Character Analysis of Beowulf Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Character Analysis of Beowulf - Research Paper Example The poem â€Å"Beowulf† is itself a trajectory and the poem depicts a journey. The journey of Beowulf’s life can be regarded as the line of action along which this Old Anglo Saxon epic poem proceeds. And it is through the development of the plot of the epic that the development of the character of Beowulf takes place. The poem is actually exploration and exultation of the chivalry and heroism of the protagonist. The character of Beowulf can be analysed from two perspectives and these perspectives divide the poem also into two neat divisions. Beowulf can be analysed from his actions at youth and his actions at a senior age. These actions are again divided into a tripartite pattern of conflicts, first with Grendel, second with Grendel’s mother and the finally with the Dragon. All these conflicts are viewed as display of heroic code by various critics. The two neat phases in Beowulf’s life is separated by a gap of fifty years. In both the phases of Beowulf’s life, he is the undoubted hero. His actions at youth and his actions at age are again marked distinctively by his youthful heroism through the display of unfettered warrior and his actions at age can be viewed as matured heroism displayed through the role of a reliable and a matured king. The poem is all about the transition of the protagonist from one phase of his life to another and while drawing the character sketch of Beowulf, it is necessary to mention that at two separate phases of Beowulf’s life, there are two distinct models of virtue operating. The understanding of these models separately and comparison of the respective models will easily launch us to a realm where the portrait of the protagonist will not have any missing link and shall attain the perfect fulfilment: Beowulf was a marvellous warrior in his youth. He was full of youth, vigour and vitality. Also, he possessed tremendous strength and

A Passage to India Essay Example for Free

A Passage to India Essay Books are truly among the best things ever invented. With thousands of books out there, there are plenty of connections to be made. Here is an example of a connection made when reading this two novels. A Passage to India is a story that takes place in India during the reign of the British Empire. It is truly wonderful when you read a book and manage to make a connection between two different novels. While reading A Passage to India, a connection was made between this book and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In A Passage to India ,There are constant clashes between cultures, races, religion, and even politics. This story depicts India as a world of only two types of people; the British, and everyone else that isn’t British. The British are shown as Superior authority to the Indians. They are very rude and disrespectful. They are very racist towards the Indians. In A Passage to India, the British don’t usually mix and mingle with the Indians because they are both very different groups of people, and the British are seen as racist in this novel. Their cultures are really different, and there religions are by far different. Basically, the Indians and British are segregated. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, whites and blacks are segregated in the southern states due to the era in which the story takes place. Most, if not all, of the blacks are slaves. The whites don’t like the blacks because they are considered lower standard people, slaves. There are only two types of people in this story; whites, and non-whites. Racism is a very common obstacle in our world and is used in many stories to depict and portray certain hardships and time periods of our world. Both of these stories use racism to help portray these two very different settings. In A Passage to India, the British are very harsh and cruel towards the Indians, just like how the whites treat the blacks in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.â€Å"You’re superior to them, anyway. Don’t forget that. You’re superior to everyone in India except one or two of the Ranis, and they’re on equality.†(Forester 42). Mrs. Turton’s statement gives us an example of the racism of a typical Englishwomen. Here she tells Adela that they are superior to Indians in any way possible, even the higher politicians. The authors use statements like these to help the reader be able to imagine how things must be in the particular setting. Here, is a passage from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn which shows us how racism is used to help build up the setting by Mark Twain. â€Å" It was lection day, and I was just  about to go and vote myself if I warnt too drunk to get there; but when they told me there was a State in this country where theyd let that nigger vote, I drawed out. I says Ill never vote agin.†(Sawyer 28). Just because a black man was free to vote in the election, Pap would never vote again because he didn’t believe blacks were good enough to be able to vote in the Election of the President of the USA. He didn’t want to be held to the same standards as blacks, he wanted to be able to be distinguished from blacks and have superiority. In his eyes, blacks were just property. They weren’t meant to be anything other than slaves. This passage helps the reader understand and imagine the harsh setting of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These novels have very different settings but still have one thing in common. These two authors take a risky and sensitive subject like racism to help portray their stories and how they impact the reader. This connection also shows us that there is racism all around the world, even if these are fictional stories. A Passage to India and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn both are stating messages that show how harsh and cruel racism can be, and how it affects people. Racism a very common theme in many stories and there are many connections to be made amongst them. Forster, E. M. A Passage to India, New York: Harcourt, Brace and, 1924. Print. Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.

The Space Race: Is Funding for NASA Still Relevant?

