My Twelve Hours of Independence :: Personal Narrative

My Twelve Hours of Independence As the expansive tour bus inscribed with Arrow Stage Lines on both sides, pulled up to the station, I felt my heart leap with excitement. This was really happening to me. All this time of planning and anticipating, and now my dream was coming true! I could hardly wait to be on my own and to be away from my family for a whole week! Looking around, I could see only five other people that I knew. Four of these people were my family members and the other was a friend of mine who was going with me. The driver of the huge bus climbed down from his perch behind the wheel and introduced himself as Juan Alvarez. I loaded my luggage into the compartment below the bus, told my family goodbye, and walked up the steps of the bus. I soon met the three other people who were riding with John and me and then settled into my seat for the long bus ride to Liberty, Missouri where we would be attending the Farmland Youth Leadership Conference. The five of us were basically on our own. It was just us and the bus driver, who couldn't speak very much English. We had a lot of stops along the way to pick up other students attending the conference so we plugged in a movie and turned on the zone mode that would get us through the twelve-hour drive. After only one minor delay of our bus breaking down just outside of Denver, we had successfully picked up all of the attendees from Colorado. There were about twenty-five of us altogether. We changed drivers in Denver, then drove on towards Hays, Kansas, where we would pick up some more students. By this time, it was about 6:30 in the morning, and the bus was nearing the small town of Ellis, which is about twenty minutes outside of Hays. The movie Pure Country was playing, but I had fallen asleep long before it had started. It was just finishing when it happened. One minute I was comfortably curled up, lying across two seats and the next I was bounced into the aisle of the bus. Thankfully, John was sitting in the seat directly across from mine, so he helped me up out of the aisle and had me sit down next to him. I watched in horror as the bus sped through the grassy median and then bounced back on to the Interstate. The entire bus was in a state of confusion, as almost everybody had been asleep when the bus went off the road.

Suez Crisis :: Papers

Suez Crisis Anthony Eden was Prime Minister at the time of the Suez Crisis in 1956. His political career began in 1923 and by 1926 he had become a parliamentary private secretary at the Foreign Office. He was very involved with the League of Nations, believing in their principles and at the age of 38, became Foreign Secretary. At this time international affairs were seen as being aggressive and Anthony Eden was forced to resign from Neville Chamberlain's Government over his policy of appeasement. He joined the Government during World War Two and became Secretary of State for war under Churchill. After the war times were very difficult with the Cold War at its peak and trouble in the Middle East. Colonel Nasser became dictator of Egypt in 1954 after leading a successful revolution against King Farouk. British troops left Egypt for the first time since 1882, and as soon as they had gone, Nasser declared the Suez Canal to be the property of the Egyptian Government. The Suez Canal was a vital shipping route for oil being brought to Britain. Eden wrongly saw Colonel Nasser as the next Hitler and was determined to make a stand against him. "Nasser has a finger on our wind pipe", he remarked. Nasser was going to be taught a lesson. Nasser was seen as a nationalist who was determined to rid Egypt of foreign influence and make Egypt the Arab world's leading state. He had tried to buy arms from the West but eventually had to buy them from Czechoslovakia and western powers were concerned that Nasser was leading Egypt towards communism. His seizure of the Suez Canal was justified in his mind by the refusal of Britain and US to finance his ambitious project to build the Aswan Dam across the Nile. In Source A, Eden says Nasser is "not a man who can be trusted", and also "we all know this is how dictators behave and we all remember the cost of giving in to Hitler". This shows that Eden cannot help

Invisible Man :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

One obvious theme that I picked up when I read Invisible Man was the theme of invisibility. I think the theme of invisibility has different meanings to it. One meaning is that invisibility suggests the unwillingness of others to see the individual as a person. The narrator is invisible because people see in him only what they want to see, not what he really is. Invisibility, in this meaning, has a strong sense of racial prejudice. White people often do not see black people as individual human beings. Another meaning of the theme of invisibility is the idea that it suggests separation from society. While the narrator is in his hole, he is invisible. He cannot be seen by society. He is invisible because he chooses to remain apart. Invisibility, in this meaning, is similar to hibernation, with the narrator’s choice to remain in his cave and think. This meaning of the theme doesn’t relate to me, but in a way, relates to the poet, Emily Dickinson, who wrote, â€Å"The Win d Tapped Like a Tired Man.† Dickinson withdrew from the world in her early twenties and became a recluse. It’s like Emily chose to be isolated from the rest of the world, just like the narrator in Invisible Man did. The third meaning is that invisibility indicates lack of self-hood. A person is invisible if he has no self, no identity. If a person doesn’t have a soul, spirit, personality, etc., then they seem like a ghost, a thing who is cold and invisible. Invisible Man may be read as a story about the narrator’s development. It is a first-person narrative, and because you experience the novel through the narrator, you get to know him better than anyone else. One pattern of development is that of innocence to experience. At first, the narrator is extremely innocent and does not understand what is happening to him. He does not believe people are bad. He does not see that Bledsoe is making a fool of him. As he suffers, he learns. With experience, he begins to see the world more as it really is. Experience teaches him to be a better judge. This relates to me, because experience is a major importance in my life. Four years ago, when I first started forensics, I was â€Å"innocent† or inexperienced. But as I started experiencing new techniques of how to present the speech, I learned more and, therefore becoming a better judge.

