Character Of Baba In The Kite Runner - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 652 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/06/10 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Kite Runner Essay Did you like this example? Baba is Amirrs father and a husband to Sofia Akrami: the most respected women in Kabul. His life revolved around trying to prove many people wrong that had doubted him. Many expected him to study law because his dad was a judge; however, Baba decided to not only run his own business and he becomes the richest merchants in Kabul. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Character Of Baba In The Kite Runner" essay for you Create order In addition, since Sofia is royal in blood, many doubt that Baba would be able to marry such a women. He perceived the world in black and white and decided which is what color. What he believes to be a sin is not drinking, but theft. Stealing away something from someone just stems or branches out to other sins that comes along with theft. He doesnt believe in such religious people like Mullah Fatiullah, referring them to bearded idiots who recited the Quran but doesnt understand a word. In addition, Baba states that they would be in a dangerous situation of Afghanistan where to fill under a self righteous religious monkey. Baba gave Hassan for his birthday a plastic surgery procedure. For example, when Hassan had walked in the house, he was greeted by an Indian man dressed in a brown suit and red tie named Dr. Kumar from New Delhi. This present suggest that Baba has a care and showed sympathy Hassan. Baba states that although it is a weird gift, this gift was a long term gift that would last forever. While Hassan believed that it was not going to hurt, Amirrs reaction was that Hassan was being fooled. Amir related to his past experience with a painful surgery when he got circumcised. In addition, he had hope that he has some kind of scar in order to get such sympathy from his own dad. Once the swelling had stopped the following winter it was ionic for Hassan to smile because it was that winter that Hassan was no longer smiling this foreshadowing a situation. Assef is known to be the neighborhood bully in the Wazir Akbar Khan section. He is the son of Mohammed: Babars friend and an airplane pilot. Assef has a German mother and an Afghan dad therefore his physical appearance of being blonde and blue eyed makes him stand out. Hers famous stainless-steel brass knuckles because of his earned reputation among the kids for savagery. In addition, he was the one that had came up all the names for Ali. HIs political vision is to get rid of all the Hazara with the new president. He wants the Pashtuns to rightly take back the country. He uses Hitler to help create his political perspective but unlike Hitler he believes that the new Afghanistan president can succeed. Wali and Kamal are Assefrs friends who obeys Assefrs orders. Assef and his friends had encounter with Amir and Hassan. This had lead to Hassan threatening them after many rude comments especially towards Amir. Hassan pulled out his slingshot and threaten them to go away. Although Amir could tell that he was in fear, his voice was convincing enough for the boys to walk away. However, Assef threaten that although he is a patience person, he will be back. He commented that his return will be when Amir is alone so they can face each other without the help of Hassan. This foreshadows that Assef will return again in the story when Hassan is not there by Amir side to protect him as he always does. It is ironic to Amir that Hassan can finally smile normally because it was that following winter when Hassan had no longer smiled. Amir wants to tell Assef that Hassan and him arent friends but rather they have a servant and master relationship. Despite almost bursting this out, Amir knows that his relationship with Hassan is than friends, he treats him as a brother but he also acknowledges that he always leaves Hassan out.

No Euthanisia in Our Christian Community - 810 Words

Firstly, as a Christian community, the practice of euthanasia in hospitals is an act against our morals and values since the process of someone dying is very significant in spiritual matters and should be best if it is not disturbed by human activity. As humans, we should all know that ones life and existence in this planet is one of the most valuable gift as we all posses and carry Gods image and His distinct values. Looking more into this, humans posses a capacity that no other living being can do, and that is to make them see things in another perspective, using the complexity of their minds to develop abilities. Thus, a patients life cant just end by force, no matter the circumstances that they are dying. Ending ones life isnt the only way to eradicate ones pain when dying, rather, there are other ways to comfort a patient. One must be open to other suggestive ways of care such as the showering of care and affection, supporting their loved one till their dying breath, and to be a ccepting of ones dying condition. Christians should learn to value their life more and the lives of others around them as these were all handed down by God and expected to be taken care of. Secondly, if the act were to be legalized, it could give the chronically ill and dying patients the contagious idea of self-abuse and suicide. The idea of performing suicide by euthanasia if encouraged by doctors for the patient leaves an unintended consequence on society, more especially to the

