Thursday, January 23, 2020
twiggy :: essays research papers
Custom Papers English Foreign History Miscellaneous Movies Music Novels People Politics Religion Science Sports Technology Information Questions? Search results for 'mark and twain' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Match: AllAnyBoolean Format: LongShort Sort by: ScoreTimeTitleReverse ScoreReverse TimeReverse Title Refine search: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Documents 1 - 10 of 527 matches. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can't find it with this search, try this one! Mark Twain's Life in His Writings In Mark Twain's two major works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and it's sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he develops and displays his humoristic abilities by concealing within them deeper meanings, ultimately producing a satire of the region in which he lived. Examined within this paper are ... Mark Twain Mark Twain "Man is made of dirt â⬠¦ Man is a museum of diseases, a home of impurities, who begins as dirt and departs as stench."(1) -Mark Twain When Most people think of Mark Twain, they think of the Mississippi, or gold mining, or such things. But few people have come to realize the free ... Mark Twain Racisim Part 2: Was Mark Twain a Racist? For over thirty years critics of Mark Twain have called attention to the racial epithets in Huckleberry Finn as an example of the inherent racism of the author. African Americans in particular have objected to the book and in many school districts (most recently in Dallas ... How Mark Twain lived his life as an author during the late 1800's Question: How Mark Twain lived his life as an author during the late 1800's? Title: Mark Twain's biograph. I. Introduction A. Background 1. Childhood 2. Education 3 Professional life B. Problems: 1. Jobs 2. Literary works 3. Financial conditions II. Body A. Life style B. Family life C.General information ... Mark Twain Censorship The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book written by Mark Twain. This book has been scrutinized, censored, and argued over since itââ¬â¢s publication. There are many ways to look at Huckleberry Finn. One can look at it as a derogatory book, focusing on the stereotyping of Negroes and the excessive use ... Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens, or None of the Above Mark Twain was one of the most popular and well-known authors of the 1800ââ¬â¢s. He is recognized for being a humorist. He used humor or social satire in his best works. His writing is known for ââ¬Å"realism of place and language, memorable characters, and hatred of hypocrisy and oppressionâ⬠(Mark Twain 1 ... mark twain Mark Twain, a Racist?Mark Twain was a man that was way ahead of his time. In a time when people were judged on color,Mark Twain grew up in Florida, Missouri (Mandelbrot, Twain).
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Last Sacrifice Chapter Fifteen
I DIDN'T LIKE TO SEE Victor Dashkov proven right. But, oh, was he ever. With Lissa's proclamation, the room that had been holding its breath suddenly exploded. I wondered if there had ever been a peaceful Council session in Moroi history or if I just kept coincidentally tuning into controversial ones. What followed today reminded me a lot of the day the dhampir age decree had passed. Shouting, arguments, people out of their chairs â⬠¦ Guardians who normally lined the walls and watched were out among the people, looks of concern on their faces as they prepared for any disputes that might go beyond words. As quickly as Lissa had been at the center of everything, the room seemed to forget her. She sat back down, and Christian found her hand again. She squeezed it tightly, so much so I wondered if she was cutting off his circulation. She stared straight ahead, still reeling. Her mind wasn't focused on all the chaos, but everything her eyes and ears perceived came through to me. Really, the only attention my friends received was when Daniella came over and scolded Adrian for nominating outside his family. He shrugged it off in his usual way, and she huffed off, realizingââ¬âlike many of usââ¬âthat there was really no point in trying to reason with Adrian. You'd think that in a room where everyone was scrambling to push their own family's advantage, every single person would therefore be arguing that Lissa's nomination was invalid. That wasn't the case, howeverââ¬âparticularly because not everyone in the room was royal. Just as I'd noted earlier, Moroi from all over had come to witness the events that would determine their future. And a number of them were watching this Dragomir girl with interest, this princess from a dying line who could allegedly work miracles. They weren't ravenously chanting her name, but many were in the thick of the arguments, saying she had every right to step up for her family. Part of me also suspected that some of her ââ¬Å"common' supporters simply liked the idea of thwarting the royal agenda. The young couple that had been harassed by Lady Badica weren't the only ones there who'd been pushed around by their ââ¬Å"betters.' Most surprisingly, there were some royals speaking up for Lissa too. They might be loyal to their own families, but not all of them were heartless, selfish connivers. Many had a sense of right and wrongââ¬âand if Lissa had the law on her side, then she was in the right. Plus, lots of royals simply liked and respected her. Ariana was one person who advocated for Lissa's nomination, despite the competition it created. Ariana knew the law well and undoubtedly realized the loophole that allowed Lissa to run would fail when election time came. Still, Ariana stood her ground, which endeared her to me even more. When the real voting did come, I hoped Ariana would win the crown. She was intelligent and fairââ¬âexactly what the Moroi needed. Of course, Ariana wasn't the only one who knew the law. Others picked up on the loophole and argued the nomination of a candidate that no one could vote for was pointless. Normally, I would have agreed. On and on the debate raged while my friends sat quietly in the hurricane's eye. At long last, the matter was settled the way most decisions should be: through voting. With Lissa still denied her Council seat, that left eleven members to determine her future. Six of them approved her candidacy, making it official. She could run. I suspected some of those who voted for her didn't truly want her running, but their respect for the law prevailed. Many Moroi didn't care what the Council said. They made it clear they considered this matter far from over, proving what Victor had said: this was going to rage on for a while, getting worse if she actually passed the tests and made it to the voting stages. For now, the crowd dispersed, seeming relievedââ¬ânot only because they wanted to escape the yelling but also because they wanted to spread this sensational news. Lissa continued saying little as she and our friends left. Walking past the gawkers, she remained a model of regality and calmness, like she'd already been declared queen. But when she finally escaped it all and was back in her room with the others, all those locked-up, frozen feelings exploded. ââ¬Å"What the hell were you guys thinking?' she yelled. ââ¬Å"What have you done to me?' Along with Adrian, Christian, and Eddie, the rest of the conspirators had shown up: Tasha, Abe, and my mom. All of them were so completely stunned by this reaction from sweet Lissa that none of them could reply now. Lissa took advantage of their silence. ââ¬Å"You set me up! You've put me in the middle of a political nightmare! Do you think I want this? Do you really think I want to be queen?' Abe recovered first, naturally. ââ¬Å"You won't be queen,' he said, voice uncharacteristically soothing. ââ¬Å"The people arguing about the other part of the law are right: no one can actually vote for you. You need family for that.' ââ¬Å"Then what's the point?' she exclaimed. She was