Exploring Gender Conventions in Film Essay

The American melodrama film, Mildred Pierce, directed by Todd Haynes, was based on the 1941 novel, written by James Cain. Mildred Pierce explores the roles of gender and class during the economic hardships of the stock market crash and the depression. This novel is a very effective representation of the 1930’s and 1940’s turmoil. An interview with Todd Haynes titled, â€Å"Something That is Dangerous and Arousing and Transgressive,† was done by Julia Leyda; and in that interview, Todd Haynes explains that women, â€Å"struggle with their embodiment, their identity, their social positions† (Leyda). James Cain created Mildred to be a woman who expressed many different attributes that women would not normally have during this time period and with the happening of the Great Depression. In his novel, Mildred represents a lower-middle-class woman who went through a divorce. Although she is a single parent in the beginning of the book, or as her friend Lucy calls it, a â€Å"grass widow,† she has the ambition to work and help Bert provide for their family. This book touches on a different aspect of gender expectations because during this time period many of the men did not have jobs and the women were the one’s working and earning money. This is evident through her ex-husband Bert, and her new husband (later in the film), Monty. Neither of them had jobs, she refers to them as loafs, and she does all that she can to provide for them. Mildred is embarrassed by some of the job offerings she got and does not want to disappoint her self-aggrandizing daughter. As mentioned in chapter five, it is obvious that Mildred fears Veda. The novel reads: She was afraid of Veda, of her snobbery, her contempt, her unbreakable spirit. And she was afraid of something that seemed always lurking under Veda’s bland, phony toniness: a cold, cruel, coarse desire to torture her mother, to humiliate her, above everything else, to hurt her. Mildred apparently yearned for warm affection from this child[†¦ ] but all she ever got was a stagy, affected counterfeit. (Cain 86) Mildred was constantly trying to impress Veda and her dreams of becoming rich, whereas in this family’s present state, it was almost impossible. Mildred even had to break down and beat Veda because she had been so vicious toward her when all Mildred ever did was bust her ass to earn enough money for her children. And for a while, Mildred even kept work a secret so that her own children would not have to worry about their family falling apart and finding out that they were lower middle class. One really important part of this book was when Mildred stood up to Veda and said, â€Å"You may not realize it, but everything you have costs money, from the maid that you ordered to go traipsing with you to the pool, to your food, and everything else that you have† (Cain 85). Mildred has a strong will to keep her family strong, but at the same time she faces two weaknesses: sleeping with men, and having a strong devotion to please her daughter Veda, who lives in a fantasy wishing she were upper-class. It is odd because she resorts to sex when she encounters stress and her sexual life is her sense of freedom; but when it comes to her work life, she is constantly on the edge and she does not indulge in it. Work is often what causes the stress in her life. In addition, Monty has the same fantasy as Veda and in the end of the film we see Mildred being pushed away from both of them, and eventually they end up together. Throughout the whole novel, Veda and Monty represent the upper-class and Mildred admires Veda so much because she is a reminder that there is hope to get to a better state during the depression. At one point in the novel Mildred even tells Veda that everything good happens on account of her. Haynes focuses on gender and class as huge themes in this film and he states that: what’s so fascinating about Mildred as a character is the way she has all of this potential for incredible productive and sexual success: a willfulness and a sense that she deserves it. Of course, there are all kinds of things she has to overcome initially, the sense of pride, before she can go out and get a job and work her way up the ladder and discover her innate talents[†¦ ] while at the same time being so thoroughly harnessed to a whole other set of terms that have everything to do with feminine identification and subjectivity, and mothering, and class. (Leyda) After Mildred accepts the fact that she must inherit a job, she becomes very good at what she does and she takes all of her domestic attributes and converts them into the work-field through taking up a job at a restaurant. Compared to the other women and families during the time of depression, many of them lost jobs, large amounts of money, homes, family, and many other things. With these important aspects on the line, Mildred remains strong and uses her willpower to overcome the obstacles thrown her way. This touches on class a lot and Mildred does a phenomenal job at keeping her family secure through this very tough time. As a lower middle class woman stuck in the depression, Mildred was very resilient and hard working toward recovering from the stock market crash and the depression which left her and her family with almost nothing. Another film that deals a lot with gender is the 2009 spine-chilling horror film Splice, directed by Vincenzo Natali. This film features two young genetic engineering scientists, Elsa and Clive, who are trying to discover a new protein for pharmaceutical purposes. The blog post on shaviro. com about this movie reads, â€Å"Splice never departs from being a genre film; but the way it twists genre conventions is powerful and original† (Shaviro). This movie reworks some of the themes and motifs that appeared in Frankenstein and Eraserhead. Throughout the entire film, Elsa seems to be the better educated of the two, but together they create a blob-like figure in each gender, and as they are developing they will soon be presented to their team to show them reproducing. While all of this was happening, Elsa and Clive decide that since they were successful with the first part of their experiment, they would like to make it more challenging and add human DNA to the specimen (although they were told not to because of the dangers) and see what the end result is. Once again, they are successful and they have now created a new creature with human DNA in it. Clive wants to kill it – which shows his aggressive and protective side, two qualities often found in males – but Elsa becomes very attached to it and obtains motherly qualities toward it – which is evidently linked to women gender expectations. Mentioned in the blog post, â€Å"Most of the movie is taken up with Elsa’s â€Å"mothering† of Dren, with Clive as the somewhat distant father figure. And this is where any prejudice that â€Å"mothering† might be â€Å"natural,† or inherently â€Å"feminine,† or inherently hardwired in Elsa’s, or any woman’s, genes, definitively breaks down† (Shaviro). Elsa convinces Clive to keep it alive so that they can â€Å"study it closely,† when all she really wants is to protect it like her own child – it does contain her own DNA after all. She has a horrific style of parenting in that she treats Dren with respect at one moment, and then flips the complete opposite the next. From the interview, the author says that, â€Å"There is clearly something narcissistic and self-obsessed here; all the more so when we learn that Clive wants to have a child, but Elsa is reluctant† (Shaviro). Elsa decides to play it safe and instead of bearing her own child, which would take her away from her work and give her less control, she genetically creates Dren a hybrid of animal DNA as well as her own. As it grows up, they must keep it a secret because they were never authorized to do so by their company. Clive grows very attached and attracted to Dren, but later finds out that Elsa put her own DNA into the creature and he is furious with her and realizes that this is why she had become so obsessive and protective over Dren. She even gets angry with Clive when he refers to Dren as a specimen and not a â€Å"she. † As Elsa and Clive are absentmindedly worrying about their own problems as a couple, the two creatures they created in the beginning, Fred and Ginger, undergo a weird switch. Ginger switches from a male to female while they are presenting their new specimen to their research team. In this part of the film Ginger and Fred (both males at this point) brutally murder each other instead of reproducing like intended, leaving the audience in shock with blood and guts flying freely. Because Elsa and Clive were so involved in Dren and had been neglecting their real experiment, everything went wrong. This goes to show just how restricted the gender expectations are among humans. It labels males as violent and aggressive, especially toward each other, which touches on the way society sees gay men and how unacceptable it appears to be. Another few actions that represent the expectations of gender are when Elsa treats Dren like her own child and forces a motherly figure, and when Clive has sex with Dren. This scene is really disturbing because one, the creature isn’t human, and two, Dren has some of his girlfriend’s DNA in her. Toward the end of the film things get even worse. Dren also switches from female to male and attacks a few people and then kills Clive with the retractable stinger in his tail, then he rapes Elsa and Elsa gets away and kills him before he does anymore destruction. This points out that men are very inclined to sex and are almost seen as uncontrollable. It also makes women seem more vulnerable, especially with Elsa being raped by Dren later in the film. In the very last scene of the film, Elsa is pregnant with Dren’s baby and is going to have the baby and give it to the company for more experimentation and does not seem to care, even though it is very crude. The interview reads, â€Å"Splice‘s focus upon a woman instead of a man as the â€Å"mad scientist† figure whose creations ultimately lead to catastrophe has been quite a point of contention† (Shaviro) and this is a different aspect to the movie Frankenstein, which was basically the same plot with a ale scientist and no technology. In conclusion the interview claimed, â€Å"Gender roles are oddly reinforced[†¦ ] The film entirely scrambles our sense of what is natural and what is artificial† (Shaviro). Splice is very twisted and touches on a lot of weird expectations that society has made out for men and women. It paints men to be very controlling, defiant, and drawn toward sex, and it paints women to be very motherly, protective of their c hildren, and caring toward others.

Darryl Hunt Death Penalty

My view upon death penalty before watching the video about Darryl hunt’s case, was strongly against it. I truly believe that we have no say in who is to take someone’s life. Who are we to decide who lives or dies? There is no standard that we can place on someone’s life, to determine their existence in this world. Life is a precious gift, no matter how cruel the crime may be that the person being accused of committing the crime. I strongly believe that incarceration for the reminder of their life is in my view, the most extreme decision as a society to make in determining an individuals future. After reviewing the Darryl Hunt Case, I strongly believe that the justice system went wrong when it came to Darryl Hunt’s Case. From the start, the justice system faltered in backing up the meaning of â€Å"all men are created equal. † Darryl Hunt was tried as a â€Å"Black Man† with an all white jury. He was not looked upon as a man that stood before the jury who was being accused of a crime that he pleads his innocence. He was judged as a black man that must be a criminal because of his ethnicity and his innocence that he pleaded was nothing but a lie to their ears. He was judged solely on the color of his skin, racism took over the minds of they juries an the charges they found him guilty on. It was honestly all down hill from the start. Multiple denies on appeals that Darryl filed, even after DNA diagnostics had proven that Darryl Hunt did not committee the crime that he was being held accountable for, The justice system turned away an failed to even allow the thought that this man is innocent and should be free even cross their mind. After the Man finally was caught who confessed to the crime that Darryl hunt was being accused of, Darryl was released to freedom, hat should have been given back to him from the beginning of the racial, judgmental, ignorant minded individuals who took part in taking away 20 years of this innocent mans life. I feel the death penalty should be abolished. As a Society, we are constantly changing, and re-defining the right an wrongs that we hold ourselves too. Who are we to take a life from someone, no matter the cr ime. Believing that playing â€Å"God† can be justified by society, is just as ignorant as having hope in the justice system will be perfect one day.

