Juggling and Indian Jugglers

Indian Jugglers and the meaning of life I've just come across a superb essay entitled ‘The Indian Jugglers' from William Hazlitt's 19th century collection Table Talk (1828). Hazlitt starts the essay by describing his absolute astonishment upon watching Indian Jugglers perform in London's Olympic Theatre. Hazlitt was known for his wildly exaggerated style. However, his genuine amazement is clear: Coming forward and seating himself on the ground in his white dress and tightened turban, the chief of the Indian Jugglers begins with tossing up two brass balls, which is what any of us could do, and concludes with keeping up four at the same time, which is what none of us could do to save our lives, nor if we were to take our whole lives to do it in. Is it then a trifling power we see at work, or is it not something next to miraculous!It is the utmost stretch of human ingenuity, which nothing but the bending the faculties of body and mind to it from the tenderest infancy with incessan t, ever-anxious application up to manhood, can accomplish or make even a slight approach to. Man, thou art a wonderful animal, and thy ways past finding out! Thou canst do strange things, but thou turnest them to little account! – To conceive of this effort of extraordinary dexterity distracts the imagination and makes admiration breathless. † Hazlitt was clearly gobsmacked.He goes on to state next that â€Å"As to the swallowing of the sword, the police ought to interfere to prevent it. â€Å". But it was the juggling act that astounded Hazlitt to such an extent that he was left questioning his own worth: â€Å"The hearing a speech in Parliament, drawled or stammered out by the Honourable Member or the Noble Lord, the ringing the changes on their common-places, which any one could repeat after them as well as they, stirs me not a jot, shakes not my good opinion of myself: but the seeing the Indian Jugglers does. It makes me ashamed of myself.I ask what there is that I can do as well as this! Nothing. What have I been doing all my life! Have I been idle, or have I nothing to shew for all my labour and pains! † Hazlitt went on in his exasperating vain: â€Å"have I passed my time in pouring words like water into empty sieves, rolling a stone up a hill and then down again, trying to prove an argument in the teeth of facts, and looking for causes in the dark, and not finding them? Is there no one thing in which I can challenge competition, that I can bring as an instance of exact perfection, in which others cannot find a flaw?The utmost I can pretend to is to write a description of what this fellow can do. I can write a book: so can many others who have not even learned to spell. What abortions are these Essays! What errors, what ill-pieced transitions, what crooked reasons, what lame conclusions! How little is made out, and that little how ill! Yet they are the best I can do. I endeavour to recollect all I have ever observed or thought upo n a subject, and to express it as nearly as I can. Instead of writing on four subjects at a time, it is as much as I can manage to keep the thread of one discourse clear and unentangled.I have also time on my hands to correct my opinions, polish my periods: but the one I cannot, and the other I will not do. † A juggling act then left a great critic deeply critical of his own worth. The mere act of juggling four balls was all that was needed to ignite Hazlitt's needling sense of failure and lack of confidence. Most of us as writers, I think, occasionally or very often feel like Hazlitt. Hazlitt, unfortunately, died a poor outsider not long after this essay was published. No doubt the troupe of Indians he saw, presumably far away from home and very likely getting paid a pittance, amazed many in London and elsewhere.But Hazlitt, the enlightened post-1789er, saw something more. What he witnessed deeply affected him personally but is also suggestive of his general approach to criti cism. The skill of the juggling that night left him open-mouthed and his response has to be written down and shaped into words. Hazlitt saw something new and different and could describe the act with freshness and verve. He said of the juggling: â€Å"To catch four balls in succession in less than a second of time, and deliver them back so as to return with seeming consciousness to the hand gain, to make them revolve round him at certain intervals, like the planets in their spheres, to make them chase one another like sparkles of fire, or shoot up like flowers or meteors, to throw them behind his back and twine them round his neck like ribbons or like serpents, to do what appears an impossibility, and to do it with all the ease, the grace, the carelessness imaginable, to laugh at, to play with the glittering mockeries, to follow them with his eye as if he could fascinate them with its lambent fire, or as if he had only to see that they kept time with the music on the stage – there is something in all this which he who does not admire may be quite sure he never really admired any thing in the whole course of his life. â€Å"Hazlitt's own description of juggling illustrates his own talent and skills, sadly only appreciated in full after his death in 1830. Hazlitt appeared to make criticism as art appear easy and effortless, whether critiquing the plays of Shakespeare, writing biographies or discovering his own astonishment about Indian jugglers. Hazlitt's reputation and own skill as a literary and social critic lived on long after his death, latterly prospering, in part because of this internalised child-like wonder and fascination alongside his undoubted ability to see and describe the world anew, not least when viewing jugglers from the East.

Business Research Ethics

This article explains why it is important for banks to have good ethics. The banks have an ethical responsibility to the government, the shareholders, and the people they serve. Communities have a history on trusting the banks to loan money to responsible parties. The banker’s role is one of stewardship based on trust (Green, C F 1989). The banks major responsibility is to trust our government, customer’s shareholders, and management staff to be ethical in their decisions. In this article, they discussed how ethical issues have an impact on managing for the longer term. There first question asked was when a company lies does an individual or company have an ethical responsibility to report any bad conduct to that individual. The answer to that question is yes, they have a responsibility to report any illegal actions. The laws of a LLC still hold companies accountable for what they do and banks are held accountable for what they do. A company can only go forward doing bad business for a short time before they start to collapse, and what I mean be that is if a company lies, cheats and steals form the people they will certainly be discovered. Therefore, the article tells us that in the end, even though it might be more effort for the company, (the banks) the company who does well ethically will stay in business. Having said that we have to acknowledge that money is a sticky business and business to make money. Therefore, as the markets open up through deregulation the World Wide Web and its technology will replace the face-to-face contact. Now deregulation just means that companies can trade and sell in markets that were closed to them in the past. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey Analysis Currently we have a single person working for a company doing both the selling and buying for us where it used to be stockbrokers and jobbers but with the new laws they have now rid of the jobbers and have given all the power to the stockbrokers. Now we have to trust the brokers and the companies they work for. Now the government has an obligation to protect the interests of the individuals they serve. The Government trust is clear from the financial services industry in Britain, of course there relationship depends a lot on the legislation, but then again the trust is there and has been for many years. For example, a recent example of consumer protection in the UK banks, national Westminster Bank has chosen independent status. They choose to give their customers an unbiased advice. At the very least the banks can be broken up into two parts those who barrow money, and those who lend it. Both the lenders and the barrowers have a very different and moral responsibility. A lending banker has to consider the canons of lending. The canons of lending are the banker’s responsibility to find the purposes’ in why an individual would need to be loaned money. The ethical issues that need to be understood are the purpose for the lending. It would be the banker’s ethical responsibility to the bank, and its community that uses there local banks to make an honest and ethical decision to loan the money to the borrower. The integrity and business ability of the borrower need addressing. The banks need to look at how the borrower will repay the community and the banks for the money they borrow. This is when the banks or the managerial staff will be satisfied to loan the money to the borrower. When all responsibility parties and issues have been addressed. In the banks situation they are always concerned when loaning money to an individual or a small company. There are ethical decisions to be made. Banking and finance is the people’s business meaning we depend on our people to run the business. The article was big on describing the relationship between the people and the banks are one. For example, the people who work at the banks live in the same communities they serve. Therefore, the banks make their employees and managers sign contracts to work. These contracts protect both the people and the banks form wrongdoing. The contract states both the banks and the employees’ rights. If there is an incident, the contract is extended beyond the contract and into the laws of society. The article gives examples of companies where action on issues like disciplining staff or creating equality opportunity extend beyond contracts and into legal requirements. Our society has its own standards on ethical behavior and this article explains how ethical behavior can be avoided by following the rules of contracts and having a moral obligation to the community by having good ethical standers. This article sums up by reiterating that the banks have responsibilities to both the government, stockholders and the people to make good ethical decisions.

Tramadol Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tramadol - Research Paper Example Similarly, Tramadol is taken to ease some serious agony. Patients who are likely to require medication to ease the pain for several hours over a longer period mainly take its extended-release pills. Prescription The drug can be prescribed for different uses; for example, as depressant or analgesic. Tramadol falls into opiate agonist or analgesic category, and it works by altering how the body experiences pain. This implies that the drug functions in the central nervous parts and serves as morphine in the organs and releases pain, (Gulshan 45). As morphine, it joins some opioid body receptors. In addition, the drug functions as antidepressants in that it inhibits certain brain chemicals reuptake; for instance, serotonin. Various chemicals are crucial to transfer information into the nerves. As the information travels through the nerves, it causes the cell end to secrete serotonin, which consequently enters the gap from one nerve cell to the next. When serotonin reaches the adjacent ce ll of the nerve, the chemical triggers the receptors; thus, the message is transferred to the adjoining nerve cell. Use of Tramadol The drug is taken through the mouth or orally as extended release pill, and regular pill in a span of four to seven hours as prescribed – before or after food. ... Inform the physician of medication prescriptions and other nutritional or food complement one is using. Additionally, inform the doctor about other antifungal medications like monoamine or ketanonazole, anxiety mediations, seizures medications and mental illness medications, you are using. This is because such medications may interact with Ultram and cause adverse effects. The patient has to inform the doctor of other herbal remedies she is using. Moreover, the patient should tell the doctor all the medical conditions or disorders he has ever suffered such as seizures, head injuries, tumor of the brain, heart attack and other high blood pressure conditions and diabetes. This information helps the doctor to prepare individual precaution data of the drug to safeguard the patient against possible severe and fatal effects of the drug. The patient should inform the doctor about her status such as pregnancy, breastfeeding and planning to conceive, and if one becomes pregnant while, under T ramadol medication, she should inform the doctor to help protect the health of the patient. The patient should be aware that the drug might cause drowsiness, fainting and vertigo, therefore; the patient should get out of the lying position slowly to avoid collapsing and falling, (Gulshan 49). People must avoid consumption of alcohol and other illicit drugs because it may lead to adverse reduction in breathing and liver disorders, when consumed during Tramadol administration. Besides, the drug must be taken with caution in people at respiratory depression risk. Dosage People should take Tramadol as prescribed by the nurse or doctor. Additionally, administer the skipped dosage of regular Tramadol tablet immediately once you learn about

