Media Bias

On September 11, 2001, the citizens of the United States witnessed a horrific attack on two symbolic buildings in New York City. These tragic events have galvanized the creation and implementation of a myriad of prejudicial and unconstitutional policies designed to provide the illusion of national security while simultaneous creating more instability and animosity between the West and the Middle East. In the wake of 9/11, a multitude of Americans have been overtaken by hysteria and fear. These emotional responses have been generated and intensified by the virtually unanimous Islamophobic propaganda that has been perpetuated by the main stream media. As a result of the media’s anti-Islam campaign, Americans have been persuaded to distrust Muslims, instinctively categorize Muslims as terrorist or potential terrorist, as well as sacrifice essential civil liberties. Scapegoating theorist may argue that this portrayal of Arabs and Muslims is one of the ways the U. S. overnment is attempting to blame this group of individuals for the economic and societal woes that plague 21st-century-America. In addition, many would argue that decades of excessive Western consumption, along with globalization have contributed to a complicated, unjust, and turbulent geopolitical and economic climate, which has created a Western need for Middle Eastern dominance. Regardless of their true motives, we can clearly witness the media’s hostile categorization of Arabs and Muslims as predominately terroristic or potentially terroristic. The New York Post published a cartoon depicting two Muslims, who are complaining to the Associated Press about the NYPD conducting surveillance of their apartment while they are simultaneously constructing IED’s. The suspects are also surrounded by other weapons, as well as ammunition, and contraband. This cartoon exemplifies prejudice, discrimination, and racial profiling, which contribute to a national hostility toward Arabs and animosity between ethnicities and social classes. The ensuing tensions that foment as a result of the media’s propaganda campaign provoke more instability and violence into American society. Further complicating American culture is the increasing number of Arabs and Muslims who are immigrating to the New World. For years, the United States has accepted refugees from various tumultuous Middle Eastern territories, which are suffering from perpetual cultural and political chaos. Unfortunately, while many are granted refugee status, they are also facing political and religious persecution in America. The influx of Arabs into the United States and the terror hysteria created by the main stream media has spawned a new era of nativist xenophobia. Richard T. Schaefer reports the frequent stereotypical portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in the media in Racial and Ethnic Groups Census Update. The author states that, â€Å"rarely are Arab and Muslim Americans shown doing â€Å"normal† behavior such as shopping, attending a sporting event, or just eating without a subtext of terrorism lurking literally in the shadows† (Schaefer, 296). This pervasive and persistent misrepresentation of Arabs and Muslims has intensified and propagated the animosity most Americans have toward this group. In addition to presenting Muslims in a derogatory manner, the cartoon also attempts to justify the necessity of sacrificing civil liberties for supposed security. This cartoon asserts that the NYPD is conducting surveillance because it is instrumental for securing the U. S. and preserving Western civilization as we know it. In this cartoon, the NYPD may be viewed as an exemplary entity employed in the â€Å"War on Terror† and New York City may represent all major cities in the United States, or the United States as a whole. This cartoon demonstrates the media’s attempt to guide public opinion toward accepting the increasingly aggressive behavior of the police and the state department by exaggerating instances of terror plots on American soil, as well as fabricating instances of governmental counter-terror success. A large faction of the media attempts to portray the majority of Arabs as terrorist, and would argue that cities are vulnerable targets of these diabolical individuals. As a result of this propaganda, Americans are lulled into slowly forfeiting their inalienable rights while obtaining a deceiving feeling of safety. The media is a powerful force contributing to the ebbs and flows of social norms and cultural opinion. The aforementioned cartoon provides an example of the media’s efforts to persuade the public and control the masses.

Childhood of Abraham Lincoln: The Personal Legend Essay

* Abraham Lincoln childhood and how he found his personal legend since he was young * How Abraham Lincoln started to follow his personal legend inspiration in his youth and what he achieved in his early life. * What are the results for following his personal legend, and how he changed the whole world? * Conclusion that mention the difference between a person has a personal legend to follow it, and a person who just live normal and followed others inspiration. Personal legend is not just a term to describe a person who just follows his dreams, but the real meaning for the personal legend is, the soul of yourself that you need to understand, and to be able to communicate with it, to lead you for all things that make you happy and satisfied in your life. Life is a big journey and all people have the right to draw their dreams and wishes, the person who following his personal legend is, the only person who can achieve all his goals and dreams. For example, Abraham Lincoln the person who changed the whole world by his inspiration, when he found his personal legend that led him to be a president of the United States. When we speak about one of the famous and successful people who found their personal legend, there are too many, but when we speak about someone had changed the world with his inspiration and his personal legend, we speak about Abraham Lincoln, The 16th president of the United States. He grown up in united stated and his father Thomas Lincoln was a farmer, he used to own a few acres of land to plant it, during Abraham’s childhood he learned how to plant and helping his father in his farming work. He learned how to be responsible and supporter to his family. That made him strong physically and mentally, Abraham used to learn from his father personality, he was strong and very smart, and he used to learn from the nature all around him. He used to love nature and reading too, all these interests made him a strong thinker and helped him to find his personal legend that was leading him for helping people and serving his country. Later in his youth, Abraham started to follow his dreams and his personal legend, in fact that the time of his childhood there weren’t enough schools to educate people, in spite of the fact that schools were very expensive to join, these reasons never stopped Abraham from being educated and what his personal legend exist. He had had inspired by politics so he taught himself the law and started to read books about politics in general and law in particular to pursue a career in the politics’ field. After educating himself, he started to pursue his first career in the politics’ field as a lawyer. Without a doubt that was a very good transition that turned over his life from being a farmer into someone has a goal in the politics’ life. His personality and the education level that he reached helped him to success in the politics’ field, and helped him to start his first step in his new life and his way towards changing. He expressed his opposition about slavery and his determination to limit the expansion of that matter, which made him known, brought others’ passion to him, and allowed him to take place in congress to start his mission. During his journey into success he met his wife Mary Todd and he falls in love with her, she was very educated and attracting person, they got engaged, divorced then married. That made me remember in the Alchemist story when Santiago met Fatima and falls in love with her, the Alchemist taught him that true love never gets in the way of one’s Personal Legend. If it does then it is not true love but actually Santiago never forgot her during his journey and decided to go back to where he found his love after he found his Personal Legend. His enthusiasm toward improving and changing situations into better made the individual states and territories to decide whether they allow slavery, Finally the Law provoked slavery and allowed him to join the republican party which had had elected him to be President to the United States. In conclusion, the person who is looking for his personal legend should have a dream or a goal to led him into finding it, once you start looking to reach that dream, you keep struggling, stumbling, learning, and trying to reach your dream, but as soon as you find what is your Personal Legend wants to be or where it is exist, that makes you feel better in your life and satisfied with what you have reached. In the other hand many others prefer to take the easy way and follow others. For example, to be a baker or a shepherd, the baker earning much money than the shepherd does, however, there is others preferred to be a shepherd to enjoy their life, the nature, and the feeling of struggling for earning their money.

Department of Defense

1) The United States Government is striving to have an open, but secure border. What would be the consequences/impact to the United States if the border was suddenly made less open and more secure? Rallies throughout the country in protest against a new house bill that would criminalize those that help illegal immigrants advance in any way, have created a new hype about opinions on immigration. In a May 3 Voice of America article, â€Å"Immigration Issues Create Sharp Political Divide in US,† one protestor in Orlando declared his testimony. â€Å"We are not criminals, we are mostly people who come to work and come to stay here.We work.. † Many have argued the idea that without these workers made medial, yet important jobs would be vacant. The impact of â€Å"sending back† nearly 11 million people to their home country will be just as impactful on the American economy and way of life. Within the article, one retired U. S. Army Colonel Al Rodriguez spoke out. He he ads a group of Hispanic Americans that opposes illegal immigration. â€Å"We understand the important contribution immigrants have made to the economy and the industry of this great nation,† said Rodriguez, â€Å"but the difference is that we and millions of others like us did it legally.We are all here today to tell those illegal protesters, ‘you do not speak for me. ’† Honestly, if the borders were made less open, the United States would have to recover from a mass amount of job vacancies. While many feel there are plenty of unemployed legal citizens who could take these jobs, the reality is that most would not do these jobs for the pay that would be provided for them. 2) Should the `need to know` be replaced by the `need to share` as stated in the 9/11 Commission Report? Why or why not? Fully explain your position.Ultimately, the biggest issue with this topic considers the administration’s idea of security. They believe that by not saying anythin g protects the whole, in a more secure fashion, when in turn, this just creates more fear and less education. The need to know is very important especially considering homeland security. However, after 9/11, it was reported that the ‘need to share’ was far more important. As stated in the Commission Report, â€Å"The U. S. government has access to a vast amount of information. But it has a weak system for processing and using what it has.The system of â€Å"need to know† should be replaced by a system of â€Å"need to share. † But why? The largest argument includes the idea that the President has a large following of those who believe in his protection idea. I believe that the American people will trust in their leader a great deal more if they are allowed to be educated on issues that concern them and their country. In specific, many people I know, have stated that their distrust lies within the concept of not being trusted as a citizen to know things go ing on around them. The road is a two way street.This has created a great divide between administration and citizens, which has led to the lowest approval rating of a President in history. 3) What is the role of the Department of Defense in border and coastal security? What is the DOD relationship with the Department of Homeland Security? How does DoD support civil authorities? On the Department of Defense’s official website, they describe themselves as ‘America’s oldest, largest, busiest and most successful company. Their ultimate job is to protect the security of the nation in anyway they can. Their role includes great efforts in protecting the nation’s border.After 9/11, their jobs have seemed to be more heightened with a larger effort against terrorism and terrorism practices within the country. The near 5. 3 million employed government department works within nearly 146 countries to ensure the safety of the U. S. and these countries. They use spy effo rts to search for those that could threaten our security. Ultimately, they are Uncle Sam’s protectors whom attempt to create a â€Å"norm† of American living. The Department of Homeland Security work directly with the DoD to organize efforts to catch those that may be scheming up terrorist attack within the country.