The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator

The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used personality assessment instrument in the world. More than two million people complete it annually in the world (Robbins & Barnwell, 2008). The reliability of the MBTI instrument for management is supported by over fifty years of research and use, proving to be a reliable tool for management and human resource development, both personal and career counselling, and even for team-building and improving communication. Comprising 100 personality tests, it assesses how people act and feel in various situations (Michael & William, 2009). MBTI test results present an individual’s personality preferences thus helping individuals better understand themselves and assisting them in making career choices. Possible applications for the MBTI include communication, conflict resolution, personal growth and development, decision making and problem solving (Thompson, 2010, p19). Also the MBTI helps management to encourage groups of individuals to learn about themselves, each other, and better organize group resources to achieve group goals. On the basis of the answers individuals give to the test, the MBTI classifies individuals into sixteen unique personality based on four dimensions (Robins, 2009). They are Extroverted or Introverted (E or I), Sensing or Intuitive (S or N), Thinking or Feeling (T or F), and Judging or Perceiving (J or P). Extroverted-Introverted – method of functioning. Extroverted individuals are outgoing, sociable and assertive, they tend to act, then reflect, and then act again to gather information and reflect on it before arriving at a decision. Introverts are quiet and shy, prefer to reflect, then act, then reflect again to discuss possible alternatives before arriving at a decision (Michael & William, 2009) Sensing-Intuitive – how individuals take in information. Individuals who are sensing are more likely focus on detail and what is actually present, are practical and prefer routine and order. They always trust their xperience and focus on what is real here and now. By contrast, individuals who prefer intuition rely on unconscious processes and tend to trust information that is more abstract or theoretical, to focus more on implications and inferences, to look at the â€Å"big picture† to gather information (Robins, 2009). Thinking-Feeling – how individuals make decision. Those who prefer thinking are more logical, causa l, and more consistent in their perspective. They measure decision by what seems reasonable and tend to use an analytical approach to problem solving. Conversely, those who prefer feeling tend to introduce their own values and emotions into the decision making process. However, where situations differ, their value and emotion can be variable. Therefore, their decision-making is based on the situation and their emotional involvement in that situation (Mohammad, 2009). Judgment-perceiving – individual’s lifestyle. Judgment types desire control and prefer their worlds to be orderly, planned and scheduled – everything in its place. By contrast, those who are perception orientated prefer an open, flexible, and unstructured lifestyle (Michael & William, 2009). According to the research by McCare and John (2002) strong relation exists between individual personality and performance in teams. The four dimensions can classify individuals into sixteen personality type. ESTJs are the organisers in the team. They are realistic, practical and prefer order, like use reason and logic to handle problems. They have a natural head for business or group dynamics. Consequently, they like to organise and run activities (Carlopio & Andrewartha, 2008). INTJs are the monitors and the evaluators in the team. They usually have original minds and strongly focus on their own ideas and purposes. Additionally, they are critical, independent, determined and often stubborn. The ENTPs are conceptualisers. They are individualistic, versatile and focus on innovation. They are innovative in solving challenging problems, but may neglect routine assignments. According to the research, 13 business people who create super-successful firms such as Microsoft, Apple Computer, Sony, FedEX and Honda Motors found that all 13 were intuitive thinkers (Robins, 2009). This result is especially interesting because MBTI suggests only 5% of the population are intuitive thinkers. In addition, while more and more people are using MBTI in Australia today, simultaneously the number of users is starting to rise in some Asian countries as well (Henry, 2010). The MBTI is mainly used in organisations including banks, hospitals, IT firms, universities, emergency service, finance companies, MNC and even the Australian Defence Forces (Robins, 2009). The results from these organisations reveal that, in general, HR managers and educated managers tend to have higher intuition scores. On the contrary, manager in high regulated organisations such as the police, armed forces and financial management tend to have lower scores in intuition (Mohammad, 2009). Example At the beginning of my university life, I experienced course selection mistake. I chose accounting for my major simply because I thought I was good at mathematic. Unfortunately, I didn't understand my personality very well. After one semester, I realised accounting was not an appropriate subject for me. I’m not a conscientious person, I always leave my belongings around, often forget to put things back in their proper place and make a mess of everything, often being not well prepared before class. Further, I don't pay attention to details and frequently neglect routine assignments. Consequently, the formal demands of accounting are not suitable for me. However, having finished the MBTI test, I found I’m an ENTP type person, which â€Å"openness to experience† person. I’m always optimistic about life and even in a difficult environment, I regard new things as challenges and widening my experience, which means I don't give up readily. I don't perceive such things as failures and losses and am not upset by such events. Secondly, I’m an imaginative person. I have diverse interests. I like trying and exploring new things and challenging new environments, so I always look forward to discovering new things. Thirdly, I have excellent ideas, spend time reflecting on things, and constantly try to search for ways to improve my previous ideas (MBTI test). Consequently, I changed my major to Economics, a subject better suited to my personality. Recommendation Both managers and employees need to understand the benefits of using the MBTI (Michael & William, 2009). From the manager’s point of view, MBTI can improve management skills; enhance inter-organisation communication and developmental efforts. From the employee’s viewpoint, an understanding of individual’s personalities can help organisations reduce group conflict, improve work relations and team development, further achieve a positive work environment, and increase work-group performance and productivity (John, 2008). In addition, the more MBTI is appropriately used in an organisation, the more the management would see its value (Roselle, 2009). When the MBTI is used frequently in conjunction with other management skills, it helps individuals to gather the insight they need for personal growth and development, to achieve decision making and resolve problem skills, and to help groups better understand themselves and each other in a team environment and different situation (Peter & Garry, 2004). Finally, having gained the feedback from using the MBTI instrument, a careful analysis of the information helps in arriving at fresh policy decision. Belbin (2006) found that groups with mixed roles can be more productive than other groups. It means different personal and professional roles have their own characteristic; this can bring many benefits if a group contains a mixture of personality types, each type filling a particular role in the dynamics of the group. For instance, having completed the MBTI test, I understood myself very well, my personal characteristic, my strengths and my weaknesses. Consequently, a design group manager has invited me to join his group on the basis of my personal strengths, thus complementing the strengths of the group, all of us having previously done the MBTI test. I found we all have different group professional roles, Member â€Å"A† is always focused on the task, is highly motivated to achieve goals and influences group members to achieve goals more smoothly. Member â€Å"B† is a good listener and supporter, friendly to everyone, helps group member to resolve destructive conflicts, and facilitate group cooperation. Member â€Å"C† is an enthusiastic person who always encourages group members to explore new ideas and problem solving skills. As we talk in a comfortable environment, our group relationship has improved, leading us to communicate more with other group members. Thus our work-group performance and productivity have increased.

