A Comparison Of Luhrmans and Zeffirellis film Versions Of Romeo And Juliet Essays

A Comparison Of Luhrmans and Zeffirellis film Versions Of Romeo And Juliet Essays A Comparison Of Luhrmans and Zeffirellis film Versions Of Romeo And Juliet Essay A Comparison Of Luhrmans and Zeffirellis film Versions Of Romeo And Juliet Essay Essay Topic: To Build a Fire I am comparing Franco Zeffirellis version of Romeo and Juliet, which was produced in 1968 and has won several academy awards. One critic stated His film has become the definitive version in high school classrooms across the country.I am also reviewing Baz Luhrmans Romeo + Juliet. This was produced in 1995. What can you say about a version of Shakespeare that ends with a helicopter chase? As you would imagine it is a much more modern version than Zeffirellis. I am going to review 2 parts of each of the films and try and come to a conclusion to show which is better and why. The scenes I will be reviewing are the opening scenes and the party scenes.Both films are based on Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet but each portrays the play in a completely different way. Zeffirellis version was rated a PG although there are scenes including nudity. Luhrmans was rated a 12. I imagine this is because so of the violence throughout and the fact that guns were often used and scene s such as Mercutios death scene which is gory and gruesome.Luhrmans opening scene starts with a television in the middle of the screen. The television is showing a black American woman saying the original Shakespeare prologue as if it was a news report. As the camera zooms in the audience can see in the background there is a broken ring with Star Crossed Lovers below it. The dialogue is fast and quite a high tone. A narrator then repeats the prologue. This time the voice is a deeper tone and slightly slower. It is spoken in a way that is slightly threatening and hints at the fact there will be evil in the film.As the scene moves on there is also text on the screen as the prologue is being read. It is certain parts of the prologue such as A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life which really emphasises certain things that become a lot more obvious in the play. The characters also appear on screen with their name next to them. There is also text to tell the audience how each char acter is related to either Romeo or Juliet. The camera is constantly panning from side to side. As soon as you see the title you get a hint of religion and race from the cross between Romeo and Juliet. The same cross also appears on the screen when the words Take Their Lives. The T on Take is shown as a cross, which again emphasises the religion and race throughout the film.The camera zooms in on a crowded city, gradually slowing down and flowing into quick flashes of important parts of the play across the screen, making a big montage of hint giving shots. In the background is some very dramatic, loud, and exciting music as shots of flames, chaos, helicopters, fireworks, police, and guns shoot onto screen. There are also shots of two tall office buildings, one with Montague on it and the other with Capulet on it and shots of newspaper articles with titles such as Capulat vs. Montague and Star crossed lovers.The shots of the buildings and newspapers are an extremely strong hint of co nflict between Capulet and Montague and a story of love and hate. Each frame lasts less than a second. This fast editing and use of dramatic music really gets your heart beating and makes you want to watch on and find out why all these images were included in the opening scene. Luhrman also uses bright lighting to really get the film going. The images show that there is going to be police involved and the flames and the chaos hint at some traumatic events. The fireworks also hint at the fact there may be a party and that it is going to be a lively and exiting film.Zeffirellis opening scene is very different from Luhrmans. It starts with a male narrator speaking slowly at a constant tone with little emotion in his voice. The words spoken are exactly the same as Shakespeares original prologue. The dialogue sounds quite sad and romantic, which gives a hint of romance in the film. The camera is paused on a birds eye view of a foggy village. There is lots of natural light as the sun slow ly breaks through the fog. The camera editing is much slower than Luhrmans.It then breaks into a long shot of the historic looking city with slow classical music in the background. The music has no lyrics and hints at a romantic film. The city looks very old and historic. This gives the impression of how a city would have looked in Shakespeares time. Unlike Luhrmans, Zeffirellis has no sound effects or people in the opening scene. The lighting is also a lot dimmer and less modern than Luhrmans. The text in Zeffirellis is in an old fashioned style and it just states the name of the play and characters. This has a much lesser effect than Luhrmans text does.The camera shots are a lot longer and therefore show a slow, romantic, and love filled film. The slow constant tone of the narrator and slow editing techniques are a lot less exciting and intriguing than Luhrmans.Both Luhrmans and Zeffirellis techniques are used throughout each of their films, each giving a strong impression of the directors style.Luhrmans party scene, like his opening scene is modern, bright, loud, and very entertaining with use of fast editing mixed with slow, long shots and fast modern music.The party scene starts with a big display of fireworks that gets the audiences attention and shows them that the scene to come is going to be lively and entertaining. It then moves on to quick moving party lights flashing throughout the Capulets house. Then we see Mercutio, in the middle of some huge stairs, dressed in womens clothes. Dancers surround him and loud party music is playing in the background. This shows modernism in the film. Zeffirelli wouldnt have dreamt of putting this in his film. Purely because peoples attitudes to sexuality, cross-dressing etc. has changed a lot since 1968. The carpet on the stairs is bright purple and there are bits of strong reds all around the room. Again, this is one of the many things that makes this film modern and relates it to a modern audience.The camera is c onstantly closing in on Romeo and then quickly panning to a close up of Juliet, showing their facial expressions and hinting at their feelings. The camera is mainly level with the actors heads. This makes the audience feel as if they were in the room with the characters.The party is set in a big house with large, bright stairs in the centre of the back wall. The room where the characters are dancing is brightly decorated with flowers. There are also lots of mirrors and a very large window. The mirrors and decoration show that the Capulets are wealthy. The characters are wearing shiny, brightly coloured, modern outfits. It is actually fancy dress. Juliet is dressed as a fairy, which shows she is a soft, caring, and loving character.The music in the background is slow and repetitive. It is by Desiray, which are a modern group and is perfect music to show love in the film because the lyrics state about love. The music pauses and the camera stays in a fixed position when Romeo and Julie t stop and stare at each other. This shows strongly the fact that something significant is going to happen between the two characters.The lighting in Luhrmans party scene is extremely technical. There are spotlights, spinning lights, neon lights, and fairground lights. Each one giving its own effect. The spotlight highlights Mercutio when he is dancing. There are also fireworks going on outside the house, which give the setting a more romantic feel.Overall Luhrmans party scene is a lot different to Zeffirellis because it is more lively, modern and wild. In Luhrmans the audience see passionate kissing, excessive drinking and hints of drug use. This plays a big part in relating the play to a modern audience.Again, Zeffirellis party scene is very different from Luhrmans. It is a lot more traditional and historic. The whole scene is much slower and more romantic than Luhrmans.In Zeffirellis there is a lot of singing. Especially near the end. Like Luhrmans there are a lot of close ups on Romeo and Juliet and the camera is at the same level as the characters heads. This, again, makes the audience feel more like they are at the party. The editing is a lot slower than Luhrmans and the shots tend to be a lot longer, giving the audience a sense of love. There are a few faster scenes to highlight the conflict between the Capulets and the Montagues.Like Luhrmans the party is set in a big mansion that had big stone walls and huge stone pillars. The pillars give focal points for the party. There are beautiful mosaics on the floor. Towards the end of the scene a man is singing with a circle of people around him. He is stood in the centre of one of the mosaics and it, again, gives a sense of love and romance. This is also given by the fact that there are lots of large candles spread around the roomThe characters are all wearing old costumes to represent Shakespeares time and all the men are wearing hats. Romeo is wearing a mask so that the Capulets will not see that he is a M ontague. The colours are all quite soft and more elegant than in Luhrmans. All the Montagues are wearing dark colours and all the guests at the party are wearing soft oranges and crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mes. This is a sneaky little hint of conflict between the two households. That hint is needed in this scene because the audience could forget about the conflict because both households are at the same party.The music is mostly slow but when there is a long shot of the guests dancing the music becomes a lot faster and livelier. This change gets the full attention of the audience. There are no sound effects in Zeffirellis party scene.The lighting in the scene is a lot more modest than in Luhrmans but still creates good images and hints at important things. One of the walls of the castle has a blue light shone onto it and it really gives a calm, relaxed atmosphere. Instead of having a spot light like in Luhrmans, Zeffirelli has used the natural light from outside the window to shine on the man si nging. This again shows love and romance and still keeps the film as if it were set in Shakespearian times.After having seen both versions of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet I think that each film was made for a very different reason. I think that Zeffirellis film was made to be as accurate to the original as possible but I think that Luhrman wanted to modernise the play for a modern audience. I think both directors achieved this.Zeffirellis version was much more about love, romance, and conflict between two families. He made the audience feel this by constantly using slow camera techniques and classical music with modest lighting. He also gave lots of hints about the conflict such as using different costumes for the Capulets and Montagues. Zeffirelli also made his film as much like the original as possible. He did this by using settings, lighting, music and costume that would have been around in Shakespeares day. He didnt use many modern effects because these would not have been avai lable when Shakespeare wrote his play.Luhrmans film was a lot more modern. He has turned a historic play into a modern film for the people of today. His fast editing and constantly panning camera angles along with his fantastic sound and visual effects made this film an amazing version of a fantastic play. He modernises the play so well by doing things such as making the character Paris into Dave Paris and Prince into Captain Prince. He uses guns instead of swords, which not only modernises the film but also makes it a lot more interesting and fast moving. A sword-fighting scene could go on forever but by using guns the fight is over with one shot.I think that the only things these films have in common are their titles and the language used in them and even that is spoken in completely different ways.I think that Luhrmans film is a lot better than Zeffirellis purely because I can relate to it. Its modernisation makes it fast and exciting. It is a completely enjoyable film and I woul d certainly recommend it.