The Space Race: Is Funding for NASA Still Relevant? Abstract Since its inception in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has spent a total $1.3 trillion dollars adjusted for inflation. This paper examines the debate between two opposing views on funding for NASA. The debate is broken down into two groups, pro-funding and anti-funding. The arguments between both sides, while very similar, are opposite in their views. The pro-funding side is in the opinion that, positive economic impact, international relations, and planning for the future call for increased funding. Those anti-funding argue that funding NASA impedes the economy, there is little to no return on investment, and that the United States should be focused on the present, rather than the future. This paper examines both sides of the argument, weighs each of the opinions, and examines how the relationship of this issue is pertains to the field of Public Administration. The author states his view and gives his recommendations on the issue. Keywords: NASA, public funding, public administration, national debt Ten years after the start of the Cold War, the U.S.SR launched the first artificial Earth Satellite into space. In response to tensions with the former Soviet Union, the United States National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, launched its first satellite into space, kick starting what is known as The Space Race. A few months later, NACA was dissolved and superseded into NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Since its founding in July of 1958, NASA has averaged roughly 0.9% (Rawden, 2017) of the annual United States Federal budget. However, since the 1990s, that average has seen a significant decrease. In February of 2016, 58 years since NASA was founded, Congress surpassed NASAs requested budget of $18.5 billion and approved $19.3 billion (AG, 2016) to fund NASA. With the House and Senate both approving a Federal Budget of $3.9 trillion (Congressional Budget Office, 2017), NASAs current budget only equates to 0.49% of the overall budget. However, with C ongress surpassing the NASAs requested budget, this marks the first time in five years they have seen a substantial budget increase. With budget forecasts by the Congressional Budget Office (2016) putting the nation at a debt of $20.1 trillion by 2018, this leaves public administrators to question whether this budget increase and NASA itself is worth the money. As Public Administrators, we can see that the debate over the funding of NASA is broken down into two opposing viewpoints. Those in favor are compelled by several factors, such as, public admiration for NASA, strengthening international relations, and planning for the future. While those opposed argue that funding NASA impedes the economy, there is little to no return on investment, and that the United States should focus on the present, rather than the future. No matter what side you are on, we can see that the debate over the funding of NASA is important to the field of Public Administration. This paper examines both sides of the debate over the funding NASA and how public administrators can use this debate as a case study for future problems. Viewpoint #1: Those in Favor A 2015 PEW Research survey shows that 68% of Americans had a favorable view of NASA (Motel, 2015), with those of higher education having more favorability. The survey also cites a different PEW survey conducted in 2011 that found 58% of the public said it was essential that the U.S. continue to be a world leader in space exploration. These studies confirm that the public has great admiration toward NASA, but there is a need to justify the high price tag of space exploration. This justification can be argued with several factors: Inventions and Technology, International Relations, and Future Planning. Inventions and Technology After a Korean airliner accidentally strayed into Soviet airspace in 1983, and was subsequently shot down, then President Ronald Regan declassified the use of Global Positioning System (Brustein, 2014). This 20-year-old technology was developed during joint experiments between the Navy and NASA using NASAs advancements in satellites and technology. GPS is today one of the most widely used inventions that NASA helped create. However, there are also a wide range of inventions and technology that funding of NASAs research and development helped to create. In NASAs magazine Spinoff (NASA, 2008), they credit themselves with several medical inventions, including artificial limbs improvements, thanks to innovations in robotics and shock-absorbing materials. When NASA needed a stronger material for their landing parachutes, Goodyear developed a new fibrous material that is five times stronger than steel. Goodyear then used this technology in their tires to create the longer-lasting tires we have today. NASA also created Solar Energy technology, which sparked the clean-energy movement. While it is hard to quantify NASAs return on investment, the countless advances they have made on inventions and technology have helped shape our world and boost our economy. International Relations While NASA is the highest spending space agency in the world, there are many other countries that work with the United States to continue space exploration. While the U.S. was the only country to land on the moon, future explorations require international cooperation. In 2006 NASA and China reached an agreement promising that both countries would strengthen exchanges, enhance mutual trust, develop a lasting friendship, and promote cooperation in relevant fields (Foley, 2014). This policy is necessary to continue the economic prosperity and relationship between the two countries. NASA also collaborates with 15 other countries to maintain and expand the International Space Station. This partnership strengthens relationships and encourages trade agreements. In turn, the trade agreements help boost our economy and strengthen NASAs case for a high return on investment. Future Planning Proponents of continuing to fund NASA usually break down Future Planning into two parts: Population Growth and Earth Security. The population is undoubtedly growing exponentially. The UN estimates the world population will reach 9.7 billion people by 2050 (UN, 2015). This growth raises the question of earth sustainability. The world will eventually run out of resources and room to house and feed its people. Many people believe that the solution is in space exploration. With NASA currently planning expeditions to Mars, a planet with possible habitation aspects, there is a strong belief that humans can become an interplanetary species. This belief is only possible if we continue funding NASA, and being the leader in space exploration. Earth Security is another part of NASAs responsibilities. NASA not only monitors the weather, but asteroid and nautical sea patterns. Defunding our space program could potentially be disastrous if NASA could no longer take preventative steps to combat cli mate change. View Point #2: Those Against While there is no doubt there is a great love for NASA, defunding the space program would be beneficial for our economy. PEW Research conducted a study in 2014 finding that although a majority of people were in favor of space exploration, only 22% of people said that the U.S. spends too little on space exploration (Wormald, 2014). This leaves opponents questioning as to why the U.S. spends billions of dollars each year to fund NASA. Those arguing for defunding the space program have three main reasons: NASA impedes the economy, there is little to no return on