Organizational Development Final Project Free Essays

In setting up his paper, you will look at how the hypotheses and models introduced In this course, just as In the writing, can be used to help and encourage an arranged change exertion. Your center can be inside a specific hierarchical setting of your decision, or an industry, or a sort of associations as a rule (for instance, non-benefit, community, for-benefit). The emphasis could be on a particular authoritative change, for instance, improving inventiveness and development. We will compose a custom paper test on Authoritative Development Final Project or on the other hand any comparable point just for you Request Now The activity plan ought to be composed as a genuine proposition to official administration about a particular arranged change exertion. Talk about the accompanying components in your proposition. As you will see, you should have a working information on this test, either from writing or organization reports or your own perceptions. 2 Introduction. Brief portrayal of the current hierarchical test. This proposition is from your point of view, as you have not yet drawn in others in this procedure. All things considered, depict the test from your point of view and portray your job as identified with the test. Current State. Portrayal of current state to Include: o What has been done to address or address the test? O What is the criticalness to address this difficulty? O What are the outcomes of not evolving? Wanted Future State. Depiction of the ideal state you wish to find regarding this current test to incorporate the accompanying components. Remember this is as yet from your point of view, as you have not yet connected with others in the DO procedure. If it's not too much trouble note that on the off chance that you have drawn in others in this conversation, for example, the director of the division, address that in the paper. O What is the perfect condition of the association as far as this current test? O What practices will authoritative individuals illustrate? O What practices will authoritative pioneers illustrate? O What will the â€Å"changed organization† feel like (culture)? What worth will this arranged change exertion add to the association? Activity Plan. Steps you (and others) will take to make the ideal express a reality. O Change Team: Who should be engaged with this procedure to guarantee its prosperity? O Brief conversation of arrangement of this proposed change with association advancement esteems and presumptions. O Describe a general methodology (system) for making and actualizing the change, for example, Action Research, Organization Change Process. O Describe at least three strategies or apparatuses you will use to survey and encourage this arranged change exertion (installed inside your technique). Depict difficulties and hindrances you foresee and how you will address them. This could incorporate hierarchical status for change, anticipated that obstruction should change, authoritative administration. Advantages. Depiction of advantages of this proposition. O List 3 †5 explicit outcomes you anticipate from fruitful execution of the arrangement. Choice 1 for Signature Assignment 61 5 Organization Development and Change Master Syllabus fire up 01 . 13. 12 page 7 o Link back to results of not evolving. O Describe achievement gauges that will be utilized (assessment). Initial Step. Sum up with one explicit initial step. You will draw from different sources (least 5) including Journal articles, books, and expert references, for example, affiliations and sites (this will help place your proposition inside the structure of what others have done to address the test. ) You may likewise draw from class conversations and exercises, just as your own understanding inside hierarchical settings. Search for approaches to incorporate association improvement with other authority hypotheses and ideas examined in authoritative initiative (drawing from other OLL, HRS, HA courses as well as 613 Dynamics of Organization Behavior). Page 8 The most effective method to refer to Organizational Development Final Project, Papers

Populism - Definition in American Politics

Populism - Definition in American Politics President Donald Trump was over and again depicted as a populist during the 2016 presidential race. Trump styled himself as a populist during his colorfully provocative battle, The New York Times composed, professing to hear, comprehend and channel the average workers Americans so wrongly overlooked by different pioneers. Asked Politico: Is Donald Trump the Perfect Populist, one with more extensive intrigue to one side and the middle than his forerunners in late American political history? The Christian Science Monitor opined that Trumps extraordinary populism guarantees an adjustment in administration maybe equivalent to parts of the New Deal or the early long periods of the Reagan upheaval. Be that as it may, what, precisely, is populism? Also, I'm not catching it's meaning to be a populist? There are numerous definitions. Meaning of Populism Populism is commonly characterized as a method of talking and battling for the benefit of the necessities of the individuals or the little man instead of the wealthy tip top. Populist talk outlines issues, for example, the economy, for instance, as theâ angry, distressed and dismissed attempting to beat a degenerate oppressor, whoever that oppressor might be. George Packer, a veteran political columnist for The New Yorker, portrayed populism as a position and a talk in excess of a belief system or a lot of positions. It discusses a clash of good against malevolent, requesting straightforward responses to troublesome problems.â History of Populism Populism has its foundations in the grassroots development of the Peoples and Populist parties in the late 1800s. The Peoples Party was established in Kansas in 1890 in the midst of melancholy and a boundless conviction among ranchers and workers that the legislature was commanded by enormous cash premiums, the political history specialist William Safire composed. A national gathering with comparable interests, the Populist Party, was established a year later, in 1891. The national party battled for open responsibility for, the phone framework, and a personal assessment that would request more from wealthier Americans. The last thought is a typical populist thought utilized in present day decisions. It is like the Buffett Rule, which would raise burdens on the wealthiest Americans. The Populist Party kicked the bucket in 1908 however a considerable lot of its beliefs wait on today. The national partys stage read, to a limited extent: We meet amidst a country brought to the skirt of good, political, and material ruin. Defilement rules the polling station, the Legislatures, the Congress, and contacts even the ermine of the seat. The individuals are dampened; the greater part of the States have been constrained to separate the voters at the surveying spots to forestall general terrorizing and pay off. The papers are generally financed or gagged, popular supposition quieted, business prostrated, homes secured with contracts, work devastated, and the land packing in the hands of industrialists. The urban laborers are denied the option to compose for self-assurance, imported pauperized work whips their wages, an employee standing armed force, unrecognized by our laws, is built up to kill them, and they are quickly declining into European conditions. The products of the work of millions are strikingly taken to develop titanic fortunes for a couple, remarkable throughout the entire existence of humankind; and the holders of those, thusly, disdain the republic and imperil freedom. From the equivalent productive belly of administrative unfairness we breed the two extraordinary classes-tramps and moguls. Populist Ideas Present day populism commonly is thoughtful to the battles of white, white collar class Americans and depicts Wall Street investors, undocumented specialists, and U.S. exchange accomplices including China as evil. Populist thoughts including vigorously burdening the wealthiest Americans, fixing security along the U.S. fringe with Mexico, raising the lowest pay permitted by law, extending Social Security and forcing hardened levies on exchange with different nations trying to shield American employments from going overseas.â Populist Politicians The principal genuine populist presidential applicant was the Populist Partys chosen one for president in the 1892 political decision. The candidate, General James B. Weaver, won 22 constituent votes and more than 1 million genuine votes. In present day times, Weavers crusade would have been viewed as an incredible achievement; independents normally earn just a little portion of the vote. William Jennings Bryan is maybe the most popular populist in American history. The Wall Street Journal once portrayed Bryan as the Trump before Trump. His discourse at the Democratic National Convention in 1896, whichâ was said to have stirred the group to a craze, intended to propel the premiums of little Midwestern ranchers who felt they were being exploited by the banks. Bryan needed to move to a bimetallic gold-silver standard.â Huey Long, who filled in as the legislative leader of Louisiana and a U.S. congressperson, was additionally viewed as a populist. He railed against affluent tycoons and their enlarged fortunes and proposed to force steep assessments on the most extravagant Americans and appropriate the income to the poor despite everything experiencing the impacts of the Great Depression. Long, who had presidential yearnings, needed to set a base yearly pay of $2,500. Robert M. La Follette Sr. was a congressman and legislative leader of Wisconsin who took on degenerate lawmakers and large business, which he accepted affected issues of open interest.â Thomas E. Watson of Georgia was an early populist and the partys bad habit presidential hopefulâ in 1896. Watson had won a seat in Congress by supporting the recovery of enormous tracts of land conceded to companies, annulling national banks, dispensing with paper cash, and cutting expenses on low-salary residents, as indicated by the New Georgia Encyclopedia. He wasâ alsoâ a southern revolutionary and narrow minded person, as indicated by the Encyclopedia. Watson composed of the danger of workers to America: The rubbish of creation has been dumped on us. A portion of our vital urban areas are more remote than American. The most risky and tainting swarms of the Old World have attacked us. The bad habit and wrongdoing which they have planted in our middle are sickening and frightening. What carried these Goths and Vandals to our shores? The producers are for the most part to fault. They needed modest work: and they didn’t care a revile how much damage to our future may be the result of their relentless arrangement. Trump routinely denounced against the foundation in his effective presidential battle. He routinely vowed to deplete the marsh in Washington, D.C., an unflattering depiction of the Capitol as a degenerate play area for magnates, extraordinary interests, lobbyists and fat, distant officials. Many years of disappointment in Washington, and many years of extraordinary interestâ dealing must reach a conclusion. We need to break the pattern of debasement, and we need to allow new voices to go into taxpayer supported organization, Trump stated.â The autonomous presidential applicant Ross Perot was comparative in style and talk to Trump. Perot fared well by building his battle on voter disdain of the foundation, or the political world class, in 1992. He won aâ startling 19 percent of the well known vote that year. Donald Trump and Populism So is Donald Trump a populist? He absolutely utilized populist articulations during his battle, depicting his supporters as American specialists who have not seen their money related status improve since the finish of the Great Recession and those dismissed by the political and cultural world class. Trump, and so far as that is concerned Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, addressed a class of hands on, battling white collar class voters who accept the economy was fixed. Michael Kazin, the creator of The Populist Persuasion, told Slate in 2016: Trump communicates one part of populism, which is outrage at the foundation and different elites. He trusts Americans have been sold out by those elites. Be that as it may, the opposite side of populism is a feeling of an ethical people, individuals who’ve been sold out for reasons unknown and have an unmistakable character, regardless of whether they are laborers, ranchers, or citizens. Though with Trump, I don’t truly get quite a bit of a feeling of who the individuals are. Obviously writers state he’s talking generally to white common laborers individuals, however he doesn’t state that. Composed Politico: Trump’s stage joins places that are shared by numerous populists yet are an abomination to development preservationists a resistance of Social Security, an assurance of all inclusive human services, financial patriot exchange arrangements. President Barack Obama, who Trump prevailing in the White House, disagreed with marking Trump a populist, notwithstanding. Said Obama: â€Å"Somebody else who has never demonstrated any respect for laborers, has never battled for social equity issues or ensuring that poor children are getting a tolerable took shots at life or have medicinal services - indeed, have neutralized financial open door for laborers and customary individuals, they don’t out of nowhere become a populist since they express something disputable so as to win votes. To be sure, some of Trumps pundits blamed him for fake populism, of utilizing populist talk during the battle yet of needing to desert his populist stage once in office. Investigations of Trumps charge proposition found that the greatest sponsors would be the wealthiest Americans. Trump, subsequent to winning the political race, likewise enlisted individual extremely rich people and lobbyists to assume jobs in his White House. He likewise strolled back a portion of his red hot battle talk on taking action against Wall Street and gathering together and expelling outsiders who are living in the United States wrongfully.