furious. She had every right to be. But that outrage, that anger â⬠¦ it was fueled by something worse than this situation alone. Spirit was coming to claim its price and making her even more upset than she would have been. ââ¬Å"The point,' said Tasha, ââ¬Å"is everything crazy you just saw in the Council room. For every argument, for every time someone drags out the law books again, we have more time to save Rose and find out who killed Tatiana.' ââ¬Å"Whoever did it must have an interest in the throne,' explained Christian. He rested a hand on Lissa's shoulder, and she jerked away. ââ¬Å"Either for themselves or someone they know. The longer we delay their plans, the more time we have to find out who it is.' Lissa raked her hands through her long hair in frustration. I tried to pull that coil of fury from her, taking it into myself. I succeeded a little, enough that she dropped her hands to her side. But she was still pissed off. ââ¬Å"How am I supposed to look for the murderer when I'm tied up doing all those stupid tests?' she demanded. ââ¬Å"You won't be looking,' said Abe. ââ¬Å"We will.' Her eyes widened. ââ¬Å"That was never part of the plan! I'm not going to jump through royal hoops when Rose needs me. I want to help her!' It was almost comical. Almost. Neither Lissa nor I could handle ââ¬Å"sitting around' when we thought the other needed our help. We wanted to be out there, actively doing what we could to fix the situation. ââ¬Å"You are helping her,' said Christian. His hand twitched, but he didn't try to touch her again. ââ¬Å"It's in a different way than you expected, but in the end, it's going to help her.' The same argument everyone kept using on me. It also made her just as angry as it had made me, and I desperately tugged at the wave of instability spirit kept sending through her. Lissa peered around the room, looking accusingly at each face. ââ¬Å"Who in the world thought of this idea?' More uncomfortable silence followed. ââ¬Å"Rose did,' said Adrian at last. Lissa spun around and glared at him. ââ¬Å"She did not! She wouldn't do this to me!' ââ¬Å"She did,' he said. ââ¬Å"I talked to her in a dream. It was her idea, and â⬠¦ it was a good one.' I didn't really like how that seemed to come as a surprise to him. ââ¬Å"Besides, you kind of put her in a bad situation too. She kept going on about how much the town she's in sucks.' ââ¬Å"Okay,' snapped Lissa, ignoring the part about my plight. ââ¬Å"Supposing that's true, that Rose passes this ââ¬Å"brilliant' idea on to you, then why didn't anyone bother to tell me? Didn't you think a little warning might help?' Again, it was just like me complaining about how my jailbreak had been kept a secret from me. ââ¬Å"Not really,' said Adrian. ââ¬Å"We figured you'd react exactly like this and have time to plan a refusal. We kind of gambled that if you were caught on the spot, you'd accept.' ââ¬Å"That was kind of risky,' she said. ââ¬Å"But it worked,' came Tasha's blunt response. ââ¬Å"We knew you'd come through for us.' She winked. ââ¬Å"And for what it's worth, I think you'd make a great queen.' Lissa gave her a sharp look, and I made one more attempt to drag away some of the darkness. I concentrated on those churning emotions, imagining them in me instead of her. I didn't pull it all but managed enough to take the fight out of her. Rage suddenly flared in me, blinding me momentarily, but I was able to push it off to a corner of my mind. She suddenly felt exhausted. I kind of did too. ââ¬Å"The first test is tomorrow,' she said quietly. ââ¬Å"If I fail it, I'm out. The plan falls apart.' Christian made another attempt to put his arm around her, and this time, she let him. ââ¬Å"You won't.' Lissa didn't say anything else, and I could see the relief on everyone's faces. No one believed for a second she liked this, but they seemed to think she wasn't going to withdraw her nomination, which was as much as they could hope for. My mother and Eddie had said nothing this entire time. As was common for guardians, they'd kept to the background, remaining shadows while Moroi business was conducted. With the initial storm passing over, my mother stepped forward. She nodded toward Eddie. ââ¬Å"One of us is going to try to stay near you at all times.' ââ¬Å"Why?' asked Lissa, startled. ââ¬Å"Because we know there's someone out there who isn't afraid to kill to get what they want,' said Tasha. She nodded toward Eddie and my mom. ââ¬Å"These two and Mikhail are really the only guardians we can trust.' ââ¬Å"Are you sure?' Abe gave Tasha a sly look. ââ¬Å"I'm surprised you didn't get your special guardian ââ¬Å"friend' on board.' ââ¬Å"What special friend?' demanded Christian, instantly picking up on the insinuation. Tasha, to my astonishment, flushed. ââ¬Å"Just a guy I know.' ââ¬Å"Who follows you with puppy-dog eyes,' continued Abe. ââ¬Å"What's his name? Evan?' ââ¬Å"Ethan,' she corrected. My mother, looking exasperated by such ridiculous talk, promptly put an end to itââ¬â which was just as well since Christian looked like he had a few things to say. ââ¬Å"Leave her alone,' she warned Abe. ââ¬Å"We don't have time for it. Ethan's a good guy, but the fewer people who know about this, the better. Since Mikhail has a permanent post, Eddie and I will do security.' I agreed with all of what she'd just said, but it struck me that to get my mother on board, someoneââ¬âprobably Abeââ¬âhad filled her in on all the illicit activity that had occurred recently. He was either really convincing or she loved me a lot. Grudgingly, I suspected both were true. When Moroi were at Court, their guardians didn't need to accompany them everywhere, meaning my mom would most likely be free of her assignment while Lord Szelsky stayed here. Eddie didn't have an assignment yet, which also gave him flexibility. Lissa started to say something else when a sharp jolt in my own reality snapped me away from her. ââ¬Å"Sorry,' said Sydney. Her slamming on the brakes was what had brought me back. ââ¬Å"That jerk cut me off.' It wasn't Sydney's fault, but I felt irritated at the interruption and wanted to yell at her. With a deep breath, I reminded myself that I was simply feeling spirit's side effects and that I couldn't allow it to make me act irrationally. It would fade, like always, yet some part of me knew I couldn't keep taking that darkness from Lissa forever. I wouldn't always be able to control it. Now that I was back to myself, I looked out the windows, taking in our new surroundings. We weren't in the mountains anymore. We'd reached an urban area, and while the traffic was hardly heavy (seeing as it was still the middle of the human night), there were definitely more cars on the road than we'd seen in a while. ââ¬Å"Where are we?' I asked. ââ¬Å"Outskirts of Lexington,' Sydney said. She pulled over to a nearby gas station, both to refill and so we could plug Donovan's address into her GPS. His place was about five miles away. ââ¬Å"Not a great part of town, from what I hear,' Dimitri said. ââ¬Å"Donovan runs a tattoo parlor that's only open at night. A couple of other Strigoi work with him. They get partiers, drunk kids â⬠¦ the kind of people that can easily disappear. The kind Strigoi love.' ââ¬Å"Seems like the police would eventually notice that every time someone went for a tattoo, they disappeared,' I pointed out. Dimitri gave a harsh laugh. ââ¬Å"Well, the ââ¬Å"funny' thing is that they don't kill everyone who comes in. They actually give tattoos to some of them and let them go. They smuggle drugs through the place too.' I regarded him curiously, as Sydney slipped back into the car. ââ¬Å"You sure know a lot.' ââ¬Å"I made it my business to know a lot, and Strigoi have to keep a roof over their heads too. I actually met Donovan once and got most of this straight from the source. I just didn't know where exactly he worked out of until now.' ââ¬Å"Okay, so, we've got the info on him. What do we do with it?' ââ¬Å"Lure him out. Send in a ââ¬Å"customer' with a message from me needing to meet him. I'm not the kind of person he can