Creating a Splash Screen in Delphi Applications

Creating a Splash Screen in Delphi Applications The most basic splash screen is just an image, or more precisely, a form with an image, that appears in the center of the screen when the application is loading. Splash screens are hidden when the application is ready to be used. Below is more information on the different types of splash screens you may see, and why theyre useful, as well as steps for creating your own Delphi splash screen for your application. What Are Splash Screens Used For? There are several types of splash screens. The most common are start-up splash screens - the ones you see when an application is loading. These usually display the applications name, author, version, copyright, ​an image, or some type of icon, that uniquely identifies it. If you are a shareware developer, you could use splash screens to remind users to register the program. These may pop up when the program first launches, to tell the user that they can register if they want special features or to get email updates for new releases. Some applications use splash screens to notify the user of the progress of a time-consuming process. If you look carefully, some really large programs use this type of splash screen when the program is loading background processes and dependencies.  The last thing you want is for your users  to think that your program is dead  if some database task is performing.   Creating a Splash Screen Lets see how to create a simple start-up splash screen in a few steps: Add a new form to your project.Select New Form from the File menu in the Delphi IDE.Change the Name Property of the Form to something like SplashScreen.Change these Properties: BorderStyle to bsNone, Position to poScreenCenter.Customize your splash screen by adding components like  labels, images, panels, etc.You could first add one TPanel component (Align: alClient)  and play around with BevelInner, BevelOuter, BevelWidth, BorderStyle, and BorderWidth properties to produce some eye-candy effects.Select Project from the Options menu and move the Form from the Auto-create listbox to Available Forms.Well create a form on the fly and then display it before the application is actually opened.Select Project Source from the View menu.You can also do this through  Project View Source.Add the following code after the begin statement of the Project Source code (the .DPR file): Application.Initialize; //this line exists! SplashScreen : TSplashScreen.Create(nil) ; SplashScreen.Show; SplashScreen.Update; After the final Application.Create() and before the  Application.Run statement, add: SplashScreen.Hide; SplashScreen.Free; Thats it!  Now you can run the application. In this example, depending on the speed of your computer, you will barely see your new splash screen, but if you have more than one form in your project, the splash screen will certainly show up.For more information on making the splash screen stay a bit longer, read through the code in this Stack Overflow thread. Tip:  You can also make custom shaped Delphi forms.