New Student Photo Series 2010 Entry #16 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

New Student Photo Series 2010 Entry #16 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog New students click here for information on how to submit your own photos for posting on the blog. ___________________________ The photos today come from Andrea Moore, an incoming MIA student concentrating on International Finance and Economic Policy. ___________________________ This photo was taken in Chicagos Grant Park on Election Night in 2008. The city had been buzzing for weeks with now-President Obama in the race, and since I work right across from Grant Park, I knew I wanted to try for tickets to the Election Night rally. Luckily, I happened to be at my desk the minute the invitation was sent, and I pounced on the chance. We ended up way in the back (people were already lined up outside the park at 9 am or earlier), but I think we had the best vantage point: looking out on millions of people who all were having the same this is history in the making feeling. It was a big day no matter what your politics were. This was taken in June 2008 from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. I was doing an impromptu night walk of the monuments with some friends, and when we got to the Lincoln Memorial, it started getting stormy and we stayed put for a while. It ended up just being an epic lightning storm, and I was trying to capture some of the strikes. Somehow, through blind luck with my point-and-shoot camera, I caught a lightning strike that was perfectly placed to mirror off the Reflecting Pool. The last photo was taken in April 2005 in Madrid. I was studying there when Pope John Paul II passed away. With almost Catholicism the dominant religion there, it was huge news and spawned memorials all over the city. This picture was taken at a statue of the Pope thats outside the Catedral de Almudena. People had flocked to the statue the day after he died, just standing and praying around the statue, lighting candles. I had done so much studying of the importance of Catholicism in Spain throughout history, like with Ferdinand and Isabela, but I hadnt realized how central the religion still was in the present. Even though (full disclosure) I identify as Catholic as well, I almost felt like I was a stranger intruding on a private moment here.

Homelessness Among American Veterans Research - 2029 Words

Homelessness Among American Veterans Research Paper An issue that has been around for decades which still remains in the United Sates today is homelessness among veterans. Vanessa Turner has a story that needs to be heard by many. As a homeless veteran, Turner joined the U.S. military in 1997 and later, proudly advanced to the rank of a sergeant. In 2003, Turner suffered from a traumatic injury while serving in Iraq. In suffocating 130-degrees fahrenheit heat, Turner fell into a coma and nearly died of heart failure. Immediately, she was brought to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., treated, and released with a pending medical discharge. After Turner’s release, both her and her daughter had no residency and no permanent health care plan. In attempt to make a stable living to sustain herself and her daughter, they often temporarily moved between family to friends’ apartments, never actually having a place to call home. In an effort to receive help from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center was very fr ustrating; she was told she had to wait months simply to get medical attention. Again when Turner requested for her belongings to be shipped back from her unit’s base in Germany, they told her she had to obtain transportation to Germany at her own expense, which she was unable to do because of the amount of money that it would cost, unfortunately resulting in not getting her property back. Vanessa Turner is just one of many homeless veterans who areShow MoreRelatedHomeless Veterans Are Becoming More Prevalent Of The United States886 Words   |  4 PagesINTRODUCTION American homeless veterans are becoming more prevalent in the United States. 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Social forces such asRead MoreThe Disgrace of Veteran Homelessness Essay1400 Words   |  6 Pagesaround the world. During all these wars American soldiers have proudly served their country. Because of these wars America is famous throughout the world for military power and its protection of freedom in the world. Today the U.S is an international symbol of wealth and power; it has the largest Gross Domestic Product in the world as well as the strongest military. Yet even America falls prey to a social ill that plagues every society, that of the homelessness of its citizens. Shamefully of those homelessRead MoreThe Effects Of Homelessness On The Homeless Population1372 Words   |  6 Pages History of Homelessness The term to describe the homeless may have changed over time, however the issue of housing insecurity has remained for some Americans throughout history (Kusmer, 2001). Although the homeless population has always maintained in the United States, homelessness became a national issue in 1870 with the emergence of the â€Å"tramp†: these were men that banded together, rode trains illegally and had negative interactions with law enforcement (2001). The movement of the homeless fromRead MoreThe National Law Center On Homelessness Poverty Essay1666 Words   |  7 PagesThe National Law Center on Homelessness Poverty currently estimates that each year at least 2.5 to 3.5 million Americans sleep in shelters, transitional housing, and public places not meant for human habitation. At least an additional 7.4 million have lost their own homes and are doubled-up with others due to economic necessity. According to Point-in-Time Count, San Diego had 8,692 homeless people. Almost 3,800 of them were sleeping in emergency shelters or transitional housing. The Count showedRead MoreThe Problem Of Homeless People1280 Words   |  6 PagesWhen thinking of homeless people, one would probably think of a bum who is an addict or alcoholic. Homelessness affects a variety of people. Homelessness as an issue in today s society is largely ignored. The problem of homelessness is barely noticed. The growing population of homeless people is shown that more people are still suffering financial problems and struggling in maintaining their life basis. Many families and children have experienced trauma prior to becoming homeless. Parents areRead MoreHomelessness And The Homeless Population1570 Words   |  7 Pagesanalysis of homelessness in the United States and the relationship between the number of homeless persons and multiple other factors. A study of the linear regression concludes that poverty and housing units are the two variables that interpret the fluctuations in the homeless count. Given this information, there is a need for further research in order to mitigate future increases in the homeless population. Keywords: homelessness, income, housing, unemployment, veterans Homelessness Since theRead MoreThe Homeless Are Homeless : A Middle Class Lifestyle After Marriage1654 Words   |  7 Pagesshelter they were barely getting the nutrition that is needed to survive. So many people can end up homeless from children, to adults, and even veterans. According to Doran, fifteen percent of America’s homeless are chronically homeless, which means the person has been homeless continuously for a year or more or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years (Doran). The reason there are so many homeless people now in the country is because of a very punitive and moralisticRead MoreHomelessness Is A Problem That Affects Many Americans973 Words   |  4 Pages Homelessness is a problem that affects many Americans, whether it is for a day or the rest of their lives. There are no cities in the United States that can shelter all of its homeless, and this is one of the main reasons that we cannot help them like we want to. Often times there a re not enough housing for homeless people. Sometimes homeless people are arrested, though, and there they have a warm place to sleep, with the food that they need. The case may be that they did this on purpose becauseRead MoreThe Homelessness And Substance Abuse1436 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: DIVERSITY​1 Diversity: Homelessness and substance abuse Centell Brown Kelley Peterson SW- 751 Perspectives/Chemical Dependency Professor R. Chaisson, PhD., LCSW, BACS Southern University at New Orleans December 10, 2014 Abstract ​Homelessness and substance abuse are often two problems that continue to be linked together. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (2011), research conducted in the past five years indicates that