Everyday Poor Vs. Everyday Financially and Socially Stable Families Essay

Everyday Poor Vs. Everyday Financially and Socially Stable Families - Essay Example ic reasons behind their financial instability, if addressed appropriately by the ordinary poor, employers and the government will yield a good solution. They can make applicable solutions to the problems affecting the poor and bridging the gap between them and the financially and socially stable families, long-term solution. The rich families have been able to earn incomes that are sufficient to support their families’ basic needs with no financial constraints. The poor families’ breadwinners, have a hard time sustaining three meals a day for their families due to poor wages and salaries earned per month. With most rich people working on white collar jobs by either owning or working in big companies, the poor are employed and work in large and small companies on manual jobs that pay them poorly for work done in long working hours. Jamal and Latoya work very hard at the Burger Barn, but they are still unable to earn enough income to reach financial stability (Newman 3-38). Jamal even takes a 5:00 a.m. bus to work every day, and he does his work with much passion, but the returns in the form of wages cannot be reflected on his hourly wage that pays him less than $5 (Newman 5). The economy has been very unfair to women for a long time with women being paid less than 65 percent of what their male counterparts are paid on an hourly basis, inconsiderate of the fact that the women have more financial duties to their families as compared to men. There are higher chances of women being left alone with the task of bringing up the children if the marriage fails among the poor. The converse applies to the rich families who have a lesser chance to separate or divorce, but in case of that, the woman can sue the man for child support. Financially stable men value their families very much, and they work very hard to ensure that they provide for their families. This effort ensures their family remains intact, and they are able to fit in their social class. Family togetherness

Reviewing Paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reviewing Paintings - Essay Example In the paper "Nudity and 19th Century Americans" the focus will be placed on American attitudes towards nudity during the 19th century. In order to gauge the American response, three art works containing nudity at varying degrees will be analyzed for the responses that they inspired from this population. The works featured here include Nymph with Bittern by William Rush, Ariadne Asleep on the Island of Naxos by John Vanderlyn and Raphaelle Peale’s Venus Rising from the Sea-A Deception. Nymph with Bittern is a statue of a woman who is draped from the waist down. Upon her shoulder she bears the weight of a bittern. This statue had been created specifically for public display. After the Yellow Fever epidemic, the city of Philadelphia built their first water treatment facility which was located in what William Penn had decided would be the town center. The center was a place where all of the government buildings were to be located, however the area sat empty for a while, as Pennâ €™s carefully designed plans were not followed. Rush carved the statue and it was placed in this center. There were no major uprisings or protests because of this stature. The level of nudity displayed seems to have been acceptable among the people. Rush’s work was appreciated and he was commissioned to create other works. On the contrary, the work of Vanderlyn was not so well received. Vanderlyn is considered to be the first American painter to use nudes. In his painting the woman lying on the grass is totally nude accept. for a small piece of cloth on her thigh. It was Vanderlyn’s mission to enhance the tastes of the American people. He had studied abroad in France and this overseas education influenced his work. Of the painting it has been reported that â€Å"†¦when it was first displayed in America in 1815, its sensual approach caused controversy and as late as the 1890s, when it was firmly ensconced in the Pennsylvania Academy’s collection, there protests against its ‘flagrant indelicacy’ and calls for it to be removed from display† (Venus Observations 2009). For a while the painting resided in the home of Asher B. Durand who had a great appreciation for it. However, Durand kept the painting covered with a veil so that it would no offend his guests (Lane 1999). Raphaelle Peale felt that all of the controversy over paintings of nudes was ridiculous. He was a friend of Durand and had taken interest, not only veiled painting, but in people’s attitudes towards nude paintings. As it was reported â€Å"†¦Raphaelle Peale, chose to satirise this prudery in a painting of his own† (Lane 1999). Even his father held the position that such paintings should be covered up. Peale however did not agree. To prove a point and scoff at the conservatives Peale created Venus Rising from the Sea-A deception. The painting is of a woman who is rising from her bath, but see cannot be seen because she is behind a sheet that is secured to a clothes line. The sheet, however, is exquisite. The history of these three works of art demonstrates that there was some tolerance to nudity amongst Americans in the 19th century. The statue by Rush, Nymph with Bittern, seems to have been acceptable. The woman in it is only partially nude. However, when it came to full nudity the people gathered to protest. Full

Same sex marriage issue Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Same sex marriage issue - Assignment Example In tandem with this, the article asserts that DOMA violates not only basic due process, but also equal protection principles that are applicable to the Federal Government by injuring the class New York aims to protect. According to Kennedy, the failure of the Executive to defend  §3 in court while denying refunds and at the same time assessing deficiencies resulted in a complication. In connection with this, the article claims that the government of the United States established a controversy that was sufficient for Article III jurisdiction by refusing to pay the refund to Windsor. However, the ruling by the amicus showed that it was the right of Windsor to ask for the refund of the tax she had paid because same-sex marriage should be given recognition as well as validated by law (United States v. Windsor, Executor of the State of Spyer, et al., 2013). United States v. Windsor, Executor of the State of Spyer, et al. (2013). Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved from

International Studies 2007 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Studies 2007 - Essay Example As an avid practitioner of Zen, I have developed an appreciation for the influence that philosophy has on design. I find that the Eastern culture is the path into my future as I begin to incorporate green eco-design into our interior spaces. Japan is at the forefront of this discipline as they meld bamboo, rocks, and water into a harmonious living area. This offers more than just a chance encounter with nature. It makes the beholder an active participant with their surroundings and offers them the serenity of peace of mind. This seductiveness of the natural is also echoed in Japan's world-renowned gardens. My studies in Japan would give me the opportunity to view these landmarks and create new ways to bring the garden indoors. My interest in Feng Shui would naturally compliment the concept of space as a living environment. The blend of nature, Japanese gardens, and Feng Shui would offer a meditative atmosphere that would indeed be seductive. The lure of the opportunity to study in Japan does not overshadow my obligations to the program. I am infectiously dedicated to design and would bring with me the fresh ideas of New York and the West. I eagerly anticipate interacting and exchanging thoughts with the other participants.

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous Assignment

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous - Assignment Example As I entered the place, I found people sitting and standing randomly. I grabbed a chair near the window and saw people; some saying hello, some stopping, and some just keeping to themselves. The meeting commenced at the chairperson read the Preamble, and led the prayer. Different members read the brief literature of AA afterward. In this Step Meeting of 10 minutes, I sat and listened to the â€Å"steps†. My curiosity about the AA thing was increasing. The Chairperson declared the step that would be discussed. I was so surprised to see that the attendants of the meeting were unashamed apparently that I cannot really recall what step that was. After reading the step chapter from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, the attendants were asked if they had any previous experience related to the step and if any of them would take that as an opportunity to share it with others.   The most interesting part of the whole meeting was to watch others narrate their personal experiences and struggles with alcohol and drawing their relation with the step under discussion. People started talking during the meeting. They started off by telling their name and status as alcoholics to each other. One after another, every attendant stood up, said his name, narrated his story, received audience’s applauds and settled down. â€Å"In the simplest form, the AA program operates when a recovered alcoholic passes along the story of his or her own problem drinking, describes the sobriety he or she has found in AA and invites the newcomer to join the informal Fellowship† (alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk, 2014).   Of all the different sorts of manifestations, I found that the most prominent causes of alcohol dependency were sociological and psychological.

Aviation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aviation - Essay Example These constraints constitute environmental, technological, political and legal concerns. Airlines in different countries of the world are owned by both private and public owners and the pricing policy takes into consideration all the prominent players of the aviation industry, such as airports, ground transports, the customers, and freight forwarders. Apart from that, they consistently endeavour to maximise their profits and minimise costs paid to airport authorities (Adler et, el., n.d.,). Obviously this objective is achieved through the means of proper pricing policy. The current practices of airline pricing include the cost-based pricing method that takes into account all the costs encountered during the operation such as landing charges, passenger diverging charges, air tariffs, cargo charges, loading and unloading charges, security expenditures, engine charges and other charges applicable to specific situations. For instance, some airlines charge higher for night air travels while some charge noise charges in order to fund the suspension schemes concerning noise created by aircraft on the airport (Adler et, el., n.d.,). Some airlines also go for peak-period pricing, which refers to pricing at a higher rate for some specific business seasons while lower for the others. Although these methods are widely in practice within most of the airlines, yet few airlines charge different prices at different levels of services, seasons, markets etc. -2- Relation of Pricing Practices with Costs, Investment Decision and Aircraft Capacity Pricing practices prevailing among the airlines are closely knitted with the various costs, investment decision and aircraft capacity. In fact, pricing decisions are taken while considering all of these factors, as price can seriously affect them. An efficient pricing practice can lead an airline to alleviate costs, maximize revenues and operate efficiently with maximum utilization of aircraft capacity. Airlines base their pricing policy most prominently on costs, which are mainly the charges imposed on the airlines by the airport authorities plus other technological, aircraft maintenance and security expenditures. Airline pricing evidently reflects the exacerbation and alleviation of various costs encountered during the flight operations. As the costs rise, prices too go up and vice versa. Therefore, the major concern of airlines while devising an efficacious pricing policy remains to minimise the charges, fees and tariffs paid to airport for the purpose of maximising its revenues. Airline pricing practices can further be related to the investment decisions. Airlines do base their investment decisions on pricing through cost estimation in a way as discussed by Banker and Johnston (1993). They say that airlines base their investment decisions after estimating their costs drivers. Pricing is determined with the objective to minimise costs and enhance revenues. The revenues are in turn considered to further enhance their investment into innovative technology to get competitive edge over the other airlines in the industry. These investment decisions can only be made once all the costs likely to be encountered in the year is estimated well by airline. Therefore pricing leads to the estimation of various costs, which in turn takes an airline to devise its investment decisio