New Business Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

New Business Venture - Essay Example The development of such mindset is considered as essential for the overall development of an entrepreneurial personality so that the opportunities can be taken and transformed into successful businesses. Q#1 One of the critical aspects of entrepreneurs is their ability to take risk and most of the literature on the subject of entrepreneurship focused on making a distinction between those who are risk averse and who were risk lovers. This approach therefore highlighted entrepreneurs as someone with the ability to take on excessive risk as compared to the others. (Schwartz & Teach, 2000). This also suggested that the internal motivation, high energy as well as the higher tendency to take the risk as the main individual characteristic traits of the entrepreneurs which make them different from others. A closer analysis of the evolution of the research over the period of time would suggest that the entrepreneurs were typically characterized with the words such as risk bearing, innovation, initiative, source of formal authority, local of control as well as the tolerance for ambiguity. These characteristics therefore may indicate that the entrepreneurs are born rather than are being made. (Welsch, 2003). ... This question will therefore argue whether the entrepreneurs are made or born and why it is so or not. Entrepreneurship defined Before discussing and arguing whether entrepreneurs are born or developed, it is important to discuss what entrepreneurship is and how it emerges. It is critical to discuss that historically there has been confusion over the definition of entrepreneurship. This is also critical due to the fact that traditionally researchers argued that in order to discuss the subject it is critical that it must have a precise definition. Despite such emphasis on the definition, entrepreneurship is often viewed from different perspectives and including diverse range of subjects and themes. Themes such as social entrepreneurship, the relationship between women and entrepreneurship, immigrants and their new zeal for setting up the businesses have been extensively discussed by the researchers. (Berglund & Johansson, 2007). In its traditional sense, entrepreneurship is often conn ected with the idea of starting the new businesses and running them successfully. However, over the period of time, entrepreneurship has also emerged in the form of social as well as political frameworks. It is also now been discussed within the perspective of the large corporations when they spinoff their businesses and treat them as new and separate businesses. Thus today, entrepreneurships are not just limited to the new start up businesses but they encompass a variety of existing and new business ideas which are manifested into the reality through the careful application of the concepts of the entrepreneurship. Thus the entrepreneurship is

Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Memo - Assignment Example Though both clearly have reasonable motives, they are not the people we are looking for who would be fit for the job, looking at it in a long-term point of view. I understand that the company would be exerting effort in looking for someone equipped for the position and the training they would have to be exposed to, to get a clear understanding of how our company operates. However, I see bigger risks and costs for the company to absorb employees that are not willing to adapt to the demands of the company, whenever the need for it arises since this could mean lowered performance, weakening of the company’s equity, and lost sales/clients. I hope you consider my decision based on the arguments above which is mainly an initiative to safe keep our company’s reputation and identity. McGhan, Meredith. "The Cost of Hiring the Wrong Employee | Writing Assistance, Inc.." Writing Assistance, Inc. - Technical, Training, Medical and Marketing Writers. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.

The Impact of Using Multimedia for College Students Research Paper

The Impact of Using Multimedia for College Students - Research Paper Example Nowadays, technology has been the number one accessible source of information around the world and its remarkable continuity gets to blow up as the years go by. In fact, it has become a feasible and possible preference to people especially to those who are into learning. It has given an opportunity for a new learning net to be born. Certainly, multimedia and online learning nurture information that is merely pertinent, applicable, and significant for the college students. Furthermore, it would be best inculcated to them if multimedia is interactive and the control of it solely relies on the learner. So as for example, in a live chat with a student who is shy, inspirational videos such as believing in one’s self; can encourage the student, even more, to believe in herself. As the college students continue to explore what life has to offer, engaging in the learning process results in a better exploration as they see it through an enhanced multimedia instruction. Online learning, or sometimes being referred to as distance learning, is an educational medium of instruction through the use of Internet. Its objectives are aligned with the same with the goals one would find in a traditional classroom setup. However, the instruction can take place anytime and anywhere. Through this, the essence of learning is occurring, thus, provides a convenient avenue of educating students. Nonetheless, multimedia is a mode of communication that includes text, graphics, sounds, and the like.

Marketing research Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing research - Term Paper Example Explain what the research firm means and what you might do. The research firm means that donors have declined in terms of donating towards the good course of the agency. Since before that there used to be high number of donations, the agency is determined to identify the root cause of the problem and come up with solutions. Thus, to solve this, I would explore and research on the root cause and find the main reason for the declining donations. Then I would give a detailed explanation of this to the agency in a language they can understand and then together we come up with a solution based on these findings. There are various advantages of secondary data over primary data. The first one is that it is in time saving and inexpensive to obtain. The reason is that secondary data is readily available either in the census or other records available for the organization unlike primary data which organizations have to conduct research to obtain. It is easily accessible and can be used over a long period of time (Jong & Berg, 2012). 4. An entrepreneur is contemplating establishing a funeral home in a small town. This person believes the demand for funeral home services is greater than the services being provided. The entrepreneur contacts a consultant and tells the consultant he needs a quantitative survey to determine the total demand for funeral home services in the small town and surrounding communities. If you were the consultant, how would you react to the entrepreneurs request for a survey? What kind of counter proposal would you make? It is quite unfortunate and for the entrepreneur to request for a survey to identify the total request for a funeral home services. The reason is that no one likes to lose their loved ones. Thus, I would be very shocked with the request since it would be like mocking the individuals who have lost their loved

The knowledge management plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The knowledge management plan - Assignment Example e travel and hospitality industry, British Airways understand the significance of constant improvement in the attitudes of its many employees by encouraging them to refine, adapt and transmit their knowledge in a way that it would benefit the Company and its customers (British Airways, 2010a). This report investigates the current techniques employed by British Airways in managing the knowledge being transferred within the organisation. As a result of this, some recommendations are made about how British Airways can revamp its knowledge management processes for better outcomes. Some of the suggestions put forward in this knowledge management plan aim at transforming the day-today operations at British Airways by emphasizing the needs to input new ideas into the organisational management in a way that it would reflect quality in the array of services offered by British airways. British Airways is one of the global airline companies that pay much attention to its knowledge management challenges, having realised that the success of the Company in the future strongly depends on how well its employees value the prospects of efficient knowledge transfer and processing. Hence, British Airways has adopted the following techniques to achieve this purpose: Starting from 1998, British Airways has implemented a programme meant to facilitate, process and disseminate appropriate knowledge of its services among its many employees across the continents (Ahmed et al., 2001). This project was designed to encourage smooth transfer of applicable knowledge from one branch of the British Airways to another using the latest information technology. It was during this period that BA customized and implemented its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) that simplifies the process of information gathering, processing, categorising and dissemination (Shanks et al., 2003). Cross-company knowledge management project provides BA employees to know how the offices in the United Kingdom are handling

Cuban Missile Crisis (Paper) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cuban Missile Crisis (Paper) - Essay Example Cuba and the Soviet settled at an agreement when they had an undisclosed meeting and the development of several nuclear sites earnestly began. The United States discovered the presence of ballistic missile facilities and instigated a blockade that prevented more missiles from entering Cuba. It made the announcement that they would prohibit weapons that were offensive to be delivered to Cuba and wanted the weapons that were in Cuba to be destroyed or returned to where they had come from. After a number of agreements with the Soviet Union as well as Cuba the blockade was ended and the consultations between the US and the Soviet identified a straight communication channel between the two capitals. This paper seeks to analyse the events that surrounded the missile crisis before and after it took place. In the summer of 1962, CIA analysts received several potentially alarming reports concerning Russians being spotted in Cuba but the reports were part of a stream of similar tales that involved African troops and other troops in the Island. Majority of the intelligences were eventually dismissed by specialists who were accustomed to bogus report of Soviet Union gear hidden away in caves. This demonstrates that the United States was a victim of determined efforts by the Soviet of denial and trickery that camouflaged the placement of Soviet forces as well as weapons missiles in Cuba. The trickery in some instances included information that was accurate concerning the deployment so that it could be able to mask the operation through thousands of reports in Cuba in the time leading up to the missiles being actually being brought into Cuba. In the confusion, the Soviets managed to deploy more than the offensive nuclear missiles that was the main focus of the consequent crisis with the United States. Even though analysts from the United States as well as policymakers had knowledge of the conventional weapons,

Code of Professional Ethics and Conduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Code of Professional Ethics and Conduct - Essay Example Each and every member of AICPA should be aware of the Interpretations, disciplinary actions and code of conduct thereby providing framework to work and provide desired results without affecting the ethical codes. This paper discusses in detail specific rules related to CPA Code of Ethics and Conduct focusing on : Section 102 – Integrity and Objectivity Section 201- Professional Competence Section 202 – Compliance with Standards Section 501 – Acts Discreditable Each section dscusses a separate cases on the expectation of code and its violation, the disciplinary action involved, prospects for AICPA to prevent breach in the above codes and personal viewpoints on disciplinary actions taken. 2. Case for Section 102 – Integrity and Objectivity (James W. Kingery of Lubbock, Texas) ... Discussion The decision taken by AICPA is apt according to the disciplinary procedures as upon misrepresentation of facts and figures of a company, it is the welfare of the end consumer. i.e. the Investor which is being questioned. The investors take their major investment decisions based on the financial statements and other details provided by the company, and this being misrepresented can lead to negative results for the investor thereby leading to huge losses or even closure of funds. Simultaneously, the same situation can arise for the company as it can lead to cooking up books and creating a bubble which can burst at any given point of time creating losses for end number of institutional and retail investors. Hence, a professional CPA appointed by the company has to comply with the standards and norms and it is his responsibility to educate the management about the consequences of misrepresentation of facts, which unfortunately Mr.Kingery failed to implement. Hence, the decisio n taken by AICPA stands to be apt for the unethical behavior of the member. Prospects for AICPA to prevent misrepresentation of facts Create database of companies who have hired CPA’s and perform second line audit activities on a regular basis to ascertain deviations by keeping the CPA framework . A post mortem review by Apex body would be advisable thereby limiting the liability of CPA and minimize the chances of fraudulent practices to arise in the organization. (Mortimer, 2003) 3. Case for Section 201- Professional Competence (Bruno A Fedele, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania) Professional Competence is the ability to perform professional services that is based on professional standards through application of knowledge and skill with proper diligence (Mele, 2005). A CPA member is