Analysis Of The Bible Course Facilitator Essay

Jennifer Fagan Ms. Weis - Course Facilitator RE102 Old Testament Literature Israelite s Words change over time, making it difficult to understand because the original meanings don t change, but people s understanding can be changed as cultures change. There is only one correct way to interpret the Bible, however, there are many incorrect ways and much arguing over who is more correct. Most of this has to do with Satanists who go incognito as Christians in order to mislead man away from God. Many sincere people fall prey to these Satanists incognito, and through the sincerity of their belief, persuade others that their misunderstanding is the correct way. Do not trust a person s sincerity. Read the Bible and pray to God for understanding and read the Bible again. It helps to understand each verse in the proper context. Understand who is being addressed. Understand the culture of the time so that you can better understand the parables. Look at several different translations in parallel. Many anti-theists point to Genesis to try to discredit the whole Bible. What they dishonestly don t mention is that Genesis is a book with a unique history. It was passed down by word of mouth for many generations before writing was invented and it was written down. When it was written, different versions were written by different people and those versions were later merged.Show MoreRelatedA Reflection On The Assessment Of Leadership And Collaboration1666 Words   |  7 PagesSummative Analysis Both of the educators I observed this semester presented great examples of each of the learning outcomes. The educators varied in styles of their practices, but both educators want to achieve the same goal with their students. Mr. Cornutt from Saks High School likes to practice open class discussions with his students and wants the students to feel comfortable explaining their personal observations in a public setting. Mrs. Morgan from White Plains High School practicesRead MoreReengineering The Corporation : Manifesto For Business Revolution1647 Words   |  7 Pages Assignment Student Name Course Name Number Instructor’s Name Date Submitted â€Æ' Assignment Introduction The book entitled ‘Reengineering the Corporation: Manifesto for Business Revolution’ authored by the renowned reengineering consultants James Champy and Michael Hammer yields great insights regarding the change that the organization desperately requires time to time. Since the start of their book the authors begin in defence of reengineering as they insist that the process of reengineeringRead MoreTheology and Development2829 Words   |  12 PagesFRIESLAAR April 8, 2012 FACILITATOR: REV. DR. ISAIAS CHACHINE | Theology and Development | | Theological Reflection - Amartya Sen and Elaine Graham, Heather Walton and Frances Ward | This paper will deal with the importance of Theological reflection and it will argue that theological reflection is the responsibility of all individuals in the human race. In response to Amartya Sen’s work in Development as Freedom as well the treatment of theological reflection and the analysis of methods by ElaineRead MoreAlternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism21967 Words   |  88 Pagesthe process of negotiation and mediation, with examples of their application in national and international water conflicts. Conflict is endemic to human society, among individuals and groups, and it is important to manage it. We find stories in the Bible, in the Islamic culture, among Native Americans, First Nations in Canada, and many other traditions that describe processes that have been used from the earliest times to find peaceful solutions to various disputes, and much can be learned from theRead MoreThe Impact Of Direct Emotional Intelligence Instruction On High School Students3308 Words   |  14 PagesKnowing that colleges and businesses are interested in EI education, the research study addresses a current issue in which more studies with teen participants are needed. In this study, the researcher is an active participant, playing the role of facilitator, data collector and organizer, and analyst. Focusing on the research question and sub-questions, the researcher will need to steer lessons according to the way they have been written and approved. Allowing student responses and contributions withoutRead MoreThe Role of Adult Education in Womens Empowerment16079 Words   |  65 Pages........................................................................... 45 3.2.3. Delivery Systems......................................................................................................................... 50 3.2.4 Tutors and Facilitators ................................................................................................................. 51 3.3 Quality Participation in Adult Learning and Education ................................................................... 52Read MoreStages Group Planning Paper : Adolescent Gay Straight Adolesce nt Alliance Group3376 Words   |  14 Pagespsychological adjustment, and educational attainment. Participants were employed from over 249 locations and information was gathered through: surveys, questionnaires, depression scales, self-esteem scale, suicide assessment, substance abuse history, and analysis of educational history. As a result of incorporating multiple forms of measure, outcomes of GSA campus groups were concluded to be significantly positive for all hypotheses. Young adults that participated in their high school GSA obtained higherRead MoreThe Implication of Paulo Freires Banking Concept to the 8.4.4 System of Education in Kenya9634 Words   |  39 Pagesdevelop the skills to find out principles on their own. There should be on-going dialog between the student and the trainer. The trainer is responsible for making sure the information is in a format the student can comprehend. The key is to assure the course builds on what has already been learnt. Constructivists t hink that learners build knowledge actively through the interactions with environmental stimuli. In other words, learning focuses on the learners questions and exposure. Assessment should avoidRead MoreLesson Plan10685 Words   |  43 PagesStreet.With the prodding and encouragement of the pre-school parents at that time, Mrs. Leuterio, the school founder and directress extended the schools offering to the primary course. With the increase in enrollment each year, the school offered a complete Elementary Course. Thus, the Pre-School and Elementary courses were given recognition by the government in 1986. The school then opened its portals to high school students and in 1993 the High School Department was recognized by the governmentRead MoreFilipino Adolescents in Changing Times*10342 Words   |  42 Pageshouse, a community park, a church gazebo, barangay halls, classrooms and dormitory dining halls. The one-and-a-half- to three-hour discussions were mainly in Pilipino. Six males and five female, mostly psychology graduates aged 20-28, acted as facilitators. They were casually dressed and generally young-looking. Overall, no problems were encountered in the conduct of the FGDs although fatigue and restlessness were noted among participants towards the end of the discussions. Those in the younger-age

Human Sexuality as a Belief Essay Example

Essays on Human Sexuality as a Belief Essay The paper "Human Sexuality as a Belief" is a great example of an essay on gender and sexual studies. Human sexuality is the most private matter. This belief dates back to the stone age when people had nothing to wear yet they hid their sexual organs with large leaves. Then if we look back to the nude art of the past centuries, we realize that women have been portrayed covering their breasts and vagina with hands. Today, even the littlest bikini is large enough to cover the sexual organs.   Homosexuality is wrong. We derive our ethics from the teachings of religion. A vast majority of religions including Islam prohibit homosexuality. Religion tells that the people of Prophet Lut were punished by God because they practiced homosexuality. Since then, homosexuality has been a taboo and has continued to be that to date. I believe homosexuality is wrong because it is against nature. Nature has designed the body of man and woman so that they are meant for having a sexual relationship. Sex is illegitimate until after marriage. Adam and Eve were married, and so were their sons and daughters. Sex before marriage has been condemned by religions since the earliest times. I believe sex before marriage is wrong because it gives birth to bastards. Life of a bastard, as well as his/her single mother, is full of shame and misery. I chose these beliefs because they represent my personal perceptions of human sexuality. Humans are superior to animals and there should be certain rules and principles that make human sex different from that of animals. I have discussed the same principles in this paper.

Essay Long Sentencing And Mass Incarceration Example For Students

Essay Long Sentencing And Mass Incarceration In addition to long sentencing and mass incarceration, overcrowding is caused by the Truth in Sentencing Act. Although it is similar to long prison sentences, the Truth in Sentencing Act of 1984 makes it more difficult for prisoners to get out of prison early, thus creating overcrowding. This law demanded that prisoners must serve at least 85% of their initial prison sentence. Although not all states follow this, most do require that a prisoner spends a mandatory percentage of time in prisons (Mauer). This forces people to stay in prison longer without options for early release programs. Early release programs are often better for prisoners because it allows them to make an attempt at living their lives and allows them to try and become a useful part of society, and a part of their home community. Although it can be beneficial for some inmates to serve that much time, for most this is not the case. Many feel that the Truth in Sentencing Act was created without thought on how it may affect the capacity of the prisons. According to Mauer, â€Å"The federal guidelines are a prime example of this, since they were developed without a significant concern for prison capacity.† This signifies that the Truth in Sentencing Act was created without consideration toward the number of inmates that would stay in prison longer as new inmates are admitted at the same time. Forcing people to stay in prisons for a mandatory 85% of their sentence has an enormous effect on how many prisoners we have versus the amount of space for them. This lack of consideration is yet another factor of which leads to this growing problem in America. What needs to be done is an increase in the programs that help relieve those of their sentences sooner. There are solutions to deal with prison overcrowding that have been proven to work. These come in the form of â€Å"reduction programs†. Most prison population reduction programs are founded on the principles of releasing prisoners as appropriately as possible to make space for new inmates. Furthermore, as quoted from Pitts, Griffin, and Johnson on reduction programs: â€Å"Generally referred to as backdoor strategies, prison population reduction usually entails providing early release incentives to inmates who qualify for such programs. Parole, parole reforms, home confinement/house arrest, work release, and good time credits all could be classified as means of directly reducing prison populations (Clear et al., 2011; Feinstein, 2011; Harris, 1991; Judge, 1982; Kendrick, 2011; Papy Nimer, 1991; Smith Akers, 1993; Turner, 2011).† (130) This shows there are many different ways in which to release prisoners-not all supplying them with complete â€Å"freedom†. Pitts, Griffin, and Johnson state that these programs â€Å"have an immediate impact on the availability of prison space. (131)†. In other words, these reduction programs quickly create more space for new admissions into prisons. These programs are important not only because they let people out of prisons to continue their lives, but they also create much needed space to house the extremely violent/ deadly offenders that deserve the long sentences. Allowing parole for some prisoners immediately releases them, house arrest forces them to stay inside their homes, and work release, meaning one is let out and forced to work, create the space needed to help conquer overcrowding. However, there are problems with these programs. Mauer expresses that the issue with early release programs is that human behavior is unpredictable and mistakes can happen. She is speaking of recidivism. Recidivism can be caused by not being punished long enough, or not being able to stay away from a life of crime- something many of them struggle with. Recidivism is an issue among prisons and those inside them. When a prisoner is let out of prison and resorts back to crime like before, this is known as recidivism. It is impossible to know if an ex-convict will chose to go back to a life of crime. These early release programs are designed to let people out of prison and try to make it as unlikely as possible recidivism to occur. The hope is that prison reduction programs that let prisoners out early will combat recidivism because they would be grateful to be out of the overcrowded prisons. Without these programs, prisons would continue to fill up and we would be forced to build more. Building more prisons will not solve our problems- it will just prolong them. .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 , .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .postImageUrl , .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 , .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:hover , .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:visited , .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:active { border:0!important; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:active , .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0 .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0473c308105a8571f173f20b54bff7e0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Symbolism In Strange News From Another Star Essay Research PaperMany of the people that are imprisoned in the United States are non-violent offenders. For example, nearly 53 percent of the 1.4 million prisoners in 2003 were nonviolent offenders (Katel 296). More prisoners are non-violent but are still struggling with the immensely long sentences that keep them in prison longer. Among these nonviolent offenders were those arrested for drug and property crimes, as well as public-order, etc. The population of nonviolent offenders in prison could have been reduced with the reduction programs along with alternative sentencing, keeping the vacancies open for the violent offender s that deserve longer prison sentences. As stated by Holder â€Å"Nearly half of federal inmates are serving time for drug crimes, and many need substance abuse treatment† (Glazer 29). Thus demonstrating if the half of the prisoners in federal prisons received the rehabilitation they needed instead of the longer sentencing, overcrowding would decrease and people would actually benefit. Allowing rehabilitation services would help the prisoners by letting them get their lives back. Without these services, many released prisoners will likely resort to the life they had that got them locked up in the first place. But, instead, giving them the help they need will allow them to function as a part of society and allow them to pursue whatever it is that they want in life without being behind bars. These prisoners still need to be punished, but not for as long or the same way as the others. There are different ways to punish someone who has broken the law, such as alternatives to goin g to prison, and shorter prison stays than normal. Along with rehabilitation and sentencing reform, allowing prisoners to receive education while in prison is very controversial. This education can either be a college degree or a general education diploma. Many feel that spending taxpayer’s money to educate prisoners is a waste of time and hard earned money. However, according to Jacobson, educating prisoners will evidently save money in the long run. He then states â€Å"the more education you have when you leave , the better off you’re going to be† thus demonstrating that educating our prisoners allows them to have what Jamie Fellener states as a â€Å"smoother re-entry into society saves public money† (Katel 296). When an inmate is released from prison, it is difficult for them to find employment, and can be more difficult for them to start their lives over due to their criminal record. If an inmate can receive an education while in prison they have a better chance of getting hired and being able to â €Å"catch up† to society. According to Roy Pinto, the vice president of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, states that supplying prisoners with the education to receive a GED is often better for the prisoners, and he also expresses â€Å"†¦you’d be surprised at how many people in prison can’t read or write; if you can’t read or write you can’t support yourself honestly† (Katel 296). If prisoners cannot read or write, when they are released from prison it is likely they will be seriously unable to find a job and support themselves to the point where crime is their only option again and they relapse into criminal behavior.