How effective is the legislature at scrutinising the executive in the Coursework

How effective is the legislature at scrutinising the executive in the Uk - Coursework Example This means that the absolute power lies within the parliament. Nonetheless, the reality of the matter is most of the power would appear to be exercised by the Government which is the Executive branch. In order to understand the distribution of power within the British constitution, it is fundamental to understand the doctrine of the separation of powers. This is a doctrine that can be traced back to the era of Aristotle. This doctrine claims that the power of the government or the state should be equally dispersed among three separately constituted institution . Government (Executive) the law making body (legislature) and the courts ( the courts). This prescriptive theory claims that the abovementioned bodies must be separate and and be subject to checks and balance so that no individual body can have the vast majority of the power or abuse of power. A renowned psychologist, John Locke addresses the need for an equitable distribution of power so that it may not be a great temptation to human frailty for those making the laws and those who have to execute them. If one institution is given much power, it is able to use its powers as it wishes and this can result to dictatorship thus leading to inequality and oppression. This is the type of governence that is being practiced in U.K. However, it can be critically percieved that the separation of powers is a mere ideology which can not be achieved in a realistic manner .First, a complete separation would lead to a legislative deadlock thus creating a communication barrier and lack of cooperation between the executive and the legislature. Regardless of the fact that the legislature has the power to pass, amend and repeal any law, there is a great deal of communication from the executive thus having an adverse effect on what the legislation has passed. This means that they have to work hand in hand in hand for the British constitution to show fairness and equity(GREAT BRITAIN 2007,pg. 56). It should follow the footste ps of the complete separation of power like the American constitution. WATTS asserts that this is a classical example of a democratic style of leadership (2007).There is a complete distribution between the the President (executive) congress( the legislature) which are being separately elected with two parties, Democrats and Republicans . This means that the the leader that is elected will be a Democratic leader in the executive position(President ) and Republic leader dominant in the congress. On the other hand, observing the British constitutional arrangement, one can witness a totally different scenario. The U.K constitution is marginally different in the sense that rather than having a complete separation there is utter dominance of one body or branch of government. Parliament in the the U.K. is made up of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The executive in this case would be compared to the the President if U.S.A. So the main issue is how effective is the government to account for the house of Lord and Commons. JOHARI asserts In the UK, holding the Government to account is one the main functions that the parliament has (2002). The parliament has other responsibilities by force the government to justify bills, defend their actions , explain their motives and policies. This is only applicable before the elections., during the election the electorate holds the government t

Farewell Address Analysis Essay Example for Free

Farewell Address Analysis Essay In 1976, former United States President George Washington delivered one of the most meaningful and talked-about Farewell Addresses. The Address was a combination of his personal thoughts on his presidency, as well as a warning and advice to the people of United States. Washington begins by telling his countrymen that it was originally planned to be delivered four years prior when he thought of retiring as president of United States. However, feeling that he is obligated to answer to the needs of the very people who elected him to his post, he decided to extend his presidency. Washington knew that his retirement would cause a lot of concern and anxiety among his fellow Americans and so he builds their confidence, and at the same time, warns them about the dangers of sectionalism, political factions, and foreign alliances. Sectionalism Washington stresses the need for unity throughout his Farewell Address, saying that this where the true success and liberty of the country depends on. He also warns against sectionalism; that is, having a state-centric rather than a Union-centric mindset. He further calls on to the American people to continue defending the Union against possible attacks from other countries who seek to destabilize the government. In addition, Washington warns his countrymen against misleading ideas propagated by the government’s enemies that United States is too big a territory to be handled by just one administration. He underscores that this seemingly large and fragmented territory can be bound by unity and cooperation. He reminds the people that regardless of the state they live in, or the regional boundaries that exist between and among them, they are, at the end of the day, all Americans. Thus, everyone should play his or her part in keeping the Union intact. Political Factions Another aspect that Americans should be on close guard, according to Washington, is the existence of political factions which seek to weaken, and later on overthrow the government. He points out that while people advocating political factions may seem to have reasonable arguments, they are ultimately doing it for personal, and oftentimes, greedy motives. Washington also alerts his fellow Americans that these people might use government policies or exploit certain provisions of the Constitution to carry out their selfish plans. He continues to warn the people about the dangers of having political parties in any government. He argues that political parties have always been viewed as enemies of the state because of their tendency to amass great power to destabilize the government or hit on their political rivals. While political parties may be useful in other forms of government, they are not necessary in a democratic government such as the United States. Foreign Alliances While Washington encourages the people to treat all people and all other countries with utmost respect and avoid engaging them in battles or disputes, he warns them against establishing long-term or permanent ties with foreign governments. This, he says, develops unnecessarily strong attachment to other countries which might negatively affect the government’s ability to establish sound foreign policies. Throughout this Farewell Address, Washington regards the American identity in the highest possible level, and calls on the people to continuously defend and protect this. His personal love of his country was also evident in his Address through the warnings and advice he issued to his fellow Americans. Moreover, his personal love for the country was evident in the contents of the Address. He did not leave without making sure that the country is strong and that the people are even stronger to take good care of it.