Education vs. Non-Education Essay Example for Free

Education vs. Non-Education Essay There are two important stories called, Front Seat Brahman and Teachers of Import that have a common conflict. That common conflict is education vs. non-education. The character in Front Seat Brahman is Sushil Rao. He is from Bombay, India. The characters in The Teachers of Import are Amarel Collymore and Elke Walcher. Amarel is from Bridgetown, Barbados and Elke is from Austria. They all moved to Queens, New York for a particular reason. Sushil did not mention whether or not he went to elementary or high school. However, from the story it sounds like he took school lightly compared to Amarel and Elke. Sushil states, I went away to agriculture college to learn how to be a farmer, but they made me dissect frogs in a botany class so I quite. So I enrolled in a philosophy college. A year later, my father died and I was kind of out of control. I quite college and became a traveling hippie (Lehrer/ Sloan, 32). This proves that he did try to go to college, but was not dedicated enough to finish college. He thought there were better opportunities and prospects out in the world than just going to college. That was not the case for Amarel and Elke. Amarel was a college graduate and taught high school English. She had decades of teaching experience and decided to come to New York. Elke was also a college graduate and taught science. Both teachers came to teach in New York because there was a shortage of teachers and the New York City Board of Education was looking to recruit teachers from different countries. Amarel was not used to the students behavior the first week of classes. She states, In Barbados, if a student acts up, they get put out the door right away. When I first started teaching here I thought the kids were raging all the time. Then I figured out its just normal for them to curse and swear (Lehrer/ Sloan, 55). This shows the differences between the way students act in Barbados vs. America. I think American students, depending on the school though; have very low respect for their teachers compared to certain countries. Elke had a different experience. She said, Its a prejudice Europeans have against blacks anyways. The movies give the impression that all blacks are criminals and they all live in the Bronx. I couldnt believe the class was half black. Most of the guys are wearing gang jackets and bandanas (Lehrer/ Sloan, 59). This proves that Elke was in for a big surprise and they were not like the Austrian students that she was used to. Sushil was more of a spiritual person rather than educational. For example Sushil says, You can live without food for days at a time. But water you need almost every four hours. Water is like diamonds. Our life depends on it (Lehrer/ Sloan, 36)! People know they cannot live without water, but I have never heard anyone phrase is quite like that. This shows that Sushil is such a deep and meaningful man. Sushil has such a great view of life and appreciates it so much more than the average American. The two teachers and Sushil make the education vs. non-education conflict have some similarities and differences. The two teachers take such great pride in their work as teachers. Just as Sushil takes pride in sharing his stories with people, cooking and his publishing company. He did not need college to succeed like Amarel and Elke, but the women definitely make education a big part of their lives. These are just two different views these people have. In a way, Sushil was teaching the people in the cabs about his country and his beliefs, just as the two teachers teacher their students. Sushil does not mention how education is portrayed in India, but according to Amarel and Elke teachers are very well respected and getting an education is very highly though of. The two teachers were not sure they wanted to stay in New York or go back home and teach. In the end, they did both want to stay. Amarel concludes with, Ive gotten accustomed to these kids. The Lord brought me here for something. I am not yet sure what it is. I know now if I hate to, I could teach anywhere. But Id like to teach here again next year if I can (Lehrer/ Sloan, 57). Elke concludes with, Teaching is a calling. If you do it just for the money you wont last. Especially in New York. Some of the teachers look at me like Im nuts whenever I talk with great enthusiasm for teaching (Lehrer/ Sloan, 61). This show that both teachers are now getting used to the idea that they can help these students and teach them to respect teachers more. They both succeeded in the end. Sushil also succeeded even though he did not go to college and education was not a part of his life. He was starting to make dinners for his friend and all his friends. Then Sushil and his friend started up a publishing company together. That proved he did not need a professional education. He was poetic and creative and that made him a success.

Hamburger and Tropical Hut Essay Example for Free

Hamburger and Tropical Hut Essay This pie chart shows the market shares of a fast food industry that the McDonald’s corporation has 13% share, Yum! Brand’s Inc. 10%, Doctor’s Association Inc. 9%, and Wendy’s have 4% of shares. While the other’s has 64% of share, including the share of a Tropical Hut. I. Introduction Tropical Hut is one, if not the oldest, fast food joint in the Philippines. It started in 1962 when the Que family had this idea of putting up a coffee shop within the confines of their supermarket, thus, Tropical Hut Hamburger was born. Now, it has more than 50 branches nationwide and still growing, proving that it can hold its stance in the fast food arena. Tropical Hut Food Market, Inc. (THFMI) started its operation as a small sari-sari store and is owned by the Que family. In 1962, the business has grown into a grocery store and expanded rapidly into a Supermarket. It was also in this year that the concept of a Coffee Shop within the Supermarket was launched with the introduction of Tropical Hut Hamburger: The Company was incorporated in February 1965. In 1972, Mercury group of Companies, Inc. acquired the Company with the introduction of a Drugstore within the Supermarket. II. Market SituationÃ'Ž Before Jollibee, before McDonalds, before Burger King, before anyone else, it seems, there is Tropical Hut Hamburger. And hamburger it is, indeed the best it could ever be. But that was long ago. Now, Tropical is just a vestige of its former self. Everyone suspects that their hamburger is where Jollibees came from They almost have the same taste. Their fried chicken is also just like Jollibees, but this time it was Tropical who copied it. Tropical has other food selections, like Bistek (a local version of beef steak er strips) and other sandwiches. However, the place is not world class. It is not as clean nor as well kempt as McDonalds or Jollibee. And they have a very poor image. Although food is good, you wouldnt want to be seen there.

Analyzing The Class System In Twelfth Night Duchess Of Malfi English Literature Essay

