I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic

I SURVIVED the sinking of The Titanic, 1912 April fourteenth at seven fifteen a. m. in a first class suite on B Deck. We meet George and his eight-year-old sister Phoebe. They are returning to America after visiting London and the surrounding area with their Aunt Daisy. George is always getting in trouble and is very curious. He’s been all over the ship even to areas where he is not supposed to go. He’s made friends in steerage and exasperated his aunt and his sister and a number of the other first class passengers.His behavior had previously been causing problems between him and his father. Since George and Phoebe’s mother died a few years ago the family just hasn’t been the same. This trip was a time for George and his father to get some distance and calm down. George also describes many characters such as his aunt, sister, and other people that he meets aboard. He meets some people that become that become famous from the sinking. On the night of April f ourteenth snuck out of bed and went in to the cargo hold to find the mummy rumored to be cursed and also rumored to be on board.When he got into the cargo hold a huge bang and shutter rocked the whole ship and within a second he was completely surround by water. He returned to his room only to be awoken by one of his maids, him and his aunt were instructed to â€Å"dress warmly and put your life belts on†. When they were up and ready to go to the life boats they realized that Phoebe was gone. He soon realized that phoebe must have followed him to the cargo hold and did not see or know how to leave. He soon discovered that phoebe left lemon drops where ever she went to find her way back.When he was looking he ran in to Enzo and Marco that he met before on the ship. Enzo was screaming â€Å"phoebes†, she herd and came running to them. Lucky for George, he had met the architect of the Titanic the night before. The architect showed George all the secret passages. So, Marco , Enzo, Phoebe, Aunt Daisy and George were able to get back up to the First Class Deck. Just as they were about to get on 1 of only 16 life boats, the sailors wouldn't let Marco or George get on the boat. Enzo got on with Phoebe and Aunt Daisy.Marco decided to them jump into the freezing water. Marco helped George get onto a floating piece of furniture to survive the cold water. But, part of Marco was still in the water. Marco was starting to fade away because the water was so cold. George said the water felt like needles were stabbing him. Luckily, there was a life boat coming by and George was able to get on the boat. He lifted Marco into the boat because he was slowly dying. After a couple of hours, a big ship called the Carpathia came by and George and Marco were rescued.On the Carpathia, George and Marco were able to find Phoebe, Aunt Daisy and Enzo. They were all so happy. The whole family made it back to New York and George & Phoebe were met by their Papa. Aunt Daisy stayed i n New York with Marco to take care of Enzo while Marco was in the hospital from being in the freezing water too long. George and his Papa became friends again. George also was able to finally accept that his mother was never coming back. She died before their trip and this is why George was always into trouble. In the end things turned out to be good for his family and his friends.

Are Deaf or Hearing Impaired People More Susceptible to Mental Illnesses?

American Sign Language Are deaf or hard of hearing people more susceptible to mental illnesses? The ability to communicate is at the heart of good mental health. Within any large group of people, one may expect to find a smaller group with mental health issues. However, in addition to conquering the difficulties associated with the inability to effectively communicate, individuals in the deaf community must also attempt to find mental health facilities that can accommodate their special circumstances. With all the challenges that face these individuals, it would come to no surprise to learn whether they are more prone to mental health problems than hearing individuals. First, any diagnoses of any mental health issue in the United States comes from one book, the DSM IV- the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Version IV. This bible of the mental health field is separated into five sections, though the first two are most prevalent in the studies to follow. The first section is Axis I, listing and describing the Clinical disorders including major mental disorders and learning disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. Axis II lists Personality disorders such as paranoid personality disorder and dependent personality disorder, and mental retardation. In diagnosing children with sensory problems it is important to remember that early onset of significant hearing impairment can have a profound effect on the child’s development, with adverse consequences for mental health, both in childhood and adult life. 0% of deaf children born to hearing parents risk developmental delays in language and vocabulary, resulting in consequences in emotional, psychological, and educational growth (du Feu, 2003). In the past, these consequences manifested themselves in lower expectations for deaf children, and difficulties in teaching them led to the absence of correctly diagnosing mild learning disabilities, attention de ficit disorder, and even autism. The children’s behaviors were instead attributed to their deafness. As a result, deaf children have an increased prevalence of mental health problems, 45-50% ersus an average of 25% for the general population. Interestingly enough, deaf children from deaf families do not show this increased level of mental health problems (du Feu, 2003). Because hearing loss so readily interferes with the acquisition of vocabulary, the mean English literacy of deaf high school graduates is at the 4. 5 grade level. (Reed, 2006) To compound this problem, a great many deaf people are not fluent in American Sign Language either, leaving the individual with a gross inability to communicate in general. Or, assuming the deaf person knows at least some ASL, written sentences may be choppy, incomplete, written in ASL syntax versus English grammar, and therefore may be misleading to the physician. Many mental help providers mistake normal language and communication issues for developmental delays, mental illness or mental retardation. However, misdiagnosing a non-fluent deaf person as psychotic is just as prevalent as mistaking psychosis as merely poor communication. The fear of being misdiagnosed due to language and cultural differences is one reason why deaf people may be reluctant to seek treatment for a mental health problem. Early studies found that schizophrenia was more common in deaf individuals than hearing people; however, the redirection of diagnoses from schizophrenia to adjustment disorders and organic problems occurred as the diagnostic process became more accurate and clearly defined (Black, 2006). In addition, deaf people are far less likely to be diagnosed with psychotic diagnoses if they are served in a deaf psychiatric program versus the mainstream population; understandably, those specific deaf psychiatric programs are not always readily available in the individual’s vicinity. Another reason deaf people may hesitate to seek treatment for mental disorders is the lack of providers who have knowledge of ASL and how it differs from English as well as the basics about deaf education and development (Pollard, 2010). Mental health providers must also learn deaf culture to differentiate what can be considered normal behavior in a deaf patient. For instance, a deaf person may stomp loudly on the floor to gain one’s attention; behavior that would be considered aggressive by hearing tandards but accepted as quite normal in a deaf community. Deaf people are also very animated in their â€Å"talk†, relying on vivid display of expression and strong emotion to convey their feelings. These theatrics which are a normal part of ASL and deaf language are considered unnecessary in the general hearing public. Energetic signing may make people appear to be excitable or aggressive. Deaf people’s eye contact, use of personal space and way of touching others t o gain attention may all be misinterpreted as they can appear direct or intrusive. du Feu, 20063) Clinicians often labeled rapid signing as a symptom of psychotic behavior rather than the change of mood that was actually indicated by the patient. (Reed, 2006) Deaf patients were more often misunderstood than correctly diagnosed, leading to unnecessary and sometimes potentially harmful treatment and even detainment. â€Å"If I can’t trust my local mental health center to offer me someone who’s competent to deal with me, why should I go? † (Pollard, 2010) More recent studies, though admittedly not â€Å"experts† in completely understanding the deaf culture and language, have had more reliable results in the prevalence of mental disorders among the deaf. The frequency of mental illness among deaf people is at least as high as in the population at large. (Mueller, 2006) Findings also reveal the rate of Axis I disorders (depression, psychotic disorders) does not differ between hearing and deaf populations, including schizophrenia, but Axis II (personality disorders, mental retardation) and childhood behavior problems are three to six times more prevalent for deaf persons. The high rate of personality disorders may be related to attachment difficulties in some hearing families with deaf children. Deaf children and adolescents exhibit higher levels of behavioral and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders than the general population. (Haskins, 2000) Posttraumatic stress disorder is noted as being the most common diagnosis found in the deaf community. (Mueller, 2006) Deaf patients are also less likely to be diagnosed with psychotic or substance abuse disorder and more likely to be diagnosed with a mood, anxiety, or developmental disorder than members of the hearing population. However, providers still have limited knowledge of deafness or deaf culture which continues to seriously impact the ability to accurately assess and/or diagnose. (Mueller, 2006) While the hearing population can open a phone book and choose one of many, many providers to seek treatment for their problems, the deaf community has very little options. Aside from the difficult task of finding a signing counselor, one may allow an interpreter to accompany in the in the intensely personal session; that may also prove uncomfortable for the deaf patient and the interpreter, and it may skew the relationship with the clinician. In the past, therapists believed deaf people showed a low incidence of depression; in reality, it is more likely that the deaf just choose not to seek help. In addition to the challenges presented in childhood and adulthood for deaf patients, they must continue on their journey into retirement and beyond, frequently becoming more and more isolated as medical conditions start to accumulate with old age. Few residential or nursing homes or psychogeriatric services have experience with deaf people who sign. In conclusion, I’ve proven my theory that deaf people are more susceptible to some mental health issues due to the obstacles faced everyday with communicating with others. Correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment, however, are both difficult steps to the rehabilitation process. In research for this project, I learned of a 28 year old deaf woman who was born to hearing parents. The parents were advised early on not to learn to sign, and to discourage her from learning as well. Instead, they tried to have an instructor teach her the oral method, at least initially. Extremely unhappy, the girl developed behavior problems in childhood that increased in adolescence and carried over to early adulthood. She tried to socialize at the local deaf club but only knew a little ASL. She was barely literate, unable to hold a job or have a satisfying life. Upon eventual hospitalization, she was hostile and withdrawn. Frustrated at being unable to communicate with her, the woman’s parents asked the intake person to sign to the woman that they loved her. The woman signed the bitter response that she had wasted her entire childhood trying to learn to speak and her parents had not spent a single hour learning to sign. (du Feu, 2003) Ignorance isn’t always bliss. Bibliography Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, Margaret du Feu, 2003, volume 9, pp95-103 Deaf People: Mental Illness; Mental Illness in the Deaf Community: Increasing Awareness and Identifying Needs, Sandra Mueller, 2006, www. lifeprint. com Serving and Assessing Deaf Patients; Implications for Psychiatry, B. Haskins, Psychiatric Times, December 2000, volume XVII, Issue 12 Demographics, Psychiatric Diagnoses, and Other Characteristics of North American Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inpatients, Patricia Black, Riverview Psychiatric Center, jdsde. oxfordjournals. org Interview with Robert Pollard, Ph. D. , Professor of Psychiatry at University of Rochester and director of Deaf Wellness Center, 2010, www. healthbridges. info Mental Health Issues in the Deaf Community, Kimberly Reed, About. com guide 2006 bipolar. about. com/od/socialissues/a/000425_deaf. htm