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 13

Economics - Essay Example The problem with GDP is that the metric was originally designed to recognized economic activity and it was never meant to be utilized as a standard to determine the well being of a society. This paper analyses gross domestic product in order to determine its functionality and ways to improve the metric so it can become a more suitable indicator of social progress and well being. Gross domestic product is an economic metric that is recognized by the entire international community. Since its utilization started centuries ago there is a tremendous amount of historical data about the GDP of different nations. The problem with the utilization of this metric for the purposes of measuring well-being is that the variables included in the formula to calculate gross domestic product have to do primarily with spending of either the public or private sector. The amount of money spend within a microeconomic system is not really a good determinant of the well being of a society. Well-being refers to the quality of life of a society which includes aspects such as freedom, happiness, environmental health, abundance of natural resources, and innovation (Wordiq, 2009). People expect from its governmental institution for them to be aware of the actual needs in order to improve their well being. In order for that to Gross domestic product is not a good indicator to determine well being. In order to improve the representation of the metric without changing its integrity economist often prefer to display the total in terms of per capita denominations. Gross domestic product per capita can be better to compare the wealth within a specific country. We must recognize that wealth is important, but not the only factor that determines well-being. In recent years statisticians have gone a step further in order to improve GDP. They created an alternate economic metric called GPI which utilizes GDP as the basis from which other

Wk1 discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wk1 discussion - Essay Example ge masters degree holder in counseling or its related mental health discipline; have completed at least two (2) years post masters clinical work with certification; and has passed the national licensure or certification examination. Mental health counselors apply their knowledge and skills in a variety of settings such as independent practice, managed behavioral health care organizations, community agencies, integrated delivery systems, employee assistance programs, hospitals, and substance abuse treatment centers. They also extend full range services in specific areas of Assessment and Diagnosis, Psychotherapy, Brief and solution-focused therapy, Treatment planning and utilization review, Psycho educational and prevention programs, Alcoholism and substance abuse treatment and Crisis management. Another helping profession other than Mental Health Counseling is the Clinical Psychology. Clinical Psychology is a specialize area and constitute the largest specialty in the field of Psychology whereby, experts or Clinical psychologists work most often in certain independent or group practices, counseling centers, hospitals, or clinics. Furthermore, they help emotionally and mentally distressed clients who adjust to life as well as may assist medical or surgical clients in dealing with injuries or illnesses. Some clinical psychologists also work in treating patients who suffer from spinal cord injuries, physical rehabilitation settings, chronic pain or illness, arthritis, stroke, or neurological conditions. There are also other clinical psychologists who help people in dealing with personal crisis, like divorce or death of a loved one (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Division of Occupational Employment Statistics, 2009). The difference in the two aforementioned professions (Mental health counseling and Clinical psychology) is that (AMHCA, 2009) Mental health counseling basically provide more broad and flexible roles as far as mental health service is concerned. It

Are some ways of knowing more likely than others to lead to truth Essay

Are some ways of knowing more likely than others to lead to truth - Essay Example However, the following definition of knowledge can be taken for our current consideration. Information or data that is gathered by any one or any thing, using the ways of knowing can be construed as knowledge. Knowledge has to be known to become knowledge. Therefore, knowing is an important activity or part of the knowledge. For our current consideration, this may be taken as the definition of what knowledge is. The above definition of knowledge brings into focus the ways of knowledge. What is 'knowing' and what are the ways of knowing Knowing is to gather information or data about something of interest to a person or object. Webster's English dictionary defines the word 'knowing' as: Possessing information may be special on any specific subject or object. This also places the word 'know' under question. 'Know' is to have some idea or information on a specific subject or object of interest. If this is to, how can a person 'know' about something Knowing then is what one can gather information or data about. One can know about the object of interest in the following ways: A person might gather information or 'know' about an object or a person using any of these methods. These therefore, are the ways of knowing and hence the ways to get the knowledge that one would like to possess. In addition, knowledge is accepted as knowledge by subjecting it to the knowledge tests, viz., coherence, correspondence, pragmatism and consensus. If the knowledge when subjected to any of these tests comes out successfully, then the same may be considered as knowledge. Similarly, there are nine justifications for the knowledge. These are the ones that help in bringing about or reasons for having knowledge. These include logic, sensory perception, revelation, faith, memory, consensus, authority, intuition and self-awareness make up the nine justifications of knowledge. Perception Perception of an object would depend on every individuals thought and action. The state of mind also alters the perception a person has on an object. This also decides what the person understands about the event or object when he encounters it. This would depend on the perception of the person. However, it can also be noted that such perceptions are normally ultra sensitive perceptions that seems more like things outside of the living earth. This would include even the Platonic Forms that are more a representation of the remote thoughts and actions that change the way work but are influenced by our 'perception' of the object or the subject and not on other factors (Morton 2002). Perception has been more refined now to mean only those that are realized through sensory perception and not anything else so that any other means of perception or avoided in the ways of knowledge. Therefore, it can be taken that perception today means only those information that are gathered using any of the sensory perceptions like seen, heard, felt, etc. Therefore, it now includes all that is read or heard through some one or from some thing to make the knowledge learnt through perception. This implies that learning is also a knowledge gathering exercise and education is one such process. However, perception or seeing is possibly the beginning of gathering information or knowledge. But as John Berger (1983)

Introductory Speech for Speech Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introductory Speech for Speech Class - Essay Example 3. Today I am going to tell you about the three main chapters in my life. I will talk about kindergarten and junior school years, and the happy times I had over all that time. I guess you could call that part an adventure story. Then there is my high school, which I would describe as something of a horror story. Finally, there is the latest, unfinished chapter about my studies at college which I would call an uplifting story. Altogether, then, my life has had three very different chapters so far, and I will now tell you the story of my adventures in chapter one, my scary years in chapter two and the uplifting years of chapter three. [body: chapter 1] Once upon a time there was a little boy called Joshua Ono. He was born and raised in the most beautiful place in the world, Honolulu, Hawaii. He was very much loved by both his parents, and grew up with a deep respect for nature and a fondness for his Mom’s cooking. In kindergarten, he learned to dance and sing to the music of the islands. Joshua was a happy child, and he was known for his habit of singing all day long, even when he was supposed to be concentrating on his learning. At the age of five, Joshua thought that he could do anything he wanted in the world. He had confidence in himself and he enjoyed playing with a large numbers of friends. Life was good and everything started out with high hopes. As you see, chapter one of my life was like a long sunny day, with a beautiful blue sky and plenty of love and laughter. It was not long, however, before some dark clouds appeared on the horizon and things change for little Joshua. [body chapter two] When I was about ten years old we had a very strict teacher for math, and I really didn’t get along with her at all. From the very first day we met, I had the feeling that things were going to be difficult between us, that is exactly how it turned out. I became a restless student, spending more time with my guitar, meeting up with friends, than with my b ooks. My grades suffered, and of course my parents were disappointed with me. For a couple of years I lost my way, and in the end I opted for the G.E.D. and left the high school. I never was a traditional student, but I enjoyed non-traditional learning and expressing myself. I remember thinking at the time that some people looked down on me and thought I was a failure because I didn’t stay on to complete my qualifications there. These were dark days for me, and I prefer not to think about them, other than to remind myself that this horror is now over, and I have been able to make a fresh start. This brings me to my final chapter, the third episode in my life. The stormclouds cleared, and I walked into the whole new world of adult life. [body chapter 3] Two years ago I joined Kapiolani Community College and this has been exactly what I needed to get my life back on track. I met new friends and found that the more relaxed environment suited my thoughtful temperament. For some r eason there was no longer a conflict between schoolwork and leisure time, and finally I have learned to find a balance between the two. I work hard during the day, and then plan my new band in the evenings. I see that there are many different paths that a young person can choose in life, and I have chosen to aim for a career in nursing. This has lifted me up in so many ways, and I am so glad to be focused and ready to use my creative