ignoreââ¬âwell, that he used to notââ¬ânever mind. Once he's out, we get him to a place we choose.' I nodded. ââ¬Å"I can do that.' ââ¬Å"No,' said Dimitri. ââ¬Å"You can't.' ââ¬Å"Why not?' I asked, wondering if he thought it was too dangerous for me. ââ¬Å"Because they'll know you're a dhampir the instant they see you. They'll probably smell it first. No Strigoi would have a dhampir working for himââ¬âonly humans.' There was an uncomfortable silence in the car. ââ¬Å"No!' said Sydney. ââ¬Å"I am not doing that!' Dimitri shook his head. ââ¬Å"I don't like it either, but we don't have a lot of options. If he thinks you work for me, he won't hurt you.' ââ¬Å"Yeah? And what happens if he doesn't believe me?' she demanded. ââ¬Å"I don't think he can take the chance. He'll probably go with you to check things out, with the idea that if you're lying, they'll just kill you then.' This didn't seem to make her feel any better. She groaned. ââ¬Å"You can't send her in,' I said. ââ¬Å"They'll know she's an Alchemist. One of those wouldn't work for Strigoi either.' Surprisingly, Dimitri hadn't considered that. We grew quiet again, and it was Sydney who unexpectedly came up with a solution. ââ¬Å"When I was inside the gas station,' she said slowly, ââ¬Å"they had, like, one rack of makeup. We could probably cover most of my tattoo up with powder.' And we did. The only compact the station sold wasn't a great match for her skin tone, but we caked enough of it on to obscure the golden lily on her cheek. Brushing her hair forward helped a little. Satisfied we'd done all we could, we headed off to Donovan's. It was indeed in a rundown part of town. A few blocks away from the tattoo parlor, we spotted what looked like a nightclub, but otherwise, the neighborhood appeared deserted. I wasn't fooled, though. This was no place you'd want to walk around alone at night. It screamed ââ¬Å"mugging.' Or worse. We checked out the area until Dimitri found a spot he felt good about. It was a back alley two buildings away from the parlor. A gnarled wired fence stood on one side while a low brick building flanked the other. Dimitri instructed Sydney on how to lead the Strigoi to us. She took it all in, nodding along, but I could see the fear in her eyes. ââ¬Å"You want to look awed,' he told her. ââ¬Å"Humans who serve Strigoi worship themââ¬â they're eager to please. Since they're around Strigoi so much, they aren't as startled or terrified. Still a little afraid, of course, but not as much as you look now.' She swallowed. ââ¬Å"I can't really help it.' I felt bad for her. She strongly believed all vampires were evil, and we were sending her into a nest of the worst kind, putting her at great risk. I knew also that she'd only ever seen one live Strigoi, and despite Dimitri's coaching, seeing more could completely shell shock her. If she froze in front of Donovan, everything could fall apart. On impulse, I gave her a hug. To my surprise, she didn't resist. ââ¬Å"You can do this,' I said. ââ¬Å"You're strongââ¬âand they're too afraid of Dimitri. Okay?' After a few deep breaths, Sydney nodded. We gave her a few more encouraging words, and then she turned the corner of the building, heading toward the street, and disappeared from our sight. I glanced at Dimitri. ââ¬Å"We may have just sent her to her death.' His face was grim. ââ¬Å"I knowââ¬âbut we can't do anything now. You'd better get into position.' With his help, I managed to make it onto the roof of the low building. There was nothing intimate in the way he hoisted me up, but I couldn't help but have the same electric feeling all contact with him caused or note how easily we worked together. Once I was securely positioned, Dimitri headed for the opposite side of the building Sydney had gone around. He lurked just around the corner, and then there was nothing to do but wait. It was agonizingââ¬âand not just because we were on the verge of a fight. I kept thinking about Sydney, what we'd asked her to do. My job was to protect the innocent from evilââ¬ânot thrust them into the middle of it. What if our plan failed? Several minutes passed, and I finally heard footsteps and muttered voices at the same time a familiar wave of nausea moved through me. We'd pulled the Strigoi out. Three of them walked around the building's corner, Sydney in the lead. They came to a halt, and I spotted Donovan. He was the tallestââ¬âa former Moroiââ¬âwith dark hair and a beard that reminded me of Abe's. Dimitri had given me his description so I wouldn't (hopefully) kill him. Donovan's henchmen hovered behind him, all of them alert and on guard. I tensed, my stake gripped tightly in my right hand. ââ¬Å"Belikov?' demanded Donovan, voice harsh. ââ¬Å"Where are you?' ââ¬Å"I'm here,' came Dimitri's responseââ¬âin that cold, terrible Strigoi voice. He appeared from around the building's opposite corner, keeping to the shadows. Donovan relaxed slightly, recognizing Dimitriââ¬âbut even in darkness, Dimitri's true appearance materialized. Donovan went rigidââ¬âsuddenly seeing a threat, even if it was one that confused him and defied what he knew. At the exact same moment, one of his guys jerked his head around. ââ¬Å"Dhampirs!' he exclaimed. It wasn't Dimitri's features that tipped him off. It was our scent, and I breathed a silent prayer of thanks that it had taken them this long to notice. Then, I leapt off the roof. It wasn't an easy distance to jumpââ¬âbut not one that would kill me. Plus, my fall was broken by a Strigoi. I landed on one of Donovan's guys, knocking him to the ground. I aimed my stake at his heart, but his reflexes were quick. With my lighter weight, I was easy to shove off. I'd expected it and managed to keep my footing. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sydney dropping low and hurrying off out of here, per our instructions. We wanted her away from the crossfire and had told her to go to the car, readying herself to take off if things went bad. Of course, with Strigoi, things were always bad. Donovan and his other guy had both gone for Dimitri, assessing him as the greater threat. My opponent, judging from his fanged smile, didn't seem to regard me as a threat at all. He lunged toward me, and I dodged away, but not before snaking out a kick that took him in the knee. My hit didn't seem to hurt him, but it did ruin his balance. I made another strike at staking and was thrown off again, hitting the ground hard. My bare legs scraped against the rough cement, tearing skin. Because my jeans had grown too dirty and torn, I'd been forced to wear a pair of shorts from the backpack Sydney had brought me. I ignored the pain, shooting right back up with speed the Strigoi didn't expect. My stake found his heart. The hit wasn't as hard as I would have liked, but it was enough to throw him off, then allowing me to drive the stake in further and finish him. Not even waiting to see him fall, I jerked my stake out and turned toward the othe rs. I hadn't hesitated once in the battle I'd just fought, but now, I paused at what I saw. Dimitri's face. It was â⬠¦ terrifying. Ferocious. He'd had a similar look when he'd defended me at my arrestââ¬âthat badass warrior god expression that said he could take on hell itself. The way he looked now â⬠¦ well, it took that fierceness to a whole new level. This was personal, I realized. Fighting these Strigoi wasn't just about finding Sonya and helping Lissa. This was about redemption, an attempt to destroy his past by destroying the evil directly in his path. I moved to join him, just as he staked the second henchman. There was power in that strike, much more power than Dimitri needed as he shoved the Strigoi against the brick wall and pierced his heart. It was impossible, but I could imagine that stake going straight through the body and into the wall. Dimitri put more attention and effort into that kill than he should have. He should have responded like I had and immediately turned to the next threat, once the Strigoi was dead. Instead, Dimitri was so fixated on his victim