Moral choice of Hamlet

Hamlet was the only son of the late King that was named too as Hamlet. His father was murdered when Hamlet was away from home. He had an uncle, a brother of his father, named Claudius and later married Hamlet’s mother named Gertrude. Since Hamlet’s father was murdered, it was Claudius who took over the palace and became a king. On the other, Hamlet had a girlfriend named Ophelia. Ophelia was dearly loved by Hamlet. But there were many obstacles and hindrances that tested their love as lovers. Ophelia’s father, Polonius, and brother, Laertes, had strongly disagreed with their affair. They even reprimanded Ophelia not to talk again with Hamlet due to the reason that it was not inappropriate for Hamlet and Ophelia to have a relationship because they both came from different world. Moreover, Hamlet was very depressed and sad when his father died. He really searched and did not stop in finding for the truth in order to have justice for his father’s death. Hamlet had an intuition that his uncle, King Claudius, was responsible for the death of his father but Hamlet did not have enough evidences to prove the said accusation. But since he was clever enough, Hamlet made a plan that surely helped him find out who was the master mind of the death of his father. Then he found out something from the plan he set. When he identified and discovered that it was King Claudius who was responsible for his father’s death, he started to set another plan on how to kill King Claudius as a revenge and retaliation to his uncle. This plan he set up made the people, especially his uncle and Ophelia, puzzled what made him like that and this plan was to act out as insane. Hamlet believed that this plan will be the best way to kill his uncle. Now, when Hamlet showed himself to Ophelia, the love of his life was very terrified and startled because she knew that Hamlet was going insane and she was afraid what Hamlet might do to her. Because of that, Ophelia was set by King Claudius and Polonius to be used in finding out on what were the causes and reasons why Hamlet was going crazy. They speculated that Hamlet was insane because he and Ophelia were not permitted to see each other. But when the time they’ve met, Hamlet continually acted out as insane and Ophelia was very sad and depress. So King Claudius and Polonius were very disturbed on what made Hamlet that way and the King assumed that there must be another reasons that made him insane. Furthermore, there was an incident that Hamlet and Ophelia went out to watch a dramaturgical performance and Hamlet acted again as insane because King Claudius was there and he thought it would be the time to verify and confirm Claudius’ contriteness in the killing of his father. That incident made Ophelia very humiliated. After that incident, Hamlet accidentally killed Ophelia’s father that result to Ophelia’s suicide by drowning herself in the riverbank. Hamlet’s morals: Hamlet’s heart was full of hatred and selfishness in such a way that due to his plan to revenge to his stepfather and an uncle at the same time, the lives of others were affected and destroyed. He only thinks for himself. It is not wrong to find out the truth but if you cause pain and hurts to other people in order to get your desired plan, then, that made it bad. Hamlet had good intentions in doing such plan because through that, he will be able to find justice for his father’s death. But the act itself in carrying such plan was morally wrong because he involved other people’s lives like Ophelia’s father that he killed because of his anger and that caused Ophelia’s depression and ended up killing her on life.

Geo Lab Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Geo Lab Questions - Essay Example Some of the most salient landscape features found in Los Angeles include mountains, rivers and beaches. In fact, the landscape of Los Angeles has created geologic instability in the area. The main types of rocks that influence the landscape of Southern California are the sedimentary rocks located in the region. Research asserts that the Southern California region has numerous petroleum fields which are mainly formed as a result of sedimentary rocks (U.S Department of State, 2012). McWilliams, C. (2009). Southern California: An island on the land. (9th ed.). New York: Peregrine Smith Press. U.S Department of State. (2012). Minerals. Retrieved from http://countrystudies.us/united-states/geography-5.htm Question 4 A plate boundary is defined as the region found at the edge of the lithospheric plates. According to the discipline of geography, there are three types of plate boundaries. They include convergent, transform and divergent boundaries. Transform or conservative boundaries are fo rmed when two plates slide past each other along transform faults. In addition, convergent or destructive boundaries are formed when two plates move towards each other. Lastly, divergent or constructive boundaries are formed when two plates move away from each other (Condie, 2009). The movement of these plates always leads to the formation of certain physical landmarks. For example, Iceland is continually separating along the Mid-Atlantic ridge. These divergent forces are attributed by the American and Eurasian plates. This separation has led to the formation of a new crust. However, researchers claim that soon enough Iceland will be separated into two land masses because of the broadening of the crust (Harden, 2011). Condie, K. (2009). Plate tectonics. United States: Butterworth-Heinemann Press. Harden, D. (2011). California geology. New York: Prentice Hall Press. Question 5 According to experts in the field of geography, there are several types of features that are formed through either wave or wind action. Research proves that there are both soft and hard features that are formed along the coastline (Jervis, 2009). The aspect of softness or hardness of a physical feature formed at the coastline mainly depends on certain phenomenon. For example, a spit can be identified as a soft feature that is mostly found at the coastline. In most cases, spits are located at regions with shallow waters whereby there is a diversion in the direction of a coastline. A spit is normally formed when deposition occurs at the shallow area. As deposition of finer material continues, the spit bulges outwards into the sea and is more visible. In addition, an example of a hard feature is a headland. A headland is formed through wave action whereby the force of the water hits the shore forming a land mass. In some instances, the formation of a headland is also boosted by the chemical content that is contained in the sea water (Haslett, 2009). Jervis, P. (2009). Physical features. Unit ed States: Folen Press. Haslett, S. (2009). Coastal systems. New York: Routledge Press. Question 6 It is factual that hot air balloons operate on the certain physical principles. When the amount of lift in the balloon surpasses gravity, then, it moves upwards. According to most physical theories, hot air balloons are supposed to be launched in the morning. This is because the stable winds allow the balloon to operate effectively. Since balloons move with air, most pilots

ANOVA Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ANOVA - Statistics Project Example The results of the test were statistically significant, F(3, 14) = 23.39, p The strength of the relationship between the group of kidneys exposed to varying times of ischemia and % water content was very strong, as the value of R-sq. (83.37%) in Minitab output is very high and close to 1. The group of kidneys exposed to varying times of ischemia accounts for 83% (R-sq, taken from Minitab output) of the variance in % water content. Tukey’s pairwise comparisons showed that the % water content in control group is less compared to 30 min ischemia (95% confidence interval for difference is between 1.96% and 5.13%, taken from Minitab output), 60 min ischemia ((95% confidence interval for difference is between 0.87% and 3.56%) and 120 min ischemia (95% confidence interval for difference is between 2.13% and 5.30%). Fisher’s pairwise comparisons showed that the % water content in control group is less compared to 30 min ischemia (95% confidence interval for difference is between 2.38% and 4.72%, taken from Minitab output), 60 min ischemia ((95% confidence interval for difference is between 1.22% and 3.21%) and 120 min ischemia (95% confidence interval for difference is between 2.55% and 4.88%). Furthermore, the % water content in 60

TO BE OF USE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TO BE OF USE - Essay Example Praise has been showered for the courage and patience of those who are determined to carry forward the task, work with fortitude and eyes on their final objective. There are people who render their services for the mankind, without caring for the inclement weather, adverse circumstances like the farmers do, to produce the grains for all of us. There are those having patience of waiting for their turn, to comply with the law at the cost of their own discomfort, but working relentlessly for achieving the aims and objectives that they have set for themselves. These people, working in close coordination with others in a team spirit, take pride in helping others. They are always there when the fellow human beings need them or whenever the society asks for them. Marge Piercy has compared the consistent worker with a craftsman who diligently shapes the seemingly useless water soaked soil into beautifully pottery. These pots in many attractive shapes adorn our drawing halls, make way in museums, add colour to the grace of our homes and has the ability to hold a number of other costly items. An able and diligent worker also feels happy and contented in the fact that others around feel happy when they see the outcome of their work.