United Kingdom sports policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

United Kingdom sports policy - Essay Example Sports have been promoted in the United Kingdom as a modern public sector service by successive governments. (Henry. 2001, 19). Being a competitive activity between individuals, groups and states, it is but natural that sports will come within the purview of state policy for smooth promotion as well as to ensure steady growth of sporting abilities in the country to generate a strong feeling of nationhood through better performance in international competitions. Governments thus invariably indulge in formulating sports policies that will earn laurels for the individual and the country in the international arena. Sports policies are also deemed significant to ensure equity in dispensation to afford equal opportunities for weaker sections of society. Notwithstanding the above, it is commonly noticed that public policy is influenced by practical politics, power relations, resources and technical considerations. (Veal.2002, 11). United Kingdom has been at the forefront of sports over the years. The famous quote attributed to the Duke of Wellington that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the sports fields of Eton and Harrow has justifiably highlighted the importance of sports in British national life. The UK sports policy is contained in Game Plan: A Strategy for Delivering Government's Sports and Physical Activity Objectives developed by the UK Strategy Unit under the British Prime Minister's Office published in 2002. (Game Plan, 2002). The policy and strategy laid down in this document has been followed up rigorously and is reviewed every year. The salient facets are discussed as per succeeding paragraphs. Game Plan: A Strategy for Delivering Government's Sports and Physical Activity Objectives The importance to sports policy in general and the policy document in particular is evident with the Foreword being written by the Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair. Mr. Blair highlights the significance of sports as a powerful tool to achieve a number of goals for governments and the need for being adequately equipped to take advantage of the means for nation building. (Game Plan, 2002). The Report has been focused as per Blair on the importance of increasing grass roots participation in sports for health benefits so that the current health costs of 2bn a year or 54,000 lives lost prematurely could be cut down. A government - sports bodies partnership is sought to be created to achieve these aims. (Game Plan, 2002). The Prime Minister has also highlighted the need to cut down on sports bureaucracy. The focus is on the younger generation and it is envisaged that at least 75 percent youth should participate in sports in the coming years. The Secretary Of State RT Hon Tessa Jowell has also emphasized the need for greater focus on participation in sports as only 32 percent of adults in England were doing more than 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week which is the recommendation of health professionals. (Game Plan, 2002). The disparity in the population with limited participation by the lower income groups and fall in involvement with increasing age has been noted with concern. Ms Jowell has bench marked British performance with nations as Finland and Australia which have a large participation in sports and also one which is increasing with age. Britain's performance has been highlighted as the best in Olympics since 1920, with world champions in more than 50 sports but most of these are not in sports carrying a high profile

Legal Structure of Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal Structure of Business - Research Paper Example There is no limit on the amount of stock a C Corporation can generate and there is a limited personal liability for stockholders which are also beneficial. The Internal Revenue Service lists various approaches to the taxation requirements for a C Corporation, part of the benefits of using the C Corporation is that the profit of a corporation is taxed when earned, and taxed to the shareholders when distributed. (Corporations, 2011 p 1) The elements most necessary in a General Corporation or C Corporation are three tiers of power, stockholders, directors and officers. Clear separation of responsibilities and rights for each position, no limit to size, directors run the company, directors are elected by stockholder vote, stockholders own the company, minority stockholders are not responsible for the company (clarify exactly what reflects a minor stockholder) and can be subchapter S if all the qualifications are met. (Incorporating 101, 2011 np) Being a subchapter S is a positive thing f or companies with fewer than 100 stockholders. They are allowed tax relief in the form of avoiding the double taxation that occurs with many public companies. (Subchapter S, 2011 p 1) This means that instead of the taxes being directed at the C Corporation they are directed at the dividends or earnings of the stockholders.

GE, Welch and the Trait Theory of Leadership Essay

GE, Welch and the Trait Theory of Leadership - Essay Example Two theories of leadership can be applied to the style used by Welch and these are the trait theories set and the situational theories of leadership. Gardner (1995) presents us with several ideas which leaders can use to change their leadership styles or how they can balance the styles depending on the situation. The idea of leadership traits can come with several stereotypes or ideas that some people are born leaders, but leadership skills can also be taught to people although the right personality always helps (Welch, 2005).For example, when we consider the third rule given by Welch which states that leaders must give out and infect others with positive energy and optimistic views about situations. That is a key pointer towards the fact that Jack Welch considers the majority of leadership skills to come from the trait theory than any other applicable theory. Undoubtedly, optimism is a personality trait and being able to create optimism or any other emphatic feeling in others requir es a leader to have charisma (DePree, 1989). Charisma is accepted by DePree (1998) to be a rare quality which is attributed to those leaders who create devoted followers. Devoted followers and employees who become your personal friends as well as have complete faith in your vision are simply essential. These employees can certainly be created with an informal style of management as applied in GEThis creation of trust and making the employees believe in the leadership of the leader is also a trait.

Gantt chart Essay Example for Free

Gantt chart Essay The phenomena of calendar effects in stock markets seem to be a center of curiosity for many researchers across the world. Following many studies about the significance of calendar anomalies, testing the presence of Monday effect and January effect appears to be an area of interest. The aim of this study is to discuss about calendar anomalies and its significance. It should be noted that the study will focus mainly on Monday effect and January effect on the stock returns of companies listed on SEM-7. The research proposal will consist mainly of the literature review part and the methodology part. 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1DEFINITON OF BASIC CONCEPTS Calendar anomalies are effects which include apparently different behavior of stock markets on different days of the week, month and year. Calendar effect may also be defined as a collection of theories that state that certain days or month are subject to above price changes in stock market and can therefore represent good or bad times to invest. Brooks and Persand (2001) defined calendar effects as the tendency of stock returns â€Å"to display systematic patterns at certain times of the day, week, month or year †. As mentioned above, the study will discuss mainly on Monday effect and January effect. The day of the week effect also called Monday effect indicates that the average daily return of the market is not the same for all days of the week as we would expect on basis of Efficient Market theory. Monday effect is a theory which states that return of the last trading day is the highest and return on the first trading day is the lowest across the days of the week. January effect is a phenomenon whereby stocks claim higher rates of returns during January compared to any other month. Smaller stocks tend to beat bigger stocks during this period. The January effect also known as â€Å"year-end effect† indicates rise in price during the period starting on the last day of December and ending on the fifth trading day of January . The Stock Exchange of Mauritius was incorporated in Mauritius on March 30, 1989 as a private limited company responsible for the operation and promotion of an efficient and regulated securities market in Mauritius. The SEM operates two markets namely the official market and the Development Enterprise Market (DEM). The study will focus only on the official market. On 31 March 1998, the Stock Exchange of Mauritius launched the index SEM-7, comprising companies listed on its official market. The SEM-7 comprises the seven largest qualified companies of the official market measured in terms of market capitalization, liquidity and investibility criteria. Therefore, the study will be based on the 7 companies in the SEM-7. 2.2Theoretical Explanation on Calendar effects EFFICIENT MARKET THEORY The growing number of studies proving the significance of calendar anomalies has led to doubts on â€Å"Efficient Market Hypothesis†. According to Fama (1970), â€Å"a capital market is efficient if all the information set is fully reflected in securities prices†. Efficient market hypothesis is one of the theories which states that, in whichever form, all the information is completely integrated in the share prices and therefore no one can beat the market. There are three form of market efficiency; weak form, semi-strong form and strong form based on set of information. The weak form efficiency states that no one can outperform the market based on past information while in the semi-strong form, despite using public information, the market cannot be beaten. The strong form efficiency states that no one can beat the market despite using past, public and private information. As a result, according to the efficient market theory, the calendar anomalies have no effect on the share prices and that no one can use this anomaly to gain abnormal returns. MONDAY EFFECT As already mentioned above, Monday effect, also known as weekend effect, is a theory according to which returns on Monday is less than the other trading days. Two hypotheses that have been formulated to explain Monday effect are Calendar Time Hypothesis and Trading Time Hypothesis. According to the Calendar Time Hypothesis, Monday’s average return will be different from the other days’ average returns. A reason for this difference is that Monday’s average return will be three times higher than the average returns of the other working days. According to Trading Time Hypothesis, the returns on stock are generated during a transaction. This indicates that average returns will be the same for all weekdays including Monday. JANUARY EFFECT January effect occurs when there is a general rise in stock prices during the month of January. January effect is also known as small firm in January effect because it is most frequently observed in small cap stocks . The nature of this anomaly suggests that the market is not efficient as market efficiency would suggest that this effect would disappear. The theories which explain January effect are: †¢Tax-Loss Selling Hypothesis This hypothesis was first suggested by Branch (1997) . In order to reduce tax liabilities, investors sell their loser stocks in December and create capital losses which they offset with the capital gain. Due to excessive selling of shares in December, stock prices are decreased and then investors purchase it again in early January which forces stock prices to rise. However, it is noteworthy of the fact that since in Mauritius, capital gains is not liable for tax purposes, this hypothesis cannot be used to explain January effect. †¢Window-dressing Hypothesis Some portfolio managers also do window dressing to their portfolio by creating January effect. Since they have to report their portfolio holding as at 31 December, they just sell riskier stocks before 31 December in order to make their portfolio look less risky on Annual Report. Later on, they just purchase the risky securities again in a view to earn high profits. †¢Information Release Hypothesis According to this hypothesis, also known as differential information effect, the excess January returns are the effect of significant information releases that occur in the first few days of January. This hypothesis relies on how discrepancy in the quantity of information available for different companies may result in different returns. According to Rozeff and Kinney (1976), distribution of year-end information may have a greater effect on the prices of small firms’ securities relative to large firms because the market for small firm stock is less efficient . 2.3Empirical evidences on Calendar effects In order to investigate on the existence of calendar anomalies, there have been several studies conducted obtaining different results. In a recent paper by Haug and Hirshcey (2005) on January effect, evidence is found that the anomaly is significant for small cap stocks and continues to be consistent over time . Moreover, Fountas and Segredakis (2002) investigate about the significance of the monthly seasonality in the Amman Stock Exchange and find very significant January effects in this market.