that he didn't notice Donovan taking advantage of the situation. Fortunately for Dimitri, I had his back. I slammed my body into Donovan's, shoving him away from Dimitri. As I did, I saw Dimitri pull out his stake and then slam the body against the wall again. Meanwhile, I'd successfully drawn Donovan's attention and was now having a difficult time eluding him without killing him. ââ¬Å"Dimitri!' I yelled. ââ¬Å"Come help me. I need you!' I couldn't see what Dimitri was doing, but a few seconds later, he was by my side. With what almost sounded like a roar, he leapt at Donovan, stake out, and knocked the Strigoi to the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief and moved in to help with the restraint. Then, I saw Dimitri line up his stake with Donovan's heart. ââ¬Å"No!' I dropped to the ground, trying to both hold Donovan and push away Dimitri's arm. ââ¬Å"We need him! Don't kill him!' From the look on Dimitri's face, it was unclear if he even heard me. There was death in his eyes. He wanted to kill Donovan. The desire had suddenly taken precedence. Still trying to hold Donovan with one arm, I smacked Dimitri in the face with my other handââ¬âgoing for the side I hadn't punched the other night. I don't think he felt the pain in his adrenaline rage, but the hit got his attention. ââ¬Å"Don't kill him!' I repeated. The command made it through to Dimitri. Our struggle, unfortunately, gave Donovan maneuvering room. He started to break free of us, but then, as one, Dimitri and I threw ourselves into holding Donovan. I was reminded of the time I'd questioned Strigoi in Russia. It had taken a whole group of dhampirs to restrain one Strigoi, but Dimitri seemed to have unnatural strength. ââ¬Å"When we were interrogating, we used toââ¬âââ¬Ë My words were interrupted when Dimitri decided to utilize his own method of interrogation. He gripped Donovan by the shoulders and shook him hard, causing the Strigoi to keep hitting his head against the cement. ââ¬Å"Where is Sonya Karp?' roared Dimitri. ââ¬Å"I don'tââ¬âââ¬Ë began Donovan. But Dimitri had no patience for Strigoi evasion. ââ¬Å"Where is she? I know you know her!' ââ¬Å"Iââ¬âââ¬Ë ââ¬Å"Where is she?' I saw something on Donovan's face that I'd never seen in a Strigoi before: fear. I'd thought it was an emotion they simply didn't possess. Or, if they did, it was only in the battles they fought with one another. They wouldn't waste time with fear around lowly dhampirs. But oh, Donovan was scared of Dimitri. And to be honest, I was too. Those red-ringed eyes were wideââ¬âwide, desperate, and terrified. When Donovan blurted out his next words, something told me they were true. His fear wasn't giving him a chance to lie. He was too shocked and unprepared by all of this. ââ¬Å"Paris,' he gasped out. ââ¬Å"She's in Paris!' ââ¬Å"Christ,' I exclaimed. ââ¬Å"We cannot road trip to Paris.' Donovan shook his head (in as much as he could with Dimitri shaking him in return). ââ¬Å"It's a small townââ¬âan hour away. There's this tiny lake. Hardly anyone on it. Blue house.' Vague directions. We needed more. ââ¬Å"Do you have an addrââ¬âââ¬Ë Dimitri apparently didn't share my need for more information. Before I could finish speaking, his stake was outââ¬âand in Donovan's heart. The Strigoi made a horrible, blood-curdling scream that faded as death took him. I winced. How long until someone heard all this and called the police? Dimitri pulled his stake outââ¬âand then stabbed Donovan again. And again. I stared in disbelief and horror, frozen for a few moments. Then, I grabbed Dimitri's arm and began shaking him, though I felt like I would have had more effect shaking the building behind me. ââ¬Å"He's dead, Dimitri! He's dead! Stop this. Please.' Dimitri's face still wore that terrible, terrible expressionââ¬ârage, now marked with a bit of desperation. Desperation that told him if he could only obliterate Donovan, then maybe he could obliterate everything else bad in his life. I didn't know what to do. We had to get out of here. We had to get Sydney to disintegrate the bodies. Time was ticking, and I just kept repeating myself. ââ¬Å"He's dead! Let it go. Please. He's dead.' Then, somewhere, somehow, I broke through to Dimitri. His motions slowed and finally stopped. The hand holding the stake dropping weakly to his side as he stared at what was left of Donovanââ¬âwhich wasn't pretty. The rage on Dimitri's face completely gave way to desperation â⬠¦ and then that gave way to despair. I tugged gently on his arm. ââ¬Å"It's over. You've done enough.' ââ¬Å"It's never enough, Roza,' he whispered. The grief in his voice killed me. ââ¬Å"It'll never be enough.' ââ¬Å"It is for now,' I said. I pulled him to me. Unresisting, he let go of his stake and buried his face against my shoulder. I dropped my stake as well and embraced him, drawing him closer. He wrapped his arms around me in return, seeking the contact of another living being, the contact I'd long known he needed. ââ¬Å"You're the only one.' He clung more tightly to me. ââ¬Å"The only one who understands. The only one who saw how I was. I could never explain it to anyone â⬠¦ you're the only one. The only one I can tell this to â⬠¦' I closed my eyes for a moment, overpowered by what he was saying. He might have sworn allegiance to Lissa, but that didn't mean he'd fully revealed his heart to her. For so long, he and I had been in perfect sync, always understanding each other. That was still the case, no matter if we were together, no matter if I was with Adrian. Dimitri had always kept his heart and feelings guarded until meeting me. I thought he'd locked them back up, but apparently, he still trusted me enough to reveal what was killing him inside. I opened my eyes and met his dark, earnest gaze. ââ¬Å"It's okay,' I said. ââ¬Å"It's okay now. I'm here. I'll always be here for you.' ââ¬Å"I dream about them, you know. All the innocents I killed.' His eyes drifted back to Donovan's body. ââ¬Å"I keep thinking â⬠¦ maybe if I destroy enough Strigoi, the nightmares will go away. That I'll be certain I'm not one of them.' I touched his chin, turning his face back toward mine and away from Donovan. ââ¬Å"No. You have to destroy Strigoi because they're evil. Because that's what we do. If you want the nightmares to go away, you have to live. That's the only way. We could have died just now. We didn't. Maybe we'll die tomorrow. I don't know. What matters is that we're alive now.' I was rambling at this point. I had never seen Dimitri so low, not since his restoration. He'd claimed being Strigoi had killed so many of his emotions. It hadn't. They were there, I realized. Everything he had been was still inside, only coming out in burstsââ¬âlike this moment of rage and despair. Or when he'd defended me from the arresting guardians. The old Dimitri wasn't gone. He was just locked away, and I didn't know how to let him out. This wasn't what I did. He was always the one with words of wisdom and insight. Not me. Still, he was listening now. I had his attention. What could I say? What could get through to him? ââ¬Å"Remember what you said earlier?' I asked. ââ¬Å"Back in Rubysville? Living is in the details. You've got to appreciate the details. That's the only way to defeat what the Strigoi did to you. The only way to bring back who you really are. You said it yourself: you escaped with me to feel the world again. Its beauty.' Dimitri started to turn toward Donovan again, but I wouldn't let him. ââ¬Å"There's nothing beautiful here. Only death.' ââ¬Å"That's only true if you let them make it true,' I said desperately, still feeling the press of time. ââ¬Å"Find one thing. One thing that's beautiful. Anything. Anything that shows you're not one of them.' His eyes were back on me, studying my face silently. Panic raced through me. It wasn't working. I couldn't do this. We were going to have to get out of here, regardless of whatever state he was in. I knew he'd leave, too. If I'd learned anything, it was that Dimitri's warrior instincts were still working. If