Analyzing The Class System In Twelfth Night Duchess Of Malfi English Literature Essay The feast of Twelfth Night where the play takes its name, was celebrated in a time when social hierarchies were turned upside down. That same spirit is alive in Illyria, and Shakespeare has created situations that create a comedic yet farcical tone to the play. I am going to compare and contrast the ways in which hierarchy class are used as plot devices, a means create comedic circumstance and for mistaken identity. Hierarchy is series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system, and in the case of twelfth night the constrains of time have to be taken into consideration, as the views of contemporary audiences would give the play a new interpretation and a loss of satire or comedic value. Feste as a means of a narrative feature if fairly incohesive in his role along the side of characters such as Sir Toby whose actions dictate the plays outcome (his manipulation of Sebastian) rather we know of his intellect although his career does not suggest that he is intelligent one who professionally Counterfeits folly for the entertainment of others, a jester, Clown or one who has little or no reason or intellect although we see Feste as a sharp and witty jester Better a witty fool than a foolish wit. And because of his class no love like Maria is shown for minor roles (although in some adaptations all characters are connected for an orthodox happy ending) O mistress mine, where are you roaming? O, stay and hear; your true loves coming. .he is intelligent one who professionally Counterfeits folly for the entertainment of others, a jester, Clown or one who has little or no reason or intellect although we see Feste as a sharp and witty jester Better a witty fool than a foolish wit. And because of his class no love like Maria is shown for minor roles (although in some adaptations all characters are connected for an orthodox happy ending) O mistress mine, where are you roaming? O, stay and hear; your true loves coming. The almost farcical relationship between Sebastian and Antonio is created by Shakespeare for a hinted comedic effect or just for structure If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant. Antonios language can be seen as simply the expression of a purely platonic passion. However, Antonios words can also be seen as carrying an obvious homoerotic charge. It seems safe to say here that if Antonio were a woman, we would read her speech and actions as an unambiguous expression of her love for Sebastian and hope that he would return this love. In a play so concerned with bending gender roles-a play in which Orsino can seem to be attracted to Viola Malovolio portrays a classic image of a Puritan. As Olivias servant, he dreams of power and his status within the inner ring, and wants nothing else than to marry his mistress. This would have seemed absurd and impossible as there are societal normalitys that would prevent such an unfortunate marriage. Although social mobility was beginning to take place, there was still a division among the classes. It would have been quite out of place for a woman of Olivias status to marry one so far beneath her. Although for Malovolio, the situation of how it would be between him and Olivias uncle, Sir Toby Belch, if he had gained the hand of his mistress, he said, I extend my hand to him thus, quenching my familiar smile with an austere regard of control You must amend your drunkenness Malovolios presence in this scene adds a new uncertainty to the play and we start to loose the empathy we once had for the idiotic Malovolio rather we see his pretentious pompous way of displaying his false hope and misguided love. We can see why Maria doesnt feel cathartic about the plot and its unfitting end. The manor in which Malovolio speaks shows that he truly believes he deserves to be above his class and talks almost condescending to Sir Toby whose reaction shows his disapproval. Malovolios desire to rise above his class sets a course for his own demise though the relationship with Olivia; this shows the audience that Sir Toby and the others find his delusions to preposterous. Malovolio is an unsuitable match for Olivia not only of his unappealing personality but also because he is not of noble blood. He is within his class a lower class citizen and to Sir Toby a commoner, while Olivia is a woman of noble blood with money and a high social status. The Duchess (within the duchess of malfi) is an independent and defiant woman who has a strong personality and I think was urged on to remarry by her brothers threats and warnings not to remarry down her social status. I believe that she wanted to defy her brothers, she wanted to rebel, because thats in her nature. Websters primary source for his story (mostly true to history), William Painters  Palace of Pleasure(1567), shows less sympathy for the Duchess, taking a strict, moralistic tone, condemning her for being too lustful and for breaking the accepted rules of her social status Hypocrisy is woven of a fine small thread, Subtler than Vulcans engine: yet, believet,Your darkest actions: nay, your privatst thoughts,Will come to light. . Webster created, in the Duchess what Shakespeare never did, a tragic female protagonist (Juliet doesnt act on her own, Cleopatra shares the world stage with Antony) who represents a challenge to social hierarchy and  natural  order, violas situation was resolved also. As a woman she refuses to be subservient to men: she ignores her brothers commands not to marry, and she takes the initiative to woo Antonio. A rich widow presented a special threat to male-dominated families, as she was now free to marry of her own choosing for love, and to give the family wealth to another man. The problem in a rigid society. Her crime is choosing a husband not from the ruling class but from the upwardly mobile middle class (using the term very slackly). The ruling class, in the shape of Duke Ferdinand and the Cardinal, resist the idea of a woman making a free choice, especially when that choice transgresses class strata. It is necessary for her to be eliminated in order to maintain the status quo . In the case of the Duke an obsession with blood, breeding and pedigree tips over into murkily incestuous desire, a rage to control his sisters sexuality and eventual madness. Jane Eyre  is critical in the exploration of neo-Victorian Englands social hierarchy. Brontes exploration of the complicated social position of governesses is perhaps the novels most important treatment of this theme. Like Heathcliff inWuthering Heights,  Jane is a figure of ambiguous class standing and, consequently, a source of extreme tension for the characters around her. Paradoxically for Malvolio his treatment creates a comedic effect of his outcome due to his class and personality and similarly to Sebastians effect of the propulsion of the play and festes catalytical effect to the narrative, In her novel  Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontà « explores the possibility that class relationships have no absolute boundaries that cannot be crossed. Her protagonist Jane is placed in between economic classes and drifts among the lower, middle, and upper classes of Victorian England. Janes flexible class status allows her to evaluate other characters on their actions and personalities r ather than on their economic status and physical appearance. She forms deep relationships with members of the other classes and holds animosity towards individuals that others might respect based on their achievements in life but who did not act appropriately to Jane. Other characters in the novel judge Jane in much the same way as she judges them; they note her class status and physical appearance at first but then learn to appreciate her for her behaviour and thoughts. Brontà « ends the novel on a dramatic turn of events that completely flip Janes class status. Yet, Jane still remains the same character that we have seen throughout the entire novel. Charlotte Brontà « uses Jane Eyre as an example that class boundaries are not finite and that individuals can transcend them. Jane tends not to evaluate other people based on their class status. Instead, she evaluates peoples superiority or inferiority based on their behavior and forms either deep friendship or animosity based on it. During her childhood at Gateshead, Jane is more emotionally attached to the servant Bessie than to any of her wealthy family members. She bases her adoration on Bessies personal characteristics rather than her economic status. Fraiman tells us that during Christmastime, instead of yearning toward the genteel company, [Jane] would rather spend a quiet evening with Bessie (617) because of the motherly characteristics that Bessie displays towards Jane. Jane longs for the affection of a motherly woman rather than the glamorous company of her rich family. Janes characters disposition manifests, sophistication, education and higher status this would have been expected of an aristocrat, because Victorian governesses, who tutored children in etiquette as well as academics, were expected to possess the culture of the aristocracy. Yet, as paid employees, they were more or less treated as servants; thus, Jane remains penniless and powerless while at Thornfield. Janes understanding of the double standard crystallizes when she becomes aware of her feelings for Rochester; she is his intellectual, but not his social, equal. Even before the crisis surrounding Bertha Mason, Jane is hesitant to marry Rochester because she senses that she would feel indebted to him for condescending to marry her. Janes distress. This situation corresponds to that of Malvolio Jane herself speaks out against class prejudice at certain moments in the book. For example, in Chapter  23  she chastises Rochester: Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!-I have as much soul as you-and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. However, it is also important to note that nowhere in  Jane Eyre  are societys boundaries bent. Ultimately, Jane is only able to marry Rochester as his equal because she has almost magically come into her own inheritance from her uncle. Bronte distils a perfect argument of love and its aforementioned dependency on class distinctions; she has used her characters in a way that there is her own symbolic meaning behind the novel. Brontes has created a direct contrast with the two other texts I am studying, within twelfth night Shakespeares use of class as a means for separation and forbidden love have been used for comedic effect, not to question or contrive against any social limitations, the duchesses situation was not to question but create dramatic effect using class as a division and boundary. Paradoxically to viola and the duchess janes class indifference and ambiguous history created a journey of self discovery and because of her unknown class, a way of finding true uncontrived love was found. The idea of social distinctions setting apart relationships now is considered archaic because of its absurdity and because of the transition within tolerance and rationality, it matters little about wealth and social hierar chy Love in Jane Eyre is a predominant theme and is projected and differed through the hindrance of the class system and its effect on love. I find a similarity within Janes character to Shakespeares viola because of their social difficulties leading to a positive conclusion in both cases. Whereas violas characters social misconception is used primarily for comedic and satiric effect Janes in used as a reflection of the constrains of the written content at the time and like a Christmas carol it has been written to inform and to create a fictional account of how class hindrance can cause suffering and a struggle to achieve and apprehend whats achievable. Brontes used of a first person narrative also gives the novel connotations of factual accounts and gives the whole novel a theme of realism and not directly implied intolerance. The duchess similarly to Janes character is portrayed trough a struggle, also in the duchess of malfi is through love though the class divide. Because of the time constrains within this novel, a different connotation was meant in the meaning of the theme of love though hierarchy. Websters use of class was distinctively a means of a plot device similarly although slightly contrived to twelfth night whereas the plot seems so farcical to his contemporary audience and shocking in the case of the duchess of malfi. Jane Eyre, The duchess of malfi twelfth night all share the confidence that all the characters whose social class is effect when looking fro love are all female. This is partly due to some of the constrains within the novels such as Jane Eyre where a womans ability to choose a partner was dictated their parents and this meant that a class hindrance (neglect from Mrs. Reed and her children I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick. Jane asserts her fiery spirit in her tirade, and she displays a keen sense of justice and a recognition of her need for love) made it harder than males to meet agreeable men. Whereas the duchess is of noble blood similarly to the situation of viola in that we know of her situation and the other characters are unaware of her noble blood and she fal ls in love below her class when in disguise as a man and a lower class than she is actually situated. the duchess is in love with a man from below her own class and because of the aforementioned time constrains this relation was seen as inappropriate and would have been contested by her family because of the effect on their families reputation and her future marital prospects.

