In Donoghue v Stevenson (1932) Lord Atkin attempted to create a basic Essay

In Donoghue v Stevenson (1932) Lord Atkin endeavored to make an essential guideline which could be utilized in all cases to choose whether or not obligation of care is owed t - Essay Example of Murphy v Brentwood DC3 overruled this two overlay test spread out in Anns and the obligation of a violater of an obligation of care was expected to go past just money related contemplations. This is the thing that at last prompted the improvement of the obligation of care owed by each individual towards another as spread out on account of Caparo v Dickman4, which is the establishment of most tort cases today, with some legally binding penetrates additionally falling under the tortious break of obligation of care. The instance of Donaghue v Stevenson5 was one of the main cases to set up the way that cures could exist in tort on the premise that all owe â€Å"a obligation of care† to â€Å"their neighbor† and Lord Tomlin expressed that â€Å"†¦acts or oversights which any ethical code would reproach can't in a useful world be dealt with in order to give an option to each individual harmed by them to request relief.† Based on an ethical rule that each individual owes an obligation to others since they are neighbors, Lord Atkin refined this further by explaining an obligation of care that one owes to a neighbor as observes: â€Å"The decide that you are to adore your neighbor becomes in law, you should not harm your neighbour†¦.you must take sensible consideration to keep away from acts or exclusions which you can sensibly anticipate would probably harm your neighbour.†6 The instance of Donaghue spread out the general rule that since each individual owed others an obligation of care dependent on the way that they were neighbors, in this way any break of that obligation could end up being satisfactory reason for looking for harms. Notwithstanding, the measures and capabilities of this obligation of care were investigated in the financial setting on account of Anns v Merton Borough London Council7 wherein it was held that monetary misfortunes brought about by a break of agreement that happened through carelessness would be legitimate and significant under tort law. A two way test was set out for this situation as follows: (a) was there an adequate neighbor relationship or a degree of vicinity between the two

A Rose for Emily Summary

Faulkner wonderfully represents the horrible parallelism between Emily’s father and the house that detained her. Both were controlled and controlled by the very being that would in the long run pulverize them. Faulkner deliberately puts the home of the Grierson’s, on what was once think about a renowned road in the disintegrating, packed town of Jefferson. Here, the two landmarks of the past are compelled to keep up an honorable veneer of mental stability among an ever-evolving society. There are two translations to be made in understanding the rationale and importance behind Emily killing Homer Barron, in â€Å"A Rose for Emily†. The principal thought process manages the individual retribution Emily looks for towards her dad, the second being towards the town of Jefferson who investigated her and basically broke down all that she did. The demise of Emily’s father set moving a wickedly abhorrent plan to look for a definitive retribution on the male centric culture of Jefferson, which controlled and at last asserted her mental stability. Her retribution started with her dad whom she detested for precluding her the benefit from securing having an ordinary and fruitful woman’s life. Emily’s disdain started to putrefy inside the profundities of her spirit as a small kid, ruled by a dad who inferred that no male figure was adequate to acquire the status of pursuing or wedding a Grierson. Emily turned out to be genuinely tormented by the very idea of being an old maid and having no other male figure to adore, other than her controlling dad. The developing disdain proceeded as she became more seasoned and point of view suitor’s showed up at the front entryway, at last to be pursued away with a horsewhip. In spite of the fact that the savagery is evidently outward-the upraised horsewhip against the eventual admirer its genuine object is the lady little girl, constrained out of spotlight and ruled by the phallic figure of the spraddled father whose back is turned on her and who keeps her from getting out while he forestalls them, admirers, from getting in. † (560). Emily was a confined creature, detained by her controlling dad, in a carnival whose ace controls the entirety of the animals’ developments, feelings, and physical appearance by a deliberately delineated arrangement of remunerations and disciplines. Emily’s’ rewards, as indicated by her dad, was that she be depicted to the towns individuals as â€Å"a slim figure in white† unreasonably unadulterated for the stains of any person to degenerate what he, the dad, marvelously made. Emily’s discipline was that she would in the long run be respected as a distant figure who’s each activity or development would be broke down by the town of Jefferson. It wasn’t until that game changing day, the demise of her dad, when Emily was at long last ready to apparently communicate her vengeance upon the absolute first male who smothered her sincerely and truly, by not giving him the correct entombment a Grierson merited. Rather, she had the option to encounter, direct, the sentiment of triumph over watching her supposed darling dad decay right in front of her, the sweet retribution of a curved character. Emily cunningly denied to the town’s individuals that her dad passed on so as to subtly communicate her future expectation of retribution towards the town of Jefferson by not letting them, the occupants, quickly discard his unscrambled and rotting body. â€Å"She revealed to them that her dad was not dead. She did that for three days, with the pastor approaching her, and the specialists, attempting to convince her to let them discard the body. Similarly as they were going to depend on law and power, she separated, and they covered her dad rapidly. †(27). â€Å"Because she is Miss Emily Grierson, the town contributes her with that mutual importance which makes her the object of their fixation and subject of their ceaseless scrutiny†¦ the town can force a specific code of conduct and to see her in inability to satisfy that code a reason for meddling in her life. (560). The consequence of the towns meddling fans her fire to look for the retribution for meddling in her life and being so reproachful of each development that she makes. The most critical underhandedly fiendish arrangement Emily looked for was the retribution on the male centric society of Jefferson, which nobody would have the option to appreciate the extent of the homicide of Homer Barron. After the demise of her dad, the townsmen had sympathy for her and guaranteed that leaving her the unscrambled; rotting lodging structure was a method of thumping her off the platform and getting more refined. The man centric culture apparently communicated their need to look out for and care for the desolate old maid who they finished up unequipped for accommodating her monetarily. Colonel Satoris, the oldest patriarch of Jefferson, manufactured a story to legitimize why the town transmitted her expenses, asserting that it was from a monetary advance her dad accommodated the town numerous years prior. The thought process in the homicide of Homer Barron was for Emily, on her deathbed, to pick up the last chuckle at a town that examined and investigated her yet never came to comprehend why she acted and lived as she did. Another rationale in the homicide of Homer Barron was to demonstrate to the male centric culture of Jefferson that despite the fact that she, Emily, couldn't â€Å"persuade him to wed her† (535). Because of his depravities, she may in any case prevail with regards to controlling Homer if her were dead. Nobody would have the option to take that mystery love she had for Homer away despite the fact that he could never respond it a similar route as a result of his elective way of life. Homo Homer was a humiliation to Emily, in light of the fact that unexpectedly she was free love somebody, and he ended up loving youngsters more than ladies. This adapts Emily considerably more and thus it detonates the times of control and control she gets on account of her dad. She had an ideal arrangement; nobody in the town of Jefferson could ever accept that Emily, being a genuine woman â€Å"to overlook noblesse obligeâ€without calling it noblesse oblige† (535). â€Å"Emily is absolved from general prosecution since she is a genuine woman that is, erratic, somewhat insane, out of date, a â€Å"stubborn and flirtatious decay†, foolish however reveled; â€Å"dear, unpreventable, impenetrable, peaceful, and perverse†; to be sure, everything without exception yet human. (561). Who might accept she would have killed somebody so as to have their affection. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is taken from a sullenly crepitated perspective where a creator clearly is concealing numerous profound dull mysteries inside his past without gruffly coming out and presenting it to the remainder of society. Faulkner masks his own disasters from his past through the story to give himself a feeling of individual discharge from his very own servitude. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is used as a smart route for William Faulkner to mask his own slide from mental stability.

A Tale of Two Classes

A Tale of Two Classes How do you go from taking 5 classes a term to only taking 2? You would think its easy, but its really not. So this semester is the FIRST SEMESTER EVER that Ive taken less than 48 units. So what am I taking you ask? 7.06: Cell Biology Lecture: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 11 am Recitation: Friday 11 am Professors: H. Ploegh and T. Orr-Weaver Biology of cells of higher organisms: structure, function, and biosynthesis of cellular membranes and organelles; cell growth and oncogenic transformation; transport, receptors, and cell signaling; the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, and cell movements; chromatin structure and RNA synthesis. Commentary: We watched this video the first day of lecture. Possibly one of the best science videos ever. 2.008: Design and Manufacturing II Lecture: Monday and Wednesday 12:30 2 pm Lab: Wednesday 2 5 pm Professors: J. Chun Integration of design, engineering, and management disciplines and practices for analysis and design of manufacturing enterprises. Emphasis is on the physics and stochastic nature of manufacturing processes and systems, and their effects on quality, rate, cost, and flexibility. Topics include process physics and control, design for manufacturing, and manufacturing systems. Group project requires design and fabrication of parts using mass-production and assembly methods to produce a product in quantity. Commentary: WE GET TO MAKE YO-YOS IN THIS CLASS. And the professor gives us chocolate halfway through lecture. Sidebar Commentary: So this is the first time in my life that Ive participated in Lent. For the record, Im giving up sweets and complaining. The last time I did anything for several days back to back was senior year of high school when a few friends of mine and I decided to see how long we were willing to wear the exact same outfit to school (yes, we did shower and yes, we washed our clothes). Scene: 2.008 Lecture on Wednesday Professor Chun begins to distribute chocolate to the class. I dig through the bag for my favorite piece of chocolate. I bite in. Me: Oh crap. Im not supposed to be eating this. Rob: That would be correct. Rob takes the chocolate from me and eats it. This is going to be a rough 40 days. So the reason I only wanted to take 2 classes this term is because I expected applying to graduate school to take up a lot of my time this semester especially having to fly out for interviews. Surprisingly, this strange thing has been happening lately. I get an invitation to interview at a school. I confirm. In the interim time between the invitation to interview and the actual interview, I get accepted. This happened yesterday with UC Berkeley right before I went up on stage at the Medlinks date auction (to be blogged tomorrow). It happened with UPenn about 3 weeks ago. Its a nice feeling. So for the record: Applied to 8 Schools Accepted to 5 Interviews at 2 others Havent heard a thing from the last one Oh, and about Berkeley? Did anyone watch the OC Series FinaleBen? What will I ever do with my Thursday nights?

Puritianism and Literary Techniques in The Scarlet...

Nathaniel Hawthorne has made a beautiful, admirable, extraordinary approach in this novel said Henry James regarding The Scarlet Letter. It has the beauty and harmony of all original and complete conceptions and its weaker spots are not of its essence, but mere light flaws and inequalities of surface. The novel has the inexhaustible charm and mystery of great works of art. It has a high style of polish as well as a charming freshness. Hawthorne has cultivated with great industry his natural sense of language, his turn for saying things lightly in touchy mood, picturesquely yet simply, and for infusing a gently colloquial tone into matter of the most unfamiliar import. The Scarlet Letter deals with different aspects, which are portrayed†¦show more content†¦Hawthornes careful distinction between the type of fiction, the romance, and another type, called the novel, is one that we no longer observe today, when any long fiction is called a novel. But Hawthornes words guide us to the perception that he was writing about what goes on inside people, the truth of the human heart, rather than what goes on outside and around world. He called this novel a romance, not a novel. In The Custom House he suggests that life seen in the sunlight is the stuff of the novel, while the familiar seen in the moonlight and warmed slightly by the light of the coal-fire is the stuff of the romance. A romance, while it must not deviate from the truth of the human heart, has a right to present that truth under circumstances, which to a great extent are the writers own choosing and creation. While a novel is a realistic representation of human nature, human life, a romance may present these under circumstances, which seem improbable, extraordinary, or fanciful, shrouded in an atmosphere of mystery. Romance must not stray from the truths of human heart and, as regards its structure, must subject itself to artistic laws. In the writing of the story, Hawthorne depended to a very large extent upon actual persons, places and events pertaining to seventeenth-century Boston. The realistic elements in The Scarlet Letter far outnumber and outweigh the marvelous elements. The punishment of Hester Prynne for her sin of adultery is thoroughly

Film Review Of The Intouchables Directed By Oliver...