Human Resources Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resources - Research Paper Example The needs and demands of the working women differ from those of the male workers because of such issues. The implication of these issues of the working women upon the managers is to make specific policies for them so that the individualistic and collective needs of the working women are addressed and their productivity is maximized. One of the most fundamental challenges faced by the working women is the need to strike a balance between the work life and the personal life. According to the gender-based roles and responsibilities assigned to the women by the society and the culture, women have the added responsibility of managing their homes. Traditionally, men are expected to be the bread-earners for the families whereas women are expected to manage the money and take care of the family and the home. However, in the present age, as the cost of living has increased, more and more women feel intrinsically motivated and obliged to work to help their husbands in earning money, but they f ace the challenge of achieving this without compromising upon their fundamental responsibility of managing their homes and looking after their families. ... It so happens particularly in the conservative societies in which the society expects and obliges both men and women to consider their roles and responsibilities most important and superior to all other roles and responsibilities. In addition to these problems, the extreme sensitivity and delicacy of women is a negative factor as far as work is concerned. When something goes wrong at home, women workers remain preoccupied with the stress all day long which declines their efficiency and productivity in the workplace. It is hard for women workers to keep their personal life and work life separate. Likewise, when something bad happens at the workplace, e.g. insult from a senior or sexual harassment by a colleague, their personal life is also disturbed. In short, it is difficult for the women workers to balance their personal life and work life and the two also intertwine. While these problems overall declines the productivity of the women workers, they also make the women workers quite untrustworthy as they can break off any time. Women workers cannot be trusted to be permanent as they can leave the job at any time as a result of the pressure upon them by their families. Pregnancy is another big issue faced by the women workers as well as the managers. During pregnancy, women are recommended bed-rest and the pressure upon them by their families to leave work for the sake of work also increases. â€Å"In 2005, 4,449 pregnancy discrimination charges were filed with the commission or state and local employment agencies around the country. Half were related to unlawful dismissals either during a pregnancy or immediately after returning from maternity leave† (Paul). Pregnancy

Microregionalism and Economic Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Microregionalism and Economic Theory - Essay Example This according to Gamble & Payne (1996) form of regionalism is as a result of economic forces, finances and production. Globalization has been on the verge due to transnational economic relationships expanding the economy to a global capitalist division of production and labor. This form of regionalism has been due to business enterprises pursuing interests on the spatial scale of the region. The micro-regional firms are able to expand their markets such that they sell their commodities locally and around the region. This, according to Fawcett & Hurrell (1995) is because regionalization links well with globalization. The firms are able to learn from the competitors who are also in the system of regionalism. The governments are able to get economic interaction and collaboration leading to the expansion of their global market. Through this system, governments are able to exploit technology of other states and also exploit their capital. The process also helps the government to indulge in joint development of the resources available. This applies also to the industries according to Breslin & Hook (2002). Through micro regionalism, the government can solve the trans-boundary issues that arise in day to day activities. Consequently micro-regionalism is a tool for firms and the government to benefit from the comparative advantage of the regions which are

Movie Alice in wonderland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Movie Alice in wonderland - Essay Example Tim Burton’s portrayal of Underland is visually unique as is his point of view. Burton as director is essential to the overall look and feel of the film. This film grossed $319.3 million at the box office and DVD sales to date. The setting of the film at times is rather creepy. This Alice is unlike any others in the Alice and Wonderland films previously made. Alice is curious, but strong willed and not easily swayed into what she, eventually, does by the end of the film. Alice is visually stunning, but the portrayal by the actors is weak, the story itself is rather weak. For a fantasy film it works, little kids would enjoy this film, as well, but the action and adventure is just not something that Alice in Wonderland should have shown. For a fantasy film, I would need to see at least the following three criteria. First, it must be visually stunning, Star Wars saga falls here. Second, it must have strange and unique creatures to its world, e.g. Hobbit / Lord of the Rings movies. And third, there must be a quest which the lead character needs to complete, whether or not it is destined for him or his own altogether, Harry Potter saga. Alice in Wonderland is visually stunning. From the colorations of the wardrobe to the design of the characters themselves, Tim Burton has a knack for stunning visualization. And like Star Wars, which is visually stunning with a grimy feeling to it, Alice in Wonderland, with its gothic, dark feeling to it, still is quite visually stunning with the varied shapes of the settings, to the wardrobe and the make-up of each and every character in the story. The visuals of a boring party, even felt as though it were stuffy in the room as I watched this scene, to the many different place in Undeland (as Wonderland is called in this film) where the visuals change and your feelings to go along right with them.At one point in the film, shortly after Alice arrives in

Economic, political and technological factors that have turned China Assignment

Economic, political and technological factors that have turned China into a fast emerging economy - Assignment Example The rapid economic development has been made possible by large foreign direct investments, rise in productivity, political reforms and technological advancements (Lampton, 2008). Owing to these transformations, there has been a sharp rise in China’s economic growth, where national poverty figures moved from being more than 65 % to below 10 % within three decades, wherein nearly 500 million people were removed from below poverty level and the country managed to meet a majority of their Millennium Development Goals (World Bank, 2012, p. 4). While rate of growth varied across the country, the growth was sharp in almost all parts and the 31 provinces that came under mainland China (if considered to be independent economies) were seen as a part of the world’s 32 most rapidly growing economies (World Bank, 2012, p.4). Owing to the sharp economic growth, currently â€Å"2 of the world’s top 10 banks are now Chinese; 261 Chinese companies are on the Global Fortune 500 l ist; and China is home to the world’s second-largest highway network, the world’s 3 longest sea bridges, and 6 of the world’s 10 largest container ports. The country has also made large strides in health, education, science, and technology† (World Bank, 2012, p.4). Various factors lie behind China’s strong socio-economic growth, which includes various economic, political and technological factors. ... Rapid economic growth is evinced by a country’s economic figures, such as trade volumes, foreign reserves, higher gross domestic product (GDP), and GDP per capita. Thus, a fast emerging economic growth translates into increasing financial gains for foreign investors that in turn brings in more foreign investment into a country, which supports rapid economic growth. In order to attract more foreign investors, countries aim at framing effective macroeconomic policies that are open to global trade. Emerging Market Economies tend to be more open to global trade with business models that are export oriented, and these models later serve to variegate the products and services exported by the country. Economic experts contend that diversification and integration of national economy into the global economy help in decreasing after-effects of sharp fluctuations within global prices or economic crises, thus bringing stability for the country that in turn attracts more foreign investors (Williams, 2011). In the context of framing sound macroeconomic policies that influence wider aspects of a country’s economy, it can be suggested that effective policies help in stabilizing cash flows, which keep foreign investments safe. Sound macroeconomic policies include liberalisation of national banks, privatisation of public enterprises, and opening up of stock markets in order to give easy accessed to foreign investors, decrease in external debt and framing sound monetary and fiscal policies. Since the start of economic reforms during late 1970s, China has slowly turned into one of the fastest-emerging economies of the world. A look at China’s economy reveals that starting from

The Extinction of Baiji Essay Example for Free

The Extinction of Baiji Essay The Baiji, also known as the Chinese River Dolphin, are part of the family Plantanistiade, the river dolphin family. They had exsited in the Yangtze River in China for thousand of years. Nevertheless, the Baiji was recently declared extinct. The baiji’s demise can be attributed to over fishing, its lethal environment and the Great Leap Forward in China. Excessive and illegal fishing was a great threat to the baiji’s way of life. Electric fishing and the fishing method called â€Å"rolling hooks† were been banned in China. However, fishermen on the Yangtze River still use them out of convenience, and enforcement of the ban was difficult. The expert Zhou states, â€Å"This (electic) fishing method, in which an under waterdevice is used to stun aquatic animals, kills any organism induding what was once the dolphin’s prey.† 40 percent of Dolphins deaths were due to this kind of fishing annually (Gerg Ruland). In addition, rolling hooks, â€Å"long, braided lines with numerous sharp hooks are meant to catch fish, caused a number of baiji death.† As long as the baiji was caught by one of the hooks, it would struggle with more rolling hooks. Finally, the blood flew out of the baiji’s body, and it would die. (Requiem for a Freashwater Dolphin) . The environment in the Yangtze River, where the baiji had settled its habitat in, was fatal to the baiji. Traffic on the Yangtza River, which is the busiest in the world, damaged the audition of the baiji. Lovgren in his article states that, â€Å"The large-ship traffic on the Yangtze, one of the world’s busiest waterways, confounds the sonic wave that the nearly blind dolphin used to depend on to find food.† Moreover, the boats on the Yangtze attracted a number of the baiji to collide with propellers, since the propellers produced much of the sound wave and confused the baiji’s audition (Ruland). Another assignable cause that destroyed the baiji’s habitat was dams along the Yangtze River. Thes dams further destroyed the ecology of the river. And when the biggest dam, the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Dam in 1994, began to be constructed, this â€Å"wreaked havoc on the baiji’s remaining habitat. In 1997, only 13 baiji remained† (The Tragedy of the Yangtze River Dolphin). People take the big advantage of the valuable nature resources, living near by the Yangtze. However, because of the intemperate use, the baiji could not survive in the perishing environment and finally die. However, neither Chinese people nor the Chinese government kept the protection of the species in mind during the time period of the Great Leap Forward, which was the time to change China into a modern, industrialized communist society. The baiji’s population declined dramatically at the time. The baiji was denounced for their historical status, â€Å"Goddess of the Yangtze River† (Smith, et al). As a result people were encouraged to kill the baiji, since the story of this species was regarded as a part of superstition and feudalism. The baiji also killed for their white skin and flesh(Smith, et al) . It was encouraged for the contemporary to kill the baiji, since they treat baiji as their profit and the symbol of the bad traditional influence. In conclusion, the extinction of the baiji resulted from human activities. People who live near by the Yangtze improved their live depended on the destroying the baiji’s habitat and capturing the baiji. The tragedy of the baiji’s extinction came at a price while the living standard of people was promoted.

