arched an elegant eyebrow. â€Å"Bonnie, this is no doubt the first time I've ever complained you weren't being dramatic enough.† â€Å"Hey!† Bonnie objected. â€Å"There you go,† Elena joked. â€Å"Keep looking on the bright side. The latest insanity is making Bonnie low-key.† Matt shook his head. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, do you know what's happening?† Mrs. Flowers, seated in a cozy corner chair of the parlor, smiled and patted him on the shoulder. She'd been knitting when they came in, but had laid the pink bundle of yarn aside and had fixed her calm blue eyes on them with her ful attention as they told their story. â€Å"Dear Matt,† she said. â€Å"Always straight to the point.† Poor Celia had been sitting on the couch by Alaric and Meredith, looking stunned since they'd arrived. It was one thing to study the supernatural, but the reality of a vampire, mysteriously appearing names, and a brush with death must have been a shock to her system. Alaric had a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Bonnie thought maybe the arm should have been around Meredith's shoulders. After al , Meredith's name had just shown up in the scarf's folds. But Meredith was just sitting there, watching Alaric and Celia, her face composed, her eyes unreadable. Now Celia leaned forward and spoke for the first time. â€Å"Pardon me,† she said politely, her voice shaking a bit, â€Å"but I don't understand why we've brought this†¦ this issue to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off as her eyes flickered to Mrs. Flowers. Bonnie knew what she meant. Mrs. Flowers looked like the epitome of a sweet, dotty elderly lady: soft flyaway gray hair drawn back in a bun, a politely vague expression, a wardrobe that leaned toward pastels or shabby blacks, and a habit of muttering quietly, apparently to herself. A year ago, Bonnie herself had thought Mrs. Flowers was just the crazy old woman who ran the boardinghouse where Stefan lived. But appearances could be deceptive. Mrs. Flowers had earned the respect and admiration of every one of them by the way she had protected the town with her magic, Power, and good sense. There was a lot more to this little old lady than met the eye. â€Å"My dear,† said Mrs. Flowers firmly, â€Å"you've had a very traumatic experience. Drink your tea. It's a special calming blend that's been passed down in my family for generations. We wil do everything we can for you.† Which, Bonnie observed, was a very sweet and ladylike way of putting Dr. Celia Connor in her place. She was to drink her tea and recuperate, and they would figure out how to solve the problem. Celia's eyes flashed, but she sipped her tea obediently. â€Å"Now,† Mrs. Flowers said, looking around at the others, â€Å"it seems to me that the first thing to do is to figure out what the intention is behind the appearance of the names. Once we do that, perhaps we wil have a better idea of who might be behind their appearance.† â€Å"Maybe to warn us?† Bonnie said hesitantly. â€Å"I mean, Celia's name appeared, and then she almost died, and now Meredith†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off and she looked at Meredith apologetical y. â€Å"I'm worried you might be in danger.† Meredith squared her shoulders. â€Å"It certainly wouldn't be the first time,† she said. Mrs. Flowers nodded briskly. â€Å"Yes, it's possible that the appearance of the names has a benevolent intention. Let's explore that theory. Someone may be trying to get a warning to you. If so, who? And why do they have to do it in this way?† Bonnie's voice was even softer and more hesitant now. But if no one else was going to say it, she would. â€Å"Could it be Damon?† â€Å"Damon's dead,† Stefan said flatly. â€Å"But when Elena was dead, she warned me about Klaus,† Bonnie argued. Stefan massaged his temples. He looked tired. â€Å"Bonnie, when Elena died, Klaus trapped her spirit between dimensions. She hadn't ful y passed away. And even then, she could only visit you in your dreams – not anyone else, just you, because you can sense things other people can't. She couldn't make anything happen in the physical world.† Elena's voice trembled. â€Å"Bonnie, the Guardians told us that vampires don't live on after death. In any sense of the word. Damon's gone.† Stefan reached out and took her hand, his eyes troubled. Bonnie felt a sharp stab of sympathy for them both. She was sorry she'd brought Damon up, but she hadn't been able to stop herself. The thought that he might be watching over them, irascible and mocking but ultimately kind, had briefly lifted the weight from her heart. Now that weight came crashing back down. â€Å"Wel ,† she said dul y, â€Å"then I don't have any idea who might be warning us. Does anybody else?† They al shook their heads, baffled. â€Å"Who even knows about us now that has this kind of power?† Matt asked. â€Å"The Guardians?† said Bonnie doubtful y. But Elena shook her head with a quick decisive motion, blond hair swinging. â€Å"It's not them,† she said. â€Å"The last thing they'd do is send a message in blood. Visions would be more their style. And I'm pretty sure the Guardians washed their hands of us when they sent us back here.† Mrs. Flowers interlocked her fingers in her lap. â€Å"So perhaps there is some as yet unknown person or being looking after you, warning you of danger ahead.† Matt had been sitting ramrod straight in one of Mrs. Flowers's daintier chairs, and it creaked alarmingly as he leaned forward. â€Å"Um,† he said. â€Å"I think the better question is, what's causing that danger?† Mrs. Flowers spread her smal , wrinkled hands. â€Å"You're perfectly right. Let's consider the options. On the one hand, it could be a warning for something that was natural y going to happen. Celia's – you don't mind if I cal you Celia, do you, dear?