Film Review- Statement of intention: My intention for this film review is to convince the reader to watch the film â€Å"The Intouchables†. As I believe this film is well worth watching as it portrays very good themes and has important life lessons incorporated throughout the movie. The Intouchables Are Really An Untouchable Pair The Intouchables Directed and written by: Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano Rating: R (for language and some drug use) Genre: drama, art house, international, comedy and special interest Duration: 1 hour, 52 minutes In theatres: May 25, 2012 limited The film â€Å"The Intouchables† directed by Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano incorporate a range of genres such as drama, art house, comedy, special interest and international. This interesting contrast of art house and comedy created an emotionally stimulating effect. This movie is about a very wealthy quadriplegic called Philippe, living in a mansion in Paris. Philippe requires a live-in carer due to his condition. The rude African, Driss cuts the line of the candidates to be Philippe’s career and brings a document, as he is uninterested in the job, he only wants to get his signature for the unemployment benefit. However, to his surprise, he receives a trial period to gain experience of helping Philippe and being his carer. Due to this leap of faith on Philippe’s behalf to hire Driss, an incredible friendship is formed. This film is suitable for all ages, despite the R rating as everyone can take

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-two Free Essays

string(53) " stared up at the overcast sky with blue, blue eyes\." Jon Othor,† announced Ser Jaremy Rykker, â€Å"beyond a doubt. And this one was Jafer Flowers.† He turned the corpse over with his foot, and the dead white face stared up at the overcast sky with blue, blue eyes. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-two" in category "Essay examples" We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-two or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"They were Ben Stark’s men, both of them.† My uncle’s men, Jon thought numbly. He remembered how he’d pleaded to ride with them. Gods, I was such a green boy. If he had taken me, it might be me lying here . . . Jafer’s right wrist ended in the ruin of torn flesh and splintered bone left by Ghost’s jaws. His right hand was floating in a jar of vinegar back in Maester Aemon’s tower. His left hand, still at the end of his arm, was as black as his cloak. â€Å"Gods have mercy,† the Old Bear muttered. He swung down from his garron, handing his reins to Jon. The morning was unnaturally warm; beads of sweat dotted the Lord Commander’s broad forehead like dew on a melon. His horse was nervous, rolling her eyes, backing away from the dead men as far as her lead would allow. Jon led her off a few paces, fighting to keep her from bolting. The horses did not like the feel of this place. For that matter, neither did Jon. The dogs liked it least of all. Ghost had led the party here; the pack of hounds had been useless. When Bass the kennelmaster had tried to get them to take the scent from the severed hand, they had gone wild, yowling and barking, fighting to get away. Even now they were snarling and whimpering by turns, pulling at their leashes while Chett cursed them for curs. It is only a wood, Jon told himself, and they’re only dead men. He had seen dead men before . . . Last night he had dreamt the Winterfell dream again. He was wandering the empty castle, searching for his father, descending into the crypts. Only this time the dream had gone further than before. In the dark he’d heard the scrape of stone on stone. When he turned he saw that the vaults were opening, one after the other. As the dead kings came stumbling from their cold black graves, Jon had woken in pitch-dark, his heart hammering. Even when Ghost leapt up on the bed to nuzzle at his face, he could not shake his deep sense of terror. He dared not go back to sleep. Instead he had climbed the Wall and walked, restless, until he saw the light of the dawn off to the cast. It was only a dream. I am a brother of the Night’s Watch now, not a frightened boy. Samwell Tarly huddled beneath the trees, half-hidden behind the horses. His round fat face was the color of curdled milk. So far he had not lurched off to the woods to retch, but he had not so much as glanced at the dead men either. â€Å"I can’t look,† he whispered miserably. â€Å"You have to look,† Jon told him, keeping his voice low so the others would not hear. â€Å"Maester Aemon sent you to be his eyes, didn’t he? What good are eyes if they’re shut?† â€Å"Yes, but . . . I’m such a coward, Jon.† Jon put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. â€Å"We have a dozen rangers with us, and the dogs, even Ghost. No one will hurt you, Sam. Go ahead and look. The first look is the hardest.† Sam gave a tremulous nod, working up his courage with a visible effort. Slowly he swiveled his head. His eyes widened, but Jon held his arm so he could not turn away. â€Å"Ser Jaremy,† the Old Bear asked gruffly, â€Å"Ben Stark had six men with him when he rode from the Wall. Where are the others?† Ser Jaremy shook his head. â€Å"Would that I knew.† Plainly Mormont was not pleased with that answer. â€Å"Two of our brothers butchered almost within sight of the Wall, yet your rangers heard nothing, saw nothing. Is this what the Night’s Watch has fallen to? Do we still sweep these woods?† â€Å"Yes, my lord, but—† â€Å"Do we still mount watches?† â€Å"We do, but—† â€Å"This man wears a hunting horn.† Mormont pointed at Othor. â€Å"Must I suppose that he died without sounding it? Or have your rangers all gone deaf as well as blind?† Ser Jaremy bristled, his face taut with anger. â€Å"No horn was blown, my lord, or my rangers would have heard it. I do not have sufficient men to mount as many patrols as I should like . . . and since Benjen was lost, we have stayed closer to the Wall than we were wont to do before, by your own command.† The Old Bear grunted. â€Å"Yes. Well. Be that as it may.† He made an impatient gesture. â€Å"Tell me how they died.† Squatting beside the dead man he had named Jafer Flowers, Ser Jaremy grasped his head by the scalp. The hair came out between his fingers, brittle as straw. The knight cursed and shoved at the face with the heel of his hand. A great gash in the side of the corpse’s neck opened like a mouth, crusted with dried blood. Only a few ropes of pale tendon still attached the head to the neck. â€Å"This was done with an axe.† â€Å"Aye,† muttered Dywen, the old forester. â€Å"Belike the axe that Othor carried, m’lord.† Jon could feel his breakfast churning in his belly, but he pressed his lips together and made himself look at the second body. Othor had been a big ugly man, and he made a big ugly corpse. No axe was in evidence. Jon remembered Othor; he had been the one bellowing the bawdy song as the rangers rode out. His singing days were done. His flesh was blanched white as milk, everywhere but his hands. His hands were black like Jafer’s. Blossoms of hard cracked blood decorated the mortal wounds that covered him like a rash, breast and groin and throat. Yet his eyes were still open. They stared up at the sky, blue as sapphires. Ser Jaremy stood. â€Å"The wildlings have axes too.† Mormont rounded on him. â€Å"So you believe this is Mance Rayder’s work? This close to the Wall?† â€Å"Who else, my lord?† Jon could have told him. He knew, they all knew, yet no man of them would say the words. The Others are only a story, a tale to make children shiver. If they ever lived at all, they are gone eight thousand years. Even the thought made him feel foolish; he was a man grown now, a black brother of the Night’s Watch, not the boy who’d once sat at Old Nan’s feet with Bran and Robb and Arya. Yet Lord Commander Mormont gave a snort. â€Å"If Ben Stark had come under wildling attack a half day’s ride from Castle Black, he would have returned for more men, chased the killers through all seven hells and brought me back their heads.† â€Å"Unless he was slain as well,† Ser Jaremy insisted. The words hurt, even now. It had been so long, it seemed folly to cling to the hope that Ben Stark was still alive, but Jon Snow was nothing if not stubborn. â€Å"It has been close on half a year since Benjen left us, my lord,† Ser Jaremy went on. â€Å"The forest is vast. The wildlings might have fallen on him anywhere. I’d wager these two were the last survivors of his party, on their way back to us . . . but the enemy caught them before they could reach the safety of the Wall. The corpses are still fresh, these men cannot have been dead more than a day . . . .† â€Å"No,† Samwell Tarly squeaked. Jon was startled. Sam’s nervous, high-pitched voice was the last he would have expected to hear. The fat boy was frightened of the officers, and Ser Jaremy was not known for his patience. â€Å"I did not ask for your views, boy,† Rykker said coldly. â€Å"Let him speak, ser,† Jon blurted. Mormont’s eyes flicked from Sam to Jon and back again. â€Å"If the lad has something to say, I’ll hear him out. Come closer, boy. We can’t see you behind those horses.† Sam edged past Jon and the garrons, sweating profusely. â€Å"My lord, it . . . it can’t be a day or . . . look . . . the blood . . . â€Å" â€Å"Yes?† Mormont growled impatiently. â€Å"Blood, what of it?† â€Å"He soils his smallclothes at the sight of it,† Chett shouted out, and the rangers laughed. Sam mopped at the sweat on his brow. â€Å"You . . . you can see where Ghost . . . Jon’s direwolf . . . you can see where he tore off that man’s hand, and yet . . . the stump hasn’t bled, look . . . † He waved a hand. â€Å"My father . . . L-lord Randyll, he, he made me watch him dress animals sometimes, when . . . after . . . † Sam shook his head from side to side, his chins quivering. Now that he had looked at the bodies, he could not seem to look away. â€Å"A fresh kill . . . the blood would still flow, my lords. Later . . . later it would be clotted, like a . . . a jelly, thick and . . . and . . . † He looked as though he was going to be sick. â€Å"This man . . . look at the wrist, it’s all . . . crusty . . . dry . . . like . . . â€Å" Jon saw at once what Sam meant. He could see the torn veins in the dead man’s wrist, iron worms in the pale flesh. His blood was a black dust. Yet Jaremy Rykker was unconvinced. â€Å"If they’d been dead much longer than a day, they’d be ripe by now, boy. They don’t even smell.† Dywen, the gnarled old forester who liked to boast that he could smell snow coming on, sidled closer to the corpses and took a whiff. â€Å"Well, they’re no pansy flowers, but . . . m’lord has the truth of it. There’s no corpse stink.† â€Å"They . . . they aren’t rotting.† Sam pointed, his fat finger shaking only a little. â€Å"Look, there’s . . . there’s no maggots or . . . or . . . worms or anything . . . they’ve been lying here in the woods, but they . . . they haven’t been chewed or eaten by animals . . . only Ghost . . . otherwise they’re . . . they’re . . . â€Å" â€Å"Untouched,† Jon said softly. â€Å"And Ghost is different. The dogs and the horses won’t go near them.† The rangers exchanged glances; they could see it was true, every man of them. Mormont frowned, glancing from the corpses to the dogs. â€Å"Chett, bring the hounds closer.† Chett tried, cursing, yanking on the leashes, giving one animal a lick of his boot. Most of the dogs just whimpered and planted their feet. He tried dragging one. The bitch resisted, growling and squirming as if to escape her collar. Finally she lunged at him. Chett dropped the leash and stumbled backward. The dog leapt over him and bounded off into the trees. â€Å"This . . . this is all wrong,† Sam Tarly said earnestly. â€Å"The blood . . . there’s bloodstains on their clothes, and . . . and their flesh, dry and hard, but . . . there’s none on the ground, or . . . anywhere. With those . . . those . . . those . . . † Sam made himself swallow, took a deep breath. â€Å"With those wounds . . . terrible wounds . . . there should be blood all over. Shouldn’t there?† Dywen sucked at his wooden teeth. â€Å"Might be they didn’t die here. Might be someone brought ’em and left ’em for us. A warning, as like.† The old forester peered down suspiciously. â€Å"And might be I’m a fool, but I don’t know that Othor never had no blue eyes afore.† Ser Jaremy looked startled. â€Å"Neither did Flowers,† he blurted, turning to stare at the dead man. A silence fell over the wood. For a moment all they heard was Sam’s heavy breathing and the wet sound of Dywen sucking on his teeth. Jon squatted beside Ghost. â€Å"Burn them,† someone whispered. One of the rangers; Jon could not have said who. â€Å"Yes, burn them,† a second voice urged. The Old Bear gave a stubborn shake of his head. â€Å"Not yet. I want Maester Aemon to have a look at them. We’ll bring them back to the Wall.† Some commands are more easily given than obeyed. They wrapped the dead men in cloaks, but when Hake and Dywen tried to tie one onto a horse, the animal went mad, screaming and rearing, lashing out with its hooves, even biting at Ketter when he ran to help. The rangers had no better luck with the other garrons; not even the most placid wanted any part of these burdens. In the end they were forced to hack off branches and fashion crude slings to carry the corpses back on foot. It was well past midday by the time they started back. â€Å"I will have these woods searched,† Mormont commanded Ser Jaremy as they set out. â€Å"Every tree, every rock, every bush, and every foot of muddy ground within ten leagues of here. Use all the men you have, and if you do not have enough, borrow hunters and foresters from the stewards. If Ben and the others are out here, dead or alive, I will have them found. And if there is anyone else in these woods, I will know of it. You are to track them and take them, alive if possible. Is that understood?† â€Å"It is, my lord,† Ser Jaremy said. â€Å"It will be done.† After that, Mormont rode in silence, brooding. Jon followed close behind him; as the Lord Commander’s steward, that was his place. The day was grey, damp, overcast, the sort of day that made you wish for rain. No wind stirred the wood; the air hung humid and heavy, and Jon’s clothes clung to his skin. It was warm. Too warm. The Wall was weeping copiously, had been weeping for days, and sometimes Jon even imagined it was shrinking. The old men called this weather spirit summer, and said it meant the season was giving up its ghosts at last. After this the cold would come, they warned, and a long summer always meant a long winter. This summer had lasted ten years. Jon had been a babe in arms when it began. Ghost ran with them for a time and then vanished among the trees. Without the direwolf, Jon felt almost naked. He found himself glancing at every shadow with unease. Unbidden, he thought back on the tales that Old Nan used to tell them, when he was a boy at Winterfell. He could almost hear her voice again, and the click-click-click of her needles. In that darkness, the Others came riding, she used to say, dropping her voice lower and lower. Cold and dead they were, and they hated iron and fire and the touch of the sun, and every living creature with hot blood in its veins. Holdfasts and cities and kingdoms of men all fell before them, as they moved south on pale dead horses, leading hosts of the slain. They fed their dead servants on the flesh of human children . . . When he caught his first glimpse of the Wall looming above the tops of an ancient gnarled oak, Jon was vastly relieved. Mormont reined up suddenly and turned in his saddle. â€Å"Tarly,† he barked, â€Å"come here.† Jon saw the start of fright on Sam’s face as he lumbered up on his mare; doubtless he thought he was in trouble. â€Å"You’re fat but you’re not stupid, boy,† the Old Bear said gruffly. â€Å"You did well back there. And you, Snow.† Sam blushed a vivid crimson and tripped over his own tongue as he tried to stammer out a courtesy. Jon had to smile. When they emerged from under the trees, Mormont spurred his tough little garron to a trot. Ghost came streaking out from the woods to meet them, licking his chops, his muzzle red from prey. High above, the men on the Wall saw the column approaching. Jon heard the deep, throaty call of the watchman’s great horn, calling out across the miles; a single long blast that shuddered through the trees and echoed off the ice. UUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo. The sound faded slowly to silence. One blast meant rangers returning, and Jon thought, I was a ranger for one day, at least. Whatever may come, they cannot take that away from me. Bowen Marsh was waiting at the first gate as they led their garrons through the icy tunnel. The Lord Steward was red-faced and agitated. â€Å"My lord,† he blurted at Mormont as he swung open the iron bars, â€Å"there’s been a bird, you must come at once.† â€Å"What is it, man?† Mormont said gruffly. Curiously, Marsh glanced at Jon before he answered. â€Å"Maester Aemon has the letter. He’s waiting in your solar.† â€Å"Very well. Jon, see to my horse, and tell Ser Jaremy to put the dead men in a storeroom until the maester is ready for them.