Examining Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Sciences Essay

Examining Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Sciences Essay Environment is defined as the set of physical, chemical and biological systems and their relationships with economic, social and cultural factors with direct or indirect, gradual or immediate effect on living beings and human ´s quality of life. Environmental Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the environment that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or that damage the environment which can come in the form of chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat or light. Pollutants can be naturally occurring substances or energies, but are considered contaminants when in excess of natural levels. Environmental pollution is a problem both in developed and developing countries. Factors such as population growth, industrialization, and urbanization invariably place greater demands on the planet and stretch the use of maximum natural resources. All sectors of our society generate waste: industry, agriculture, mining, transportation, and construction. Among those sources, industry is the primary target of all waste generators because of its quantity and toxicity. Industries release the largest amount of highly toxic waste and we must focus on industrial pollution through pollution prevention programme and projects, need to be closely linked with policy -making process. The very first worldwide environmental concern was initiated at the World Conference on Human and Environment sponsored by the United Nations in Stockholm in 1972. The most visible result of conference was the creation of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for promoting environmental enhancement program around the world. Global economy has reinforced the geographic separation among resource extraction, production and consumption. Hence, those who reap the economic benefits of using natural resources often do not bear the environmental cost. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janerio in June, 1992, focused on these issues. This new awareness led to an international agenda for sustainable development and various non-binding agreements. In fact, we need a balance between technological innovation and environmental enhancement, as well as a balance between economic development and environmental preservation. Agenda 21 is a blueprint for sustainable development into the 21st Century. Its basis was agreed during the Earth Summit at Rio in 1992. Six key mechanisms were visualized in Agenda 21 for improved environmental management in the industrial sector: Incorporating environmental considerations in industrial development through proper siting policies and mandatory environmental impact assessments. Increasing efficiency in the production and use of materials, resources and energy. Improving existing pollution abatement technologies and developing new clean technologies, products and processes. Developing and implementing emission and effluent controls and standards. Ratifying multilateral environment agreements (MEA) such as the Montreal Protocol and the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. Corporate environmental responsibility: The role of business in improving the efficiency of resource use, reducing risks and hazards, minimizing wastes and safeguarding the environment. Environmental problems are also becoming serious in India because of the interacting effects of increasing population density, industrialization and urbanization, and poor environmental management practices. Although environmental protection has always been a part and parcel of Indian Culture as evidenced by the stipulated responsibilities of the State as well as Citizens for the nature and living being in the Constitution of India under Article 48A and 5 1A (g). India is giving highest priority to this subject in its national planning. Environmental management is not, as the phrase could suggest the management of the environment as such, but rather the management of interaction by the modern human societies with, and impact upon the environment. Environmental management is a mixture of science, policy, and socioeconomic applications. It focuses on the solution of the practical problems that humans encounter in cohabitation with nature, exploitation of resources, and production of waste. Environmental laws and policies are based on the realization that the physical surroundings mark the dire necessities of mankind. Over the last few decades, the developing countries have established impressive arrays of policies, legislation and institutions for environmental protection and pollution control. Laws for Environmental Management in India The relevant laws relating to environmental management in India are listed below: The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 as amended in 2000. The Manufacture, Storage and Import or Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 amended in 2000. The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991. The Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 1994 as amended on May 14, 1994 and April 10, 1997. The National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995. The Chemical Accident (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules 1996. The Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998. The Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999. The Fly Ash Notification, 1999. The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000. The Batteries (Management and handling) Rules, 2001. The role of environmental law is basically to shield and shelter the resources and preserve the environment. The government has taken initiative, time and again, to look into the environmental matters. Even though, over the past few years, the need to curb the environmental crises has been realized, yet there has not been any concrete step towards it. In this situation it becomes imperative that the people become aware of the environmental issues and know their rights and liabilities relating to the environment. As with all management functions, effective management tools, standards and systems are also required. A large number of tools for assessing environmental impacts are available. Examples include Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), System of Economic and Environmental Accounting (SEEA), Environmental Auditing (EA), Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), a newly-developed decision-making support tool, has been used in many developed and developing countries for predicting and evaluating potential environmental impact of policies, plans, and programs (PPPs), as well as for providing alternatives to avoid, mitigate, or compensate for these impacts. The concept of Strategic Environmental Assessments originated from regional development / land use planning in the developed world. In 1981, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department published the Area-wide Impact Assessment Guidebook. In Europe ,the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, the so called Espoo Convention, laid the foundations for the introduction of SEA in 1991. The general objectives of SEA are : 1. Contribute to an environmental and sustainable decision-making process 2. Improve policy, plan and programme quality 3. Strengthen and facilitate projects EIA 4. Foster new means of making decisions. Over the last 15 years, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has become an important policy instrument for national governments, particularly in Europe. The integration of environmental concerns into strategic decision making and policy making has been widely recognized as an essential feature for moving towards more sustainable development in all policy sectors. SEA is a procedural tool with the purpose of integrating environmental aspects in a structured manner into decision making processes. So, the increasing awareness of environmental impact assessment community has recently led to an intensifying debate on the theoretical foundations and the appropriate practical use of SEA. SEA is a framework within which a range of different analytical tools and methods can be applied. Assessment methods can be evaluated from different perspectives depending on the role, purpose and mechanism of assessment. The capability and international experience of the SEA approach makes it a benefit to the industrial sector in developing countries such as India. Three main, interrelated avenues for further development of SEA are Environmental Focus Strengthening existing SEA arrangements and approaches as mechanism for Environmental Sustainability Assessment and assurance Sustainability focus Utilizing SEA as a component or means of integrated assessment of the effects of Policy and Planning proposals in relation to the environmental , social and economic objectives of sustainable development. Convergence Focus Promoting the convergence of SEA within integrated assessment and planning systems for sustainable development. Some common threads run through all the three lines of approach, notably environmental integration, although the relative emphasis shifts in moving from the existing SEA approach to sustainability appraisal or integrated assessment and planning. These routes can be seen as sequential, progressive steps, securing one base before progressing to the next; and the process will take time. In India, the term SEA is not used in official parlance and, therefore, its use is not strictly governed by its many global definitions. Nevertheless, existing institutional mechanisms and EIA process at the country level provide elements of SEA that are being harnessed by decision makers and are increasingly popularizing SEA both as a concept and diagnostic tool for the review of environmental impacts including ecological, economic and social concerns that are integrated in decision making for economic development plans. Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is gaining widespread recognition as a tool for integrating environmental considerations in policy, plan, and program development and decision-making. Notwithstanding the potential of SEA to improve higher-order decision processes, there has been very little attention given to integrating SEA with industry planning practices. As a result, the benefits of SEA have yet to be fully realized among industrial proponents. In this work an attempt has been made to look into the application of strategic environmental assessment for industries with the help of case studying and it is seen that SEA is an effective management tool to control industrial pollution not only for developed countries but also for developing countries. If SEA is to meet its potential, as a valuable business tool in addition to its policy role, then SEA must become relevant and responsive to the environmental governance of industry. This requires that SEA should form an integral part of industry planning and decision-making. Organization of dissertation In chapter -1, the introduction of strategic environmental assessment and its application in industry is discussed and organization of dissertation is given. In chapter -2, genesis of strategic environmental assessment is given and its benefits and performance _________________are included. In chapter- 3, a literature review of historical development and Status of SEA in developed and developing countries is presented and its relevance in Indian context is discussed. In chapter-4, the process and methodology of SEA is covered and steps in SEA process, environmental objectives and SEA framework and method are described. In chapter 5, case studies on power industry and auto industry in Shandog Province of China are taken up and various types of problems encountered in SEA are discussed. In chapter -6, results and discussions are included and recommendations for improving SEA system are given. In chapter -7, the conclusion of the study is given and the importance of SEA in future is highlighted. 2.0 SEA: Genesis Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an impact assessment tool that is strategic in nature and has the objective of facilitating environmental integration and the assessment of the opportunities and risks of strategic actions in a sustainable development framework. The strategic action is strongly linked to the formulation of policies, and they are developed in a context of planning and programming procedures. The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is the term used to describe the environmental assessment process for policies, plans, and programmes (PPPs). Moreover, individual projects have not only economic but also environmental, social, and political impacts that can be acceptable when considering an isolated project, but unacceptable when taking into account both the direct and indirect effects of projects, policies, and programmes acting in synergy. SEA provides the framework for the articulation of individual projects in a way that is coherent and respectful with the environmental, social, political, and economic conditions. SEA contributes to a better planning and monitoring process and is a potential tool for decision making, as its more integrated assessment procedures improve the coordination between different impact assessments. SEAs should enable foresight and assist policy makers to design projects that maximize environmental, functional, economical, social, and politica l goals. Objectives of SEA The objectives of strategic environmental assessment are to : Contribute to an environmental and sustainable decision-making process. Improve policy, plan and programme quality. Strengthen and facilitate projects EIA. Foster new means of making decisions. Benefits of SEA The immediate benefits of SEA application can be found in information that assists sound decision-making and in the consequent gains achieved in environmental protection and sustainable development. There are secondary benefits of SEA also as it Provides for a high level of environmental protection. Improves the quality of plan and programme making. Increases the efficiency of decision-making. Facilitates the identification of new opportunities for development. Helps to prevent costly mistakes. Strengthens governance. Facilitates transboundary cooperation. 