How does Steinbeck present the culture of the migrant worker in the novel? Essay

John Steinbeck wrote a novel called Of Mice and Men in 1937. At the time America was in a period of economic depression following the Wall Street crash. John Steinbeck saw the effects and saw how people had to work hard away from home as migrant workers and this motivated him to write this novel. The story is about 2 migrant workers; Lennie and George. In this essay we will be looking at the character of the migrant workers, their motivations and their dreams for the future. Also we will be looking at the language and then conclude by answering the question ‘how does Steinbeck present the culture of the migrant worker in the novel? Migrant workers are people who go looking around for work away from home. They normally do not form long term friendships and normally do not form relationships with women. However in Steinbeck’s novel there are two friends called Lennie and George who have a long term friendship. Lennie is a big man with a mental age of about 8. He always relies on George to tell him what’s right and wrong. We can know that normal migrant workers are lonely. This is supported when George says â€Å"guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. The way he says loneliest, he doesn’t just say lonely he refers to migrant workers as â€Å"the loneliest people†. The migrant worker is shown to be lonely by Steinbeck. Also when Candy says â€Å"of course I ain’t got family† it tells us that it is usual to not have family and is a common feature shared by the migrant workers. Each character in the novel has his or her own characteristics, and this is how Steinbeck presents the culture of the migrant worker. Candy is characterised as being old and useless -the one who they use and Crooks is the lonely and isolated one. We come to know that Crooks feels lonely when he says â€Å"books ain’t no good a guy needs somebody to be near him†. The way he says ‘somebody’ means that he is desperate to have a friend and this desperation shows his loneliness. So Steinbeck presents us with different characteristics of each character like anger and loneliness. We also see signs of selfishness when Carlson shoots Candy’s dog. This novel is about hope and despair, love and disgust but Carlson isn’t really plugged into these things. This world is black and white to him with no subtitle for example when slim leads George away from the riverbank as he has gathered what has just happened Carlson says â€Å"what the hell do you thinks is eating them two guys†. This shows he is clueless to his surroundings but this is how he survives the life of the migrant worker. So overall there are different characteristics of the migrant workers. This is due to their circumstances like Crooks being black, Candy being old and Curley’s wife not loving him and not being loved by him. So Steinbeck presents the culture of the migrant workers to be selfish and lonely. But there are two characters that are different to the others; they are the dreamers, Lennie and George who symbolise hope for the migrant worker. What’s different about them is that they are friends who stick together till the end of the novel. This is shown when George says â€Å"with us it aint like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us†. This tells us that they have a dream the way George say â€Å"we got a future†. This shows us hope. Also when Lennie says â€Å"I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you†. This shows us lots of things, firstly it shows us friendship between them but it also shows that Lennie relies on George. George’s dream is to have is own piece of land and Lennie’s is to tend rabbits on that piece of land. But there are also other characters that have dreams like Curley’s. Her dream is to become an actress when she says â€Å"he was going to put me in the movies†. This shows us that she wanted to become an actress and therefore shows us that even she has a dream. Also Crooks dreams of being seen as equal to everyone else. He remembers his childhood, when he played with white children who came to his family’s chicken ranch. Even the old and useless Candy has a dream which merges with Lennie and George’s dream which is to have their own piece of land. So overall Steinbeck presents us with a lot of different characters of the migrant workers. He shows anger, aggression and even loneliness, but he also shows other things like hope, friendship and the dream of the migrant workers. He also shows the dream of the migrant worker and how it is pointless to have a dream. He shows us that dreams lead to disappointment. In the novel nobody’s dream comes true for example Crooks doesn’t get that equality he thinks he deserves, Curley’s wife doesn’t get to be an actress and Candy’s dreams get shattered along with George of having their own piece of land. The best way to avoid disappointment is to not have a dream this is what Steinbeck is explaining in this novel. Steinbeck uses a lot of descriptions to show the scenery. For example he describes a place at the beginning to be â€Å"close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too†. Then at the beginning of section 2 he describes were they work when he says â€Å"the bunk house was long, rectangular building. Inside the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted†. He gives a contrast because at the beginning he describes a place that is beautiful and colourful by the way he says deep and green and when he describes the work place he uses very plain description like rectangular bunk house and ‘the floors unpainted’. This gives us a contrast between the life of nature and then the life of the migrant worker. The language used tells us that they were uneducated and had an accent by the way Lennie says ‘purty’ instead of ‘pretty’. Also we can tell that they are uneducated by the way they speak like when Lennie says â€Å"make um let me alone†. Steinbeck is recreating an authentic sense of the spoken voice. However people who sound uneducated can still have brains for example Crooks. He reads law books but his language is just as bad as the others when he says â€Å"I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son of a bitch if I want to†. They also use racist words towards crooks like ‘nigger’. This is only said to show us that they were all living in a time, in society that was racist. Overall I think that Steinbeck shows the culture of the migrant workers in numerous ways, he gives us different characteristics of the migrant worker for example anger, suspicions, selfishness and loneliness, but the most important thing is the dream of Lennie and George that one day they will have their own piece of land and this is what keeps them going. This shows hope for the migrant worker. Candy and his dog provides a parallel to George and Lennie. When candy’s dog got old and useless he got killed, but not by Candy but by Carlson, Candy felt that he should have killed the dog himself when he says â€Å"I should have killed him myself†. At the end of the novel George kills Lennie because he knew it would be better for him to kill Lennie and not regret it like Candy did with his dog. Steinbeck shows us that not all migrant workers are selfish and don’t make long term friendships by the characters Lennie and George. Steinbeck tells us how quickly hopes and dreams can get destroyed. The title ‘of mice and men’ refers to a poem which tells us of a mouse and how the mouse builds up his nest and how the nest is destroyed. The mouse symbolises Lennie and George and the nest is symbolises their dream and how it is destroyed so suddenly.