† Mormont strode away grumbling. As they led their horses back to the stable, Jon was uncomfortably aware that people were watching him. Ser Alliser Thorne was drilling his boys in the yard, but he broke off to stare at Jon, a faint half smile on his lips. One-armed Donal Noye stood in the door of the armory. â€Å"The gods be with you, Snow,† he called out. Something’s wrong, Jon thought. Something’s very wrong. The dead men were carried to one of the storerooms along the base of the Wall, a dark cold cell chiseled from the ice and used to keep meat and grain and sometimes even beer. Jon saw that Mormont’s horse was fed and watered and groomed before he took care of his own. Afterward he sought out his friends. Grenn and Toad were on watch, but he found Pyp in the common hall. â€Å"What’s happened?† he asked. Pyp lowered his voice. â€Å"The king’s dead.† Jon was stunned. Robert Baratheon had looked old and fat when he visited Winterfell, yet he’d seemed hale enough, and there’d been no talk of illness. â€Å"How can you know?† â€Å"One of the guards overheard Clydas reading the letter to Maester Aemon.† Pyp leaned close. â€Å"Jon, I’m sorry. He was your father’s friend, wasn’t he?† â€Å"They were as close as brothers, once.† Jon wondered if Joffrey would keep his father as the King’s Hand. It did not seem likely. That might mean Lord Eddard would return to Winterfell, and his sisters as well. He might even be allowed to visit them, with Lord Mormont’s permission. It would be good to see Arya’s grin again and to talk with his father. I will ask him about my mother, he resolved. I am a man now, it is past time he told me. Even if she was a whore, I don’t care, I want to know. â€Å"I heard Hake say the dead men were your uncle’s,† Pyp said. â€Å"Yes,† Jon replied. â€Å"Two of the six he took with him. They’d been dead a long time, only . . . the bodies are queer.† â€Å"Queer?† Pyp was all curiosity. â€Å"How queer?† â€Å"Sam will tell you.† Jon did not want to talk of it. â€Å"I should see if the Old Bear has need of me.† He walked to the Lord Commander’s Tower alone, with a curious sense of apprehension. The brothers on guard eyed him solemnly as he approached. â€Å"The Old Bear’s in his solar,† one of them announced. â€Å"He was asking for you.† Jon nodded. He should have come straight from the stable. He climbed the tower steps briskly. He wants wine or a fire in his hearth, that’s all, he told himself. When he entered the solar, Mormont’s raven screamed at him. â€Å"Corn!† the bird shrieked. â€Å"Corn! Corn! Corn!† â€Å"Don’t you believe it, I just fed him,† the Old Bear growled. He was seated by the window, reading a letter. â€Å"Bring me a cup of wine, and pour one for yourself.† â€Å"For myself, my lord?† Mormont lifted his eyes from the letter to stare at Jon. There was pity in that look; he could taste it. â€Å"You heard me.† Jon poured with exaggerated care, vaguely aware that he was drawing out the act. When the cups were filled, he would have no choice but to face whatever was in that letter. Yet all too soon, they were filled. â€Å"Sit, boy,† Mormont commanded him. â€Å"Drink.† Jon remained standing. â€Å"It’s my father, isn’t it?† The Old Bear tapped the letter with a finger. â€Å"Your father and the king,† he rumbled. â€Å"I won’t lie to you, it’s grievous news. I never thought to see another king, not at my age, with Robert half my years and strong as a bull.† He took a gulp of wine. â€Å"They say the king loved to hunt. The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember that. My son loved that young wife of his. Vain woman. If not for her, he would never have thought to sell those poachers.† Jon could scarcely follow what he was saying. â€Å"My lord, I don’t understand. What’s happened to my father?† â€Å"I told you to sit,† Mormont grumbled. â€Å"Sit,† the raven screamed. â€Å"And have a drink, damn you. That’s a command, Snow.† Jon sat, and took a sip of wine. â€Å"Lord Eddard has been imprisoned. He is charged with treason. It is said he plotted with Robert’s brothers to deny the throne to Prince Joffrey.† â€Å"No,† Jon said at once. â€Å"That couldn’t be. My father would never betray the king!† â€Å"Be that as it may,† said Mormont. â€Å"It is not for me to say. Nor for you.† â€Å"But it’s a lie,† Jon insisted. How could they think his father was a traitor, had they all gone mad? Lord Eddard Stark would never dishonor himself . . . would he? He fathered a bastard, a small voice whispered inside him. Where was the honor in that? And your mother, what of her? He will not even speak her name. â€Å"My lord, what will happen to him? Will they kill him?† â€Å"As to that, I cannot say, lad. I mean to send a letter. I knew some of the king’s councillors in my youth. Old Pycelle, Lord Stannis, Ser Barristan . . . Whatever your father has done, or hasn’t done, he is a great lord. He must be allowed to take the black and join us here. Gods knows, we need men of Lord Eddard’s ability.† Jon knew that other men accused of treason had been allowed to redeem their honor on the Wall in days past. Why not Lord Eddard? His father here. That was a strange thought, and strangely uncomfortable. It would be a monstrous injustice to strip him of Winterfell and force him to take the black, and yet if it meant his life . . . And would Joffrey allow it? He remembered the prince at Winterfell, the way he’d mocked Robb and Ser Rodrik in the yard. Jon himself he had scarcely even noticed; bastards were beneath even his contempt. â€Å"My lord, will the king listen to you?† The Old Bear shrugged. â€Å"A boy king . . . I imagine he’ll listen to his mother. A pity the dwarf isn’t with them. He’s the lad’s uncle, and he saw our need when he visited us. It was a bad thing, your lady mother taking him captive—† â€Å"Lady Stark is not my mother,† Jon reminded him sharply. Tyrion Lannister had been a friend to him. If Lord Eddard was killed, she would be as much to blame as the queen. â€Å"My lord, what of my sisters? Arya and Sansa, they were with my father, do you know—† â€Å"Pycelle makes no mention of them, but doubtless they’ll be treated gently. I will ask about them when I write.† Mormont shook his head. â€Å"This could not have happened at a worse time. If ever the realm needed a strong king . . . there are dark days and cold nights ahead, I feel it in my bones . . . † He gave Jon a long shrewd look. â€Å"I hope you are not thinking of doing anything stupid, boy.† He’s my father, Jon wanted to say, but he knew that Mormont would not want to hear it. His throat was dry. He made himself take another sip of wine. â€Å"Your duty is here now,† the Lord Commander reminded him. â€Å"Your old life ended when you took the black.† His bird made a raucous echo. â€Å"Black.† Mormont took no notice. â€Å"Whatever they do in King’s Landing is none of our concern.† When Jon did not answer, the old man finished his wine and said, â€Å"You’re free to go. I’ll have no further need of you today. On the morrow you can help me write that letter.† Jon did not remember standing or leaving the solar. The next he knew, he was descending the tower steps, thinking, This is my father, my sisters, how can it be none of my concern? Outside, one of the guards looked at him and said, â€Å"Be strong, boy. The gods are cruel.† They know, Jon realized. â€Å"My father is no traitor,† he said hoarsely. Even the words stuck in his throat, as if to choke him. The wind was rising, and it seemed colder in the yard than it had when he’d gone in. Spirit summer was drawing to an end. The rest of the afternoon passed as if in a dream. Jon could not have said where he walked, what he did, who he spoke with. Ghost was with him, he knew that much. The silent presence of the direwolf gave him comfort. The girls do not even have that much, he thought. Their wolves might have kept them safe, but Lady is dead and Nymeria’s lost, they’re all alone. A north wind had begun to blow by the time the sun went down. Jon could hear it skirling against the Wall and over the icy battlements as he went to the common hall for the evening meal. Hobb had cooked up a venison stew, thick with barley, onions, and carrots. When he spooned an extra portion onto Jon’s plate and gave him the crusty heel of the bread, he knew what it meant. He knows. He looked around the hall, saw heads turn quickly, eyes politely averted. They all know. His friends rallied to him. â€Å"We asked the septon to light a candle for your father,† Matthar told him. â€Å"It’s a lie, we all know it’s a lie, even Grenn knows it’s a lie,† Pyp chimed in. Grenn nodded, and Sam clasped Jon’s hand, â€Å"You’re my brother now, so he’s my father too,† the fat boy said. â€Å"If you want to go out to the weirwoods and pray to the old gods, I’ll go with you.† The weirwoods were beyond the Wall, yet he knew Sam meant what he said. They are my brothers, he thought. As much as Robb and Bran and Rickon . . . And then he heard the laughter, sharp and cruel as a whip, and the voice of Ser Alliser Thorne. â€Å"Not only a bastard, but a traitor’s bastard,† he was telling the men around him. In the blink of an eye, Jon had vaulted onto the table, dagger in his hand. Pyp made a grab for him, but he wrenched his leg away, and then he was sprinting down the table and kicking the bowl from Ser Alliser’s hand. Stew went flying everywhere, spattering the brothers. Thorne recoiled. People were shouting, but Jon Snow did not hear them. He lunged at Ser Alliser’s face with the dagger, slashing at those cold onyx eyes, but Sam threw himself between them and before Jon could get around him, Pyp was on his back clinging like a monkey, and Grenn was grabbing his arm while Toad wrenched the knife from his fingers. Later, much later, after they had marched him back to his sleeping cell, Mormont came down to see him, raven on his shoulder. â€Å"I told you not to do anything stupid, boy,† the Old Bear said. â€Å"Boy,† the bird chorused. Mormont shook his head, disgusted. â€Å"And to think I had high hopes for you.† They took his knife and his sword and told him he was not to leave his cell until the high officers met to decide what was to be done with him. And then they placed a guard outside his door to make certain he obeyed. His friends were not allowed to see him, but the Old Bear did relent and permit him Ghost, so he was not utterly alone. â€Å"My father is no traitor,† he told the direwolf when the rest had gone. Ghost looked at him in silence. Jon slumped against the wall, hands around his knees, and stared at the candle on the table beside his narrow bed. The flame flickered and swayed, the shadows moved around him, the room seemed to grow darker and colder. I will not sleep tonight, Jon thought. Yet he must have dozed. When he woke, his legs were stiff and cramped and the candle had long since burned out. Ghost stood on his hind legs, scrabbling at the door. Jon was startled to see how tall he’d grown. â€Å"Ghost, what is it?† he called softly. The direwolf turned his head and looked down at him, baring his fangs in a silent snarl. Has he gone mad? Jon wondered. â€Å"It’s me, Ghost,† he murmured, trying not to sound afraid. Yet he was trembling, violently. When had it gotten so cold? Ghost backed away from the door. There were deep gouges where he’d raked the wood. Jon watched him with mounting disquiet. â€Å"There’s someone out there, isn’t there?† he whispered. Crouching, the direwolf crept backward, white fur rising on the back of his neck. The guard, he thought, they left a man to guard my door, Ghost smells him through the door, that’s all it is. Slowly, Jon pushed himself to his feet. He was shivering uncontrollably, wishing he still had a sword. Three quick steps brought him to the door. He grabbed the handle and pulled it inward. The creak of the hinges almost made him jump. His guard was sprawled bonelessly across the narrow steps, looking up at him. Looking up at him, even though he was lying on his stomach. His head had been twisted completely around. It can’t be, Jon told himself. This is the Lord Commander’s Tower, it’s guarded day and night, this couldn’t happen, it’s a dream, I’m having a nightmare. Ghost slid past him, out the door. The wolf started up the steps, stopped, looked back at Jon. That was when he heard it; the soft scrape of a boot on stone, the sound of a latch turning. The sounds came from above. From the Lord Commander’s chambers. A nightmare this might be, yet it was no dream. The guard’s sword was in its sheath. Jon knelt and worked it free. The heft of steel in his fist made him bolder. He moved up the steps, Ghost padding silently before him. Shadows lurked in every turn of the stair. Jon crept up warily, probing any suspicious darkness with the point of his sword. Suddenly he heard the shriek of Mormont’s raven. â€Å"Corn,† the bird was screaming. â€Å"Corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn.† Ghost bounded ahead, and Jon came scrambling after. The door to Mormont’s solar was wide open. The direwolf plunged through. Jon stopped in the doorway, blade in hand, giving his eyes a moment to adjust. Heavy drapes had been pulled across the windows, and the darkness was black as ink. â€Å"Who’s there?† he called out. Then he saw it, a shadow in the shadows, sliding toward the inner door that led to Mormont’s sleeping cell, a man-shape all in black, cloaked and hooded . . . but beneath the hood, its eyes shone with an icy blue radiance . . . Ghost leapt. Man and wolf went down together with neither scream nor snarl, rolling, smashing into a chair, knocking over a table laden with papers. Mormont’s raven was flapping overhead, screaming, â€Å"Corn, corn, corn, corn.† Jon felt as blind as Maester Aemon. Keeping the wall to his back, he slid toward the window and ripped down the curtain. Moonlight flooded the solar. He glimpsed black hands buried in white fur, swollen dark fingers tightening around his direwolf’s throat. Ghost was twisting and snapping, legs flailing in the air, but he could not break free. Jon had no time to be afraid. He threw himself forward, shouting, bringing down the longsword with all his weight behind it. Steel sheared through sleeve and skin and bone, yet the sound was wrong somehow. The smell that engulfed him was so queer and cold he almost gagged. He saw arm and hand on the floor, black fingers wriggling in a pool of moonlight. Ghost wrenched free of the other hand and crept away, red tongue lolling from his mouth. The hooded man lifted his pale moon face, and Jon slashed at it without hesitation. The sword laid the intruder open to the bone, taking off half his nose and opening a gash cheek to cheek under those eyes, eyes, eyes like blue stars burning. Jon knew that face. Othor, he thought, reeling back. Gods, he’s dead, he’s dead, I saw him dead. He felt something scrabble at his ankle. Black fingers clawed at his calf. The arm was crawling up his leg, ripping at wool and flesh. Shouting with revulsion, Jon pried the fingers off his leg with the point of his sword and flipped the thing away. It lay writhing, fingers opening and closing. The corpse lurched forward. There was no blood. One-armed, face cut near in half, it seemed to feel nothing. Jon held the longsword before him. â€Å"Stay away!† he commanded, his voice gone shrill. â€Å"Corn,† screamed the raven, â€Å"corn, corn.† The severed arm was wriggling out of its torn sleeve, a pale snake with a black five-fingered head. Ghost pounced and got it between his teeth. Finger bones crunched. Jon hacked at the corpse’s neck, felt the steel bite deep and hard. Dead Othor slammed into him, knocking him off his feet. Jon’s breath went out of him as the fallen table caught him between his shoulder blades. The sword, where was the sword? He’d lost the damned sword! When he opened his mouth to scream, the wight jammed its black corpse fingers into Jon’s mouth. Gagging, he tried to shove it off, but the dead man was too heavy. Its hand forced itself farther down his throat, icy cold, choking him. Its face was against his own, filling the world. Frost covered its eyes, sparkling blue. Jon raked cold flesh with his nails and kicked at the thing’s legs. He tried to bite, tried to punch, tried to breathe . . . And suddenly the corpse’s weight was gone, its fingers ripped from his throat. It was all Jon could do to roll over, retching and shaking. Ghost had it again. He watched as the direwolf buried his teeth in the wight’s gut and began to rip and tear. He watched, only half conscious, for a long moment before he finally remembered to look for his sword . . . . . . and saw Lord Mormont, naked and groggy from sleep, standing in the doorway with an oil lamp in hand. Gnawed and fingerless, the arm thrashed on the floor, wriggling toward him. Jon tried to shout, but his voice was gone. Staggering to his feet, he kicked the arm away and snatched the lamp from the Old Bear’s fingers. The flame flickered and almost died. â€Å"Burn!† the raven cawed. â€Å"Burn, burn, burn!† Spinning, Jon saw the drapes he’d ripped from the window. He flung the lamp into the puddled cloth with both hands. Metal crunched, glass shattered, oil spewed, and the hangings went up in a great whoosh of flame. The heat of it on his face was sweeter than any kiss Jon had ever known. â€Å"Ghost!† he shouted. The direwolf wrenched free and came to him as the wight struggled to rise, dark snakes spilling from the great wound in its belly. Jon plunged his hand into the flames, grabbed a fistful of the burning drapes, and whipped them at the dead man. Let it burn, he prayed as the cloth smothered the corpse, gods, please, please, let it burn. How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-two, Essay examples