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three Free Essays

string(61) " in the bag and stuffed others in my jeans and coat pockets\." FOR A MOMENT, I THOUGHT it had to be a coincidence. After all, what was so special about a peridot star? For all I knew, Alicia might have been born in August and was just sporting her birthstone among that mess of necklaces she always wore. And yet, if there was one thing I believed more than ever, it was Sonya’s adage that there were no coincidences in the world of the supernatural. We will write a custom essay sample on The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three or any similar topic only for you Order Now I sank to the floor and tried to reason my way through things. If the charm Alicia had worn was like this one, then it meant she too was a strong magic user trying to mask her abilities. Did she know about Veronica? Was Alicia trying to protect herself? If so, then it seemed like she wouldn’t have been so casual about Veronica staying at the inn. So, that meant either Alicia didn’t know about Veronica’s true nature – again, a suspicious coincidence – or that Alicia was covering for Veronica. Could Alicia be in league with Veronica? That seemed the likeliest answer to me. Although Veronica apparently sought out young, powerful magic users, it was totally possible that she’d seen the advantage of having one as an assistant. And, as we’d observed, Veronica had plenty of other victims to choose from. Alicia could therefore help and cover up Veronica’s nefarious plans – like when a curious couple came asking questions. I groaned. Alicia had been playing us from the beginning. From the instant we’d stepped through her door with stories about our anniversary and â€Å"friend† Veronica, she’d known we were lying. She’d known we weren’t actually friends with Veronica, and she might have been strong enough to fight Adrian’s compulsion a little. She’d gone along with everything – even being so helpful as to call me when Veronica had shown up again. I had no idea now what was true, if Veronica had ever left in the first place or returned from being gone. I did, however, have a sinking suspicion that my car wasn’t the only one she’d incapacitated. I could understand if she’d used the cross to find me, but how had she initially located the Mustang? I racked my brain for any identifying information. Adrian’s spirit magic should have muddled our appearances, covering up any connection to us. Then I knew. Alicia had walked us out and admired the Mustang. A clever person – someone who was already on high alert because of our visit – could’ve made note of the license plate and used it to track down where Adrian lived. But why slash the tires? To delay us, I realized. That was the night Lynne had been attacked. And we had arrived too late to warn her. The more I began to sift through the events of the last few weeks, the more I began to think we had been very, very careless. We’d thought we were being so cautious about concealing ourselves from Veronica. No one, not even Ms. Terwilliger, had considered that she might have an accomplice we also had to watch out for. And the dreams . . . those had started the day Adrian and I had been on the velvet bed. The day my garnet had slipped and had possibly been enough for Alicia to sense a magic user in the inn. Which brought me back to the present. Ms. Terwilliger. I had to tell her what I’d found. I called for a third time. Still no answer. Although I often had images of Ms. Terwilliger conducting late-night rituals, it was entirely reasonable that she’d be in bed right now. Was this the kind of thing that could wait until morning? No, I decided on the spot. No, it wasn’t. We were dealing with dangerous, violent magic users – and my car had just been attacked. Something might be happening as I stood there, trying to decide. I would have to wake her up . . . provided I could get to her. It took only a moment to make my next decision. I called Adrian. He answered on the first ring but sounded wary, which I couldn’t blame him for after what I’d done earlier. â€Å"Hello?† I prayed he was the noble guy I thought he was. â€Å"Adrian, I know things are bad between us, and maybe I have no right to ask, but I need a favor. It’s about Veronica.† There was no hesitation. â€Å"What do you need?† â€Å"Can you come over to Amberwood? I need you to help me break curfew and escape my dorm.† There were a few moments of silence. â€Å"Sage, I’ve been waiting two months to hear you say those words. You want me to bring a ladder?† The plan was already unfolding in my head. The security guards that patrolled at night would have eyes on the student parking lot, but the back property would be relatively unguarded. â€Å"I’ll get myself out of the building. If you come up the main road that leads to Amberwood and then go past the driveway you’ll see a little service road that runs up a hill and goes behind my dorm. Park there near the utility shed, and I’ll meet you as soon as I get out.† When he spoke again, his earlier levity was gone. â€Å"I’d really like to believe this is some awesome midnight adventure, but it’s not, is it? Something’s gone really wrong.† â€Å"Very wrong,† I agreed. â€Å"I’ll explain in the car.† I quickly changed into clean jeans and a T-shirt, adding a light suede jacket against the evening chill. To be safe, I also decided to pack my bag with a few supplies and bring it along. If all went well, I’d simply be warning Ms. Terwilliger tonight. But with the way things had been going lately, I couldn’t presume anything would be simple. Bringing the suitcase this time would be unwieldy, so I had to make a few quick decisions about chemicals and magical components. I tossed some in the bag and stuffed others in my jeans and coat pockets. You read "The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three" in category "Essay examples" Once I was ready, I headed down to Julia and Kristin’s room. They were dressed for bed but not asleep yet. When Julia saw me with my coat and bag, her eyes went wide. â€Å"Sweet,† she said. â€Å"I know you’ve gotten out before,† I said. â€Å"How’d you do it?† Julia’s many dates often occurred outside of sanctioned school hours, and both she and Kristin had bragged about Julia’s exploits in the past. I’d hoped perhaps Julia knew about a secret tunnel out of the school and that I wouldn’t have to attempt some crazy feat of acrobatics. Unfortunately, that was exactly what I had to do. She and Kristin walked me to their window and pointed at a large tree growing outside it. â€Å"This room has a view and easy access,† said Kristin proudly. I eyed the gnarled tree warily. â€Å"That’s easy?† â€Å"Half the dorm’s used it,† she said. â€Å"So can you.† â€Å"We should be charging people,† mused Julia. She flashed me a smile. â€Å"Don’t worry. We’ll give you a freebie tonight. Just start on that big limb there, swing over there, and then use those branches for handholds.† I found it amazing that someone who’d claimed badminton in PE was too â€Å"dangerous† would have no qualms about scaling a tree from her third-floor room. Of course, Marcus’s apartment had been on the fourth floor, and that fire escape had been a million times more unsafe than this tree. Thoughts of Alicia and Ms. Terwilliger snapped me back to the importance of my mission, and I gave Julia and Kristin a decisive nod. â€Å"Let’s do this,† I said. Julia cheered and opened the window for me. Kristin watched just as eagerly. â€Å"Please tell me you’re running off to meet some breathtakingly handsome guy,† she said. I paused, just as I was about to climb out. â€Å"Yes, actually. But not in the way you’re thinking.† Once I made it to the limb Julia had indicated, I discovered she was right. It was pretty simple – so simple, in fact, that I was surprised no school official had noticed this easy access escape route and chopped it down. Well, so much the better for those of us with late-night errands. I made it to the ground and waved goodbye to my watching friends. The dorm’s back property had some lights on it, exactly for the reason of deterring wayward students like me. It was also along the patrol route of one of the security guards but wasn’t a spot he stayed regularly stationed at. He wasn’t in sight, so I crossed my fingers that he was busy with another part of his beat. There were enough shadows on the lawn that I was able to stay within them the whole way – until I reached the back fence. It was lit up pretty well, and really, the only assets I had were that I was a fast climber and that the guard hadn’t surfaced yet. Falling back on that hope that the universe owed me some favors – especially after tricking me about Alicia – I gulped and scrambled over. No one shouted at me when I landed on the other side, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I’d made it out. Getting back in would be harder, but that was a problem for later, hopefully one Ms. Terwilliger could help out with. I found Adrian waiting for me in the Mustang, exactly where I’d indicated. He gave me a sidelong glance as he drove us away. â€Å"No black catsuit?† â€Å"It’s in the laundry.† He smiled. â€Å"Of course it is. Now, where are we going, and what’s going on?† â€Å"We’re going to Ms. Terwilliger’s,† I said. â€Å"And what’s going on is that we’ve been walking around in front of the enemy this entire time without even realizing it.† I watched Adrian as I related my revelations and saw his face go from disbelieving to dismayed the more I spoke. â€Å"Her aura was too perfect,† he said once I finished. â€Å"Perfectly neutral, perfectly average. No one’s is like that. I brushed it off, though. Figured maybe it was just a weird human one.† â€Å"Can someone influence how their aura looks?† I asked. â€Å"Not to that extent,† he said. â€Å"I don’t know enough about these charms you guys use, but I’m guessing it was one of those that skewed the way her colors looked.† I slumped into the seat, still angry at not having figured this out sooner. â€Å"On the bright side, she doesn’t know we’re on to her and Veronica. That could give us an advantage.† When we reached Ms. Terwilliger’s house, we found all the lights on, which was a surprise. I’d assumed she was in bed, though this certainly wouldn’t be the first time she’d missed a phone call. Only, when we reached the house and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Adrian and I exchanged looks. â€Å"Maybe she had to leave abruptly,† he said. The tone of his voice conveyed what his words didn’t. What if Ms. Terwilliger had already found out what we had and had taken off to fight Alicia and Veronica? I had no idea how powerful Alicia was, but the odds didn’t seem promising. When no answer came from my second knock, I nearly kicked the door in frustration. â€Å"Now what?† Adrian turned the doorknob, and the door opened right up. â€Å"How about we wait for her?† he suggested. I grimaced. â€Å"I don’t know if I’m comfortable breaking into her place.† â€Å"She left the door unlocked. She’s practically inviting us in.† He pushed the door open farther and looked at me expectantly. I didn’t want to go back to Amberwood without speaking to her tonight, nor did I want to sit on her doorstep. Hoping she wouldn’t mind us making ourselves at home, I gave a nod of resignation and followed Adrian inside. Her house was the same as ever, cluttered and redolent with the scent of incense. Suddenly, I came to a standstill. â€Å"Wait. Something’s different.† It took me a moment to figure it out, and when I did, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized it immediately. â€Å"The cats are gone.† â€Å"Holy shit,† said Adrian. â€Å"You’re right.† At least one of them always came to greet visitors, and others were usually visible on furniture, under tables, or simply occupying the middle of the floor. But now, there were no cats in sight. I stared around in disbelief. â€Å"What in the world could – â€Å" An earsplitting shriek made me jump. I looked down toward my hip and found the dragon sticking his head out of my satchel and trying to claw his way up my side. Belatedly, I realized I’d forgotten to cover the aquarium. He’d apparently slipped inside the bag back in my room. The sound he was making now was similar to his hunger cry – except even more annoying. Then, impossibly, he nipped my leg. I bent over and tried to pull him off me. â€Å"I don’t have any pie! What are you trying to – ahh!† Something zoomed over my head and smashed into the wall behind me with a loud splat. A couple wet drops of something landed on my cheek and began to burn. It was a wonder I didn’t hear a sizzling sound. â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian cried. I turned toward where he was looking and saw Alicia standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Her palm was raised toward us, a shimmery and gooey substance cupped in it. Presumably it was the same substance that currently seared my skin. I almost wiped it away but feared I’d simply be spreading it to my fingers. I winced and tried to ignore it. â€Å"Sydney† said Alicia pleasantly. â€Å"Or should I say Taylor? I figured I’d be seeing you two again. Just not so soon. I guess your car trouble didn’t delay you tonight.† â€Å"We know everything,† I told her, keeping on an eye on that goo. â€Å"We know you’re working for Veronica.† The smug look on her face momentarily shifted, overcome by surprise. â€Å"Working for her? I got rid of her ages ago.† â€Å"Got rid of. . . .† For a few seconds, I was at a loss. Then the rest of the puzzle pieces fell together. â€Å"You’re the one who’s been absorbing those girls. And that witch in San Diego. And . . . Veronica Terwilliger.† I’d been able to track Veronica back to the inn with the scrying spell. When Ms. Terwilliger had attempted a different locating spell, she’d come up blank. She’d assumed it was because Veronica had some sort of shielding. But the truth, I was suddenly certain, was that Veronica was already comatose. There was no active mind for Ms. Terwilliger to reach because Alicia had consumed Veronica. Ms. Terwilliger . . . â€Å"You’re here for her,† I said. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger. Not me.† â€Å"The untrained do make easy targets,† conceded Alicia. â€Å"But they don’t have the same power as full-fledged witches, who can be just as easy to absorb if you break them down first. I don’t need the youth like Veronica did, just the power. Once she showed me how the spell works, I was able to catch her in a weak moment. That other college girl tided me over until I wore down Alana Kale.† Where had I heard that name? Alana . . . she was Ms. Terwilliger’s comatose coven sister. â€Å"And finally I can take out the big hit: Jaclyn Terwilliger. I actually wasn’t sure if I’d be able to break her, but it turns out she’s done an awesome job of wearing herself out these last few weeks, all in the service of protecting her sweet little apprentice.† â€Å"I’m not her . . .† I couldn’t finish. I’d been about to say I wasn’t her apprentice, and yet . . . wasn’t I? I wasn’t just dabbling in magic anymore. I had joined the ranks. And now, I had to protect my mentor, just as she’d protected me. If it wasn’t too late. â€Å"Where is she?† I demanded. â€Å"She’s around,† said Alicia, clearly delighting in having the upper hand here. â€Å"I wish you hadn’t found out about all this. You would’ve made a good hit, once you’d learned a little bit more. You’re just a small spark to Jaclyn’s flame right now. She’s the big score tonight.† â€Å"Tell us where she is,† ordered Adrian, a powerful note in his voice that I recognized. Alicia’s gaze flicked from me to him. â€Å"Oh, please,† she scoffed. â€Å"Stop wasting my time with your vampire compulsion. I realized what was going on after that first visit, when I kept having trouble remembering your faces.† From her jumble of necklaces, she showed us a jade circle. â€Å"I acquired this afterward. Makes me impervious to your ‘charms.'† Something that resisted vampire magic? That would be a useful item to have in my bag of tricks. I’d have to look into it . . . provided I survived tonight. I saw Alicia tense to throw again, and I managed to jump out of the way, pulling Adrian with me toward the living room. More of that goo splattered behind us with a hiss. I produced a dried thistle blossom and crumpled it toward Alicia, shouting a Greek incantation that would blind her. She made a small wave with her left hand and sneered at me. â€Å"Really?† she asked. â€Å"That remedial blindness spell? Maybe you aren’t a prodigy after all.† Adrian suddenly flipped open a small panel in the wall beside us. I hadn’t even noticed it, largely because I’d been too distracted about having my face melted off. I saw a flurry of motion from his hand, and suddenly, we were plunged into darkness. â€Å"Now this is remedial blindness,† he muttered. Alicia swore. I froze, immobilized by the blackness around me. As much as I appreciated any attempts to slow Alicia down, I was kind of at a loss myself. I felt Adrian’s hand grab hold of mine, and without a word, he tugged me farther into the living room. I followed quickly, relying on his superior vampire eyesight to guide us. I could already hear Alicia chanting and was sure some light-giving spell was coming soon. Either that or something that would magically fix a fuse box. â€Å"Careful,† Adrian murmured. â€Å"Stairs.† Sure enough, I felt my foot hit a wooden step. He and I hurried down as quietly and as quickly as we could, descending into a basement. My eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the darkness, and I wondered if I’d just entered some secret dungeon. Yet as he wound us through stacks of boxes, I realized the basement was just used for ordinary storage. There was a lot of junk down here. After seeing Ms. Terwilliger’s already messy house, I wondered what more she could possibly own. Adrian finally stopped when we were in a far corner behind some oblong boxes stacked nearly as high as me. He pulled me to him, keeping me in his arms so that he could speak softly in my ear. My head lay against his chest, and I could hear his rapid heartbeat, a mirror for my own. â€Å"That was a good idea,† I said in as low a voice as I could manage. â€Å"But now we’re trapped down here. It would’ve been better if we could go outside.† â€Å"I know,† he whispered back. â€Å"But she was too close to the door, and I didn’t have time to mess with a window.† Above us, I could hear the floor creaking as Alicia walked through the house. â€Å"It’s just a matter of time,† I said. â€Å"I was hoping it’d give you a chance to think of something to get us out of here. Can’t you use that fireball? You were pretty good at it.† â€Å"Not inside. Especially not in a basement. I’d burn this place down around us. And we don’t know where Ms. Terwilliger is yet.† I racked my brain. The house was small enough that there weren’t that many places Alicia could have stashed Ms. Terwilliger. And I had to assume she was stashed somewhere, if she hadn’t come to our aid already. Alicia’s language made it sound like she hadn’t sucked away Ms. Terwilliger’s power yet, so hopefully she was just incapacitated. â€Å"You must be able to do something,† said Adrian, tightening his hold on me. â€Å"You’re brilliant, and you’ve been reading all those spell books.† It was true. I’d consumed tons of material these last couple of months – material I wasn’t even supposed to have learned – but somehow, in this one terrified moment, my mind couldn’t focus on any of it. â€Å"I’ve forgotten everything.† â€Å"No, you haven’t.† His voice in the darkness was calm and reassuring. He smoothed back my hair and pressed one of those half kisses to my forehead. â€Å"Just relax and focus. Sooner or later, she’ll be coming down those stairs after us. We need to take her out or at least slow her down so that we can escape.† His reasonable words centered me and allowed the gears of logic that ran my life to take over again. A little light was coming through from the basement’s small, high windows, allowing my eyes to finally adjust and make out some of the dark shapes in the basement. I could still hear Alicia moving around upstairs, so I crept away from Adrian and walked over to the staircase. With a few graceful hand arcs, I chanted a spell over the steps and then hurried back to my corner with Adrian, slipping back under the shelter of his arm. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I think I’ve got a minor delay ready.† â€Å"What is it?† he asked. Just then, we heard the door at the top of the stairs open. Light spilled down, though we still remained in the shadows. â€Å"You’re out of options,† I heard Alicia say. â€Å"No place left to – ahh!† There was a loud thump-thump-thump-thump as she went sliding down the stairs and hit the bottom with a crack. â€Å"Invisible ice on the stairs,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I know I’m not supposed to say this,† he said. â€Å"But I think I love you more than ever.† I took his hand and tried not to think about how happy his words made me, even in this life-or-death situation. â€Å"Come on.† We left our hiding spot and found Alicia sprawled ungracefully on the floor, trying to get to her feet. A silver orb of light hovered in the air near her, bobbing along faithfully with her movements. Seeing us, she snarled and waved her hands to cast at us. I’d anticipated this and had an amulet ready. I swung it on its silken cord and said a few quick words as we passed her. A brief, shimmering shield flared between us and her, just barely absorbing the small glowing darts she hurled our way. The shield was similar to the one Ms. Terwilliger had used at the park but had to be summoned on the spot and didn’t last long. I didn’t know what Alicia planned on doing next, but obviously, something bad was coming. I cast a preemptive spell I’d never used before, one of the ones that Ms. Terwilliger had told me not to bother with. It took a lot of energy and was powerful if used correctly, yet was deceptively simple and elegant in its effects. I merely blasted Alicia across the room with a wave of power just as she was about to stand. She flew backward, into a stack of Christmas items. A box of ornaments fell down, shattering near her on the hard floor. Casting the spell left me dizzy, but I managed to keep moving. I summoned a fireball when we reached the stairs but held it in my hand, keeping it low as though I were going to roll a Skee-Ball – though my intent was simply to carry it. I prayed it would melt the ice, and after my first few steps, I knew I was right. â€Å"Careful,† I warned Adrian. â€Å"They’re wet.† We made it to the top, but Alicia had already scrambled after us. From the bottom of the stairs, she used the same spell on me that I’d used on her, throwing a wave of invisible energy at Adrian and me that knocked us to the floor. I’d been holding on to the fireball, despite Ms. Terwilliger’s warnings about how doing so would drain my own power. When Alicia knocked me down, the fireball flew from my hand and landed on Ms. Terwilliger’s couch. Considering it looked as though it was covered in some cheap fabric from the 1970s, I wasn’t entirely surprised that it lit up so fast. On the bright side, the fire solved our darkness problem. On the downside, it meant the house was likely going to burn down around us after all. The callistana, who hadn’t been fast enough to keep up with us when we’d gone downstairs, came scurrying over to my side. I had only half a heartbeat to make a decision. â€Å"Go look in the rest of the house for Ms. Terwilliger,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I’ll stop Alicia.† The growing fire created weird shadows on his face, highlighting his anguish at this. â€Å"Sydney.† â€Å"This is one of those times you have to trust me without question,† I said. â€Å"Hurry! Find her and get her out.† I saw a thousand emotions flash through his eyes before he obeyed and ran off toward the other wing of the house. The fire was spreading rapidly throughout the living room, in a way that had to be magical. The increasing smoke gave me an idea, and I cast a spell that enhanced it, creating a hazy wall at the entrance to the basement stairs. It allowed the dragon and me to make a short retreat before Alicia appeared, parting the smoke as cleanly as though she were opening curtains. â€Å"That,† she declared. â€Å"Hurt.† I cast a spell that should’ve encased her in spiderwebs, but they fell away before they even reached her. It was infuriating. I’d memorized so much, but these â€Å"remedial† spells weren’t working. I understood now why Ms. Terwilliger’s main strategy had been for me to lie low and hide my ability. How would I have ever been able to take on Veronica? True, Alicia had taken her out, but only after probably weakening her as she had Ms. Terwilliger. I even understood now why Ms. Terwilliger had told me to get a gun – which, I realized now, I’d left in the car. The ice spell had worked because Alicia hadn’t seen it coming. The only other spell that had worked on her was the blast of power, an advanced one that had still left me weak. It was going to take another one of those, I realized. I had no idea if I had the ability to do a second one, but trying was the only chance I had of – I screamed as what felt like a thousand volts of electricity shot through me. Alicia’s hand movement had been so subtle, and she hadn’t even spoken. I fell down again, writhing in pain as Alicia strode toward me, her face triumphant. The dragon bravely put himself between the two of us, and she simply kicked him aside. I heard him yelp as he skittered across the floor. â€Å"Maybe I should absorb you,† said Alicia. The shocks abated, and I could only sit there and gasp for breath. â€Å"You could be my fifth. I can come back for Jaclyn in a few years. You’ve turned out to be a lot more powerful than I thought – and annoyingly resourceful. You even made a good effort tonight.† â€Å"Who says I’m done?† I managed to say. I cast the first of the advanced spells that came to mind. Maybe it was inspired by the broken Christmas ornaments, but suddenly, I had broken shards on the brain. The spell required no words or physical components and only the slightest of hand movements. The rest was taken from me – a draining of energy and power that hurt almost as much as the electrifying spell Alicia had just used. But oh, the results were breathtaking. On Ms. Terwilliger’s coffee table (which was now on fire) sat a set of five perpetual motion balls. I used a transmutation spell on them, forcing them out of their spherical shape and breaking them apart into thin, sharp razor blades. They broke free of their strings and came at my command. That was the easy part. The hard part was, as Ms. Terwilliger had told me, actually attacking someone. And not just making them slip and fall. That wasn’t so bad. But an actual physical attack, one you knew would cause direct and terrible damage, was an entirely different issue. It didn’t matter how terrible Alicia was, that she’d tried to kill me and wanted to victimize Ms. Terwilliger and countless others. Alicia was still a living person, and it was not in my nature to show violence or try to take another’s life. It was, however, in my nature to save my own life and those of my loved ones. I braced myself and ordered the razors forward. They slammed into her face. She screamed and frantically tried to pull them out but in doing so lost her balance and went back down the stairs. I heard her shriek as she fell into the basement. Although I couldn’t see her, her magical lantern orb merrily followed her all the way down. My triumph was short-lived. I was more than dizzy. I was on the verge of passing out. The heat and light from the fire were overwhelming, yet my vision was going dark from the exhaustion of casting a spell I was in no way ready for. I suddenly just wanted to curl up there on the floor and close my eyes where it was comfortable and warm. . . . â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian’s voice jolted me out of my haze, and I managed to peer up at him through heavy eyelids. He slipped an arm around me to help me up. When my legs didn’t work, he simply scooped me up altogether and carried me. The dragon, who’d suffered no permanent damage from the kick, clung to my shirt and scurried into the bag that was still draped over my shoulder. â€Å"Where . . . Ms. Terwilliger. . . .† â€Å"Not here,† Adrian said, heading swiftly toward the front door. The fire was spreading over the walls and ceiling now. Although it hadn’t quite made it to the front of the house yet, our way was still thick with smoke and ash. We both were coughing, and tears ran out of my eyes. Adrian reached the door and turn the knob, yelping at how hot it was. Then he managed to kick the door open with his foot, and we were free, out into the clean night air. Neighbors had gathered outside, and I could hear sirens in the distance. Some of the spectators watched us curiously, but most were transfixed by the inferno that was Ms. Terwilliger’s bungalow. Adrian carried me over to his car and gently set me down so that I could lean against it, though he still kept an arm around me. We both stared in awe at the fire. â€Å"I really did look, Sydney,† he said. â€Å"I couldn’t find Jackie in the house. Maybe she escaped.† I prayed he was right. Otherwise, we had just abandoned my history teacher to a fiery death. â€Å"What happened to Alicia?† â€Å"Last I saw, she was in the basement.† A sickening feeling twisted in my stomach. â€Å"I don’t know if she’ll get out. Adrian, what have I just done?† â€Å"You defended yourself. And me. And hopefully Jackie.† His arm tightened around me. â€Å"Alicia was evil. Look what she did to those other witches – what she wanted to do to you guys.† â€Å"I never saw it coming,† I said bleakly. â€Å"I thought I was so smart. And each time I talked to her, I dismissed her as some dumb, scattered girl. Meanwhile, she was laughing and countering my moves every step of the way. It’s humbling. I don’t meet many people like that.† â€Å"The Moriarty to your Holmes?† he suggested. â€Å"Adrian,† I said. It was all I needed to say. He suddenly did a double take, noticing my attire for the first time tonight now that the jacket had come open. â€Å"You’re wearing your AYE shirt?† â€Å"Yeah, I never wage magical battles without – â€Å" A small mewling noise suddenly caught my attention. I searched around until I spotted two green eyes peering at me from under a bush across the street. I managed to straighten up and found that my legs, though weak, could support my weight again. I took a few halting steps toward the bush, and Adrian immediately ran to my side. â€Å"What are you doing? You need help,† he said. I pointed. â€Å"We have to follow that cat.† â€Å"Sydney – â€Å" â€Å"Help me,† I pleaded. He couldn’t resist. Supporting me with his arm again, he helped me walk across the street toward the cat. It ran ahead between two bushes, then glanced back at us. â€Å"It wants us to follow,† I told him. So we did, cutting through houses and streets until when we were about four blocks from the bungalow, the cat dashed off into a park. Whatever energy I’d had when I started after the cat was long gone. I was panting and dizzy again and fighting hard to resist asking Adrian to carry me. Something in the center of the park caught my attention and gave me one last burst of adrenaline to run forward. There, lying on the grass, was Ms. Terwilliger. She was awake, thankfully, but looked nearly as exhausted as I felt. Tears and smudges suggested she’d been through quite an ordeal. She had managed to escape Alicia, but not without a fight. That was why we hadn’t been able to find her in the house. Seeing me, she blinked in surprise. â€Å"You’re okay,† she said. â€Å"And you found me.† â€Å"The cats led us,† I said, pointing. All thirteen of them were sitting around in the park, surrounding their owner – making sure she was okay. She glanced around at them and managed a weary smile. â€Å"See? I told you cats are useful.† â€Å"Callistanas aren’t so bad either,† I said, looking down at my satchel. â€Å"That ‘pain in the ass’ screeching saved me from a face full of acid.† Adrian put his hand to his heart in mock horror. â€Å"Sage, did you just swear?† Glancing over, Ms. Terwilliger noticed him for the first time. â€Å"And you’re here too? I’m so sorry you had to get dragged into this mess. I know you didn’t ask for any of this trouble.† â€Å"It doesn’t matter,† said Adrian, smiling. He rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Some things are worth the trouble.† How to cite The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three, Essay examples

Societies In Pride And Prejudice Essay Example For Students

Societies In Pride And Prejudice Essay The novel Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, divides mainly into two societies. The characters in the novel are in conflict due to their income, in that, being part of the lower class submits some characters to prejudice and they rich are too proud. The following information will explain how the characters in the novel are ranked by their income. The first of the two classes is the middle society. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, and their five daughters, are a part of this class. Mrs. Bennett, having five daughters, wants them to marry the best they can. She realizes that the only way her daughters will be happy is to marry men with money. Elizabeth Bennett, the main heroin, is terribly embarrassed by her family’s social stature and their actions. She feels that her mother is too overbearing in her quest to find her daughters husbands. In addition, Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennett’s cousin, embarrasses Elizabeth with a proposal of marriage. She feels that Mr. Collins is being ridiculous. Her family receives prejudice because they are poor, and for no other reason. The second class is obviously the upper class. As part of this class, Fitzwilliam Darcy is a person who will not socialize with anyone outside of his social standards. He is very prudent and cold. He will not dance with the Bennett sisters because he knows their economic status. Mr. Bingley starts to fall in love with Jane Bennett, Elizabeth’s sister, but is discouraged by his sisters and Darcy. They tell him that she is not good enough for him. Darcy himself tries hard to keep his guard up, but it breaks down and he falls in love with Elizabeth. Darcy, realizing his love, forces it upon Elizabeth. He stresses that she should marry him because of the superiority of his family over hers. In addition, he has not been able to conquer his, obviously wrong, love for her. She is disgusted with him and refused. This how the upper class shows prejudice to the lower class. Consequently, Pride and Prejudice evidently has a conflict between the upper and lower class. The upper wants nothing to do with the lower. It is obvious that the rich are too proud to talk to the middle class. The conflict goes on until they realize that they are being imprudent and change their ways.

Gambling Essays (1586 words) - Gambling, Problem Gambling, Bookmaker

Gambling Matchmaker.com: Sign up now for a free trial. Date Smarter! Gambling Gambling, while it lowers taxes and creates jobs, it also causes addicts to lose money and therefore creates a higher crime rate. A Quick History of Gambling. Gambling was a popular pastime in North America long before there was ever a United States. Playing cards and dice were brought over by both the British and the Dutch. By the end of the 17th century, just about every countryseat in colonial America had a lottery wheel. Cockfighting flourished thoughout the countries, especially in the South. Bear Baiting was also a popular sport, but the Puritans banned it.(Ortiz 4) Almost 100 years later gambling in the West gave gambling a second life. Early church leader struck down all forms of gambling and so in the East gambling for the most part died completely. Far from both government controls and moral interference of reform groups in the East, gambling became so popular in the West that Monte tables were often setup in the middle of the town.(Donovon 13) Organized Crime During the Prohibition Era (1920-1933), illegal gambling was organized into an authoritarian regional and national system. Responsibility for the syndication of gambling is usually attributed to Arnold Rothstein, who invented the inner-city layoff. He is also known for master minding the "Black Sox" scandal in which the White Sox threw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds to assure gambling profits. Gambling legally, once again, becomes acceptable. Since the 1970s, the United States has turned full circle in its attitude toward gambling. Three hundred years ago, the "sport", mostly in the form of lottery, was seen as a perfectly acceptable way to raise money for public purposes.(Savage 12) Over the past several years, slow economic growth, cuts in federal funding to states, and growing public needs have forced many desperate state and even local government to seek additional sources of revenue. Most states have turned to lotteries, horse and dog racing, and, most recently, a growing number of states have resorted to casino gambling as a way to raise money and keep taxes low.(James B5) Sports gambling During the late 1980s, and early 1990s, several states have tried to introduce sports betting, either as part of lottery, like sports pool, or as sports bookmaking. Never the less, the leader of the nation's sports integrity, including the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB), were concerned that the states, in their desperation to raise money, might begin to tie in sports betting with the lottery. Then the three sports teamed up to try to put a stop to this. First, they began to put strong pressure on state legislature not to induce sports betting. Second the sports industry also started lobbying Congress, and as a result, several bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress to limit the growth of sports wagering, either as part of the lottery or as sports bookmaking.(Savage 18) Making Gambling Interests Heard The state legislatures decide if gambling will become legal in the individual states. Currently, some form of gambling is legal in all states except Hawaii and Utah. While success is never assured, revenue-hungry state governments are virtually always willing to give gambling interests a hearing. In April 1994, casino interest spent $4.2 million to convince Missouri voters they should permit slot machines in their state. The vote failed by 1/10 of 1%, so gambling interest spent another $11.5 million for a similar referendum in November, which passed. In Connecticut, gambling corporations spent $4.9 billion in a four-year-long failed effort to get the state to permit the building of a casino in economically distressed Bridgeport.(Goddu E1) Gambling is generally a well-regulated business. Virtually every state that permits casino gambling or pari-mutuel betting has a state racing or gambling commission to monitor gambling activities. While today's gambling industry is big business run by huge corporations, virtually every state regulated commission feels it must show it is making gave that no underworld or syndicate figures play a role in its state gambling activities.(Ortiz 50) The commissions also controlled other activities such as how late casinos may stay open and whether there will be limits on betting. Since these regulations are usually determined by state legislatures, it is only natural that gambling companies try to influence their decisions through lobbyists and political donations.(Siebel 19) Opposition to Gambling The rapid expansion of gambling across the United States has not been well received by all Americans. The failure of many gambling initiatives over the past few years indicates an opposition powerful enough to either influence state legislation allowing various forms of gambling in their state or

Mesopotamian Civilization

Mesopotamian Civilization Introduction The word Mesopotamia is derived from an ancient Greek work, which translates to â€Å"(land) between rivers.† The earliest known usage of the term has been recorded to be in the second century when it was used to refer to the land that sits on the east of the Euphrates River in Syria.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mesopotamian Civilization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was coined by Anabasis Alexandri. It was not until much later when the name Mesopotamia was used to refer to the whole region that lies between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. Mesopotamia lay in what is today known as Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. The region can be further divided into two regions. The Northern Mesopotamia is also referred to as Jezirah and is the land that lies between the two rivers from their sources down to Baghdad (Heine and Nissen 45). The history of the region can be traced to the rise of urban societie s throughout the Ubaid period, which occurred around 5300BC. Mesopotamia can also be found in the history of the Ancient Near East beginning in the lower Paleolithic period. The Ancient Near East is suspected to have collapsed after the arrival of the Achaemenid Empire. This was during the late 6th century and some researchers say it happened during the Conquest of Mesopotamia by the Arabs. Some of the world’s most advanced states in the ancients times can be found in the Mesopotamian region. Mesopotamia is famous for being one of the regions where writing was invented and advanced. The other places include the Nile valley and the Yellow River Valley. The greatest cities that were ever built in Mesopotamia include Nippur, Uruk and Babylon. The other states that lay on the outskirts and territory of Mesopotamia include Ma-aesesblu. Several dynasties were formed in Mesopotamia and included Ur Kingdom, Akkadian Dynasty and the Assyrian Empire. Mesopotamia also saw great leaders emerge from the cities and states.Advertising Looking for essay on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They included Hammurabi, Sargon and Ashur-Uballit II who was instrumental in setting up the Assyrian Empire (Fiero 110). The history of this great land can be traced through looking at the history of different people who occupied it who included the Sumerians, the Akkadians, the Amorites, the Hitites, the Kassites, the Assyrians, and the Chaldeans (Kramer 75). The Sumerian: They reigned from 3500-1800 B.C. The Sumerians are among the first and earliest civilization in Mesopotamia and are suspected to have built the civilization around 3000 BC when they began building large city-states. Besides running the cities, the natives were involved in conquering and controlling the large areas around them. Some of these city-states included Ur, Lagash, and Eridu. The Sumerians were a warring people and fought amo ng themselves and with other people for control of watering holes. The wars led to people building large city-states which were used later to conquer the smaller ones. When the Sumerians went to war with the Akkadians they eventually lost control of their city-states, which were now being controlled by the Akkadian empire from, Akkad, a city that would later become Babylon. In 2125, the Sumerians residing in the city of Ur fought the Akkadians and took control of the city-states in the southern Mesopotamia region (Kramer 98). One the greatest thing from this period is the invention of writing. The early writing was done through use of pictograms and rough sketches of the words they were supposed to represent. They used to do their writing on wet clay using reeds as the writing instrument and this was effective in storage of information. The Sumerians also invented some of the earliest application of mathematics including abstract mathematics. They are also accredited for being the i nventors of astrology, where they tried to learn about the heaven as they sought answers regarding their gods. The most important creation from the Sumerian is considered to the law. Although not much is known about the Sumerian law scholars are for the opinion that the Code of Hammurabi, which was written by the Babylonian monarch, gives us a peek into how the Sumerian law was like.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mesopotamian Civilization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Hammurabi code as used in the law exacts that revenge should be used when solving of cases. This is also known as the lex talionis law that governs that that you should reciprocate therefore, an eye for an eye. The law also recognized class distinction and people were judged according to the class they came from. The laws set marked a basis for many of the following Semitic conquerors including the Babylonians and the Assyrians. The Akkadians: they reigned from 2340-2125 B.C. The history of the Akkadians before they conquered the Sumerians is not well known though they are known to have migrated to the North. In the year 2340, the Akkadian built their empire under the leadership of Sargon. The capital city they built, Akkad, was later renamed to Babylon by those who conquered it later. The city was used as a commercial hub in the Mediterranean region and was used for close to 200 years for this purpose. The Akkadian empire under the leadership of Sargon was short lived because in 2125, the Sumerians in the city of Ur revolted against his rule and set pace for the renewal of other Sumerian cities (Heine and Nissen 89). The Amorites reigned from 1800 to1530 B.C. When the Sumeriam kingdom fell, Mesopotamia witnessed many battles that lasted for almost a century until the Amorites grouped and formed a Kingdom that had a centralized form of government. They based the capital of the government in the city of Babylon and this g ives the Amorites the name Old Babylonians (Heine and Nissen 110). The Amorite dynasty lasted from 1900 to 1600 BC and it is referred to as the Old Babylonian period. In this period, the Old Babylonians believed that the monarch was a god and his word was the law. The all-powerful monarch devised new ways of administering the states and the resources. He introduced taxation and involuntary military service. The greatest achievement made by the Amorites was centralization, unlike the Sumerian empire that had many autonomous and independent city-states the Old Babylonian was ruled from Babylon and consisted of several cities.Advertising Looking for essay on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To achieve control and dominance of these cities the monarch took away the power and autonomy of most of them. The Amorites also adopted the code of Hammurabi and most of the crimes in the empire were punishable by death. The Amorites believed in many gods and took Marduk as the most powerful of all the gods (Somervill 156). The Hitites: they reigned from 1600 to 717 B.C. The Hitites are not known from where they came from but their empire was spread out across Mesopotamia to Palestine and Syria. The invasion of the Hitites marked the end of the Amorite dynasty and like those before them; they adopted the ways and culture of the natives thus continuing the heritage and tradition of the Sumerians. The empire is cited to have been greatest between 1600 and 1200 BC and even during the invasion of by the Assyrians in 1300 BC, most of the Hitites cities grew independently until 717 BC when they were finally occupied by the Assyrians and other enemies. The Hitites were traders and are res ponsible for spreading Mesopotamian law thought, political structure etc to the rest of the Mediterranean (Somervill 162). The Kassites: 1530-1170 B.C. The Hitites were among the most successful Indo-European invaders to conquer Mesopotamia, but their rule did not last long. When the Kassites conquered and controlled Mesopotamia, they renamed the Babylon city to Karanduniash. They set the capital city of their empire in a new city they built known as Dorkurigalzu. During the reign of the empire, the Mesopotamia region witnessed many wars and this attributed to the short life of the Kassites Empire. The Kassites are referred to as barbarians and savages by the Assyrians who would later conquer them (Somervill 82). The Assyrians: Their Reign was from 1170 to 612 B.C. The Assyrians are depicted in most of the history of Mesopotamia as being ruled rather than ruling. They tried to create their own empire under the rule of Shamshi-Adad though this was short lived after the dream was cras hed by Hammurabi. Control of the Assyrian cities over the centuries changed hands from the Assyrians and the southern people. The various times the region was under the rule of the Assyrians includes 1235-1198 BC under Tukulti-Ninurta, 116-1090 BC under Tiglat-Pileser, 883-824 under Ashurnarziparl II and Shalmeneser III who spread the reach of the kingdom to Syria and Babylon. It is also during the reign of this dynasty that saw the Jewish diaspora when Sargon II (721-705 BC), deported the Jews after conquering Israel. The Assyrian empire was built through wars, invasions, and conquests. The empire is accredited with innovation in the mathematics field. They were also the first to apply longitudes and latitude in geographical maps (Somervill 62). The Chaldeans: Also Known As Neo Babylon from reigned from 612 to 539 BC They are the last people who are Semites to rule Mesopotamia after the Assyrian Kingdom fell. After much suffering in the hands of the Assyrians Babylon revolted again st them and they burnt down the capital city of the Assyrian empire Nineveh. The leader of the Babylonians was Nabopolassar and was succeeded by Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) who protected his empire from being conquered by the Egyptians and Syria. Under Nebuchadnezzar the capital city Babylon was rebuilt and upon its completion, it was the most splendid city in the Middle East. The whole period the empire was under the Babylonian there were many wars and this resulted to the empire ending in 555 BC after the rule of the empire fell to a king who was loyal to the Assyrians. He defiled Marduk the Babylonian god and this resulted to the priests welcoming the occupation of the region by Cyrus the Conqueror of Persia. This marked the end of the region dominance by the Semites (Heine and Nissen 120). Fiero, Gloria. Landmarks in Humanities. Boston : McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2009. Print. Heine, Peter and Nissen, Hans. From Mesopotamia to Iraq: a concise history. The University of Ch icago Press, 2009. Print. Kramer, Samuel. The Sumerians: their history, culture, and character. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1963. Print. Somervill, Barbara. Empires of Ancient Mesopotamia: Great Empires of the Past. New York: Chelsea House, 2010. Print.

Police Details in Massachusetts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Police Details in Massachusetts - Essay Example Rather, you live in Massachusetts and see a police officer directing traffic. No big deal, right In theory, police officers would be the most qualified for directing and influencing drivers. However, by analyzing accident statistics as well the cost of having police officers direct traffic, one may find that the cost is simply too high. In short, the possible benefit of police details simply does not outweigh the actual cost to businesses and consumers. For the people of Massachusetts, it seems like detail work has always been done by police officers. Whether a road is being paved, a pothole being filled, or any type of construction that may affect the roadways, police officers have been the most likely candidate to direct traffic. Many people believe that using police officers is safer than using flagmen. However, there are many different things to consider when making this argument. In 2004, extensive studies were performed in order to measure how much safer roadways are with police officers rather than flagmen. By comparing the accident rate between Massachusetts and other states that do not use police for details, one finds that it is no safer to drive in Massachusetts than any other state (BHI Policy Study.) Despite the use of police details, the accident rates in Massachusetts are some of the highest in the nation. Property damage and bodily harm due to accidents is the highest in Massachusetts than any other state. Interestingly, from the years 1994 to 2003, Massachusetts ranked third of all states in terms of lowest fatality rate in highway work zones (BHI Policy Study.) These statistics show that although police detail work is beneficial in the safety of high-speed road construction, the safety in lower speed road construction does not prove to be any better. With this data, it is not surprising that state officials and politicians are now looking into r egulating when and where police details should be used, and when and where flagmen would be suitable. As many people know, the state of Massachusetts is suffering from financial strain. Since 2001, the state has been going through a deep recession, losing about 11 percent of employment and over 200,000 jobs (Gavin.) It is projected that Massachusetts will continue to lose jobs until around 2010, and this year alone, there is a projected job loss of 4 percent (Gavin.) Due to the state's financial strain, state officials are eager to find ways to cut back expenses and improve job growth. One of the most obvious ways to cut back on expenses is limiting the use of police details. State leaders are already targeting the use of police details in order to restore economic growth. For decades, police have been used for construction projects without question. The practice that was once seen as necessary and just a fact of life is now being questioned by some of the highest-ranking state officials. On March 27th of this year, Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi met together at the Beacon Hill press conference, announcing the agreement to create new regulations that would encourage officials to use civilian flaggers during low-risk construction projects (Viser.) This plan would focus on low traffic areas such as dead-end

Chapter 12 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter 12 - Assignment Example Cateora, Gilly, & Graham (2011) explore some of the reasons that can make a country not to be farther considered as a potential market via a planning process. The planning process is divided in to four phases but this paper will explore how and why a country can be dropped in the first two phases. The objective of the first phase is to match the needs of the company and its home country to those of the host country. The compatibility of the company’s character and its home country to those of the host country is the basis on which countries are either disqualified or qualified as markets. The first thing that a business will look at when evaluating a host country is the economy of that particular country. Every business wants to be associated and to partner with a country that records substantial economic growth or has a stable economy. For example, Greece can be viewed as a potential market for commodities like electronics. However, the fact that Greece’s economy is experiencing major debt problems would disqualify it from being a potential market. The second most important criterion that is used to evaluate a potential market is the political stability and the legal policies of the host nation. The political stability is very key if a potential market is to be considered as an actual market. This is because it ensures the safety of the business and its personnel and in most cases, it also means that the legal policies are favorable for running a business. The legal policies may include taxation brackets and the political stand of the country on trade regulating policies. Competition is the third criterion as highlighted by

Role of Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Innovation is a key factor in entrepreneurship. Innovation involves introducing new ideas and products as a measure of improving or satisfying a market need. The chief instigator of innovation is the entrepreneur, who analyzes the pros and cons of innovation and the likely risks that relate to implementing innovation. The say if it is not broken, do not fix it; however, this concept cannot apply to entrepreneurs based on their pursuit of increased sales and maintaining their pioneer status. Innovation is a factor that is pivotal in the longevity of a company. (Howkins, 2001) Mercedes-Benz: A Leader in Innovation The best example of innovation relates to Mercedes-Benz in the 1980s. The company came out with a new concept of using block headlights instead of the popular circular headlights. They claimed that the concept would be copied by a majority of car companies in the 1990s. It was a bold statement by the car company, who were deemed to be blowing their own horn at the time (Reyno lds, 2007). However, true to their prediction, in 1992, several car companies had begun using the block headlights introduced by Mercedes-Benz. This is an illustration of the impact of being a pioneer in innovation. The fact that Mercedes introduce the concept the concept first meant that they were the leading light in car innovation, and to some degree, they still are to this day. Though it was a risk making the bold prediction, there were spot-on proving they have a sharp eye for solid innovation concepts. The primary aim of any entrepreneur is to ensure that their company makes the most sales and net profit (gross profit – company costs = net profit). Wise entrepreneurs push this factor beyond the limits of the company in order to grow as a company. Growth involves factors such as becoming a multinational company, and becoming the global leader in sales of a given product. It is vital for an entrepreneur to push the company to its highest limits, and put it on a level that will make the world take notice. This may not be the best strategy for the consumers; however, the ultimate task for an entrepreneur is to become a monopoly in the company’s respective market. This ensures that the company is the pioneer in the market, and the latter will make purchases from the company anytime they require a product that the company produces. Coca Cola: an Entrepreneurship based on Establishing a Monopoly The best example is Coca-Cola; when it comes to soft drinks, the first word on everyone’s lips is coca-cola. Such is the dominance of the company, that it can be considered the global monopoly of soft drinks. It holds over 70% of the market share for soft drinks on a global scale. As a result, the company is able to generate large volumes of revenue, which can be used for aggressive advertisement (Howkins, 2001). Though it has established itself as a soft drink monopoly, Coca-cola does not rest on this accomplishment. It is constantly seeking new ma rkets to enter, such as the water market. Coca-cola has entered the juice market and is looking into venturing into the tea and coffee markets. This is evident of the company’s ambitions, which are evidence of quality entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is important in the revival of companies. Employing the right CEO or chairman is the fine line between success and failure of a company. Experience is the best teacher that serves to educate entrepreneurs