Redang Island

Redang Island Redang Island Redang Island Superb destination for alland divers too! What would you expect a PERFECT island holiday going to be like? Crystal clear seawater? Checked. Accommodation for people of all age? Checked. Beach and sea activities for all? Checked. How about well equipped diving resorts with good dive spots to explore around? Checked! So where is this place that have all these checked? Redang island! Thanks to the Summer Holiday movie starred by Richie Ren and Sammi Cheng, Redang island had since then becomes one of the most popular holiday destinations in Malaysia. The beach resorts gradually upgraded their facilities from just snorkeling to more varieties of activities to meet the needs from all sort of visitors. If you are looking for banana boat riding, sea kayaking, beach volleyball, beach soccer, or even beach-front clubbing session, they are easily available and offered by many resorts. And what if you are a diving enthusiast or want to try out diving? Ask the resorts and most likely they are also the dive centre you are looking for! The dive resorts would provide activities for beginners and certified divers alike, with discover day diving, diving courses, shore dives and boat dive trips as the usual offers. Best if you could check around the diving packages offered by the resorts before getting to the island, as they would usually have better value-for-money factor if compared to per dive rates offered over the counter in the dive resort. And some dive packages might even throw in unlimited shore dives, where you can dive as many times as you (and your body limit) would like to! Dive sites in Redang are filled with wide varieties of corals and sea creatures, and not to mention large pelagic fishes such as barracudas, jacks, trevallies, and sharks. You would have fairly high chances of being able to spot green turtles and hawksbill turtles due to turtle conservation efforts going on within the marine park. But if you are really lucky enough, whale shark could just grace by during your dive! While it is recommended to dive in the spots distanced away from snorkelers for best diving experience, the shore dive would able to offer you the chance to spot fishes such as titan triggerfish, grouper and even moral eel or sharks! And now you know there is this destination that can enjoy your time in exploring the beauties deep down below while your family are occupied with all the beach activities, it would just all depends on how well you could talk to your loved ones and make Redang as your next vacation spot! Picture reference: Redang Tanjung Tokong Green Turtle : http://www.asiadivesite.com/malaysia-dive-sites/redang/tanjung-tokong.php Redang Pulau Kerengga Humphead Parrotfish: http://www.asiadivesite.com/malaysia-dive-sites/redang/pulau-kerengga.php Redang Mak Cantik Anemone: http://www.asiadivesite.com/malaysia-dive-sites/redang/mak-cantik.php Redang Pulau Ekor Tebu Titan Triggerfish: http://www.asiadivesite.com/malaysia-dive-sites/redang/pulau-ekor-tebu.php

Hinduism Essay: History, Beliefs and Culture

Hinduism Essay: History, Beliefs and Culture Hinduism Hinduism is the world’s oldest organized religion existing for 4500 years. Based on the prehistoric Vedic text, it is a faith in constant change. Populated by an infinite amount of gods, the belief system is open to adopting any of the gods produced by younger religions. Reincarnation and Karma are the primary mechanisms of Hinduism. The Hindu religion also consists of a belief that man has seven principles; these principles consist of the Dense Physical Body, the Etheric Double, Prana, The Desire Body, Manas, Atma, and Finally Buddhi. The Indian Subcontinent is home to some of the world’s largest religions. Some of the religions are Jainism, Sikhism, and Hinduism. The word Hinduism is not found anywhere in scriptures, and the term Hindu was introduced by foreigners who referred to people living across the Indus or Sindhu River, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is thought to have originated. Hinduism believes that there is only one absolute called Brahman. Nevertheless, it does not advocate the worship of one God. Hindu’s believe that one characteristic of God is human, and their different Devas are nothing but various characteristics of nature, each recognized and worshipped. Sanatana Dharma which also means everlasting religion is a label preferred today for Hinduism. Sanatana reflects the principle that these ways have always existed, while Dharma includes duty, natural law, social welfare, morals, wellbeing, as well as transcendental awareness. Dharma is then a holistic approach to the good of all, subsequent to order in the cosmos. The holy language of Sanatana Dharma ranges from great simplicity to extreme sensuality, from the heights of individual dedication to the heights of intangible beliefs, from metaphysical proclamations of oneness behind the physical world to adoration of images representing a variety of deities. The cultural influences that have made Hinduism essential to the region in which it originated is that thousands of years ago, the beliefs in the Vedas were broken into various schools of thought by philosophers. These values were brought forth experientially by methods of great spiritual discipline. Unlike many other religions, Hinduism is a way of life; Therefore people who practice the Hindu religion attempt to teach their religious values by passing the word to their children and others. There are many sacred teachings that relay the word of Hinduism; the first is called Samhitas, these were hymns of praise to the gods. Soon after there was the Brahmanas, this was a book of guidelines regarding ceremonial sacrifices to the deities, finally, the last of the sacred teachings was the Upanishads, and this was a collection of teachings from highly recognized divine masters. These teachings explained the transformation that results from psychic contribution to the rituals. The Sanatana Dharma honors the divine in numerous forms; As a result, there is a religious celebration in India almost every day. There are sixteen religious holidays that are recognized by the Indian Government. Most Hindu celebrations articulate theology in its happiest parts, these festivals keep the religion alive. Every individual that practices Hinduism typically finds a way in which to place him or herself to a Guru, also known as a saintly educator. The label guru is applied to admired holy guides. Gurus do not declare themselves as teachers; followers are drawn to them because they have achieved the spiritual status the seekers aspire. Gurus are frequently regarded as enlightened individuals. A guru does not provide scholarly training; they offer guidance, good examples, and encouragement to those in search of enlightenment or self-realization. Works Cited Primary Source Easwaran, Eknath. The Bhagavad Gita. Trans. Eknath Easwaran. 2nd ed. Canada: Nilgiri P, 2007. The Bhagavad Gita, Prince Arjuna asks direct, adamant  questions of his holy guide on the eve of a great battle. In this expanded edition of the most renowned of Indian  criptures, Eknath Easwaran analyzes and explains the key concepts of Hindu religious thought and the difficult vocabulary of yoga. Accordingly, this translation uses simple, comprehensible words to convey the poetry, universality, and timelessness of the Gita’s teachings. Secondary Sources Besant, Annie. The Seven Principles of Man. 2nd ed. London: Theosophical Society, 1892. Besant lays out in specific terms the theosophical doctrine of our multidimensional being. Besant claims that mans nature has seven aspects that can be studied from many different points of view, with seven principles consisting of the Atma, Buddhi, Manas, Kama Rupa, Prana, Linga Sharira, and Sthula Sharira. Bhaskarananda, Swami. The Essentials of Hinduism. 2nd ed. Seattle, WA: Viveka P, 2002. Bhaskarananda’s book, â€Å"The Essentials of Hinduism† explains the philosophical ideas of Hinduism in a clear and easily understandable way, with many excellent analogies. The book covers the foundation and goal of Hinduism, concepts of God; the four yogas; creation and the three Gunas. The book explores the different spiritual paths, the holy books and doctrines of karma, reincarnation, and predestination. Panikkar, Raimon. A Dwelling Place for Wisdom. Trans. Annemarie S Kidder. Louisville, KY: Westminster, John Knox P, 1993. The title of this book is taken from the first chapter: â€Å"Prepare a Dwelling Place for Wisdom,† a lecture given in Munich by the Panikkar in 1990. The following three long chapters are lectures or essays given at various times and places, now translated into English. Panikkar draws on his broad understanding of Hinduism and Buddhism to present the reader with his unique insights into Wisdom. Wright, Leoline. An Anchient Basis for a New Psychology. Pasadena CA: Theosophical UP, 1998. Leoline Wright looks deeper into each principle of man, like Besant she explores mans nature in seven aspects, and thoroughly investigates the qualities of each principle. Works Cited Primary Source Easwaran, Eknath. The Bhagavad Gita. Trans. Eknath Easwaran. 2nd ed. Canada: Nilgiri P, 2007 Secondary Sources Besant, Annie. The Seven Principles of Man. 2nd ed. London: Theosophical Society, 1892. Bhaskarananda, Swami. The Essentials of Hinduism. 2nd ed. Seattle, WA: Viveka P, 2002. Panikkar, Raimon. A Dwelling Place for Wisdom. Trans. Annemarie S Kidder. Louisville, KY: Westminster, John Knox P, 1993. Wright, Leoline. An Anchient Basis for a New Psychology. Pasadena CA: Theosophical UP, 1998. Hinduism and the Seven Principles of man Price Controls: Advantages and Disadvantages Price Controls: Advantages and Disadvantages Price Control I. Introduction In a market economy, such as in the United States, the price of a good reflects the demand relative to the supply. This is a term known as scarcity.(Ten Things 2015) When an item has a high price it is said to be scarcer than an item of lower price. By looking at the relative prices of an item, consumers and producers can choose how to respond to market scarcity.(Ten Things 2015) Higher prices for example, can lead consumers to choose products that require less scarce resources. The government can play a significant role in a market economy in different ways. One of which is by setting what is called â€Å"price controls† on certain products and services. A price control is a maximum or minimum price that a government imposes on specified goods.(Sowell 2011) The most common type of price control is a price ceiling. This is simply when the maximum price is set below the market price. Common examples of price ceilings are rent controls. On the other end of the spectrum is a pric e floor. This is the opposite of a price ceiling in that a minimum price is set below the market price.(Sowell 2011) A common example of a price floor can be found in the agricultural markets. Price controls have existed all over the world for thousands of years and have applied to almost everything at some point in time.(Sowell 2011) According to economist Thomas Sowell price controls are imposed â€Å"in order to keep prices from rising to the levels that they would reach in response to supply and demand†(Sowell 2011) A large topic of interest regarding price control is, what affect does not allowing prices to fluctuate freely according to supply and demand but rather by law, have on the overall market. Most agree that price controls in the long run lead to shortages and surpluses as well as black markets and corruption, however most also agree that in markets where prices are volatile, price controls are a necessary evil. This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvan tages of price controls in regards to maximum and minimum price setting, as well as touch on the policies used to implement them. II. Disadvantages of Price Controls The disadvantages of price controls can be summed into two different scenarios. Both scenarios while relying on completely opposite regulations, lead to an unbalanced market. The first of the two scenarios is when a price ceiling is imposed. To reiterate this is when the maximum price is set by law to be lower than the market price. The instatement of a price ceiling leads to a fundamental Keynesian problem. By keeping prices artificially low, consumers naturally demand more of the product. When this number becomes greater than the producer is willing to supply we have what is called a shortage. Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman once said, †We economists do not know much, but what we do know is how to create a shortage. If you want to create a shortage of tomatoes, for example, just pass a law that retailers can’t sell tomatoes for more than two cents per pound. Instantly you’ll have a tomato shortage† A market shortage commonly results in one or more of the following negative consequences. Black markets can arise in which products that are unavailable in the regular market are sold.(Price Controls Adv.) This can also be true of products with excess demand that are sold at higher prices than in the conventional market. Black markets often involve non-monetary bargaining methods such as nepotism and violence. Another common result of a market shortage is price discrimination. This is when similar goods or services are priced differently by the same producer to differing regions or groups of consumers.(Investopedia) Essentially this is the practice of charging different prices to different buyers of the same product. Theoretically price discrimination discourages the resale of a good and leads to a decrease in competition.(Investopedia) This is the foundation for a monopolistic economy that does not operate at maximum efficiency. Yet another result of a market shortage is the use of rations, or the controlled distribution of scarce goods and resources. A prime example of when rationing was used is during World War II, when food shortages pushed up prices so high that price controls and rations were used in an attempt to keep the cost of living reasonable. (World War II) Rationing often leads to the emergence of a black market as people seek out goods that are not available in the rationing system. ( The second scenario in the disadvantages of price controls is when the result of a price floor is a surplus. A surplus can be just as detrimental to the market as a shortage. Having an excess supply can result in the market being in disequilibrium. This occurs when the price of a good cannot be adjusted naturally due to price controls. In a state of disequilibrium a market is not operating efficiently. (Price Controls) One example of a price floor that can cause a surplus is that of the labor market. The minimum wage is an example of a price floor, which establishes a base line per hour wage. This can result in employers hiring fewer employees and subsequently the supply of workers exceeds the amount of work available causing the unemployment rate to go up. (Boundless) III. Advantages of Price Controls While there is certainly no arguing that in the long run price controls can lead to major economic drawbacks, there is a brighter history in the success of price controls in the short run. Generally speaking price controls can achieve three things. The first is that certain control regulations can ensure that necessary goods, such as food, remain affordable to most citizens. (Boundless) This can also be seen in more luxury markets such as football games. Tickets to important games are often set at a maximum price rather than the market price (which would often times be absurdly high) in order for the common supporter to attend the game.(Price Controls Adv) Secondly price controls can make sure producers receive enough revenue allowing them to adjust to the market climate and limit the possibility of a shortage. (Boundless)This is extremely important in the commodities market where there is frequent fluctuations in price.(Price Controls) Without price controls farmers would experience extreme ups and downs that would not allow for continued production. Price controls can also help during a time when a shortage has taken place. (Boundless)In the latter case price controls prevent producers from overcharging consumers. The most popular form of when price controls helped during a shortage is in the housing market. The use of a rent ceiling put a limit on the amount landlords could charge their tenants when the market would allow for detrimental price gouging. (Rockoff) Another practical example of a necessary price control is the use of a ceiling on interest rates. A ceiling here can take the pressure off of borrowers who were forced to take out loans in a time of desperation that very well could have been caused by the state of the nation. IV. Analyses of Price Controls Price controls can be quite tricky to analyze because there are contradictory ways of looking at each individual case. Going back to the football ticket example, while a proponent of price control legislation would argue that a ceiling allows for the common fan to attend games, a critic would argue at the same time that a shortage has been created and less total fans attended the game. Both sides are correct yet one policy must be made. This is a prime example of where long-standing political views collide with market economics. In analyses of the negative impacts of price controls one could argue that without letting a market naturally work its way back to equilibrium then we will never achieve efficiency. This is also where the positive impacts of price control show that welfare and market intervention can increase the standard of living. So it is a choice of whether the government wants to adhere to strict economic idealism and respect the balancing nature of Keynesian economics o r if it wants to intervene in order to prevent a possible disaster. I think the answer lies on a case to case basis. For instance in the case for putting a price floor on agricultural products, our country relies on the farming industry for our well-being and survival. Without control of the weather and other exogenous factors farmers often are in need of assistance to survive and I think most economists would argue that the most effective way of helping the would be to have a consistent price floor. In a different case however, such as the pharmaceutical market I believe there should be little government intervention. The danger in such an area is that a proposed price ceiling to make drugs affordable for seniors on Medicare would result in less profit gained by pharmaceutical companies. This would in turn cause a downward trend in their research and innovation spending prohibiting the discovery of new cures and medications. Another example of when a price control wasn’t per haps the best solution was in the 1970’s when the administration rose the demand for gasoline so high that long lines were found at gas stations throughout the country. (Rockoff) Most would agree that a good as necessary as gasoline, especially at the time, should not inhibit a citizens day to day schedule. V. Conclusion So in conclusion, the amount someone is willing to pay for an item is the items price. From here we derive our basic set of supply and demand functions for our market economy. Essential to the market economy is the term scarcity, demand relative to the supply. Scarcity is what determines the market for goods and services. If the government feels the need to intervene in the market it can implement a price control. The government can approach implementing a price control in two different ways. Price controls are defined as when a government sets a minimum or maximum price for a particular good or service. (Sowell 2011) In the arguments for and against price controls it can be found that most all price controls lead to an inefficient economy in the long run but a possible increase in market stability in the short run. (Sowell 2011) It is up to each administration to decide if government intervention is necessary and most economists agree that it is wise to proceed with the utmost cauti on when doing so. Price controls when ineffective can result in not only long term disequilibrium, but also negatively affect the day to day life of citizens. (This can be seen in the oil example of the 1970’s.) When effective price controls can protect both consumers and producers, increase market stability, and maintain a reasonable cost of living.(Such as the farming example) In analyses it is best to determine whether a price control should be used on a case by case basis because each market represents different views, challenges, and characteristics. It is important to learn from the past examples of price controls, as they have been occurring for thousands of years, as they will continue to shape not only our financial future but our political future as well. VI. References Boundless. â€Å"Arguments for and Against Government Price Controls.† Boundless Economics. Boundless, 03 Jul. 2014. Retrieved 25 Feb. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/economics/textbooks/boundless-economics-textbook/introducing-supply-and-demand-3/government-intervention-and-disequilibrium-49/arguments-for-and-against-government-price-controls-188-12286/ Hugh Rockoff. Price Controls.The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.2008. Library of Economics and Liberty. Retrieved February 25, 2015 from the World Wide Web: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/PriceControls.html Parker-Lue, S., Santoro, M., Koski, G. (2015). The Ethics and Economics of Pharmaceutical Pricing. Annual Review Of Pharmacology Toxicology, 55191-206. doi:10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010814-124649 Price controls – advantages and disadvantages. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/621/economics/price-controls-advantages-and-disadvantages/ Price Controls: Maximum and Minimum price. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.dineshbakshi.com/ib-economics/microeconomics/161-revision-notes/1766-price-controls-maximum-and-minimum-price Price Discrimination Definition | Investopedia. (2007, May 17). Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/price_discrimination.asp Sowell, T. (2011).Basic economics: A common sense guide to the economy(4th ed., p. 21). New York, N.Y.: Basic Books. Ten Things Debaters Should Know About Economics. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/aboutecon.html World War II on the home front: Rationing. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/ww2-rationing/5922

Relay Services for the Deaf Essay -- essays papers

Relay Services for the Deaf In America, there are more than 28 million deaf people but there are many different services available to meet their needs. A hearing person can have a casual conversation without even realizing the difficulties that 202,613 (5.58%) hard of hearing people might face in the world (Stat. on Deafness). It doesn’t have to be so difficult for a deaf/hard of hearing person to have a conversation even if the person they are talking to is in another state. With popular services such as Maryland Relay, the TTY and various telecommunications relay services- it is now possible for deaf people to have a phone conversation. In 1984, of the 85 million telephones in the United States and Canada, less than one percent were used regularly by deaf people (Lang). Advocates for deaf, Robert H. Weitbrecht, James C. Marsters and Andrew Saks â€Å"started the process that led to deaf people around the world having an affordable phone system they could use† (Lang). The new technology that is coming out assist deaf people is amazing and very helpful. Robert H. Weitbrecht led the way to developing one of the most popular technology services for the deaf- the teletypewriter using shortwave radios. If more than 1/3 of the U.S. population has a significant hearing impairment by age 65, it is evident that something needed to be done to help people in the world better communicate with the deaf/hard of hearing population (Stat. on Deafness). One advancement in the world of relay services is the teletypewriter-TTY, also called text telephones, which looks similar to a typewriter with a text screen. It enables deaf or hard of hearing people to make phone calls that they wouldn’t normally be able to make on a standard teleph... ....rm Overview of the Maryland Relay. (2003). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://www.mdrelay.org/relay/mdrelayoverview.htm PR Newswire. "Hands on Expands Video Relay Services to include Videophone Users." Deaf Today. http://www.deaftoday.com/news/archives.html. â€Å"Statistics on Deafness & Hearing Disorders in the U.S.† (n.d) Deaf and HOH culture information. Retrieved December 5, 2004, from, http://members.aol.com/deafcultureinfo/deafstatistics.htm. Texas School for the Deaf goes to the head of the class...with Installation of Sprint Empowered EducationSM. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from, http://www.relaytoday.com/admin/previewnewsletter.php?ID=2#27 â€Å"Ultratec Public TTY Hearing Impaired Telephones -Vandal Proof Motorized or Shelf Top Units.†(n.d) Phone Merchants. Retrieved December 4, 2004, from http://www.phonemerchants.com/ulpubttyhear.html.