investment, and that the United States should focus on the present, rather than the future. Impeding the Economy With a forecasted debt of $20.1 trillion by 2018, many politicians are trying to find ways to reduce our spending. While only 0.5% of the national budget, $19.1 billion dollars is no small amount of money. Adjusted for inflation, NASA has accounted for $1.1 trillion in expenditures since its founding in 1958 (Rawden, 2017). Since the introduction of the new fleet of space shuttles in 1971, each launch carries a price tag of around $1.5 billion per flight. Companies such as SpaceX have been awarded contracts totaling $1.6 billion for 6 flights to the ISS. It is no wonder NASA has started to turn towards private companies to send supplies and expeditions into space, when private companies can accomplish the goals at a smaller price. In 2014, NASA announced that U.S. companies SpaceX and Boeing were awarded $6.4 billion for future space flights. All this money could have been allocated toward paying back debts and protecting the financial future of the United States. Return on Investment In the opposing view, I stated that it would be hard to quantify NASAs Return on Investment. This lack of calculation gives cause to those opposed to funding the space program. While NASA is credited with countless inventions, but the price tag for inventing them is hard to justify. A 2011 PEW Research study shows that only 38% of people think the space program contributes to a lot to scientific advancements, and that 52% of people believe that human astronauts are non-essential to the program (Kennedy, 2015). These statistics can be viewed as a misallocation of NASA funding. If there has not been a significant invention since NASA published its 2008 list of technologies that benefit our lives and its last crowning achievement, sending Pathfinder to mars, costing $265 million, NASA has not truly justified its recent return on investment. Prioritizing the Present As NASA continues to look to the future, opponents say we should focus on the present. With a large National Debt, the United States needs to prioritizing its current finances so it can continue to have a future. While the earth is made up of a finite amount of resources, it is unlikely that they will run out before we can fix our economy. The sun is not estimated to begin to die for another 5 billion years (Scudder, 2015), and only 3% of the earth supports more than half of humanity (Nuwer, 2015). In other words, the world is not ending anytime in the foreseeable future, and we are not going to run out of room on earth. Instead of worrying about the future, the U.S. needs to prioritize on the present. NASA needs to look at all their assets, and begin to look at what it can liquidize. The space shuttle program alone is valued at nearly $200 billion (Hsu, 2011).ÂÂ   If the U.S. defunded NASA and worked toward privatizing the program and selling its assets, the U.S. could be benef icial toward reducing the U.S. debt. The Military and Department of Defense need to absorb most of NASA while privatizing and selling the rest. Afterwards, the U.S. needs to begin to cut the enormous Defense Budget, to make up most, if not all, of the deficit.ÂÂ   If the United States focuses on prioritizing the present, by takes steps to reduce its expenditures, such as reducing or eliminating NASAs budget, we can begin to see a brighter, less constrictive future. Assessing the Arguments Both sides of the debate have similar yet conflicting arguments. The pro-funding NASA side argues that NASA boosts the economy by, facilitating inventions and new technology, strengthening international relations, and planning for the future. While those against argue that funding NASA impedes the economy, there is little to no return on investment, and that the United States should focus on the present, rather than the future. Whether NASA helps to boost or impedes the economy is the biggest aspect of the debate. While the space agency can never truly be recognized for their accomplishments, it is my belief that NASA has helped the economy in the past and is no longer the innovative and economically stimulating agency it once was. Public interest in NASA is starting to dwindle as much as their budget, and it is only time before private companies, such as SpaceX start to take over. There is also no doubt that NASA has strengthened our international relationships with other space-orie nted nations. These relationships facilitate our trade agreements with one another, boosting our economy. If the U.S. were to defund NASA, it would make it hard to find a new avenue in which to continue those relationships. In the final argument, Future versus Present orientation, is the most heated side of the debate. At only 0.49% of the U.S. Budget, defunding NASA would hardly make a dent in the debt. However, the U.S. needs to start somewhere, as every little bit helps. If the U.S. were to privatize and sell NASAs assets, it would be able to make a noticeable difference on tackling the debt. Conclusion and Recommendation As Public Administrators, we should be concerned at every aspect of our national budget. I believe we should either go all in and increase funding of NASA, or privatize and sell the assets.ÂÂ   Both sides of the debate have compelling sides. If we were to increase the budget, we would continue international cooperation and trade agreements, possibly continue to see new inventions and technologies, and facilitate Americans love of space travel. However, forced to choose a side, I believe we should take the opposite route. The national debt is wildly out of control and if we do not take steps to fix our mistakes, the world could see a disastrous economic depression. By selling off some of NASAs assets to private companies and foreign countries, the U.S. would, in turn, can cash a sizable paycheck, and begin to pay off its debts. By privatizing NASA, the U.S. can also begin to turn the $19 billion funding toward the debt. If we do not begin to take action against our debt, the curr ent and future generations may see a disastrous financial future. The United States cannot continue down the current financial path it is taking, and defunding of NASA is a crucial step on the road to recovery. If the U.S. takes the route toward defunding NASA, that road can be used as a vital case study for Public Administrators. We will be faced at a time to do what is popular versus what is economically feasible. In times of economic hardship, the right path is not always the easiest. References AG: News Reviews in Astronomy Geophysics. (2016). U.S. boosts budget for NASA. Astronomy Geophysics, Vol. 57 Issue 1, p1.7 https://doiorg.spot.lib.auburn.edu/10.1093/astrogeo/atw014 Brustein, Joshua. (2014, December 4) GPS as We Know It Happened Because of Ronald Reagan. Bloomberg. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-12- 04/gps-as-we-know-it-happened-because-of-ronald-reagan Congressional Budget Office. (2017, February 8). The Federal Budget in 2016: An Infographic. Retrieved from https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52408 Congressional Budget Office. (2016, January 25). The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2016 to 2026. Retrieved from https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress-2015-2016/reports/51129-2016outlook.pdf Foley, Jordan. (2014, April 16) Strategy for International Cooperation in Planning the Chinese Space Station. MIT Political Science Department Research. Retrieved from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID2425862_code1609318.pdf?abstracti d=2425862mirid=1 Hsu, Jeremy. (2011, April 11). Total Cost of NASAs Space Shuttle Program: Nearly $200 Billion. Astrobiology Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.space.com/11358-nasa- space-shuttle-program-cost-30-years.html?