Analysis Of The Vietnamese Tourism Market

Analysis Of The Vietnamese Tourism Market My friend and I have passion in tourism. My friend has several years of experience working for an international travel company in Ho Chi Minh City as a travel consultant cum tour operator. She have strong relationship with five star hotels and restaurants in Vietnam. I have chance to travel to many countries and study international tourism industry. I also have a part-time job as a tour guide for some travel companies. I understand what tourists expect from a knowledgeabe and friendly tour guide , quality service as well. Thus, combining her experience in Vietnamese tourism market and my understanding about international tourists demands, we decide to open a travel company, named Luxury Tour Co. in Ho Chi Minh City. Our target market is Spain. Within the next five year, we build Luxury Tour as the first choice for the Spaniard when they think of travelling to Vietnam. This name guarantees for best service,best choice as our slogan of Think nothing, let us. This marketing plan is desi gned to highlight significant steps and other related issues to run business well and meet the goal. Market Overview Tourism is considered as the key industry in the near future. Tourism involves three sectors, they are, domestic market, inbound market and outbound market (Helmut Wachwiak, 2006:48). Domestic tourism aims to local customers, while inbound tourism aims to attract international tourists to the country and outbound tourism aims to organising tour for local tourists who want to travel abroad. Among of which, inbound tourism is emphasized most. It not only creates more employment opportunities for the local people but also plays an important role to attract foreign investment in Vietnam as MICE tours becomes popular. Tourism is based on a lot of factors. Here is the list of some changes influencing tourism in general and Luxury Tour business activities ( Lloyd E. Hudman, Richard H.Jackson, 2003:24) Infrastructure in Vietnam . Understanding the contribute of the non-smoke industry, Vietnamese Government has invested in some projects, such as building metro, road etc. , and encouraged people take part in introducing beautiful image of Vietnam to the world ( Vietnam Tourism, 2010 ) Social behavior. For example, considering the tour price, it depends on the suppliersquotation. They are five star hotels, restaurants, transportation etc. In peak seasons when several tourists come to Vietnam, lack of commodation or waiters/waitresses is predictable. As the result, the tour price is higher, but tourists are served less. Increased gas/petrol price. That is to say, it leads to the increase of price in transportation, flight ticket etc. The rapid development of Internet and e-commerce. According to the CIA Factbook, in 2009, 50% of Spaniard use internet, and this number is increasing repidly. It push e-commerce developped more Stable VND-Euro currency rate makes tour price stable and more competitive than other markets ( Vietnam Central Bank, 2010) Stable politics makes international tourists feel safety while staying in Vietnam New tourism trend. According to ITB World Travel Trends Report 2010/2011, Southeast Asia is sparkling as an ideal destination to EU market. They prefer enjoying sun and beach and discovering Eastern culture Increased income. That is to say, more tourists want to spend their holidays at the highest standard Customer Information According to World Tourism Ranking, Spain ranks 11th in the world in terms of spend on international travel, but there has been significant growth in recent years in outbound travel. Growth is expected to continue as more and more Spaniards have holiday habits .Besides , Spanish long-haul travelers take advantage of very favorable Euro to VND exchange rate. The weakening of the VND could attract more interest in this destination .To understand clearly, here is the Spanish Outbound Travel Trend. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Destination: Some competitive destinations to Vietnam are: Fiji, French Polynesia, Australia, China, Japan, Mexico, and the USA . However, Europe remains the main destination for Spanish travelers , only 27 % of the outbound trips are far beyond the European borders ( World Tourism Organization, 2007 ) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Travel season : Most of the Spanish decide to travel abroad in August , September the time of summer vacations . However , short breaks are spread more widely through the year, in particular around public holiday times. The average length of stay for holidays abroad is around 9 nights. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Purpose : Leisure (54.3%) remains the main reason for travelling outside Spain , followed by business events or work related (20%). The key driver for taking overseas holidays is visiting other countries, learning about their culture and seeing and doing lots. Market Information According to Vietnam tourism, in 2010, there were 5,049,855 international tourists travelling to Vietnam, which was 34.8% higher than 2009. Most of them were from China, South Korea, Japan and other Asian countries. Obviously, compared to other markets, Western tourists have not known much about Vietnam. With the wave of Asian culture, Asia becomes an ideal choice, especially Southeast Asia. Following the new trend, Vietnamese government have encoraged travel companies to study and make plans to expand busiess into Western markets. According to World Torism Organization, in Europe, with 19.7 billion USD spent in international tourism expenditure (2007), Spain ranked 11th in the world . This number seems to increase annually. However, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the number of Spanish tourists to Vietnam for leisure purpose is still low and recently, the government with promoting activities is aiming efforts at opening Spain market as our main target market in the near future In Vietnam, there are two major travel companies which target Spanish markets, they are, ASCO Lotus Travel and Exotissimo Travel. ASCO have years of experience for Western tourists to operate tour to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia and ASCO while Exotissimo opened branches in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar. They aims to high-and-above-income maket while Luxury Tour aims to serve mid and high income tourists with the highest standard. As a Vietnamese travel company, Luxury Tour understand Vietnamese business behavior. Thus it is easier to build strong relationship with local suppliers. Industry Information Nearly 1.6 billion is the expected number of international arrivals forecasted by UNWTOs Tourism 2020 Vision by the year 2020. Among of them, 1.2 billion will travel to other countries and 378 million will take longer trips. It is obvious that travel between different regions (outbound and inbound) tends to grow at a faster rate than intraregional travel (domestics) . In 2007, interregional travel increased by 8% as against a growth of 6% for intraregional traffic. According to Vietnam Tourism(2010), from October 10th to December 31st 2010, following Vietnam-your destination campaign, international tourists were welcome to Vietnam without visa. With this opened policies, Vietnam was successful in attracting inbound tourists, especially in Western markets. In 2011, it is expected that Vietnamese Government will consider its effectiveness and efficiency to making further decision better. Product/Service Information Luxury Tour wants to approach mid and high income Spaniards. Most of them are businessmen, specialists, and professors etc. who are too busy to enjoy their time. With the slogan of Think nothing, let us, Luxury Tour wants to be the useful right hand by bringing them into the most comfortable world with families and friends. We offer several tour packages with high quality. All customer requirements are satisfied perfectly. From the moment customers contact Luxury Tour to the end of the tour, customers will be serviced by friendly and professional staff, such as travel consultants, tour operators, tour guide and others SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS High-quality service Operational efficiency Experienced and highly customer-oriented staff Strong marketing and sales forces Strong relationships with both suppliers and Spanish travel agencies WEAKNESSES New brand name in the market Limited budget No representative office in Spain, so Luxury Tour can not contact directly to the target customer Depend on Spanish travel agencies OPPORTUNITIES Spain is a new emerging or developing market for Vietnamese tourism industry Less competition Rapid development of e-commerce Support from government (i.e.: opened policies to encourage tourism) Social changes: more Spanish want to travel to Southeast countries THREATS Financial crisis The increasing of potential competitors Social problems: there are many beggers who follow tourists from places to places Objectives The key objectives for Luxury Tour are: Within 5 years , Luxury Tour becomes the Vietnamese leading tour operator in Spanish market segment with 30% of share market . Integrated marketing services are established to present a unified image/brand identity of Vietnam as an ideal destination . The number of loyal tourists is increased After the first five year, Luxury Tour will expand business into other Western markets, such as the Portugal, the Netherland etc. Strategy With Luxury Tour, tourists will experience the finest service, enjoy the most delicious Vietnamese cusine and stay at the most comfortable hotels. Our efforts are to make tourists remember uniqueness and hospitality of Vietnam in general and Luxury Tour in particular. It is can be measured by the increased number of Spanish tourists coming back to Vietnam annually. What Luxury Tour try to sell is not only tours themselves but also benefits. A good tour operator knows how to control income factors and how to balance incomes and outcomes ( customer requirement) to satisfy three parties, that is to say, tourists are pleased with service, suppliers are happy to serve and Luxury Tour gets profits and more importantly, customer awareness. Product To be more competitive in the market , our tour itineraries are designed with two advantages : Quality and Customer service. *** In term of Quality :Tour itinerary is designed based on 5H model , that is the combination of Hospitality, Honesty , Heritage, History,Heroic **** In term of Customer Service : Speed :We have hotline served 24/7 to answer all customers questions and complain Flexibility : Tour itinerary can be re-designed to fit each customers requirement Reliability : all needed info is provided to customers before they book tours , including warning (if applicable ) Pricing Our target customer is from mid-income and above. They usually prefer to enjoy holidays in their own tastes and required to be served at the highest level. Thus we mix two price strategies, good-value pricing strategy and value-added pricing. Luxury Tour will design a basic package price which combines high standard, good service at reasonable price. From the basics, this tour is tailor-made to fix each customer demand. The price is changeable based on the seasons, supple-demand balance and other unforeseen situations. Normally our estimated price is around USD 2,200 / pax. Distribution For the short term , to perform activities to attract tourists from Spain to Vietnam and expand distribution channel to meet market needs and serve customers better, Luxury Tour has partnered with tourism companies in Spain. With this partnership, Luxury Tour has been in the big cities of Spain, such as Barcelona , Madrid , Valencia etc. For the long term, within the next 5 years , Luxury Tour opens one representative agency in Madrid to approach customers needs easily and efficiently Promotion Website: Luxury Tour launches and operates Internet site effectively as a virtual tourist office in which customers can find a lot of information about Vietnam and useful tips for their tour . The website is designed with friendly screen and easy-to-follow instructions. Besides, our online travel consultants are willing to help customers design suitable tour itineraries with reasonable price and support them during and after journey. Search Engines Optimisation: To be recognized among millions of tourism websites, we will corporate with some internet search engine sites such as : http://www.ivivu.com/ http://www.skydoor.net/ http://www.chudu24.com/ http://yeudulich.vn/ http://www.tourism-review.com/ Instead of buying a place on their website, Luxury Tour offer them a business corporation opportunity, this is, banner exchange. This is a win-win corporation Advertising: As a new brand name in luxury tourism industry, we decide to focus on bringing our image to the target customers. Our target customer segmentation is from mid and high income. Choosing a reliable magazine is the first choice. Among of which is Travel and Entertainment magazine the publication of Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism and the leading magazine in tourism of Vietnam. It is available in Vietnam Airlines, Indochina Airline and Royal Brunei Airline. Public Relations: To build strong relationship with Spanish travel companies as well as to prove them our outstanding service offered, Luxury Tour usually invites partners and Spanish press to have trips to Vietnam for free of charge. It is not only a normal business trip but also a chance to introduce Vietnam beauty and its tourism potentials as well. Besides, Luxury Tour also have budget to sponsor for community activities such as planting tree, building houses for the poor etc. to emphasize that Luxury Tour image is not connected to business only, it is the combination between social responsibility, environmental protection and business. Promotions: Luxury Tour usually takes part in some trade exhibitions in Vietnam and foreign countries. This form of promotional activity enables promotion directly to the consumer for creating word-of-mouth channel. We offer 10% discount for who books tours at exhibitions Branding: Luxury Tour wants to build a friendly image and impress current and potential customers by service quality. Our logo is design with the main color of green and the image of a typical tourist. Our slogan is think nothing.Let us. Operational Plan Sucessful tourism business depends on the service quality. Tourism is unlike other industries. We try to sell invisible products. The key points are how to persuade them to trial our service and how to make them feel undisappoited about their decision.To meet that goal, Luxury Tour must pay attention to setting up a quality control system strictly. Not only checking service from suppliers, employee force must be trainned to serve customer 24/7 . Any problems before, during and after tour need to be solved soon. After each tour, based on their feedback, Luxury Tour have some change to improve more and serve better. Sales promotion Dyring the first six month, Luxury Tour aims to attract customer awareness and introduce our service. We offer customers 5%-10% discount program. When customers know more about us, so discount strategy is not applied. Instead, we focus on added benefits, for example, booking tour to travel across Vietnam, tourists get one buffet ticket at Caravelle Saigon. Advertising Our target segmentation is mid and high income customers. Most of them are businessmen who usually travel by airplain. Thus in our marketing budget, there are amount of money spending to advertising on airline magazines, such as Travel and Entertainment . Public relations Public relation is a tool to improve company image positively. It needs long-term plan. Developing a brand name with the image of friendliness and hospitality, Luxury Tour will organize some special tours called community connection. Joining this, tourists do not only have chance to travel to Vietnam but also join community activities, such as teaching children, planting tree, farming etc. It makes tourists feel that their money is reinvested into society. Direct Marketing In term of direct marketing, there are many forms. To maximize marketing effectiveness, we suggest to combine direct mail, email marketing, social network, brochure and magazine advertising. To get the mid and high income customer database, Luxury Tour could buy from market research companies or take advantage of current database of Spanish travel agencies. Then we will send them our company profile and e-brochure to introduce our service and encorage them to log in our website to receive a 10%-discount travelling coupon for the first visit. Online Marketing Owning a well-designed and multi-function website is a tool to approach targeted customers. Our online travel consultants who comminicate well in English and Spanish are willing to assist customers to search info, design tour itineraries. Customers can book and pay online. The payment method is variable, from bank transfer to PayPal, Master Card, Credit Card etc. Once payment is done, confirmation, receipt, flight e-ticket and a package of Vietnamese information are sent to customers email box. Budgets and action plan Item Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Cost ( USD) Department / Employee name Measure of Success Making business plan, design logo, slogan and complete register documents 1st 1st 2,000 Nguyen Mai Ly The genaral Director Recuit human resource 1st 1st 1,000 HR Department recruit experienced employees Design tour itineraries and deal with suppliers 1st 31st 1,500 Operation Department Tour itineraries are design to meet Luxury Tour targerted market requirement and local suppliers are pleased with our request and agree to offer competative price Contact with some Spanish travel companies, pursuade them to corporate with Luxury Tour and sign the contracts 15th 15th 5,000 Operation Department At least 10 Spanish travel companies are interested in our offers and agree to cooperate with Luxury Tours Design Website and brochure 1st 15th 1,000 Admin Department The website is well designed , easy-to-follow and imformative Discuss with tourism websites for banner exchange 15th 15th 1,000 Sales and Marketing Department our banner is posted at all sites as listed Print brochure and distribute at luxury hotels, Tan Son Nhat airports and other entertainment centers 15th 15th 3,000 Sales and Marketing Department Our brochures are delivered to the targeted customers Advertising on travel magazines and newspapers 15th June 15th December 2011 700 Sales and Marketing Department Luxury Tour information is advertised for 7 months ( June December 2011) Organize tours for 10 major Spanish travel representative and 10 Spanish travel journalists to Vietnam 15th 5th 20,000 Operation Department All guests are pleased with our service and after this tour, ten articles will be written and published over the next month in major travel magazines and website in Spain Opening ceremony 8th 2,000 100 invited guests, including suppliers, Spanish travel companies, press, Spanish businessmen in HCMC and others TOTAL 37,200