Transcendentalism Essay -- essays research papers

Transcendentalism Back in the 1800's, people trusted in their innersoul. it was called transcendentalism. People like Emerson and Thoreau were transcendentalism. They didn't think with their heads. They do things like in their first impression. If they sees that a tree is violet, they will paint it violet. During that era, Romanticism was party of it too. Ideas of Romanticism with transcendentalism. In our everyday life, we use transcendentalism. We use our head to think and our hart to feel love and hate, but sometimes you say something without thinking about it. It came from your inner soul. I paint, and when I paint, I don't draw something realistic. When I am in front of my paper, I just draw and paint with any color, I don't think. Then when I feel it is finished, I look and it can be a yellow sky and a violet ocean. I love it! What Thoreau did, of isolating himself, I couldn't do it because it is not my character. Sure I could live without television nor exaggerated furniture, but I need to speak, I need to be with someone, to listen music. I am afraid to be alone. I have a part of transcendentalism, I think we all do, even if we don't agree with it. Talking about Emerson, he had puritan influence. He struggle in his life, and this help him with his writing. Emerson was transcendentalist. Emerson did lot of writing. One of them was " Nature ". One of his transcendentalist sentence was, " I become a transparent eyeball. " With his inner soul, he r...

Huckleberry Finn ( Huck Finn ) :: Essays Papers

Huck Finn3 Characters found in Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn are shown as being victims of the times through their ignorance to the possibility that all men are equal no matter what color skin one has. Pap, Huck’s father, is the most ignorant character within the book. He blatantly comes out and tells the reader his feeling of blacks, while a character such as Tom isn’t so obvious. Along with these two characters, the Royal Nonesuch and the Phelps’s friends display an ignorance of the times. Huck displays ignorance at its best, and shows that with a little love, it can easily be diminished. Throughout the book characters reveal their basis towards black people through the various situations. The most racist of the characters was Pap. He refused to believe that blacks and whites were equal. Pap walked around with a superior attitude because he was white, which was a common attitude of his time. While some characters, such as Huck, had sympathy towards blacks, Pap did not care for them at all. He thought it to be quite absurd that a free slave â€Å"had a gold watch and chain and a silver-headed cane† while Pap had nothing (24). He was disgusted with the fact that this free slave was allowed to vote and he said, â€Å"I’ll never vote ag’in as long as I live,† to stress how much he despised blacks (24). Pap believed the government to be corrupt because it couldn’t â€Å"sell a free nigger till he’s been in the state six months† (24). He even went on to tell the reader that the free slave was a â€Å"prowling, thieving, infernal, white-shirted nigger† only because he had a different color skin than Pap (24). He never had anything nice to say about blacks, and constantly looked down on them. Twain used Pap’s character. Tom’s ignorance was a lot more subtle than Pap’s. His ignorance was not shown until much later in the book when Huck tells Tom that he is going to â€Å"steal† Jim back. Huck was surprised when Tom said he was going to help Huck steal Jim because Huck thought that Tom would say, â€Å"it’s dirty, low-down business† (203). Huck, knowing that Tom â€Å"was respectable and well brung up; and had a character to lose,† could not figure out why Tom would help steal a slave (210).