2.3 SEA in the decision-making hierarchy SEA is recognised as an important decision support tool for integrating environmental considerations along with social and economic considerations into proposed policies, plans and programmes (PPPs). There is a hierarchy of levels in decision making comprising projects, programmes, plans and policies. Figure 2.1 SEA : Up-streaming environmental considerations into the decision- making Hierarchy, (Source OECD, 2006) Logically, policies shape the subsequent plans, programmes and projects that put those policies into practice. Policies are at the top of the decision-making hierarchy. As one moves down the hierarchy from policies to projects, the nature of decision-making changes, as does the nature of environmental assessment needed. Policy-level assessment tends to deal with more flexible proposals and a wider range of scenarios. Project-level assessment usually has well defined and prescribed specifications. Policies, plans and programmes (PPPs) are more strategic as they determine the general direction or approach to be followed towards broad goals. SEA is applied to these more strategic levels. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is used on projects that put PPPs into tangible effect. 2.4 SEA and Sustainable Development Truly speaking, Sustainable development is meets the demands of today without destroying the possibilities for the future generations to satisfy their needs. Sustainable development is now a generally accepted vision for any sort of development, but there is a concern over how to achieve such a process. The concept of SEA can contribute to the sustainable development process. Over the last 10 years, SEA has become widely recognized by governments and development stakeholders worldwide as a valuable component of the sustainable development process. SEA, involving the environmental assessment of proposed and existing PPPs and their alternatives, is gaining widespread recognition as a supporting tool for decision making towards achieving sustainable development. The contribution of SEA towards sustainability stems from several points: SEA ensures the consideration of environmental issues from the beginning of the decision-making process. Provides a framework for the chain of actions Contributes to integrated policy making, planning, and programming Can detect potential environmental impacts at an early stage, even before the projects are designed. 2.5 Basic principles of SEA To be influential and help improve policy-making, planning and decision-taking, an SEA should: Establish clear goals. Be integrated with existing policy and planning structures. Be flexible, iterative and customised to context. Analyse the potential effects and risks of the proposed PPP, and its alternatives, against a framework of sustainability objectives, principles and criteria. Provide explicit justification for the selection of preferred options and for the acceptance of significant trade-offs. Identify environmental and other opportunities and constraints. Address the linkages and trade-offs between environmental, social and economic considerations. Involve key stakeholders and encourage public involvement. Include an effective, preferably independent, quality assurance system. Be transparent throughout the process, and communicate the results. Be cost-effective. Encourage formal reviews of the SEA process after completion, and monitor PPP outputs. Build capacity for both undertaking and using SEA. 2.6 EIA and SEA Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers. EIA is now practiced in more than 100 countries worldwide. Today, EIA is firmly established in the planning process in many of these countries. In 1989, the World Bank ruled that EIA should normally be undertaken for major projects by the borrower country under the Banks supervision. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) also made recommendations to member states regarding the establishment of EIA procedures and established goals and principles for EIA. Despite the existence of good EIA guidelines and legislation, environmental degradation continues to be a major concern in developing countries. In many cases, EIA has not been effective due to legislation, organizational capacity, training, environmental information, participation, diffusion of experience, donor policy and political will. EIAs have not been able to provide environmental sustainability assurance (ESA). This failure and the inherent limitations of EIA lead to the consideration of strategic environmental assessment (SEA). It is the proactive assessment of alternatives to proposed or existing PPPs, in the context of a broader vision, set of goals or objectives to assess the likely outcomes of various means to select the best alternative(s) to reach desired ends. 2.7 The fundamental differences between SEA and EIA SEA and EIA are the tools that share a common root impact assessment, but have different assessment foci: strategies for future development with a high level of uncertainty in SEA; proposals and measures, concrete and objective, for the execution of projects in EIA. This difference between SEA and EIA in the object of assessment generates different methodological requirements related to the scale of assessment and to the decision-making process. In table 2.1, some fundamental differences between SEA and EIA are presented which help to corroborate the different methodological approaches that SEA and EIA must have. Table 2.1: Fundamental differences between SEA and EIA Some fundamental differences between SEA and EIA SEA EIA The perspective is strategic and long-term. The perspective is of execution in the short and medium-term. The process is cyclical and continuous. The process is discrete, motivated by concrete Intervention proposals. The purpose is to help build a desirable future; it is not to attempt to know the future. The intervention project has to be known with the suitable level of detail. The definition of what is intended is vague, there is a large amount of uncertainty and the data are always quite insufficient. The definition of what intends to be done is relatively precise and data are reasonably available or can be collected through field Work. Follow-up in SEA is performed through the preparation and development of policies, plans, programmes and Projects. Follow-up in EIA is performed through the construction and implementation of the project. The strategy may never be put into practice given that the actions established in plans and programmes may never be implemented. Projects requiring an EIA are executed, once their environmental feasibility is guaranteed. Figure 2.2 (a) represents the behaviour of an SEA methodology that follows a traditional EIA-based model. The objective is to assess the solutions proposed by a plan or programme and their effects. The solutions proposed in a plan or programme are taken as outcomes, not as means to achieve objectives, and SEA is going to assess the impact of these outcomes on a set of environmental factors. This approach has very limited or even zero capacity to influence the major strategic options. (b) Figure 2.2: (a) EIA-based methodology, (b) Strategic-based methodology (Source -Partidà ¡rio, 2007) Figure 2.2 (b) represents the behaviour of an SEA methodology that follows a strategic-based model the objective is to assess the proposed strategies during a planning and programming process in relation to the manner in which these strategies seek to respond to strategic problems and objectives. In this case, the aim of SEA is to analyse and discuss strategic alternative options that provide a response to the same strategic problems and objectives in an environmentally more integrated and sustainable context. The analysis is centred on how the plan or programme seeks to resolve the development objectives or the problems in an environmental and sustainable way, and not to assess the actions proposed as solutions or outcomes in the plan or programme. This approach increases the opportunity of SEA to facilitate the integration of environmental and sustainability issues in these strategic processes. 2.8 The Evolving Paradigm-from EIA to SEA The stages from EIA to SEA are given in Table 2.8 Table 2.2: Stages from EIA to SEA Paradigm / stage Key characteristics 1st Generation-Project EIA. Includes social, health and other impacts, cumulative effects and biodiversity. 2nd Generation-SEA. Applies to PPPs and legislation. 3rd Generation-towards environmental sustainability assurance (ESA). Use of EIA and SEA to safeguard critical resource and ecological functions and offset residual damage; plus environmental accounting and auditing of natural capital loss and change. Next generation-towards sustainability appraisal (SA). Integrated or full cost assessment of the economic, environmental and social impacts of proposals. 2.9 Strategic Environmental Assessment Performance Criteria A good-quality Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process informs planners, decision makers and affected public on the sustainability of strategic decisions, facilitates the search for the best alternative and ensures a democratic decision making process. This enhances the credibility of decisions and leads to more cost- and time-effective EA at the project level. For this purpose, a good-quality SEA process: Is integrated Ensures an appropriate environmental assessment of all strategic decisions relevant for the achievement of sustainable development Addresses the interrelationships of biophysical, social and economic aspects. Is tiered to policies in relevant sectors and (transboundary) regions and, where appropriate, to project EIA and decision making. Is sustainability-led Facilitates identification of development options and alternative proposals that are more sustainable. Is focused Provides sufficient, reliable and usable information for development planning and decision making. Concentrates on key issues of sustainable development. Is customized to the characteristics of the decision making process. Is cost- and time-effective. Is accountable Is the responsibility of the leading agencies for the strategic decision to be taken. Is carried out with professionalism, rigor, fairness, impartiality and balance. Is subject to independent checks and verification Documents and justifies how sustainability issues were taken into account in decision making. Is participative Informs and involves interested and affected public and government bodies throughout the decision making process. Explicitly addresses their inputs and concerns in documentation and decision making. Has clear, easily-understood information requirements and ensures sufficient access to all relevant information. Is iterative Ensures availability of the assessment results early enough to influence the decision making process and inspire future planning. Provides sufficient information on the actual impacts of implementing a strategic decision, to judge whether this decision should be amended and to provide a basis for future decisions. 2.10 SEA as a PPP (policies, programmes and plans) formulation tool SEA methodology should emphasize the role of SEA as a PPP formulation tool. It is at the stage of PPP formulation, rather than of appraisal of an already formulated PPP (for instance, green paper stage, review, public consultation) that SEA can be most effective. PPPs go through a complex process of evolution during their development, and SEA has a significant role to play in this, as shown in Fig. 2.3 Figure 2.3: Role of SEA in PPP formulation (Source Therivel, 2000) SEA should start early in PPP formulation and be integrated, preferably as an active intervention in the PPP design process Fig. 2.3 shows SEA as a design tool and not as a document. The preparation of a report is probably the least important part of the SEA. It should be regarded only as documentation of the processes used, and available, where necessary for later review. The real value in SEA is as a creative tool in the cycle of PPP formulation and reformulation. Bailey and Renton (1997) report, from their study of government agencies in Australia, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the majority of responding agencies view policy formulation as the most appropriate point in the decision-making process for the consideration of environmental effects à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This value is derived from the involvement of environmental professionals in PPP formulation and increased environmental awareness amongst decision- makers, which leads to PPP modification where necessary to respond to environmental/ sustainability objectives. SEA also requires that the decision maker be an active participant in the SEA process. Relegation of th e conduct of the SEA to consultants external to the PPP formulation process is unlikely to have the same effect on the outcome as extensive involvement by the proponent who holds the key to PPP modification and the early involvement of the decision-makers themselves. 2.11 Three lines of argumentation and Development of SEA In spite of almost two decades of experience, Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) foundations remain unclear to the point that the case for needing an instrument called SEA could be questioned. The aim is to ask what problems SEA was meant to solve, and what needs it was meant to address, by reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of SEA thinking to date. This critical reflection on the foundations of SEA has helped identify the strengths and weaknesses of arguments relating to the concept and approach to SEA. The three lines of argumentation supporting the development of SEA are summarized in table 2.3 Table 2.3 Three lines of argumentation supporting the development of SEA First line of argumentation On strategic The strategic dimension of SEA originally linked to the paucity of environmental type assessments of policies, plans and programmes (PPPs). Second line of argumentation On procedures, methods and tools The framing of SEAs methodological dimension in response to perceived limitations in EIA practice, and the growing emphasis on process versus technique Third line of argumentation On purpose The purpose of SEA and the increased reference to the contribution to sustainable development (Source -Bina Olivia, 2007) The main factors influencing the early development of these lines of argumentation, and their evolution over the last 15 years are highlighted in below Fig. 2.4 Figure 2.4 : Changing concept of SEA First line of argumentation The first line of argumentation has been a decisive influence in slowing the evolution of SEA in response to identified problems with EIA, by claiming that its strategic dimension was the result of the strategic nature of the planning decisions it was assessing, and by oversimplifying the nature of PPPs and of tiering. This has meant that the development of the strategic dimension of SEA, in terms of its role, procedures, methods and tools, was delayed until the late 1990s. Second line of argumentation Second line of argumentation initially focused on technical and procedural problems (symptoms) related to EIA practice. It was not until the late 1990s that the SEA community began to address the caus