Were the pretenders a serious threat to Henry VIIs throne Essay Example

Were the pretenders a serious threat to Henry VIIs throne Essay A pretender is someone who pretends to be someone else in order to have a credible claim to the throne. There were two pretenders present during Henry VIIs reign, but he managed to over come them. Their names were Lambert Simnel, who was at large for only the year 1487, and Perkin Warbeck, who was on the loose between 1490 and 1498. Many factors contributed to their successes and failures, these factors will be discussed in this essay.Who the pretenders were pretending to be was very important, as it could entirely change the credibility to their claim to the throne. In fact, to increase the likelihood that they were who they said, both pretenders ended up masquerading as individuals that they didnt look like. Richard Symmons, a priest, saw that Lambert Simnel looked very similar to Richard of York, so initially, he was impersonated. However, many people believed the two sons of Edward IV to be dead, but here were still many rumours surrounding the whereabouts of the Earl of Warwick, so Symmons decided it would be more advantageous for Simnel to impersonate him. If the public believed he was a serious contender for the throne, then Henry would have to take notice, but if the public believed he was dead, and was therefore a pretender, there would be no chance in him overthrowing the throne.Many years later, Perkin Warbeck did the complete opposite. When he was seen wearing his masters silks, many people thought he was he Earl of Warwick. However, he realised that if he impersonated Warwick, Henry could once again show the real Warwick to the public. So, Warbeck decided to impersonate Richard of York, who was generally thought to be dead, but his death had never been proved. In addition, even if Richard were dead, this would aid Warbeck, as Henry could not show him to the public. Both the pretenders had seriously thought about who would be more a believable person to impersonate at the time. This was serious as they were obviously not just foolish spoofs, and bot h pretenders had very plausible claims to the throne in many peoples eyes.Support was very important in making a successful pretender. They needed troops, money, recognition and also backing from the general public and nobility, which usually came when there was discontent with the way that things were being governed at the time. At home, Simnel received support from various nobles, mainly John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln) and Frances Viscount Lovell, Richard IIIs friend and chamberlain. Both of them had fled from England to Flanders, and from there helped to launch the attack. Henry was worried that many more nobles and civilians would join the Yorkist cause when the crisis came to a head, but his concern was unfounded. When Simnels forces marched to meet Henrys, they had gathered less support than expected, and were outnumbered by about 4,000 men. Simnels entourage had been too preoccupied with gathering troops and support abroad that they had not given enough thought to the peopl e of England and how they would react.The leading noble who supported Warbeck was Sir William Stanley, who had made the decisive move in the Battle of Bosworth by fighting for Henry. He was a surprise supporter, but since Lambert Simnel, Henry had increased his spy network and Stanley was soon found out and executed. Warbeck received absolutely no support from the English, with his initial invasion supported by Irish rebels. Then when he was forced to leave Scotland, Warbeck made for Cornwall, as a last hope as there were often rebellions there, and had been one recently. However, this rebellion had taken place due to the Cornish resenting being taxed for a war against Scotland, which was on Warbecks behalf, and he managed to only get a few thousand countrymen.Support at home was one of the most important factors for a successful pretender, and it seems to be the one thing in which both Warbeck and Simnel failed miserably. It was the wrong time for them as the country was weary of c ivil strife, and reasonably content with Henry VIIs rule. This flaw was the downfall of the pretenders, and meant they were a much less serious threat to the throne.In the form of overseas support, Lambert Simnel got support from Ireland, who would try most things to upset England, in particular, the Earl of Kildaire, who was known to be a strong Yorkist supporter. Simnel was also later crowned there as King of England, which was extremely significant, as he became the figure head to the undertaking, and was now a solid threat to Henry. Simnel was also given troops to help him when he invaded England. Because of this amount of support, Perkin Warbeck thought he would receive similar treatment when he began his effort to take the crown. However, he only got limited support from the Irish lords, and none at all from the Earl of Kildiare, a very influential figure. His main Irish benefactor was the Earl of Desmond, but this is still very limited.Both the pretenders got much backing fro m Margaret of Burgandy, the sister of Richard III and Edward IV, who despised Henry. For Lambert Simnel, Margaret provided 2,000 professional German soldiers, and also Martin Schwarz as a commander, to fight on his behalf, which was a large amount of Simnels forces. She also offered a place to stay for English nobles who had turned against the king and fled the country. Margaret offered Perkin Warbeck refuge, and tutored him in the ways of the Yorkist court, which he needed to know thoroughly to pass as Richard. She also acknowledged him as her nephew.Simnel gained no other foreign support, but Warbeck was recognised as Richard of York by Charles VIII of France and also Maxamillion, the Holy Roman Emperor. This made his threat to the throne far more serious as he had recognition all over Europe, and also from Scotland. James IV of Scotland also recognised Warbeck as who he claimed to be. He gave Warbeck his cousin to marry, which meant he was legitimately part of the Scottish royal family, and an even more serious threat to Henry. James also gave Warbeck troops for an invasion of England. Although Warbeck received much support, it all came at different times, and there was not enough support from just one person to complete his mission. Even though Simnel had a smaller support basis, all events happened in a very short period, and therefore made him much more dangerous.Henrys reactions to the pretenders meant they were less of a threat. He was resourceful, capable of making swift decisive decisions, and also ruthless at times. In the case of Lambert Simnel, Henrys reactions are fairly reasonable. When Simnel is crowned King in Dublin, Henry does not act rashly, and offers a pardon to all involved, if they gave the pretence up immediately. However this is ignored, so he produces the real Earl of Warwick from the tower and paraded him around London, but still they did not end. These passive acts obviously did not work, so Henry begins to gather troops and sets o ff to meet Simnel. There is a 3 hour-long battle, but in the ends Henry wins. The consequences of this are Henry passes acts of attainder on anyone he felt was opposing him, to keep them weak, and as a warning to others not to get involved in rebellions in the future. Henry also improved his spy network so it could not happen again.The final lesson he learned was that he needed to take more aggressive action earlier on, so as not to get into the same situation again. These points were all very effective in destroying Perkin Warbecks attempt to topple the throne. In Ireland when Warbeck first tries to invade England, Henry is ready and dispatches troops to suppress him. This meant that Warbeck moved onto France, but Henry then signs the Treaty of Etaples with Charles VIII, agreeing not to harbour rebels, so he has to move on again, this time to Burgandy. Here, Henry risks the English economy by placing a trade ban on Burgandy, one of his main trade links at the time, and refuses to lift it until Warbeck has left. Warbeck leaves Maxamillion, his next stop, on his own terms, as the Holy Roman Emperor didnt have sufficient funds to support him in a war. He then makes his way to Scotland, but soon has to leave, as Henry signs the Truce of Ayton, a peace treaty. Finally, Henry uses force to capture Warbeck in southern England. Because of the lessons learnt from Simnels escapades, Warbeck hardly comes close to a successful rebellion, and was at a major disadvantage, being the second to try and over throw the throne.Even though the points made beforehand show whether the pretenders were a serious threat to the throne or not, the general situation at the time also needs to be considered, whether Henry over-reacted, or if there was a true danger. Lambert Simnels rebellion was generally confined to Britain, so there was not a great worry for Henry that the rest of Europe would become involved. However, there was a worry that 2 of Henrys trusted nobles felt that they cou ld fight against him. This was even more dangerous because of their motives, de la Pole was Richard IIIs named heir, and hoped that when Henry was overthrown, he would have a chance at becoming king himself. Lovell was one of Richards most trusted advisors, and obviously wanted to avenge his death. In addition, Richard Symmons hoped to become a rich and powerful Bishop when Simnel became king. These ulterior motives made Simnel a far more serious threat to the throne.Perkin Warbeck was not such a risk as all of his support came at different times, but he did have support from all over Europe. There was no other distraction at the time, so all eyes were on the difficulties in England. This meant Henry was in a weak position, and susceptible to a foreign invasion. Luckily he was saved from this problem, when Charles III invaded Italy. Warbeck also threatened a marriage agreement with Henrys heir Arthur, Prince of Wales. Again this was resolved when a truce with Scotland was arranged. There were also difficulties with traitors in the nobility, but improved spy networks meant this problem was not as serious as before. The final worry with Warbeck was that he was at large for eight years. This meant Henry was more inclined to risk more to capture him. Simnel was more a threat in this instance, as Henry had never dealt with this kind of problem before, and problems with Warbeck were resolved more effectively and quickly.Overall, the two pretenders were potentially serious threats to Henry, they had many forms of support, and their claims seemed legitimate to most. However, because of Henrys quick and decisive reactions, and his willingness to learn from previous experiences, he managed to hold his position as king and make England stable once again. If the social situation had been different, if there was public discontent towards Henry, then both the pretenders would have had a far better chance in succeeding, as their main downfall was in not gaining enough suppor t from the general public. Simnel was a more serious threat to the throne as he had the element of surprise and speed Henry had never encountered a pretender before, and all of his support came quickly, and at the right time.