Leadership Essay Example for Free

Leadership Essay The importance in developing greatness and achieving success lies within the ability to carry out Level 5 leadership. It is evident that companies who are Level 5 leaders have prospered greatly and attained stock returns at least 3 times the markets (Collins, 2005). Taking this into consideration those companies who did not possess level 5 leaders were able to achieve success only for a period of time but failed to sustain it any longer than that. Humility and will are behaviours that make up the qualities of a level 5 leader and their importance lies in the fact that having this quality either can make or break a company. Over many years, out of a large number of companies that were researched, only a small number of them truly sustained their growth and this came down to whether or not the leaders of these Fortune 500 companies sat atop the hierarchy or whether they lacked the level 5 trait. There are also implications for todays management and the issue of whether executives need to plan for the future and weigh the costs against the benefits of certain projects. Workplace branding is also an important factor that needs to be taken into consideration by Level 5 leaders as they have huge potential to influence their organizations brand. Furthermore, level 5 leadership is an attribute that can be developed but is not for everyone. Analysis Leadership is a significant element in any business as without it, a business is doomed to fail right from the start. Having a strong leader can eliminate disputes and internal problems. A company must have internal strength before it can be strong enough to outperform the general market. Humility in a Level 5 Leader We can characterize a level 5 leader by many unique traits however, the two most important according to Jim Collins is humility and will. Collins depicts these leaders as modest and willful, shy and fearless (Collins, 2005). Jim Collins defines a level 5 leader as an executive in whom genuine personal humility blends with intense professional will (Collins, 2005). He describes a hierarchy where level 5 leaders sit on the top and exhibit these tendencies while working in professional frameworks supported by effective teamwork. Since a level 5 leader is said to have both humility and will, level 5 leaders exhibit a twofold quality, therefore, humility is positively acknowledged as a quality of successful leaders. Humility is a key aspect to level 5 leadership and those that emboss this quality often credit others, external factors, and good luck for their companies success (Collins, 2005). These types of leaders, when commenting on their company success will praise the employees for contributing their skills and efforts to its triumph and shy away from giving themselves attention. According to a report, a leader who has humility is unlikely to impose their own personal vision on others and is more likely to admit any flaw in their own vision (Lawrence, 2006). Instead of crediting themselves and their own efforts they exhibit a type of nature that allows them to recognize others. Leaders with humility dont seek success for their own gloryand theyre first to accept blame for mistakes (Mind Tools Ltd. , 2013). Level 5 leaders possess the seed (Collins, 2005) which is a quality that allows them to subjugate to something larger than themselves (Collins, 2005). This is a powerful virtue and one that sets those companys who succeed apart from those that fail. Those leaders that possess humility managed to transition their companies from good to great. We have seen in comparison companies that failed to do this, their downfall was their lack in humility. As a result, we can make the connection that humility is necessary to a companys success. A company is a network of people who work as a team and leaders that display humbleness towards their employees, by taking responsibility when things go wrong and recognizing the team for their hard work, will reach eminent success. Companies that exhibited this kind of behaviour included Kroger Co, Kimberly-Clark, and Gillette to name a few, while others such as AP, Scott Paper, and Bank of America were comprised of leaders that were self centered. It is evident that these types of leaders led their company to destruction especially during the 2007 to 2008 crisis. In this case and every other, humility matters [because] chaos could have been averted if appointment committees had recruited Level 5 leaders (Mind Tools Ltd. , 2013). Collins was able to change the worlds view about what makes a great leader which many thought was charisma and personality. The mistake most of these comparison companies made was believing that level 5 leaders gentle and shy nature would bring them down when in reality, those characteristics are what brought them to the top. Comparison company leaders felt that charisma and forwardness was the way to the top of the hierarchy however, they soon found out this was not the key to success. Other important characteristics that mold a level 5 leader is discipline, determination, and integrity. While most people believe that having an extreme personality is necessary, they fail to recognize that these traits are what makes up some peoples personalities, which is what makes them great leaders. Jim Collins emphasized Darwin Smith in this respect; a man with iron will (Collins, 2005) and one that never stopped having faith in the success of his company. There arises a compelling need for leadership in a business and this need stems from the desire to grow and achieve higher goals [which] never develops, (Martin, 1999) if there is no potent leader in place. Corporate Changes in Leadership As only 11 Fortune 500 companies flourished to greatness, the attributes each company possessed in similarities was Level 5 leadership. These 11 companies that made Collins list averaged returns 6. 9 times greater than the markets, (Collins, 2001) doubling the returns of their rivals. There have been many attempts to change a corporate vision by changing leadership however, setting a new direction has not shown anticipated results nor has articulating a fresh corporate vision (Collins, 2001). The mistake most companies have made is focusing more on the direction of the business rather than the people implementing the strategy. World leaders have sought to take advantage of this unique approach by having the right people on the management team and then divulging into the what question many have asked. Having a company comprised of the right people is the most important step because these types of people can adapt to changing circumstances rather than having to adapt the companys direction to match the teams vision. What leaders such as Darwin Smith did, was develop a hedgehog concept where they can simplify a complex world into a single, organizing idea (Collins, 2001) and take their company to new lengths. Kimberly-Clark Kimberly Clark, a paper company, was one of these that had remained successful after experiencing a change in leadership. With Darwin E. Smith in position to act as CEO, the company was transformed into the giant success that it is today. Initially, Kimberly-Clark was just like any other old paper company that was considered good but not great. All that changed when Darwin Smith became CEO in 1971. This man was credited with turning Kimberly-Clark into an innovative consumer products powerhouse (Anshuman, 2005). The first step to its transformation was the elimination of the Kimberly-Clark mills. Many people were skeptical about the move but Darwins determination allowed the company to overcome its rivals and beat the market. It was his strength and leadership that paved the way for its transformation. Anshuman mentions in his blog that Smith made sure his leadership team consisted of those people that met his standards and separated them from those who did not (2005, October 22). By building strength within the company first, Darwin was able to create strength externally as well, which gave the company an advantage and allowed it to expand geographically. Furthermore, Darwin pushed his efforts towards strengthening the companys position in the tissue segment of the paper industry (Anshuman, 2005). It was evident that these newly implemented strategies were thriving since stockholders experienced returns of 19. 6% annually (Anshuman, 2005) and it was his qualities of crediting others for the companys success that truly brought it to greatness. Before Darwin, Kimberly-Clarks CEO was headed in the wrong direction as its stock had fallen 36% behind the general market, (Collins, 2005) and this was no small number. The reason for this fall was because the companys leadership team was not focused on its main operations and the areas that would bring the company to greatness which in turn caused Kimberly-Clark to fall short. This downfall was brought by Kimberly-Clarks failure to keep up with early disposable diaper improvements and market innovations (Funding Universe, n. d. ). Clearly Smith had the right idea when he took the initiative to merge with Scott Paper. After its transformation, Kimberly Clark was generating stock returns 4. 1 times greater than the general markets (Collins, 2005). Kimberly-Clark became the leading consumer paper products company in the world, (Collins, 2005) outperforming not only the market but even other giant, well known, companies such as Hewlett-Packard, General Electric, and Coca-Cola. Kimberly-Clark was on Collins list because the company was able to sustain greatness after they had attained it for the first time. Smith succeeded in making Kimberly-Clark a great company and this was possible because he had the qualities of a level 5 leader. It is duly noted that transforming a company from good to great is not an easy task but those leaders holding this paradoxical combination of traits, (Collins, 2005) those of humility and professional will, have the ability to achieve this prominence. What Kimberly-Clarks team and other great companies did was not starting something new but essentially taking the action to stop doing something they have done for many years. To discontinue a main part of their business is what led them to become great. For Kimberly-Clark, that meant it would have to stop doing paper mills, (Collins, 2001) for other companies it may mean eliminating unnecessary or time consuming strategies. This company did not achieve success over night or by some miracle but through simplicity and diligence (Collins, 2001). Kroger Co Kroger Co, a grocery store chain, was normally seen as an average company or nothing out of the ordinary until it dramatically transformed and started racking up large returns. When it broke free of its mediocrity to beat the stock market by 4. 16 times, (Collins, 2001) it continued its rally and in a 15 year period Kroger outperformed the market by 10 times (Collins, 2001). Before this occurred however, Kroger was run by leaders that were less likely to succeed and turn the company around to sustainability. From the early years, Kroger was a successful company because its strategy emphasized customer wants and needs rather than the organizations itself, although for the first 80 years it was nothing more than average. However, a main reason for Krogers experienced growth lay in its acquisitions such as the one with Dillon Companies Inc. in 1983 which smoothed Krogers transition into [becoming] a coast-to-coast operator of food, drug and convenience stores (The Kroger Company, 2013). During the time of this acquisition, Lyle Everingham was CEO of Kroger and his leadership skills led the company to utilize extensive consumer research to focus on meeting customer needs first, rather than on what suited Kroger best, (Zwiebach, 2008) which is the vision Kroger initially set out in the beginning and proved to be successful. The acquisition with Dillon was not the most significant either but it was Krogers merger with Fred Meyer that developed the companys geographic culture as well as created the widest variety of formats in the foot retailing industry (The Kroger Company, 2013). This merger under the direction of the next CEO, Joseph A. Pichler, created a major buzz and resulted from his outward looking perspective. All of these leaders possessed the skills that allowed them to sustain the growth in the business which was seen in the many years Kroger beat the stock market. Following the years of average performance, the leaders from there on in all had something in common; they were all level 5 leaders who contributed their own efforts to continuing Krogers growth and from 1973 to 1998, Kroger outperform the market by 10 times (Collins, 2001). 1973 was Krogers turning point and leaders realized that the current model was going to continue demonstrating average performance so they took the initiative and began eliminating, changing or replacing every single one of its stores (Thill, 2003) to fit new certainties. The common link between these companies was their approach: a down-to-earth, pragmatic, committed-to-excellence process (Collins, 2001). In other words, this framework kept successful companies on the right path and molded them into their strong counterparts that were able to uphold their greatness. The changes in leadership that these companies experienced resulted in momentum change where this increase in energy encouraged them to keep going and carrying it on with greater velocity until exceptional results were produced.