Should robots be given the same rights as human Essay

Should robots be given the same rights as human - Essay Example tties of their life to make it easier and accelerate in a supersonic velocity with three laws of robotics injected within the mechanisms of robots so that they cannot surpass the superiority of the humans, their creator. The three laws of robotics goes with the convention that a) A robot will not injure a human being or, will not allow a human being to come to harm through force, b) It will definitely obey the orders entrusted upon it by the human beings except in cases where such orders gets contradicted with the First Law , c) It will shield its existence until and unless such shielding gets inconsistent with the First or Second Law (Isaac Asimovs "Three Laws of Robotics). But with the advancement of artificial intelligence, Cyberneticists have proved that the robots can imitate behaviors, can learn from the mistakes, posses the power of generation multiplication through probabilistic mode of self reproduction, and can become possessor of unbounded life span through self repairing mechanism (McNally and Inayatullah). Robots after gaining these powers will definitely claim equal human rights. However if equal human rights are bestowed upon the robots the world can face tremendous devastations or advancement with the possibility of subordination of the human race under the authority of robots unless and until the three laws of robotics do not gets

Organization Diversification Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organization Diversification - Case Study Example Besix is one of the oldest construction companies and on the verge of completing its 100th year of operation as it was founded in 1909. Ever since then, it has through the above four factors impressively become the largest construction company of Belgium and diversified into almost every field related to construction projects nationally and world-wide. As a Group, Besix employs in excess of 12,000 people in its diversified operations and in the year 2005, its annual turnover was reported at an approximate figure of Euros 1 billion. With Besix's management's planning, organizing and controlling experience that it has gained through its years of construction related work, it has been able to internationally diversify primarily in construction, engineering and development of properties. The Group intends to become a leading player that will serve the Western and Central European markets from Belgium and the Middle East market from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where it has expanded its construction business since 1967 and become among the region's top most contractors. Each of these subsidies is independently registered where they operate to meet the regulatory law of the countries where they carry out their business again independently but under a hierarchal order which eventually reports to t

Mexico and its Importance to US Bilateral relations Essay Example for Free

Mexico and its Importance to US Bilateral relations Essay Mexico is an important asset to the United States, is shares 1,954 miles of border with the United States, and has become an important economic trading partner with the United States. Relations between these two nations are paramount, but we must address a list of issues that need answers, economic reform, homeland security, drug control, migration and even the environment. Every day over one million people cross the border legally, in 2012 two way trade totaled over $500 billion dollars. Mexico has remained one of the biggest tourist destinations for American travelers, and America major source of tourism for Mexico. Cooperation between these two nations is important, it is also important for the United States to help streamline diplomacy with Mexico. In 2010 the Executive Committee for 21st Century Border Management was created to help create advancements in creating a modern, secure and efficient border. This Committee was created to spur ideas on ways to help secure the border, as well as create a better way to manage the legal crossing taking place every day. The attacks September 1 1, 2001 led to the closing of many border crossing, putting a strain on the already verworked crossings, with the implementation of this program new ways are being explored on how we should run these border crossings as well as exploring the re- opening of certain closed crossing points. Cooperative activities between the U. S. and Mexico take place under a number of arrangements such as the U. S. -Mexico Border 2012/2020 Program the North American Development Bank and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission; the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation; the Border Health Commission. These agencies help cooperate with Mexico in regards to the serious environmental issues that have risen ue to population growth and industrialization. In 2008 we began the Merida Initiative seeking to cooperate with Mexico as well as other South American countries in an attempt to curb the growing trend of drug trafficking crimes. Mexico suggested that it was a shared problem because the majority of the money flowing into Mexico was from American drug users. Although as of 2012 congress has appropriated nearly 1. 9 billion dollars to the Merida Initiative. Beginning in 2010 the Merida Initiative took a four pillar approach to break down its attempts at disrupting the drug trafficking and violence problem. The first pillar aims to disrupt the capacity of organized crime to operate and the second pillar focuses on enhancing the capacity of Mexicos government and institutions to sustain the rule of law. The Merida Initiatives third pillar aims to improve border management to facilitate legitimate trade and movement of people while thwarting the flow of drugs, arms, and cash. Finally, the fourth pillar seeks to build strong and resilient communities. Despite the major advances we have made with mexico regarding trade and the furtherance of our partnership as nations, it must be noted the major issues we still ace. The Drug Cartels in mexico currently run a 20 plus billion dollar a year industry. important area of discussion is the immigration issues that have faced the united states from mexico as immigrants attempt to flee mexico for a variety of reasons. Mexico is also a major recipient of remittances, in 2012 the state department estimated over 22 billion dollars worth was sent from relatives living in America. Immigration has become a hot point in current affairs, it is time to analise some options for the future in regards to immigration and options regarding drug rafficking issues. In may of 2013 Obama announced the formation of a bilateral forum on higher education, innovation, and research. With this forum the United States and mexico will encourage typically underprivileged students to attend college and secondary schools providing them access to these schools as well as secondary training programs in STEM fields.. This forum is our first step towards making mexico an economic power as well as a place that can welcome advancing technology. Recommendations. Increasing the funding that is appropriated for the Merida Initiative, this funding hould be sent towards furthering the security checkpoints at Mexicos borders. Updating x ray machines as well as non-invasive body scanners. Money should also be spent in an attempt to inform the Mexican community of the intentions to curb the trend of drug cartel control. The Merida initiative should focus primarily on the first pillar, of disrupting organized Criminal Groups. Scrapping all additional plans for continuing the fence on the American Mexican border. Rather Funds should be appropriated in designating a committee to explore further partnership with Mexico regarding immigration. America needs to accept that Mexican immigrants as a majority are good people looking for honest work. This should no longer be a crime, The process of obtaining a green card should be streamlined, making it accessible to anyone who seeks it out. This policy has to go hand in hand with near total elimination of drug violence. Mexico needs to be regarded as a safe place where both American and Mexican nationals can come and go across the border freely and without safety in question. Mexico should not be treated as a third world nation, we have the potential to help them become a eautiful place to visit. It Just requires some creative policy ideas to meet our goals. Drug Reform has not had much success, in part to the weak policies that have been implemented.