Biography of Isabella I, Queen of Spain

Biography of Isabella I, Queen of Spain Isabella I of Spain (April 22, 1451–November 26, 1504) was the queen of Castile and Leà ³n in her own right and, through marriage, became the queen of Aragon.  She  married Ferdinand II of Aragon, bringing the kingdoms together into what became Spain under the rule of her grandson Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.  She sponsored Columbus voyages to the Americas and was known as  Isabel la Catolica, or Isabella the Catholic, for her role  in purifying the Roman Catholic faith by expelling Jews from her lands and defeating the Moors. Fast Facts: Queen Isabella Known For: Queen of Castile, Leà ³n, and Aragon (became Spain)Also Known As: Isabella the CatholicBorn: April 22, 1451 in Madrigal de las Altas Torres,  CastileParents: King John II of Castile, Isabella of PortugalDied: Nov. 26, 1504 in Medina del Campo, SpainSpouse: Ferdinand II of AragonChildren: Joanna of Castile, Catherine of Aragon, Isabella of Aragon, Maria of Aragon, and John, Prince of Asturias Early Life At her birth on April 22, 1451, Isabella was second in the line of succession to her father, King John II of Castile, following her older half-brother Henry.  She became third in line when her brother Alfonso was born in 1453. Her mother was  Isabella of Portugal, whose father was a son of King John I of Portugal and whose mother was a granddaughter of the same king.  Her fathers father was Henry III of Castile, and his mother was Catherine of Lancaster, the daughter of John of Gaunt (third son of Englands Edward III) and Johns second wife, the Infanta Constance of Castile. Isabellas half-brother became Henry IV, king of Castile, when their father, John II, died in 1454 when Isabella was 3. Isabella was raised by her mother until 1457, when the two children were brought to court by Henry to keep them from being used by opposition nobles. Isabella was well educated.  Her tutors included Beatriz Galindo, a professor at the University at Salamanca in philosophy, rhetoric, and medicine. Succession Henrys first marriage ended in divorce and without children. When his second wife, Joan of Portugal,  gave birth to daughter Juana in 1462, the opposition nobles  claimed that Juana was the daughter of Beltran de la Cueva, duke of Albuquerque. Thus, shes known in history as Juana la Beltraneja. The oppositions attempt to replace Henry with Alfonso failed, with the final defeat coming in July 1468 when Alfonso died of suspected poisoning. historians, however, consider it more likely he succumbed to the plague. He had named Isabella his successor. Isabella was offered the crown by the nobles but she refused, probably because she didnt believe she could maintain that claim in opposition to Henry.  Henry was willing to compromise with the nobles and accept Isabella as his heiress. Marriage Isabella married Ferdinand of Aragon, a second cousin, in October 1469 without Henrys approval. The cardinal of Valentia, Rodrigo Borgia (later Pope Alexander VI), helped Isabel and Ferdinand obtain the necessary papal dispensation, but the couple still had to resort to pretenses and disguises to carry out the ceremony in Valladolid.  Henry withdrew his recognition and named Juana as his heir.  At Henrys death in 1474, a war of succession ensued, with Alfonso V of Portugal, prospective husband of Isabellas rival Juana, supporting Juanas claims. The dispute was settled in 1479 with Isabella recognized as Queen of Castile. Ferdinand by this time had become King of Aragon, and the two ruled both realms with equal authority, unifying Spain. Among their first acts were various reforms to reduce the power of the nobility and increase the power of the crown. After her marriage, Isabella appointed Galindo as tutor to her children. Galindo founded hospitals and schools in Spain, including the Hospital of the Holy Cross in Madrid, and probably served as an adviser to Isabella after she became queen. Catholic Monarchs In 1480, Isabella and Ferdinand instituted the Inquisition in Spain, one of many changes to the role of the church instituted by the monarchs. The Inquisition was aimed mostly at Jews and Muslims who had overtly converted to Christianity but were thought to be practicing their faiths secretly. They were seen as heretics who rejected Roman Catholic orthodoxy. Ferdinand and Isabella were given the title the Catholic monarchs by  Pope Alexander VI in recognition of their role in purifying the faith. Among Isabellas other religious pursuits, she took a special interest in the Poor Clares. an order of nuns. Isabella and Ferdinand planned to unify all of Spain by continuing a long-standing but stalled effort to expel the Moors, Muslims who held parts of Spain. In 1492, the Muslim Kingdom of Granada fell to Isabella and Ferdinand, thus completing the Reconquista. That same year, Isabella and Ferdinand issued an edict expelling all Jews in Spain who refused to convert to Christianity. New World Also in 1492, Christopher Columbus convinced Isabella to sponsor his first voyage of exploration. By the traditions of the time, when Columbus was the first European to encounter lands in the New World, these lands were given to Castile. Isabella took a special interest in the Native Americans of the new lands. When some were brought back to Spain as slaves, she insisted they be returned and freed, and her will expressed her wish that the Indians be treated with justice and fairness. Death and Legacy By her death on Nov. 26, 1504, Isabellas sons, grandsons, and her older daughter Isabella, queen of Portugal, had already died, leaving as Isabellas only heir Mad Joan Juana, who became queen of Castile in 1504 and of Aragon in 1516. Isabella was a patron of scholars and artists, establishing educational institutions and building a large collection of artwork. She learned Latin as an adult and was widely read, and she educated her daughters as well as her sons. The youngest daughter, Catherine of Aragon, became the first wife of Henry VIII of England and mother of Mary I of England. Isabellas will, the only writing that she left, summarizes what she thought were her reigns achievements as well as her wishes for the future. In 1958, the Roman Catholic church began the process to canonize Isabella.  After an exhaustive investigation, the commission appointed by the church determined that she had a reputation of sanctity and was inspired by Christian values. In 1974, she was recognized with the title Servant of God by the Vatican, a step in the process of canonization. Sources Isabella I: Queen of Spain. Encyclopedia Brittanica.Isabella I. Encyclopedia.com.

Course Project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Course Project - Term Paper Example BPM is a divided discipline with many different styles, notations and assets. An example is the UML which extends from the application level to the BPM level. All existing BPM approaches can be utilized as a starting point for Subject- Oriented Architecture and Design. The primary goal of a service-oriented analysis is to determine the necessary parameters for subsequent design and building of a project. In this process abstract candidates are only modeled to be considered in the final design process (Erl, 2006). The process is important in that the relevant candidates considered are subjected to the technical architecture for the design and are expected to be sustained. This stage thus involves the creation of service candidates and the proposition of operation candidates. A customer management system stores the customer profile and related information. It consist of database with a Web-based data entry and user reporting interface. They are contact-centric database that offers tracking approach to all the information and activities linked to customers. It allows several people in the company to share information in the database. It has an advantage of tracking sales and a centralized repository of contact information. The second automation system is a two-tier client-server system that controls the accounting and inventory transactions. Information is fed into incoming and outgoing standard transaction documents. A receipt of a purchase order initiates the invoicing and start of a delivery process of the selected movies from the Blockbooster website. The proposed business process is broken into smaller process steps. Our case study concerns an alliance between Blockbooster and Reddish Box $1 to salvage the Blockbooster from an imminent collapse. Due to stiff competition from a major competitor (NetFlicks) the alliance implemented by an SOA Web service will

Synthetic Financial Products Speech or Presentation

Synthetic Financial Products - Speech or Presentation Example Note that an increase from 1 to 2 is 100 per cent increase, from 1 to 3 a 200 percent increase, and so on. Therefore, a 300 per cent cap would be a rise from 1 to 4 (in case of an index, from 100 to 400.) Analysis: Where So is less than St is less than 400 [initial index value times performance cap 300%]. Here the initial index value has to be 1.333 in order for the performance cap to be 300, per problem statement, considering that ÃŽ · has to be 300, in order to yield 400.[300 x 1.33 = 400] Analysis: Based on the ELN theory, the Face value or principal of the investment -- here $1,000,000 – has to be reduced to its present value (PV), and the difference between the present value figure and the Face amount is the amount available for exposure in the equity index options market. The present value of the amount is held either in a zero coupon bond or another risk-free investment vehicle such as a savings account earnings a fixed return. At 5%, the amount of $216,301 is available to be invested in European call options, as required by the problem. . European options can be exercised only at the end of their contract life, unlike American options which can be exercised at any time prior to expiration date to take advantage of a profitable situation. While the problem statement states otherwise, ELN theory says that only long call options are used, as short positions - - the writing of call options -- is not consistent with the theory. It should also be noted that most index options are American options, and the restriction in favor of European options limits the investor’s decision choices. It is therefore suggested that the writing of options be dispensed with as unnecessary to the ELN concept. Information provided by an annual Dun and Bradstreet publication indicates that the index options market is a cheap way of obtaining an opportunity to profit from the movement of an index such as the OEX