Bilateral Investment Treaties: Breach of Treaty or Contract

Bilateral Investment Treaties: Breach of Treaty or Contract The face of international investment has changed radically thanks to the proliferation of BITs in the past decade. This has led to foreign investment disputes increasingly being resolved through dispute resolution procedure. But the increase in arbitration to resolve investment related disputes hasnt been successful in resolving some of the issues arising from BITs. Rather some of the recent decision in international investment has exposed some of the underlying problem between the theoretical aspect of the bit and the practical aspect[1]. One of the major issues creating a lot of controversy is related to interpreting that umbrella clause in different BITs[2] and the conflict between breach of treaty v breach of contract. This clause, found in most of the BITs requires that each contracting party must honour and observe all obligations that have been entered with the investor from the other contracting state. This clause basically helps the investor to raise a contractual claim unde r the domestic law to a treaty claim under the BITs. According to Jarrod Wong the application of such clause results in the international arbitration tribunal constituted under the BIT (the BIT tribunal) to take jurisdiction over breach-of-contract claims since the umbrella clause raises the breach of contract to a treaty level breach which automatically gives jurisdiction to the tribunal[3]. To put it in the simplest way, it means that the investor can now ask the international investment tribunal to redress the breach of the investment contact by elevating it to the status of breach of the investment treat by way of international arbitration. Vivendi[4], SGS v. Pakistan[5], and SGS v. Philippines[6] are the three cases decided by International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) tribunal that have fuelled the controversy relating to umbrella clause[7] and additionally have discussed the relationship between a breach of contract and breach of treaty.   The above cases have shown how international arbitrators are inconsistent in their approach towards interpreting the umbrella clause in the governing BITs. This has led to a conflict on how the two-principal aspect of international investment practice work in consonance with each other. The two-principal aspect constitute of investment contract which is validated by the hosts states domestic law and the international investment agreement which are mostly the BITs[8]. If this underlying uncertainty isnt resolved soon, then the growth and favourability of international investment stands threatened.[9] Since overlaps between contract and treaty claims ar e expected to arise with increased frequency in the interim period (as a result of the ever-increasing scope of BIT coverage)[10]. This essay will first analyse the relationship between a contractual claim and treaty claim when both arise from same set of facts (a single action of the host state giving rise to the breach). The analysis will be done by discussing how different tribunal have assisted in developing this jurisprudence as it stands today and if there are any fault and changes required in the jurisprudence. The second part of the essay will deal the umbrella clause jurisprudence by focusing and dissecting the decision and reasoning of the tribunal in the SGS decision that have shaped the concept as it is today. At the end the conclusion will involve the analysis and recommendation relating to the jurisprudence discussed below and will also provide an analysis of the decisions that will be referred to. The parties in an investment transaction receive their substantive and procedural rights from the combination of different norm starting from the investment contract itself that is entered between the foreign investor and the local government which gives rise to private right and obligation. Then there is the domestic law of the host state that govern and protects the substantial rights and obligation of the party. These domestic laws fill in the normative gaps that arise in the contract, those domestic laws are mostly in the form of tax laws, environmental law et al. Domestic laws create substantive and procedural right and obligation in addition to those undertaken through the contract. Finally, Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and Multilateral Investment Treaties (MITs) also govern many international foreign investments that required the host state to adhere to obligation by a fixed set of international law. A combination of the above norms provides for a suitable investment e nvironment for the foreign investor protecting and guaranteeing a return on the investment made.[11] The above set of norm give rise to different rights and there is claim under all the three set of norm and at time those claims can arise from a single set of facts. All the three norms work simultaneously to protect and observe all the right and obligation of the parties. As all the norm work together at times both contractual and treat claims can come from a single set of facts, that fact being the act of the government which can breach the investment contract and the investment treaty at the same time. The question that arises here is that if single set of facts gives rise to both treaty and contractual claims then will the tribunal have jurisdiction or will the court have jurisdiction over the dispute? This jurisprudence stands clarified that the tribunal will have jurisdiction over the treaty claims and the local court or arbitrator will have jurisdiction over contractual claims by international tribunal time and again, the most recent being the famous SGS decisions and it was first dealt with by the Lanco v Argentina[12] Tribunal. This ICSID jurisprudence established in Lanco[13] was based on the forum selection clause contained in the concession agreement which was in favour of domestic courts in Argentina. Argentina argued that because of the clause the tribunal has no jurisdiction over treaty claims as the consent in the contract by way of the forum selection clause over rides the general consent given in the BIT for ICSID arbitration. The tribunal however rejected the argument stating that United States-Argentina BIT allows the investor to submit the dispute to ICSID for treaty based claims and the consent is an expressed consent and cannot in any case be overridden by the consent given in the contract.[14] The Annulment Committee in the Vivendi case affirmed the Vivindi Tribunals decision on the issue relating to forum selection clause which was in line with the Lanco decision. The tribunal basically stated that the ICSID tribunal will never be deprived of jurisdiction over a treaty claim, including the case of treaty claims arising out of the contract even when there is a forum selection clause in the contract.[15] The tribunal in the Vivindi[16] case stated that in no way the forum selection clause would be: deemed to prevent the investor from proceeding under the ICSID Convention against the Argentine Republic on a claim charging the Argentine Republic with a violation of the Argentine-French BIT.[17] The forum selection clause was again a point of contention between the parties in both the SGS dispute and the tribunals decisions was in line with the prior jurisprudence. While discussing the SGS decisions one important point that is mostly not noted is that in both the disputes the tribunal asserted jurisdiction over the treaty claim which arose directly from the investment agreement. This cemented the ICSID jurisprudence that was established in earlier cases, both treaty claims and contractual claims can arise from the same set of facts. It can also be stated that, notwithstanding any forum selection clause, in a matter of treaty violation an international tribunal will always have jurisdiction over the treaty based claim. The tribunal in SGS v Pakistan cited the Vivindi annulment decision where the committee stated: [W] here the fundamental basis of the claim is a treaty laying down an independent standard by which the conduct of the parties is to be judged, the existence of an exclusive jurisdiction clause in a contract between the claimant and the respondent state cannot operate as a bar to the application of the treaty standard. At most, it might be relevant-as municipal law will often be relevant-in assessing whether there has been a breach of the treaty.[18] The tribunal also particularly stated that it will deal with the violation related to the treaty only and there will be no jurisdictional overlap with the PSI arbitrator as the PSI arbitrator will be dealing with contractual violation even though both the dispute arise from the same set of facts.[19] It must also be noted that the tribunal in SGS v Philippines also had to deal with similar type of forum selection clause and its decision was again in line with earlier jurisprudence. The SGS tribunals were consistent in their decision on forum selection clause in an underlying contract and also followed the jurisprudence that was established. The effect is that once treaty based claims are found and framed then the treaty based tribunal have the power to adjudicate them and no other forum selection clause can abridge that right. This authority will in no condition be abdicated on the reason that they claim are linked or arise from claims related to contracts. No forum selection clause in an underlying contract or a parallel proceeding relating to the claims can rob or stop the treaty based tribunal from deciding the treaty based claim as clear differentiation can be established between treaty based claims and contractual claims even if they arise from the same set of facts. We saw that there is a clear differentiation between a tribunal asserting jurisdiction on treaty claims when the dispute arises from the same set of fact related to an underlying investment contract. But the umbrella clause aims to do just the opposite by equating contract breaches with treaty breaches. SGS v Pakistan was the first case to deal with the umbrella clause in its practical aspect back in 2003 and then this question was again dealt with by SGS v Philippines. While trying to deal with the question of umbrella clause the SGS decisions left us with conflicting and confusing interpretation of the umbrella clause. The confusion can be attributed to how the SGS decisions lie on the opposite end of the spectrum, while SGS v. Pakistan determined that the BIT tribunal does not have any jurisdiction over contractual claims on the ground (that umbrella clause is very wide in its scope and there was no intention to cover contractual dispute), conversely SGS v. Philippines held that a BIT tribunal in fact has such jurisdiction (as the umbrella clause is to be applied as it is) but still held that it should not exercise this jurisdiction where the investment agreement contains an exclusive forum selection clause designating a specific but different forum from BIT tribunal for resolving disputes arising under the contract. The United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations has stated that the presence of an umbrella clause in a treaty: makes the respect of such contracts [between the host State and the investor] an obligation under the treaty. Thus, the breach of such a contract by the host State would engage its responsibility under the agreement and-unless direct dispute settlement procedures come into play-entitle the home State to exercise diplomatic protection of the investor.[20] The inclusion of umbrella clause has widened the definition of a arbitrable dispute and over the time tribunal have found and concluded that jurisdiction of a tribunal is no more restricted to claims of violation of substantive provision of BIT.[21] It may be noted that the clauses in BITs are not yet tested as they have been drafted keeping in mind the future requirement for an favourable investment and they are put to test only when any dispute arises and they are placed before an arbitral tribunal. Two of the recent decision relates to the interpretation of the umbrella clause discussed below shows what challenges can the umbrella clause being with them. The SGS Reasonings The SGS decision are the two most recent and important decision on umbrella clause. While SGS v Pakistan took a very restrictive approach in interpreting the clause over contractual claims, SGS v Philippines made a broad interpretation of the umbrella clause by covering both treaty claims and contractual claims. SGS v Pakistan was faced with an umbrella clause, which according to the tribunal was very broad in its scope. The tribunal went on to state that the clause is so broad that it cant be construed to cover contractual claims (compromissory clause article 9 of BIT only intended to cover treaty claims not contractual claims)[22].   The tribunal also found that the umbrella clause in article 11 of the BIT did not transfer SGS contractual claims in to BIT claim. The tribunal stated that a straight forward reading and literal interpretation of the clause encompasses the contractual claims, but the tribunal was concerned that it will convert every contractual claim into a breach of BIT claim and would open a floodgate of cases.[23] The tribunal was very explicit in stating that they dont intent the clause to be so wide in its scope and assumed that the parties also never intended to do so. Giving effect to the clause would be exceeding what the contracting parties intended and the tri bunal is willing to accept.[24] So eventually the tribunal took jurisdiction over treaty claim only and allowed to PSI arbitrator to resolve the contractual disputes. SGS v Philippines was faced with the decision of the earlier SGS v Pakistan tribunal which came before some months only. The tribunal felt that the SGS v Pakistan tribunal didnt give the full and proper effect to the umbrella clause stating that the clause doesnt change the applicable   law on the contract from Philippines law to international.[25] The applicable law remains the domestic law only, the umbrella clause makes sure that the host state honours the obligation it has undertaken under the contract in effect, the clause help to secure the performance of the contract obligation by the host state in relation to international investment protection law.[26] Surprisingly after giving a broad interpretation to the clause the tribunal suspended the proceedings asking the claimant to get the judgement from the domestic court first and then come back to the tribunal if the claimant finds that the judgment is unsatisfactory or the host state doesnt comply with the judgment. The tribunal felt that they have jurisdiction over the dispute, but it is not yet admissible as there is another forum selection clause closer to the contract and if that fail then the tribunal can take jurisdiction.[27] Basically, speaking the tribunal stated that they have jurisdiction over the matter but it will become admission when the forum selection clause doesnt provide justice it will be admissible as it will get elevated to treat violation under the doctrine of denial of justice under international law.[28] Its clear by now that both tribunals decided not to decide on the contractual claim. As Thomas W Walde states, this happened because both the tribunal feared that it will open a floodgate. The SGS v Pakistan was much sincere and clearly vocal about the fear whereas the SGS v Philippines tribunal wrapped it in a more technical consideration.[29] In the end, we can see that both the SGS decision have left the concept of Umbrella clause on a very uneven ground by reaching at two different conclusions. In my opinion an umbrella clause provides much more confidence than a forum selection clause. The reason umbrella clause is preferred because it provides for the disputes to be resolved by a neutral tribunal as both the parties have equal say in the selection and appointment of the tribunals. whereas the forum selection clause requires that the dispute be resolved by a domestic court where the host state has an interest. This doesnt help to instil any confidence of the foreign investor in the domestic forum.[30] The SGS v Pakistan tribunal didnt take into consideration the entire jurisprudence of international law, had it vested far enough it would have realised that the jurisprudence states that contracts of aliens with a government are protected under international law, but only if there are not merely commercial, but have an e lement of governmental powers and prerogative.[31] The intention and aim of investment treaty are not to cover and protect normal commercial functions but rather the action of the government which may seem business like but are sovereign in nature. Had the tribunal delved and concentrated on this core aspect of international investment law it would have realised that the PSI contract involves the power of government (matter related to custom and revenue are the sovereign function of government and PSI agreement was a contract relating to the sovereign action of the Pakistan government) and it would have been able to assert jurisdiction without opening any floodgates. In my opinion when there is an umbrella clause, the parties should go ahead to give effect to the clause, however wide it is. The jurisprudence behind the umbrella clause is to give it a broad interpretation by literally reading it the way it is written. Further, if the argument given in the decision are carried to the extreme, it would invalidate not just the umbrella clause, but all BIT provisions. Conversely the host state should be the one to take the first step to allow the umbrella to take effect and raise the contract claim to treaty claim. Although this step would benefit both the parties, but the host state stands to gain from this action rather than loosing anything. My analogy is based on the assumptions that such an action would be beneficial to the host state, as it will be seen as a positive and pro-investment stance by other investors. The host state stand to benefit by way of a more hospitable, more attractive environment for foreign investment by the adoption of the BIT provisions such as clause like umbrella clause (also forum section clause). Another issue that arises is, reengaging with the clause of the BIT after the investment and that too after a claim has arisen, creates uncertainty in the global marketplace and this may will result in investor losing confidence in the host effecting loss of investment opportunity. In my conclusion, I complete agree with what Jarrod wong states, the language, history and purpose of umbrella clause dictates one reasonable interpretation that it applies to investment contracts without any exception and hence it should be enforced in case of any dispute in accordance with the partys agreement.[32] Moreover, a foreign investor enters an investment agreement with the host by drawing confidence from the BIT and its clauses should be applied as it is until and unless it is blatantly against any concept of international law. Some recent cases have tried to deal with the interpretation of the umbrella clause. while some went for the decision went for Broad, Unconditional Plain Meaning of the clause like SGS v. Paraguay[33] and EDF v. Argentina[34]. Those cases stuck to the concept that there should be a plain meaning buy some of them went for conditional plan meaning but none of the tribunal went ahead to clarify the confusion created by the SGS decision. We are slowly seeing a trend in the practice but far from reaching a conclusive finality. So, the present requirement is for ICSID to clarify on the umbrella issue that has cropped up because of the SGS decisions and the interpretation of the clause should be broad and literal as the jurisprudence related to the umbrella clause suggests. [1] Yuval Shany, Contract Claims Vs. Treaty Claims: Mapping Conflicts Between Icsid Decisions On Multisourced Investment Claims, The American Journal of International Law, American Society of International LawVol. 99, No. 4 (Oct., 2005), pp. 835-851 [2] Jarrod Wong, Umbrella Clauses in Bilateral Investment Treaties: Of Breaches of Contract, Treaty Violations, and the Divide between Developing and Developed Countries in Foreign Investment Disputes, 14 Geo. Mason L. Rev. 135 (2006). [3] ibid [4] Compania de Aquas del Aconquija, S.A. v. Argentina, Decision on Annulment, ICSID No. ARB/97/3, 41 ILM 1135, 1154 (2002). [5] SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A. v. Pakistan, Decision on Jurisdiction, ICSID No. ARB/01/13 (Aug. 6, 2003), 18 ICSID REV. 301 (2003), 42 ILM 1290 (2003) [6] SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A. v. Philippines, Decision on Jurisdiction, ICSID No. ARB/02/6 (Jan. 29, 2004) [7] Shany, (n1) [8] ibid [9] Cf Kalypso Nicolaidis Joyce L. Tong, Diversity or Cacophony? The Continuing Debate over New Sources of International Law, 25 MICH.J. INTL L. 1349, 1351 (2004) [10] Shany, (n1) [11] Ibid., pp. 835-851 [12] Lanco International Inc. v. the Argentine Republic (hereinafter Lanco), ICSID Case No. ARB/97/6, Preliminary Decision: Jurisdiction of the Arbitral Tribunal, 8 December 1998, 40 I.L.M. 457, 2001 [13] Ibid. [14] ibid., at para. 31. [15] Compania de Aguas del Aconquija S.A. and Vivendi Universal v. Argentine Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/97/3, Decision on Annulment of 3 July 2002, 41 I.L.M. 1135, 2002, at para. 50. [16] ibid [17] ibid., at para. 54 [18] ibid., at para. 140 [19] SGS v Pakistan (n 5) at para 186 187 [20] United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, Bilateral Investment Treaties, UNCTC, 1988, at 39. [21] Christoph Schreuer, Travelling the BIT Route: of waiting periods, umbrella clause and Fork in the road, 5 J.W.I.T 2, 231 (2004) [22] ibid [23] Stanimir a alexandrov, Breaches of Contract and Breaches of Treaty: The Jurisdiction of Treaty-based Arbitration Tribunals to Decide Breach of Contract Claims in SGs v Pakistan and SGs v Philippines [2004] 5 J. World Investment Trade 55 [24] Emmanuel Gaillard, Investment Treaty Arbitration and Jurisdiction Over Contract Claims- the SGS Cases Considered in International Investment Law and Arbitration: Leading cases from the ICSID, NAFTA, Bilateral Treaties and Customary International Law, Tod Weiler Editor (2005).257, 2004, at 271-272 [25] alexandrov, (n 23) [26] SGS v Philippine (n 6) at para 126 [27] Stephen Schwebel, International Protection of Contractual Agreements (1959) A.S.I.L. Proc. 273 [28] ibid [29] Thomas W. Wà ¤lde, The Umbrella (or Sanctity of Contract/Pacta sunt Servanda) Clause in Investment Arbitration: A Comment on Original Intentions and Recent [2004] 1(4) TDM   1 [30] Wong, (n 2) [31] Schwebel, (n 24) [32] Wong, (n 2) [33] Socià ©tà © Gà ©nà ©rale de Surveillance S.A. v. Republic of the Philippines, ICSID Case No. ARB/02/6 [34] EDF International S.A., SAUR International S.A. and Leon Participaciones Argentinas S.A. v. Argentine Republic, ICSID Case No. ARB/03/23 Cocaine Addiction: History, Effects and Symptoms Cocaine Addiction: History, Effects and Symptoms Cocaine Addiction An Overview of Cocaine Addiction What is Cocaine? Cocaine is a stimulant drug that produces a greater effect of ‘high’ than other drugs such as methamphetamine. It comes in a form of white powder or crystal form with a bitter numbing taste. In general, the powder form is mixed with other materials such as talcum powder, icing sugar, cornstarch or other drugs such as amphetamine or procaine. Cocaine is derived from coca leaves, then processed into cocaine hydrochloride to produce the base of the drug which is develop into two forms recognized as crack and freebase. White crack typically comes in the shape of crystals varies in color from creamy or white to a transparent color with a yellow or pink tinge whereas freebase is the white crystalline powder form. Cocaine generally snorted through the nasal tissues hence absorbed into the bloodstream. Some people also rub the drug at their gums and swallowing it. Ways of ingesting it depends on the preference of the users, some want a rapid high sensation would inject it or inh ale it as a vapor or smoke. Cocaine is widely known by many names that includes pepsi, coke, crack, Charlie, base, sugar block and rock. Brief History Cocaine was once misclassified as a narcotic drug that depresses the nervous system. It is a powerful stimulant and indigenous natives chewed the coca leaves for boosts of energy. The natives believed it was given by the God and reserves the coca’s pleasure for royalties and high priests. In overtime, the coca leaves were spread to the common people. In 1860, the secret of the coca leaves caught the attention of a pharmaceutical company located in Germany. In the facility, the ancient coca leaf collided with modern chemistry and the drug’s active ingredients are isolated from coca’s chemical properties by chemist, Albert Niemann. After the chemical isolation, a crystal substance is formed and it was named Cocaine which derives from â€Å"coca† and the alkaloid suffix â€Å"-ine†. Niemann stripped the leaves of its mono rating substances and unknowingly created the world’s most addictive drug. How it is used? There are four common ways of ingesting cocaine which are oral, intravenous, intranasal and inhalation. In other street terms it is called chewing, injecting or mainlining, snorting and smoking. Intravenous use is a method of using a hypodermic needle to inject cocaine directly into the bloodstream causing instant intense effect to the user. Whereas intranasal administration is the process of snorting powdered cocaine through the external opening of the nose. Smoking cocaine requires breathing in the smoke or vapor of a burning cocaine into the lungs where the effects are sucked up into the bloodstream to create instantaneous euphoric high as such injecting cocaine. Users should be aware that there are absolute no safe way of using cocaine as the listed methods of using the drug result in absorption of toxic amounts of cocaine, cerebrovascular emergencies, acute cardiovascular and seizures that can to sudden death. Effects on the brain Cocaine activates norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that stimulates movements, excitement and feelings of pleasure. Normally, when you get excited, startle, and frighten the brain makes you react in order to get out from harm’s way. Cocaine works in the similar way in the brain automatically without you needing it to occur. This addictive drug is a powerful central nervous system stimulant that stimulates the growth of neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain which is responsible to regulate movement and pleasure. Generally, dopamine is freed by neurons in response to potential rewards and reprocess back into the cell that freed it and eventually shutting off signals in linked with neurons. Cocaine stops the dopamine from being reused thus leading to excessive number of dopamine to develop in the synapse. This process causes amplification of the dopamine signals and eventually disrupts standard brain communication. The overflow of dopamine is the main cause of cr eating the cocaine’s euphoric high. Constant heavy usage of the cocaine can cause permanent long-term modification of the brain’s reward system and also other systems of the brain. Effects on the lungs Smoking cocaine is the main contribution to the majority lung and breathing complications. Users smoke crack, freebase or paste by using water pipes, glass pipes or cigarettes, heated using matches or butane lighters. Residue from the cocaine contaminants, matches, tars and additives as such marijuana usually causes chronic coughing, bronchitis, and coughing black phlegm thus leading to multiple chest pain and shortness of breath. The practice of breath holding and deep inhalation technique maximizes the volume of cocaine inhaled and the absorption and can cause collapsing of the lung. At times, users often express sharp pains in the chest area due to deep breathing, neck pain, painful swallowing and buildup of air under the skin located at the neck area called subcutaneous emphysema, which has a feature of crackling touch sensation similar to Rice Krispies cereal. In addition, smoking cocaine can also cause pulmonary edema, a condition of the lung being filled with fluids that can c ause severe shortness in breath, respiratory failure and later death. Effects on the heart Cocaine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system that is mainly responsible for the fight response function which is controlled mostly by epinephrine or adrenaline. Increased of heart rates, high blood pressure and narrowing of blood vessels are the effects of using cocaine. Other type of cardiovascular complications that are caused by cocaine include rapid heart rate and abnormal heart rhythms known as cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a disease that weakens the walls of the aorta and causes aortic dissection and rupture of the heart muscle. Repeated use of cocaine can also cause narrowing in the arteries of the heart that can lead to the decrease of blood flow in the heart organ thus causing symptoms of angina, where heart muscles are deprived of oxygen-rich blood that usually cause death of heart tissues and heart attack. In addition, cocaine is also responsible for subsequent narrowing and accelerated hardening of the coronary arteries of the heart which results in heart attacks and cardiac deaths among users from the age of 19 to 44 years of age. Signs of Cocaine Abuse Addiction Cocaine is a drug that is highly addictive and interferes how the brain processes chemicals responsible for the feelings of pleasure. Users who are addicted to cocaine will lose control over the usage of the drug. Strong urges of need for the drug emerge from time to time although most users know the consequences after taking it. Here are some signs of cocaine addiction: Mood Swings The drug cocaine causes addicts to â€Å"crash† when they decide to quit. The term crash refers to moments where the addict’s mood swings changes rapidly from high to distress which causes addicts to continue taking it in order to feel normal. Excess of using the drug may lead to addiction. Withdrawal symptoms Addicts who are addicted to cocaine may show withdrawal symptoms of the drug. Withdrawal symptoms may include hunger, depression, suicidal thoughts, intense cravings, extended sleep or restless sleep, irritability and exhaustion. Abusing cocaine will seem the easy way out to not experience any withdrawal symptoms thus bringing the addict back to relapsing the drug. Change in Behavior If an addict abuses cocaine, their behavior will dramatically change after using the drug. The addict may seem happy or excited and acts more confidently to display an enthusiastic sense of well-being. Addicts also may appear talkative than usual, sexually excited, energy levels increased and loss of food appetite. Eye Changes The most obvious signs of abusing cocaine is the addict’s eyes. The pupil of their eyes are dilated and overly sensitive to light. The pupil is the black part in the eye and usually will constrict when there is light shone into it and get bigger when the presence of light is gone. Cocaine causes the addict’s pupils to dilate or get bigger than its usual size. Nasal Effect Other signs of cocaine addiction include nasal effects. Cocaine addicts usually have runny noses and nose bleed after prolonged use of the drug. Cocaine is heavily snorted through the nasal passages resulting narrowing in blood vessels which can cause blood pressure to increase and decrease in blood flow to the nasal cavity tissues. Without the right amount of blood supply to the nasal cavity tissues, the normal function of the nose may undergo massive damages such as loss of sense of smell and overall health may also be affected. Family members and loved ones should also be on the look-out for traces of white colored powder around the addict’s nose as an indication of cocaine abuse. Skin Effect Another sign of cocaine abuse is scratching of the skin. Cocaine users typically experience irritating crawling feelings under the skin. This crawling feeling is known as ‘snow bugs’ or ‘cocaine bugs’. Addicts describe the feeling of cocaine bugs as burning, itching, biting and creeping. Some addicts will tend to always scratch their skin until it bleeds to ease the irritation. Keep an eye for small bleeding wounds and formation of scabs on your loved ones to identify the abuse of cocaine. Over-Heating Regular cocaine addicts will always find themselves sweating excessively due to dramatic increase of the body temperature. Addicts may also hallucinate and feel agitated, confused and paranoid easily. Family members should notice behaviors of their loved ones such as constant pulling off their clothes or tries to cool down the body with cold showers, wandering the streets without reasons and violent behaviors as signs of cocaine addiction. Treating Cocaine Addiction Without proper treatment, cocaine addiction and abuse can lead to destructive injuries and irreversible harm. In due course, similar to other substance addiction it will cause overdose, accidents, chronic health issues and death. At Solace Sabah, we offer the latest drug recovery program that incorporates cutting edge psychotherapies, modern medicines, committed aftercare, family integration and customized treatment plans. Every client will be provided with thorough and effective care for even the worst possible case of drug addiction. If you find your loved one is relying highly on cocaine and powerless to stop using the drug, treatment and immediate intervention are their best option for a chance to live a healthy life again. Contact us today at Solace Sabah to gain an understanding on how our in-depth addiction treatment program can help your loved ones to start the recovery journey.

Into the Wild: Searching :: Into the Wild Essays

Into the Wild:   Searching  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Chris McCandless, the main character of Into the Wild, is searching for his true self.   His numerous tests of both his physical and mental abilities are proof of his determination.   He felt affected in his families presence so went on a road trip.   He was criticized by many for this, but who could stop him from discovering who he is.   It is clear from the novel that Chris’ relationship with his parents is not good.   He refuses gifts from them and then disappears.   He had instructed his family that he was not interested in giving or receiving gifts.   When his father offered to buy him a new car he became enraged.   He had a car and couldn’t understand why his father would buy him a new one.   Chris took the money that his family had left him for college and donated it to Oxfam which gives food to the hungry.   This is ironic because Chris eventually died from starvation.   Many people criticize McCandless for not keeping in touch with his par ents and family.   Chris was 22 years old.   He did not have to tell his parents anything.   He was doing what he wanted, not what other people wanted him to do and he was happy.   They call him selfish for disregarding his parents’ feelings.   McCandless was living his life for himself.   He wanted to be happy and it happened to upset his parents.   Wanting your own happiness is not selfish it is your right.   I don’t think that McCandless was trying to upset his family, he was just trying to make himself happy by doing what he wanted to do. One of the reasons that I believe McCandless did not keep in contact with his parents while he kept in touch with those he met along the way is because he was afraid of disapproval.   His parents had never been to find of his â€Å"adventures† so he didn’t want to hear them voice their disapproval.   The people he met along the way may not have approved of his travels but they weren’t going to tell him not to do it.   McCandless needed these people.   He needed approval, because in his mind that gave him the ok to go ahead.