_ga=1.261610826.693458589.1485213070 Kennedy, Brian. (2015, July 14). 5 facts about Americans views on space exploration. Fact Tank. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/14/5-facts-about- americans-views-on-space-exploration/ Motel, Seth. (2015, February 3) NASA Popularity Still Sky-High. Fact Tank. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/03/nasa-popularity-still-sky-high/ NASA (2008) NASA Technologies Benefit Our Lives. Spinoff. Retrieved from https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html Nuwer, Rachel (2015, September 1). Is the world running out of space? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150901-is-the-world-running-out-of-space Rawden, Zachary. (2017, February 10). NASA Budgetary Breakdown. Retrieved from https://1drv.ms/x/s!AqSRkru4qW2DlGLiBv3dpnZnmNwA Scudder, Jillian. (2015, February 13). The sun wont die for 5 billion years, so why do humans have only 1 billion years left on Earth?. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2015-02-sun-wont-die-billion-years.html UN. (2015, July 29). World population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html Wormald, Benjamin. (2014, April 23). Americans keen on space exploration, less so on paying for it. Fact Tank. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact- tank/2014/04/23/americans-keen-on-space-exploration-less-so-on-paying-for-it/

The Samurai: Warrior and Ruler of Ancient Japan Essay -- essays resear

The Samurai: Warrior and Ruler of Ancient Japan Few countries have a warrior tradition as long and exciting as Japan. It is a tradition found in the Samurai, the loyal and self-sacrificing knight of ancient Japan. The Samurai is a valiant warrior who can both appreciate the beauty of nature in that of a rose blossom but will also kill or die for his master in an instant. This well-rounded warrior was the ruling class of Japan for almost seven hundred years. He fought for control of his country and to keep Japan free from outside influences. (Turnbull 1) This aristocratic warrior class arose during the 12th century wars between the Taira and Minamoto clans and was consolidated in the Tokugawa period. Samurai were privileged to wear two swords, and at one time had the right to cut down any commoner who offended them. They cultivated the martial virtues, indifference to pain or death, and unfailing loyalty to their overlords. Samurai were the dominant group in Japan. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the samurai were removed from direct control of the villages, moved into the domain castle towns, and given government stipends. They were encouraged to take up bureaucratic posts. The Hagakure, has been dubbed the book of the samurai. It was written after a century of peace around 1716. It came to be the guide of samurai ethics until the end of the feudal period. Its short passages reflect and outline the qualities that make a samurai. Yamamoto Tsunetomo expresses in the hagakure the framework and mindset of being a samurai. â€Å"Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the samurai, it would seem that we are all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask, ‘what is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?’ the person who should be able to answer promptly is rare. This is because it has not been established in one’s mind beforehand. From this, one’s unmindfulness of the Way can be known. Negligence is an extreme thing.† (Wilson, 17) â€Å"The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To say that dying without reaching one’s aim is to die a dog’s death is the frivolous way of sophisticates. When pressed with the choice of life or death, it is not necessary to gain one’s aim. We all want to live. And in large p... ...scious choice and so fostered individual initiative while yet reasserting the obligations of loyalty and filial piety. Obedience to authority was stressed, but duty came first even if it entailed violation of statue law. In such an instance, the true samurai would prove his sincerity and expiate his crime against the government by subsequently taking his own life. By mid-19th century, Bushido standards had become the general ideal, and the legal abolition of the samurai class in 1871 made Bushido even more the property of the entire nation. In the public education system, with the emperor replacing the feudal lord as the object of loyalty and sacrifice, Bushido became the foundation of ethical training. As such, it contributed both to the arise of Japanese nationalism and to the strengthening of wartime civilian morale up to 1945. The term â€Å"Samurai† means those who serve. These mystical knights served many functions in Japanese society. During time of war, they were the masters of the battlefield. In peace they were the administrators and the aristocrats. As statesmen, soldiers, and businessmen, former samurai took the lead in building modern Japan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 19 HATE

WE MADE OUR FLIGHT WITH SECONDS TO SPARE, AND THEN the true torture began. The plane sat idle on the tarmac while the flight attendants strolledso casuallyup and down the aisle, patting the bags in the overhead compartments to make sure everything fit. The pilots leaned out of the cockpit, chatting with them as they passed. Alice's hand was hard on my shoulder, holding me in my seat while I bounced anxiously up and down. â€Å"It's faster than running,† she reminded me in a low voice. I just nodded in time with my bouncing. At last the plane rolled lazily from the gate, building speed with a gradual steadiness that tortured me further. I expected some kind of relief when we achieved liftoff, but my frenzied impatience didn't lessen. Alice lifted the phone on the back of the seat in front of her before we'd stopped climbing, turning her back on the stewardess who eyed her with disapproval. Something about my expression stopped the stewardess from coming over to protest. I tried to tune out what Alice was murmuring to Jasper; I didn't want to hear the words again, but some slipped through. â€Å"I can't be sure, I keep seeing him do different things, he keeps changing his mind A killing spree through the city, attacking the guard, lifting a car over his head in the main square mostly things that would expose themhe knows that's the fastest way to force a reaction† â€Å"No, you can't.† Alice's voice dropped till it was nearly inaudible, though I was sitting inches from her. Contrarily, I listened harder. â€Å"Tell Emmett no Well, go after Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back Think about it, Jasper. If he sees any of us, what do you think he will do?† She nodded. â€Å"Exactly. I think Bella is the only chanceif there is a chance I'll do everything that can be done, but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good.† She laughed then, and there was a catch in her voice. â€Å"I've thought of that Yes, I promise.† Her voice became pleading. â€Å"Don't follow me. I promise, Jasper. One way or another, I'll get out And I love you.† She hung up, and leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed. â€Å"I hate lying to him.† â€Å"Tell me everything, Alice,† I begged. â€Å"I don't understand. Why did you tell Jasper to stop Emmett, why can't they come help us?