Everyday Use, Alice Walker | Character Analysis

Everyday Use, Alice Walker | Character Analysis In the short story Everyday Use, Alice Walker crafts the character of the three main characters in a clever way. This was very important as it is the three characters, Dee, Maggie and Mama who made the story to be as powerful as it is. The three main three characters are used very well by walker to pass the underlying concepts of the story. Dee and Maggie are the two daughters of mama and this paper is going to analyze their character differences. Starting with the first paragraph of the short story, Alice Walker builds a powerful image of Dee. At first she seems to be a very shallow character. However, this changes as the story develops and she becomes more and more complex. Blessed with both beauty and brains, Dee immerges as a girl who is still struggling with her heritage and identity. She is a flat character, who many think is selfish and arrogant. Through her eyes, one can very notice her narcissistic and egoistic nature. She is depicted as a fairly-skinned black girl who thinks that she is better than everybody else because she has a slim waist, good air and educated. In contrast to Dee bad character, Walker builds Maggie as a person with good character. She is the guardian of history and the culture of her people. The two girls and their mother with their different characters serve as artistic representations of a range of aspects of African Americans heritage and culture. In addition to this, they are the readers crea tive guide to comprehending the identity struggles faced by the African Americans during this time. As stated above, Dee is portrayed as an egoistic and a selfish person with a superficial understanding of her own heritage and culture. She epitomizes the misguidance and confusion of young black Americans in the late 1960s and 1970s. This type of character is evident in her exchanges with her sister and mother. Dee she considers herself as sophisticated, and more than the abased quality of the lives led by her sister and mother. She courageous and makes her feelings clear by attempting to take the quilts that her mother had promised to Maggie. She says that in actual sense her sister Maggie cannot appreciate those quilts as she would probably be old fashioned to put them to everyday use. She erroneously believes that by using these quilts for other purposes other than their original intended purposes, she would be respecting and preserving her heritage. However, this is not the case as her desire to put the quilts on display can be interpreting to being the same as white capitalist cashing in on ethnic artworks. Not only is she in compliance to the most evil of western ideals, but she is also disrespecting and rejecting her own cultural heritage, all under the pretenses of protecting it. It is in this perspective that Dee can be described as the embodiment of the efforts of a unifying identity, for the reason that she has not yet come to comprehend her place in the community as both an American and an African. In great contrast with the personality of Dee, Maggie is portrayed as a good-hearted and a simplistic person. These personalities add a different dimension to the short story. She comes out to be a more likable character that is a more likely bearer of tradition and her culture sacredness and preserves its heritage more than her educated and brighter sister. Maggie is a bright girl who truly comprehends the true value and meaning of heritage. As her sister Dee affirms, Maggie is backward and unsophisticated to put the quilts promised to her by her mother to everyday use. However, what her sister Dee does not make out is that in doing so Maggie would be preserving the ancestral meaning and importance of the family quilts and this is what is important. Alice Walker strengthens the cultural importance of Maggies personality when she firmly does not allow Dee to have her way. She hugs Maggie close to her, drags her to one room. She goes on to snatch the quilts from Dee and then dumps the m on Maggies lap. This clearly shows that Maggie with support of her mother wants to uphold and preserve a lasting relationship and connection with her heritage. She represents a large number of African Americans who value their heritage and they would love the idea of passing on that heritage to their off springs without diminution between generations. A lot of other things can be said about Alice Walkers Everyday Use. this is a very compelling short story, full of meaning and symbolism. However, as this paper has already discussed, it is the contrasting and the unique characteristics of the main characters that give the story its power. Without Dee for example, the readers would not be in a position to understand the identity struggles that was going on during this time. On the other hand, without Maggie no one would understand the important and commitment that some members of the African Americans had in preserving their heritage and culture. Essay-2 Deceit in Much Ado about Nothing Deceit is useful despite its negative connotation. This is seen in the application of deceit in Shakespeares play, Much Ado about Nothing. In the play there are various instances in which deceit is used either to perpetrate positive or negative motives. Deception is widely used positively by some characters to help other people cope up and succeed in their social way of life. The use of deceit as a theme in Much Ado About Nothing is instrumental in the development of the plot. Deceit as a style helps the characters to achieve their intended goals and motives. These motives are both destructive and constructive, pointing at the positive and negative use of deceit by the characters. Throughout the play, deceit has been used severally by many characters for different motives and intentions. Benedick and Beatrice who in their own inward feelings secretly love each other but use deceit of verbal insults to outwardly show that they do not love each other. This way, deceit has been used by characters to advance and fulfill their personal interests. In addition, Benedick and Beatrice are blindly deceived by Claudio and Hero into believing that each one loves the other. In this way, they are caught into prey by Claudios and Heros deceit which finally makes them fall into love and thereafter get married. Through these incidences it is clear that deceit is good in certain incidences because Claudios and Heros deceit finally united Benedick and Beatrice into a happy marriage. Shakespeare has utilized a combination of sarcasm, pretense, vile humor, envy and counterfeiting to bring out his theme of deception. Benedict and Beatrice secretly admire each other but engage in open showdowns against each other in attempt to hide their feelings. They are trapped in a web of self-deception when they hurl insults at each other, yet privately hoping that the other will notice their true feelings of affection. This only makes the wedge between them to broaden. In trying to outdo each other in wit, they lose the very thing they desire from each other-love. This is typical of what todays society recommends to women that in order to be seen as expensive by the men, they need to put up a tough face and not immediately accept any offer of a relationship. Many of them end up losing the very person they admired to a woman who is less snooty. At the same time deceit has been used for evil and hidden personal motives as evidenced through actions of the troublesome Don John. Don John had an inward revengeful motive against his brother Don Pedro for a military action defeat. While Don John tries to accomplish his revenge against his brother Don Pedro, he merely lies to Claudio that his brother Don Pedro is having an affair with his lover Hero. This is something which angered Claudio very much. Here, deceit has been used mainly for evil and personal hidden motives. In addition, deceit is evident when Don John through his actions of planning an evil scheme with Borachio and Heros servant Margaret. They secretly scheme to disrupt the already planned wedding between Claudio and Hero on the eve of their wedding day through the dressing mannerism of Margaret in Heros dressing. This plan eventually led to Claudio insulting her innocent love Hero of being an infidel which subsequently disrupted their wedding. Here, deceit has been e villy used for fulfilling the ill motives and desires of characters. When the brothers Don Jon and Don Pedro go to visit their relatives in Messina, Don Jon expresses remorse to the citys governor Leonato, for setting ambush against his brother in war. However, the truth of the matter is that Don Jon is very bitter against Don Pedro for beating him in war, and has a revenge mission in place against his brother (Shakespeare). He deceives his brother, at least outwardly, that everything is okay, whereas his heart is in turmoil. This symbolizes although to the extreme, the sibling rivalry that is common among many families today. Due to jealousy, Don Jon devices a wicked plan against Claudio. First, he tries to convince Claudio that his lover Hero, is actually in love with Don Pedro. When he fails, he tries to foil plans of their marriage by accusing Hero of Adultery. By using deceit, he uses his friend Borachio to get his innocent lover Margaret dressed up in Heros attire and then act as if it were Hero herself flirting with Borachio. The negative result is that Claudio detests Hero, calling her an adulterer. Marriages today go through similar challenges, with the threat of infidelity being central. In addition, Leonato and his allies use deceit of false death of his daughter Hero as a punishment of Claudios denial and rejection of marrying her. Leonato and his friends used this deceitful trick in order to trigger feelings of guilt on Claudio of his deeds which led to death of an innocent girl. The overall motive of Leonato was to win favors from Claudio in order to make him abide by whatever he told him. This is an evil way in which deceit has been used for personal hidden agendas diverse from the reality. Much Ado About Nothing is characterized by excessive use of deceit to pass across its message. Deceit has been widely used by various characters in the play for satisfying their interests and motives. Many of the instances of deceit have involved its application to achieve selfish and ill motives. At the same time the way deceit has been useful in turning other peoples social lives like in marriage points at its usefulness. As illustrated in Shakespeares work deception and manipulation can be used by its players to attain both positive and negative ends.

Free Essays - The Title of The Catcher In The Rye :: Catcher Rye Essays

The Title of The Catcher In The Rye The title of the novel The Catcher In The Rye, by JD Salinger, has a substantial connection to the story. This title greatly explains the main character, Holden Caulfield, and his feelings towards life and human nature. In society he has found enormous corruption, vulgarity, harm and havoc. He knows that the children of the world are ruined by the corruption of adults around them and, he states later in the novel, his new purpose in life will be to help save the children from this vulgarity. Holden wants to be a "Catcher in the Rye." We first hear the title of the novel being used in chapter 16, and in chapter 22 we have the full explanation of this title. Human dignity is vital to Holden's existence and the only way to guarantee this on a long term basis is to assist children in maintaining their innocence from the dangers of adulthood. In chapter 16 we have the first reference to the meaning of the novel's title, The Catcher in the Rye. Holden hears a little boy singing to himself a verse which makes Holden very happy: "If a body catch a body coming through the rye," (Page 115). It is difficult to understand why Holden is made happy by the little boy's singing unless one has an idea of what the song means to Holden. The little boy is described by Holden in gentle caring terms: "The kid was swell. He was walking in the street, instead of on the sidewalk, but right next to the curb. He was making out like he was walking a very straight line, the way kids do, and the whole time he kept singing and humming." (Page 115). Holden notes that the child's parents pay no attention to him. To Holden this child represents innocence and youth unspoiled by adult immorality. Holden wishes to serve humanity by safeguarding the innocence and purity of children, by protecting them from the evils of life. His little sister, Phoebe, asks him what he would like to be and he answers: " I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 19