The Portrayal of Women in the Media Essay -- Advertisements Advertisin

The Portrayal of Women in the Media Redbook magazine are devoted to selling products ranging from shoes to shampoo. The entire magazine only has only 210 pages. Approximately 6-8 min of every half hour television show is produced by ad agencies. Americans are bombarded with advertisements. We see them everyday in many different forms and through different mediums. Advertisers study America’s population through a systematic breakdown and analysis of our likes and dislikes in relation to our differences. These differences include gender, sexual orientation, economic status, location, race, ethnicity, and more. Advertisers have substantial knowledge of what appeals to each of these demographics and how these demographics will respond to different stimuli (i.e. visual audio, ect.) as well as where the advertising will be most effective. In other words, advertisers find it more beneficial to target specific audiences (Furnham; Mak, 1999). One of the central audiences that advertisers focus their attention on is women. Being such a large part of society, American women are targeted along with every other group. Ads placed where women are most likely to see them are custom tailored for women. Studies give ad agencies an accurate idea of what it is that they need to show women in order to get them to buy their product and their brand. If these ads can improve a woman’s mood her increased euphoria will subliminally be linked with the stimulus (the ad). This will, in turn, have a positive effect on their attitudes toward the product and brand (Simpson; Horton, 1996). There are several strategies that are popular in both television and magazines, many of which involve images of men. Advertisers use images of men by themselves or in a variety of positions and settings to appeal to women. By far, the most common image of men in advertising is of that of the â€Å"young, white, able-bodied, and staunchly heterosex ual† man (Jackson, 1994). The vast amount companies spend to advertise is proof in itself; these ads sell products. It should be noted that all television commercials analyzed in this paper come from the Lifetime network between 1pm and 3pm. The slogan of this network is â€Å"Lifetime: Television for Women†. Basic Gender Differences Studies involving both normal and brain damaged individuals have shown associations between gender and neuralgic activity... ...Dennis A.; Cornish, Ian M. â€Å"Conservatism and Gender in the Perception of Sex-Roles in Television Advertisements†. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 1993, Vol. 77, p642. Melvin, Thomas E.; Treiber, Linda A. â€Å"Race, Gender, and Status: A Content Analysis of Print Advertisements in Four Popular Magazines†. Sociological Spectrum. Jul-Sep 2000, Vol. 20, Issue 3, p357. Meyers-Levy, Joan. â€Å"Gender Differences in Cortical Organization: Social and Biochemical Antecedents and Advertising Consequences†. Ed. Eddie M. Clark et al. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1994. Prakash, Ved. â€Å"Sex Roles and Advertising Preferences†. Journal of Advertising Research. May/Jun 1992, Vol. 32, Issue 3, p43. Simpson, Penny M.; Horton, Steve. â€Å"Male Nudity in Advertisements: A modified Replication and Extension of Gender and Product Effects†. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Summer 1996, Vol. 24, Issue 3, p257. Stern, Barbara B.; Holbrook, Morris B. â€Å"Gender and Genre in the Interpretation of Advertising Text†. Gender Issues and Consumer Behavior. Ed. Janeen Arnold Costa. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 1994. Sutherland, Max. Advertising and the Mind of the Consumer. St. Leonards: Allen and Unwin, 1993. The Portrayal of Women in the Media Essay -- Advertisements Advertisin The Portrayal of Women in the Media Redbook magazine are devoted to selling products ranging from shoes to shampoo. The entire magazine only has only 210 pages. Approximately 6-8 min of every half hour television show is produced by ad agencies. Americans are bombarded with advertisements. We see them everyday in many different forms and through different mediums. Advertisers study America’s population through a systematic breakdown and analysis of our likes and dislikes in relation to our differences. These differences include gender, sexual orientation, economic status, location, race, ethnicity, and more. Advertisers have substantial knowledge of what appeals to each of these demographics and how these demographics will respond to different stimuli (i.e. visual audio, ect.) as well as where the advertising will be most effective. In other words, advertisers find it more beneficial to target specific audiences (Furnham; Mak, 1999). One of the central audiences that advertisers focus their attention on is women. Being such a large part of society, American women are targeted along with every other group. Ads placed where women are most likely to see them are custom tailored for women. Studies give ad agencies an accurate idea of what it is that they need to show women in order to get them to buy their product and their brand. If these ads can improve a woman’s mood her increased euphoria will subliminally be linked with the stimulus (the ad). This will, in turn, have a positive effect on their attitudes toward the product and brand (Simpson; Horton, 1996). There are several strategies that are popular in both television and magazines, many of which involve images of men. Advertisers use images of men by themselves or in a variety of positions and settings to appeal to women. By far, the most common image of men in advertising is of that of the â€Å"young, white, able-bodied, and staunchly heterosex ual† man (Jackson, 1994). The vast amount companies spend to advertise is proof in itself; these ads sell products. It should be noted that all television commercials analyzed in this paper come from the Lifetime network between 1pm and 3pm. The slogan of this network is â€Å"Lifetime: Television for Women†. Basic Gender Differences Studies involving both normal and brain damaged individuals have shown associations between gender and neuralgic activity... ...Dennis A.; Cornish, Ian M. â€Å"Conservatism and Gender in the Perception of Sex-Roles in Television Advertisements†. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 1993, Vol. 77, p642. Melvin, Thomas E.; Treiber, Linda A. â€Å"Race, Gender, and Status: A Content Analysis of Print Advertisements in Four Popular Magazines†. Sociological Spectrum. Jul-Sep 2000, Vol. 20, Issue 3, p357. Meyers-Levy, Joan. â€Å"Gender Differences in Cortical Organization: Social and Biochemical Antecedents and Advertising Consequences†. Ed. Eddie M. Clark et al. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1994. Prakash, Ved. â€Å"Sex Roles and Advertising Preferences†. Journal of Advertising Research. May/Jun 1992, Vol. 32, Issue 3, p43. Simpson, Penny M.; Horton, Steve. â€Å"Male Nudity in Advertisements: A modified Replication and Extension of Gender and Product Effects†. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Summer 1996, Vol. 24, Issue 3, p257. Stern, Barbara B.; Holbrook, Morris B. â€Å"Gender and Genre in the Interpretation of Advertising Text†. Gender Issues and Consumer Behavior. Ed. Janeen Arnold Costa. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 1994. Sutherland, Max. Advertising and the Mind of the Consumer. St. Leonards: Allen and Unwin, 1993.

The Parasite Called Man Essay -- essays research papers

Erza Pound says that, â€Å"man is the superior animal†. Superior or not, we all have the same basic habits. When humans are scared they seek shelter, when we are hungry we eat, and when is right, we wish to pass on our genes. So how is it that man is so superior when all our instincts and urges are so primitive? Erza Pound is puzzled by why humans are superior. I think the only reason why humans are superior is because of ignorance. Humans are the only animals that don’t come to equilibrium with the environment they live in. If humans had to be compared to a certain type of living thing, they would be most like simple parasitic bacteria.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earth, however large it may be, has it limits when it comes to natural resources. Of all animals human are the only ones that make non-biodegradable waste. When humans run out of resources in one area they go on to the next destroying the area in their path and until a new site is reached with more resources to abuse. This is much like the life history of flesh eating bacteria. About two years ago, I saw a special on 20/20 about the disease. They say that is moves at about an inch per hour and that they don’t stop feeding on the host until the host is dead. The bacteria multiply at a high rate and can migrate to other parts of the body by the blood stream. Try to look as the host body as the earth, the bacteria as the humans, and the blood stream as the oceans and river; now, anyone can see that this is no diffe...

Measure for Measure Essay: Angelo -- Measure for Measure

Angelo in Measure for Measure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within Measure for Measure, the character of Angelo can be seen as a case study of will over moral nature. Angelo, a deputy, is given the Dukes authority to act in his behalf while the Duke is away. The story unfolds as Angelo uses the agency he's been given in ways that many men in authoritative positions have done. It is interesting to follow his line of thought and to realize that this is a man who is not unlike many others. The main conflict between Isabella and Angelo is a contemporary problem. Measure for Measure is a unique opportunity to investigate the personality types of the characters involved in the conflict, and the study of these complex characters can give meaningful insights into the nature of human emotion and action. Angelo's job is to take over in government while the Duke investigates his own character and those of others disguised as a friar. Whilst Angelo is in power, his will, ironically is in direct conflict with the law he is trying to uphold. He propositions chaste Isabella to engage in sexual activity in exchange for the life of her brother who is to be executed because of his sexual indiscretions. It can be perhaps seen that Angelo is not an inherently evil character, that he feel from ... ...with temptation." These are lessons that can apply to everyone.    Works Cited and Consulted: Black, James. "The Unfolding of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 26 (1973): 119-28. Leech, Clifford. "The 'Meaning' of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 3 (1950): 69-71. Shakespeare, William. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1995. Thomas, Vivian.   Understandning Angelo in Measure for Measure.   London: Croom Helm, 1987. Wilders, John.   "The Problem Comedies."   In Wells, Stanley, ed.   Shakespeare: Select Bibliographical Guides.   London: Oxford UP, 1973.

Christian Gospel Essay

This is an inspiring story of how a man of God grew into a man of great influence. Examining his life and ministry from the wise and humble perspective that has made him one of the world’s most beloved and respected leaders, in this memoir, Graham looks back at age 78 on his lifetime of personal relationships, ministry, leadership, and experiences. He chronicles such events and stories as his boyhood in North Carolina, his first steps in ministry, details of evangelistic trips and revivals, and meetings with world and local leaders. Billy Graham’s gift has been to appreciate that in matters of faith there is no approach too simple, no argument too crude, no question too basic. The most striking thing to notice about Graham’s career concerns the most important matter, his view of God. Here the question is whether Graham’s strategies of access and ecumenicity undermine his message. The charge that perhaps they do arises from two ways in which Graham has seemed to reduce the Christian Gospel to a utilitarian device existing for other, more ultimate purposes. In the first instance, it is possible to glimpse pressure on his message from the moral calculus, singularly American, of republican citizenship. This calculus suggests that in a republic the good health of the polity depends upon the morality of the citizenry; that the best thing for personal morality is religion; and that, since Christianity is the best religion, it is positioned to do the most for America. Especially in the first part of his career, Graham was prone to statements that seemed to make the destiny of the United States loom larger than the fate of the Christian Gospel. â€Å"I seriously doubt if the old America is going to exist another generation unless we have a turning to Christ. † Some who share Graham’s beliefs would agree with him, but also wonder if he was making the penultimate into the ultimate. In the second instance, Graham throughout his career has spoken of Christianity, again in his words, as â€Å"alone† pointing â€Å"the way to individual peace, social harmony, life adjustment, and spiritual satisfaction. † For a Christian, true enough again. But priorities seem disarranged when sermons conclude as, for example, one did in New York in 1957: â€Å"All your life you’ve been searching for peace and joy, happiness, forgiveness. I want to tell you, before you leave Madison Square Garden this night of May 15, you can find everything that you have been searching for, in Christ. He can bring that inward, deepest peace to your soul. He can forgive every sin you’ve ever committed. † The charge that may be laid against the utilitarian drift of Graham’s Christian message is the charge that so troubled Martin Luther as he struggled to find a merciful God nearly five centuries ago. The heart of Luther’s spiritual dilemma was the fear that his supposed search for God was really a search for his own ease of soul, the fear that he was seeking God primarily for what God could do for him. Luther may have been overly scrupulous, but he could tell idolatry when he saw it, and tell it most clearly when he saw it up close. Billy Graham claims for himself neither Luther’s theological acumen nor his penetrating powers of self-analysis. Yet what rescued Luther from himself was also what has preserved the authenticity of Billy Graham’s message. The reason that Graham’s message, though admittedly soft at the edges, remains solid as a rock is that at its center is the Cross. In the early 1950s Graham solidified early practice by dedicating himself to the saving work of Christ as the heart of his message: â€Å"I made a commitment never to preach again without being sure that the Gospel was as complete and clear as possible, centering on Christ’s sacrificial death for our sins on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead for our salvation. â€Å" At the close of his memoirs, as at the close of so many sermons, Graham restates the appeal for conversion that is the trademark of his career. As he makes that appeal in this book there is his customary attention to what the Gospel does for us. But under girding all, from first to last, is an equally full sense of what the Gospel does to us: We are not here by chance. God has put us here for a purpose, and our lives are never fulfilled and complete until His purpose becomes the foundation and center of our lives. . . . When you [open your heart to Jesus Christ], you become a child of God, adopted into His family forever. He also comes to live within you and will begin to change you from within. No one who truly gives his or her life to Christ will ever be the same, for the promise of His Word is true: â€Å"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation† (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). We have seen this happen countless times all over the world, and it can happen in your life as well. Open your life to Christ today. If in the hands of Billy Graham, the Gospel bends, nonetheless, it does not break. To conclude that Graham has remained faithful to the message that God saves sinners for His own purposes, as well as for theirs, is the highest accolade a fellow-believer can bestow on this remarkable man. But Graham, of course, has become more than just a rallying point for Christian believers. Graham’s apparently bottomless kindness, combined with the lightning pace of his narrative—so many visits, so many good friends, so many celebrities—means that Just As I Am is not a particularly challenging book. It is, nonetheless, worth reading carefully, both because Graham is the genuine article and because many of its details and much of its tone are in fact quite useful for attempting a more complex assessment of his career.

Hester Prynne

Hester Prynne signifies a women of grace and wild spirit. Strong-willed and beautiful, Hester Prynne has also defied the Puritans ways. Though she is ladylike and prideful, she is faced with the trouble of being a sinner. The innocence of any human can be taken away in a flash, and in the case of Hester Prynne, her innocence escapes her after she commits a horrific sin. Hester is immediately isolated in her town because she commits an act of adultery, resulting in a Scarlet Letter forever engraved on her bosom, serving as a constant reminder of the mistakes in her past.In many ways throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hester overcomes her sin and redeems herself to her town, revealing her inner power and strength. Even though Hester’s situation leaves forces her to be an outcast in the town, she still confines strength and discards the label of being an â€Å"Adulteress† by showing stability. Hester Prynne is the main symbol of isolation and alienation throughout The Scarlet Letter.Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasizes her isolation by writing that she is â€Å" Alone in the world, cast off by it, and with this sole treasure to keep her heart alive, she felt that she possessed the indefeasible rights against the world† (Hawthorne 100) because of her sin. As a symbol of evil and darkness, Hester is viewed by her strict Puritan town as an outsider. After Hester’s crime of adultery was known to all, Hester's reputation and appearance of what people viewed her as is completely changed and her goodness started going unnoticed.The town's harsh thoughts of her sin are revealed through a local woman as she testifies that â€Å"†¦ At the very least, they should have put the brand of hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead† (Hawthorne 36). Hester never escapes the feelings of being alienated in the progression of her life. Her â€Å"ornament,–the scarlet letter,–which was her doom to wear† (Hawthorne 79) was shown throughout t own, sequestering her from everyone else. Hester knows that even if she was allowed to take off the letter, â€Å"It is too deeply branded† (Hawthorne 63) and always be imprinted in her heart.This makes Hester disconnected from her holy society and forces her to become a â€Å"black flower† (Hawthorne 45). Though Hester is isolated, she is still able to find strength in herself. Hester Prynne is very unique and different from the other women in her town because of her â€Å"richness of complexion† (Hawthorne 50). A lot of her strength is revealed in the beginning of The Scarlet Letter. One of these very early examples of her strength is when Hester is put in front of the town on a scaffold.Instead of Hester shaming away from her sin when she is put in front of her town, she â€Å"appeared more lady-like†(Hawthorne 50) and confident in herself. Even when Hester has been publicly humiliated and is forced to continue wearing The Scarlet Letter on her chest, she does not try to hide her sin. As she stood there with â€Å"a certain state and dignity† (Hawthorne 50) in front of the judgemental Puritans, she overcomes fear and confines her strength. Not only does she show her toughness by not concealing her sin, but she also begins to change people’s negative opinions about her.Hester shows her goodness in the community by helping the poor and making clothes. Hester’s new attitudes allow the people to begin to interpret Hester’s Scarlet Letter differently because of her kindness. Instead of being known as the unacceptable adulterer, â€Å"they said that it meant â€Å"Able†; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength† (Hawthorne 158). This shows that Hester puts her determination above all and is able to step out of her isolation by giving back to her community. These actions enable her to fit in again as a normal citizen and redeem herself as the woman she knows she can be.All in all, it is difficult for many people to look past their own unfortunate situations and the actions for which they hold remorse. However, unlike many others, Hester is eventually able to just that. Hester experiences a great deal of suffering due to her past sin of adultery, but despite that she is still able to overcome that through her dignity and strong-will. Hester proves that The Scarlet Letter was not needed to be taken off in order for Hester to change. She also disregards multiple offerings to remove the devil’s mark from her bosom, and responds by saying that â€Å"It is too deeply branded.Ye cannot take it off. With that I might endure his agony, as well as mine† (Hawthorne 63). She clearly accepted her sin and stayed strong not only herself but for Pearl and the other around her to come full circle by the end of the novel. The Scarlet Letter provides great challenges for Hester, but she does not let the struggles get to her. By staying a strong and determined woman, Hester changes her entire life for the better and comes around to redeem herself in her small Puritan town.