Blood Promise Chapter Twelve

Being with Lissa left me with more questions than answers, and so without a course of action, I simply continued to stay with the Belikovs for the next few days. I fell into their normal routine, again surprised by how easy it was. I tried hard to make myself useful, doing any chores they'd let me do and even going so far as watching the baby (something I wasn't entirely comfortable with, seeing as guardian training hadn't left much time for after school jobs like babysitting). Yeva eyed me the whole time, never saying anything but always looking like she disapproved. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to go or if that was simply the way she always looked. The others, however, didn't question me at all. They were delighted to have me around and made it obvious in every action. Viktoria was especially happy. â€Å"I wish you could come back to school with us,† Viktoria said wistfully one evening. She and I had been spending a lot of time together. â€Å"When do you go back?† â€Å"Monday, right after Easter.† I felt a little sadness stir in me. Whether I was still here or not, I would miss her. â€Å"Oh, man. I didn't realize it was so soon.† A small silence fell between us; then she gave me a sidelong look. â€Å"Have you thought†¦ well, have you maybe thought about coming back to St. Basil's with us?† I stared. â€Å"St. Basil's? Your school is named after a saint too?† Not all of them were. Adrian had attended an East Coast school called Alder. â€Å"Ours is a human saint,† she said with a grin. â€Å"You could enroll there. You could finish your last year-I'm sure they'd take you.† Of all the crazy options I'd considered on this trip-and believe me, I'd considered a lot of crazy things-that was one that had never crossed my mind. I'd written school off. I was pretty sure there was nothing else I could learn-well, after meeting Sydney and Mark, it had become obvious there were still a few more things. Considering what I wanted to do with my life, however, I didn't think another semester of math and science would do much for me. And as far as guardian training went, mostly all I had left to do w s prepare for the end-of-year trials. I somehow doubted those tests and challenges would even come remotely close to what I'd experienced with Strigoi already. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't think so. I think I'm pretty much done with school. Besides, it'd all be in Russian.† â€Å"They'd translate for you.† A mischievous grin lit her face. â€Å"Besides, kicking and punching transcend language.† Her smile faded to a more thoughtful expression. â€Å"But seriously. If you aren't going to finish school, and you aren't going to be a guardian†¦ well, why don't you stay here? I mean, just in Baia. You could live with us.† â€Å"I'm not going to be a blood whore,† I said immediately. An odd look crossed her face. â€Å"That's not what I meant.† â€Å"I shouldn't have said that. Sorry.† I felt bad about the comment. While I kept hearing rumors about blood whores in town, I'd only seen one or two, and certainly the Belikov women weren't among them. Sonya's pregnancy was something of a mystery, but working in a drugstore didn't seem that sordid. I'd learned a little bit more about Karolina's situation. The father of her children was a Moroi she apparently had a genuine connection with. She hadn't cheapened herself to be with him, and he hadn't used her. After the baby was born, the two of them had decided to part ways, but it had been friendly. Karolina was now apparently dating a guardian who visited whenever he had leave. The few blood whores I had seen around town very much fit my stereotype. Their clothing and makeup screamed easy sex. The bruises on their necks clearly showed that they had no problem with letting their partners drink blood during sex, which was pretty much the sleaziest thing a dhampir could do. Only humans gave blood to Moroi. My race didn't. To allow it-particularly during sexual activities-well, like I said, it was sleazy. The dirtiest of the dirty. â€Å"Mother would love it if you stayed. You could get a job too. Just be part of our family.† â€Å"I can't take Dimitri's place, Viktoria,† I said softly. She reached out and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. â€Å"I know. No one expects you to. We like you for you, Rose. You being here just feels right-there's a reason Dimka chose to be with you. You fit in here.† I tried to imagine the life she described. It sounded†¦ easy. Comfortable. No worries. Just living with a loving family, laughing and hanging out together each night. I could go about my own life, not having to trail someone else all day. I would have sisters. There'd be no fighting-unless it was to defend. I could give up this plan to kill Dimitri-which I knew would kill me too, either physically or spiritually. I could choose the rational path, let him go and accept him as dead. And, yet†¦ if I did that, why not just go back to Montana? Back to Lissa and the Academy? â€Å"I don't know,† I told Viktoria at last. â€Å"I don't know what I'm going to do.† It was just after dinner, and she glanced hesitantly at the clock. â€Å"I don't want to leave you since we don't have much time together, but†¦ I was supposed to meet someone soon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nikolai?† I teased. She shook her head, and I tried to hide my disappointment. I'd seen him a few times, and he'd grown more and more likeable. It was too bad Viktoria couldn't kindle any feelings for him. Now, though, I wondered if there might be something holding her back-or rather, someone. â€Å"Oh, spill,† I said with a grin. â€Å"Who is he?† She kept her face blank in a fair imitation of Dimitri's. â€Å"A friend,† she said evasively. But I thought I saw a smile in her eyes. â€Å"Someone at school?† â€Å"No.† She sighed. â€Å"And that's the problem. I'm going to miss him so much.† My smile faded. â€Å"I can imagine.† â€Å"Oh.† She looked embarrassed. â€Å"That's stupid of me. My problems†¦ well, they're nothing compared to yours. I mean, I may not see him for a while†¦ but I will see him. But Dimitri's gone. You won't see him ever again.† Well, that might not be entirely true. I didn't tell her that, though. Instead, I just said, â€Å"Yeah.† To my surprise, she gave me a hug. â€Å"I know what love's like. To lose that†¦ I don't know. I don't know what to say. All I can tell you is that we're here for you. All of us, okay? You can't replace Dimitri, but you do feel like a sister.† Her calling me a sister both stunned and warmed me at the same time. She had to go get ready for her date after that. She hurriedly changed clothes and put on makeup-definitely more than a friend, I decided-and headed out the door. I was kind of glad because I didn't want her to see the tears that her words had brought to my eyes. I'd spent my life as an only child. Lissa had been the closest I had to a sister. I'd always thought of Lissa as one; one I'd now lost. To hear Viktoria call me a sister now†¦ well, it stirred something in me. Something that told me I really did have friends and wasn't alone. I headed down to the kitchen after that, and Olena soon joined me. I was rummaging for food. â€Å"Was that Viktoria I heard leave?† she asked. â€Å"Yeah, she went off to see a friend.† To my credit, I kept my expression neutral. No way would I sell Viktoria out. Olena sighed. â€Å"I'd wanted her to run an errand for me in town.† â€Å"I'll do it,† I said eagerly. â€Å"After I grab something to eat.