The Age Of Enlightenment In 18th Century History Essay

The Age Of Enlightenment In 18th Century History Essay In the dictionary the Enlightenment is defined as a philosophical movement of the 18th century, characterized by belief in the power of human reason and by innovations in political, religious, and educational doctrine. The Enlightenment was enabled by the Scientific Revolution, which had begun as early as 1500. This intellectual, philosophical, cultural, and social movement spread through England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe during the 1700s. I will discuss the Enlightenment and describe the impact it had on societies of the 18th century. Schmidt in his article describe what Enlightenment was by Kants definition, which is a mans tutelage which is the inability to make use of ones understanding without the direction or help from another. He describes how someone by depending on others to make choices for them.  [1]  Its main focus was on the welfare of mankind. The changes that came during the age of Enlightenment would provide not only a rational way of looking at society but freeing people from ignorance, superstition, and tyranny and make the world a safer and better place by providing liberty mentally and physically to those people. The utility of Enlightenment goes on to banish errors, truth drives out falsehood as light drives away darkness.  [2]  Based on thinkers that eagerly seek reason vainly supposed that a perfect society could be constructed by the use of common sense and tolerance. Religion was a main factor that stood in the way of societies becoming enlightenment during the 18th century. Because of religious superstitions and fanaticism it hindered peoples ability to rationalize in events that occur in everyday life. Schmidt points out that the goal of Enlightenment was to free the public from those fears, which robbed people of their happiness that was the goal of human association.  [3]  Support for religious toleration was difficult since the Catholic Church had a big stake on European societies. Clearly religious enlightenment had not become a groundswell from below by the 1780s.  [4]  For many centuries before the enlightenment scientist were persecuted and unjustly punished for coming up with theories and logical arguments about certain things. For example enlighten thinker Galileo  [5]  for challenging the church for his scientific discovery of how the universe works, was persecuted by the church and other establishments for coming up with theories that went against their beliefs. Other thinkers like Voltaire  [6]  devoted a great deal of his time attacking the fundamentals of Christianity including its scriptures and was joined by a band of rebellious thinkers known as the philosophe.  [7]  These thinkers gave path to a new way of thinking and in time brought ideas and changes to their societies. Monarchs themselves became enlighten and no longer held the beliefs of ruling by divine right but to the improvements of their realms and subjects by reasoning. The church was very instrumental in societies and before the age of enlightenment it did everything in their power to combat scholars, humanist, scientist etc. As societies began to become enlighten, a new religious view called Deism  [8]  emerged. Many inventions were created and policies brought forth by monarchs were aimed on trying to separate church and state to create a society of religious freedom. Human virtue and happiness were best achieved by t his newly established freedom from unnecessary restraints imposed by church and also the state. This period was mark by progression. One of the defining characteristics of modernity is the belief that things can change and should change, which the enlightenment has been seen as this era.  [9]  Changes occurred and Enlighten Absolutism emerged. Some Monarchs that were enlightened during the 18th century were Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine the Great of Russia, and Joseph the II, Holy Roman Emperor of Austria. Even though their foreign policy didnt change much as each ruler tried to expand their powers and acquire new territories by going to war, they made certain internal changes in their realm that expanded intellectual freedom and liberty. Their concern was now centered on rationalizing and advocating reform. Government was now protecting individual rights, and when the government violated peoples natural rights, it violated the social contract. An example was the French Declaration of the rights of man and the citizen, which showed what kind of freedoms French people w ere entitled to. These improvements made the average persons voice be heard and people started to feel these changes throughout their lives. The focus was now on both faith in nature and belief in progression, because it led to the betterment of human condition. This also resulted in economic expansion because many rulers embrace free trade and markets which improved their lives as well as their subjects. This gave rise to the Bourgeoisie  [10]  , who became prominent during the 18th century who voiced their opinions on the elite, like the nobility. Within a couple of generations saw improvements in education, criminal justice, taxation, religious freedom, and prosperity.  [11]  The common people were now able to feel like their voice was heard in their society. With these laws and freedoms granted people were able to get better jobs, belong to any religion of their choosing, and think for themselves and not be forced to believe or do things that they felt wasnt part of who they were. This age was a step further in progression in the field of science. Nature was starting to be seen differently. Diderot  [12]  gave the concept of nature the qualities of dynamism and individuality, or self-generating temporal process that submitted concepts of both Leibnizian and the Newtonian world systems in his thinking.  [13]  This thinking of appreciation of external nature was a step forward in knowledge of the surroundings of societies and the results of things that occur in nature. This period emphasized the importance of science like biology in society. How everything was connected to each other and discoveries were made that gave people the ability to look at things from another perspective. This is relevant to the enlightenment for the fact that people were viewing the world differently and discoveries and creation of something like the encyclopedia, and the teachings of science only led to the improvement of society, because technology started advancing and inven tions were made to make peoples life much easier. And science and the influence of reason led to new innovations in political thought. Then philosophers started to write topics that relate to government, politics, and rights. Montesquieu presenting the concept of separating of branches and Thomas Hobbes, John Locke who had different theories and ideas about what type of government there should be. Locke was not just a philosopher but a major ideologue.  [14]  Locke played a major role in the social contract theory, which tries to explain the ways in which people form states to maintain social order. These kinds of concepts and views gave people the chance to voice their opinion of how their government should rule their countries. It was a tough period because people had different opinion whether they wanted a limited government and absolute monarchy etc. These concepts would change society dramatically because with different government comes different laws and norms. This would have an impact on everyones lives. This and other factors led to wars like the French revolution.  [15]  People wanted change and th at is exactly what happened. Monarchy like the one in France collapsed. People started organizing and trying to protect their fellow citizens and themselves to keep their inalienable rights. Society in France underwent a massive transformation as feudal, aristocracy, and religious privileges changed because of liberal political groups that started masses on streets. This would mark the end of the enlightenment by historians but it lead to many changes to society in all fronts. Things like romanticism played a role in the ending of Enlightenment because people would reject scientific rationalization of nature and focus more on things of less value like art, music, and literature. Countries like America were started during the 18th century because of enlightenment ideals that colonist had when they fought England for their independence as well. That was a big victory for Enlightenment thinkers because this new nation would represent a lot of what the Enlightenment was based on. In the period of the Enlightenment there were many changes that brought changes to society in many forms. There came many good things from that time and bad. People started to use reason and logic for running their government, changing society for the betterment of its people, and innovations in science which led to many discoveries. These ideas, works, and principles of the Enlightenment would continue to affect Europe and the rest of the Western world for decades and even centuries to come. The thirty years wars  [16]  was also a cause of the enlightenment for its destructive wars that led many writers to criticize the government for regarding ideas of nationalism and warfare. Many things played a role during the Enlightenment but the impact and effect it had echoed around the world.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Three

WELL, NOT GONE EXACTLY. Muted. Kind of like how it had felt immediately after she'd restored Dimitri back to a dhampir. The magic had been so strong then that it had â€Å"burned out' our link. There was no blast of magic now. It was almost as though the blankness was intentional on her part. Like always, I still had a sense of Lissa: she was alive; she was well. So what was keeping me from feeling more of her? She wasn't asleep, because I could feel a sense of alert consciousness on the other side of this wall. Spirit was there, hiding her from me †¦ and she was making it happen. What the hell? It was an accepted fact that our bond worked only one way. I could sense her; she couldn't sense me. Likewise, I could control when I went into her mind. Often, I tried to keep myself out (jail captivity time excluded), in an attempt to protect her privacy. Lissa had no such control, and her vulnerability infuriated her sometimes. Every once in a while, she could use her power to shield herself from me, but it was rare, difficult, and required considerable effort on her part. Today, she was pulling it off, and as the condition persisted, I could feel her strain. Keeping me out wasn't easy, but she was managing it. Of course, I didn't care about the how of it. I wanted to know the why. It was probably my worst day of imprisonment. Fear for myself was one thing. But for her? That was agonizing. If it was my life or hers, I would have walked into execution without hesitation. I had to know what was going on. Had she learned something? Had the Council decided to skip right over a trial and execute me? Was Lissa trying to protect me from that news? The more spirit she wielded, the more she endangered her life. This mental wall required a lot of magic. But why? Why was she taking this risk? It was astonishing in that moment to realize just how much I relied on the bond to keep track of her. True: I didn't always welcome someone else's thoughts in my head. Despite the control I'd learned, her mind still sometimes poured into mine in moments I'd rather not experience. None of that was a concern now–only her safety was. Being blocked off was like having a limb removed. All day I tried to get inside her head. Every time, I was kept out. It was maddening. No visitors came to me either, and the book and magazines had long since lost their appeal. The caged animal feeling was getting to me again, and I spent a fair amount of time yelling at my guards–with no results. Tatiana's funeral was tomorrow, and the clock to my trial was ticking loudly. Bedtime came, and the wall in the bond dropped at last–because Lissa went to sleep. The link between us was firm, but her mind was closed off in unconsciousness. I'd find no answers there. Left with nothing else, I went to bed as well, wondering if I'd be cut off again in the morning. I wasn't. She and I were linked again, and I was able to see the world through her eyes once more. Lissa was up and around early, preparing for the funeral. I neither saw nor felt any sign of why I'd been blocked the day before. She was letting me back into her mind, just like normal. I almost wondered if I'd imagined being cut off from her. No †¦ there it was. Barely. Within her mind, I sensed thoughts she was still hiding from me. They were slippery. Each time I tried to grasp them, they fell out of my hands. I was amazed she could still use enough magic to pull it off, and it was also a clear indication that she'd blocked me out intentionally yesterday. What was going on? Why on earth would she need to hide something from me? What could I do about anything, locked in this hellhole? Again, my unease grew. What awful thing didn't I know about? I watched Lissa get ready, seeing no ostensible sign of anything unusual. The dress she'd ended up selecting had cap sleeves and went to the knee. Black, of course. It was hardly a clubbing dress, but she knew it would raise some eyebrows. Under different circumstances, this would have delighted me. She chose to wear her hair down and unbound, its pale blond color showing brightly against the dress's black when she surveyed herself in a mirror. Christian met Lissa outside. He cleaned up well, I had to admit, uncharacteristically wearing a dress shirt and tie. He'd drawn the line at a jacket, and his expression was an odd mix of nervousness, secrecy, and typical snark. When he saw Lissa, though, his face momentarily transformed, turning radiant and awestruck as he gazed at her. He gave her a small smile and took her into his arms for a brief embrace. His touch brought her contentment and comfort, easing her anxiety. They'd gotten back together recently after a breakup, and that time a part had been agonizing for both of them. â€Å"It's going to be okay,' he murmured, his look of worry returning. â€Å"This'll work. We can do this.' She said nothing but tightened her hold on him before stepping back. Neither of them spoke as they walked to the beginning of the funeral procession. I decided this was suspicious. She caught hold of his hand and felt strengthened by it. The funeral procedures for Moroi monarchs had been the same for centuries, no matter if the Court was in Romania or its new home in Pennsylvania. That was the Moroi way. They mixed the traditional with the modern, magic with technology. The queen's coffin would be carried by pallbearers out of the palace and taken with great ceremony all through the Court's grounds, until it reached the Court's imposing cathedral. There, a select group would enter for mass. After the service, Tatiana would be buried in the church's graveyard, taking her place beside other monarchs and important royals. The coffin's route was easy to spot. Poles strung with red and black silk banners marked each side. Rose petals had been strewn on the ground the coffin would pass over. Along the sides, people crammed together, hoping to catch a glimpse of their former queen. Many Moroi had come from far off places, some to see the funeral and some to see the monarch elections that would soon follow over the next couple of weeks. The royal family escort–most of whom wore saleswoman-approved black velvet– were already heading into the palace building. Lissa stopped outside to part ways with Christian since he certainly had never been in the running to represent his family for such an honored event. She gave him another fierce hug and a light kiss. As they stepped away, there was a knowing glint in his blue eyes–that secret that was hidden from me. Lissa pushed through the gathering crowds, trying to get to the entrance and find the procession's starting point. The building didn't look like the palaces or castles of ancient Europe. Its grand stone farade and tall windows matched the Court's other structures, but a few features–its height, wide marble steps–subtly distinguished it from other buildings. A tug at Lissa's arm stopped her progress, nearly causing her to run into an ancient Moroi man. â€Å"Vasilisa?' It was Daniella Ivashkov, Adrian's mother. Daniella wasn't so bad as royals went, and she was actually okay with Adrian and me dating–or at least, she had been before I became an accused murderer. Most of Daniella's acceptance had come from the fact that she believed Adrian and I would split up anyways once I received my guardian assignment. Daniella had also convinced one of her cousins, Damon Tarus, to be my lawyer–an offer I'd rejected when I chose Abe to represent me instead. I still wasn't entirely sure if I'd made the best decision there, but it probably tarnished Daniella's view of me, which I regretted. Lissa offered up a nervous smile. She was anxious to join the procession and get all of this over with. â€Å"Hi,' she said. Daniella was dressed in full black velvet and even had small diamond barrettes shining in her dark hair. Worry and agitation lined her pretty face. â€Å"Have you seen Adrian? I haven't been able to find him anywhere. We checked his room.' â€Å"Oh.' Lissa averted her eyes. â€Å"What?' Daniella nearly shook her. â€Å"What do you know?' Lissa sighed. â€Å"I'm not sure where he is, but I saw him last night when he was coming back from some party.' Lissa hesitated, like she was too embarrassed to tell the rest. â€Å"He was †¦ really drunk. More than I've ever seen him. He was going off with some girls, and I don't know. I'm sorry, Lady Ivashkov. He's probably †¦ well, passed out somewhere.' Daniella wrung her hands, and I shared her dismay. â€Å"I hope nobody notices. Maybe we can say †¦ he was overcome with grief. There's so much going on. Surely no one will notice. You'll tell them, right? You'll say how upset he was?' I liked Daniella, but this royal obsession with image was really starting to bug me. I knew she loved her son, but her main concern here seemed to be less about Tatiana's final rest than it was about what others would think about a breach of protocol. â€Å"Of course,' said Lissa. â€Å"I wouldn't want anyone to †¦ well, I'd hate for that to get out.' â€Å"Thank you. Now go.' Daniella gestured to the doors, still looking anxious. â€Å"You need to take your place.' To Lissa's surprise, Daniella gave her a gentle pat on the arm. â€Å"And don't be nervous. You'll do fine. Just keep your head up.' Guardians stationed at the door recognized Lissa as someone with access and allowed her in. There, in the foyer, was Tatiana's coffin. Lissa froze, suddenly overwhelmed, and nearly forgot what she was doing there. The coffin alone was a work of art. It was made of gleaming black wood, polished to brilliance. Paintings of elaborate garden scenes in shining metallic colors of every hue adorned each side. Gold glittered everywhere, including the poles that the pallbearers would hold. Those poles were draped with strings of mauve roses. It seemed like the thorns and leaves would make it difficult for the pallbearers to get a good grip, but that was their problem to deal with. Inside, uncovered and lying on a bed of more mauve roses, was Tatiana herself. It was strange. I saw dead bodies all the time. Hell, I created them. But seeing a body that had been preserved, lying peacefully and ornamentally †¦ well, it was creepy. It was strange for Lissa, too, particularly since she didn't have to deal with death as often as I did. Tatiana wore a gleaming silk gown that was a rich shade of purple–the traditional color for royal burial. The dress's long sleeves were decorated with an elaborate design of small pearls. I'd often seen Tatiana in red–a color associated with the Ivashkov family–and I was glad for the purple burial tradition. A red dress would have been too strong a reminder of the bloody pictures of her that I'd seen at my hearing, pictures I kept trying to block out. Strings of gemstones and more pearls hung around her neck, and a gold crown set with diamonds and amethysts rested upon her graying hair. Someone had done a good job with Tatiana's makeup, but even they couldn't hide the whiteness of her skin. Moroi were naturally pale. In death, they were like chalk–like Strigoi. The image struck Lissa so vividly that she swayed on her feet a little and had to look away. The roses' scent filled the air, but there was a hint of decay mixed in with that sweetness. The funeral coordinator spotted Lissa and ordered her into position–after first bemoaning Lissa's fashion choice. The sharp words snapped Lissa back to reality, and she fell in line with five other royals on the right side of the coffin. She tried not to look too closely at the queen's body and directed her gaze elsewhere. The pallbearers soon showed up and lifted their burden, using the rose-draped poles to rest the coffin on their shoulders and slowly carry it out to the waiting crowd. The pallbearers were all dhampirs. They wore formal suits, which confused me at first, but then I realized they were all Court guardians–except one. Ambrose. He looked as gorgeous as always and stared straight ahead as he did his job, face blank and expressionless. I wondered if Ambrose mourned Tatiana. I was so fixated on my own problems that I kept forgetting a life had been lost here, a life that many had loved. Ambrose had defended Tatiana when I'd been angry about the age law. Watching him through Lissa's eyes, I wished I was there to speak to him in person. He had to know something more about the letter he'd slipped me in the courtroom. Surely he wasn't just the delivery boy. The procession moved forward, ending my musings about Ambrose. Before and ahead of the coffin were other ceremonial people. Royals in elaborate clothing, making a glittering display. Uniformed guardians carrying banners. Musicians with flutes walked at the very back, playing a mournful tune. For her part, Lissa was very good at public appearances and managed the slow, stately pace with elegance and grace, her gaze level and confident. I couldn't see outside her body, of course, but it was easy to imagine what the spectators saw. She was beautiful and regal, worthy to inherit the Dragomir legacy, and hopefully more and more would realize that. It would save us a lot of trouble if someone would change the voting law through standard procedures, so we didn't have to rely on a quest for a lost sibling. Walking the funeral route took a long time. Even when the sun started sinking down toward the horizon, the day's heat still hung in the air. Lissa began to sweat but knew her discomfort was nothing compared to the pallbearers'. If the watching crowd felt the heat, they didn't show it. They craned their necks to get their one glimpse of the spectacle passing before them. Lissa didn't process the onlookers so much, but in their faces, I saw that the coffin wasn't their only focus. They were also watching Lissa. Word of what she'd done for Dimitri had blazed around the Moroi world, and while many were skeptical of her ability to heal, there were just as many who believed. I saw expressions of wonder and awe in the crowd, and for a second, I wondered who they'd really come to see: Lissa or Tatiana? Finally, the cathedral came into view, which was good news for Lissa. The sun didn't kill Moroi like it did Strigoi, but the heat and sunlight were still uncomfortable for any vampire. The procession was nearly finished, and she, being one of those allowed into the church service, would soon get to enjoy air conditioning. As I studied the surroundings, I couldn't help but think what a circle of irony my life was. Off to the sides of the church's extensive grounds were two giant statues showing ancient Moroi monarchs of legend, a king and queen who had helped the Moroi prosper. Even though they were a fair distance from the church, the statues loomed ominously, like they were scrutinizing everything. Near the queen's statue was a garden that I knew well. I'd been forced to landscape it as punishment for running off to Las Vegas. My true purpose on that trip–which no one knew–had been to free Victor Dashkov from prison. Victor had been a longtime enemy of ours, but he and his brother Robert, a spirit user, had held the knowledge we needed to save Dimitri. If any guardians had found out that I'd freed Victor–then later lost him–my punishment would have been a lot worse than filing and landscaping. At least I'd done a good job with the garden, I thought bitterly. If I was execu ted, I'd leave a lasting mark at Court. Lissa's eyes lingered on one of the statues for a long time before she turned back to the church. She was sweating heavily now, and I realized some of it wasn't just the heat. She was anxious too. But why? Why was she so nervous? This was just ceremony. All she had to do was go through the motions here. Yet †¦ there it was again. Something else was bothering her. She was still keeping a cluster of thoughts from me, but a few leaked out as she worried. Too close, too close. We're moving too fast. Fast? Not by my estimation. I could have never handled this slow, stately pace. I felt especially bad for the pallbearers. If I were one, I would've said to hell with propriety and started jogging toward my final destination. Of course, that might jostle the body. If the funeral coordinator had been upset over Lissa's dress, there was no telling how she'd react if Tatiana fell out of the coffin. Our view of the cathedral was getting clearer, its domes shining amber and orange in the setting sun. Lissa was still several yards away, but the priest standing out front was clearly visible. His robes were almost blinding. They were made of heavy, glittering gold brocade, long and full. A rounded hat with a cross, also gold, sat on his head. I thought it was in poor taste for him to outshine the queen's clothing, but maybe that was just what priests did on formal occasions. Maybe it got God's attention. He lifted his arms in welcome, showing off more of that rich fabric. The rest of the crowd and I couldn't help but stare at the dazzling display. So, you can imagine our surprise when the statues blew up.