Is Iago The Perfect Villain? Essay

Few Shakespearian villains radiate evilness and jealously quite as much as Iago, the unbeknown nemesis of the play’s title character, Othello. In other plays written by the bard of Avon the villains can come across as one-dimensional- weak, personified by a flaw in their genetic make-up or unattainable ambition yet Iago is a far more complex and compelling character. True, he has the power to both betray and murder those he once worked alongside, but Iago isn’t the complete cold-blooded murderer in the same sense of Macbeth or King Claudius from Hamlet. True, he meticulously plans the death of Cassio but he plans it to be by hands of Rodrigo, his puppet. In the end opportunity presents itself to Iago and he seizes the moment to stab Cassio in the back but the blow fails to kill him. Iago also reveals a moral conscience through his three soliloquy’s which I will explore in more detail later. In short Iago is like no other of Shakespeare’s villains which makes him an utterly compelling and absorbing character. And like the other characters in the play, Iago delights in absorbing us, the viewer†¦ The tragedy of Othello was believed to have been first performed in the early 1600’s and is one of Shakespeare’s more famous plays. The play is also rich in historical context and features the Moorish race heavily, leading many to believe it was influenced by a visit to the capital of the Empire by the Moorish ambassador, who is said to have met with the ruling monarch. In the play, only Iago voiced an explicitly stereotypical view on Othello and his race and, the fact that Iago is the main villain of the play, means most scholars view the play as Shakespeare’s statement on society, notably that people are the same, regardless of skin colour- a message many would do well to remember in this current day and age. The fact that Iago is the only character to mention Othello’s skin colour is also signs of one of his weakness- the fact that he is blinded by stereotypes. This character trait is explored further by Shakespeare in Iago’s soliloquies. The play Othello is one of Shakespeare’s tragedy’s, ending in a dramatic, breathtaking climax. The proud, noble and trustworthy character of Othello promotes his young solder Cassio ahead of his more experienced ally Iago, setting off a chain of events which eventually ends with the demise of Othello, his young wife Desdemona and Iago himself. Twisted with jealously and rage Iago sets out to manipulate and exploit Othello’s trustworthy nature, instead revealing him to be slightly naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and gullible. After a series of Iago-inspired mis-understandings, Othello believes his wife to be sleeping with his new lieutenant, Cassio and thus commences to kill his wife. However not long after he fatally wounds his wife, he learns the truth from Iago’s wife and, after apologising to Cassio, kills himself. Othello is one of Shakespeare’s only plays where the villain of the piece speaks more lines then the title character or protagonist. This fact reflects Iago’s incredible contribution to the play and also sets the tone for the story- for the most part we see things from Iago’s perspective as, after the audience, Iago has the most knowledge on what is going on in the play. You could even argue that, at times, Iago knows even more than the audience, which is a trait of a true, compelling villain. We never know what face Iago is going to show next, never know what move he is going to make, partly helped by the fact that for long stretches of the play Iago is in â€Å"good† mode. He is seemingly kind, loyal and truthful to Othello, all signs of a true friend. It is only through the intimate soliloquies that the real Iago comes to the fore. Othello’s race is particularly important in the play, despite the fact that only one character slurs his race in the play: Iago. Othello is frequently called â€Å"The Moor† in the play, implying he is either of African descent or simply just a Muslim. The fact that Shakespeare does not allot Othello a specific race could be due to the fact that he wanted his audience to see that race isn’t crucial in understanding a person or character and only the narrow minded (or evil, like Iago) would see race as a barrier. The fact that Othello is not native to Italy is especially important to the play and it’s affect on it’s audience: it makes Othello’s demise more saddening and guilt tinged as Iago has manipulated a man of a different culture and robbed the only person who he felt a real, strong connection with and, who in turn, respected him back- Desdemona. In many of Shakespeare’s other plays, the phrase: â€Å"actions speak louder then words†, could be applied to the villain of the play. Many of the villain’s true characters are revealed when they are committing their piece of true evil however with Iago, it is the opposite way around. He keeps up a false face when around Othello; â€Å"pouring pestilence into his ear† with his â€Å"heavenly shows† and this is arguably the greatest of Iago’s many evil deeds. He is manipulating Othello, influencing him. This is one of the many factors that could be seen as making Iago into the â€Å"perfect villain†. Unlike other villains of plays from the same age, Iago isn’t a butcherer, a thug. He is cold, calculative- a sadist. Yet he is also intelligent, which would have frightened the Elizabethan audience watching. His intelligence and sadism are revealed in his three soliloquies, which I will explore in this essay. â€Å"Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:† Iago’s first soliloquy, included in Act one Scene 3 opens on a sinister, malicious note. This is the first line he speaks to the audience and the audience alone and Shakespeare has made it as twisted and warped as possible. Shakespeare knows that in the soliloquies he will try to gain Iago some empathy but, he is still the villain, and with a line like this opening his first soliloquy, Shakespeare doesn’t let us, the audience, forget it. Iago is commenting on how he is able to make money from fools, from manipulating them. He shows instantly that he exploits people and revels in it. He is boasting to the audience, proud of his achievements. The words â€Å"my fool† also imply that he is in complete control of the people he decides to manipulate, suggesting that he is in a â€Å"Godly† sort of position. He is also inferring that the latest fool that is â€Å"making his purse† is Othello, a man revered by others for his honest and noble nature. Shakespeare is contrasting Othello’s just nature with Iago’s snide, evil nature, juxtaposing their characters and personalities. Iago could also be referring to his accomplice Rodrigo. Despite working closely with him, Iago is only using Rodrigo as a puppet. In an ironic twist, Iago is doing to Rodrigo what made him so angry in the first place. He is overlooking Rodrigo and instead totally committed to the demise of Othello. Similarly, Othello overlooked Iago and instead lavished his praise, and a promotion, on Michael Cassio. The line: â€Å"I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets† is the first real example of Iago’s moral conscience struggling to break through in the soliloquy. On first glance, the line seems as malevolent as ever, Iago calls Othello not by his name, but by his race: Moor. Iago is also commenting on how some â€Å"abroad† (possibly referring to when he was away fighting with Othello) suspect that Othello has slept with Emilia, Iago’s wife. Indeed, it seems on first glance that the line is meant to make Iago even more evil, as it sounds like he has a solid motive for wanting to ruin the life of Othello. But when one reads between the lines one can begin to see Iago’s inner moral dilemma. After all the lines dedicated to describing how fair and just Othello is, it is highly unlikely that Shakespeare wrote this line as truth. Indeed, he is more likely to be hinting at Iago’s more sensitive nature. Iago was once a great friend of Othello’s and popular with the rest of the men. Many former solders comment on the bond shared between men on the battlefield, a love and commitment so strong that many would willingly lay down their lives for their comrades, fully aware of the possible consequences. Iago and Othello would have most likely have shared this connection, and it would have been impossible for Iago to lose it overnight. Iago is simply trying to justify his actions, in a perverse way he is almost pleading with them to accept why he is angry, and to not see him as a villain. This shows Iago’s morality and makes his character progression in the play all the more startling. Throughout the play, we see the small amount of morality Iago possesses diminish whereas in some of Shakespeare’s other plays, the villains are evil from the start, leaving them more detached from the audience and making it incredibly hard for the audience to direct any empathy towards them. The final two lines of Iago’s first soliloquy: â€Å"I have’t. It is engendered. Hell and night, Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light,† show once more that Iago knows what he is doing is wrong, but also hint at the fact that he has forgave any chance of redemption, and knows that his future will end in the death of his former friend, and the loss of his soul to evil. Whether this pains him, however, is never fully explored or revealed by Shakespeare. The quotation also compares Iago to the Devil, which would have shocked the Jacobean audience. People of this time would have been devoutly religious and the devil would have frightened them, as he was seen as the ultimate evil. The phrase â€Å"hell and night† implies that evil often materialises during the night, during the darkness, which juxtaposes the image of heaven and light, which could be associated to Othello. This is slightly ironic as the character of Othello is black, yet he is the â€Å"light† character being manipulated by the â€Å"black† Iago. The adjective â€Å"monstrous† proves that Iago is aware of his wrongdoing. Yet when used in his soliloquy, used after he passionately describes his plan, the word sounds very ominous and sinister. One gets the impression that Shakespeare wanted the actor portraying Iago to spit the word to the audience. The word â€Å"birth† also suggests that Iago is comparing the manifestation of his evil plan to a newborn baby. This links in with the idea of Iago hating women as he has a rather shallow relationship with Emilia and mentions in the play how he thinks women are good only for sex. In the soliloquy, by describing his plan has having a â€Å"birth† he is slurring females, as his plan is one of evil and vindictiveness. Iago’s second soliloquy continues where the first left off and provides us with a number of reasons for why Iago is so hell-bent on Othello’s destruction. Throughout this second soliloquy the possible motives of Iago progress from the rumour that Othello slept with Emilia, to the more disturbing and disconcerting motive of Iago desiring Othello’s love before destroying him, the idea of Iago being thrust into a â€Å"Godly† position. The first possible motive Iago mentions for wanting to destroy Othello is jealously. â€Å"I do suspect the lustful Moor hath leaped into my seat†¦like a poisonous mineral doth gnaw my inwards,† is evidence of this possible motive. All other evidence in the play categorically proves that it is incredibly unlikely that Othello would have slept with Emilia and it is possible that Iago too understands that Othello wound never cheat on Desdemona. However Iago finds that he has to lie to himself to keep strong and to help justify his actions to the audience, proving that he must feel some guilt. Iago is also comparing the jealously he feels to an animal or a monster â€Å"gnawing away at his inwards†. This comparison links with another line Iago speaks, however this time it is directed to Othello, not the audience. In Act 3 Scene 3 Iago tells Othello to: â€Å"Beware†¦the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.† In this case Shakespeare is b eing extremely ironic, as it is Iago who has succumbed to jealously and let it change his character forever, not Othello who loses his better judgement momentarily and then repents in the final scene. Iago shows in his second soliloquy that he sees people as tools, ready to be manipulated, hinting at the sense of detachment he feels. The lines: â€Å"Which thing to do, If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash,† show this aptly. After becoming so consumed with jealously, greed or whatever is driving him on, Iago now feels no real emotional connection with ordinary people. In fact the only true relationship he has with another person is the perverse relationship he shares with Othello. Despite hating Othello, he still desires his love and praise. Iago is extremely confused and, after recoiling away from Emilia’s love the only person he feels any connection with is Othello. This makes him an extremely perverse and sadistic character, which could go some way to making him the â€Å"perfect villain†. Unlike other evil characters, who want their foes dead so they can achieve power or peace Iago has despised Othello so much that his hatred has gone full circle, and he has ended up now desiring Othello’s love again, as proved by the line: â€Å"Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me†. This kind of relationship makes Iago seem slightly unstable thus making putting the audience one step behind Iago. Iago could commit nearly any possible action after this statement and it would still seem believable to the audience, as they recognise him as slightly un-hinged. Whereas other villains, such as Macbeth, are limited in what they can do before the story becomes too unbelievable, Iago can do just about anything as he harbours a wide range of emotions for Othello- love, respect and, ultimately, hatred. This ultimately contributes to him being the perfect villain, he is unrestricted, Shakespeare can take his character anywhere and the audience will never be able to second- guess him. This is proved in perfect fashion in the last scene of the play, where Othello and the guards confront Iago. When pushed for a reason for destroying the lives of so many people, Iago simply says: â€Å"Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I will never speak word.† This epitomises the character of Iago. Throughout the play, Iago evidences his love of talking and communicating and, when presented with no other characters to interact with, he instead communicates with the audience in his soliloquies. Therefore many would be forgiven for thinking Iago’s final stand involves a hail of angry metaphors and lies, as he finally lays into Othello. Yet instead he remains cool and hideously restrained. He doesn’t fulfil what people think he will do, making him unpredictable, compelling and, ultimately, the perfect villain. Iago’s third and final soliloquy reveals just how evil Iago can be. He loses most, if not all, of the empathy the audience have gained from him in the space of nearly 30 lines, in preparation for the plays finale where Shakespeare presumably wanted all of the initial, spontaneous empathy to be directed towards Desdemona, Emilia and Othello. Iago slightly sarcastically plays on the title â€Å"Honest Iago† in his third soliloquy, after many of the characters start addressing him by this title. â€Å"And what’s he then that says I play the villain, When this advice is free I give, and honest,† are the two lines that open his final soliloquy. Whilst some people feel that Iago us trying to gain some empathy by implying he is not totally in the wrong I personally don’t believe Shakespeare wanted these two lines to be spoken seriously by the actor portraying Iago. I get the impression that Shakespeare wanted these two lines to be spoken slightly sarcastically, as Iago is boasting in this sequence. By having Iago boast so close to the dramatic and disastrous finale, I believe that Shakespeare is showing that, despite being extremely clever and in many cases the perfect villain, Iago is still only human. He is mistaken here, as Othello and the guards eventually find him out and it is Emilia who revea ls his deceit, which is very ironic as Iago isn’t quiet in his contempt of women and believes all women to be stupid. Iago carefully maintains a veneer of â€Å"honesty and trust† but like many people, his outward appearance belies a inner deception. Iago is commonly referred to as Machiavellian, a term coined for Prince Machiavelli. Machiavelli is famous for his political treatise, â€Å"The Prince† which espouses, among other things, that the ends to power always justify the means. Machiavelli was a well known villain in the Jacobean era but, importantly, he was also renowned for his intelligence. By comparing the two men, Shakespeare is making an important statement: Iago is no fool. In many of Shakespeare’s other plays, the villain of the piece is foolish and slow, but in this play, the villain is arguably the smartest of all the characters. This keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, making Othello one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. The lines: â€Å"Divinity of Hell† When Devils do their blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,† show how Shakespeare compares Iago to the Devil, implying that Iago is the physical manifestation of evil. Contrary to popular belief, the Devil, or Lucifer, is or was not a fire-spitting, all-powerful behemoth. He was instead a fallen angel, once a trusted servant of God who eventually fell to Earth after letting ambition and greed cloud his judgement. The Devil also influences others by tempting them, in a similar fashion to Iago. Whilst prone to fits of rage, such as when he kills Emilia and wounds Cassio, Iago does the majority of his work through the spoken word. He is a master of language in a similar way that the Devil is the master of temptation. Shakespeare also uses an oxymoron, â€Å"Divinity of Hell!† to represent Iago’s conflicting personality. The phrase also somewhat represents Iago, as he is the slick, controlled face of evil, able to deceive and manipulate others, making him such an affective villain. Iago ends his final soliloquy with the two lines: â€Å"And out of her own goodness make the net, That shall enmesh them all.† Here, Iago is fantasizing about putting his plan into action. He is also once again revealing the sense of detachment he feels, he is planning on manipulating Desdemona’s innocence and purity into a weapon, thus highlighting the ruthless nature of his character. The fact that Iago sees these qualities as factors to be exploited sum up his nature in perfect fashion. Iago is an opportunist, a speculator. He is extremely apt in finding a gap in someone’s character and using it to fulfil his own needs. Whilst most would see this as a weakness, Iago sees it as strength and it serves him well until he is caught. The fact that Shakespeare compares Iago manipulating everyone around him to â€Å"enmeshing people† suggests that Iago is in a higher position than everybody else. He is rounding up the other characters, and delighting in the fact that it is Desdemona’s innocence that is luring people in. He is doing the dirty work whilst using another character o take the blame. In conclusion, I do see Iago as the perfect villain. He is opportunistic, ruthless and compelling, a perfect villain in so many ways. An Elizabethan audience would most likely have at first reacted very negatively to Iago, but such is the strength of his character that his motives for destroying Othello begin to be understood long after the play has been performed. Whilst at first he seems purely evil, upon further reflection you begin to see Iago as a victim, a victim of what ambition can do to a man. The soliloquies also help Iago gain, and lose empathy. Shakespeare uses them as a tool, an instrument in engaging the audience. First the audience feel sorry for Iago, before Shakespeare turns the story on it’s head and makes Iago utterly evil once more. This all contributes to making Iago the perfect villain; he is unreadable and unpredictable, unlike other Shakespearean characters that remain the same character throughout. Iago is constantly changing, evolving and developing.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 5

Damon was driving aimlessly when he saw the girl. She was alone, walking down the side of the street, her titian hair blowing in the wind, her arms weighted down by packages. Damon immediately did the chivalrous thing. He let the car glide to a stop, waited for the girl to take a few striding paces to catch up with him – che gambe! – and then jumped out and hastened to open the passenger side door for her. Her name, as it turned out, was Damaris. In moments the Ferrari was back on the road, going so fast that Damaris's titian hair was flowing behind her like a banner. She was a young woman who fully merited the kind of trance-inducing compliments he'd been handing out freely all day – which was a good thing, he thought laconically, because his imagination was very nearly drained dry. But flattering this lovely creature, with her nimbus of red-gold hair and her pure, milky skin, wouldn't take any imagination at all. He didn't expect any trouble from her, and he planned to keep her overnight. Veni, vidi, vici,Damon thought, and flashed a wicked smile into the middle distance. And then he amended – Well, perhaps I haven't conqueredyet , but I'd bet my Ferrari on it. They stopped by a â€Å"scenic view roundabout† and when Damaris had dropped her purse and bent to pick it up, he'd seen the nape of her neck, where those fine titian hairs were startlingly delicate against the whiteness of her skin. He'd kissed it immediately, impulsively, finding it as soft as a baby's skin – and warm against his lips. He'd allowed her complete freedom of action, interested to see whether she would slap him, but instead she had just straightened up and taken a few shaky breaths before allowing him to take her in his arms to be kissed into a trembling, heated, uncertain creature, her dark blue eyes entreating and trying to resist at the same time. â€Å"I – shouldn't have let you do that. I won't let you again. I want to go home now.† Damon smiled. His Ferrari was safe. Her ultimate yielding would be particularly pleasant, he thought as they continued their drive. If she shaped up as well as she seemed to be doing, he might even keep her a few days, might even Change her. Now, though, he was bothered by an inexplicable disquiet inside. It was Elena, of course. Being so close to her at the boardinghouse and not daring to demand to go to her, because of what he might do. Oh, hell, what Ishould have done already, he thought with a sudden vehemence. Stefan was right – there was something wrong with him today. He was frustrated to a degree that he wouldn't have imagined possible. What heshould have done was to have ground his little brother's face in the dirt, wrung his neck like a fowl, and then gone up those narrow tacky stairs totake Elena, willing or no. He hadn't done it before because of some syrupy nonsense, caring about her screaming and carrying on as he lifted that incomparable chin and buried his swollen, aching fangs in her lily-white throat. There was a noise going on in the car. † – don't you think?† Damaris was saying. Annoyed and too busy with his fantasy to go over what his mind might have heard of her speech, he shut her off, and she was instantly quiet. Damaris was lovely butuna stomata – a ditz. Now she sat with her titian hair whipping in the wind, but with blank eyes, the pupils contracted, absolutely still. And all for nothing. Damon made a hissing sound of exasperation. He couldn't get back into his daydream; even in silence, the imagined sounds of Elena's sobbing prevented him. But there would be no more sobbing once he'd made her into a vampire, a little voice in his mind suggested. Damon cocked his head and leaned back, three fingers on the steering wheel. He'd once sought to make her his princess of darkness – why not again? She would belong to him utterly, and if he had to give up her mortal blood†¦well, he wasn't exactly getting any of that right now, was he? the insinuating voice said. Elena, pale and glowing with a vampire's aura of Power, her hair almost white-blond, a black gown against her satiny skin. Now there was a picture to make any vampire's heart beat faster. He wanted her more than ever now that she had been a spirit. Even as a vampire she would retain most of her own nature, and he could just picture it: her light for his darkness, her soft whiteness in his hard, black-jacketed arms. He would stop that exquisite mouth with kisses, smother her with them – What was hethinking about? Vampires didn't kiss like that for enjoyment – especially not other vampires. The blood, the hunt was all. Kissing beyond whatever was necessary to conquer their victim was pointless; it could lead nowhere. Only sentimental idiots like his brother bothered with such foolishness. A mated vampire pair might share the blood of a mortal victim, both striking at once, both controlling the victim's mind – and joined together in mind-link, too. That was how they found their pleasure. Still, Damon found himself excited by the idea of kissing Elena, of forcing kisses on her, of feeling her desperation to get away from him suddenly pause – with the little hesitation that came just before response, before yielding herself completely to him. Maybe I'm going crazy, Damon thought, intrigued. He had never gone crazy before that he could recall, and there was some appeal in the idea. It had been centuries since he'd felt this kind of excitement. All the better for you, Damaris, he thought. He had reached the point where Sycamore Street cut briefly into the Old Wood, and the road there was winding and dangerous. Regardless, he found himself turning to Damaris to wake her again, noting with approval that her lips were naturally that soft cherry color, without lipstick. He kissed her lightly, then waited to gauge her response. Pleasure. He could see her mind go soft and rosy with it. He glanced at the road ahead and then tried it again, this time holding the kiss. He was elated with her response, with both of their responses. This was amazing. It must have to do with the amount of blood he'd had, more than ever before in one day, or the combination – He suddenly had to wrench his attention from Damaris to driving. Some small russet animal had appeared as if by magic on the road in front of him. Damon normally didn't go out of his way to run over rabbits, porcupines, and the like, but this one had annoyed him at a crucial moment. He grasped the steering wheel with both hands, his eyes black and cold as glacial ice in the depths of a cave, and headed straight for the russet thing. Not allthat small – there would be a bit of a bump. â€Å"Hang on,† he murmured to Damaris. At the last instant, the reddish thing dodged. Damon wrenched the wheel round to follow it, and then found himself faced with a ditch. Only the superhuman reflexes of a vampire – and the finely tuned response of a very expensive vehicle – could have kept them out of the ditch. Fortunately Damon had both, swinging them in a tight circle, tires squealing and smoking in protest. And no bump. Damon leaped over the car door in one fluid motion and looked around. But whatever it was, had vanished completely, as mysteriously as it had appeared. Sconosciuto. Weird. He wished he wasn't heading into the sun; the bright afternoon light cut down his visual acuity severely. But he'd had a glimpse of the thing as it got close, and it had looked deformed. Pointed at one end and fan-like at the other. Oh, well. He turned back to the car, where Damaris was having hysterics. He wasn't in the mood to coddle anyone, so he simply put her back to sleep. She slumped back into the seat, tears left to dry on her cheeks unheeded. Damon got back into the car feeling frustrated. But he knew now what he wanted to do today. He wanted to find a bar – either seedy and sleazy or immaculate and expensive – and he wanted to find another vampire. With Fell's Church being such a hot spot on the ley-line map, that shouldn't be difficult in the surrounding areas. Vampires and other creatures of darkness were drawn to hot spots like bumblebees to honeysuckle. And then he wanted a fight. It would be completely unfair – Damon was the strongest vampire left that he knew of, plus he was tick-full of a cocktail of the blood of Fell's Church's finest maidens. He didn't care. He felt like taking his frustrations out on something, and – he flashed that inimitable, incandescent smile at nothing – some werewolf or vampire or ghoul was about to meet itsquietus . Maybe more than one, if he were only lucky enough to find them. After which – delicious Damaris for dessert. Life was good, after all. And unlife, thought Damon, his eyes glinting dangerously behind the sunglasses, was even better. He wasn't just going to sit and sulk because he couldn't have Elena immediately. He was going to go out and enjoy himself and get stronger – and then sometime soon, he was going to go over to his pathetic milksop of a younger brother's place andtake her. He happened to glance in the car's rearview mirror for a moment. By some freak of light or inversion of the atmosphere, it seemed that he could see his eyes behind his sunglasses – burning red.