Baroque Art in Europe and North America Essays -- essays research pape

Baroque Art in Europe and North America   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout this research paper the topic is going to be along the lines of the Baroque Art in Europe and North America, which comes from chapter nineteen of our Art History book. The main purpose is to review major ideas and principles in this chapter by writing an analysis of certain points that were highlighted. For example, certain techniques that were used to define the Baroque Art, major sculptures, architectures, and paintings, and also just some general background information about this time period. I decided to write on this subject because when reading the chapters, the Baroque period seemed to catch my attention the most due to the amazing architecture that was built during this time. The Baroque period is understood to be around the time frame of the 1600 to about 1750’s and was greatly supported by the Catholic Church and also by the Popes during this time. According to the History and Appreciation of Art, †The term Baroque is from the Portuguese barroco, which means a ‘misshapen pearl’ and the Baroque was the final phase of the Renaissance or an era distinct from both the Renaissance and the modern era†(History and Appreciation of Art). Baroque is a word that is considered to be a style that emerged in Europe in the late sixteenth century and that last approximately into the eighteenth century. â€Å"Baroque, as a formal style, is characterized by open compositions in which elements are placed or seem to move diagonally in space† (Stokstad pg. 721). Baroque art and for that matter seventeenth century art was known to be more of naturalistic form and used very strong movements of lighting in their paintings, sculptures, and architectures. For instance, â€Å"... Baroque is dynamic with tension between naturalism and classicism. Baroque has very dramatic lighting with strong artificial light and dark. Strong movement exists in the paintings and architecture, both real and unreal† (History and Appreciation of Art). According to our book in regards to the Baroque period taking a naturalistic form, â€Å"The desire for realism was inspired in part by the growing interest in the natural sciences: Biological sciences added to the artists’ knowledge of human and animal anatomy and botany; physics and astronomy changed their concept of space and light† (Stokstad pg.722).   Ã‚  Ã‚  &nbs... ...’. And also the sculptures during Baroque period in Italy and France were tied into the building of the architectures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the Baroque art in Europe and North America was a time of growth for many of the countries in these areas. We have seen many developments such as the great architecture, sculptures, and paintings that were produced by many artists’. Also, one of the more informative issues that were not known by me and probably many others were the clever was to produce paintings. During this research and analysis of this chapter of the Baroque arts, I certainly have found more insight on the arts of the sixteenth century in Europe and North America. Works Cited Andersen, Liselotte. Baroque and Rococo Art. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harry N. Abrams, INC, 1969. Bazin, Germain. Baroque and Rococo Art. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frederick A. Praeger, INC, 1964. â€Å"History and Appreciation of Art†. (Online)Available http://dl.ccc.cccd.edu/classes/internet/art101/module6 .htm#top, March 27, 2005. Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. New Jersey:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pearson Education, INC, 2005.

Women Essay examples -- Gender Roles, Inequalities Between Men and Wom

Through the involvement of government legislature and the evolving demeanor of today’s society, inequalities between men and women in the workplace have dwindled to an all time low. However, while it is inevitable that progress continues, the struggle remains for women to gain the full equality they deserve. Many individuals are in error, believing that the war against gender discrimination has come to a victorious halt, however, this is not the case. It is essential to constitute the degree of validity, or ambiguity concerning the pervasive affirmations of a decrease in discrimination against women in the work force. Women endure a constant struggle as they fight to acquire, in all aspects, equality at work. Female news anchor certainly partake in this particular struggle. The road to news anchoring is an imperious one; survival is seldom and flourishing in the profession is less than common. As of today, the numbers of women who succeed as anchors is deficient due to the in conspicuous discrimination that hinders women’s progress in the profession. There exists a plethora of men who have succeeded in the alluring yet demanding occupation of news anchoring, however, women, on the other hand, are avidly awaiting not only progress, but prosperity. heir lack of ascendancy continues to be impeded by the strict standards for beauty set for women in the industry, contrasted by the looser requirements expected of men. To succeed as newscasters women must surpass men in all aspects, their work ethic must be more efficient, their appearance must be flawless and they must go beyond their limits, testing their capabilities. While critical steps have been taken by women in televised broadcasting, equality is remote since men are a domina... ... has been demonstrated that women are more than willing to confront these situation in order to succeed as anchorwomen. Though there is much progress to be made before equality among men and women on the news desk is attained, women continue to stand firmly on their views concerning discrimination and don’t go down without a fight. The incompetence society deems of women as news anchors is unjust; women are more than qualified and their potential to thrive is beyond what one can imagine. Though the role physical appearance plays among male and female news anchors is a crucial one, especially for women, it should not interfere with a woman’s professional progress. Discrimination severely limits a woman’s advancement in their profession, which is greatly unjust; opportunities to ascend should be given to all and anything that inhibits this should be terminated.

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 17

I need to call my mom,† Hannah said. Thierry nodded. â€Å"But maybe wait until she's up. It's not dawn yet.† They were at Thierry's house, in the elegant bedroom with the softly burnished gold walls. The window had just begun to turn gray. It was so good to rest, to let go of tension, to feel her battered body relax. It was so good to be alive. She felt as if she'd been reborn and was looking at the world with wide new eyes. Even the smallest comforts-a hot drink, a fire in the fireplace-were immeasurably precious. And it was good to be with Thierry. He was sitting on the bed, holding her hand, watching her as if he couldn't believe she was real. The healer had come and gone, and now it was just the two of them. They sat together quietly, not needing words. They looked into each other's eyes, and then they were reaching for each other, holding each other. Resting like weary travelers in each other's arms. Hannah leaned her forehead against Thierry's lips. It's over, she thought. I was right when I told Paul the apocalypse was coming-but it's over now. Thierry stirred, kissing the hair on her forehead. Then he spoke, not out loud but with his mental voice. As soon as Hannah heard it, she knew he was trying to say something serious and important. You know, you came very close to becoming a vampire. You ‘re going to be sick for a few days while your body shifts back to human. Hannah nodded without pulling away to look at him. The healer had told her all that. She sensed that there was something more Thierry wanted to say. And†¦ well, you still have a choice, you know. There was a silence. Then Hannah did pull away to look at him. â€Å"What do you mean?† He took a deep breath, then said out loud, â€Å"I mean, you can still choose to be a vampire. You're right on the edge. If you want, we can make you change over.† Hannah took a long breath of her own. She hadn't thought about this-but she was thinking now. As a vampire, she'd be immortal; she could stay with Thierry continuously for who knew how many thousands of years? She would be stronger than a human, faster, telepathic. And perfect physically. Involuntarily, her hand went to her left cheek, to her birthmark. The doctors couldn't take it away. But becoming a vampire would. She looked directly at Thierry. â€Å"Is that what you want? For me to become a vampire?† He was looking at her cheek, too. Then he met her eyes. â€Å"I want what you want. I want you to be happy. Nothing else matters to me.† Hannah took her hand away. â€Å"Then,† she said very softly, â€Å"if you don't mind, I'll stay human. I don't mind the birthmark. It's just-part of me, now. It doesn't bring up any bad memories.† After a moment, she added, â€Å"All humans are imperfect, I guess.† She could see tears in Thierry's eyes. He gently lifted her hand and kissed it. He didn't say anything, but something about his expression made Hannah's throat and chest fill with love.. Then he took her in his arms. And Hannah was happy. So happy that she was crying a little, too. She was with her flying companion-her playmate. The one who was sacred to her, who was the other half of the mysteries of life for her. The one who would always be there for her, helping her, watching her back, picking her up when she fell down, listening to her stories-no matter how many times she told them. Loving her even when she was stupid. Understanding her without words. Being inside the innermost circle in her mind. Her soulmate. Things are going to be all right now, she thought. Suddenly it was as if she could see the corridor of time again, but this time looking forward, not back. She would go to college and become a paleontologist. And she and Thierry would work with Circle Daybreak and the Old Powers that were rising. They would be happy together, and they would help the world through the enormous changes that were coming. The sadness would go out of Thierry's eyes. They would love and discover and learn and explore. And Hannah would grow up and get older, and Thierry would love her just the same. And then one day, being human, she would go back to Mother Earth, like a wave going out to the ocean. Thierry would grieve for her-and wait for her. And then they would start all over again. One lifetime with him was enough, but Hannah sensed that there would be many. There would always be something new to learn. Thierry moved, his breath warming her hair. â€Å"I almost forgot,† he whispered. â€Å"You're seventeen today. Congratulations.† That's right, Hannah thought. She looked toward the window, startled and overwhelmed. The sky was turning pink now. She was seeing the dawn of her seventeenth birthday-something that had never happened before. I've changed my destiny. â€Å"I love you,† she whispered to Thierry. And then they just sat together, holding each other as the room filled with light.

Iliad Theme Essay

Some people believe that the Iliad is a poem about death. However, some argue that the most important theme is war. Other themes of human experience such as jealousy, honor, or pride are seen in the poem, but I think the main idea of the poem is anger or rage and the results that occur from it. Death is a recurring subject in the Iliad along with graphic descriptions. Every man knows he will die at some point especially when going into battle. For example, Sarpedon says to Glaucus, â€Å"Ah cousin, if only we could quit this war and count on living without age or death, I would not head for the front ranks myself nor would I urge you to do battle there, but we are mortal and death’s faces stalk us in numbers such that no man can escape. So let us go, and take glory or give!† The war and other vengeful acts are included in the poem which cause death and horror, but the fundamental cause is a rage which builds up between the characters. In the war between the Trojans and Achaeans, men were killed and their comrades became enraged and wanted revenge. When Achilles lifelong companion Patroclus went into battle for him, Patroclus killed many Trojans causing Hector to become enraged. Hector killed Patroclus which caused Achilles to become so angry and seek revenge. He kills Hector with his spear and says, â€Å"Fool! Behind Patroclus a fierce avenger was waiting among the hollow ships . . .† Homer begins his poem in the first line, â€Å"Sing, goddess, of the wrath of Peleus’ son, Achilles.† My opinion is that the main idea of the Iliad is anger or rage which allows the author to develop all that follows through the consequences that follow. This is seen through the dissonance, estrangement, and eventual reconciliation between Agamemnon and Achilles.