I said danger was coming, he would respond instantly, no matter the self-torment he felt. I didn't want that, though. I didn't want him to leave in despair. I wanted him to leave here one step closer to being the man I knew he could be. I wanted him to have one less nightmare. It was beyond my abilities, though. I was no therapist. I was about to tell him we had to get out there, about to make his soldier reflexes kick in, when he suddenly spoke. His voice was barely a whisper. ââ¬Å"Your hair.' ââ¬Å"What?' For a second, I wondered if it was on fire or something. I touched a stray lock. No, nothing wrong except that it was a mess. I'd bound it up for battle to prevent the Strigoi from using it as a handhold, like Angeline had. Much of it had come undone in the struggle, though. ââ¬Å"Your hair,' repeated Dimitri. His eyes were wide, almost awestruck. ââ¬Å"Your hair is beautiful.' I didn't think so, not in its current state. Of course, considering we were in a dark alley filled with bodies, the choices were kind of limited. ââ¬Å"You see? You're not one of them. Strigoi don't see beauty. Only death. You found something beautiful. One thing that's beautiful.' Hesitantly, nervously, he ran his fingers along the strands I'd touched earlier. ââ¬Å"But is it enough?' ââ¬Å"It is for now.' I pressed a kiss to his forehead and helped him stand. ââ¬Å"It is for now.'
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
People Get Ready By Robert Mcchesney And John Nichols
People Get Ready proved itself to be a quick, thought-provoking read. Of the three books we have read this semester, this one has probably done the most to make me think about and re-evaluate my own views of our political system. I found it at some points to be frightening because of the direction America seems to be heading in. However, I was very impressed by the authorsââ¬â¢ portrayal of the situation as important enough to call attention to the crisis but not so bleak as to give the idea that we are doomed. The central idea of Robert McChesney and John Nicholsââ¬â¢ book, People Get Ready, is that the only way to enact economic change in America is through political change. The United States as a democratic country is somewhat of a paradox. The idea of democracy implies equal opportunity for all citizens but the social diversity that we value often takes opportunities away from minority groups, creating inequality. In an age where technology is so advanced that robots replace humans in the workplace, it is no surprise that increasingly fewer Americans are considered full-time employees. While proponents of advancement argue that technology adds a high level job for every low level job it takes away, low class manufacturing jobs will not be the only newly-automated jobs. Due to rapid advancement, computers are projected to be one thousand times more powerful in the 2030s than computers today (McChesney and Nichols, 2016, 246). With these improvements, no humanââ¬â¢s job is safe.
Monday, December 30, 2019
Comparing 1984 And Fahrenheit 451 - 928 Words
1984 and Fahrenheit 451 1984, written by George Orwell, and Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, are similar to each other, however they also have several distinct differences. Both 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are dystopian themed novels that deal with an overbearing and extremely powerful government. The nations in both novels are involved in wars that never seem to end, and their main characters begin to doubt the government and what society expects of everyone. In both 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, the government has a lot of control over the people and their lives. In 1984 the government vaporizes and tortures anyone that does not seem to approve of the governmentââ¬â¢s actions or the moral code that the government supports. While in Fahrenheit 451 the government arrests anyone that has books or disapproves of what the government does. The two books are similar in that the governments use a lot of fear to keep their citizens loyal and acting in a way that they approve of. The government in Fahrenheit 451 uses firemen to project fear and keep order in the cities, as well as burning the possessions and homes of people that own books. 1984 has a similarly feared organization known as the Thought Police, they were said to be able to read the minds of all of the citizens in Oceania, the name of the country where Winston lives in the novel, and were used by the government to try to prevent even the thought of someone acting out against the go vernment. The Thought Police also used muchShow MoreRelatedComparing 1984 And Fahrenheit 451912 Words à |à 4 PagesBoth 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 predict a dystopian future where information is tightly controlled and the populace seems to care little for the fact that they are being lied to and manipulated into working for the ambitions of their government. Both governments in the story have taken control of the media and this the population, and both characters are apart of agencies that help keep the government in control of the people. In Fahrenheit 451 the man is a fireman and burns all of the books that heRead MoreComparing Dystopic Worlds in George Orwells 1984 and Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451.2257 Words à |à 10 Pagesimage of utopia, and yet to the reader seems like a foreign, inhumane residence dominated by an all-powerful government. George Orwells 1984, and Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 depicts two different dystopic worlds. The settings of both books are different and the characters are unique; however, both of these books are also very similar. 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are similar dystopic literatures by a common theme of censorship in which the government withholds or censors information, by a similar threadRead More 198451: The Year of the Salamander Essay1864 Words à |à 8 Pages198451: The Year of the Salamander When comparing the masterpieces of George Orwellââ¬â¢s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Ray Bradburyââ¬â¢s Fahrenheit 451 the astute reader is immediately able to see a minimum of two recurring themes in both of them. ââ¬Å"Orwell had produced an imaginative treatise of totalitarianism, cutting across all ideologies, warning of the threat to humanity should any government, of whatever political complexion, assume absolute powerâ⬠(Nineteen Eighty-Four 12). Meanwhile Bradbury describedRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words à |à 1617 PagesConflict 375 SKILL LEARNING 376 Interpersonal Conflict Management 376 Mixed Feelings About Conflict 376 Diagnosing the Type of Interpersonal Conflict 378 Conflict Focus 378 Conflict Source 380 Selecting the Appropriate Conflict Management Approach 383 Comparing Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies 386 Selection Factors 386 Resolving Interpersonal Confrontations Using the Collaborative Approach A General Framework for Colla borative Problem Solving 391 The Four Phases of Collaborative Problem SolvingRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words à |à 1422 Pages4 Hypotheses Tests for a Population Mean 550 10.5 Power and Probability of Type II Error 562 10.6 Interpreting and Communicating the Results of Statistical Analyses 571 Activity 10.1 Comparing the t and z Distributions 574 Activity 10.2 A Meaningful Paragraph 575 Graphing Calculator Explorations 580 11 Comparing Two Populations or Treatments 583 11.1 Inferences Concerning the Difference Between Two Population or Treatment Means Using Independent Samples 583 11.2 Inferences Concerning theRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words à |à 760 Pagestime, but the only evidence for this was Nathanââ¬â¢s own claim that he was 10 miles away at the time. 4. Evaluate the quality of this argument: All ice eventually melts when heated to over 47 degrees Fahrenheit. The ice in the refrigerator of the President of France was heated to over 47 degrees Fahrenheit that day. So, the ice in the Presidentââ¬â¢s refrigerator eventually melted.67 This is a very strong argument. It is deductively valid and all its premises (thereââ¬â¢s just one) are true. 66 The argument