Shakespeare in Canada Essay example -- William Shakespeare

Shakespeare in My Canada If you ask my dad about Shakespeare, he will quote you a soliloquy from Macbeth. If you ask my dad about Kathakali, he will instantly quote you a poetic epic from the Mahabharata. If you ask my dad about how Shakespeare and Kathakali fit together, in truth, he is not quite sure. I was not sure of the reasons myself, when I first started thinking about what Shakespeare in my Canada meant to me, why I immediately thought of Kathakali. Kathakali is an indigenous art form of Kerala, the southernmost state of India, and my father's home. It is an extremely expressive form of dance-drama, originally performed to tell the stories of the major Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. In recent years, there have been attempts in both India and Canada to adapt Shakespearean works to the Kathakali form, with varying degrees of success. Through exploration of two such attempts, as well as brief examination of critical responses to them, I would argue that Kathakali is in fact a viable form through which Shakespearean works can be adapted in a Canadian and/or post-colonial context. As we all know, Shakespeare himself based many of his plays on already existing plays and stories. It is fitting then that "Shakespeare's works have, from their inception, been both the product and the source of an ongoing explosion of re-creation" (Fischlin, 1). As a country once colonized by the British, Canada is especially familiar with Shakespeare's near-universal power to lend a sense of cultural authenticity to any setting, be it school-house stage, or tavern theatre. Today, despite being more than a century past 2 its colonial days, Canada is still struggling to define itself as a nation. Although we ma... ...one with great potential to open new artistic doors in both Canada and India in the future. 6 Works Cited Fischlin, Daniel and Mark Fortier. "General Introduction." Adaptations of Shakespeare. Eds. Daniel Fischlin and Mark Fortier. London: Routledge, 2000. Khandwani, Sudha. "A Century of Indian Dance." Kala Nidhi Fine Arts of Canada. Available: . 2005. Raina, Arjun. Arjun Raina. Available: . 2004. 7 Appendix Image 1 Annette Leday performing "Stuff of Dreams" at Kala Nidhi Toronto, 2004 Available from ________________________________________________________________________ Image 2 Arjun Raina performing his KhelKali adaptation of Othello at Leela a Elahi Delhi, 1997 Available from

AMMONIUM NITRATE :: essays research papers

SCIENCE REPORT AMMONIUM NITRATE NH4NO3 Problem Our task was to investigate what the optimum ratio of solute to solvent that will produce the maximum cooling/heating effect? Hypothesis With a smaller quantity of water (50mls) and the same amount of Ammonium Nitrate added. After any period of time the mixture will be a cooler temperature than that of a mixture with a larger quantity of water. Variables „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teaspoons „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stirring (used thermometer) „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Changed/Uncontrolled Variables -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The amount of times the mixture was stirred. We stirred the mixture until the Ammonium Nitrate was dissolved, so the amount of times we stirred after each teaspoon was different. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each teaspoon may not have been equal. Measurements were made based on judgment and not exact measurements. „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Controlled Variables -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amount of water used in each test was equal (100mls and 50mls). -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Total amount of Ammonium Nitrate used (150grams). -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperature was measured after and exact time i.e. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes. Equipment Trial test „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 plastic teaspoon „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety glasses „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  100ml beaker „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30mls of water „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 graduated cylinder „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stirring rod First Test „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 plastic teaspoon „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stop watch „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stirring rod „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety glasses X3 (one for each group member) „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  250ml beaker „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 graduated cylinder „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  150 grams of Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  100mls of water Second Test „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 plastic teaspoon „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stop watch „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stirring rod „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety glasses X3 (one for each group member) „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  100ml beaker „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 graduated cylinder „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  leftover from original 150 grams of Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  50mls of water NOTE: The stirring rod was not used in the First and Second experiments, as it was not available. A substitute we used the thermometer. Methods Trial Test In a 100ml beaker 30mls of water was placed the temperature of the water was recorded. 1 teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate was added to the water and stirred until dissolved. The temperature was then recorded again. This was to see the difference between the initial temperature and the final temperature. First Test In a 250ml beaker place 100mls of water, measure the temperature of the water and record this initial temperature onto a table. Set the timer and add one teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate to the water, stir this continuously until the Ammonium Nitrate has dissolved. After 1 minute measure the temperature and record it, do this for a further 2 minutes (3 minutes in total). Repeat this process for a total of 10 teaspoons. Second Test In a 100ml beaker place 50mls of water, measure the temperature of the water and record this initial temperature onto a table. Set the timer and add one teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate to the water, stir this continuously until the Ammonium Nitrate has dissolved. AMMONIUM NITRATE :: essays research papers SCIENCE REPORT AMMONIUM NITRATE NH4NO3 Problem Our task was to investigate what the optimum ratio of solute to solvent that will produce the maximum cooling/heating effect? Hypothesis With a smaller quantity of water (50mls) and the same amount of Ammonium Nitrate added. After any period of time the mixture will be a cooler temperature than that of a mixture with a larger quantity of water. Variables „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teaspoons „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stirring (used thermometer) „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Changed/Uncontrolled Variables -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The amount of times the mixture was stirred. We stirred the mixture until the Ammonium Nitrate was dissolved, so the amount of times we stirred after each teaspoon was different. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each teaspoon may not have been equal. Measurements were made based on judgment and not exact measurements. „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Controlled Variables -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amount of water used in each test was equal (100mls and 50mls). -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Total amount of Ammonium Nitrate used (150grams). -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperature was measured after and exact time i.e. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes. Equipment Trial test „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 plastic teaspoon „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety glasses „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  100ml beaker „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30mls of water „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 graduated cylinder „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stirring rod First Test „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 plastic teaspoon „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stop watch „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stirring rod „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety glasses X3 (one for each group member) „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  250ml beaker „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 graduated cylinder „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  150 grams of Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  100mls of water Second Test „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 thermometer „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 plastic teaspoon „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stop watch „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 stirring rod „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety glasses X3 (one for each group member) „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  100ml beaker „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 graduated cylinder „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  leftover from original 150 grams of Ammonium Nitrate „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  50mls of water NOTE: The stirring rod was not used in the First and Second experiments, as it was not available. A substitute we used the thermometer. Methods Trial Test In a 100ml beaker 30mls of water was placed the temperature of the water was recorded. 1 teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate was added to the water and stirred until dissolved. The temperature was then recorded again. This was to see the difference between the initial temperature and the final temperature. First Test In a 250ml beaker place 100mls of water, measure the temperature of the water and record this initial temperature onto a table. Set the timer and add one teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate to the water, stir this continuously until the Ammonium Nitrate has dissolved. After 1 minute measure the temperature and record it, do this for a further 2 minutes (3 minutes in total). Repeat this process for a total of 10 teaspoons. Second Test In a 100ml beaker place 50mls of water, measure the temperature of the water and record this initial temperature onto a table. Set the timer and add one teaspoon of Ammonium Nitrate to the water, stir this continuously until the Ammonium Nitrate has dissolved.