† She gave me a kind smile and patted my cheek. â€Å"You have a good heart, Rose. I can see why Dimka loved you.† It was so amazing, I thought, how accepted my relationship with Dimitri was around here. No one brought up age or teacher-student relationships. As I'd told Sydney, it was like I was his widow or something, and Viktoria's words about me staying replayed in my head. The way Olena looked at me made me feel like I really was her daughter, and once more, I experienced those traitorous feelings about my own mom. She probably would have scoffed at me and Dimitri. She would have called it inappropriate and said I was too young. Or would she have? Maybe I was being too harsh. Seeing me in front of the open cupboard, Olena shook her head reproachfully. â€Å"But you need to eat first.† â€Å"Just a snack,† I assured her. â€Å"Don't go to any trouble.† She ended up slicing me off big pieces of black bread she'd baked earlier that day and put out a tub of butter because she knew I loved to slather up my slices. Karolina had teased me that Americans might be shocked to know what was in this bread, so I never asked any questions. It was somehow sweet and tangy at the same time, and I loved it. Olena sat down across from me and watched me eat. â€Å"This was his favorite when he was little.† â€Å"Dimitri's?† She nodded. â€Å"Whenever he was on break from school, the first thing he'd do is ask for that bread. I practically had to make him his own loaf each time with the way he ate. The girls never ate that much.† â€Å"Guys always seem to eat more.† Admittedly, I could keep up with most of them. â€Å"And he's bigger and taller than most.† â€Å"True,† she mused. â€Å"But I eventually reached a point where I made him start making it himself. I told him if he was going to eat all my food, he'd best know how much work went into it.† I laughed. â€Å"I can't imagine Dimitri baking bread.† And yet, as soon as the words came out, I reconsidered. My immediate associations with Dimitri were always intense and fierce; it was his sexy, battle-god persona that came to mind. Yet, it had been Dimitri's gentleness and thoughtfulness mixed with that deadliness that made him so wonderful. The same hands that wielded stakes with such precision would carefully brush the hair out of my face. The eyes that could astutely spot any danger in the area would regard me wonderingly and worshipfully, like I was the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world. I sighed, consumed by that bittersweet ache in my chest that had become so familiar now. What a stupid thing, getting worked up over a loaf of bread of all things. But that was how it was. I got emotional whenever I thought about Dimitri. Olena's eyes were on me, sweet and compassionate. â€Å"I know,† she said, guessing my thoughts. â€Å"I know exactly how you feel.† â€Å"Does it get easier?† I asked. Unlike Sydney, Olena had an answer. â€Å"Yes. But you'll never be the same.† I didn't know whether to take comfort from those words or not. After I finished eating, she gave me a brief grocery list, and I set off toward downtown, happy to be outside and moving. Inactivity didn't suit me. While in the grocery store, I was surprised to run into Mark. I'd gotten the impression he and Oksana didn't come to town that often. I wouldn't have put it past them to grow their own food and live off the land. He gave me a warm smile. â€Å"I wondered if you were still around.† â€Å"Yeah.† I held up my basket. â€Å"Just doing some shopping for Olena.† â€Å"I'm glad you're still here,† he said. â€Å"You seem more†¦ at peace.† â€Å"Your ring is helping, I think. At least with the peace. It hasn't done much as far as any decision making goes.† He frowned, shifting the milk he held in one arm to the other. â€Å"What decisions?† â€Å"What to do now. Where to go.† â€Å"Why not stay here?† It was eerie, so similar to the conversation I'd had with Viktoria. And my response was equally similar. â€Å"I don't know what I'd do if I stayed here.† â€Å"Get a job. Live with the Belikovs. They love you, you know. You fit right in with their family.† That warm, loved feeling came back, and I again tried to imagine myself just settling down with them, working in a store like this or waiting tables. â€Å"I don't know,† I said. I was a broken record. â€Å"I just don't know if that's right for me.† â€Å"Better than the alternative,† he warned. â€Å"Better than running off with no real purpose, throwing yourself in the face of danger. That's no choice at all.† And yet, it was the reason I'd come to Siberia in the first place. My inner voice scolded me. Dimitri, Rose. Have you forgotten Dimitri? Have you forgotten how you came here to free him, like he would have wanted? Or was that really what he would have wanted? Maybe he would have wanted me to stay safe. I just didn't know, and with no more help from Mason, my choices were even more muddled. Thinking of Mason suddenly reminded me of something I'd totally forgotten. â€Å"When we talked before†¦ well, we talked about what Lissa and Oksana could do. But what about you?† Mark narrowed his eyes. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Have you ever†¦ have you ever run into, um, ghosts?† Several moments passed, and then he exhaled. â€Å"I'd hoped that wouldn't happen to you.† It astonished me then how much relief I felt to know I wasn't alone in my ghostly experiences. Even though I now understood that having died and been to the world of the dead made me a target for spirits, it was still one of the freakiest things about being shadow-kissed. â€Å"Did it happen without you wanting it?† I asked. â€Å"At first. Then I learned to control it.† â€Å"Me too.† I suddenly recalled the barn. â€Å"Actually, that's not entirely true.† Lowering my voice further, I hastily recapped what had happened on my trip here with Sydney. I'd never spoken of it to anyone. â€Å"You must never, ever do that again,† he said sternly. â€Å"But I didn't mean to! It just happened.† â€Å"You panicked. You needed help, and some part of you called out to the spirits around you. Don't do it. It's not right, and it's easy to lose control.† â€Å"I don't even know how I did it.† â€Å"Like I said, lapse of control. Don't ever let your panic get the best of you.† An older woman passed us, a scarf over her head and a basket of vegetables in her arms. I waited until she was gone before asking Mark, â€Å"Why did they fight for me?† â€Å"Because the dead hate Strigoi. The Strigoi are unnatural, neither living nor dead-just existing in some state in between. Just as we sense that evil, so do the ghosts.† â€Å"Seems like they could be a good weapon.† That face, normally easy and open, frowned. â€Å"It's dangerous. People like you and me already walk the edge of darkness and insanity. Openly calling upon the dead only brings us closer to falling over that edge and losing our minds.† He glanced at his watch and sighed. â€Å"Look, I have to go, but I'm serious, Rose. Stay here. Stay out of trouble. Fight Strigoi if they come to you, but don't go seeking them blindly. And definitely leave the ghosts alone.† It was a lot of advice to get in a grocery store, a lot of advice I wasn't sure I could follow. But I thanked him and sent my regards to Oksana before paying and leaving as well. I was heading back toward Olena's neighborhood when I rounded a corner and nearly walked right into Abe. He was dressed in his usual flashy way, wearing that expensive coat and a yellow-gold scarf that matched the gold in his jewelry. His guardians hovered nearby, and he leaned casually against a building's brick wall. â€Å"So this is why you came to Russia. To go to the market like some peasant.