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Technology And World Civilization A Thousand Year History
Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand Year History written by physicist and historian Arnold Pacey explains his unique ââ¬Å"global viewâ⬠of the evolution of technology differing from the common Eurocentric view of this topic dating back to Greek civilizations. The book is consisted of eleven chapters that chronologically depict the creative inventions in technology throughout several cultures across time in history, starting from the early days in 700 A.D. to the very recent historical events in the 1980ââ¬â¢s. Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand Year History views the adaptation of technology from a different perspective by giving insight and excellent supporting criteria crediting the East with the innovative technologyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦For example, Indian textile technology had an immense influence on Britain during the Industrial Revolution, but there was not any specific ââ¬Ëtransfer of technology.ââ¬â¢ Rather, the British simply und erstood that Indians could spin, weave, and dye yarn to make colorful fabrics. As a result, the British modified this idea and adopted weaving into their culture, giving them the same results and ultimately creating a responsive, innovative invention for their society. Without a doubt, Paceyââ¬â¢s creative take and supporting examples, emphasizing the transfer of knowledge in innovation rather than the transfer of technology, depict the ideaââ¬â¢s immense benefits that shaped the crucial inventions in history across cultures. Moreover, another crucial historical benefit to societies from Arnold Paceyââ¬â¢s argument in Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand Year History is the use of social interaction to create responsive inventions. The text defines responsive inventions as the result of interactions that lead to conversations resulting in incomplete information that fortunately sparks fresh ideas amongst individuals in the same or differing cultures. This phenomenon is accomplished through recipients of a new body of knowledge interrogating and then innovating the new ideas or technological inventions on the core basis of the individualââ¬â¢s own personal experiences and information regarding their localShow MoreRelatedWorld Civilization : A Thousand Year History Essay1579 Words à |à 7 PagesPacey published Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand Year History in the year 1991. Arnold Pacey was an associate lecturer at The Open University in Britain as well as an author to three additional books: Meaning in Technology, The Maze of Ingenuity, The Culture of Technology. He published all four of his books within a ten-year span. Arnold Pacey was trained as an engineer but is well known as a historian of technology because of the conclusions he drew of society and technology and their relationshipRead More The Lost City Atlantis1338 Words à |à 6 PagesIntroduction We have all heard about the legend of Atlantis. Itââ¬â¢s said that Atlantis was an advanced civilization with highly developed economy and technology. But one day, catastrophe occurred in sudden. Atlantis entirely sank beneath the waves in only one day and one night. In thousands of years, Atlantis has caught the imagination of people from all over the world. Many adventurers, historians and anthropologists spent their whole life trying to open the mysterious veil of Atlantis. But hasRead MoreInvention Over Time : Technology1363 Words à |à 6 PagesInvention over Time Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand-year History is a book written by Arnold Pacey in 1990. Pacey is an associate lecturer at the Open University, Britain. He attempts to look globally at the development of technology soley in a world civilization. He focuses mainly on the dialogue between different countries, and the developments that happen. One of the major arguments of the book is the simultaneity of invention. Paceyââ¬â¢s thesis is extremely sound, and provides manyRead MoreSimilarities Between Civilizations And Civilizations958 Words à |à 4 Pages Throughout history there have been similarities between civilizations, some of which were on separate parts of the world. Many scholars and historians have been baffled by the discoveries of these similarities due to the fact that these cultures were not only hundreds of miles apart but also were separated by hundreds of years. The ancient Egyptian civilization located in northern Africa around 3,100 B.C. is considere d to be one of the cradles of civilization and also a major contributor to theRead MoreContributions Of African And World Civilizations Essay980 Words à |à 4 PagesContributions to African and World Civilizations The Carthage was one of first big empires of the Africa and continues to be the largest. The biggest contribution to world civilizations today is the military tactics taken away from the Carthage Army and Navy. Hannibal Barca was the greatest military Generals of the ancient world, he lead the Carthaginian Army. He took over at the age of 26. Some of the tactics that he used that were so successful and are used today are taking out and surroundingRead MoreNo Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond772 Words à |à 4 Pagesyou white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people hat little cargo of our own?â⬠For over thirty years, Diamond was investigating our inferred history for clues, to answer Yaliââ¬â¢s question. He published a scientific opinion that explains how geography is to blame for the dispersal of power, as few societies and civilizations inhabiting in the Middle East had access to resources, such as the seeds of highly nutritio us crops alike wheat and barley, and useful livestockRead MoreThe Differences Between The Civilizations And River Valley Civilizations1710 Words à |à 7 Pages1. The civilizations in river valleys both had communities that were forced to work together due to the lack of agricultural resources. They each had to focus on maintaining canals, dikes, weirs, and other structures related to the valleys. Floods were constantly a threat, and so each civilization had a different view on natureââ¬â¢s aspects. Mesopotamians tried their best to please the kings and queens of nature, while Egyptians trusted supernatural powers. The difference in religious thoughts led toRead MoreAncient Chinese Compass And Its Effects On Civilization1581 Words à |à 7 PagesAncient Chinese Compass and its Effects on Civilization The Chinese culture is up to 5000 years old. Approximately 56 different ethnic groups live in China. Buddhism is by far the largest religion in China, significantly impacting their culture. Buddhism brought with it a whole new array of beliefs, such as a very detailed description of heaven and hell, the belief in reincarnation, and the idea of karma. Those three things made their way into the Chinese culture. A set of beliefs, called ConfucianismRead MoreThe Silk Road Essay1623 Words à |à 7 Pagesof technology, goods, religions, and language throughout Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa and southern Europe. As the strongest link between major population centers in the largest landmass on earth, the Silk Road was one of the most important of all long-distance trade routes in human history. Study of the Silk Road has made it obvious that Eurasian history was more than isolated histories of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and China. In reality, for several thousand years, theRead MoreGenghis Khan And The Mongol Empire Essay1578 Words à |à 7 Pagesother empires you have studied this semester? Under the rule of Genghis Khan and his successors during the 13th and 14th centuries (between the years 1206-1368), the Mongol Empire, with a military force of unparalleled strength, succeeded in unifying large regions in order to establish new economies and create the largest contiguous land empire in history. By having a democracy similarly present within the Roman Empire and adopting a structure comparable to the satraps of the Persian Empire, the Mongol