Universal Mother free essay sample

Sinead OConnors new album, Universal Mother hit the music stores in the fall. The album cover (which suspiciously resembles one of those Magic Eye 3-D pictures) was painted by Sinead, herself. After the controversy she created by shredding the picture of the Pope, she declared she was going to quit the music industry due to the negative reaction she garnered. But, Sinead is back! Universal Mother hopefully will get her off on a new, more positive start. This album is not as enthralling as her debut album, The Lion and the Cobra which is her best, but it is personal and all of the songs are emotionally honest as always. As expected, Universal Mother has a few raging songs such as Red Football in which Sinead chants lyrics like Im not no animal in the zoo/Im not no whipping boy for you. Famine is a rap song in which she protests the injustices against Ireland accompanied by a constant howling sound. We will write a custom essay sample on Universal Mother or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Not all of her songs are angrily expressed. In fact, most of her songs are gentle and sweet-natured. My Darling Child is a lullaby which is probably addressed to her young son, Jake (who also wrote and sang a short song of his own called Am I a Human). Scorn Not His Simplicity is about a little boys isolation and loneliness and Sineads voice is at its best in the song John, I Love You. At first listening, the songs may sound repetitious. However, this is one of those albums that you have to listen to a few times before you really appreciate it. The songs mentioned are the ones that reveal the multiple ranges of her voice. So, go out and treat yourself to Sinead OConnors phenomenal voice with this album