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"Just sightseeing then?† â€Å"No. I'm just being helpful. Stop trying to get information out of me. You're not as smart as you think you are.† â€Å"That's not true,† he said. â€Å"Look, I told you already. I came here to tell the Belikovs the news. So go back and tell whoever you're working for that that's that.† â€Å"And I told you before not to lie to me,† he said. Again, I saw that odd mix of danger and humor. â€Å"You have no idea how patient I've been with you. From anyone else, I would have gotten the information I needed that first night.† â€Å"Lucky me,† I snapped back. â€Å"What now? Are you going to take me down an alley and beat me up until I tell you why I'm here? I'm losing interest in this whole scary-mob-boss routine, you know.† â€Å"And I'm losing patience with you,† he said. There went the humor, and as he stood over me, I couldn't help but uneasily note that he was better built than most Moroi. A lot of Moroi avoided fights, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Abe had roughed up as many people as his bodyguards had. â€Å"And honestly? I don't care why you're here anymore. You just need to leave. Now.† â€Å"Don't threaten me, old man. I'll leave whenever the hell I want.† It was funny, I'd just sworn to Mark that I didn't know if I could stay in Baia, but when pressured by Abe, I just wanted to dig my feet in. â€Å"I don't know what you're trying to keep me from, but I'm not scared of you.† That also wasn't entirely true. â€Å"You should be,† he returned pleasantly. â€Å"I can be a very good friend or a very bad enemy. I can make it worth your while if you leave. We can strike a bargain.† There was an almost excited gleam in his eyes as he spoke. I recalled Sydney describing him manipulating others, and I got the feeling this was what he lived for-negotiating, striking trades to get what he wanted. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I'll leave when I'm ready. And there's nothing you or whoever you're working for can do about it.† Hoping I appeared bold, I turned around. He reached out and grabbed my shoulder, jerking me back, nearly causing me to lose the groceries. I started to lunge forward in attack mode, but his guardians were right there in a flash. I knew I wouldn't get far. â€Å"Your time is up here,† hissed Abe. â€Å"In Baia. In Russia. Go back to the U.S. I'll give you what you need-money, first-class tickets, whatever.† I stepped out of his reach, backing carefully away. â€Å"I don't need your help or your money-God only knows where it comes from.† A group of people turned the corner across the street, laughing and talking, and I stepped back further, certain Abe wouldn't start a scene with witnesses present. It made me feel braver, which was probably stupid on my part. â€Å"And I already told you: I'll go back whenever the hell I want.† Abe's eyes lifted to the other pedestrians, and he too retreated back with his guardians. That chilling smile was on his face. â€Å"And I told you. I can be a very good friend or a very bad enemy. Get out of Baia before you find out which.† He turned around and left, much to my relief. I didn't want him to see just how much fear his words had left on my face. I went to bed early that night, suddenly feeling antisocial. I lay there for a while, flipping through another magazine I couldn't read, and amazingly found myself growing more and more tired. I think the encounters with Mark and Abe had exhausted me. Mark's words about staying had hit too close to home after my earlier conversation with Viktoria. Abe's thinly veiled threats had raised all my defenses, putting me on guard against whoever was working with him to make me leave Russia. At what point, I wondered, would he truly lose patience and stop trying to bargain? I drifted off to sleep and the familiar sense of an Adrian-dream settled around me. It had been a long time since this had happened, and I'd actually thought he'd listened to me when I'd told him to stay away before. Of course, I always told him that. This had been the longest time span to go by without a visit, and as much as I hated to admit it, I'd kind of missed him. The setting he'd chosen this time was a piece of the Academy's property, a woodsy area near a pond. Everything was green and in bloom, and sunlight shone down on us. I suspected Adrian's creation didn't match what Montana's weather was really like right now, but then, he was in control. He could do whatever he wanted. â€Å"Little dhampir,† he said, smiling. â€Å"Long time no see.† â€Å"I thought you were done with me,† I said, sitting down on a large, smooth rock. â€Å"Never done with you,† he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and strolling over to me. â€Å"Although†¦ to tell the truth, I did intend to stay away this time. But, well, I had to make sure you were still alive.† â€Å"Alive and well.† He smiled down at me. The sun glinted off his brown hair, giving it golden-chestnut highlights. â€Å"Good. You seem very well, actually. Your aura's better than I've ever seen it.† His eyes drifted from my face down to where my hands lay in my lap. Frowning, he knelt down and picked up my right hand. â€Å"What's this?† Oksana's ring was on it. Despite the ring's lack of ornamentation, the metal gleamed brightly in the light. The dreams were so strange. Even though Adrian and I weren't together, exactly, the ring had followed me in and kept its power enough that he could sense it. â€Å"A charm. It's infused with spirit.† Like me, this was apparently something he'd never considered. His expression grew eager. â€Å"And it heals, right? It's what's keeping some of the darkness from your aura.† â€Å"Some,† I said, uneasy about his fixation on it. I took it off and slipped it into my pocket. â€Å"It's temporary. I met another spirit user-and a shadowkissed dhampir.† More surprise registered on his face. â€Å"What? Where?† I bit my lip and shook my head. â€Å"Damn it, Rose! This is big. You know how Lissa and I have been looking for other spirit users. Tell me where they are.† â€Å"No. Maybe later. I don't want you guys coming after me.† For all I knew, they were already after me, using Abe as their agent. His green eyes flashed angrily. â€Å"Look, pretend for a moment the world doesn't revolve around you, okay? This is about Lissa and me, about understanding this crazy magic inside of us. If you've got people who can help us, we need to know.† â€Å"Maybe later,† I repeated stonily. â€Å"I'm moving on soon-then I'll tell you.† â€Å"Why are you always so difficult?† â€Å"Because you like me that way.† â€Å"At the moment? Not so much.† It was the kind of joking comment Adrian usually made, but just then, something about it bothered me. For some reason, I got the tiniest, tiniest feeling that I suddenly wasn't as endearing to him as usual. â€Å"Just try being patient,† I told him. â€Å"I'm sure you guys have other stuff to work on. And Lissa seems pretty busy with Avery.† The words slipped out before I could help it, and some of the bitterness and envy I'd felt watching them the other night laced my tone. Adrian raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, she admits it. You have been spying on Lissa-I knew it.† I looked away. â€Å"I just like to know she's alive too.† As if I could go anywhere in the world and not know that. â€Å"She is. Alive and well, like you. Er†¦ mostly well.