Picking Cotton by David Graves Essay

Abstract This story is about two people, two victims of crime. Two people that suffered from circumstance and circumstantial evidence. Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson are these two people. This story is about the way circumstantial evidence convicts and the way DNA exonerates. Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson are living the ultimate human story. It is one of error, recognizing it and being redeemed. Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson were living in Piedmont North Carolina during the crime. Anyone who has lived there in the past twenty years knows their names, but probably not their entire story. In 1984, Jennifer Thompson was 22 when a man broke into her house and raped her. As the man assaulted her, she studied and memorized his face, as well as his voice, and everything she could about him. Jennifer’s intention was to survive, and when the assault was over, she wanted to put him in prison for the rest of his life for what he did to her. After Jennifer was treated for her injuries she helped the police draw a composite sketch of the man who raped her. The Police Department of Alamance County had never seen a victim so composed, so determined and so sure. Just a few hours after her horrifying ordeal, after the emotionless doctor swabbed her vagina for semen samples at the hospital, Jennifer sat down at the police station with Detective Mike Gauldin. â€Å"The first comment I remember her making was that, â€Å"I’m going to get this guy that did this to me.† She said, â€Å"I took the time to look at him. I will be able to identify him if I’m given an opportunity,† Gauldin remembered her saying (Hansen, 2001). She began combing through photos, trying to help come up with a composite of her rapist. The sketch went out, and tips started pouring in. One of those tips was about Ronald Cotton. Three days after the rape, Detective Gauldin called Jennifer in to the police station to do a photo lineup. Detective Gauldin lay six photos down on the table. The Detective said that Jennifer did not immediately identify a photo from the photo lineup. She took her time and studied each picture carefully. â€Å"I can remember almost feeling like I was at an SAT test. You know, where you start narrowing down your choices. You can discount A and B,† Jennifer said. She picked out Ronald Cotton’s photo. Cotton heard the news from his mother’s boyfriend. He told me, â€Å"Ron, the police are looking for you.† And I said, â€Å"For what?† And he told me, â€Å"For rape.† And I said, â€Å"I haven’t committed such a crime like that,† Cotton said (Finkelstein, 2009). Ronald Cotton gave Detective Gauldin a very detailed account of where he was, and who he was with that night. As it turned out the statement that Ronald Cotton had given to the Detective was false. He later realized that he had gotten his weekends mixed up. By this point it was t oo late. His honest mistake gave them more reason to think that he was lying, and if he was lying about his whereabouts on the night of the rape, what else was he lying about? The day he went back to the police station to clear his name, was August 1, 1984. He did not get the chance. He was arrested. Ronald Cotton was not going to get to leave. He was getting locked up, and days later he was put in a physical lineup. â€Å"I’m number five,† Cotton remembered. â€Å"I was very scared, nervous. I was so nervous, I was trembling. I felt my body just shaking† (Finkelstein, 2009). A week later, Jennifer sat across a table from six men that were holding numbered cards. She picked No. 5. And with the words, â€Å"That’s my rapist, Detective Gauldin,† she changed another’s existence as well as her own forever. On August 1, 1984, Ronald Cotton was arrested for the rape that had been committed against Jennifer Thompson. In a week-long trial, the jury heard about Cotton’s faulty alibi, his clothing that matched Thompson description, and a piece of foam found on her floor that seemed to come from one of his shoes. And most powerful, they had heard from Jennifer Thompson. In court, when she was asked if she recognized her rapist, she had named Ronald Cotton. â€Å"She called my name, pointed a finger. And that’s all, that’s all it takes, it seemed like,† Cotton said, â€Å"It felt like someone pushing a knife through me† (Hansen, 2001). Her testimony was extremely powerful. Even Ronald Cotton could feel the jury sympathize with her. He himself even sympathized for her. In silent terror, he watched as the system labeled him a rapist. He was only 22 years old, and the world that he had foreseen and dreamed about, all his plans were over now for a crime he did no t commit. The Prosecutor’s evidence at trial was all circumstantial evidence; however they had an eyewitness, Jennifer Thompson. The Defense Team had Ronald Cotton’s alibi, which was supported by family members. They tried to allow the jury to hear the evidence about the second rape victim that night, but the jury was not allowed to hear that evidence, or to hear that the second victim failed to pick Cotton out of photos that the police had showed to her, as well as the police lineup. The prosecution based its case on several points and used circumstantial evidence to obtain their conviction. These included; photo identification by one of the victims, police lineup identification made by one of the victims, a flashlight in Cotton’s home resembled the one used by the assailant and rubber from Cotton’s tennis shoe was consistent with rubber found at one of the crime scenes. â€Å"It took the jury just 40 minutes to reach a verdict: guilty on all counts. â€Å"He was sentenced to life and 50 years. That was when Jennifer Thompson realized the justice system worked. Ronald Cotton was handcuffed, shackled, and taken to North Carolina’s Central Prison. He was just 22 years old. â€Å"You know they say grown men don’t cry, but it’s a lie you know. I grabbed my pillow many times and hugged it, wishing I was hugging my mom, my dad, sister, brother. Wish it didn’t have to be this way,† said Ronald Cotton (Finkelstein, 2009). On Jan. 17, 1985, Ronald Cotton was sentenced to life in prison. Ronald Cotton was convicted by a jury of his peers of one count of rape and one count of burglary. As Ronald Cotton was lead off to prison he said, â€Å"I say the truth will come to light and the Lord knows I am an innocent man. Someday, somewhere, the truth is going to come out in my case.† While he was in prison, Cotton spent his days and nights writing letters to lawyers, newspapers, and to anyone who would li sten to him. He would do anything to get a new trial. Ronald Cotton tried to believe what his father kept telling him – which was, â€Å"that someday justice would prevail†. Then it happened. One day as he watched a new inmate being brought in, he had a strange feeling come over him. He wanted to know more about him, who he was, where he came from, so Cotton approached him. â€Å"I said, ‘Excuse me. You look familiar. Where are you from?† He told Cotton, â€Å"I’m from Burlington.† Cotton told him, â€Å"I am too.† I told him that, â€Å"You kind of resembling the drawing of a suspect in a crime in which I’m falsely imprisoned for. Did you commit this crime?† And he told me, â€Å"no, I did not,† remembers Cotton (Finkelstein, 2009). Cotton understood immediately why he felt the way he did upon seeing the man for the first time. He thought of the composite drawing when he saw the inmate. The inmate’s name was Bobby Poole, and he was serving consecutive life sentences for a series of brutal rapes. He also started working in the prison kitchen too. â€Å"The stewards were calling me Poole instead of Cotton,† Cotton said. People were constantly mistaking the two men for each other. During many of the years he spent in prison, Cotton actually knew who the real rapist was. The two bore a striking physical resemblance to one another, and to the police sketch of Thompson’s attacker. While in prison a fellow inmate heard Poole going around bragging to other inmates that Cotton was doing some of his time for a rape that he had committed. Eventually an inmate told Cotton that he’d heard Bobby Poole admit to raping Jennifer Thompson and the other woman that night. Ronald Cotton was in prison for this rape, a rape that he was convicted of, and the rape that sentenced him to life plus fifty ye ars, a rape that he did not commit. Ronald Cotton was full of rage. He was angry. Cotton hated Poole. He decided to make a blade out of a piece of metal. He was going to kill him. Cotton told his dad of his plans and Cotton’s father begged him not to. â€Å"Put your faith in God,† his father said. â€Å"If you kill Bobby Poole, then you really do belong behind these bars† (Finkelstein, 2009).So Cotton eventually threw his blade away and his plans to kill Bobby Poole. Cotton’s attorney filed an appeal. On appeal, the North Carolina Supreme Court overturned Cotton’s 1985 conviction because the second victim had picked another man out of the lineup. The trial court had not allowed this evidence to be heard by the jury. An appeals court had ruled in Cotton’s favor stating that evidence relating to the second victim should have been allowed in the first trial. Ronald Cotton had won himself a new trial, and his heart filled with hope. The new trial began in November 1987. Ronald Cotton was retried, this time for both rapes and burglaries, because the second victim had decided that now Cotton was her assailant. The witnesses would get a look at Bobby Poole, who was subpoenaed by Cotton’s lawyer. They would hear the evidence from prison informants, about him admitting to these two crimes. The informants would tell their compelling stories about the rapes that they had heard Poole so proudly boast about, the story that the public did not know. They would tell the story that the real rapist told them. Things the rapist would only have known. Cotton was excited, even confident, the trial began to look as though it was going his way. Finally, Cotton thought, he would be set free, he would be exonerated, and finally everyone was going to see the truth. He was not the rapist. However he had forgotten the power of Jennifer Thompson. Back on the stand, Jennifer Thompson was as confident as ever. She looked directly at Poole and then she looked directly a t Cotton. He was fifteen feet away from her and he could still feel the hatred in her heart that she had for him. Ronald Cotton is the man who raped me, she told the jury. It was not Bobby Poole. The Prosecution and defense asked her, Are you sure? And confidently she said, Yes, I’m sure. The second victim was less convincing, but she also pointed to him, too. Cotton’s lawyers called Bobby Poole to the stand with Thompson sitting right there. It was the moment Cotton had been hoping for. They tried to trigger her memory, by allowing her to see him up close, by allowing her to hear his voice. It was Cottons last hope, but nothing; she was too convinced that Cotton had raped her. So they tried to get him to break, but he did not. He denied the rapes and with that he sealed Ronald Cotton’s fate. An innocent man was living inside the shell of a convicted rapist. It was all over for Cotton. Cotton knew it; he knew that he would be convicted. The court fell silent as Ronald Cott on was sentenced again. He was convicted of both rapes and two counts of burglary. This time an Alamance County Superior Court sentenced Cotton to two life sentences plus fifty-four years. Ronald Cotton was convicted twice by eyewitness testimony. Seven more years went by, and then everyone in Central Prison was riveted by a big news story: the trial of O.J. Simpson. Cotton’s big break came in 1995 while he was watching the O.J. Simpson trial on television. â€Å"I would get my radio and put my earplugs in, and go outside, and sit in a corner,† Cotton said. There, he’d listen to the trial. He was intrigued by something he’d never heard of: DNA. The Attorneys and investigators kept talking about DNA evidence, something he had never heard of before. DNA was still in its infancy when he received his convictions and it was not used in his trial. He got an idea and he contacted his new attorneys. In 1994, the chief appellate defender had requested that two new lawyers take over Cotton ’s defense. Richard Rosen, a professor at the University Of North Carolina School Of Law, agreed to represent Cotton. He wrote to his new attorney, law professor Rich Rosen. Rosen warned him that there probably wasn’t any evidence left to test, and if there was, DNA could cut both ways. â€Å"Understand if the DNA comes back and shows that you did this crime, whatever legal issues we have don’t make any bit of difference. You’re going to spend the rest of your life in prison,† Rosen said. Cotton told him â€Å"to go with it† (Finkelstein, 2009). The lawyers filed a motion for appropriate relief on the grounds of inadequate appeal counsel. The lawyers also filed a motion for DNA testing that Cotton had been so adamant on getting. DNA testing was granted in October 1994. Packed away on the shelves of the Burlington Police Department was 11-year-old evidence from the two rapes that night. In the spring of 1995, the Burlington Police Department turned over all evidence that contained the assailant’s semen for DNA testing. Luckily, Burlington Police Detective Gauldin had preserved the biological material in the case, although there was no legal requirement for it to be maintained. Inside one of the rape kits was a fragment of a single sperm with viable DNA. The samples from one of the victim’s was too deteriorated to be conclusive, but the samples from the other victim’s vaginal swab and underwear were subjected to PCR based DNA testing. They were able to recover one tiny sample of sperm from the rape kit that had been used to treat Jennifer Thompson 11 years earlier. The DNA sample showed no match to Cotton (Celizic, 2009). At the defense’s request, the results were sent to the State Bureau of Investigation’s DNA database, containing the DNA patterns of convicted violent felons in the North Carolina prison system. The state’s database showed a match with the convict who had earlier confessed to the crime. There was enough DNA in the sample to prove Cotton was innocent and Poole was guilty. Then, under questioning by Detective Gauldin, Poole confessed to both rapes. In May 1995 when the official DNA results were reported, the prosecution joined Rosen in a motion to drop all charges. Judge McLelland granted the motion. Cotton was officially cleared of all charges on June 30, 1995 and he was released from prison in July 1995. And just like that, Cotton was a free man. Cotton received a gubernatorial pardon based on innocence the following month. In July 1995, the governor of North Carolina officially pardoned Cotton. Cotton had served 10.5 years of his sentence. Cotton began the difficult task of beginning a new life. When he was first released from prison 17 years ago, Cotton’s first job was with the DNA Company that conducted the tests that exonerated him. He now works for a company that makes insulation. He’s been married for 15 years and has a 14-year-old daughter. They live in a house paid for with restitution money from the state of North Carolina: $10,000 for each of the 11 years he spent in prison. Jennifer Thompson has also moved on. She is married and has three children. She and Cotton talk often. â€Å"He is an amazing human being. He has been a real good teacher for me.† He has helped me so much. Ron has taught me about forgiveness, and healing, and faith† (Hansen, 2001). Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson are now friends. In fact, they’ve written a book together: â€Å"Picking Cotton: A Memoir of Injustice and Redemption.† They sometimes travel together giving talks about the ways memory can deceive us, and they are working to change the way police conduct photo lineups (Connors, et al, 1998). They are also a testament to the power of the human spirit. When DNA evidence ultimately proved that another man committed the rape and Cotton was freed, Thompson was consumed by guilt and shame. However, Cotton talks about in the book that they wrote together, that he had long since forgiven her. â€Å"I couldn’t carry on serving my time in the prison system holding grudges and thinking about retaliating against a person that made an honest mistake. I had to proceed on in life regardless,† he told Vieira (Hansen, 2001). When I found out that I was going to be released from prison I was shocked. I almost did not believe it. â€Å"It was like a dream come true. I couldn’t belie ve it,† Cotton told Vieira. â€Å"The warden of the penitentiary called me in his office and told me I was going home tomorrow. I told him, â€Å"Please don’t pull my leg, it’s already long enough.† But it was true. I finally went home to be with my family and loved ones. The day I had prayed so hard for had finally come and it was not just in my dreams (Hansen, 2001). To jurors the point of the finger identifying a perpetrator is damaging evidence and mistakes can be made. However, now there is one type of evidence that’s even more persuasive: DNA. There have been 235 people exonerated by DNA in this country and now a stunning pattern has emerged: more than three quarters of them were sent to prison at least in part because an eyewitness pointed a finger – an eyewitness we now know was wrong (Torneo, 2009). Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and the man she mistakenly put in prison, Ronald Cotton is a tale about pain and redemption — and the tricks that memory can play on people with the best of intentions. â€Å"This can happen to anyone. And hopefully it does not happen to them,† Cotton told Vieira (Hansen, 2001). One of the most amazing things that have come out of this injustice is the most unlikely of friendships. He was sentenced to life in prison for a rape he did not commit by a woman who he now calls his friend. The two of them are truly inspiring, and the two of them were both victims. References Celizic, M. (2009, March 10). She sent him to jail for rape; now they’re friends. In NBCNEWS.com. Retrieved November 27, 2012, from http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29613178/ns/today-today_news/t/she-sent-him-jail-rape-now-theyre-friends/ Connors, E., Lundregan, T., Miller, N., & McEwen, T. (1998). Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Establish Innocence After Trial. Institute for Psychological Therapies. 10. Retrieved November 5, 2012, from http://www.iptforensics.com/journal/volume10/j10_3_6_8.htm Finkelstein, S. (2009, July 12). Eyewitness: How Accurate Is Visual Memory? In CBSNEWS. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/06/60minutes/main4848039_page6.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody Hansen, M. (2001). Forensic Science: Scoping out eyewitness Ids (Master’s thesis). April Retrieved November 5, 2012, from http://nersp.osg.ufl.edu/~malavet/evidence/notes/thompson_cotton.htm Thompson-Cannin o, J., Cotton, R., & Torneo, E. (2009). Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press. Retrieved November 5, 2012, from http://www.pickingcottonbook.com/splash.html