Close Critical Reading Essays - Michael Dyer, Dyer,

Close Critical Reading Yen Ying Lee Kyle Grady English 125.094 Date 10.1.2013 The Innocent Man We live in a world where we face challenges everyday. The daily obstacles we face just make us stronger each day to face the real hurdles of life. In the article, it is so clear to me that Dyer has been pushed to extents that have forced him to rise up to the world and take charge of his life. After all, what does not kill you only makes you stronger. In his article, Red Flags, Curtis talks about the life of Dyer, a football celebrity who had achieved high peaks as a rising athlete and delved to the bottom due to false charges and stereotypical racial injustice. Red Flags as quoted from the article are character concerns that are affiliated with sports players. To my knowledge, I understand that red flags are like warning messages that can cause setbacks in professional sports careers. It is seen that throughout his career, Dyer has received a couple of red flags. Whether or not he deserved any of those warnings is a completely different question. It is also stated in the article that these red flags are not concrete warnings but potential signs. Curtis believes that Dyer deserves another chance as he was falsely portrayed as an offender by the media. When red flags are raised there are no degree of warnings. Red flags in Dyers profile are analogous to switches, on or off, nothing in between. When there is a warning, people tend to avoid the fallen athlete; Dyer got released after failing his drug test. The causes of the red flags are worth more investigations in Dyers behavior than red flags themselves. He left there, too, amid reports of marijuana use and gun possession. .. He and Fitz Hill, the schools president, were tweaking Dyers image for a return to college football (Curtis, 1). The sentences soften the condemnation of Dyer using marijuana and his gun possession. Curtis brilliantly chose the word too followed by tweaking, making Dyers misbehavior trivial and negligible. Too casually addresses that its just an add-on information, which will be good if the readers know. Subsequently, the author polished Dyers image by using the word tweaking. This implicitly implies that Dyers image is originally positive while just a little tuning needs to be done for an even better Dyer brand. Instead, the words again and rebuilding would make the sentences sound completely different. They provoke readers to criticize and also emphasize Dyers second offense in gun possession and rebuilding his image is the only way to improve his reputation. The author tactically emphasizes on Dyers good character as he prefers to look at the glass to be half full. Dyer is inexperienced and a pat seeker. He enjoys people adoring him. its like youre taking a puppy home. Hes been out, so he just gravitates to you. He just wants to be hugged (Curtis 4). A man who has the traits of a naive little puppy. Curtis masked Dyers image with puppy personality, cute, innocent and vulnerable to the media. This masked personality has provoked the public to defend Dyer from any media attack. After all, he is just a young talented football player in the stage of maturing where extra care and encouragement should be given. Although Dyer has the traits of puppy, he has demonstrated his ability to avoid real trouble. This just comes to enforce the fact that Dyer is an innocent man by nature and due to circumstances, he had to act such to avoid possible predicaments. Being raised in Little Rock Christian, Dyer was taken in by random people who were willing to clean and feed him. This gesture of kindness definitely impacted him at that tender age. Growing up in such a situation, Dyer have a soft spot at his heart for he has gone through many hardships of life. Despite all that, he appreciates the love that he was showered with. As an adult, it is obvious that Dyer wants appreciation from his coach and is willing to leave his team when he realizes that he is treated rather inhumanely, Then at the end, what did you do for me? (Curtis 4). This

Emily Dickinson and Fame Essay Example

Emily Dickinson and Fame Essay Example Emily Dickinson and Fame Paper Emily Dickinson and Fame Paper The article Why Adopters Need To Find Their Biological Parents by Stephen Fetched is about finding closure between an adopted and their biological parents. At the age of forty Botchers adopted parents had already passed away and after waiting so long, he wanted to find his biological parents. Because he did not receive any medical records, he has a fear of dropping dead at any moment, which Is why he wanted to see his biological parents to get them. Fetched having a daughter, finds It difficult to claim her as his own. Fetched writes about how adopted people sometimes feel like hey dont belong. He also writes about how adopters have the idea that they should be financially stable just in case they get put up for adoption again. Fetched does find closure with his biological mother, but once he gets what he wanted he believed the relationship wore out, and did what any adopted kid would do, disappear. I agree with most of the points that Fetched made, but Im not adopted so I cant completely understand the point of view of a adopted. If I was adopted I would like at some point In my life have a chance to see my biological parents, especially If they ad my medical records. I can understand how an adopted could feel Like they dont belong because since day one their parents chose not to keep them. I could also understand how It would be hard for an adopted to accept their own children as their own since their parents did not accept them into their lives. I dont agree with adopters leaving their parents after theyve meet them. Just because the parents left the children doesnt mean they should do the same because at the end of the day theyre still their parents.

The Impact of Stereotypical Gender Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Impact of Stereotypical Gender Roles - Essay Example Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ shows how women have utilized the concept regarding their traditional position in the society to their advantage. While the men disregard the discussion of women as unimportant, the two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discover the mystery of the murder, which the sheriff and Mr. Hale come to investigate. They are looking for evidence against Mrs. Wright, the farmer’s wife suspected of killing her husband. The women in course of their search discover some strong evidence against the wife of the farmer but at the same time, their empathy for the woman who was strongly dominated and psychologically tormented by her husband gets the better of their honesty. The two men initially laugh as they find the women pondering over the actions of Mrs. Wright and Mr. Hale comments with ridicule, â€Å"They wonder if she was going to quilt it or just knot it† (Glaspell) and both men laugh. However at the end of the play when the women fin ally discover that Mrs. Wright was actually going to ‘knot it’ they keep it hidden from the men very carefully. The farmer dies of a rope around his neck. Here the missing links of the case are the motive and some strong evidence. The women find the motive, but before the men enter the room they quickly hide the evidence (a parrot, Mrs. Wright’s favorite, killed in the same manner as the farmer) and talk as if nothing important has been found. The men who were already taking the women’s abilities very lightly do not suspect anything mysterious. Not necessarily through words, but via gestures, and mainly through silence, they keep the most important thing hidden from their husbands, especially that which would have helped them in their work. The main problem, however, lay with the underestimation of the women in the men’

The Interpretation of Umbrella Clause in Investment Treaties Essay

The Interpretation of Umbrella Clause in Investment Treaties - Essay Example However, umbrella clause has been widely debated in academic discussions and arbitral practices during the recent years4. Commentators have illustrated the argument in terms of interpretation the umbrella clause in investment treaties that derived from different tribunals in order to know whether breaching contractual obligations amount to violating treaty obligations. Within the context of this argument, tribunals will be able to know if they have the jurisdiction to hear claims arising from an alleged investment contract breach. This essay aims to analyse the interpretation of umbrella clause in investment treaties. In the subsequent part of this paper first, the definition of umbrella clause has been provided according to some commentators, and different formulations of the umbrella terms have also been included in the part. Subsequent to that, the background of umbrella clause is accounted for. ... 1. Definition of Umbrella Clause Some authors and commentators tried during the last decade to explain the meaning of umbrella clause. Dolzer and Schreuer represented it as â€Å"a provision in an investment protection treaty that guarantees the observation of obligations assumed by the host state vis-a-vis the investor†.5 Moreover, Gallagher and Shan introduced the umbrella clause by revealing that the clause is taken its name from its main objective namely in order to â€Å"oblige the host state to observe any commitments it has entered into with regard to foreign investors†.6 Some also assume that the umbrella clause could be extended to beyond what it created for, as F.A. Mann stated that the umbrella clause â€Å"is a provision of particular importance in that it protects the investor against any interference with his contractual rights, whether it results from a mere breach of contract or legislative or administrative act†.7 As a matter of fact, umbrella cl ause is also known as ‘mirror effect’, ‘pacta sunt servanda clause’, ‘parallel effect’, ‘elevator’, ‘respect clause’ and ‘sanctity of contract’. Yet, the limit of subject matter rationale materiae jurisdiction does not remain uniform under the BITs.8 Some BITs encompass disputes pertaining to an ‘obligation under the agreement’ only for claims of violations of BIT. Other BITs extend the jurisdiction to ‘any dispute relating to investments’. Some others construct an international law obligation that a host state shall, for instance, ‘constantly guarantee the observance of the commitments it has entered to’; ‘observe any obligation it has assumed’, in respect to investments.9 Thus, a breach of such an obligation may consist of

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban missile crisis began on 14 October, 1962 when an American U-2 spy plane discovered that Premier Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union was attempting to install intermediate-range nuclear-outfitted ballistic missiles in Cuba.  [1]  These warheads would have the capacity to destroy a large portion of the United States and therefore posed an enormous threat. When confronted by this immense threat that could presage nuclear war, the American government was forced to take action in order to diffuse the situation. The complexities of this type of decision-making are intricate, yet explainable and fundamentally predictable thanks to modern methods of analysis. As John F. Kennedy phrased it, The essence of ultimate decision remains impenetrable to the observer-often, indeed, to the decider himselfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. There will always be the dark and tangled stretches in the decision-making process-mysterious even to those who may be most intimately involved.  [2]  I would like to unravel the dark and tangled stretches in this process by using game theory to retrodict, or make past predictions of, the different leaders choices throughout the thirteen day span of the Cuban missile crisis. Game Theory Basics When examined through the perspective of the Rational Actor Model, this situation introduces an obvious dilemma. Within this model, governments are treated as the primary actors. The government examines a set of goals, evaluates them according to their utility, then selects the one that has the highest payoff. In this instance, the United States was involved in a nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union. In the time of this imminent threat of mutually assured destruction, the correct action needed to be taken as millions of lives were at stake. Game theory is a branch of analytical mathematics utilized in social science to attempt to mathematically calculate decision-making in strategic situations in which an individuals success in making choices is dependent upon the choices of others.  [3]  It applies to situations (games) where there are two or more parties (called players) each attempting to choose between two or more ways of acting (called strategies). The possible outcomes of a particular game depend on the choices made by all players, and they can be ranked in order of preference by each player. In regards to two-person, two-strategy games, as the Cuban missile crisis resembled, there are combinations of strategies for the players that are more or less stable. This occurs when neither player by departing from its strategy can do any better in the outcome. When both players use these strategies simultaneously, the outcome is known as a Nash equilibrium, named after esteemed game theorist John Nash. A Nash equilibrium does not necessarily produce optimum outcomes for one or both players though. Instead, it can be viewed more as an optimal middle ground in which both players are spared from suffering the worst possible outcome. A Nash equilibrium is essentially what was reached during the Cuban missile crisis. Chicken Game Model In game theory, Chicken is the typical game used to model conflicts in which the players are on a deadly collision course. The game borrowed its namesake from hot rod movies made famous in the 1950s.  [4]  In these movies, the players are two hot rodders and the game is one in which they drive their cars directly at one another, risking a head on collision. If one of them turns away at the last minute, he or she is said to have chickened out and is deemed the loser. However, if neither player decides to turn away, both are vulnerable to losing much more, since it is obvious that they will either be killed or seriously injured in the event of a wreck. In the last possibility of outcomes, if both players decide to turn away, neither gains nor loses anything. The payoffs of Chicken can be explained by this basic diagram: Basic Chicken John go straight turn away Mark go straight -10, -10 5, -5 turn away -5, 5 0, 0 *Matrix format  [5]   This matrix shows that this theoretical game has two Nash equilibria, (5,-5) and (-5,5), one where one hot rodder turns away and the other goes straight and vice versa. However, since there are two Nash equilibria and no predefined Schelling point, which is a solution that a player will tend to use in the absence of communication or substantial knowledge because it seems instinctive, or relevant to them,  [6]  there is no indication of which outcome is more likely. This poses a problem for the hot rodders as well as an equivocation for the game theorist since there is the ever present danger of both players falling into the mutual disaster of a collision. When aligned to the Cuban missile crisis, this mutual disaster is the mutually assured destruction of nuclear war. Application of the Chicken Game Model Thus unfolds a classic game of chicken with the United States behind one wheel, facing off with the Soviet Union behind the other. Before evaluating the end results of the game, however, it is important to first examine the formulation of strategies. Abiding by the theory of moves, it is of the highest importance to anticipate, whilst concurrently trying to condition, the outcomes and consequences of any major decision or choice of action. Therefore, when deciding on a strategy to employ, each alternative must be weighed and projected completely through its causal fallout. This was the most critical aspect of the game for the Kennedy administration. As Defense Secretary McNamara explained about the situation, Its not a military problem that were facing. Its a political problem. Its a problem of holding the Alliance together. Its a problem of properly conditioning Khrushchev for our future moves.  [7]  It cannot be said whether he was directly referencing game theory with this sta tement, but the implications are fitting in the application of such concepts. Many members of the administration and military leaders felt as though their hands were up in the air, or tied behind their backs, because no one was confident enough to make a final decision under these tense and potentially tragic conditions. The wrong decision could have led to the end of the United States of America. Even so, the urgency of the situation made it necessary for the right decision to be made immediately. Ultimately, every minute wasted was a minute longer the Soviets had to make the ballistic missiles operable in Cuba, therefore time and decision were of the essence. Group Decision-making and EXCOMM Group decision is a trustworthy way to make choices because of the benefits the approach produces, as long as social phenomena such as groupthink are avoided. The cooperative planning done by the Executive Committee including Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, John McNamara, Director of Central Intelligence John McCone and the other cabinet members ensured multilateral examination of the situation, fuller consideration of the entire spectrum of relevant points of interest, more ingenuity in the formulation of options and a greater overall sense of awareness and knowledge about the issue. This interplay of a multitude of expertise made an optimum decision likely. Furthermore, group interaction was the most logical approach when considering the negative effects preempted by a solo decision of President Kennedy. Miles Law states that where you stand depends on where you sit.  [8]  Specifically in this case, ones stance on an issue is significantly affected by their role in the government and where they fall into the operational chain of command. A cooperative decision minimized the role interference that could bias the plan of action. Possible Courses of Action After days of deliberation, Kennedy and his advisers came up with six possible options. These options were as follows: 1) Do nothing. Although an option, this course of inaction was not even considered as President Kennedy was sure the domestic fallout would be that of intolerance. 2) Impose diplomatic pressures and negotiate with Khrushchev at a summit. This option was also not popular because it implied that American concessions would be made and President Kennedy was unwilling to show this flexibility out of fear that it would be conveyed as vulnerability. 3) Make a secret appeal to Castro and split Cuba from its ties with the Soviet Union. 4) Send troops to Cuba for a ground invasion. 5) Deploy an air strike on the island in order to destroy the missiles and scare the Soviets of Cuba falling to US control. 6) Implement a blockade of Cuba to keep weapons away. However, whichever method picked had to be carried out without sparking a Soviet reprisal on Berlin.  [9]   After further deliberations, these options were narrowed down to two possible courses of action. Either a naval blockade to prevent the shipment of more missiles or a surgical air strike to destroy existing missiles would be implemented. In response, the Soviets could ultimately only choose between two strategies; either withdraw or maintain the missiles in Cuba. Specifically though, the blockade forced Khrushchev to choose among three immediate alternatives: 1) avoid a showdown by keeping Soviet vessels out of the area 2) submit to the blockade by permitting ships to be stopped and searched and 3) provoke the United States to a first use of force by defying the blockade. The game outcomes look more like this diagram: Applied Chicken Soviet Union withdraw (W) maintain (M) United States blockade (B) 3, 3 2, 4 air strike (A) 4, 2 1, 1 Together these strategies comprise the array of options the players have to choose from. When paired, they result in four possible outcomes, which the players are assumed to rank from one to four, with one being the worst, or least beneficial, and four being the best or most profitable outcome. The first number in the ordered pairs for each outcome is the payoff to the row player (United States), and the second number the payoff to the column player (Soviet Union). It is important to remember though that these rankings of the payoffs are only ordinal, meaning they only rank from best to worst, not incorporating the extent or degree to which a player prefers one outcome to another. Analysis of Applied Chicken Game Model Needless to say, this matrix of strategic choices and payoffs only provides an elementary depiction of the crisis as it unfolded over the thirteen day period. It must be acknowledged that both players considered more than merely the options listed, as well as modifications and augmentations of each. For example, the Soviets demanded the withdrawal of American missiles from Turkey as a quid pro quo  [10]  for withdrawal of their own missiles from Cuba.  [11]  The United States blatantly ignored this request. Even so, it is common belief that the superpowers were indeed on a collision course during the Cuban missile crisis and therefore the Chicken model is appropriate. Alternatively, neither side was forthcoming in undertaking any irreversible action, such as one of the drivers might do in Chicken by allowing the other driver to see him boldly breaking off the steering wheel of his car and coincidentally eliminating the option of maneuvering to avoid collision. It is here that the Chicken game leaves voids in application to the crisis. It can be said that the United States ultimately won by forcing the U.S.S.R. to withdraw their missiles. Per contra, Premier Khrushchev was granted a promise that the U.S. would not invade Cuba. This dual-reward represents a result that is basically a compromise- which does not coincide with game theorys prediction for a game of Chicken. The strategies the compromise consists of do not form any Nash equilibriums. To analyze this, assume that gameplay is at the compromise (3,3) position where the U.S. blockades Cuba and the Soviet Union withdraws its missiles. This outcome is not stable because both players have incentives to deviate to more aggressive strategies. If the U.S.S.R. was to defect by maintaining their missiles, gameplay would shift to (2,4) granting the Soviets a payoff of four. The same, but reverse, would happen if the U.S. decided to change their strategy to an air strike. This symmetry in the table of payoffs presents a recurring problem in interpreting results of a Chicken game- there is more than one equilibrium outcome.  [12]  Furthermore, if the players arrive at the mutually worst (1,1) outcome of nuclear war, both would have undoubtful incentive to move away from it, which makes the strategies associated with (1,1) just like those with (3,3); unstable. Shortfalls of the Chicken Game Model As shown, using Chicken to try to wholly model the Cuban missile crisis is flawed not only because of the instability of the outcomes but also because of the parameters. As it happened, the two superpowers did not select their strategies independently of each other, nor simultaneously as assumed in the Chicken game. The Soviet Union chose their actions in response to the already implemented U.S. quarantine. Additionally, the fact that the United States held the air strike option in reserve in case circumstances necessitated escalation of action shows that the first decision was not considered final, and the U.S. felt they still had strategic options open even after imposing the blockade. Consequently, the Cuban missile crisis can be more appropriately modeled as a game of sequential bargaining where neither player makes a terminal decision, but rather considers different alternatives, and reserves the absolutes in case the opponent should fail to act acceptably. Before the crisis, the Soviets felt they needed to advance their global strategic position, even though they feared that the U.S. might invade Cuba. Khrushchev decided that positioning the missiles was worth that risk. He and his staff rationalized that the Americans if confronted with this fait accompli, or an action that is completed before those affected by it are in a position to query or reverse it, would be deterred from invading Cuba and would not any other severe reprisals.  [13]  Even if they instigated a crisis, they did not see the probability of war being high and therefore they risked antagonizing the United States. Recourse Game Model and Application Accordingly, there is convincing evidence to believe that American policy makers did not see the conflict Chicken-like based on how they considered and ranked possible outcomes. The over-simplicity of using this model was alluded to by historian Philip Zelikow in his analysis of the audio tapes of dialogue within the EXCOMM meetings.  [14]  In order to more thoroughly explain the crisis, I will further apply game theory to the situation by creating a new, modified version of the Chicken game that I will call Recourse. This representation maintains the same strategies given in Chicken, but redistributes the rankings and interpretations of outcomes. These new classifications align more thouroughly with history than those of Chicken: Applied Recourse Soviet Union withdraw (W) maintain (M) United States blockade (B) 3, 3 1, 4 air strike (A) 2, 2 4, 1 In the game of Recourse, the possible outcomes are as follows: B/W: The choice of blockade by the United States and withdrawal by the Soviet Union remains the compromise for both players = (3,3). B/M: In the face of a U.S. blockade, Soviet maintenance of their missiles leads to a Soviet victory (its best outcome) and U.S. capitulation (its worst outcome) = (1,4). A/M: An air strike that destroys the missiles that the Soviets were maintaining is an honorable U.S. action (its best outcome) and thwarts the Soviets (their worst outcome) = (4,1). A/W: An air strike that destroys the missiles that the Soviets were withdrawing is a dishonorable U.S. action (its next-worst outcome) and thwarts the Soviets (their next-worst outcome) = (2,2). Although air strike trumps the Soviet Union at both outcomes (4,1) and (2,2), I view the (2,2) outcome as less harmful to the Soviets. This is because international opinion at the time would condemn an American air strike as an obtrusively offensive move and furthermore a dishonorable action of the United States, especially if there was clear evidence that the U.S.S.R. was in the process of withdrawing their missiles already. If no such evidence existed, however, air strike, possibly supplemented with a ground invasion, would be acceptable action to counter the Soviet missiles. Accuracy of the Recourse Game Model The statements of U.S. policy makers support Recourse. In responding to a letter from Khrushchev, President Kennedy said, If you would agree to remove these weapons systems from Cuba . . . we, on our part, would agree . . . (a) to remove promptly the quarantine measures now in effect and (b) to give assurances against an invasion of Cuba,  [15]  which is consistent with Recourse since (3,3) is preferred to (2,2) by the United States, whereas (4,2) is not preferred to (3,3) in Chicken. If the Soviets maintained their missiles, the United States preferred an air strike to the blockade. As Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General under his brother during the crisis, said, If they did not remove those bases, we would remove them,  [16]  which is consistent with Recourse, since the United States prefers (4,1) to (1,4) but not (1,1) to (2,4) in Chicken. Similarly, it is well known that several of President Kennedys advisers were reluctant to initiate an attack against Cuba without first exhausting less belligerent courses of action that could bring about the removal of the missiles with less risk and greater sensitivity to American ideals and values.  [17]  This is in accordance with the United States tendency to always act ethically and the governments perpetual sensitivity to the worlds perception of America. Pointedly, Robert Kennedy claimed that an immediate attack would be looked upon as a Pearl Harbor in reverse, and it would blacken the name of the United States in the pages of history,  [18]  which is again consistent with Recourse since the United States ranks A/W next worst (2), a dishonorable U.S. action, rather than best (4), a U.S. victory, in Chicken. Actual Gameplay As it happened, at 7:00pm on 22 October, 1962, President Kennedy publicly announced that the United States had discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba and decreed a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba. Additionally, he demanded that Chairman Khrushchev halt and eliminate this clandestine, reckless and provocative threat to world peace.  [19]  After the ships were deployed, all that was left to do was to await a response. Initially, on 24 October, as anticipated, Khrushchev responded defiantly, saying that he would instruct his ships to ignore the American blockade. However, the next morning, he reconciled and told Kennedy that he no longer wanted to exchange caustic remarks and was ready to resolve the crisis. Khrushchev offered his terms, Give us a pledge not to invade Cuba, and we will remove the missiles, proving that he was genuine when he professed that he was prepared to dismantle the missiles to make Cuba into a zone of peace.  [20]  The Soviet Union feared an American invasion of Cuba and saw the blockade as a heartening gesture that allowed concessions to be made without drastic loss. Essentially, the outcome of this game and the Cuban missile crisis in general can be assessed at 4:2 in favor of the United States. Although neither side literally gained any reward from the outcome, both avoided any significant loss. Since the United States made the initial offer and compelled the Soviet Union to make the next move, therefore inconveniencing Khrushchev into yielding to the conditions set forth by President Kennedy, America emerges as the winner of the game although the payoff was not maximized. Although Recourse creates a fitting model, this explanation of events is neither all-inclusive nor infallible. As with any theory, there are conditions that are assumed to, and must be, static that the reasoning is based upon. And in a dynamic world, these criteria are not always satisfied. There are a multitude of external factors that influence decision making, many of which will be discussed in the following sections as they pertain to the Cuban Missile Crisis and nuclear war in general. Specified Game Theory: Deterrence Theory Game theory can be applied in a more general sense to other primary aspects of nuclear war, the most prominent of them being mutually assured destruction and deterrence. The application of game theory to these concepts has resulted in the derivation of a number of consequential theories which ultimately resolve in the cost-benefit analysis that game theory focuses on. According to the official U.S. Department of Defense definition, Deterrence is a state of mind brought about by the existence of a credible threat of unacceptable counter action.  [21]  This definition captures the main premise for the United States historic reliance on deterrence; however, it does not encompass the entirety of deterrence theory. In general, deterrence is a complex term that universally means persuading an opponent that the costs and consequences of a specific action will outweigh and trump any potential benefits. The concept of persuading an adversary references the significant psychological aspect of deterrence, which is often an interplay of uncertain concessions and threats that may or may not be bluffs or true promises. More specifically, using the word potential when describing the anticipated benefits shows the future-oriented aspect of any deterrent threat, meaning there is the promise of a certain reaction only in response to the undesired decision of another actor (player).  [22]   Capability vs. Credibility According to accredited deterrence theorist Derek Smith, Underlying any deterrent threat are the closely intertwined concepts of capability and credibility.  [23]  The concept of capability is reasonably straightforward and readily quantifiable variable, based on each players arsenal and military forces that are available for use in any engagement; whereas, credibility is a much more complex and qualitative variable, which is defined mostly from the anticipated probability that all available forces will actually be utilized, making it trivial. To clarify, for example, a state may have a promising amassment of armed forces, but if the state is governed by domestic doctrine that forbids their use except for in strict cases of homeland defense, then any strategy or threat of external use of force as deterrence will lack credibility. The Psychology of Commitment Techniques In order to strengthen the perception of an actors resolve, a popular strategy is to use commitment techniques,  [24]  or techniques that increase the costs and losses involved in refusing or failing to act. An everyday example of this type of strategy is if someone tells all of their friends that they are quitting smoking for good. From thence on, their friends will act as a constant source of pressure for them to uphold the obligation (commitment) because they voiced it publicly, and will now be held accountable to it. For a better example, Smith illustrates the military image of burning bridges while in combat to make a retreat impossible, which is an unambiguous method for cementing ones resolve.  [25]   Similarly, in the words of Thomas Schelling, What we have to do is get ourselves into a position where we cannot fail to react as we said we would-where we just cannot help it-or where we would be obliged by some overwhelming cost of not reacting in the manner we had declared.  [26]  In order to illustrate this concept, Shelling makes reference to how, during the Cold War, the United States posted troops in Western Europe to act as a tripwire against Soviet aggression. This was an act that served to fortify resolve, and essentially the United States made the defense of Europe, and their overarching containment strategy a more absolute prospect by effectively eliminating the choice of retreat and abandonment.  [27]   The Paradox of Control and MAD The idea that a player denying himself options can be a productive or beneficial move appears counterintuitive at first. Schelling describes this phenomenon as a paradox that the power to constrain an adversary may depend on the power to bind oneself.  [28]  Reexamining a fundamental game of Chicken is a fitting way of clarifying what is meant by that. If the two drivers are about to start speeding towards each other, it would make an extreme statement if one of the drivers decided to break off his steering wheel and show the other driver. After this, the other driver would have no choice but to give up and turn his car or suffer the tragic collision. Making a bold statement like this can be a very effective way of determining resolve in situations where capability is lacking, however, the important thing to note is that it is always possible that both drivers could choose to make the same decision, which would create an even worse outcome than if the power position had been conceded at the end. The critical factor, then, is actually who is able to make the first move, thereby leaving the remaining with only one last clear chance to avoid catastrophe.  [29]  This catastrophe, in parallel to the Cuban Missile Crisis, is mutually assured destruction. Furthermore, in addition to committing oneself to a specific course of action, there is also the trivial strategy of issuing a threat that leaves something to chance, so that the end decision of whether or not to act is not completely controlled by the player that issued the threat.  [30]  This particular bargaining technique plays on the factor of risk-acceptance, assuming that the opposing side will choose to give in first. Consider the clichà © scenario of one person rocking a boat in order to extract concessions from the scared occupants. Schelling uses the term brinksmanship to describe this strategy, the choice of deliberately letting the situation get somewhat out of hand, just because its being out of hand may be intolerable to the other party and force his accommodation.  [31]  Going back to the Chicken scenario, this would be verisimilar to one of the drivers publicly consuming a large amount of alcohol or other psychoactive substance before stepping into the car, thus creating uncertainty in the other players mind that he would be able to avoid a collision even if he actually wanted to do so. This would likely influence the sober driver to concede unless he really wanted to collide, and thus the daredevil player who intoxicated himself indirectly forced the sober player to capitulate; effecting the outcome he desired by acting outside the bounds of rationality. Deterrence: Rationality of Irrationality In much of the widely accepted literature published on deterrence, this phenomenon is called the rationality of irrationality, since one player can draw coercive power from the prospect of being potentially undeterrable.  [32]  As stated, whilst this strategy is dominantly compelling, it still welcomes tragedy, i.e. mutually assured destruction, by undertaking irrationality even though the opponent could possibly do the same or is expecting rational behavior from the other actor involved in the crisis. Regardless, despite the strategies and techniques that play out systematically and predictably in game theory and in the aforementioned hypothetical examples, it is always important to remember that the concept of deterrence, and the use of deterrence as a strategy, are built on a foundati

Hsbc Case Essay

HSBC is known as the â€Å"World’s local bank†. Originally called the HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, HSBC was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and the United Kingdom. HSBC is now the second largest bank in the world, serving 100 million customers through 9,500 branches in 79 countries. The company is organized by business line (personal financial services; customer finance; commercial banking; corporate investment banking and markets; private banking), as well as by goegraphic segment (Asia-Pacific, U. K. /Eurozone, North America/NAFTA, South America, Middle East). Despite operating in 79 different countries, the bank works hard to maintain a local feel and local knowledge in each area. HSBC’s fundamental operating strategy is to remain close to its customers. As HSBC chairman Sir John Bond said in November 2003, â€Å"Our position as the world’s local bank enables us to approach each country uniquely, blending local knowledge with a worldwide operating platform†. For example, consider HSBC’s local marketing efforts in New York City. To prove to jaded New Yorkers that the London-based financial behemoth was â€Å"the world’s local bank. HSBC held a â€Å"New York City’s Most knowledgeable Cabbie† contest. The winning cabbie gets paid to drive full-time for HSBC for the year, and HSBC customers win, too. Any customer showing an HSBC bankcard, checkbook, or bank statement can get a free ride in the HSBC-branded Bankcab. The campaign demonstrates HSBC’s local knowledge. â€Å"In order to ma ke New Yorkers believe you’re local, you have to act local,† said Renegade Marketing Group’s CEO Drew Neisser. Across the world in Hong Kong, HSBC undertook a different campaign. In the region hit hard by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, HSBC launched a program to revitalize the local economy. HSBC â€Å"plowed back interest payments† to customers who worked in industries most affected by SARS (cinemas, hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies). The program eased its customers financial burden. The bank also promoted Hong Kong’s commercial sector by offering discounts and rebates for customers who use an HSBC credit card when shopping and dining out, to help businesses affected by the downturn. More than 1,500 local merchants participated in the promotion. In addition to local marketing, HSBC does niche marketing. For example, it found a little-known product area that was growing at 125 percent a year : pet insurance. In December 2003 it announced that it will distribute nationwide per insurance through its HSBC Insurance agency, making the insurance available to its depositors. HSBC also segments demographically. In the United states, the Bank will target the immigrant population, particularly Hispanics, now that it has acquired Bital in Mexico, where many migrants to the United States deposit money. Overall, the bank has been consciously pulling together its worldwide business under a single global brand with the â€Å"World’s local bank† slogan. The aim is to link its international size with close relationships in each of the countries in which it operates. The company spends $600 million annually on global marketing and will likely consolidate and use fewer ad agencies. HSBC will decide who gets the account by giving each agency a â€Å"brand-strategy exercise. † Agencies will be vying for the account by improving on HSBC’s number 37 global brand ranking