HSC Speeches Essay Essay

â€Å"Great speeches do not merely address a contextual purpose; they also touch the hearts and minds of those who hear them†. Evaluate to what extent the statement above supports your understanding of the speeches set for study in Module B: Critical Study of Texts. Words in their most basic forms are just unintelligible sounds. Yet with the combination of emotion and verve, only then do they become meaningful. Words which not only combine emotions but also contextual misunderstandings and inequity are a recipe for the invoking of spirit. Words are the key to communication, a commonality throughout each culture, nation and religion. Though the sounds they create are different, the true intertwined emotion and feeling behind these words weave a tapestry of both global disunion and union. Words are not restricted to a language or a sound, they are infinite in there meaning and purpose. Nevertheless this doesn’t change what it invokes in the people who either hear or read it. Rather it inspires them. Contrary the popular belief, feminism is a first world idea. Margaret Atwood, a lifelong feminist, born in Canada, a country who gives females the same opportunities as men, is the epitome of a first world woman. It almost appears she is the antithesis of her global sister Aung Sun Suu Kyi. A woman, born in Burma, raised by political activists and placed under house arrest for 6 years for her movements towards equity. The importance of their upbringing though makes a resounding impact upon the audience, since their points are identical. Though they may be in different stages, the end goals are one. This display of unity spanning across nations, cultures and time creates a timeless foundation for the solidarity of women. The power of a nation and society on any individual no matter the gender has insurmountable influence upon the youth. Atwood’s ‘Spotty Handed Villainesses’ is a speech written to inspire women that it’s okay not ‘to be good all the time.’ Why should women be depicted as one dimensional characters, why is there a seemingly an innate fear amongst authors to give a female character a legitimate personality, flaws and all? She encourages readers to look past stereotypes by addressing their almost inbred mental fears. For the bad behaviour of women have no shades of grey. It is black and it is white and the lines are clearly drawn. Lest we forget when a women â€Å"was good she was very good and when she was bad she was horrid.† This tenor is also present within Suu Kyi’s speech ‘Keynote Address at the Beijing World Conference on Women’, the notion of women constantly  having to justify their own existence. These stereot ypes, nursed into infants until their adulthood reflects this symbolism awakens a sense of epiphany within the audience. The traditional belief that the patriarchal paradigm is the reason for life and the justification of living, with the instilled belief that â€Å"the dawn rises only when the rooster crows.† Atwood & Suu Kyi’s words strike us, for they have found our commonality, our youth. The commonality of folk tales, which were supposedly told to enforce morals and values to us, instead enforced boundaries. These boundaries which we were too young to understand or even acknowledge solidified the link between us. These boundaries hinder the true identity of women and their position in society, For isn’t the sole idea, a commonality between all women? The contextual purpose is addressing the notion of why women cannot monopolise the â€Å"true traits† of men; for they are men and men alones traits. Yet to give these identical traits to a woman, spells her immediate downfall. Why cannot women stand on their own two god given feet, and be recognised without representing th e traits of their male counterparts. This lone concept is the link, which encourages a movement within the hearts and minds of the readers, the movement to not become a stereotype. Though both speeches address the commonality of inequity, their words emanate and establish an emotion and bond meant to reach inside an individual and shock them. Their meaning rises above the words they choose to address the concept; thus manifesting in the readers psyche. The truth of the matter is that we are all spotted. Like the wicked lady Macbeth, though these spots cannot be seen, they are â€Å"indelible†. They shall never be removed, yet though they are there it doesn’t mean they should be given the power to determine a life. To be spotted isn’t ‘bad’; to be spotted is being real, and this stigma around female characters, that they are somehow more realistic than real women, the readers, is a detrimental mistake. These very stereotypes are found in every novel, article and song we either read or listen to. Whether knowingly or not women have been subordinated in their source of comfort, at their most vulnerable. Women have â€Å"no sole protector†, they are on their own and it’s time for them to recognise this and stand up for themselves, no matter their circumstance. Society is the downfall of equity and an encumbrance to the rise of feminism across the globe. These are the strength of Atwood’s and Suu Kyi’s words. These are the words that  inspire and touch the minds and hearts of those who hear them. They have grasped a contextual issue faced in both countries; female inequity, and created a movement amongst complete strangers across the globe. They have done this though creating a bond with the readers by their words. They are meant to be personified and expanded. This is why they earned the title of being a great speech.

General Clark †Economics Essay (200 Level Course)

General Clark – Economics Essay (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers General Clark Economics Essay (200 Level Course) General Clarks article on plans to help America recover makes a lot of sense and it is a responsible and well thought out plan. On job creation, the article mentions that tax credits will be given to businesses or small businesses that start creating jobs or hire more employees. These credits will be eventually recovered by the government since individuals who work also pay federal taxes, at the same time the government revenue will increase with this increase in its tax base. An increase in Homeland Security budget will mean that law enforcement agencies will be more likely to hire more key individuals and personnel to meet an ever increased need for law enforcement due to terrorism. States will also benefit since he plans to give states grants that will increase their education spending. The tax cuts that were instituted last year will be trimmed back since they have not really helped the economy recover and only a few wealthy individuals benefited from them. Fiscal discipline is required by all governments if they are to be successful. A balanced budget like the ones America used to have in the 90’s is required if we are to decrease federal government reliance on borrowing. It will be a good idea for congress to require every federal budget be a balanced one just like what the states are required to have. Increased savings on the government side will help in times of need or economic slowdown. Also wasteful spending and lowering the expenses the government is currently incurring in Iraq by sharing the costs with other countries will help the government control spending and bring about a transparent and balanced budget. Overall General Clark hits the nail on what is needed at the moment since government spending and huge deficits are what we are currently experiencing. Research Papers on General Clark - Economics Essay (200 Level Course)Never Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceLifes What IfsThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationTwilight of the UAWQuebec and CanadaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasThe Project Managment Office System

Rome, NY

Rome, NY will always have a special place in my heart. Even though I was only there for 3 days, it was 3 days that I will always remember. During that time I experienced a wide variety of things and was exposed to a wide variety of people and influences. Rome, NY was a completely different then any other place on earth for those 3 days. Once you walked though the main gates to the Griffis Air Force Base it was like there were no laws and everything that was socially accepted were no longer the norm. Public nudity was not frowned upon, but it was cheered for, people did not have to hide drug use, for where ever you looked there was someone using, selling or distributing drugs for free and amongst all of this there is the sound of live performances by some of todays most well known musical acts, such as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Offspring, Dave Matthews Band and even some acts to pass the generations like Willie Nelson and Elvis Costello. Upon reaching the complex you cannot miss the 10 high wall, painted into a giant mural surrounding the entire grounds. The mural portrays everything in our generation from the Coco Cola Polar Bear to Austin Powers. And from generations past things as The Whos Tommy and performers at the original Woodstock in 1969 like Crosby, Stills Nash and Young. As you walked though the main gates of complex the first thing you saw was a line of Porto potties over a mile long. Then as you walked past there you would come too the main camping area. This area was a wide open area full of freshly cut green grass with trees growing sporadically around in the area many times that of a regulation football field. Which would soon be nothing more then a giant sea of every color, shape and size of tent that you can imagine. And surrounding each tent was either some type of flag or descriptive emblem to allow you to find your tent later. Aft

Small-Cale Chinese Restaurant in Hatfield Dissertation

Small-Cale Chinese Restaurant in Hatfield - Dissertation Example They compare the perceived benefits received against the perceived costs in terms of sacrifices they make. If they are not treated fairly, the perceived customer value is not derived. The study also finds that the two restaurants under study have their own restaurant management methods. One has an authoritative structure with formal procedures and policies while the other nurtures a culture of service, with its roots in the Chinese culture, characterized by guanxi and harmony. Both have created their own points of differentiation. One thrives on food quality and the other on service quality. The study concluded by recommending that restaurants should adopt experiential marketing which would enable evaluating and understanding customers’ point of view, their expectations and perceptions. Customer feedback should be adopted as a strategic imperative which is being ignored by one of the restaurants under study. Employee empowerment is another human resources strategy that should be adopted. While a customer-focused approach is essential the finer details of the strategy would depend on the size of the restaurant, the level of the restaurant, the clientele it serves, the cuisine it has on offer and on the objectives and goals of the company. Acknowledgement The presentation of this dissertation has been a challenging and one of the most satisfying experiences in my academic life. It has been possible to complete this study only with the support, guidance and patience of the following people: Ms Bunce Sally, my tutor, whose patience and guidance has been a motivating factor. She undertook to be my supervisor despite her academic and professional commitments. Her persistence in corrections helped me achieve this level of work. The owners of two... The hospitality sector, being a service sector, maintaining service quality is a major challenge. Competitive advantage and consequent success relies heavily on the service delivered. Globalization and internationalization have made the business environment even more challenging. The delivery of service depends upon several factors, the human resources being the most important factor. Every interaction in the service sector is a service encounter and such encounters take place at various levels. With services being intangible, heterogeneous, perishable and inseparable, how these elements are perceived by the customer would lead to customer satisfaction. Besides, elements of human â€Å"chemistry† may affect service delivery as some might be more committed to successful service encounters (Lashley, 1998). However, assessing customer expectations of satisfactory service becomes difficult. With the globalization of the food industry, the British appetite for global food transform ed national eating habits. Asian cuisine became palatable along with the traditional English fish and chips or burger chips. As per a survey conducted by, Valued Opinions, a company that conducts paid surveys, Chinese food is Britain’s favorite takeaway. A market research report by Mintel also shows that Chinese cuisine has come out on the top for the first time as the nation’s most popular takeaway meal. By now, more and more western people enjoy Chinese cuisine in the UK as they find Chinese food is not just delicious, but green and healthy as well.

Composition and Inverse Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Composition and Inverse - Speech or Presentation Example about a store in their place which sells different kinds of pizzas according to the topped components where each pizza contains three different toppings. Besides the cheese and the pepper which is optionally put on crust, the three toppings of one pizza are completely distinct from those of the other, so that every time a customer orders a number of pizzas, the total number of toppings T added may be obtained as 3P where P stands for the number of pizzas bought. The storeowner allows a customer to have two separate toppings of choice for the first pizza in addition to the three originally present. Moreover, functions create a great deal of advantage in business problems which involve making investments where two variables are assigned to refer to separate amounts or two kinds of investment at different rates of interest. Function may be used as well in relating costs to number of units purchased and fixed cost as in C(x) = 5x + 7 in dollars, where 7 is the fixed value and 5 is the rate at which cost changes per unit depending on ‘x’. This way, it would be conducive for one to keep track of sales and profits generated since there exists a cost function that is associated to revenue (Waner, 2006). Mixture and rate problems can be worked out once details are set up as function or system of functions in linear and non-linear forms. It also becomes significant to understand how temperature conversion works such as between Celsius and Fahrenheit through  °F = 1.8 °C + 32 where temperature in  °C appears to be a function of temperature in