† Celia, stil looking shel -shocked, shook her head. â€Å"Good. Celia's scarf getting caught in the train doors could have been a natural accident. Forgive me for saying so, but those long, dramatic scarves can be very dangerous. The dancer Isadora Duncan was kil ed in just that way when her scarf caught in the wheel of a car many years ago. Perhaps whoever sent the message was simply raising a flag for Celia to be careful, or for the rest of you to take care of her. Perhaps Meredith merely needs to be cautious over the next few days.† â€Å"You don't think so, though, do you?† asked Meredith sharply. Mrs. Flowers sighed. â€Å"This al feels rather malevolent to me. I think if someone wanted to warn you about the possibility of accidents, they could find a better way than names written in blood. Both of these names appeared as the results of rather violent incidents, correct? Bonnie cutting herself and Stefan ripping the scarf from Celia's neck?† Meredith nodded. Looking troubled, Mrs. Flowers continued. â€Å"And, of course, the other possibility is that the appearance of the names is itself malicious. Perhaps the names' appearance is an essential ingredient in or targeting method for some spel that is causing the danger.† Stefan frowned. â€Å"You're talking about dark magic, aren't you?† Mrs. Flowers met his eyes squarely. â€Å"I'm afraid so. Stefan, you're the oldest and most experienced of us by far. I've never heard of anything like this, have you?† Bonnie felt a bit surprised. Of course, she knew that Stefan was much older than even Mrs. Flowers – after al , he'd been alive before electricity, or running water, or cars, or anything they took for granted in the modern world, while Mrs. Flowers was probably only in her seventies. But stil , it was easy to forget how long Stefan had lived. He looked just like any other eighteen-year-old, except that he was exceptional y handsome. A traitorous thought flickered at the back of her mind, one she'd had before: How was it that Elena always got al the best-looking guys? Stefan was shaking his head. â€Å"Nothing like this, no. But I think you're right that it may be dark magic. Perhaps, if you spoke to your mother about it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Celia, who was starting to take more of an interest in what was going on, looked at Alaric quizzical y. Then she cast a glance toward the door, as if expecting a hundredyear-old woman to wander in. Bonnie grinned to herself, despite the seriousness of the situation. They had al gotten so matter-of-fact about Mrs. Flowers's frequent conversations with the ghost of her mother that none of them blinked when Mrs. Flowers gazed off into space and started muttering rapidly, eyebrows lifting, eyes scanning unoccupied space as if someone unseen were speaking to her. But to Celia it must have seemed pretty strange. â€Å"Yes,† said Mrs. Flowers, returning her attention to them. â€Å"Mama says there is indeed something dark stirring in Fel ‘s Church. But† – her hands lifted, palms empty – â€Å"she cannot tel what form it takes. She simply warns us to be careful. Whatever it is, she can sense that it's deadly.† Stefan and Meredith frowned, taking this in. Alaric was murmuring to Celia, probably explaining what was going on. Matt bowed his head. Elena pushed on, already working on the next angle. â€Å"Bonnie, what about you?† she asked. â€Å"Huh?† Bonnie asked. Then she realized what Elena meant. â€Å"No. Nuh-uh. I'm not going to know anything Mrs. Flowers's mother doesn't.† Elena just looked at her, and Bonnie sighed. This was important, after al . Meredith's name was next, and if there was one thing that was true, it was that she and Meredith and Elena had one another's backs. Always. â€Å"Al right,† she said reluctantly. â€Å"I'l see if I can find out anything else. Can you light me a candle?† â€Å"What now?† Celia asked in confusion. â€Å"Bonnie's psychic,† Elena explained simply. â€Å"Fascinating,† Celia said brightly, but her eyes slid, cool and disbelieving, across Bonnie. Wel , whatever. Bonnie didn't care what she thought. She could assume that Bonnie was pretending or crazy if she wanted to, but she'd see what happened eventual y. Elena brought a candle over from its spot on the mantel, lit it, and placed it on the coffee table. Bonnie swal owed, licked her lips, which were suddenly dry, and tried to focus on the candle flame. Although she'd had plenty of practice, she didn't like doing this, didn't like the sensation of losing herself, as if she were sliding underwater. The flame flickered and grew brighter. It seemed to swel and fil Bonnie's field of vision. Al she could see was flame. I know who you are, a cold, rough voice suddenly growled in her ear, and Bonnie twitched. She hated the voices, sometimes as soft as if they were coming from a distant television, sometimes right beside her, like this one. She somehow always managed to forget them until the next time she began to fal into a trance. A faraway child's voice began a wordless off-key humming, and Bonnie focused on making her breathing slow and steady. She could feel her eyes slipping out of focus. A sour taste, wet and nasty, fil ed her mouth. Envy twisted, sharp and bitter, inside her. It's not fair, not fair, something muttered sul enly in her skul . And then blackness took over. Elena watched apprehensively as Bonnie's pupils widened, reflecting the candle flame. Bonnie was able to sink into trances much more quickly now than when she had begun having them, which worried Elena. â€Å"Darkness rises.† A flat, hol ow voice that didn't sound anything like Bonnie's came from her friend's mouth. â€Å"It's not here yet, but it wants to be. It's cold. It's been cold for a long time. It wants to be near us, out of the darkness and as warm as our hearts. It hates.† â€Å"Is it a vampire?† asked Meredith quickly. The not-Bonnie voice gave a harsh, choking laugh. â€Å"It's much stronger than any vampire. It can find a home in any of you. Watch one another. Watch yourselves.† â€Å"What is it?† asked Matt. Whatever it was that spoke through Bonnie hesitated. â€Å"She doesn't know,† said Stefan. â€Å"Or she can't tel us. Bonnie,† he said intently, â€Å"is someone bringing this thing to us? Who's causing it?† No hesitation this time. â€Å"Elena,† it said. â€Å"Elena brought it.†