Matt was knocking at the Bryces' door, with Elena at his side. Elena had disguised herself by stuffing all her hair into a Virginia Cavaliers baseball cap and wearing wraparound sunglasses from one of Stefan's drawers. She was also wearing an over-large maroon and navy Pendleton shirt donated by Matt, and a pair of Meredith's outgrown jeans. She felt sure that no one who had known the old Elena Gilbert would ever recognize her, dressed like this. The door opened very slowly to reveal not Mr. or Mrs. Bryce, nor Jim, but Tamra. She was wearing – well, close to nothing. She had on a thong bikini bottom, but it looked handmade, as if she'd cut a regular bikini bottom with scissors – and it was beginning to come apart. On top she had two round decorations made of cardboard with sequins pasted on and a few strands of colored tinsel. On her head she wore a paper crown, which was clearly where she'd gotten the tinsel. She'd made an attempt to glue strands onto the bikini bottoms as well. The result looked like what it was: a child's attempt to make an outfit for a Las Vegas showgirl or stripper. Matt immediately turned around and stood facing away, but Tami threw herself at him and plastered herself to his back. â€Å"Matt Honey-butt,† she cooed. â€Å"You came back. I knew you would. But why'd you bring this ugly old whore with you? How can we – â€Å" Elena stepped forward, then, because Matt had whirled with his hand up. She was sure that Matt had never struck a female in his life, especially a child, but he was also over-sensitive about one or two subjects. Like her. Elena managed to get between Matt and the surprisingly strong Tamra. She had to hide a smile when contemplating Tami's costume. After all, only a few days ago, she hadn't understood the human nakedness taboo at all. Now she got it, but it didn't seem nearly as important as it once had. People were born with their own perfectly good skins on. There was no real reason, in her mind, to wear false skins over those, unless it was cold or somehow uncomfortable without them. But society said that to be naked was to be wicked. Tami was trying to be wicked, in her own childish way. â€Å"Get your hands off me, you old whore,† Tamra snarled as Elena held her away from Matt, and then she added several rather lengthy expletives. â€Å"Tami, where are your parents? Where's your brother?† Elena said. She ignored the obscene words – they were just sounds – but saw that Matt had gone white around the lips. â€Å"You apologize to Elena right now! Apologize for talking that way!† he demanded. â€Å"Elena's a stinking corpse with worms in her eye sockets,† Tamra sang glibly. â€Å"But my friend says she was a whore when she was alive. A real† – a string of four-letter words that made Matt gasp – â€Å"cheap whore.You know. Nothing's cheaper than something that comes free.† â€Å"Matt, just don't pay any attention,† Elena said under her breath, and she repeated, â€Å"Where are your parents and Jim?† The answer was littered with more expletives, but it amounted to the story – truthful or not – that Mr. and Mrs. Bryce had gone away on vacation for a few days, and that Jim was with his girlfriend, Isobel. â€Å"Okay, then, I guess I'll just have to help you get into some more decent clothes,† Elena said. â€Å"First, I think you need a shower to get these Christmas doodads off – â€Å" â€Å"Just try-hy-hy! Just try-hy-hy!† The answer was somewhere between the whinny of a horse and human speech. â€Å"I glued them on with PermaStick!† Tami added and then began giggling on a high and hysterical note. â€Å"Oh, my God – Tamra, do you realize that if there isn't some solvent for this, you may need surgery?† Tami's answer was foul. There was also a sudden foul smell. No, not a smell, Elena thought: a choking, gutcurdling stench. â€Å"Oops!† Tami gave that high, glassy giggle again. â€Å"Pardonmoi . At least it'snatural gas.† Matt cleared his throat. â€Å"Elena – I don't think we should be here. With her folks gone and all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"They're afraid of me,† Tamra giggled. â€Å"Aren'tyou ?† – very suddenly in a voice that had dropped several octaves. Elena looked Tamra in the eye. â€Å"No, I'm not. I just feel sorry for a little girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Matt's right, I guess. We have to go.† Tami's whole manner seemed to change. â€Å"I'm so sorry†¦. I didn't realize I had guests of that caliber. Don't go, please, Matt.† Then she added in a confidential whisper to Elena, â€Å"Is he any good?† â€Å"What?† Tami nodded at Matt, who immediately turned his back to her. He looked as if he felt a terrible, repulsive fascination for Tami's ridiculous appearance. â€Å"Him. Is he any good in the sack?† â€Å"Matt, look at this.† Elena held up a small tube of glue. â€Å"I think she actually did PermaStick that stuff to her skin. We have to call Child Protective Services or whatever, because nobody took her to the hospital right away. Whether her parents knew about this behavior or not, they shouldn't have just left her.† â€Å"I just hopethey're all right. Her family,† Matt said grimly as they walked out the door, with Tami coolly following them to the car, and shouting lurid details about â€Å"what a good time† they had had, â€Å"the three of them.† Elena glanced at him uneasily from her place in the passenger seat – with no ID or driver's license, of course, she knew she shouldn't drive. â€Å"Maybe we'd better take her to the police first. My God, that poor family!† Matt said nothing for a long time. His chin was set, his mouth grim. â€Å"I feel somehow as if I'm responsible. I mean, I knew there was something wrong with her – I should have told her parents then.† â€Å"Now you're sounding like Stefan. You're not responsible for everyone you meet.† Matt gave her a grateful glance, and Elena continued, â€Å"In fact I'm going to ask Bonnie and Meredith to do one other thing, which proves you're not. I'm going to ask them to check on Isobel Saitou, Jim's girlfriend.You've never had any contact with her, but Tami might have.† â€Å"You mean you think she's got it, too?† â€Å"That's what I hope Bonnie and Meredith will find out.† Bonnie stopped dead, almost losing her hold on Mrs. Forbes's feet. â€Å"I am not going into that bedroom.† â€Å"You have to. I can't manage her alone,† Meredith said. Then she added cajolingly, â€Å"Look, Bonnie, if you go in with me, I'll tell you a secret.† Bonnie bit her lip. Then she shut her eyes and let Meredith guide her, step by step, farther into this house of horror. She knew where the master bedroom was – after all, she had played here since childhood. All the way down the hall, then turn left. She was surprised when Meredith came to a sudden stop after only a few steps. â€Å"Bonnie.† â€Å"Well? What?† â€Å"I don't want to frighten you, but – â€Å" This had the immediate effect of terrifying Bonnie. Her eyes snapped open. â€Å"What?What? † Before Meredith could answer she glanced over her shoulder in fear and saw what. Caroline was behind her. But not standing. She was crawling – no, she was scuttling, the way she had on Stefan's floor. Like a lizard. Her bronze hair, unkempt, hung down over her face. Her elbows and knees stuck out at impossible angles. Bonnie screamed, but the pressure of the house seemed to choke the scream back down her throat. The only effect it had was to make Caroline look up at her with a quick reptilian movement of her head. â€Å"Oh, my God – Caroline, what happened to your face?† Caroline had a black eye. Or rather, a purplish-red eye that was so swollen that Bonnie knew it would have to turn black in time. On her jaw was another purple swelling bruise. Caroline didn't answer, unless you counted the sibilant hiss she gave while scuttling forward. â€Å"Meredith, run! She's right behind me!† Meredith quickened her pace, looking frightened – all the more frightening to Bonnie because almost nothing could shake her friend. But as they lurched forward, with Mrs. Forbes bouncing between them, Caroline scuttled right under her mother and into the door of her parents' room, the master bedroom. â€Å"Meredith, I won't go in th – † But they were already stumbling through the door. Bonnie shot quick darting glances into every corner. Caroline was nowhere to be seen. â€Å"Maybe she's in the closet,† Meredith said. â€Å"Now, let me go first and put her head on the far side of the bed. We can adjust her later.† She backed around the bed, almost dragging Bonnie with her, and dumped Mrs. Forbes's upper torso so that her head rested on pillows. â€Å"Now just pull her and put her legs down on the other side.† â€Å"I can't do it. I can't! Caroline'sunder the bed, you know.† â€Å"She can't be under the bed. There's only about a five-inch clearance,† Meredith said firmly. â€Å"She's there! Iknow it. And† – rather fiercely – â€Å"you promised you'd tell me a secret.† â€Å"All right!† Meredith gave a complicit glance through her disheveled dark hair. â€Å"I telegraphed Alaric yesterday. He's so far out in the boonies that telegraph is the only way to reach him, and it may be days before my message gets to him. I had an idea that we were going to need his advice. I feel bad, asking him to do projects that aren't for his doctorate, but – â€Å" â€Å"Who cares about his doctorate? Godbless you!† cried Bonnie thankfully. â€Å"You did just right!† â€Å"Then come on and swing Mrs. Forbes' feet around the bottom of the bed. You can do it if you lean in.† The bed was a California king-size. Mrs. Forbes was lying at an angle across it, like a doll thrown on the floor. But Bonnie halted near the foot of the bed. â€Å"Caroline's going to grab me.† â€Å"No, she won't. Come on, Bonnie. Just get Mrs. Forbes' legs and give one big heave†¦.† â€Å"If I get that close to the bed, she'llgrab me!† â€Å"Why should she?† â€Å"Because she knows what scares me! And now that I've said it, shedefinitely will.† â€Å"If she grabs you, I'll come and kick her in the face.† â€Å"Your leg's not that long. It would bang on the metal bed-frame thingummy – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, for God's sake, Bonnie! Just help meheeeeeeere !† The last word was a full-fledged scream. â€Å"Meredith – † began Bonnie, and then she screamed, too. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"She's grabbing me!† â€Å"She can't be!She's grabbingme ! Nobody has arms that long!† â€Å"Or that strong! Bonnie!I can't make her let go!† â€Å"Neither can I!