Ethan Frome Questions

1. The symbolism of the light of Mattie’s candle and the darkness of the Fromes’ room is that the light represents hope and love that Ethan desires which Zeena does not have. The darkness of Zeena is what is in the way of Ethan’s love for Mattie. 2. Ethan feels a dread in Zeena’s silence on this particular morning because Ethan’s mind becomes preoccupied with Mattie. He regrets not kissing her the night before and his thinks about the relationship between Zeena and Mattie which has been weird lately. 3. Zeena’s sudden decision to see a new doctor on this particular morning is unusual.Ethan dreads her decision because of the cost of the medications she will get. He welcomes her decision because this is the first time Zeena will be away for the night and him and Mattie will be alone together. 4. Ethan’s excuse for not driving Zeena to the flats is that he needs to go collect the cash from Andrew Hale upon his delivery of a load of wood t hat afternoon. Chapter 4 1. Ethan’s fantasy about the kitchen was that him and Mattie would sit together, one on each side of the stove; he would be smoking his pipe and she would be laughing and talking in the funny way she did. 2.Zeena’s arrival affects Ethan because it made him feel less lonely. Fearing the return of his loneliness when his mother died, Ethan asked Zeena to marry him. 3. Ethan’s motives for remaining on the farm were that he wanted to sell the farm and saw-mill and try moving to a larger town because he had always wanted to be an engineer. He thought that with a smart wife like Zeena it would be easy for him to make a place for himself. 4. The situations on the farm life and home life affected Ethan because he was never able to sell his farm and his wife had become so sick that all his hopes were crushed and he could never live his dream. . Ruth and Ned contrast Ethan and Mattie because Ruth and Ned are engaged and can show their love for eac h other in public and they can share their happiness. On the other hand, Ethan and Mattie have â€Å"such a thirst for each other in their hearts† (Wharton 69). They cannot show their feelings to anyone. 6. As Ethan heads towards the farm, the atmosphere reflects his feelings because it is a thick fleecy sky threatening snow for the next day and Ethan is feeling down as well. 7.Ethan’s actions and Mattie’s appearance at the door contrast the events of the previous evening. In the previous evening, Zeena had stood with the lamp looking bony and unattractive. This time, Mattie had a lifted lamp in her hand and had a crimson ribbon in her hair. 8. Zeena’s cat is intrusive and very symbolic. The cat jumps up onto the table, breaking a pickle dish. Its actions symbolize Zeena’s invisible presence. It’s like a force that comes between Mattie and Ethan and reminds them of Zeena’s existence. 9.Mattie’s concern about the broken pickle d ish is caused by her remembering that Zeena told her to never use that dish because it was Zeena’s favorite wedding present. 10. Ethan feels a â€Å"thrilling sense of mastery† because he helped solve the problem for Mattie and made her feel better about causing the accident to happen. Chapter 5 1. Zeena’s cat and the rocking chair are further reminders of Zeena. When Mattie sits down on Zeena’s cat, Ethan sees the specter of Zeena’s face to have appeared in place of Mattie’s features.He begins to feel uneasy and Mattie leaves and goes back to where she was sitting before. Then the cat takes its spot on Zeena’s chair. 2. The reference to the elm foreshadows a later action. Ethan says that â€Å"there’s an ugly corner down by the big elm† (Wharton 80). He is scared because if you don’t keep your eyes open you would crash right into it while sledding. 3. Mattie says â€Å"Nobody can tell with Zeena†, she is r eferring to what Zeena thinks of her and how she wants Mattie to get married. Chapter 6 1. Ethan’s morning joy is contradicted by the frustrations of the day.He sends Jotham to pick up Zeena at the train station but one of the horses slips on the ice and cuts its knee, and the sleety rain makes loading the logs difficult. Ethan heads to the Eady store to look for glue to fix Zeena’s broken dish, but he can’t find any there. He then goes to widow Honan’s store and finds one last bottle of glue. 2. Ethan wonders â€Å"what happened in the drive to nerve Jotham to such stoicism†. He thinks that maybe Zeena wasn’t able to see the new doctor or didn’t like something about what the doctor did and she usually blames her grievances on the first person she meets.

A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother Essay

James McBride, has a personal element in its origin that is carried throughout the text. The author attempted to discern his race, and uncovered the touching story of his Jewish mother who experienced her own personal Diaspora: she immigrated from Poland to Virginia, and from Virginia to New York City. The latter move took much courage, because she had to abandon both her faith and her family in order to follow her heart, ultimately marrying the titular black man and founding a lasting family. The aforementioned personal element really helps carry the narrative forward: James McBride wishes to tell his own story, but realizes that he cannot tell his own without telling his mother’s. Intentionally or not, this works quite well on a meta-textual level, as it reinforces how tightly tethered his family is to one another, which serves as an extreme counterpoint to her other family (indeed, her other life) that she left behind in Virginia. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay The work also serves to broker a much-needed (then, as much as now) discussion regarding racial division within America. A neutral observer might view the subtitle of the work and ask why race is so important to the narrative; as McBride illustrates, one cannot discuss this particular tale of immigration, life, and success in the context of America without discussing the racism that permeated the country†¦how, even in the shadow of civil rights triumphs, many saw race as an excuse to divide, as opposed to an opportunity to come together. Despite the rather serious premise, the book ultimately comes across as more uplifting than depressing. The memoirs of times when race relations are so bad also serve to make one grateful that present day America is much more tolerable regarding matters of race (though not, of course, perfect). McBride cleverly embeds this idea in the very title of his work, implying that the color of water—transparent clarity—can only come through a mixture of race as opposed to segregation. The notion of reconciliation within the work is not limited to matters of race: the epilogue of the story features McBride becoming more in touch with his Jewish heritage, effectively bringing the journey of his mother full circle: as she had to leave Judaism behind in order to forge a new life and a new identity, James McBride has to re-discover it as a way of determining his own identity. Throughout the work, there is an undercurrent of the importance of education. The text emphasizes that all twelve of Ruth McBride’s children become college-educated, and readers feel every bump along the way as she tries to get them through college. However, even while reading about these economic difficulties (a relatively touchy subject in the shadow of near economic collapse), readers are offered a glimpse of hope: the work alternates chapters written by James and chapters written by his mother, so even as the narrative makes one concerned for how the children will turn out, the gripping narrative of James reminds audiences that they will turn out just fine. In a way, that is the pattern of this book: tension and release, tension and release†¦the tension of Ruth’s struggle with her old family, and the release of the success with her new family. There is the tension of financial hardships and the release of financial success. And in a story that is essentially about the American dream, tension comes from the possibility that America may not be ready for Ruth’s dream. In turn, the release is the joy of Ruth not settling for the American dream: rather, she creates and actualizes her own. The Gentle People: A Portrait of the Amish by James Warner provides an intimate look into a group that is still a mystery to many Americans: the Amish. True to its word, the book is primarily comprised of photographs of the Amish that are artificially made to look like washed-out, â€Å"antique† photos. These are usually accompanied by a biblical verse, so one is able to more properly get into the Amish mindset. The old versus combined with the old-timey feel of the photographs really gives a feeling that one has become â€Å"unstuck in time,† as Vonnegut might say. Would-be sociologists will find this book to be a treasure trove of information regarding Amish society, particularly regarding relationships. According to the book, public affection between married individuals is highly frowned upon by Amish society, as their affection for one another is too sacred to be shared with outsiders. As should not be surprising, many of the ideas are founded in Christian writings and have been espoused by Christian writers, though the Amish take things to their logical extreme: John Donne, for instance, counseled lovers not to weep at their beloved’s funeral, because the affection was too valuable to share with outsiders. The Amish have taken Donne’s advice about love after death and have applied it to love during life, which can be something of a shock when one first reads about it. Of course, modern day feminists will find much within the book that is upsetting to their cause. The Amish have taken Ephesians to heart, and strictly expect wives to submit to their husbands in all matters. There are even limits to how much children can be exposed to the school system, with the assumption that only God can provide wisdom, and everything else is foolishness. While these are basic precepts for Mormons and taken for granted in their society, it is jarring for onlookers (particularly liberal onlookers) to first see the number of restrictions that are placed on people and expressions. Fortunately, the author has a built in ethos: James Warner was born to a Mennonite household, so he has quite a bit of background regarding this issue. However, that is what makes the book disappointing on several levels: it does not concern itself with any deep revelations about Amish history, and does not serve well as an introduction to the Amish lifestyle simply because no historical context is offered. The book and its photos are put forth as a kind of â€Å"slice of life† view of the Amish†¦however, considering that it was first printed over four decades ago (and was arguably offering out-of-date content even back then), the work struggles to find a proper audience in the modern day. After all, it is not a book for the Amish: its pictures and passages are simply redundant for them, and more conservative Amish may even consider its author something of a traitor†¦a man who abandoned their private lifestyle, only to make a profit by publically invading that privacy. The book is also not intended for those wanting to fully learn about the Amish: as elaborated on above, it does not delve into their history, and offers no context for the actions taken by the Amish. The ideal audience for this book, interestingly enough, would be modern photography buffs: the pictures are quite striking, and the measures taken to make them seem more ancient than they are may very well offer the aspiring photographer new tricks for his or her toolbox. For everyone else? There are far better books about the Amish, especially for those who wish to know their full story.