† Adrian frowned. â€Å"Sometimes I get this strange vibe off of her. She doesn't seem quite right or her aura will flicker a little. Never lasts long, but I still worry.† Something in Adrian's voice softened. â€Å"Avery worries about her too, so Lissa's in good hands. Avery's pretty amazing.† I gave him a scathing look. â€Å"Amazing? Do you like her or something?† I hadn't forgotten Avery's comment about leaving the door unlocked for him. â€Å"Of course I like her. She's a great person.† â€Å"No, I mean like. Not like.† â€Å"Oh, I see,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"We're dealing with elementary school definitions of ? ®like.'† â€Å"You're not answering the question.† â€Å"Well, like I said, she's a great person. Smart. Outgoing. Beautiful.† Something in the way he said â€Å"beautiful† bugged me. I averted my eyes again, playing with the blue nazar around my neck as I tried to parse my feelings. Adrian figured things out first. â€Å"Are you jealous, little dhampir?† I looked back up at him. â€Å"No. If I was going to be jealous over you, I would have gone crazy a long time ago, considering all the girls you mess around with.† â€Å"Avery's not the kind of girl you mess around with.† Again, I heard that affection in his voice, that dreaminess. It shouldn't have bothered me. I should have been glad he was interested in another girl. After all, I'd been trying to convince him to leave me alone for a very long time. Part of the conditions of him giving me money for this trip had involved me promising to give him a fair shot at dating when-and if-I returned to Montana. If he got together with Avery, it would be one less thing for me to worry about. And honestly, if it had been any other girl except Avery, I probably wouldn't have minded. But somehow, the idea of her enchanting him was just too much. Wasn't it bad enough that I was losing Lissa to her? How was it possible that one girl could so easily take my place? She'd stolen my best friend, and now the guy who'd sworn up and down that I was the one he wanted was seriously considering replacing me. You're being a hypocrite, a stern voice inside of me said. Why should you feel so wronged about someone else coming into their lives? You abandoned them. Lissa and Adrian both. They have every right to move on. I stood up angrily. â€Å"Look, I'm done talking to you tonight. Will you let me out of this dream? I'm not telling you where I am. And I'm not interested in hearing about how wonderful Avery is and how much better than me she is.† â€Å"Avery would never act like a little brat,† he said. â€Å"She wouldn't get so offended that someone actually cares enough to check on her. She wouldn't deny me the chance to learn more about my magic because she was paranoid someone would ruin her crazy attempt to get over her boyfriend's death.† â€Å"Don't talk to me about being a brat,† I shot back. â€Å"You're as selfish and self-centered as usual. It's always about you-even this dream is. You hold me against my will, whether I want it or not, because it amuses you.† â€Å"Fine,† he said, voice cold. â€Å"I'll end this. And I'll end everything between us. I won't be coming back.† â€Å"Good. I hope you mean it this time.† His green eyes were the last thing I saw before I woke up in my own bed. I sat up, gasping. My heart felt like it was breaking, and I almost thought I might cry. Adrian was right-I had been a brat. I'd lashed out at him when it wasn't really deserved. And yet†¦ I hadn't been able to help it. I missed Lissa. I even kind of missed Adrian. And now someone else was taking my place, someone who wouldn't just walk away like I had. I won't be coming back. And for the first time ever, I had a feeling he really wouldn't be.

Which Has Exerted a Bigger Effect on War: the End of the Cold War, or Globalization?

Back in human history, there could be found more than 14, 400 records of wars that have occurred in the past, by taking the lives of billions and affecting the social and political order worldwide. Wars in the contemporary world have gradually been changing in form, mainly due to globalization, by overlapping in different spheres of brutal conflicts and small but extremely dangerous organizations like terrorism and insurgencies. Nevertheless, their true nature and intentions have managed to preserve through ages, as a general norm of social behavior, involving extreme violence, desire for power and manipulation, as well as conflicts established on the basis of religious or ethnic issues. In addition, the end of the cold war had a great impact on the global socio-political picture by establishing a completely new image of international relations, forms of external associations and a strong push for a military affair progress.Could Cold War Have Been Avoided? To understand the nature of war, its influence on current affairs, as well as the impact of globalization on war matters, I would first provide a general definition of â€Å"war†, by presenting some theoretical approaches. Eventually I would concentrate on the impact of the post-cold period and finally, conclude with the affect of globalization. War and theoretical approaches: Scholars have always provided quite contradictory definitions for a â€Å"war†. Indeed defining â€Å"war† could be a complicated task. This is due to the fact that even if the nature of a war remains constant, it always reflects the particular time and place in which it occurs. In other words, the current time, situation, the initial core of the problem, as well as, the level of violence and particular actors would greatly influence and define the type of conflict. Thus, establishing a general idea of a ‘war’ might end to be quite inaccurate. Nevertheless, I would try to present the main general definitions, based on different theoretical approaches. Quincy Wright, for xample, describes war as a â€Å"conflict among political groups, especially sovereign states, carried on by armed forces of considerable magnitude, for a considerable period of time†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 213) Judging by his statement, we could conclude that it’s a realist approach, emphasizing on the power of the state and the highest level of sovereignty that possesses. Another approach of defining war is the definition of Hedly Bulls claiming that war is an â€Å"organized violence, carried by political units against each other†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 14) This definition could be accepted as inappropriate because not every single action of violence is defined as a war. In addition, war could involve and other internal actors except political ones like citizens for example (religious, racial conflicts). A third approach by Clausewitz explains war as â€Å"an act of force intended to compel our opponents to fulfill our will†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 214) This definition is more liberal based as it stresses more on the power and affect of globalization than on the state sovereignty. Even though all of these definitions seem to differ in terms of theory, we could generalize some common characteristics between them, which are organized violence, state or non-state actors, as well as military force and manipulation. To get a better understanding on the definitions, the change of warfare, as well as the impact of globalization and post-cold war period, I would like to summarize and stress on two well known theories: Realism and Liberalism. Realism, first of all, stresses on the power of the state and its