Fundaments Operations of Aircraft Propellers

Contents Abstract Introduction Pitch Blades Forced Acting on a Propeller Propellers Types Fixed-Pitch Propeller Ground-Adjustable Variable-Pitch Propeller Constant-Speed Propeller Appendix 1 References Abstract: _This text outlines the fundaments operations and aspects of aircraft propellers. It details the components, forces and workings of a propeller as well as discussing the difference between the different propeller types. _ Introduction: Propeller types are defined by blade pitch as being fixed or variable which will be further detailed later in the text. To fully appreciate the differences and understand the advantages of different pitched propellers we must first consider the fundamental characteristics of propellers. Usually propellers have two, three, or four blades; for high-speed or high-powered airplanes, six or more blades are used. In some cases these propellers have an equal number of opposite rotating blades on the same shaft, and are known as dual-rotation propellers. Small single engine aircraft have the propeller mounted on the front as multi-engine aircraft have them set on the wings. Pitch: What is pitch? Pitch is important as it is the main differential from propeller type to propeller type. Essentially pitch relates to the angle of the blade in respects to a flat plane. It is the helical blade path or simpler the distance the propeller blade covers during a full rotation and the cut it has on the air. Pitch is referred to in two ways, fine and coarse. A fine pitch propeller has a low blade angle, will try to move forward a small distance through the air with each rotation, and will take a ‘small' bite of the air. It requires relatively low power to rotate, allowing high propeller speed to be developed, but achieving only limited airspeed. This is like having a low gear in your automobile. (Brandon 2008) A coarse pitch propeller has a high blade angle, will try to advance a long distance through the air with each rotation, and will take a big ‘bite' of the air. It requires greater power to rotate, limiting the propeller speed that can be developed, but achieving high airspeeds. This is like having a high gear in your automobile. (Brandon 2008) The Blades: The propeller blades are in fact aerofoils producing lift and drag. As the propeller spins the leading edge of the blade cut through the atmosphere and accelerates a tube of air or_ relative airflow _the diameter of the propeller moving the aircraft forward. This rotation is able to work because the propeller blades are designed slightly different to wing aerofoils as they have a small twist in them so that the greatest angle is at the blade root and the smallest at the top, due to the different angle and speed that each section of the blade travels. These _blade _elements are in place at different angles because the linear velocity increase towards the tip of the blade as it has a greater distance to travel, the_ _angles prevent bending making each section advance through the air at the same rate. The blade angles combined with the forward motion and the circular rotation of the propeller keep constant the best angle of attack (AOA). The twist causes the blade path to follow an approximate helical path easiest seen in a linear form. This action is similar to a screw being turned in a solid surface, except that in the case of the propeller a slippage occurs because air is a fluid. Forces Acting on the Propeller: Aircraft that are not jet powered use a propeller which converts the rotational power from an aircrafts engine into aerodynamic forces; thrust power moving the aircraft forward through the atmosphere and propeller torque which acts in the plane of rotation. The plane of rotation is perpendicular to the propeller shaft. Propellers are conventionally placed in front of the engine on the engine drive shaft. During cruising flight the propeller torque balances the engine torque and the thrust balances the aircrafts drag force. The propeller rotates clock wise and when the forces are not balance the torque reaction increases a rolling friction on the aircraft. As the blades produce a thrust force, the thrust force pulls on the thinnest section of the blade attempting to bend the tips. For single engine aircraft with the propeller mounted on the front the clockwise rotation creates a vortex of air or slipstream that flows around and down the fuselage to the rudder which affects the lateral movement of the aircraft or a slight yaw to the left during cruising flight Variable-pitched propellers can have their blade angles/pitch altered and will be further explained. Two different forces experienced in these propellers can affect the blade angle. Centrifugal twisting moment (CTM) Aerodynamic twisting moment (ATM) CTM causes pulling stress at the base of the blade and a twisting force at the pitch change axis produce a finer pitch angle. The blade will want to align itself with the plane of rotation. The relative airflow over the blades produces a total reaction, an ATM where the total reaction is ahead of the pitch change axis, tempting the blade to twist, increasing the blade angle producing a coarser pitch. Windmilling propeller – Occurs when the propeller drives the engine. Caused by; steep dive with no power, sudden reduction in power, engine failure, causing the blades to twist to a finer pitch. Propeller Types: As stated earlier pitch is a main component between propeller functions. Under the classification of fixed and variable pitch propellers there are four common types, fixed-pitch, ground-adjustable, variable-pitch and constant-speed propeller. The first two are fixed propellers as the other two are variable. There are a few versions of variable-pitch propellers that may be seen in the aviation industry, two-position propeller, in flight-adjustable propeller, automatic propeller and the constant-speed propeller. The most commonly used at present will be concentrated on, elaborating on fixed through to the variable propellers and the enhancements of pitch control. Fixed-pitch propeller:_ _ The cheapest and crudest propulsion aero-device is the fixed-pitch propeller. Although it has been superseded many a time it is the most common type of propeller used in sport aviation. The fix-pitch means that the pitch of the propeller is decided by the manufacture, there is only one setting and the performance of the aircraft is confined by the constraint of that one setting. This means to reach the optimum RPM/airspeed the propeller has to function through inefficient speeds. Normally there are two versions, a climb propeller with a fine pitch setting or a cruise propeller with a coarse pitch setting. Ground-adjustable propeller: The pitch for a ground-adjustable propeller is able to be set for the condition of flying the aircraft will be doing but only before the flight. However it is still a fixed propeller as once the pitch is set in cannot be changed during the operation of the aircraft. These propellers are mainly installed on ultra light and experimental aircraft. More usually they are used as a low cost way to try out various pitches to determine the propeller pitch that best suits an aircraft. Variable-pitch propeller :_ _ A variable-pitch propeller is exactly what the name implies; the pitch can be controlled and adjusted in flight to the most efficient setting for a certain phases of flight. Simply during take-off the propeller would be set to a fine pitch allowing the engine to develop reasonable revs and then to a coarser pitch during cruising flight speed. The engine will be ticking over comfortable while the propeller cuts through more air. Combine this with throttle control a wide variety of power settings can be achieved maintaining airspeeds with the limits of the aircrafts engine speeds. This feature of a variable-pitch propeller will provide you with performance advantages, including: Reduced take-off roll and improved climb erformance. Fine pitch allows the engine to reach maximum speed and hence maximum power at low airspeeds. Vital for take-off, climb, and for a go-around on landing. (Brandon, 2008) Improved fuel efficiency and greater range. Coarse pitch allows the desired aircraft speed to be maintained with a lower throttle setting and slower propeller speed, so maintaining efficiency and improving range. (Brandon, 2008) Higher top speed. Coarse pitch will ensure your engine does not over speed while the propeller absorbs high power, producing a higher top speed. (Brandon, 2008) Steeper descent and shorter landing roll. With a fine pitch and low throttle setting, a slow turning propeller is able to add to the aircraft's drag, so slowing the aircraft quicker on landing. (Brandon, 2008) Constant-speed propeller : The constant-speed propeller is a special case of variable pitch, which is considered in a family of its own, and offers particular operating benefits. A constant-speed propeller allows the pilot to control the power just by the throttle once the propeller/engine speed has been optimally selected (actually controlling the absolute pressure of the fuel/air mix in the intake manifold [MAP] which then determines power output). This is controlled by a governor or constant speed unit (CSU) which detects the propeller speed and acts to keep it at the selected engine/propeller speed selected by the pilot and vice versa. If the propeller speed increases then the CSU will increase the pitch a little to bring the speed back within the limits. Thus creating vastly efficient running components during phases of flight (The governor or constant speed unit [CSU]_ may be an electronic device that detects the rotational speed of a slip-ring incorporated in the propeller hub, and controls operation of a servomotor/leadscrew pitch change actuator in the hub assembly. Or, it may be an hydraulic fly-ball governor attached to the engine, using engine oil to operate a hydraulic pitch change piston in the hub assembly. In the first case, the cockpit control device is likely to be knobs and switches. In the hydraulic system, the governor is likely to be cable operated from a cockpit lever — JB. _ (Brandon, 2008) While allowing the pilot to ignore the propeller for most of the time, the pilot must still choose the most appropriate engine/propeller speed for the different phases of flight. Take-off, go-around and landing. A high speed setting is used when maximum power is needed for a short time such as on take-off. The high speed setting may also be used to keep the propeller pitch low during approach and landing, to provide the desired drag and be ready for a go-around should it be required. (Brandon, 2008) Climb and high speed cruise. A medium speed setting is used when high power is needed on a continuous basis, such as during an extended climb, or high speed cruise. (Brandon, 2008) Economic cruise. A low speed setting is used for a comfortable cruise with a low engine speed. This operation produces low fuel consumption and longer range, while the advantages of low noise and low engine wear are also enjoyed. (Brandon, 2008) *Appendix 1: – *Description*s* (ThaiTechnics) Leading Edge of the airfoil is the cutting edge that slices into the air. As the leading edge cuts the air, air flows over the blade face and the camber side. {draw:frame} Blade Face is the surface of the propeller blade that corresponds to the lower surface of an airfoil or flat side, we called Blade Face. {draw:frame} Blade Back / Thrust Face is the curved surface of the airfoil. {draw:frame} Blade Shank (Root) is the section of the blade nearest the hub. Blade Tip is the outer end of the blade farthest from the hub. Plane of Rotation is an imaginary plane perpendicular to the shaft. It is the plane that contains the circle in which the blades rotate. {draw:frame} Blade Angle is formed between the face of an element and the plane of rotation. The blade angle throughout the length of the blade is not the same. The reason for placing the blade element sections at different angles is because the various sections of the blade travel at different speed. Each element must be designed as part of the blade to operate at its own best angle of attack to create thrust when revolving at its best design speed {draw:frame} *Blade Elements* are the airfoil sections joined side by side to form the blade airfoil. These elements are placed at different angles in rotation of the plane of rotation. The reason for placing the blade element sections at different angles is because the various sections of the blade travel at different speeds. The inner part of the blade section travels slower than the outer part near the tip of the blade. If all the elements along a blade is at the same blade angle, the relative wind will not strike the elements at the same angle of attack. This is because of the different in velocity of the blade element due to distance from the centre of rotation. {draw:frame} Relative Wind is the air that strikes and passes over the airfoil as the airfoil is driven through the air. Angle of Attack is the angle between the chord of the element and the relative wind. The best efficiency of the propeller is obtained at an angle of attack around 2 to 4 degrees. Blade Path is the path of the direction of the blade element moves. {draw:frame} Pitch refers to the distance a spiral threaded object moves forward in one revolution. As a wood screw moves forward when turned in wood, same with the propeller move forward when turn in the air. Geometric Pitch is the theoretical distance a propeller would advance in one revolution. {draw:frame} Effective Pitch is the actual distance a propeller advances in one revolution in the air. The effective pitch is always shorter than geometric pitch due to the fact that air is a fluid and always slips*. *