Friday, December 13, 2019
Mitigation Analysis on Imposing a New Vacation Policy Free Essays
In the verge of administrative challenges, the best organizational strategy to implement as a leader is the perspective on ââ¬Å"delegation.â⬠à It is important to take note that the obligation of a leader mainly falls on the vortex of ââ¬Å"conceptual skillsâ⬠mixed with the forecasted value of human resource power.à In the case presented, given the fact that the main issue mainly lies on the scarcity or unavailability of information dissemination medium, the finest way to get through the dilemma is to dwell on the basic of communicatingââ¬âsnail mail would be a good option. We will write a custom essay sample on Mitigation Analysis on Imposing a New Vacation Policy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Another alternative would be delegating the ââ¬Å"messageâ⬠ââ¬âthe new vacation policyââ¬âto your subordinates. Take for example, in every state or country by which your company has scope onto, the power of local autonomy would serve you right.à As a matter of fact, it will be a lot easier to have the ââ¬Å"regionalâ⬠offices do the relay of message or idea, than to spend much on the expense of that purpose.à Further, with regard to the predicament on ââ¬Å"languageâ⬠inefficiency among your constituents, it would rather be best to have those ââ¬Å"regionalâ⬠office department heads to fix the problemââ¬âthe regional directors must be critically filtered in such a way that they are able to understand both the international language and respective dialects of the region. Moreover, in the light of the ââ¬Å"new policy,â⬠to be able to get a glimpse of the feedback and recommendations of your subordinates, it is recommended that the leader calls for a general assembly for all the designated regional offices, and decentralize the power of ââ¬Å"companyâ⬠hearing or survey for each location (Stillman, 2004).à In such way, it will be cost-efficient, less hassle and beneficial for both the members and the leader for that instance. However, to be able to assess that the ââ¬Å"planâ⬠is effective and is proficient enough to be thoroughly implemented, the leader must consistently visit the respective regions to ââ¬Å"personallyâ⬠check on the employees and to give them an echelon of faith that the company is still highly respectable and professional in the keenest way possible (Ollman, 1999). Reference Ollman, B. (1999). Market Economy: Advantages and Disadvantages [Electronic Version]. Retrieved October 21, 2007 from http://www.nyu.edu/projects/ollman/docs/china_speech2.php. Stillman, R. J. (2004). Public Administration: Concepts and Cases (8th ed.). Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company. à à How to cite Mitigation Analysis on Imposing a New Vacation Policy, Essay examples
Thursday, December 5, 2019
SEM and Irrationality
Question: Write an essay on Real Life Example of Irrationality Based On SEM? Answer: Real Life Example of Irrationality Based On SEM: The peoples behavior is assessed in all parts of economics. In this regard behavioral economics plays an important role. It studies the repercussion of psychological, social, cognitive and emotional factors on the economic decisions of the economic agents. The Standard Neo Classical Economic Model (SEM) assumes that the behavior of the economic agents is rational and is not dependent on emotion or bias. The economic agent is believed to place fair, equitable and reasonable value on the goods and products related to investment and in all these behavior the individual must drive towards maximizing utility. The main assumption of the SEM is that people are rational. In addition to this people make economic decision when they are fully aware of all the available options, people can always rank their options based on their preferences in a consistent manner and people select that option which is best for them and gives them maximum utility. The three vital assumptions or principles of SEM are: (Baddeley, 2013) Economic agents maximize profits and utility- when multiple alternatives are available to an economic agent he chooses that outcome that possibly maximizes his utility function. This is explained by SEM as the preference and advantage received from consuming a good is not only in terms of monetary profits but also other benefits that explains the satisfaction received from consuming the good or the rise in the stature. The economic decision made by the individuals may be taken under situations of risk. This evaluation requires individual to maximize expected utility based on the expected value. Thus SEM also takes into account the nature of individual and his decision making i.e., the individual can be a risk averse, risk lover or even a risk neutral. (Beckerman, 2011) Economic agents act rationally- behavior of an economic agent is based on rational self-interest according to the fundamental principle of economics. For some human behavior may be inconsistent, inefficient, self centered or humanitarian, but economists argue that human behavior is predictable and his economic decision is based on the costs and benefits of the option available to him. SEM economists are of the view that benefits from charitable instincts or love must not be ignored but there remains an expectation that people will engage themselves in a rational decision making system. Then they can be called Homo economicus, who possess a well-organized, reliable and anchored list of preferences. The logical computational skill that the Homo economicus utilizes to evaluate different series of action also allow him to choose the highest and maximized preference and outcomes. Economic agents act on the basis of full and relevant information- SEM expects that the individuals not only make choices on the basis of their preferences but also based on the full information. By the availability of full information individuals are able to take rational decisions analyzing its impact on the future. For example, consider the rational expectation theory when anticipating the inflation rate for the future. This theory explains that how the mechanism of determining future inflation rate takes into account all the factors that affect the inflation rate in the future like money supply, oil prices, exchange rate and labor market conditions. Based on the three important assumptions of the SEM, we can now establish the fact that individuals are able to make rational decision. (Opaluch and Segerson, 2015) People customarily tend to make irrational choices thinking that their choices are rational. There are several examples of irrational behavior that explains such irrational behavior. One of the reasons behind this is that most of the people lack full knowledge regarding their own choices. Or in other cases, their choices strongly depend on the recollection or interpretation drawn from their past experiences. The irrational behavior impacts the individuals in a way that they imbibe short term satisfaction and experience loss in the long term. These individuals do not make their choices based on forecasting their future loss, cost, gain and benefit. In this way they fail to maximize their utility. A case that reflects irrationality in humans is based on Jac who is a coffee addict and was a regular visitor to the Dunkin Donuts. (Mullins, 2009) But with the behemoth of coffee outlets at every corner of the streets, his choice regarding the purchase of coffee changed. This apparently explains the success of Starbucks. Starbucks is believed to sell coffee at a higher rate which