† â€Å"Two reasons,† she whispered, her eyes still closed. â€Å"The first I told him. We could try to stop Edward ourselvesif Emmett could get his hands on him, we might be able to stop him long enough to convince him you're alive. But we can't sneak up on Edward. And if he sees us coming for him, he'll just act that much faster. He'll throw a Buiclc through a wall or something, and the Volturi will take him down. â€Å"That's the second reason of course, the reason I couldn't say to Jasper. Because if they're there and the Volturi kill Edward, they'll fight them. Bella.† She opened her eyes and stared at me, beseeching. â€Å"If there were any chance we could win if there were a way that the four of us could save my brother by fighting for him, maybe it would be different. But we can't, and, Bella, I can't lose Jasper like that.† I realized why her eyes begged for my understanding. She was protecting Jasper, at our expense, and maybe at Edward's, too. I understood, and I did not think badly of her. I nodded. â€Å"Couldn't Edward hear you, though.'† I asked. â€Å"Wouldn't he know, as soon as he heard your thoughts, that I was alive, that there was no point to this?† Not that there was any justification, either way. I still couldn't believe that he was capable of reacting like this. It made no sense! I remembered with painful clarity his words that day on the sofa, while we watched Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, one after the other. I wasn't going to live without you, he'd said, as if it should be such an obvious conclusion. But the words he had spoken in the forest as he'd left me had canceled all that outforcefully. â€Å"If he were listening,† she explained. â€Å"But believe it or not, it's possible to lie with your thoughts. If you had died, I would still try to stop him. And I would be thinking ‘she's alive, she's alive' as hard as I could. He knows that.† I ground my teeth in mute frustration. â€Å"If there were any way to do this without you, Bella, I wouldn't be endangering you like this. It's very wrong of me.† â€Å"Don't be stupid. I'm the last thing you should be worrying about.† I shook my head impatiently. â€Å"Tell me what you meant, about hating to lie to Jasper.† She smiled a grim smile. â€Å"I promised him I would get out before they killed me, too. It's not something I can guaranteenot by a long shot.† She raised her eyebrows, as if willing me to take the danger more seriously. â€Å"Who are these Volturi?† I demanded in a whisper. â€Å"What makes them so much more dangerous than Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and you?† It was hard to imagine something scarier than that. She took a deep breath, and then abruptly leveled a dark glance over my shoulder. I turned in time to see the man in the aisle seat looking away as if he wasn't listening to us. He appeared to be a businessman, in a dark suit with a power tie and a laptop on his knees. While I stared at him with irritation, he opened the computer and very conspicuously put headphones on. I leaned closer to Alice. Her lips were at my ears as she breathed the story. â€Å"I was surprised that you recognized the name,† she said. â€Å"That you understood so immediately what it meantwhen I said he was going to Italy. I thought I would have to explain. How much did Edward tell you?† â€Å"He just said they were an old, powerful familylike royalty. That you didn't antagonize them unless you wanted to die,† I whispered. The last word was hard to choke out. â€Å"You have to understand,† she said, her voice slower, more measured now. â€Å"We Cullens are unique in more ways than you know. It's abnormal for so many of us to live together in peace. It's the same for Tanya's family in the north, and Carlisle speculates that abstaining makes it easier for us to be civilized, to form bonds based on love rather than survival or convenience. Even James's little coven of three was unusually largeand you saw how easily Laurent left them. Our kind travel alone, or in pairs, as a general rule. Carlisle's family is the biggest in existence, as far as I know, with the one exception. The Volturi. â€Å"There were three of them originally, Aro, Caius, and Marcus.† â€Å"I've seen them,† I mumbled. â€Å"In the picture in Carlisle's study.† Alice nodded. â€Å"Two females joined them over time, and the five of them make up the family. I'm not sure, but I suspect that their age is what gives them the ability to live peacefully together. They are well over three thousand years old. Or maybe it's their gifts that give them extra tolerance. Like Edward and I, Aro and Marcus are talented.† She continued before I could ask. â€Å"Or maybe it's just their love of power that binds them together. Royalty is an apt description.† â€Å"But if there are only five† â€Å"Five that make up the family,† she corrected. â€Å"That doesn't include their guard.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"That sounds serious.† â€Å"Oh, it is,† she assured me. â€Å"There were nine members of the guard that were permanent, the last time we heard. Others are more transitory. It changes. And many of them are gifted as wellwith formidable gifts, gifts that make what I can do look like a parlor trick. The Volturi chose them for their abilities, physical or otherwise.† I opened my mouth, and then closed it. I didn't think I wanted to know how bad the odds were. She nodded again, as if she understood exactly what I was thinking. â€Å"They don't get into too many confrontations. No one is stupid enough to mess with them. They stay in their city, leaving only as duty calls.† â€Å"Duty?† I wondered. â€Å"Didn't Edward tell you what they do?† â€Å"No,† I said, feeling the blank expression on my face. Alice looked over my head again, toward the businessman, and put her wintry lips back to my ear. â€Å"There's a reason he called them royalty the ruling class. Over the millennia, they have assumed the position of enforcing our ruleswhich actually translates to punishing transgressors. They fulfill that duty decisively.† My eyes popped wide with shock. â€Å"There are rules?† I asked in a voice that was too loud. â€Å"Shh!† â€Å"Shouldn't somebody have mentioned this to me earlier?† I whispered angrily. â€Å"I mean, I wanted to be a to be one of you! Shouldn't somebody have explained the rules to me?† Alice chuckled once at my reaction. â€Å"It's not that complicated, Bella. There's only one core restrictionand if you think about it, you can probably figure it out for yourself.† I thought about it. â€Å"Nope, I have no idea.† She shook her head, disappointed. â€Å"Maybe it's too obvious. We just have to keep our existence a secret.† â€Å"Oh,† I mumbled. It was obvious. â€Å"It makes sense, and most of us don't need policing,† she continued. â€Å"But, after a few centuries, sometimes one of us gets bored. Or crazy. I dor't know. And then the Volturi step in before it can compromise them, or the rest of us.† â€Å"So Edward† â€Å"Is planning to flout that in their own citythe city they've secretly held for three thousand years, since the time of the Etruscans. They are so protective of their city that they don't allow hunting within its walls. Volterra is probably the safest city in the worldfrom vampire attack at the very least.† â€Å"But you said they didn't leave. How do they eat?† â€Å"They don't leave. They bring in their food from the outside, from quite far away sometimes. It gives their guard something to do when they're not out annihilating mavericks. Or protecting Volterra from exposure† â€Å"From situations like this one, like Edward,† I finished her sentence. It was amazingly easy to say his name now. I wasn't sure what the difference was. Maybe because I wasn't really planning on living much longer without seeing him. Or at all, if we were too late. It was comforting to know that I would have an easy out. â€Å"I doubt they've ever had a situation quite like this,† she muttered, disgusted. â€Å"You don't get a lot of suicidal vampires.