Braveheart Movie Summary :: essays research papers

In 1280 A.D. Edward I of England, known as "Longshanks," has occupied much of Scotland, and his oppressive rule there leads to the deaths of William Wallace's father and brother. Years later and after Wallace has grown up with his uncle outside of Scotland, the Scots continue to live under the harsh thumb of Longshanks' cruel laws. Wallace returns, intent on living as a farmer and avoiding involvement in the ongoing "Troubles." Wallace rekindles a romance with his childhood friend Murron after showing her the carefully preserved thistle she gave him as a child, and the two marry in secret to avoid the primae noctis decree the King has set forth. After Wallace beats up a group of English soldiers attempting to rape Murron, the village Sheriff publicly cuts her throat before Wallace is able to save her. An enraged Wallace, with the assistance of his fellow townsmen, slaughters the English soldiers at the encampment, killing the sheriff in the same manner that Murron was killed. He then orders the burning of the local English fort, and unintentionally kindles a Scottish rebellion. News of the rebellion spreads quickly, and hundreds of Scots from the surrounding clans volunteer to join Wallace's militia. Wallace leads his army through a series of successful battles against the English, including the Battle of Stirling and sacking the city of York. However, he is betrayed by the Scottish nobility and defeated at the Battle of Falkirk. He goes into hiding, fighting a guerrilla war against English forces and personally executes two Scottish nobles who betrayed him. Meanwhile, Princess Isabelle, whose husband Prince Edward (Longshanks's effeminate son and heir) ignores her, meets with Wallace as the English King's emissary. She and Wallace share a tryst, during which she conceives Wallace's child. Still believing there is some good in the nobility of his country, Wallace eventually agrees to meet with the Bruce. He is caught in a trap set by the elder Bruce and the other nobles, beaten unconscious, and handed over to the English Crown. Robert the Bruce is enraged b y his father's treachery, and disowns him forever. In London, Wallace is brought before the English magistrates and tried for high treason. He denies the charges, reasoning that he had never accepted Edward as his King. The court responds by sentencing him to be "purified by pain." Later, in a London square, William Wallace is brutally tortured to death, being alternately hanged, racked, and finally disembowelled alive.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Ten

WHEN YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A dream-walker, you pick up a few lessons. One of the most important is that doing physical things in dreams feels exactly like doing them in the real world. Say, like kissing someone. Adrian and I had shared a number of dream- kisses intense enough to spark my body wanting to try a whole lot more. Although I'd never actually attacked someone in a dream, I was willing to bet a punch here would feel just as painful as a real one. Without hesitation, I lunged toward Victor, uncertain as to whether I should sock him or choke him. Both seemed like good ideas. Turned out, I did neither. Before I could reach him, I slammed into an invisible wall–hard. It both blocked me from him and bounced me back at the impact. I stumbled, tried to regain my footing, but instead landed painfully on the ground. Yup–dreams felt just like real life. I glared at Robert, feeling a mix of both anger and uneasiness. I tried to hide that last emotion. â€Å"You're a spirit user with telekinesis?' We'd known that was possible, but it was a skill neither Lissa nor Adrian had mastered yet. I really didn't like the idea that Robert might have the power to throw objects around and create invisible barriers. It was a disadvantage we didn't need. Robert remained enigmatic. â€Å"I control the dream.' Victor was looking down at me with that smug, calculating expression he excelled at. Realizing what an undignified position I was in, I leapt to my feet. I kept a hard stance, my body tense and ready as I wondered if Robert would keep the wall up continuously. â€Å"Are you done with your tantrum?' asked Victor. â€Å"Behaving like a civilized person will make our talk so much more pleasant.' â€Å"I have no interest in talking to you,' I snapped. â€Å"The only thing I'm going to do is hunt you down in the real world and drag you back to the authorities.' â€Å"Charming,' said Victor. â€Å"We can share a cell.' I winced. â€Å"Yes,' he continued. â€Å"I know all about what happened. Poor Tatiana. Such a tragedy. Such a loss.' His mocking, melodramatic tone sparked an alarming idea. â€Å"You †¦ you didn't have anything to do with it, did you?' Victor's escape from prison had triggered a lot of fear and paranoia amongst the Moroi. They'd been convinced he was coming for them all. Knowing the truth about the escape, I'd dismissed such talk and figured he'd simply lie low. Now, remembering how he'd once wanted to start a revolution among the Moroi, I wondered if the queen's murderer actually was the most evil villain we knew. Victor snorted. â€Å"Hardly.' He put his hands behind his back as he paced the room and pretended to study the art. I again wondered how far Robert's shield extended. â€Å"I have much more sophisticated methods to accomplish my goals. I wouldn't stoop to something like that–and neither would you.' I was about to point out that messing with Lissa's mind was hardly sophisticated, but his last words caught my attention. â€Å"You don't think I did it?' He glanced back from where he'd been studying a man with a top hat and cane. â€Å"Of course not. You'd never do anything that required that much foresight. And, if what I've heard about the crime scene is true, you'd never leave that much evidence behind.' There was both an insult and a compliment there. â€Å"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. I've been worrying about what you'd think.' This earned me a smile, and I crossed my arms over my chest. â€Å"How do you guys even know what's happening at Court? Do you have spies?' â€Å"This sort of thing spreads throughout the Moroi world quickly,' said Victor. â€Å"I'm not that out of touch. I knew about her murder almost as soon as it happened. And about your most impressive escape.' My attention mostly stayed on Victor, but I did cast a quick glance at Robert. He remained silent, and from the blank, distracted look in his eyes, I wondered if he was even aware of what was being said around him. Seeing him always sent a chill down my spine. He was a prominent example of spirit at its worst. â€Å"Why do you care?' I demanded. â€Å"And why the hell are you bothering me in my dreams?' Victor continued his pacing, pausing to run his fingertips along the harp's smooth, wooden surface. â€Å"Because I have a great interest in Moroi politics. And I'd like to know who's responsible for the murder and what their game is.' I smirked. â€Å"Sounds like you're just jealous someone else is pulling the strings besides you for a change. No pun intended.' His hand dropped from the harp, back to his side, and he fixed his sharp eyes on me, eyes the same pale green as Lissa's. â€Å"Your witty commentary isn't going to get you anywhere. You can either let us help you or not.' â€Å"You are the last person I want help from. I don't need it.' â€Å"Yes. Things seem to be going quite well for you, now that you're a hunted fugitive and on the run with a man that many still believe is Strigoi.' Victor gave a calculated pause. â€Å"Of course, I'm sure you don't mind that last part so much. You know, if I found you two, I could probably shoot you and be welcomed back as a hero.' â€Å"Don't bet on it.' Rage burned through me, both at his insinuation and because he'd caused so much trouble for Dimitri and me in the past. With great force of will, I replied in a low, deadly voice: â€Å"I am going to find you. And you probably won't live to see the authorities.' â€Å"We already established murder isn't in your skill set.' Victor sat down in one of the cushioned chairs, making himself comfortable. Robert continued standing, that out-of-it expression still on his face. â€Å"Now, the first thing we need to do is determine why someone would want to kill our late queen. Her abrasive personality is hardly motivation, though I'm sure it didn't hurt. People do things like this for power and advantage, to push their agendas through. From what I hear, Tatiana's most controversial action recently was that age law–yes, that's the one. The one making you scowl at me like that. It stands to reason that her murderer opposed that.' I didn't want to comply with Victor at all. I didn't want a reasonable discussion with him. What I wanted was some indication of where he was in real life, and then, I wanted to take a chance on slamming into that invisible wall again. It'd be worth the risk if I could do some damage. So, I was a bit surprised when I found myself saying, â€Å"Or, whoever did it wanted to push something worse through–something harsher on dhampirs. They thought her decree was too soft.' I admit, catching Victor Dashkov off guard was one of the greatest joys of my life. I had that satisfaction now, seeing his eyebrows rise in astonishment. It wasn't easy proposing something a master schemer like him hadn't already considered. â€Å"Interesting,' he said at last. â€Å"I may have underestimated you, Rose. That's a brilliant deduction on your part.' â€Å"Well, um †¦ it wasn't exactly my deduction.' Victor waited expectantly. Even Robert snapped out of his daze and focused on me. It was creepy. â€Å"It was Tatiana's. I mean, not her deduction. She said it directly–well, that is, the note she left for me did.' Why was I rambling in front of these guys? At least I surprised Victor again. â€Å"Tatiana Ivashkov left you a note with clandestine information? Whatever for?' I bit my lip and turned my attention over to one of the paintings. It showed an elegant Moroi woman with those same jade green eyes most Dashkovs and Dragomirs shared. I suddenly wondered if perhaps Robert had formed this dream in some Dashkov mansion from their childhood. Movement in my periphery made me instantly turn back to the brothers. Victor rose and took a few steps toward me, curiosity and cunning all over him. â€Å"There's more. What else did she tell you? She knew she was in danger. She knew this law was part of it †¦ but it wasn't the only thing, was it?' I remained silent, but a crazy idea began forming in my mind. I was actually considering seeing if Victor could help me. Of course, in retrospect, that wasn't such a crazy notion, considering I'd already busted him out of prison to get his help. â€Å"Tatiana said †¦' Should I say it? Should I give up the secret even Lissa didn't know? If Victor knew there was another Dragomir, he might use that knowledge for one of his schemes. How? I wasn't sure but had long learned to expect the unexpected from him. Yet †¦ Victor knew a lot of Moroi secrets. I would have enjoyed watching him and Abe match wits. And I didn't doubt that a lot of Victor's inside knowledge involved the Dragomirs and Dashkovs. I swallowed. â€Å"Tatiana said that there was another Dragomir. That Lissa's dad had an affair and that if I could find whoever this is, it'll give Lissa her power back on the Council.' When Victor and Robert exchanged shocked looks, I knew my plan had backfired. Victor wasn't going to give me insight. Instead, I'd been the one to just yield valuable information. Damn, damn, damn. He turned his attention back to me, his expression speculative. â€Å"So. Eric Dragomir wasn't the saint he so often played.' I balled my fists. â€Å"Don't slam her dad.' â€Å"Wouldn't dream of it. I liked Eric immensely. But yes †¦ if this is true, then Tatiana is right. Vasilisa technically has family backing, and her liberal views would certainly cause friction on a Council that never seems to change their ways.' He chuckled. â€Å"Yes, I can definitely see that upsetting many people–including a murderer who wants to oppress dhampirs. I imagine he or she wouldn't want this knowledge to get out.' â€Å"Someone already tried to get rid of records linking Lissa's dad to a mistress.' I again spoke without thinking and hated myself for it. I didn't want to give the brothers any more info. I didn't want to play like we were all working together here. â€Å"And let me guess,' said Victor. â€Å"That's what you're trying to do, isn't it? Find this Dragomir bastard.' â€Å"Hey, don't–‘ â€Å"It's just an expression,' he interrupted. â€Å"If I know you two–and I feel confident I do– Vasilisa is desperately trying to clear your name back at Court while you and Belikov are off on a sexually charged adventure to find her brother or sister.' â€Å"You don't know anything about us,' I growled. Sexually charged indeed. He shrugged. â€Å"Your face says it all. And really, it's not a bad idea. Not a great one either, but not bad. Give the Dragomir family a quorum, and you'll have a voice speaking on your behalf on the Council. I don't suppose you have any leads?' â€Å"We're working on it,' I replied evasively. Victor looked at Robert. I knew the two didn't have any psychic communication, but as they exchanged glances, I had a feeling they were both thinking the same thing and confirming with each other. At last, Victor nodded and turned back to me. â€Å"Very well then. We'll help you.' He made it sound like he was reluctantly agreeing to do me a big favor. â€Å"We don't need your help!' â€Å"Of course you do. You're out of your league, Rose. You're wandering into a nest of ugly, complex politics–something you have no experience with. There's no shame in acknowledging that, just as I'm not ashamed to admit that in an irrational, ill-planned fist fight, you would certainly prove superior.' Another backhanded compliment. â€Å"We're doing just fine. We have an Alchemist helping us.' There. That would show him who was out of whose league. And, to my credit, he did look slightly impressed. Slightly. â€Å"Better than I expected. Has your Alchemist come up with a location or any lead yet?' â€Å"She's working on it,' I repeated. He sighed in frustration. â€Å"We're going to need time then, aren't we? Both for Vasilisa to investigate Court and you to start tracking this child.' â€Å"You're the one who acts like you know everything,' I pointed out. â€Å"I figured you'd know something about this.' â€Å"To my chagrin, no.' Victor didn't really sound all that put out. â€Å"But as soon as we get a thread, I assure you, I'll be essential in unraveling it.' He walked over to his brother and patted Robert's arm comfortingly. Robert stared back adoringly. â€Å"We'll visit you again. Let us know when you have something useful, and then we'll meet up with you.' My eyes widened. â€Å"You'll do no such–‘ I hesitated. I'd let Victor escape in Las Vegas. Now he was offering to come to me. Maybe I could repair that mistake and make good on my earlier threat to him. Quickly, I tried to cover my lapse of speech. â€Å"How do I know I can trust you?' â€Å"You can't,' he said bluntly. â€Å"You've got to take it on faith that the enemy of your enemy is your friend.' â€Å"I've always hated that saying. You'll always be my enemy.' I was a bit surprised when Robert suddenly came to life. He glared and stepped forward. â€Å"My brother is a good man, shadow-girl! If you hurt him †¦ if you hurt him, you'll pay. And next time you won't come back. The world of the dead won't give you up a second time.' I knew better than to take the threats of a crazy man seriously, but his last words sent a chill through me. â€Å"Your brother is a psycho–‘ â€Å"Enough, enough.' Victor again gave Robert a reassuring pat on the arm. Still scowling at me, the younger Dashkov brother backed off, but I was willing to bet that invisible wall was back in place. â€Å"This does us no good. We're wasting time–which is something we don't have enough of. We need more. The monarch elections will start any day now, and Tatiana's murderer could have a hand in those if there really was some agenda going on. We need to slow down the elections–not just to thwart the assassin, but also to give all of us time to accomplish our tasks.' I was getting tired of all this. â€Å"Yeah? And how do you propose we do that?' Victor smiled. â€Å"By running Vasilisa as a candidate for queen.' Seeing as this was Victor Dashkov we were dealing with, I really shouldn't have been surprised by anything he said. It was a testament to his level of craziness that he continually caught me unprepared. â€Å"That,' I declared, â€Å"is impossible.' â€Å"Not really,' he replied. I threw my hands up in exasperation. â€Å"Haven't you been paying attention to what we've been talking about? The whole point is to get Lissa full family rights with the Moroi. She can't even vote! How could she run for queen?' â€Å"Actually, the law says she can. According to the way the nomination policy is written, one person from each royal line may run for the monarch position. That's all it says. One person from each line may run. There is no mention of how many people need to be in her family, as there is for her to vote on the Council. She simply needs three nominations–and the law doesn't specify which family they come from.' Victor spoke in such a precise, crisp way that he might as well have been reciting from a legal book. I wondered if he had all the laws memorized. I supposed if you were going to make a career of breaking laws, you might as well know them. â€Å"Whoever wrote that law probably assumed the candidates would have family members. They just didn't bother spelling it out. That's what people will say if Lissa runs. They'll fight it.' â€Å"They can fight it all they want. Those who are denying her a Council spot base it on one line in the law books that mentions another family member. If that's their argument, that every detail must count, then they'll have to do the same for the election laws– which, as I have said, do not mention family backing. That's the beauty of this loophole. Her opponents can't have it both ways.' A smile twisted at Victor's lips, supremely confident. â€Å"I assure you, there is absolutely nothing in the wording that prevents her from doing this.' â€Å"How about her age?' I pointed out. â€Å"The princes and princesses who run are always old.' The title of prince or princess went to a family's oldest member, and traditionally, that was the person who ran for king or queen. The family could decide to nominate someone else more fitting, but even then–to my knowledge–it was always someone older and experienced. â€Å"The only age restriction is full adulthood,' said Victor. â€Å"She's eighteen. She qualifies. The other families have much larger pools to draw from, so naturally, they'd select someone who seemed more experienced. In the Dragomir case? Well, that's not an option, now is it? Besides, young monarchs aren't without precedence. There was a very famous queen–Alexandra–who wasn't much older than Vasilisa. Very well loved, very extraordinary. Her statue is by the Court's church.' I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"Actually †¦ it's, um, not there anymore. It kind of blew up.' Victor just stared. He'd apparently heard about my escape but not all of the details. â€Å"It's not important,' I said hastily, feeling guilty that I'd been indirectly responsible for blowing up a renowned queen. â€Å"This whole idea about using Lissa is ridiculous.' â€Å"You won't be the only one who thinks so,' Victor said. â€Å"They'll argue. They'll fight. In the end, the law will prevail. They'll have to let her run. She'll go through the tests and probably pass. Then, when voting comes, the laws that govern those procedures reference a family member assisting with the vote.' My head was spinning by now. I felt mentally exhausted listening to all these legal loopholes and technicalities. â€Å"Just come right out and put it in simple language,' I ordered. â€Å"When voting comes, she won't be eligible. She has no family to fulfill the role required at the actual election. In other words, the law says she can run and take the tests. Yet, people can't actually vote for her because she has no family.' â€Å"That's †¦ idiotic.' â€Å"Agreed.' He paused. I don't think either of us ever expected to concur on something. â€Å"Lissa would hate this. She would never, ever want to be queen.' â€Å"Are you not following this?' exclaimed Victor. â€Å"She won't be queen. She can't. It's a badly written law for a situation no one foresaw. It's a mess. And it will bog down the elections so badly that we'll have extra time to find Vasilisa's sibling and find out who really killed Tatiana.' â€Å"Hey! I told you: There's no â€Å"we' here. I'm not going to–‘ Victor and Robert exchanged looks. â€Å"Get Vasilisa nominated,' said Victor abruptly. â€Å"We'll be in touch soon on where to meet you for the Dragomir search.' IT â€Å"Thats not–‘ I woke up. My immediate reaction was to swear, but then, remembering where I was, I kept my expletives inside my own head. I could make out Dimitri's silhouette in the corner, alert and watchful, and didn't want him to know I was awake. Closing my eyes, I shifted into a more comfortable position, hoping for true sleep that would block out the Dashkov brothers and their ridiculous schemes. Lissa running for queen? It was crazy. And yet †¦ it really wasn't much crazier than most of the things I did. Putting that aside, I let my body relax and felt the tug of true sleep start to take me down. Emphasis on start. Because suddenly, I felt another spirit dream materializing around me. Apparently, this was going to be a busy night.