the people tend to purchase. One thing that needs to be mentioned is the anchor price regarding coffee for individual who loves coffee. Before visiting Starbucks, Jac was convinced with the anchor pricing strategy and had set a price for coffee in his minds from which he never budged. But what happened that his preference changed irrationally depend on the strategy that Starbucks applied making the customers forget about the concept of anchor prices. When I confronted Jac with the question that why did he go for Starbucks leaving behind his anchor price, his answer was clear. He answered by ranking the supe rior experience that he received from Starbucks by which he never really compared Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks coffee. (People Great Ideas, 2015) Jac gradually changed his anchor price which was low and set another new anchor price that were based on the prices charged by Starbucks. I found this behavior irrational. He now moved and shifted onto a new consumption curve where the anchor price is much higher. (Giang, 2012) Considering the SEM, Jac violated the first assumption that states that individual makes decisions based on their profit and utility maximization. But in this case Jac has definitely maximized his utility but failed to maximize his profits. Profits are based on the cost that he bears, which has increased because of a rise in price of coffee from Dunkin Donuts to Starbucks. Jac must not only aim to maximize his satisfaction but also must look out for his pocket. But setting a higher anchor price, Jac has behaved irrationally. (GAUDIO, 2003) Second assumption signifies individuals as Homo economicus where they are expected to make decisions based on their highest and maximized anchored preferences. Jac from the very beginning depicted an irrational behavior by preferring the Starbucks coffee which a much higher price. Though several surveys reveal that Starbucks stood high in terms of quality and experience of customers yet their pricing strategy seemed to be quite expensive. Jac has depicted that irrational behavior in which he did not consider the future costs and benefits related to the current purchase. (Salim Khraim, 2011)Thirdly, Jac had never acquired full information while making the choice of coffee. (Kacen and Lee, 2002)Starbucks is not the only one caf outlet that offers high quality coffee. There are several other coffee outlets that offer best coffee with reasonable price. Thus, Jac has engaged himself in short term utility sacrificing the long term benefits that he would get on selection of coffee at cheap rates from other coffee outlets. (some outlets are Curators Coffee Studio, FreeState Coffee etc. in London). (Time Out London, 2015) A study based on the brand effects of Starbucks reveals that the effect of brand of Starbucks had affected the Danish consumers preferences towards coffee in a positive way. The price that Starbucks charged could not be explained by this study but what can be concluded from the study is that individuals are repeatedly making irrational choices which are result of the brand value of Starbucks. Individuals generally believe in their choices to be rational. A coffee with brand value and higher price is preferred by individuals rather than coffee with no brand values and low price. This explains the irrationality in consumers. (Bouzidi, 2015) One of the important case studies by Sara Jasmine Ghafoorzadeh on Starbucks shows that again the brand value that led to the customers loyalty regarding the consumption of their coffee in spite of high price. Starbucks believes that there is a strong relation between the customer loyalty and the brand experience that can drive their sales up. But this type of strategy affects the ethical decision making of the consumers. They are repeatedly and alarmingly making irrational decision regarding purchasing goods. (Ghafoorzadeh, 2015) From the essay what we learn is that economic agents unconsciously engage in irrational behavior but what they pose is as if they are behaving rationally which led to diminishing future benefits. This is because most of the people tend to engage in short term pleasure rather than long term gains. In the case of Jac, Starbucks coffee may have strained his pocket but his opinion about making irrational choices distinctly depended on the brand value of Starbucks. Thus, we see that Jac has successfully violated the assumptions of the SEM and can be declared as an irrational human beings. The irrational behavior can also be witnessed in the investing markets where the investors also engage in irrational behavior(Lin, Tsai and Lung, 2013). One of the other industry that fools consumers and force them behave irrationally is the mobile industry in which individuals purchase such mobiles phones that are called smartphones at higher price when other ordinary mobiles operates in an identical ma nner. (Law and McNeish, 2007)The choice of the human beings on spending more on certain objects which functions in the same manner as the ones which are cheaper explains irrationality. (Camerer, Loewenstein and Rabin, 2004) References Baddeley, M. (2013).Behavioural economics and finance. London: Routledge. Beckerman, W. (2011).Economics as applied ethics. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Bouzidi, I. (2015).Starbucks brand effects - distinguishing unconscious wanting` and conscious liking in consumers choice of coffee brand. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://studenttheses.cbs.dk/bitstream/handle/10417/4031/imane_bouzidi.pdf?sequence=1 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2015]. Camerer, C., Loewenstein, G. and Rabin, M. (2004).Advances in behavioral economics. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. GAUDIO, R. (2003). Coffeetalk: Starbucks and the commercialization of casual conversation.Lang. Soc., 32(05). Ghafoorzadeh, S. (2015).Customers' Loyalty Brand Experience Branding Strategy to Successfully Approach Consumers' Minds and Promote Customers' Loyalty: Generating the Brand Experience.. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/68813/Ghafoorzadeh_SaraJasmine.pdf?sequence=1 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2015]. Giang, V. (2012).12 Ways That People Behave Irrationally. [online] Business Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/predictably-irrational-2012-6?IR=T#we-only-forget-about-the-anchor-price-when-the-experience-feels-so-different-its-incomparable-3 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2015]. Kacen, J. and Lee, J. (2002). The Influence of Culture on Consumer Impulsive Buying Behavior.Journal of Consumer Psychology, 12(2), pp.163-176. Law, A. and McNeish, W. (2007). Contesting the New Irrational Actor Model: A Case Study of Mobile Phone Mast Protest.Sociology, 41(3), pp.439-456. Lin, W., Tsai, S. and Lung, P. (2013). Investors' Herd Behavior: Rational or Irrational?.Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies, 42(5), pp.755-776. Mullins, C. (2009). Supply and demand in the decision-making process of pharmaceutical consumers: The starbucks versus dunkin' donuts dilemma.Clinical Therapeutics, 31(8), p.1858. Opaluch, J. and Segerson, K. (2015).Rational Roots of Irrational Behavior: New Theories of Economic Decision-Making. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/28875/1/18020081.pdf [Accessed 9 Mar. 2015]. People Great Ideas, (2015).Super Bowl Coffee Smackdown: Seattle's Starbucks vs. New England's Dunkin' Donuts. [online] Available at: https://greatideas.people.com/2015/01/30/starbucks-vs-dunkin-donuts-seattle-new-england-superbowl/ [Accessed 9 Mar. 2015]. Salim Khraim, H. (2011). The Influence of Brand Loyalty on Cosmetics Buying Behavior of UAE Female Consumers.IJMS, 3(2). Time Out London, (2015).London's best cafs and coffee shops. [online] Available at: https://www.timeout.com/london/food-drink/londons-best-cafes-and-coffee-shops [Accessed 9 Mar. 2015].
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)