† The sound that escaped out of my mouth was very quiet, but Alice seemed to understand that it was a cry of pain. She wrapped her thin, strong arm around my shoulders. â€Å"We'll do what we can, Bella. It's not over yet.† â€Å"Not yet.† I let her comfort me, though I knew she thought our chances were poor. â€Å"And the Volturi will get us if we mess up.† Alice stiffened. â€Å"You say that like it's a good thing.† I shrugged. â€Å"Knock it off, Bella, or we're turning around in New York and going back to Forks.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"You know what. If we're too late for Edward, I'm going to do my damnedest to get you back to Charlie, and I don't want any trouble from you. Do you understand that?† â€Å"Sure, Alice.† She pulled back slightly so that she could glare at me. â€Å"No trouble.† â€Å"Scout's honor,† I muttered. She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Let me concentrate, now. I'm trying to see what he's planning.† She left her arm around me, but let her head fall back against the seat and closed her eyes. She pressed her free hand to the side of her face, rubbing her fingertips against her temple. I watched her in fascination for a long time. Eventually, she became utterly motionless, hei face like a stone sculpture. The minutes passed, and if I didn't know better, I would have thought she'd fallen asleep. I didn't dare interrupt her to ask what was going on. I wished there was something safe for me to think about. I couldn't allow myself to consider the horrors we were headed toward, or, more horrific yet, the chance that we might failnot if I wanted to keep from screaming aloud. I couldn't anticipate anything, either. Maybe, if I were very, very, very lucky, I would somehow be able to save Edward. But I wasn't so stupid as to think that saving him would mean that I could stay with him. I was no different, no more special than I'd been before. There would be no new reason for him to want me now. Seeing him and losing him again I fought back against the pain. This was the price I had to pay to save his life. I would pay it. They showed a movie, and my neighbor got headphones. Sometimes I watched the figures moving across the little screen, but I couldn't even tell if the movie was supposed to be a romance or a horror film. After an eternity, the plane began to descend toward New York City. Alice remained in her trance. I dithered, reaching out to touch her, only to pull my hand back again. This happened a dozen times before the plane touched town with a jarring impact. â€Å"Alice,† I finally said. â€Å"Alice, we have to go.† I touched her arm. Her eyes came open very slowly. She shook her head from side to side for a moment. â€Å"Anything new?† I asked in a low voice, conscious of the man listening on the other side of me. â€Å"Not exactly,† she breathed in a voice I could barely catch. â€Å"He's getting closer. He's deciding how he's going to ask.† We had to run for our connection, but that was goodbetter than having to wait. As soon as the plane was in the air, Alice closed her eyes and slid back into the same stupor as before. I waited as patiently as I could. When it was dark again, I opened the window to stare out into the flat black that was no better than the window shade. I was grateful that I'd had so many months' practice with controlling my thoughts. Instead of dwelling on the terrifying possibilities that, no matter what Alice said, I did not intend to survive, I concentrated on lesser problems. Like, what I was going to say to Charlie if I got back:' That was a thorny enough problem to occupy several hours. And Jacob? He'd promised to wait for me, but did that promise still apply? Would I end up home alone in Forks, with no one at all? Maybe I didn't want to survive, no matter what happened. It felt like seconds later when Alice shook my shoulderI hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep. â€Å"Bella,† she hissed, her voice a little too loud in the darkened cabin full of sleeping humans. I wasn't disorientedI hadn't been out long enough for that. â€Å"What's wrong?† Alice's eyes gleamed in the dim light of a reading lamp in the row behind us. â€Å"It's not wrong.† She smiled fiercely. â€Å"It's right. They're deliberating, but they've decided to tell him no.† â€Å"The Volturi?† I muttered, groggy. â€Å"Of course, Bella, keep up. I can see what they're going to say.† â€Å"Tellme.† An attendant tiptoed down the aisle to us. â€Å"Can I get you ladies a pillow?† His hushed whisper was a rebuke to our comparatively loud conversation. â€Å"No, thank you.† Alice beamed at up at him, her smile shockingly lovely. The attendant's expression was dazed as he turned and stumbled his way back. â€Å"Tell me,† I breathed almost silently. She whispered into my ear. â€Å"They're interested in himthey think his talent could be uselul. They're going to offer him a place with them.† â€Å"What will he say?† â€Å"I can't see that yet, but I'll bet it's colorful.† She grinned again. â€Å"This is the first good newsthe first break. They're intrigued; they truly don't want to destroy him'wasteful,' that's the word Aro will useand that may be enough to force him to get creative. The longer he spends on his plans, the better for us.† It wasn't enough to make me hopeful, to make me feel the relief she obviously felt. There were still so many ways that we could be too late. And if I didn't get through the walls into the Volturi city, I wouldn't be able to stop Alice from dragging me back home. â€Å"Alice?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I'm confused. How are you seeing this so clearly? And then other times, you see things far awaythings that don't happen?† Her eyes tightened. I wondered if she guessed what I was thinking of. â€Å"It's clear because it's immediate and close, and I'm really concentrating. The faraway things that come on their ownthose are just glimpses, faint maybes. Plus, I see my kind more easily than yours. Edward is even easier because I'm so attuned to him.† â€Å"You see me sometimes,† I reminded her. She shook her head. â€Å"Not as clearly.† I sighed. â€Å"I really wish you could have been right about me. In the beginning, when you first saw things about me, before we even met† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"You saw me become one of you.† I barely mouthed the words. She sighed. â€Å"It was a possibility at the time.† â€Å"At the time,† I repeated. â€Å"Actually, Bella† She hesitated, and then seemed to make a choice. â€Å"Honestly, I think it's all gotten beyond ridiculous. I'm debating whether to just change you myself.† I stared at her, frozen with shock. Instantly, my mind resisted her words. I couldn't afford that kind of hope if she changed her mind. â€Å"Did I scare you?† she wondered. â€Å"I thought that's what you wanted.† â€Å"I do!† I gasped. â€Å"Oh, Alice, do it now! I could help you so muchand I wouldn't slow you down. Bite me!† â€Å"Shh,† she cautioned. The attendant was looking in our direction again. â€Å"Try to be reasonable,† she whispered. â€Å"We don't have enough time. We have to get into Volterra tomorrow. You'd be writhing in pain for days.† She made a face. â€Å"And I don't think the other passengers would react well.† I bit my lip. â€Å"If you don't do it now, you'll change your mind.† â€Å"No.† She frowned, her expression unhappy. â€Å"I don't think I will. He'll be furious, but what will he be able to do about it?† My heart beat faster. â€Å"Nothing at all.† She laughed quietly, and then sighed. â€Å"You have too much faith in me, Bella. I'm not sure that I can. I'll probably just end up killing you.† â€Å"I'll take my chances.† â€Å"You are so bizarre, even for a human.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Oh well, this is purely hypothetical at this point, anyway. First we have to live through tomorrow.† â€Å"Good point.† But at least I had something to hope for if we did. If Alice made good on her promiseand if she didn't kill methen Edward could run after his distractions all he wanted, and I could follow. I wouldn't let him be distracted. Maybe, when I was beautiful and strong, he wouldn't want distractions. â€Å"Go back to sleep,† she encouraged me. â€Å"I'll wake you up when there's something new.† â€Å"Right,† I grumbled, certain that sleep was a lost cause now. Alice pulled her legs up on the seat, wrapping her arms around them and leaning her forehead against her knees. She rocked back and forth as she concentrated. I rested my head against the seat, watching her, and the next thing I knew, she was snapping the shade closed against the faint brightening in the eastern sky. â€Å"What's happening?† I mumbled. â€Å"They've told him no,† she said quietly. I noticed at once that her enthusiasm was gone. My voice choked in my throat with panic. â€Å"What's he going to do?† â€Å"It was chaotic at first. I was only getting flickers, he was changing plans so quickly.† â€Å"What kinds of plans?† I pressed. â€Å"There was a bad hour,† she whispered. â€Å"He'd decided to go hunting.† She looked at me, seeing the comprehension in my face. â€Å"In the city,† she explained. â€Å"It got very close. He changed his mind at the last minute.† â€Å"He wouldn't want to disappoint Carlisle,† I mumbled. Not at the end. â€Å"Probably,† she agreed. â€Å"Will there be enough time?† As I spoke, there was a shift in the cabin pressure. I could feel the plane angling downward. â€Å"I'm hoping soif he sticks to his latest decision, maybe.† â€Å"What is that?† â€Å"He's going to keep it simple. He's just going to walk out into the sun.† Just walk out into the sun. That was all. It would be enough. The image of Edward in the meadowglowing, shimmering like his skin was made of a million diamond facetswas burned into my memory. No human who saw that would ever forget. The Volturi couldn't possibly allow it. Not if they wanted to keep their city inconspicuous. I looked at the slight gray glow that shone through the opened windows. â€Å"We'll be too late,† I whispered, my throat closing in panic. She shook her head. â€Å"Right now, he's leaning toward the melodramatic. He wants the biggest audience possible, so he'll choose the main plaza, under the clock tower. The walls are high there. He'll wait till the sun is exactly overhead.† â€Å"So we have till noon?† â€Å"If we're lucky. If he sticks with this decision.† The pilot came on over the intercom, announcing, first in French and then in English, our imminent landing. The seat belt lights dinged and flashed. â€Å"How far is it from Florence to Volterra?† â€Å"That depends on how fast you drive Bella?† â€Å"Yes?† She eyed me speculatively. â€Å"How strongly are you opposed to grand theft auto?† A bright yellow Porsche screamed to a stop a few feet in front of where I paced, the word TURBO scrawled in silver cursive across its back. Everyone beside me on the crowded airport sidewalk stared. â€Å"Hurry, Bella!† Alice shouted impatiently through the open passenger window. I ran to the door and threw myself in, feeling as though I might as well be wearing a black stocking over my head. â€Å"Sheesh, Alice,† I complained. â€Å"Could you pick a more conspicuous car to steal?† The interior was black leather, and the windows were tinted dark. It felt safer inside, like nighttime. Alice was already weaving, too fast, through the thick airport trafficsliding through tiny spaces between the cars as I cringed and fumbled for my seat belt. â€Å"The important question,† she corrected, â€Å"is whether I could have stolen a faster car, and I don't think so. I got lucky.† â€Å"I'm sure that will be very comforting at the roadblock.† She trilled a laugh. â€Å"Trust me, Bella. If anyone sets up a roadblock, it will be behind us.† She hit the gas then, as if to prove her point. I probably should have watched out the window as first the city of Florence and then the Tuscan landscape flashed past with blurring speed. This was my first trip anywhere, and maybe my last, too. But Alice's driving frightened me, despite the fact that I knew I could trust her behind the wheel. And I was too tortured with anxiety to really see the hills or the walled towns that looked like castles in the distance. â€Å"Do you see anything more?† â€Å"There's something going on,† Alice muttered. â€Å"Some kind of festival. The streets are full of people and red flags. What's the date today?† I wasn't entirely sure. â€Å"The nineteenth, maybe?† â€Å"Well, that's ironic. It's Saint Marcus Day.† â€Å"Which means?† She chuckled darkly. â€Å"The city holds a celebration every year. As the legend goes, a Christian missionary, a Father MarcusMarcus of the Voltun, in factdrove all the vampires from Volterra fifteen hundred years ago. The story claims he was martyred in Romania, still trying to drive away the vampire scourge. Of course that's nonsensehe's never left the city. But that's where some of the superstitions about things like crosses and garlic come from. Father Marcus used them so successfully. And vampires don't trouble Volterra, so they must work.† Her smile was sardonic. â€Å"It's become more of a celebration of the city, and recognition for the police forceafter all, Volterra is an amazingly safe city. The police get the credit.† I was realizing what she meant when she'd said ironic. â€Å"They're not going to be very happy if Edward messes things up for them on St. Marcus Day, are they?† She shook her head, her expression grim. â€Å"No. They'll act very quickly.† I looked away, fighting against my teeth as they tried to break through the skin of my lower lip. Bleeding was not the best idea right now. The sun was terrifyingly high in the pale blue sky. â€Å"He's still planning on noon?† I checked. â€Å"Yes. He's decided to wait. And they're waiting for him.† â€Å"Tell me what I have to do.† She kept her eyes on the winding roadthe needle on the speedometer was touching the far right on the dial. â€Å"You don't have to do anything. He just has to see you before he moves into the light. And he has to see you before he sees me.† â€Å"How are we going to work that?† A small red car seemed to be racing backward as Alice zoomed around it. â€Å"I'm going to get you as close as possible, and then you're going to run in the direction I point you.† I nodded. â€Å"Try not to trip,† she added. â€Å"We don't have time for a concussion today.† I groaned. That would be just like meruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness. The sun continued to climb in the sky while Alice raced against it. It was too brigh:, and that had me panicking. Maybe he wouldn't feel the need to wait for noon after all. â€Å"There,† Alice said abruptly, pointing to the castle city atop the closest hill. I stared at it, feeling the very first hint of a new kind of fear. Every minute since yesterday morningit seemed like a week agowhen Alice had spoken his name at the foot of the stairs, there had been only one fear. And yet, now, as I stared at the ancient sienna walls and towers crowning the peak of the steep hill, I felt another, more selfish kind of dread thrill through me. I supposed the city was very beautiful. It absolutely terrified me. â€Å"Volterra,† Alice announced in a flat, icy voice.

Glorious Death essays

Glorious Death essays With the current situations in Angola and Kosovo. And Past situations like the Civil War and WWII. A question arises. Is it glorious to die for your country?.... This question has been posed to many young people about to embark on war although the answer has usually been 'yes' in response to their country due mainly to the fact that the government instills it in the people of the country to support one's country and one way is to send young abled bodied men into the army. If you were one individual that was not in favour of fighting for your country you would surely become an outcast by the countries people. To avoid ridicule and becoming outcasted by the people living around you, you would join the army just in the thought that you were obligated to for the sole sake of your country. Such thoughts were reinforced by the government promotion of propaganda. Glorifying death is not needed to be taught and should be up to the sole individual. School systems should teach an unbiased point of view of war to enable the child to make their own decision Within the education system it was instructed to the teachers to teach the children at a young age during the brink of war to instill that their the life of the country and for them to defend their country against the enemy. Teachers showed being in a army was representing honour and the pride of the country. Guilt was laid on the students who showed rebellion by the teacher. Many times the teacher would try to show a soldier that looks happy and content trying to represent being a soldier makes you happy and content. Many young inexperienced soldiers were sent to training camps near the battle fields that they would soon be sent to fight, for their country and their life. The training camps were situated on similar enviroments that resembled the battle fields of where the ...

Fermion Definition in Physics

Fermion Definition in Physics In particle physics, a fermion is a type of particle that obeys the rules of Fermi-Dirac statistics, namely the Pauli Exclusion Principle. These fermions also have a quantum spin with contains a half-integer value, such as 1/2, -1/2, -3/2, and so on. (By comparison, there are other types of particles, called bosons, that have an integer spin, such as 0, 1, -1, -2, 2, etc.) What Makes Fermions So Special Fermions are sometimes called matter particles, because they are the particles that make up most of what we think of as physical matter in our world, including protons, neutrons, and electrons. Fermions were first predicted in 1925 by the physicist Wolfgang Pauli, who was trying to figure out how to explain the atomic structure proposed in 1922 by Niels Bohr. Bohr had used experimental evidence to build an atomic model which contained electron shells, creating stable orbits for electrons to move around the atomic nucleus. Though this matched well with the evidence, there was no particular reason why this structure would be stable and thats the explanation that Pauli was trying to reach. He realized that if you assigned quantum numbers (later named quantum spin) to these electrons, then there seemed to be some sort of principle which meant that no two of the electrons could be in exactly the same state. This rule became known as the Pauli Exclusion Principle. In 1926, Enrico Fermi and Paul Dirac independently tried to understand other aspects of seemingly-contradictory electron behavior and, in doing so, established a more complete statistical way of dealing with electrons. Though Fermi developed the system first, they were close enough and both did enough work that posterity has dubbed their statistical method Fermi-Dirac statistics, though the particles themselves were named after Fermi himself. The fact that fermions cannot all collapse into the same state - again, thats the ultimate meaning of the Pauli Exclusion Principle - is very important. The fermions within the sun (and all other stars) are collapsing together under the intense force of gravity, but they cannot fully collapse because of the Pauli Exclusion Principle. As a result, there is a pressure generated that pushes against the gravitational collapse of the stars matter. It is this pressure which generates the solar heat that fuels not only our planet but so much of the energy in the rest of our universe ... including the very formation of heavy elements, as described by stellar nucleosynthesis. Fundamental Fermions There are a total of 12 fundamental fermions - fermions that arent made up of smaller particles - that have been experimentally identified. They fall into two categories: Quarks - Quarks are the particles that make up hadrons, such as protons and neutrons. There are 6 distinct types of quarks:Up QuarkCharm QuarkTop QuarkDown QuarkStrange QuarkBottom QuarkLeptons - There are 6 types of leptons:ElectronElectron NeutrinoMuonMuon NeutrinoTauTau Neutrino In addition to these particles, the theory of supersymmetry predicts that every boson would have a so-far-undetected fermionic counterpart. Since there are 4 to 6 fundamental bosons, this would suggest that - if supersymmetry is true - there are another 4 to 6 fundamental fermions that have not yet been detected, presumably because they are highly unstable and have decayed into other forms. Composite Fermions Beyond the fundamental fermions, another class of fermions can be created by combining fermions together (possibly along with bosons) to get a resulting particle with a half-integer spin. The quantum spins add up, so some basic mathematics shows that any particle which contains an odd number of fermions is going to end up with a half-integer spin and, therefore, will be a fermion itself. Some examples include: Baryons - These are particles, like protons and neutrons, that are composed of three quarks joined together. Since each quark has a half-integer spin, the resulting baryon will always have a half-integer spin, no matter which three types of quark join together to form it.Helium-3 - Contains 2 protons and 1 neutron in the nucleus, along with 2 electrons circling it. Since there is an odd number of fermions, the resulting spin is a half-integer value. This means that helium-3 is a fermion as well. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.