Overview of the Monarchs of the Tudor Dynasty Essay examples -- the tu

In 817 Alfred the Great became England’s first ruler, he was the first of many to come. The many King and Queens of England are divided into different eras by families. One of the families was the Tudor family, which is a well-known English monarchy. The Tudors were a family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603 whom ranged from Henry VII to Elizabeth I these rulers were well known because of different attributes they gave England. I will be providing information about all six rulers that reigned England in this distinctive dynasty. Each King or Queen will have information about them in a paragraph, following these paragraphs will be a conclusion summarizing the Tudor family. My work cited page will indicate the ending of my paper. Henry VII Henry VII was the first of the Tudor family, which makes him the founder of the Tudor dynasty. Henrys father was Edmund Tudor a Welshman and his mother was Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of Edward III. The fact that Henry even became King was astonishing because Edward III children were before his marriage and it took some time before the courts approved of his children to be in the royal lineage. Nevertheless he was of royal heritage and became King of England. What solidified his throne though were his marriage and his battle against Richard III.† By 1485 the Wars of the Roses had been raging in England for many years between the Houses of York and Lancaster. The Lancastrian Henry later took for his bride Elizabeth of York thereby uniting the houses.† â€Å"The real matter was decided on the battlefield, at the Battle of Bosworth field. It was here that Henry and his forces met with Richard III and Henry won the crown.† (tudorhistoryHenryVIIpg2)By the end of his reign Henry II ac... ... take her place once she dies. Queen Elizabeth I was the last of the Tudor Dynasty. Although some of the Kings and Queens from the Tudor dynasty did not rule for an extended period of time each of the six rulers were of great importance in order to write history. Works Cited Greaves, Richard L. â€Å"The Tudors† The World book Encyclopedia. A Scott Fetzer Company. Volume 19. Chicago IL: World Book, Inc.2003.Print. Page 481 Crofton, Ian. Kings and Queens of England. Quercus Publishing PLC. London.2008. Print. Pages 134,135,138,140,142,145 Weir, Alison. The six wives of Henry VIII.Gove Press. New York.1991.Page 3 http:/tudorhistory.org/.February 2012. Henry VII King of England pages 2-3 Henry VIII King of England page 2 Lady Jane Grey Queen of Nine Days page 2 Mary I Queen of England pages 3-4 Elizabeth I Queen of England page 2