† And then any words were drowned in screaming. After dropping Tami off with the police, driving Elena around the woods known as the Fell's State Park was†¦well, a walk in the park. Every so often they would stop. Elena would go a few steps into the trees and stand, Calling – however you did that. Then she came back to the Jaguar, looking discouraged. â€Å"I'm not sure that Bonnie wouldn't be better at this,† she said to Matt. â€Å"If we can brace ourselves to go out at night.† Matt shuddered involuntarily. â€Å"Two nights were enough.† â€Å"Do you know, you never told me your story from that first night. Or at least, not when I could understand words, spoken words.† â€Å"Well, I was driving around like this, except almost on the other side of the Old Wood – near the Lightning-Split Oak area†¦?† â€Å"Right.† â€Å"When right in the middle of the road something appears.† â€Å"A fox?† â€Å"Well, it was red in the headlights, but it wasn't like any fox I've ever seen. And I've been driving this road since I could drive.† â€Å"A wolf?† â€Å"Like a werewolf, you mean? But, no – I've seen wolves by moonlight and they're bigger. This was right in between.† â€Å"In other words,† Elena said, narrowing her lapis lazuli eyes, â€Å"a custom-made creature.† â€Å"Maybe. It sure was different from the malach that chewed my arm up.† Elena nodded. Malach could take all sorts of different forms, from what she understood. But they were siblings in one way: they all used Power and they all needed a diet of Power to live. And they could be manipulated by a stronger Power than they had. And they were venomous enemies of humans. â€Å"So all we really know is that we don't know anything.† â€Å"Right. That was the place back there, where we saw it. It just suddenly appeared in the middle of the – hey!† â€Å"Go right! Righthere !† â€Å"Just like that! It was just like that!† The Jaguar screeched almost to a stop, turning right, not into a ditch but into a small lane that no one would notice unless they were looking directly at it. When the car stopped, they both stared up the lane, breathing hard. Neither had to ask whether the other had seen a reddish creature zip across the road, bigger than a fox but smaller than a wolf. They looked up at the narrow lane. â€Å"The million-dollar question: should we go in?† Matt asked. â€Å"NoKEEP OUT signs – and hardly any houses on this side of the wood. Across the street and down a way there's the Dunstans'.† â€Å"So we go in?† â€Å"We go in. Just go slowly. It's later than I thought.† Meredith, of course, was the one to calm down first. â€Å"Allright , Bonnie,† she said. â€Å"Stop it! Now! It's not going to do any good here!† Bonnie didn't think shecould stop it. But Meredith had that special look in her dark eyes; the one that meant she was serious. The look she'd had before laying Caroline out on Stefan's floor. Bonnie made a supreme effort and found that somehow she was able to hold in the next shriek. She looked dumbly at Meredith, feeling her own body shake. â€Å"Good. Good, Bonnie. Now.† Meredith swallowed. â€Å"Pulling doesn't do any good, either. So I'm going to try†¦peeling her fingers off. If anything happens to me; if I get – pulled under the bed or anything, then yourun , Bonnie. And if you can't run, then you call Elena and Matt. You call until you get an answer.† Bonnie managed something almost heroic then. She refused to picture Meredith being pulled under the bed. She wouldn't let herself imagine how that would look as Meredith, struggling, disappeared, or how she would feel, all alone, after that. They'd both left their purses with their mobile phones in the entryway to carry Mrs. Forbes, so Meredith wasn't saying to call them in any normal sense. She meant Call them. A sudden radical burst of indignation swept through Bonnie. Why did girls carry purses anyway? Even the efficient, reliable Meredith often did it. Of course Meredith's purses were usually designer handbags that enhanced her outfits and were full of useful things like small notebooks and keychain flashlights, but still†¦a boy would have his mobile phone in his pocket. From now on, I'm wearing a waist pouch, Bonnie thought, feeling as if she were raising a rebel flag for girls everywhere, and for just a moment also feeling her panic recede. Then she saw Meredith stooping, a hunched figure in the dim light, and at the same moment she felt the grip on her own ankle tighten. Despite herself she glanced down, and saw the outline of Caroline's tanned fingers and long bronze nails against the creamy white of the rug. Panic burst out in her again, full force. She made a choked sound that was a strangled scream, and to her own astonishment she spontaneously hit trance and began to Call. It wasn't the fact that she was Calling that surprised her. It was what she was saying. Damon! Damon! We're trapped at Caroline's house and she's gone crazy! Help! It flowed out of her like an underwater well that had been suddenly tapped, releasing a geyser. Damon, she's got me by the ankle – and she won't let go! If she pulls Meredith under, I don't know what I'll do! Help me! Vaguely, because the trance was good and deep, she heard Meredith say, â€Å"Ah-hah! It feels like fingers, but actually it's a vine. It must be one of those tentacles that Matt told us about. I'm – trying – to break one of the loops – off†¦Ã¢â‚¬  All at once there was a rustling from under the bed. And not just from one place, either, but a massive whipping and shaking that actually bounced the mattress up and down, even with poor little Mrs. Forbes on it. There must be dozens of those insects under there. Damon, it's thosethings! Lots of them. Oh, God, I think I'm going to faint. And if I faint – and if Caroline pulls me under†¦Oh, please come and help! â€Å"Damn!† Meredith was saying. â€Å"I don't know how Matt managed to do this. It's too tight, and – and I think there's more than one tentacle here.† It's all over,Bonnie sent in quiet conclusion, feeling herself start to go at the knees.We're going to die. â€Å"Undoubtedly – that's the problem with humans. But not justyet ,† a voice said from behind her, and a strong arm went around her, taking up her weight easily. â€Å"Caroline, the fun's over. I mean it. Letgo!† â€Å"Damon?† Bonnie gasped. â€Å"Damon? You came!† â€Å"All that wailing gets on my nerves. It doesn't mean – â€Å" But Bonnie wasn't listening. She wasn't even thinking. She was still half in trance and not responsible (she decided later) for her own actions. She wasn'therself . It was someone else who went into rapture when the grip on her ankle loosened, and someone else who whirled around in Damon's grip and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth. It was someone else, too, who felt Damon startle, with his arms still around her, and who noticed that he made no attempt to pull away from the kiss. That person also noticed, when at last she leaned back, that Damon's skin, pale in the dim light, looked almost as if he had flushed. And that was when Meredith straightened up slowly, painfully, from the other side of the bed, which was still jouncing up and down. She hadn't seen anything of the kiss, and looked at Damon as if she couldn't believe he was really here. She was at a great disadvantage, and Bonnie knew she knew it. This was one of those situations where anyone else would have been too flustered to speak, or even stammer. But Meredith just took a deep breath and then said quietly, â€Å"Damon. Thank you. Do you think – would it be too much trouble to make the malach let go of me, as well?† Now Damon looked like his old self. He gave a brilliant smile aimed at something no one else could see and said sharply, â€Å"And as for the rest of you down there – heel!† He snapped his fingers. The bed stopped moving instantly. Meredith stepped away, and closed her eyes for a moment in relief. â€Å"Thank you again,† she said, with the dignity of a princess, but fervently. â€Å"And now, do you think you could do anything about Caro – â€Å" â€Å"Right now,† Damon cut in even more roughly than usual, â€Å"I have to run.† He glanced at the Rolex on his wrist. â€Å"It's past 4:44, and I had an appointment I'm already late for. Come around here and prop up this dizzy bundle. She's not quite ready to stand by herself.† Meredith hastened to switch places with him. At that point, Bonnie discovered that her legs were no longer wobbling. â€Å"Wait a minute, though,† Meredith said rapidly. â€Å"Elenaneeds to talk to you – desperately – â€Å" But Damon was gone, as if he'd mastered the art of simply disappearing, not even waiting for Bonnie's thanks. Meredith looked astonished, as if she'd been certain that the mention of Elena's name would stop him, but Bonnie had something else on her mind. â€Å"Meredith,† Bonnie whispered, putting two fingers to her lips in amazement. â€Å"I kissed him!† â€Å"What?When? â€Å" â€Å"Before you stood up. I – don't even know how it happened but I did it!† She expected some kind of explosion from Meredith. Instead, Meredith looked at her thoughtfully and murmured, â€Å"Well, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to do, after all. What I don't understand is why he turned up in the first place.† â€Å"Uh. That was me, too. I Called him. I don't know how that happened either – â€Å" â€Å"Well, there's no point in trying to figure it out in here.† Meredith turned toward the bed. â€Å"Caroline, are you coming out of there? Are you going to stand up and have a normal conversation?† There was a menacing and reptilian hiss from under the bed, along with the whipping of tentacles and another noise that Bonnie had never heard before but which terrified her instinctively, like the snapping of giant pincers. â€Å"That's answer enough for me,† she said, and grabbed Meredith to drag her out of the room. Meredith didn't need dragging. But for the first time today they heard Caroline's taunting voice, lifted childishly high. â€Å"Bonnie and Damon sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage; Then there comes a vampire in a baby carriage.† Meredith paused in the hallway. â€Å"Caroline, you know that that isn't going to help matters. Come out – â€Å" The bed went into a frenzy, bucking and heaving. Bonnie turned and ran, and she knew Meredith was right behind her. They still didn't manage to outpace the singsong words: â€Å"You're notmy friends; you're thewhore's friends. Just you wait! Just youwait !† Bonnie and Meredith grabbed their purses and left the house. â€Å"What time is it?† Bonnie asked, when they were safely in Meredith's car. â€Å"Almost five.† â€Å"It seemed like so much longer!† â€Å"I know, but we've got hours of daylight left. And, come to that, I have a text message from Elena.† â€Å"About Tami?† â€Å"I'll tell you about it. But first – † It was one of the few times Bonnie had seen Meredith look awkward. Finally she blurted, â€Å"How was it?† â€Å"How was what?† â€Å"Kissing Damon, you nitwit!†