American and French Revolutions

A watershed event in modern European history, the French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, uprooting centuries-old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. Like the American Revolution before it, the French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights.Although it failed to achieve all of its goals and at times degenerated into a chaotic bloodbath, the movement played a critical role in shaping modern nations by showing the world the power inherent in the will of the people. Prelude to the French Revolution: Monarchy in Crisis As the 18th century drew to a close, France’s costly involvement in the  American Revolution  and extravagant spending by King  Louis XVI  (1754-1793) and his predecessor had left the country o n the brink of bankruptcy.Not only were the royal coffers depleted, but two decades of poor cereal harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread prices had kindled unrest among peasants and the urban poor. Many expressed their desperation and resentment toward a regime that imposed heavy taxes yet failed to provide relief by rioting, looting and striking. In the fall of 1786, Louis XVI’s controller general, Charles Alexandre de Calonne (1734-1802), proposed a financial reform package that included a universal land tax from which the privileged classes would no longer be exempt.To garner support for these measures and forestall a growing aristocratic revolt, the king summoned the Estates-General (â€Å"les etats generaux†)–an assembly representing France’s clergy, nobility and middle class–for the first time since 1614. The meeting was scheduled for May 5, 1789; in the meantime, delegates of the three estates from each locality would comp ile lists of grievances (â€Å"cahiers de doleances†) to present to the king. The French Revolution at Versailles: Rise of the Third Estate France’s population had changed considerably since 1614.The non-aristocratic members of the Third Estate now represented 98 percent of the people but could still be outvoted by the other two bodies. In the lead-up to the May 5 meeting, the Third Estate began to mobilize support for equal representation and the abolishment of the noble veto–in other words, they wanted voting by head and not by status. While all of the orders shared a common desire for fiscal and judicial reform as well as a more representative form of government, the nobles in particular were loath to give up the privileges they enjoyed under the traditional system.By the time the Estates-General convened at Versailles, the highly public debate over its voting process had erupted into hostility between the three orders, eclipsing the original purpose of the m eeting and the authority of the man who had convened it. On June 17, with talks over procedure stalled, the Third Estate met alone and formally adopted the title of National Assembly; three days later, they met in a nearby indoor tennis court and took the so-called Tennis Court Oath (â€Å"serment du jeu de paume†), vowing not to disperse until constitutional reform had been achieved.Within a week, most of the clerical deputies and 47 liberal nobles had joined them, and on June 27 Louis XVI grudgingly absorbed all three orders into the new assembly. The French Revolution Hits the Streets: The Bastille and the Great Fear On June 12, as the National Assembly (known as the National Constituent Assembly during its work on a constitution) continued to meet at Versailles, fear and violence consumed the capital. Though enthusiastic about the recent breakdown of royal power, Parisians grew panicked as rumors of an impending military coup began to circulate.A popular insurgency culmin ated on July 14 when rioters stormed the Bastille fortress in an attempt to secure gunpowder and weapons; many consider this event, now commemorated in France as a national holiday, as the start of the French Revolution. The wave of revolutionary fervor and widespread hysteria quickly swept the countryside. Revolting against years of exploitation, peasants looted and burned the homes of tax collectors, landlords and the seigniorial elite.Known as the Great Fear (â€Å"la Grande peur†), the agrarian insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from the country and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789, signing what the historian Georges Lefebvre later called the â€Å"death certificate of the old order. † The French Revolution Turns Radical: Terror and Revolt In April 1792, the newly elected Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria and Prussia, where it believed that French emigres were building counterrevolutionary alliances; it also hoped to spread its revolutionary deals across Europe through warfare. On the domestic front, meanwhile, the political crisis took a radical turn when a group of insurgents led by the extremist Jacobins attacked the royal residence in Paris and arrested the king on August 10, 1792. The following month, amid a wave of violence in which Parisian insurrectionists massacred hundreds of accused counterrevolutionaries, the Legislative Assembly was replaced by the National Convention, which proclaimed the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the French republic.On January 21, 1793, it sent King Louis XVI, condemned to death for high treason and crimes against the state, to the guillotine; his wife  Marie-Antoinette  (1755-1793) suffered the same fate nine months later. Following the king’s execution, war with various European powers and intense divisions within the National Convention ushered the French Revolution into its most violent and turbul ent phase. In June 1793, the Jacobins seized control of the National Convention from the more moderate Girondins and instituted a series of radical measures, including the establishment of a new calendar and the eradication of Christianity.They also unleashed the bloody Reign of Terror (â€Å"la Terreur†), a 10-month period in which suspected enemies of the revolution were guillotined by the thousands. Many of the killings were carried out under orders from Robespierre, who dominated the draconian Committee of Public Safety until his own execution on July 28, 1794. His death marked the beginning of the Thermidorian Reaction, a moderate phase in which the French people revolted against the Reign of Terror’s excesses. The French Revolution Ends: Napoleon's RiseOn August 22, 1795, the National Convention, composed largely of Girondins who had survived the Reign of Terror, approved a new constitution that created France’s first bicameral legislature. Executive power would lie in the hands of a five-member Directory (â€Å"Directoire†) appointed by parliament. Royalists and Jacobins protested the new regime but were swiftly silenced by the army, now led by a young and successful general named Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). The Directory’s four years in power were riddled with financial crises, popular discontent, inefficiency and, above all, political corruption.By the late 1790s, the directors relied almost entirely on the military to maintain their authority and had ceded much of their power to the generals in the field. On November 9, 1799, as frustration with their leadership reached a fever pitch, Bonaparte staged a coup d’etat, abolishing the Directory and appointing himself France’s â€Å"first consul. † The event marked the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of the Napoleonic era, in which France would come to dominate much of continental Europe. Similarities America ; France Revolutionary Twins?The American and French Revolutions were fought several years and an ocean apart. However, they feature enough similarities that some people initially consider them â€Å"mirror struggles. †Ã‚   After all, there are some easy comparisons:   both revolutions occurred in the later eighteenth century. Both subverted an existing, monarchical government. Finally, both created ripe conditions for constitutionalism and deep patriotism. But dig more deeply, and you’ll find that this â€Å"same revolution, different continent† concept is not as tidy as it initially appears.Further similarities between the two revolutions are just different enough to produce profound distinctions between the two revolutions. Although most scholars believe that the two revolutions influenced one another (as well as had profound worldwide impact), each revolution is a very distinct and singular struggle for freedom, identity, and an improved way of life. Indeed, scholars have built entire careers on this subject, and rich debate and information is available online or at your local library. However, here are a few fundamental elements shared by the revolutions, with intricate but important differences highlighted: CausesBoth the American Revolution and the French Revolution were borne of dire economic conditions. Economic challenges definitely contributed to the basis for both revolutions. However, each nation’s money-related woes were quite unique. The American Revolution had roots in the financial pressure that Britain placed on the New World; because Britain was economically dependent on the colonies, it kept taxing them. However, the colonists didn’t oppose the taxation itself. They were more vexed by the lack of a reasonable basis for the taxation, feeling that they received little or no benefit from their unds that were being spent â€Å"back in the old country. †Ã‚   This phenomenon—commonly known as taxation without represen tation—infuriated the colonies, building the basis for their revolt. Classic images of hungry, poverty-stricken French peasants are still familiar. Indeed, the pre-revolution French economy was dismal and had been for decades. As a second-tier trading nation, France was unable to pay off national debts using the scant amount of money it received on the taxes for traded goods. To make up for this deficit, the King imposed further taxes, especially on the peasants.Paradoxically, the wealthiest nobles were not obligated to pay taxes. This allowed the King to successfully sell titles, pulling the two social classes further apart. So although the British tax-related woes were also tied to royal greed and exploitative control, they were relatively common to any new colonist establishment. France’s case, while certainly tax-related, was more deeply rooted in a historic division of social class. Although the rich and poor had long been separated, the King’s selling of t itles totally isolated the two groups.This resulted in famine and extreme poverty for the lower classes, and left them no choice but to revolt. Goals Both revolutions were undertaken with the goal of independence in mind. The American Revolution was not initially or even primarily fought for independence. Independence almost became a â€Å"by-product† of the colonists’ initial attempt to remove unfair taxes levied on them by British Parliament. On the other hand, France’s decades of class division and its burgeoning interest in thinkers like Rousseau (who emphasized the importance of human rights) sparked a popular interest in a more independent way of life.The influence of speeches, articles, and pamphlets from gifted writers and orators like revolution leaders Jacques-Pierre Brissot and Maximillien Robespierre also fueled this desire for freedom. Finally, the success of the American Revolution (and the colonists’ resulting independence from British rule ) arguably acted as an incentive for revolt. American-French Relationships Both revolutions spurred a strong response from the other nation. Before 1789, most people (excluding the Americans of the new United States) lived with the general form of government their ancestors had known for centuries, sually hereditary monarchy. After the French Revolution began in 1789, no form of government could be accepted as legitimate without justification. The revolutionaries established a republic in 1792, and henceforth republicans around the world would challenge monarchists. Overall, the French Revolution offered the world something totally novel: an ideology that allowed and encouraged the questioning of historic power structures. This ideology borne of the French Revolution laid the groundwork for other ideologies, including nationalism, socialism, and eventually communism.In fact, early communist leaders Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels both commented extensively on the French Revolution, h oping to find important lessons for building and governing communities. North Americans showed special interest in the French Revolution, believing the events of 1789 drew heavily on their own experience with Britain. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen seemed to borrow strikingly from the states’ bill of rights. Even more direct influence took place when American Thomas Jefferson, resident in France at this time, passed along specific ideas to the legislators through the Marquis de Lafayette.Although the French Revolution took a far different path than the North American variety, this interaction was close, so it is not surprising that the initial U. S. reaction to the French Revolution was positive. Not all Americans approved of the France’s methods. For example, John Adams declared his early and ongoing disapproval, and the Federalist Party’s support began to waver toward the Revolution’s end. The Reign of Terror also did little to create American approval and drew criticism from some prominent American statesmen.However, the Jefferson-led Republican Party remained largely supportive throughout most of the revolutionary decade. Famous Documents Both revolutions produced similar and seminal political documents. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was adopted in France in August 1789 by the National Constituent Assembly. Drafted by the Marquis de Lafayette, it was intended as part of a transition from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, and presented the ideas of popular sovereignty and equal opportunity.This document, which defined a set of universal individual and collective rights, was to be considered valid in all times, in all places, for all people. This novel way of thinking totally contradicted the traditional French idea of people being born into a nobility or into another favored class. It also eliminated the concept of people enjoying or being denied special rights based on f amily lineage of status, which clearly dismantled centuries of French ruling structure. The principles outlined in the Declaration sprung from the theories of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and other Enlightenment thinkers.However, the French Declaration is at least partly inspired by the declaration of Human Rights contained in the U. S. Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, and on the Virginia Declaration of Rights, developed by American George Mason in June 1776, which was itself based on the English 1689 Bill of Rights. The Declaration of the Rights of Man also showed similarities to the United States Constitution (1787) and the United States Bill of Rights, which was adopted in 1789, at approximately the same time as the Declaration of the Rights of Man.Like the U. S. Constitution, The French Declaration provided for a national defense, and emphasized equality before taxation (which was distinctly different from traditional France, in which the Catholic Churc h and the nobility were exempt from most taxes). Like these American documents, France’s Declaration prohibits ex post facto application of criminal law and proclaims the presumption of innocence to a crime suspect. Finally, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and addresses freedom of religion.The Declaration departs from seminal American documents in some important ways. It’s vital to note that the Declaration is largely individualistic. It focuses less on the rights of a political or religious group and more on the singular citizen, thus straying from America’s â€Å"we the people† stance. The Declaration also fails to address the freedom of assembly, liberty of association, or the right to strike, which were important American tenets. Differences Self-Identification and Independence * France was a well-established nation long before the French revolution. It was not facing any acute exte rnal dangers in the late 1780s.In contrast, the American revolution was a struggle for self-identification and independence from another nation. In France, the essential motive of the revolution was a stratification transformation of the society because â€Å"the third estate† saw the clergy and the nobles as social parasites. Attitudes Toward Monarchy * The Americans were not anti-monarchists from the very start. They considered their rights as the British subjects were being violated, and their main complaints were aimed against the British Parliament. In France, the revolution was very much against the monarch and his power.Revolutionists saw the monarch as a traitor and acted aggressively toward the royal family. That led them to accuse the monarch of conspiracies against the French people, which in turn led to the execution of the royal family. Social Stratification * Social equality was not the main concern of the American revolution. Slavery was abolished in the Northe rn states, but it did not drastically influence the social stratification of American society. In France, the whole social structure was made up of three traditional estates: clergy, nobles and others. The revolution transformed all of them.Elimination of the traditional privileges based on the social origin was the main goal of the French revolution. Revolution and Religion * The American patriots did want to break with the Church of England, but the American revolution was not driven by a religious goal. The French revolution was, and it accomplished most of those goals. It eliminated the privileges of the clergy. Monasteries and churches were closed, the monks and nuns were encouraged to return to the private life. Many priests were killed. The Cult of Reason emerged during the revolution as part of the new France's plan to â€Å"de-Christianize† the country.It stressed enlightenment and rationalism over the believe of a deity. Revolutionary Values and Mottos * John Locke formulated three basic values which were adopted by the American patriots: life, liberty and property. They fought for the idea that governments were obliged to preserve these values. The French revolution proclaimed three values too: liberty, equality and brotherhood, or death. The last part was adopted during the period of terror in 1793-1794. Thus, the common value shared by both revolutions was the pursuit of liberty.