sovereignty, representing it as the main actor on the world stage. It also expresses world politics as a ‘self-help system’ and a ‘struggle for power’ between states (Baylis, 2008, p. 5), trying to dominate and maximize their national interests. In addition, globalization is not important and does not affect political world. Liberalism, on the contrary, emphasizes on the effectiveness of democracy, underlying that states are not the only main actors. Transnational actors, international corporations and organizations (like terrorism) are also playing a key role in defining warfare and its evolving. Also, liberalists admit the importance of globalization, economic and environmental issues. Considering the current international affairs, as well as the decline power of state actors, we could assume that the Liberal theory quite successfully matches with the recent socio-political events. Thus, I would further analyze the change of warfare from the perspectives of the Liberal approach. Post-cold war period: The fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, resulting in the end of the Cold War, put a new evolution in the structure of the international relations and the international system. That indeed brought some influential domestic attributes like democracy system in some post-communist states. In addition, the number of wars sharply declined but not and their crucial brutality. A lot of ex-Soviet Union members, as well as some eastern European countries like former Yugoslavia experienced tremendous crisis. Many states disintegrated, which led to bloody civil wars and insurgencies. Another great factor was the new system of democracy that former communist states had to accept. Some states indeed benefited from that but for others that turned out to be a vast and sudden change resulting in more economic crisis and chaos in the population. In addition, this led to the active participation of world organizations like the United Nations, as well as NATO and EU in preserving the peace and avoiding any brutal conflicts that could follow. Such intervention and anti-conflict actions influenced not only the warfare but human morals, as well. People’s understanding of politics, economics became more globally based, not just state-isolated. A state problem eventually turned out to be a global problem, like the war in former Yugoslavia, 9/11 and the current affairs in Egypt. The post-cold war period gave the first strong push of a massive globalization. Indeed, globalization has always existed in human history and has always been an inevitable process; nevertheless no one has particularly mentioned it before the end of the Cold War. Another great change that affected the warfare was the absolute hegemony power that the USA gained. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the international system changed from a phase of ‘bipolarity’ into a phase of ‘unipolarity’. Thus, USA’s global influence speeded up even more the going on process of globalization, turning it in to â€Å"Americanization†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 13)USA was surely outstanding in terms of military power and technical innovations; nevertheless it did nothing to prevent the up-coming events of organized violence and particularly terrorism. A good example is the 9/11 event and the Iraq War in 2003. Even though USA had a magnificent superiority in terms of weaponry, technical and communication technology, the responding asymmetric attacks that followed, as well as the terroristic actions in London and Madrid proved the dramatic changes that have occurred in terms of warfare. Globalization: The revolution in military affairs that followed in the 1991, right after Gulf War, built a new image and form of the contemporary warfare. With the vast development of technology, communication, Internet and media, war was eventually converted into a new form of a war conflict, unfamiliar for the old Westphalian Order ideas. The primary Westphalian characteristics of a territoriality, fixed boarders, self-determination and states as only key-actors completely contradict with the contemporary current global affairs. And indeed, Globalization is more than just interconnectedness. It involves much more than cooperation and international relations between states. It eventually dissolves the state boarders, turning the world into a â€Å"shared social space†, (Baylis, 2008, p. 18) as well as, placing the economical and political activities into a completely new transnational global scale. Another important factor of globalization is the â€Å"time-space compression†. (Baylis, 2008, p. 18) Nowadays, any power or military actions could be exercised from a distance and fulfilled for a relatively short period of time. Globalization has broken any possible barriers involving distance, space or time with the help of Internet, communication and media. These factors have resulted in an entire new generation of warfare. In such a new era of innovation and high technology, new non-state actors have managed to transform both cyber place and media into a real battlefield. From one hand, this has led to the creation of highly effective and complex weaponry machinery, ensuring better protection and momentum responds to military actions. On the contrary though, that also leads to terrorism, organized crimes, violence as well as, weapons of mass destruction. With the ability of producing and exporting such powerful technology, the safety of humans and the brutality of contemporary warfare are surely not on the way of declining. Another negative consequence of globalization results in the different economical level of the world countries and the continuous growing gap between them. Indeed globalization is useful and helpful for powers like Japan, USA and Russia but other countries like Sierra Leone or Eritrea definitely lack the benefits of globalization. This creates poverty, eventually crisis, which could lead to civil wars and more bloody violence. In the past decade, 95% of the armed conflicts have occurred within states rather than between them. Such new wars take place in states where the economy is extremely poor or even collapsing. Conclusion: Many of the characteristics of warfare mentioned above are not new features of war conflicts. They have been existing for a long time since early human history. That includes religious or ethnic confrontations, or any other kind of conflicts performed with extreme brutality. What really empowered the contemporary warfare and made it so massively destructive is globalization. It is the human ability and necessity to protect or manipulate, to defend themselves or just to apply control over a state of civilians. It is hard yet to predict what other crucial impacts globalization would have on humanity and eventually on warfare. Whatever the reason though, wars would never stop to exist and they would be always a human norm of a social behavior, that would adopt according to the current environment and current period of time. References: Baylis, John, Smith, Steve and Owens, Patricia (eds.) (2008). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, Oxford: Oxford University Press (4th ed.) Boyer, P. (2001). The Oxford Companion to United States History. Post–Cold War Era. Retrieved January 29, 2011 from: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-PostColdWarEra.html Encyclopedia of the new American Nation. Cultural Relations and Policies – Globalization and the cold war. Retrieved January 29, 2011 from: