History of the Taliban Who They Are, What They Want

The Honeybee in Agriculture - 1054 Words

Since 1992, the honeybee has been Oklahoma’s state insect, largely because honeybees carry out a significant task in agriculture. The honeybee and its contributions to the world dates back thousands of years ago and continues to be by far one of the most extraordinary animals ever. Honeybees are being used in research to detect drugs, bombs and cancer. Also in developing treatments for an array of infirmities in humans, but this is just a few among many things that honeybees have contributed to the human world. Honeybees and the products they emit have many diverse uses in cultures around the world. But above all the amazing and important things, plant pollination is by far the most essential to humans. Honeybees are responsible for 80%†¦show more content†¦All three caste members go through four stages of development; egg, larva, pupa and adult. The queen lays eggs in worker and drone cells; fertilized eggs in can develop into workers or queens and unfertilized eggs develop into drones. While in the larva stage a honeybee is fed royal jelly, after third day the larva is fed beebread a mixture of honey and pollen. Nine days after hatching the larva is fully grown and stops feeding, this is when a cocoon is spun around the larva. During this time the adult body structures are formed. Once it has transformed into an adult, it is ready to emerge. A queen can live up to 5 years sometimes longer and only mates once in her lifetime. She is created at the decision of worker bees by feeding the larva only royal honey. On the sixteenth day from the time the egg was laid the new virgin queen will tear back the cap from her cell and emerge with her tongue stuck out begging for food. Soon after she has been fed by workers she will crawl out of the cell to dry. When the virgin queen has completely dried and gathered her strength she will make a shrill noise and wait for a response from other potential queens who hasn’t emerged from their cells. Once t he virgin queen has received response from the others she will then seek them out, tear back the cap from their cell and eliminateShow MoreRelatedForest Conservation Research Paper1116 Words   |  5 PagesConservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) under the United States Department of Agriculture. The United States Department of Agriculture was created by President Abraham Lincoln, the U.S.D.A was originally created to do research. The Hatch Act further expanded the powers and funding of the U.S.D.A.. According to Free Agriculture Restore Markets (2017) â€Å"today the USDA governs the way millions of Americans are fed daily, controls what food is availableRead MoreThe Effects Of Colony Collapse Disorder ( Ccd ) And Other Factors That Are Causing The Bee Population978 Words   |  4 Pageshoneybees so important to us? i. It is estimated that one in three bites of food was pollinated by a honeybee. ii. We won’t starve without honeybees. 1. Most staple foods (wheat, rice, and corn) aren’t pollinated by animals. 2. Apples, avocados, onions, and berries are pollinated by animals and without bees their price would go up and they would become rarer. 3. Almonds would go extinct without honeybee pollination. iii. â€Å"If all pollinators went extinct, we probably wouldn’t starve, but we’d all haveRead MoreA Brief Note On Pesticides And The Environmental Protection Agency s Ecotoxicity Classification System1091 Words   |  5 Pagesnicotinic acetylcholine receptors. 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The numb er of hives had been at 6 million during World War 2, and then decreased to 2.6 million in 2006, then fell below 2 million for the first time in memory (Jacobsen). From the very start honey bees have been an important factor in our agriculture. They serve as a nutrition source for flowers in order for the flowers to grow and make the crops that are needed. Honey bees had originally originated in Africa and when they came into higher northern latitudes they became to evolve into largeRead MoreThe Decline of Honeybees: Implications, Causes, and Responses3264 Words   |  14 Pagespollinate our own food source, a service that is worth billions of dollars a year. Unfortunately, the honeybee population is in a severe and prolonged decline, often in the form of colony collapse disorder, in which entire colonies are seemingly abandoned by adult bees overnight. 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Reactions to Imperialism in Asia Free Essays

Japan’s attitude toward foreign domination changed drastically over the years. Since the early 1 sass, during the reign of the Outage dynasty, the shogun made every effort possible to enforce a rigid Isolation policy. He closed all ports except for one to foreigners. We will write a custom essay sample on Reactions to Imperialism in Asia or any similar topic only for you Order Now Anyone who left the country or allowed foreigners in were sentenced to death. However, by the mid-asses,Japan began to reconsider their seclusion from the rest of the world. In 1850, Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Japan, accompanied by a small naval squadron of American merchants and diplomats. He wanted to work out a read agreement with the shogun. When he refused to accept Perry’s terms the commodore left, only to return a year later with a much larger, highly Intimidating fleet of steamships. He gave the shogun two options: either the shogun could open up Japan to diplomatic and trade relations with the united States or Perry would attack. Knowing that they did not have the resources, technology, or military might to defend themselves against such an attack, they reluctantly agreed to accept the terms of the Treaty of Gangway. The treaty ultimately ended Japan’s Isolation foreign policy. It opened up the entry to Western Influence and forced the Outage government Into accepting trade agreements that were not in their favor. The noblemen in Japan observed the shogun’s inability to stand up to the West and that, combined with the unequal terms of the treaty, fueled a civil war. The noblemen believed they needed a more powerful government that would not allow Japan to be bullied by the West. In 1868, the dainty put aside their differences and came together to overthrow the Outage shogun and reestablished the Melee government. The Mel]l took an entirely different approach to Western domination. They were eager to modernize and they did so rapidly. Japanese officials traveled to the West to study their methods of industrialization, as well as their health, financial, and education systems. They set up a modern bank modeled after those in the United States and installed telegraph lines, as well as thousands of miles of railroad tracks. They also built up a military strong enough to rival those of the West. Their rapid and successful Industrialization made Japan power hungry and they began to set their sights on foreign lands that they could use for raw materials and a place to set up new markets. Thus began Japanese imperialism. As Japan’s population increased, so did their need for raw materials and land. Their solution was found in Korea, who was currently under attack by China. Japan helped Korea win victory in the Sino-Japanese war, which allowed them to dominate Korea and forced China to cede Taiwan. This gave Japan access to the resources they desired and a place to sell their manufactured goods. Their success In the war fueled their appetite for more land and materials, so in 1904 they went to war with Russia. They came out victorious, gaining territory in the south of the Sailing Island and southern Manchuria, and the Loading Peninsula. Their success in these wars only further increased their desire for Japanese domination and they began to set their sights on the rest of Southeast Asia. These events showed the rest of the world just how much Japan’s response to foreign domination underwent perhaps the most drastic change than any other nation. It went from being completely cut off from the rest of the world, intolerable of foreign influence, and uninterested in Western technology to becoming a great imperialistic power in Just half a century. They would remain one of the major powers in the world until their defeat in World War II. How to cite Reactions to Imperialism in Asia, Papers

Indian lit. in english Untouchable Essay Example For Students

Indian lit. in english Untouchable Essay Indian lit. in english paper The Untouchable by Mulk Raj AnandMulk Raj Anand, one of the most highly regarded Indian novelists writing in English, was born in Peshawar in 1905. He was educated at the universities of Lahore, London and Cambridge, and lived in England for many years, finally settling in a village in Western India after the war. His main concern has always been for the creatures in the lower depths of Indian society who once were men and women: the rejected, who has no way to articulate their anguish against the oppressors. His novels works have been translated into several world languages. Untouchable (1935)Coolie (1936)Two Leaves and a Bud (1937)The Village (1939)Across the Black Waters (1940)The Sword and the Sickle (1942)Private Life of an Indian Prince (1953)The Indelible Problem: Mulk Raj Anand and the Plight of UntouchabilityAndrew M. Stracuzzi The University of Western OntarioMulk Raj Anand, speaking about the real test of the novelist, once said:It may lie in the transformation of words into prophesy. Because, what is writer if he is not the fiery voice of the people, who, through his own torments, urges and exaltations, by realizing the pains, frustrations and aspirations of others, and by cultivating his incipient powers of expression, transmutes in art all feeling, all thought, all experience thus becoming the seer of a new vision in any given situation. (qtd. in Dhawn, 14)There is no question that Mulk Raj Anand has fashioned with Untouchable a novel that articulates the abuses of an exploited class through sheer sympathy in the traditionalist manner of th e realist novel He is, indeed, the fiery voice of those people who form the Untouchable caste. Yet if the goal of the writer, as Anand himself states, is to transform words into prophecy, then the readers struggle for meaning in the closing scenes of the novel become problematic and contestatory. It is reasonable to assume and as I would argue, it is implied that Anand has ventured to address a specific question with writing Untouchable; this is, how to alleviate the exploitation of the untouchable class in India? He then proceeds to address this question through the dramatization of Bahka, the novels central character. Having said this and taking into account Anands notion of the novel as prophesy I will argue that the author has failed to fully answer the question he has set before him. In fact, by posing such a question, the possibility of an altruistic solution becomes blurred. Furthermore, the three prophecies or solutions posited by the novel the rhetoric of the Christian Missionary, Mahatma Gandhi, and the poet Iqbal Nath Sarshar fail to present a prescription for freedom accessible to the untouchable community. In order to articulate the meaning of the last section of Untouchable fully, it is important to analyze the construction of Bahka, the protagonist, since his own distinct and honest, though often confusing, gaze objectifies his society. The last passage in the novel is an appropriate place to begin: he began to move. His virtues lay in his close-knit sinews and in his long breath sense. He was thinking of everything he had heard though he could not understand it all. He was calm as he walked along, though the conflict in his soul was not over, though he was torn between his enthusiasm for Gandhi and the difficulties in his own awkward naOve self(Untouchable). Anand chooses to close the final scene of his novel by appropriating the inner conflict of Bakha and juxtaposing enthusiasm with naivete. There seems to be an inherent, even subtle, irony in describing Bahka in this manner. On one hand, it carries a strong sense of hope, of self-awareness, of self-appropriation of the individual within the greater scheme of Hindu society There is a strong indication that what Bahka has endured throughout his days journey has had an enormous effect on the way he appropriates himself within his own culture The novel thus ends on a somewhat positive note, with the image of Bahka going home and telling actually vocalizing his story in the hopes that some sort of resolution, or at the very least, some emergence of understanding will occur. Conversely, though, Anand chooses to show him as naive. This is, perhaps, where the inherent problem lies within the text, the construction of Bahka himself. Though Bakha is a young protagonist (or perhaps, anti-protagonist), he is far from being an innocent child. Yet he is constructed with such a damming perception of innocence an uneducated victim of his communitys frustration that he does not fit into the confines of a traditional hero. This is primarily because for him there is no solid gratification or inner resolution gained by the obstacles he is faced with during his day. Furthermore, as E.M. Forester point outs in the novels preface, the reader has every indication that the next day, and the day after that, will be identical to the first. If anything, then, his only heroism lies in his ability to survive the actual days events; but that too is circumstantial. His survival does not rely so much on his inner strength as an individual, but rather it is dependent on the actio n of the others that surround him, namely those individuals of higher caste standing. It is a character like Charat Singh, for example, that determines his survival depending on the degree of pity he is willing to dispense at any particular moment. Anand creates a character in search of his own identity within the very structure that has eliminated the possibility of him having one. The conflict within Bakha is demonstrated repeatedly throughout the text, yet it is in the opening pages of the novel that the reader identifies with Bakhas search for an identity. Bakha clearly has trouble accepting the identity allotted to him at birth. He has a desire to be like the Tommies he sees throughout his village. The narrator tell us that the Tommies had treated him as a human being and he had learnt to think of himself as superior to his fellow-outcasts (9). He attempts to adopt the fashun of the Tommies, becoming possessed with an overwhelming desire to live their life (11). He naively assu mes that the mere adoption of the outward sings of a Sahib will garner him respect. He proceeds through his day wearing the trousers of one of the Tommies, but this assertion of identity fails to produce the desired result. Instead, Bakha looks silly a mere amusement for others to caste their petty jokes and insults. C.D. Narasimhaiahs The Swan and the Eagle maintains that Bakha is desperately trying to escape the connotations the title of the novel asserts over his identity. Bakhas desire to imitate the Tommies is important because he can preserve his identity only to the extent that he can be conscious of his superiority(112). However, Anand quickly dispels Bakhas consciousness of superiority when Bakha comes to the realization that except for the English clothing there was nothing English in his life(12). Narasimhaiah further articulates that in the numerous episodes which he puts his character through, the novelist tries to give him his identity in the very act of our witnessin g the world deny it to him or to those around us(113). Purchasing A Small Business EssayThe representations of both Gandhi and the poet proves also confusing alternatives for Bakha. On the one hand, Gandhi articulates that the plight of untouchability is both a moral and religious issue. He regards untouchability as the greatest blot on Hinduism(146) and asserts that it is satanic to assume anyone in Hinduism is born polluted. Gandhi then recounts the story of a Brahmin boy and a sweeper in his ashram and attempts to show understanding for the sweeper; he feels that if the Brahmin wanted the ashram sweeper to do his work well he must do it himself and set an example(148). Yet this action, while appearing to be sympathetic and understanding, only undermines the very existence of an untouchable because it assumes that the untouchable is incapable of doing such menial work well. Further, it implies and confirms an existing hierarchy of power between the untouchable and other high-caste Hindus because it suggests that they must be taught t o be untouchables, which only perpetuates the cycle of oppression. Gandhi then proceeds to criticize the Untouchables by saying that they have to cultivate habits of cleanliness, that they must get rid of their evil habits such as drinking liquor, gambling and eating carrion. They must, as Gandhi says, cease to accept leavings form the plates of high-caste Hindus, however clean they may be represented to be(148). In essence, he advocates emancipation by purification. Yet there is an inherent dichotomy in Gandhis rhetoric because the existing system does not allow for the untouchables to become purified primarily because their fundamental existence is rooted in the profession of filth. It is as Bakha says to his father, they think we are mere dirt because we clean their dirt(79). Anand, although an avid follower of Gandhi, has Bakha question the Mahatmas speech: but now, now the Mahatma is blaming us. That is not fair! He wanted to forget the last passages that he had heard(148). Th is suggests, perhaps, that Anands view of Gandhi and his political rhetoric cannot be idealized because it too contains elements of oppression. Anand then proceeds to offer his last possible solution to the alleviation of untouchability. Through the poet Iqbal Nath Sarshar, Anand takes the chance to expressing his own Marxist inclinations: well, we must destroy caste, we must destroy the inequalities of birth and unalterable vocations. We must recognize an inequality of rights, privileges and opportunities for everyone (155). He advocates that a change in profession will free the Untouchables and the way to achieve this change is through the implementation of a flush system. William Walsh believes that this last option is most favored by Anand, but admits the obvious complexities in describing the change in this way: He (Anand) is a committed artist, and what he is committed to is indicated by Bakhas mockery in Untouchable: greater efficiency, dictatorship of the sweepers, Marxian m aterialism and all that. Yes, yes, is the reply, all that, but no catch-words and cheap phrases, the change will be organic and not mechanicalHow clearly this kind of thing confirms Anands deficiencies as a thinker and the capacity of his Marxist enthusiasms to glide gaily across the most deeply entrenched differences. This, together with his furious indignation, unself-critical ideology and habit of undue explicitness, make him a writer whose work has to be severely sieved Indian Literature in English, 61. Walsh, here, pinpoints effectively the inherent dangers of relying solely on a Marxist approach to the resolution of untouchabilty. Clearly social rebellion is a viable option, but the closest Anand comes to articulating a traditional Marxist revolution in India is masked, even distorted, in the figure of the poet. Here, Anand only skims the surface of its possibilities; introducing the concept in the very last pages of his novel only weakens the poets arguments because neither the main protagonist nor the reader has enough time to fully conceptualize its implications. Perhaps I have shown an undue harshness in criticizing Anand? However, my purpose here is not to diminish his talent as a writer, for he is, in fact, an amazingly articulate, though-provoking novelist with considerable power. The difficulties of alleviating the stigma of untouchabilty are far too complex for one man alone to tackle, and his novel does serve as a catalyst for change. Nevertheless, as a critical response to the novels implications, I must argue that Anand has failed to convincingly advocate the ending of untouchablity through the choices presented to the protagonist Bakha. His failure in achieving this goal lies not so much in any form of ineptness of his three solutions they are clearly alternatives however, the fault lies in the implied assumption of these choices. All three choices remove the ability of an oppressed and exploited minority to free himself from his own oppression. Clearly Bakha is a rebellious individual within, yet the stifling of this rebellious nature only further asserts the inability of untouchables to free themselves; this is in effect the classical post-colonial conundrum. This challenge is brilliantly captured as previously noted by E.H. McCormick in response to what he believes is the post-colonial condition, and which I have adopted here to epitomize the dilemma of the untouchables by Matthew Arnold in Stanzas from the Grand Chartreuse:Wandering between two worlds, one dead, The other powerless to be born,With nowhere to rest my head,Like these, on earth I wait forlorn (85-90). What else is Bakha but this wandering figure amongst the flowing flux of oppression? He is clearly disenchanted by the confines that the class-system has imposed on him and attempts to appropriate himself amongst the ruling English-class. This produces, in effect, a state of double alienation. As a result, he is both rejected from his own culture, and repelled by the other. Bakha, therefore, exists on the periphery of both worlds. But as Fo rster suggests and what I believe Anand seems to conclude is that on the surface of the earth if not in the depths of the sky, a change is at hand(Untouchable, viii.). Works CitedAnand, Mulk Raj. Untouchable. London: Penguin, 1940. Dhawan, R.K., ed. The Novels of Mulk Raj Anand. New York: Prestige, 1992. . Saros Cowasjee. Anands Literary Creed. 13-18. . R.T. Roberston. Untouchable as an Archetypal Novel. 98-104. Narasimhaiah, C.D. The Swan and the Eagle. Delhi: Motilal, 1987. Walsh, William. Indian Literature in English. London: Longman, 1990.

7 Back to School Tips for Teachers

7 Back to School Tips for Teachers Going back to school after the summer break can be exciting, nerve-racking, and hectic for teachers. The summertime is a time for refreshment and renewal. That is important as the beginning of the school year is the most critical time of the year and it can also be the most stressful. Even during the time off, most teachers are looking for ways to improve their class for the upcoming year. Going back to school gives teachers a chance to make small adjustments or significant changes depending on where they are at in their careers. Most veteran teachers have a pretty decent idea of what they need to do to get ready for the new school year. They typically plan to make a few minor tweaks to their overall approach. Younger teachers may totally revamp their approach to how they teach based on their small sample of experience. First-year teachers often come in excited and with no real idea of what it takes to teach. They have ideas that they think will work only to realize quickly that the application of those ideas is much more difficult than the theory of them. No matter where a teacher is in their career, here are some tips that will help them transition back to school quickly and effectively. Reflect on the Past Experience is the ultimate learning tool. First-year teachers will only have their limited experience as a student teacher on which they can rely. Unfortunately, this small sample does not provide them with much information. Veteran teachers will tell you that you learn more in the first few weeks as a teacher than you did during your entire time in a teacher education program. For teachers with at least one year of experience, reflecting on the past can be a valuable tool. Great teachers are constantly looking for new ideas and methods to apply to their classroom. You should never be afraid to try a new approach, but understand that sometimes it works, sometimes it needs tweaking, and sometimes it will need to be thrown out altogether. Teachers must rely on their experiences when it comes to all aspects of their classroom. A teacher must allow experiences, both good and bad, to guide their overall approach to teaching. It Is a New Year Never come into a school year or classroom with preconceived notions. Every student who walks into your classroom deserves the chance to come in with a clean slate. Teachers may pass along pertinent educational information such as standardized test scores to the next teacher, but they should never pass along information about how a particular student or class behaves. Every class and every student is unique, and a different teacher may get other behavior. A teacher who has preconceived notions can be detrimental to the overall development of a particular student or a group of students. Teachers should want to make judgments about a student or a group of students based on their own unique experiences with them and not those from another teacher. Sometimes a teacher can have a personality conflict with a particular student or class and you never want that to cloud how the next teacher handles their class. Set Goals Every teacher should have a set of expectations or goals that they want their students to reach. Teachers should also have a list of personal goals to improve in specific areas of weakness that they have. Having goals of any kind will give you something to work towards. It is also okay to set goals together with your students. Having a shared set of goals will push both teacher and students to work harder to obtain those goals. It is okay that goals be adjusted either way as the year moves along. Sometimes your goals may be too easy for a particular student or class and sometimes they may be too difficult. It is essential that you set high goals and expectations for all your students. Just remember that every student has their own unique needs. The goals you set for one student, may not be applicable for another. Be Prepared Being prepared is the most important aspect of teaching. Teaching is not an 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. job as many people outside the realm of teaching may  think. It takes a lot of extra time and preparation to do your job effectively. The first day of school for students should never be a teacher’s first day. It takes a lot of time to get ready for school to start. There is a lot of work that needs to be done with both your classroom and your instructional material. A smooth year begins with preparation. A teacher who waits until the last moment to get everything ready is setting themselves up for a rough year. Young teachers need more preparation time than veteran teachers, but even veteran teachers must spend quite a bit of time preparing for the upcoming school year if they plan to have a fantastic year. Set the Tone The first few days and weeks of school will often set the tone for the entire school year. Respect is often won or lost in those first few days and weeks. A teacher should seize that opportunity to establish a solid rapport with their students, but at the same time respectively show them who is in charge. A teacher who comes in with the mindset that they want every student to like them will lose respect quickly, and it will be a difficult year. It is virtually impossible to gain a classes respect as an authoritarian back once you have lost it. Use those first few days and weeks to drill components such as procedures, expectations, and goals. Start out hard as the classroom disciplinarian and then you can ease off as you move throughout the year. Education is a marathon and not a sprint. Do not think that you cannot spend the time to set the tone for the school year. Make these things a priority early and your students will learn more in the long run. Make Contact Getting parents to trust that you have their child’s best interest in mind is paramount. Make extra efforts to contact parents several times within the first few weeks of school. In addition to classroom notes or newsletters, try to contact each parent personally early on by setting up parent meetings, calling them on the phone, emailing them, conducting a home visit, or inviting them up for an open room night. Establishing trustworthy relationships with parents early on when things are going good will make it easier should you begin to have issues. Parents can be your biggest ally, and they can be your biggest enemy. Investing the time and effort early on to win them to your side will make you more effective. Plan Ahead All teachers should plan ahead. It is not easy, but planning does become easier as experience is gained. For example, a teacher can save lots of time by keeping lesson plans from the previous year so that they can use them for the upcoming year. Instead of redeveloping their lesson plans, they make adjustments to them as needed. Teachers can also make copies for several weeks or months of work before school begins. Planning events such as fundraisers and field trips before school starts will save time later. Planning ahead will be beneficial if an emergency occurs and you have to be gone for an extended period of time. Planning also tends to make the overall course of the school year go smoother.

The UnIslamic Nation Of Islam Essays - Nation Of Islam, Free Essays

The UnIslamic Nation Of Islam Essays - Nation Of Islam, Free Essays The UnIslamic Nation of Islam The mention of the ?Nation of Islam? will undoubtedly cause an immense number of responses in any situation. To some, this organization symbolizes blatant racism. To others, it is seen as a savior of the black community. Regardless of one?s opinion of the Nation, though, the differences between Al-Islam(traditional Islam) and the beliefs of the Nation cannot be denied. The Nation of Islam is a social movement. This social movement is undoubtedly rooted in religion, and its principles are derived from those of traditional Islam, but their basic philosophies are so strikingly different that the Nation of Islam cannot be considered Islamic. In 1930, the Nation was founded by an African immigrant who called himself Wallace D. Fard Muhammad. He stated that his mission was to take ?the black nation to the full range of the black man?s possibilities in aworld temporarily dominated by the blue-eyed devils?(forerunner.com/foreruner/X0065_Nation_of_Islam.html). This philosphy was carried on to the next leader of the Nation, Elijah Muhammad, and eventually to the current leader, Louis Farrakhan. The Nation was founded as a black organization, and has remained as such. Islam, on the other hand, is all encompassing. The first, and most astonishing, difference between the Nation and traditional Islam is the role of race in the church?s philosophy. the Nation?s philosophy clearly states that, ?We believe that intermarriage and race mixing should be prohibitted (www.noi.org/ program.html)?. The traditional wording of the Koran, however, states that diversity in race is one of Allah?s greatest creations(Koran, 30.22). The Nation of Islam restricts its membersip to those who are black. the beliefs of traditional Islam, however, state that all persons are born Muslim, and that ?every person is endowed by Allah with the spiritual potential and intellectual inclination that can make him a good Muslim.(4) The Islamic church ignores the issue of race when examining one?s spiritual purity. Rather, It is the spirit itself which defines a Muslim. Traditional Muslims and members of the Nation of Islam also differ in their definition of what it means to be Muslim. The belief in Islam is defined by five Pillars: shahada(the belief in only one Allah), salah(prayer), zakuh(obligatory charity), sawm(fasting), and hajj(pilgrimage) (www_leland.stanford.edu/group/Thinker/v2/v2n3/Saudi.html). Of these Five Pillars, the Nation of Islam requires none of its members. The shahada is rejected by the Nation because it belives that Wallace D. Fard Muhammad was Allah incarate. (noi.index) Salah, or the five daily prayers in the direction of Mecca, are also not required of members of the Nation(coolguy). Zakuh is rejected by the nation, as it believes charity is a ?way to benefit the dominant classes of the culture.(coolguy). Sawm is also not required of Nation members, nor is the hajj to Mecca(coolguy). (Ironically, it was the hajj of Malcolm X which led him to abandon his separatist beliefs, and to preach unity). The rejection of the five basic requirements of Islam is representative of the distances between the Nation of Islam and traditional Islam. Because of these differences, the Nation cannot be accepted as just another chapter of Islam, but it must be treated as a different and distinct religion. The third difference between the Nation of Islam and traditional Islam is the manner in which other religions and their members are regarded. Islam accepts the existence of all prophets from Moses to Muhammad. (Koran, 2:91) The Nation, however, believes that Wallace D. Fard Muhammad is the true prophet(Noi.program). Traditional Islam regards members of all religions as holy. The Koran states that, ?those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans-whoever believeth in Allah, and the Last Day doeth right- surely their reward is with their Lord, and their shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve?(2:62). Farrakhan, on the other hand condemns those of other religions and races. In a speech in January 1994, Farrakhan warned members of the Nation of Islam that ?they(the jews) are plotting against us even as we speak (www.strang.com/cm/stories/emmy/96tl.html).? He proposes that other religions are inferior to Islam, as well as proposing that different races are unequal. The Nation of Islam believes that the white race was created by a botched experiment of mad scientist named Yakub, 6,000 years ago(7). It is beliefs such as this which create the image of the Nation which is common to most: a racist organization which preaches Black supremacy. Some may argue that the often outrageous methods and beliefs of the Nation of Islam have done more good than harm. In 1996, Farrakhan organized the

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Literature Review - Essay Example One main factor of traffic congestion is the increase in number of the new vehicles. One way of solving this kind of the problem is to come up with a system that will be able to monitor the situation of the roads as they analyze the image of the traffic situation and conveys information about the impending congestion the send signals to the traffic police. Harriet, Poku & Anin, 2013 on the other hand argues that effects of the traffic congestion are numerous; on the economic downside it causes tear ad wear of various parts of the vehicles necessitating continuous replacements. In addition there would be a question of not arriving at the work place in time making the business persons to cope with image of incompetency or in some case there is loss of business opportunities. All these problems would in turn cause social implications like being emotionally stressed up and in some cases it culminates from the road bullying incidences. In relation to environmental issues, traffic congesti on elevates matters as it causes a lot of air pollutions resulting from emission of the carbon dioxide. For the emergency situations, blocked lanes have a lot of consequences for those people who require immediate attentions where life could have been saved. Therefore efforts to solve the problems of the traffic congestion would also help to solve other inherent and other related problems at the same time. This will immediately be encoded and transmit the image through the worldwide interoperability of microwave access to the control room of the traffic police this will help to design a very good model to assist the police in doing their work. Transaction costs are relatively higher for international trade than for the transactions that are taking place domestically mainly because of the traffic congestions that are caused by custom related

Discussion 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Discussion 6 - Essay Example In many societies, the choice of color is seen to tell about one’s gender. In the present case, pink is traditionally associated with girls, and therefore seeing the boy’s nails in pink made some feel that the mother was encouraging a reversal of gender identity. To some, the advertisement appears to encourage our children to choose the genders they feel comfortable in regardless of their gender at birth. Some people believe that boys should behave and act like boys and not the other way round. In terms of the relationship between gender and power, such reactions indicate that men and women are placed in certain roles based on their gender. The society has developed boundaries that clearly define the roles of men and women in society, and whenever such boundaries are seen to be crossed, such reactions are common. Women are seen as accommodative and passive while men are aggressive and dominating. In the present case for instance, since pink color is associated with wome n, some take offense when the boy paints his nails pink because it appears he is relinquishing his duties or roles as a man and taking up female

Health care Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health care Concepts - Essay Example It also provides us with the constraints faced by our health care arrangement. Week 4- Rising Costs of Health Care: The rising costs present us with some of the challenges that are faced by the health care arrangement. It helps identify these areas that would need further research and improvements to make the arrangement more efficient. It also shows the goals of the US health care arrangement. Pharmaceutical Industry: Presents us with some knowledge on the industry where drugs are developed, produced and marketed. It presents us with the process that a drug has to go through before it is licensed as a medication. Health care Reform topic provides us with a rubric for discussing the health care policy creation and the changes on the policies. It presents the policies that have been developed on matters affecting the health care arrangement. Health care Reform topic two, introduces us to the debates surrounding the health care arrangement and issues on access, fairness, quality and sustainability of the health care arrangement. Medicare/ Medicaid: In this week we are introduced to the concepts of Medicaid which is a government program that provides health care related services. These are rather separate programs but all fall under the section of health and human services. We are introduced to the services that are provided by these programs. Medical Ethics: This topic introduces the students to the code of ethics that ranges from: compassion, human dignity, and support in the health care, education, improvements in the community, responsibilities of the medical practitioners and the aspects of professionalism and upholding honesty in the health care arrangement. Alternative Medicine: We are introduced to a broad range of approaches, therapies, healing processes and those that are not commonly used and unacceptable in the health care arrangement. Health Care Literacy: In this topic we are introduced to the currency of success essential in

Are networks important to entrepreneurs when starting new business

Are networks important to entrepreneurs when starting new business In this essay, I have chosen to write a report about why networks are important to entrepreneurs when starting a business. In this essay, I will analyse and describe the use of social relations in the business establishment process, and the benefits behind networks in entrepreneurship. I will write this essay using my findings in books, articles, newspapers and the internet. I will try to not only produce a logical argument concerning why networks are important, but try and apply theories to back up my view and points. I will also use my personal understandings of why networks are important to entrepreneurs, but reflecting understandings and knowledge I gained by interviewing an entrepreneur. Main Body An entrepreneur is an individual who has a new idea, or enterprise who accepts the financial risks to capitalising on that idea and undertakes a new financial venture. The word entrepreneur derives from the French language, which applies to any individual who is starting a new project or business. (Hisrich, Peters, Shepherd, 2006). To some economists, an entrepreneur is someone who is willing to take the risks of starting a new business if there is an opportunity for them to make profit out of the idea. The concept of entrepreneurship was first created in the 1700s, and the meaning has evolved ever since. There are hundreds of different theories and explanations for defining entrepreneurship. However, all economists and business academics agree entrepreneurs posses behaviours like: initiative taking, the structuring and restructuring of social and economic social mechanisms to turn resources and situations to practical account and lastly the acceptance of risk or failure (Hisrich, Pe ters, Shephard 2006). My definition of an entrepreneur is someone who has an idea, and the idea progresses from just being an idea, to becoming a passion, something that an entrepreneur would sacrifice a lot to see succession in. So why are networks important to entrepreneurs? People usually develop relationships with people like themselves. Athletes develop ties with other athletes, wealthy people develop ties with other wealthy people, and educated people develop ties with other educated people. Its part of our nature, we tend to be attracted to those who are similar to us. So what is the reason for this? Perhaps we feel more comfortable when around those who are similar to us? I believe the answer is yes. Socially similar people, even when competing against each other, spend time in the same locations, which cause relationships to occur (Swedberg, 2000). Having a large network range matters. People with larger contact networks gain better paying positions than people with smaller networks . Network range, indicated by size, is the primary measure (Cosson, 2010). Its simple, the more people you are in contact with, the quicker you will learn the tricks and shortcuts. Dragons Den is a television show, broadcasted on BBC, on which entrepreneurs pitch their ideas in pursuit of securing an investment from one of the dragons (the investors). However, most of the entrepreneurs arent exactly interested in the investment, but the network of contacts that the investor can offer the business. Whenever an entrepreneur secures an investment, they ask the dragons a series of questions concerning whether they have the right contacts which the entrepreneur could use in their business. Having social networks is important, full stop. In any type of activity you take part in, there are advantages of having acquaintances who possess knowledge in that. Being a student, I know the advantages of building friendship with those who are on the same degree scheme as me. At times if I struggle, there are always people that I can turn to for guidance. Its the same concept with an entrepreneur. No matter how clever you are, or how academically brilliant you are, you will always face problems, and at times, these problems could have major impacts on the whole business. Networks help you Accomplish a positive relationship with people who are knowledgeable in a specific field, not only will it strengthen your option of networks, but it can help the entrepreneur enlarge their networks to get important information and resources from their contacts (Wiklunk, 2006). The next advantage is positioning, entrepreneurs position themselves within a social network to shorten the route the more experienced others took to get what they need. Its about finding shortcuts, and possessing a selection of experienced contacts can help you find these shortcuts faster (Burt, 1992). Networking between entrepreneurs is a very effective tool, it various advantages (Cosson, 2010): To improve commercial acumen Encourage collaborations between similar businesses Support one another, help to enlarge the specific market that youre involved in A personal network, consists of all those individuals whom the entrepreneur has direct relations to, this includes individuals like employees, suppliers, partners etc. Strong tie relations are those that the entrepreneur can count on and trust weak tie relations are only casual; people rarely have emotional investments in them. So what is the importance of sustaining weak ties?. Reflecting on Granovetters (1973) reasoning, which links weak and strong ties together, states that entrepreneurs are typical to be found in positions where centrality is high, this allows them to many diverse sources of information (Landstrom, 2009). To explain Social Networks in basic terms, the acquaintances of our friends, are also our friends (Aldrich and Kim, 2005). However, a personal network is a high density network, due to all the persons involved in that network being well known to each other. My interpretation of this is that it is important to sustain a balance of weak and strong ties. In basic w ords, its word of mouth, which plays a crucial role in starting or operating a new business. You might not know the contacts, but perhaps maybe your strong ties are in some form of relation to those weak ties, and that creates a flow of information which the entrepreneur could benefit from (Cosson, 2010). . The social network concept is the relationship between an entrepreneur and the networks of contacts they have who provide them the resources that are important in starting a business and most importantly successfully running the business (Carsrud, Brannback, Brannback 2007). These acquaintances usually have some form of experience and knowledge concerning that specific field. Every entrepreneur, has, or believes to have some kind of knowledge to be capable of running the business, but they also need complementary resources to produce or improve their products (Casson, 2010). The contacts dont necessarily have to be formal, they can be informal, such as friends, family or people who studied on the same degree scheme as you in university. These networks are absolutely crucial in obtaining a successful business (Ross and Brown, 1993). Those acquaintances who guide the entrepreneur to success are their social capital, and one of their key elements of their networks (Casson, 2010). Social Capital is a concept which means the connection and relationship between social networks, in this case, between the entrepreneur and their network. This can be seen as an investment for the entrepreneur. The word investment shouldnt necessarily mean financially investing in a product or company, but, anything that you establish and become part of that is beneficial to you in the long term (Burt, 1992). I personally believe formal networks are as crucial to an entrepreneur as informal networks are. The entrepreneurial process has many lonely and difficult times. Its part of becoming successful. There will be times when establishing a moral-support network is critical. The moral-support network is your friends and family, in simple words, people who make you happy (Hisrich, Peters, Shepherd, 2006). There will be times where even a single phone call from a friend or family will make you feel better, someone to encourage you to pick yourself up and carry on in pursuit of succession. Friends are a critical part of moral-support network, not only can they provide you with honest advice, the form of advice and opinions that others might not be so comfortable in delivering, but they can also provide you with assistance and you can confide with them without the fear of criticism (Cosson, 2010). Although not necessarily true, most entrepreneurs have parents who also own their own businesses or small firms (Cosson, 2010). Young entrepreneurs are able to take advantage of the experience a nd knowledge their parents possess and use it when developing a business of their own. However, a problem comes with this scenario. Off course family members are helpful at particular aspects when giving advice and feedback, however, too much dependence on family members may impact and restrict the entrepreneurs network. Economists stress that dependence on family members may limit an entrepreneurs networking circle. Entrepreneurial parents are a great source of information, there is no doubt about that, but knowing the limit of how much information to acquire from them is critical. You have to interact with the real world, the hard world, to be able to substance a successful business. Sooner or later your parents will be incapable of giving you information, and in that situation, you have no choice but to turn to networks outside your family zone (Birley, 1985). A study by Aldrich, Rosen and Woodward (1987) has suggested that those entrepreneurs with variable networks are more like ly to experience better results. The applicants of the research, reported to have a higher than average number of contacts per week with core network members (Landstrom, 2010). A close friend of mine, Irfan Patel, after 4 years of planning and research, owns his own business, Citybeat53. Citybeat53 is a business that offers young talented musicians events and advertisement through its own channel of networks. it provides opportunity to those who need guidance and help. Irfan is a Music Engineering graduate from the University of Leeds. After graduating, he successfully secured an internship to work for SONY BMG. As he explained, whilst being an employee for Sony BMG, he learnt an ocean of information and skills. He believes it was due to the people he worked with, all of whom had side activities and businesses. Whilst working at the company, he formed a relationship with a colleague who specialised in organising concerts, book signings and formal events. And he began a string of net works for Irfan. Using those networks, Irfan managed to gather enough information and resources to create this incredibly unique business. As he explained, when the business established, the first year was the loneliest and most difficult time he has ever experienced. He explained that if it wasnt for the relationships he formed whilst working for Sony BMG, he would have never made it this far. He values the network he established in London, more than achieving his degree. At times, he believe that maybe he should have done things differently, maybe taken different routes, but he believes everything that has happened to him counts as experience. To conclude this essay, I have learnt that to be a successful entrepreneur, its critical to obtain a variety set of networks for yourself. To set up a successful new business, you must make relations with those who you believe can help you gain better results. By reading through this essay, I have learnt that not only the entrepreneurial experience is a hard and at times, long process, but it can affect an individual mentally. By carrying out a research about this field, I have learnt that those entrepreneurs who constantly try and expand their networks, and use their social network contacts to learn about new opportunities, often find a shorter route to success than those solo entrepreneurs (Wiklunk, 2006). Trying to expand your network of contacts is like investing in a flow of information, at a cost of putting the effort of finding those contacts and maintaining a positive relationship with them. By looking at different types of theories and stories from entrepreneurs, I learnt th at the majority of experienced entrepreneurs advice those younger entrepreneurs to expand their range of networks, and most importantly, maintain a diversified network. Weak ties are as important as strong ties. Entrepreneurship is about change, its about offering the market something unique, and throughout the entrepreneurial process, the entrepreneur will face environmental changes, changes which can be extremely challenging, hence the entrepreneur needs to be prepared to face these challenges. Having a network becomes like mechanism, a device created to help you to successfully respond to these changes.

The Removal of Eudemonism from Ethics Essay -- On the Basis of Moralit

Although Arthur Schopenhauer was never able to gain the acclaim during his lifetime of some of the rival post-Kantian philosophers he competed against despite going so far as to schedule lectures at the same time as Hegel, he is now creating more buzz than ever and is widely considered one of the most important German philosophers, as he has earned himself the nickname of â€Å"the philosopher of pessimism†.1 Most believe that he was a man before his time, as he wrote during the German classical period where Idealism was the main school of thought. Schopenhauer however went against the grain and believed the world as will to be fundamentally irrational, and held no prisoners when it came to openly criticizing his contemporaries.1 This caused him to be almost brushed aside during his own lifetime, which is made perfectly evident in how his work, On the Basis of Morality was simply turned away by The Danish Academy of Science as it did not line up with their very Kan t-centric views. Although he didn’t always agree Kant, Schopenhauer did consider himself Kant’s true philosophical heir, and was always full of praise for the man who he claimed, â€Å"gave this science (metaphysics) a foundation having definite advantages over previous ones, and because it still remains the last important event to occur in ethics† (47).2 He would use Kant’s foundation of morals as a guide to prepare himself to establish his own foundation. It would turn out that he would not be bias in Kant’s favor, but rather attack Schopenhauer would attack Kant’s ethics for being â€Å"wholly unjustified, groundless, and fictitious assumptions† (48).2 He replaces Kant’s ethics with his own ethics of compassion, or the ability some human be... ...chopenh/ 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. 143 3 Kraut, Richard, "Aristotle's Ethics," The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii The Removal of Eudemonism from Ethics Essay -- On the Basis of Moralit Although Arthur Schopenhauer was never able to gain the acclaim during his lifetime of some of the rival post-Kantian philosophers he competed against despite going so far as to schedule lectures at the same time as Hegel, he is now creating more buzz than ever and is widely considered one of the most important German philosophers, as he has earned himself the nickname of â€Å"the philosopher of pessimism†.1 Most believe that he was a man before his time, as he wrote during the German classical period where Idealism was the main school of thought. Schopenhauer however went against the grain and believed the world as will to be fundamentally irrational, and held no prisoners when it came to openly criticizing his contemporaries.1 This caused him to be almost brushed aside during his own lifetime, which is made perfectly evident in how his work, On the Basis of Morality was simply turned away by The Danish Academy of Science as it did not line up with their very Kan t-centric views. Although he didn’t always agree Kant, Schopenhauer did consider himself Kant’s true philosophical heir, and was always full of praise for the man who he claimed, â€Å"gave this science (metaphysics) a foundation having definite advantages over previous ones, and because it still remains the last important event to occur in ethics† (47).2 He would use Kant’s foundation of morals as a guide to prepare himself to establish his own foundation. It would turn out that he would not be bias in Kant’s favor, but rather attack Schopenhauer would attack Kant’s ethics for being â€Å"wholly unjustified, groundless, and fictitious assumptions† (48).2 He replaces Kant’s ethics with his own ethics of compassion, or the ability some human be... ...chopenh/ 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. 143 3 Kraut, Richard, "Aristotle's Ethics," The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii 2 Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, trans, by EJ.F. Payne (Indian Hills, Colorado : The Falcons Wing Press, 1958), p. xxiii

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-one

I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE who had come to that startling conclusion. When the Moroi Court woke up several hours into our road trip, Lissa was also putting all the pieces together in her room as she prepared herself to give her pre-election speech. She'd thought of all the arguments I had, plus a few more–like how frantic Daniella had been that Adrian might be implicated with me, which would undoubtedly unravel a carefully laid out plan. There was also Daniella's offer of having her lawyer cousin, Damon Tarus, defend me. Would that have actually helped? Or would Damon have subtly worked to weaken my defense? Abe's uncouth involvement might have been a blessing. Lissa's heart pounded rapidly as she twisted her hair into a chignon. She preferred it down but thought for the coming event, she should put on a more dignified look. Her dress was matte ivory silk, long-sleeved and ruched, about knee length. Some might have thought wearing that color would make her look bridal, but when I saw her in the mirror, I knew no one would make that mistake. She looked luminous. Radiant. Queenly. â€Å"It can't be true,' she said, completing the look with pearl earrings that had belonged to her mother. She had shared her theory with Christian and Janine, who were with her now, and had half hoped they'd tell her she was crazy. They hadn't. â€Å"It makes sense,' said Christian, with none of his usual snark. â€Å"There's just no proof quite yet,' my mother said, ever practical. â€Å"Lots of circumstantial stuff.' â€Å"Aunt Tasha's checking with Ethan to see if Daniella was there the night of the murder,' said Christian. He made a slight face, still not happy about his aunt having a boyfriend. â€Å"Daniella wasn't on the official lists, but Aunt Tasha's worried some things might have been altered.' â€Å"That wouldn't surprise me. Even so, putting Daniella there at the right time builds the case but still isn't hard proof.' My mother should have been an attorney. She and Abe could have opened a law firm together. â€Å"It's as much proof as they've got for Rose!' exclaimed Lissa. â€Å"Aside from the stake,' Janine reminded her. â€Å"And people are more willing to believe sketchy evidence about Rose than Lady Daniella Ivashkov.' Lissa sighed, knowing it was all true. â€Å"If only Abe could talk to the Alchemists. We need what they know.' â€Å"He'll do it,' said my mother confidently. â€Å"It'll just take time.' â€Å"We don't have time!' The dramatic turn of events was giving spirit a nice chance to raise its ugly head, and like always, I tried to pull the darkness from Lissa. You'd think I would have learned my lesson after Victor, but well †¦ old habits died hard. They come first. ‘Marie Conta and Rufus Tarus are the only candidates left! If he wins, Daniella's going to have a lot of influence. We'll never prove Rose is innocent then.' Ariana failing the last test had come as a huge blow to everyone, smashing a future Lissa had thought was set in stone. Without Ariana, the outcome didn't look good. Marie Conta wasn't Lissa's favorite person, but Lissa felt she'd make a much better ruler than Rufus. Unfortunately, the Conta family had been quiet in politics in recent years, giving them fewer allies and friends. The numbers were leaning dangerously toward Rufus. It was frustrating. If we could get Jill there, Lissa could vote, and on a Council of twelve, even one vote would be powerful. â€Å"We have time,' my mom said calmly. â€Å"There'll be no vote today, not with the controversy you'll cause. And for every day the election is delayed, we have another chance to build our case. We're close. We can do it.' â€Å"We can't tell Adrian about this,' warned Lissa, moving toward the door. It was time to go. Christian's trademark smirk returned. â€Å"That,' he said, â€Å"is something we can all agree on.' The elaborate ballroom–yet again made a Council room for size reasons–looked like a rock concert. People were fighting for spots inside. Some, realizing that was futile, had camped outside the building, picnic style. Someone had thankfully had the brilliant idea to hook up a sound system with outdoor speakers so that those who didn't make it in could still hear the proceedings. Guardians moved through the crowds, trying to contain the chaos–particularly as the candidates arrived. Marie Conta had shown up just before Lissa, and even if she was the least-likely candidate, there were still roars and surges of excitement in the crowd. Guardians hastily–and roughly, if necessary–held the mob back so she could pass. That attention had to be scary, but Marie didn't show it. She walked proudly, smiling at supporters and non-supporters alike. Both Lissa and I recalled Christian's words: You're a queenly nominee. Act like it. You deserve this. You're the last Dragomir. A daughter of royalty. And that was exactly how she behaved. It was more than Christian's urging, too. Now that she'd passed all three tests, the gravity of the ancient procedure she was entering continued to grow. Lissa walked in, her head held high. I couldn't see her whole body, but I recognized the feel of her walk: graceful, stately. The crowd loved it, and it occurred to me that this group was particularly vocal because most weren't royal. Those gathered outside were ordinary Moroi, the ones who had come to truly love her. â€Å"Alexandra's heir!' â€Å"Bring back the dragon!' For some, it was simply enough to shout her name, adding on the titles of an old Russian folktale heroine who shared the same name: â€Å"Vasilisa the brave! Vasilisa the beautiful!' I knew no one would guess the fear she felt inside. She was that good. Christian and my mother, who had initially flanked her, fell back as one, letting Lissa walk a couple steps ahead. There was no question of Lissa's position and authority. She took each step with confidence, remembering that her grandfather had also walked this path. She tried to give the crowd a smile that was both dignified but genuine. It must have worked because they went even wilder. And when she paused to comment on a dragon banner a man had painted in support, the artist nearly passed out that someone like her would notice and compliment him. â€Å"This is unprecedented,' remarked my mom, once they'd safely made it inside. â€Å"There's never been this sort of turnout. There certainly wasn't during the last election.' â€Å"Why so great this time?' asked Lissa, who was trying to get her breathing under control. â€Å"Because there's so much sensation, between the murder and you muddling the law. That and †¦ well, the way you're winning the hearts of every non-royal out there. The dhampirs too. There's a dragon sign in one of our coffee rooms, you know. I even think some of the royals love you, though maybe it's just to spite whatever family they're feuding with. But seriously? If this were up to all of the people and not just the Council– and well, if it was a vote you were eligible for–I think you'd win.' Lissa grimaced but then reluctantly added, â€Å"Honestly? I think we should have popular votes for our leaders. Every Moroi should cast a vote, not just a handful of elite families.' â€Å"Careful there, princess,' teased Christian, putting his arm through hers. â€Å"That's the kind of talk that'll start another revolution. One at a time, okay?' The ballroom's crowd wasn't as crazy as the outside one had been–but was pretty close. The guardians were ready for the numbers this time and had made sure to keep strict control from the very beginning. They kept a tight count of how many were allowed in the room and stopped royal and non-royal squabbles. It was still intimidating, and Lissa reminded herself over and over that playing this role was helping me. For me, she would endure anything, even the fanfare. This time, fortunately, Lissa was swept up pretty quickly to the room's front, to where three chairs facing the crowd had been set up for the candidates. Rufus and Marie were already seated, speaking in low voices to a few select family members. Guardians stood around them. Lissa sat alone, of course, but nodded to nearby guards when Tasha approached. Tasha crouched beside Lissa, speaking low and keeping a wary eye on Rufus as he talked to someone. â€Å"Bad news. Well, depending on how you look at it. Ethan says Daniella was there that night. She and Tatiana met alone. He didn't realize it hadn't been put on the records. Someone else wrote those up on behalf of all the guards on duty, but he swears he saw Daniella himself.' Lissa winced. Secretly, she'd been hoping–praying, even–that she'd made a mistake, that surely Adrian's mother couldn't have done this. She gave a swift nod to show she understood. â€Å"I'm sorry,' said Tasha. â€Å"I know you liked her.' â€Å"I think I'm more worried about Adrian. I don't know how he'll take it.' â€Å"Hard,' said Tasha bluntly. After what she'd faced with Christian's parents, she knew better than anyone else what it was like to have family betray you. â€Å"But he'll make it through. And as soon as we can put all this evidence forward, we'll have Dimitri and Rose back.' Those words filled Lissa with hope, strengthening her. â€Å"I miss her so much,' she said. â€Å"I wish she was here already.' Tasha gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her shoulder. â€Å"Soon. They'll be back soon. Just get through this for now. You can do this. You can change everything.' Lissa wasn't so sure about that, but Tasha hurried off to join her â€Å"activist friends' and was replaced by–Daniella. She'd come to talk to Rufus, offering support and family love. Lissa couldn't bear to look at the older woman and felt even worse when Daniella spoke to her. â€Å"I'm not sure how you got involved with this, dear, but good luck.' Daniella's smile seemed sincere, but there was no question which candidate she supported. Her kindly expression turned to concern. â€Å"Have you seen Adrian? I thought for sure he'd be here. I know the guardians would let him in.' Excellent question. Lissa hadn't seen him in the last day or so. â€Å"I haven't. Maybe he's just running late. Doing his hair or something.' Hopefully not passed out somewhere. Daniella sighed. â€Å"I hope so.' She left, taking a seat in the audience. Once again, Adrian's father was running the session, and after several false starts, the room quieted. â€Å"In the last week,' Nathan began, speaking into a microphone, â€Å"many worthy candidates have taken the tests required to rule our people. Before us sit the final three: Rufus Tarus, Marie Conta, and Vasilisa Dragomir.' Nathan's tone sounded displeased over that last one, but thus far, the law would let her give her speech. After that, the law's inconsistency kicked in, and all hell would break loose. â€Å"These three have shown they have the ability to rule, and as their last act, before we vote, each will speak about their plans for our people.' Rufus was up first, delivering exactly the kind of speech I'd expected. He played on Moroi fears, promising extreme forms of protection–most of which involved dhampirs but didn't get into much detail. â€Å"Our safety must be our top priority,' he proclaimed. â€Å"At all costs. Will it be difficult? Yes. Will there be sacrifices? Yes. But aren't our children worth it? Don't we care about them?' Bringing children into it was just low, I decided. At least he'd left puppies out. He also used dirty politician tricks, slandering his rivals. Marie was mostly slammed for her family's lack of activity. Lissa, however, was a great target. He pushed her age, the danger of spirit, and the fact that her being there in the first place was a violation of the law. Marie's speech was much more thoughtful and detailed. She laid out very explicit plans on all sorts of issues, most of which were reasonable. I didn't agree with all she said, but she was clearly competent and didn't lower herself to mocking her competition. Unfortunately, she wasn't nearly as charismatic as Rufus, and it was a sad truth that that could make a big difference. Her monotone closing summed up not only her speech but also her personality. â€Å"Those are the reasons why I should be queen. I hope you enjoyed this talk and will vote for me when the time comes. Thank you.' She abruptly sat down. Lissa's turn came at last. Standing before her microphone, she suddenly saw the chalice's dream, where she'd faltered in front of the Council. But no, this was reality. She wouldn't fail. She would go forward. â€Å"We're a people at war,' she began, voice loud and clear. â€Å"We're constantly attacked–but not just by Strigoi. By one another. We're divided. We fight with one another. Family against family. Royal against non-royal. Moroi against dhampir. Of course the Strigoi are picking us off. They're at least united behind a goal: killing.' If I had been sitting there in that audience, I would have been leaning forward, mouth open. As it was, there were plenty of people there to do it for me. Her words were volatile. Shocking. And utterly captivating. â€Å"We are one people,' she continued. â€Å"Moroi and dhampir alike.' Yeah, that got some gasps too. â€Å"And while it's impossible for every single person to get their way, no one will get anything done if we don't come together and find ways to meet in the middle–even if it means making hard choices.' Then, extraordinarily, she explained how it could be done. True, she didn't have the time to give fine details on every single issue in our world, but she hit a lot of the big ones. And she managed to do it in a way that didn't offend anyone too badly. After all, she was right in saying not everyone could get their way. Still, she spoke about how the dhampirs were our best warriors–and would be better with a stronger voice. She spoke about how non-royals needed a greater voice too–but not at the cost of losing the exalted royal lines that defined our people. Finally, in addressing the issue of training Moroi to defend themselves, she did emphasize its importance–but not as something mandatory and not as the only method needing to be explored. Yes, she gave something to everyone and did it beautifully and charismatically. It was the kind of speech that could make people follow her anywhere. She concluded with, â€Å"We have always mixed the old with the new. We've kept magic alongside technology. We conduct these sessions with scrolls and–with these.' She smiled and tapped her microphone. â€Å"That's how we have survived. We hold onto our pasts and embrace our present. We take the best of it all and grow stronger. That's how we have survived. That's how we will survive.' Silence met her conclusion–and then the cheers began. I actually heard the roar from outside on the lawn before it started within. People I would have sworn supported others were practically in tears, and I hadn't forgotten that most of the people I had visuals on in this room were royal. Lissa herself wanted to burst into tears but instead took her due bravely. When she finely sat down, and the crowd quieted, Nathan resumed his role. â€Å"Well,' he said. â€Å"That was a very pretty speech, one we all enjoyed. But now, the time has come for the Council to vote on our next leader, and–by law–only two candidates stand ready for that position: Rufus Tarus and Marie Conta.' Two Moroi, one each from the Tarus and Conta families, came forward to join their respective candidates. Nathan's gaze fell on Lissa who had risen like the others but stood alone. â€Å"According to the election laws–laws set down since the beginning of time–each candidate must approach the Council, escorted by someone of their bloodline in order to show family strength and unity. Do you have any such person?' Lissa met his eyes unflinchingly. â€Å"No, Lord Ivashkov.' â€Å"Then I'm afraid your part in this game is over, Princess Dragomir.' He smiled. â€Å"You may sit down now.' Yup. That's when all hell broke loose. I'd always heard the expression, â€Å"And the crowd goes wild!' Now, I saw it in the flesh. Half the time, I couldn't even keep track of who was shouting or supporting what. People argued in clusters and one-on-one. A couple of Moroi in jeans challenged every well-dressed person they could find, operating under the irrational assumptions that anyone in nice clothes must be royal and that all royals hated Lissa. Their devotion to her was admirable. Creepy, but admirable. One group from the Tarus family stood face to face with a Conta group, looking prepared for either a gang fight or a dance-off. That was one of the most bizarre pairings of all since those two families were the only ones who should be in complete agreement on anything. On and on it went. People fought about whether Lissa should be eligible for the vote. They fought about having a session to change the law books right at that moment. Some fought over things I'd never even heard of before. A rush of guardians to the door made me think the outside crowd was trying to break in. My mother was among that defense, and I knew she'd been right: there'd be no vote today, not with this anarchy. They'd have to close the session and try again tomorrow. Lissa stared at the crowd, feeling numb and unable to keep up with all the activity. Her stomach twisted as something dawned on her. All this time, she'd sworn that she'd respect the dignity of the election tradition. Yet, it was because of her that things were now anything but dignified. It was all her fault. Then, her eyes fell on someone sitting in a back corner, far from the pandemonium. Ekaterina Zeklos. The old former queen caught Lissa's eye–and winked. I faded out of that room, not needing to see any more of the arguing. I returned to the car ride, a new thought in my head. Lissa's words burned in my soul. They had stirred my heart. And even if she'd given her speech as a decoy, there had been passion in them–ardent belief. If she had been eligible to be queen, she would have stood behind those words. And that's when I knew. She would be queen. I decided then and there that I would make it happen. We wouldn't bring Jill simply to give Lissa her Council vote. Jill would give Lissa the status that would allow Moroi to vote for her. And Lissa would win. Naturally, I kept these thoughts to myself. â€Å"That's a dangerous look,' said Dimitri, giving me a brief glance before returning his eyes to the road. â€Å"What look?' I asked innocently. â€Å"The one that says you just got some idea.' â€Å"I didn't just get an idea. I got a great idea.' Jokes like that used to make Jill laugh, but turning to look at her in the backseat showed me she didn't find much funny at all. â€Å"Hey, you okay?' I asked. Those jade eyes focused on me. â€Å"I'm not sure. A lot's kind of happened. And I don't really get what's going to happen next. I feel like †¦ like some kind of object that's going to be used in someone's master plan. Like a pawn.' A bit of guilt tugged at me. Victor had always used people as part of a game. Was I any different? No. I cared about Jill. â€Å"You're not an object or a pawn,' I told her. â€Å"But you're very, very important, and because of you, a lot of good things are going to happen.' â€Å"It won't be that simple though, will it?' She sounded wise beyond her years. â€Å"Things are going to get worse before they get better, aren't they?' I couldn't lie to her. â€Å"Yeah. But then you'll get to contact your mom †¦ and well, like I said, good things will happen. Guardians always say â€Å"They come first' when we're talking about Moroi. It's not exactly the same for you, but in doing this †¦ well †¦' She gave me a smile that didn't seem very happy. â€Å"Yeah, I get it. It's for the greater good, right?' Sonya had spent a lot of the ride working on a charm for me, using a silver bracelet we'd bought at a roadside gift shop. It was tacky-looking but made of real silver, which was what counted. When we were about a half hour from Greenston, she deemed it finished and handed it over. I slipped it on and looked at the others. â€Å"Well?' â€Å"I don't see anything,' said Sonya, â€Å"but then, I wouldn't.' Jill squinted. â€Å"You seem a little blurry †¦ like I just need to blink a few times.' â€Å"Same here,' said Dimitri. Sonya was pleased. â€Å"That's how it should look to people who know she's got a charm on. Hopefully, to the other guardians, she'll be wearing a different face.' It was a variation of what Lissa had made when we'd busted Victor out of prison. Only, this required less magic because Sonya only had to slightly alter my features and didn't need to obscure my race. She was also more practiced than Lissa. The restaurant I'd chosen in Greenston had long since closed when we rolled in at eleven thirty. The parking lot was nearly black, but I could make out a car in the back corner. Hopefully, it was Mikhail having gotten there early–and not a guardian hit squad. But when we parked nearby, I saw that it was indeed Mikhail who got out of the car– along with Adrian. He grinned when he saw me, pleased at the surprise. Really, I should have seen this coming when I'd told him to pass the message on to Mikhail. Adrian would have found a way to come along. My stomach rolled. No, no. Not this. I had no time to deal with my love life. Not now. I didn't even know what to say to Adrian. Fortunately, I wasn't given the chance to speak. Mikhail had come striding toward us with guardian efficiency, ready to find out what task I had in mind. He came to a screeching halt when he saw Sonya get out of our car. So did she. They both stood frozen, eyes wider than seemed physically possible. I knew then that the rest of us had ceased to exist, as had all our intrigue, missions, and †¦ well, the world. In that moment, only the two of them existed. Sonya gave a strangled cry and then ran forward. This jolted him awake, in time to wrap her in his arms as she threw herself against him. She started crying, and I could see tears on his face too. He brushed her hair back and cupped her cheeks, staring down at her and repeating over and over, â€Å"It's you †¦ it's you †¦ it's you †¦' Sonya tried to wipe her eyes, but it didn't do much good. â€Å"Mikhail–I'm sorry–I'm so sorry–‘ â€Å"It doesn't matter.' He kissed her and pulled back only enough to look into her eyes. â€Å"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters except that we're together again.' This made her cry harder. She buried her face against his chest, and his arms tightened more fiercely around her. The rest of us stood as frozen as the lovers had been earlier. It felt wrong witnessing this. It was too private; we shouldn't have been there. Yet †¦ at the same time, I just kept thinking that this was how I'd imagined my reunion with Dimitri would be when Lissa had restored him. Love. Forgiveness. Acceptance. Dimitri and I briefly locked eyes, and an uncanny sense told me he was recalling my words: You have to forgive yourself. If you can't, then you can't go on either. We can't. I glanced away from him, looking back at the happy couple so that he wouldn't see me tear up. God, I wanted what Mikhail and Sonya had. A happy ending. Forgiveness of the past. A bright future ahead. Jill sniffled beside me, and I put an arm around her. That small sound seemed to draw Mikhail back to our world. Still holding Sonya, he looked over at me. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you for this. Anything you need. Anything at all–‘ â€Å"Stop, stop,' I said, afraid I might choke up. I'd only just managed to blink away traitorous tears. â€Å"I'm glad †¦ glad to have done it, and well †¦ it wasn't really me at all.' â€Å"Still †¦' Mikhail looked down at Sonya who was smiling at him through her tears. â€Å"You've given me my world back.' â€Å"I'm so happy for you †¦ and I want you to have this, to just enjoy this right now. But I have a favor. One more favor.' Sonya and Mikhail exchanged glances in a knowing way. You never would have guessed they'd been apart for three years. She nodded, and he returned his gaze to me. â€Å"I figured that's why he brought me here.' He inclined his head toward Adrian. â€Å"I need you to get me into the hotel where the Alchemists are staying.' The small smile on Mikhail's face dropped. â€Å"Rose †¦ I can't get you into any place. You being this close to Court is dangerous enough.' I pulled the bracelet from my pocket. â€Å"I'll have a disguise. They won't know it's me. Is there a reason you'd have to see the Alchemists?' Sonya stayed in his arms, but his eyes were dark with thought. â€Å"They'll have guardians near their rooms. We could probably pass ourselves off as relief.' Dimitri nodded in agreement. â€Å"If it's too different from their scheduled shift change, it'll raise eyebrows †¦ but hopefully you'll have long enough to get in and find out what you need. The guardians are probably more worried about the Alchemists getting out than other guardians getting in.' â€Å"Absolutely,' said Mikhail. â€Å"So it's you and me, Rose?' â€Å"Yup,' I said. â€Å"The fewer, the better. Just enough to question Sydney and Ian. I guess everyone else waits here.' Sonya kissed his cheek. â€Å"I'm not going anywhere.' Adrian had strolled over by now and given Jill a light, brotherly punch in the arm. â€Å"And I'm going to stay and hear how on earth you got involved with this, Jailbait.' Jill mustered a smile for him. She had a pretty hardcore crush on him, and it was a sign of her stress that she didn't blush and go all weak-kneed. They started a conversation, and Dimitri gestured for me to follow him around the car, out of sight. â€Å"This is dangerous,' he said quietly. â€Å"If that charm fails, you probably aren't going to get out of that hotel.' There was an unspoken alive at the end of his words. â€Å"It won't fail. Sonya's good. Besides, if we're caught, maybe they'll bring me back to Court instead of killing me. Imagine how much that will slow the elections.' â€Å"Rose, I'm serious.' I caught hold of his hand. â€Å"I know, I know. This'll be easy. We should be in and out in under an hour, but if we aren't †¦' Man, I hated grim contingencies. â€Å"If we aren't, then send Adrian to Court with Jill, and you and Sonya hide out somewhere until †¦ I don't know.' â€Å"Don't worry about us,' he said. â€Å"You just be careful.' He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. â€Å"Little dhampir, are you–‘ Adrian came strolling around the car, just in time to see that small kiss. I dropped my hand from Dimitri's. None of us said anything, but in that moment, Adrian's eyes †¦ well, I saw his whole world come crashing apart. I felt sicker than if a fleet of Strigoi were around. I felt worse than a Strigoi. Honor, I thought. For real: the guardians should have taught it. Because I hadn't learned it. â€Å"Let's hurry,' said Mikhail, walking over, oblivious to the drama that had just exploded beside him. â€Å"Sonya says you guys have a ticking clock at Court too.' I swallowed, dragging my eyes from Adrian. My heart twisted within my chest. â€Å"Yeah †¦' â€Å"Go,' said Dimitri. â€Å"Remember,' I murmured to him. â€Å"Talking to him is my responsibility. Not yours.' I followed Mikhail to his car, slipping on the charmed bracelet. Before getting inside, I cast a quick glance back. Jill and Sonya were speaking together, Dimitri stood alone, and Adrian was taking out a cigarette, his back to them all. â€Å"I suck,' I said dismally, as Mikhail started the car. It was ineloquent but pretty much summed up my feelings. He didn't respond, probably because it wasn't relevant to our task. Either that, or he was still too wrapped up in the renewal of his own love life. Lucky bastard. It didn't take long to reach the hotel. There were guardians around, covertly placed so as not to draw human attention. None of them stopped us as we walked inside. One even gave Mikhail a nod of recognition. They all looked at me like †¦ well, like they didn't recognize me. Which was good. With so many guardians helping at Court, new faces were to be expected, and mine didn't look like Rose Hathaway's. No one was concerned. â€Å"Which rooms are they in?' Mikhail asked a guardian who was standing in the lobby. â€Å"We're supposed to relieve that shift.' Mikhail's manner was perfectly self-assured, enough that the guardian–while a little surprised–seemed to think this must be okay. â€Å"Only two of you? There are four up there.' I saved us on that one. â€Å"They want more back at Court. Things are getting out of hand, so just two are being assigned here now.' â€Å"Probably all we need up there,' agreed the guardian. â€Å"Third floor.' â€Å"Quick thinking,' Mikhail told me in the elevator. â€Å"That was nothing. I've talked myself out of much worse.' The rooms were easy to spot because a guardian stood outside them. The rest are inside, I realized, wondering if that would be a problem. But, with that same authoritative attitude, Mikhail told the guy that he and the others had been recalled to Court. The guardian summoned his colleagues–one from each Alchemist's rooms, though we couldn't tell whose was whose–and they gave us a brief status report before leaving, including who was in which room. When they were gone, Mikhail looked to me. â€Å"Sydney,' I said. We'd been given key cards and walked right into Sydney's room. She sat cross- legged on her bed, reading a book and looking miserable. She sighed when she saw us. â€Å"Well, what is it now?' I took off the bracelet, letting my illusion vanish. There was no jaw dropping or raised eyebrows from Sydney. Just a knowing look. â€Å"I should have guessed. Are you here to free me?' There was a hopeful note in her voice. â€Å"Um, not exactly.' I hated that Sydney was going to get punished, but smuggling her out wasn't part of the plan now. â€Å"We need to talk to Ian, and it's probably best if you're there. He knows something important. Something we need.' That got the raised eyebrow. She pointed at the door. â€Å"They won't let us talk to each other.' â€Å"They aren't out there,' I said smugly. Sydney shook her head ruefully. â€Å"Rose, you really do scare me sometimes. Just not for the reasons I originally thought you would. Come on. He's next door, but you'll have a hard time getting him to talk.' â€Å"That's where you'll help,' I said, as we walked into the hall. I slipped the bracelet back on. â€Å"He's totally into you. He'll help if you ask.' As I'd guessed, Sydney was completely oblivious to Ian's crush. â€Å"What! He does not– ‘ She shut her mouth as we entered Ian's room. He was watching TV but jumped up when he saw us. â€Å"Sydney! Are you okay?' I shot her a meaningful look. She gave me a pained one in return and then turned her attention back to Ian. â€Å"They need your help with something. Some information.' He turned his gaze on us, and it immediately went colder. â€Å"We answered your questions a hundred times.' â€Å"Not all of them,' I said. â€Å"When you were at Court, you saw a picture on the table. Of a dead man. Who was it?' Ian's lips went into a straight line. â€Å"I don't know.' â€Å"I saw–er, that is, we know you recognized him,' I argued. â€Å"You reacted.' â€Å"I actually saw that too,' admitted Sydney. His tone turned pleading. â€Å"Come on, we don't need to help them anymore. This whole hotel-prison thing is bad enough. I'm sick of their games.' I didn't blame him, really, but we needed him too much. I glanced at Sydney beseechingly, telling her that only she could get us through this. She turned back to Ian. â€Å"What's the deal with the guy in the picture? Is it †¦ is it really horrible? Something secret?' He shrugged. â€Å"No. I just don't want to help them anymore. It's irrelevant.' â€Å"Will you do it for me?' she asked sweetly. â€Å"Please? It might help me get out of trouble.' Sydney was no master of flirting, but I think just the fact she came close to it astonished him. He hesitated for several moments, glanced at us and then back to her. She smiled at him. Ian caved. â€Å"I meant what I said. I don't know who he is. He was with a Moroi woman over in the St. Louis facility one day.' â€Å"Wait,' I said, derailed. â€Å"Moroi come to your places?' â€Å"Sometimes,' said Sydney. â€Å"Just like we came to yours. Some meetings happen in person. We don't usually hold your people prisoner, though.' â€Å"I think this guy was like her bodyguard or something,' Ian said. â€Å"She was the one there on business. He just followed and stayed quiet.' â€Å"A Moroi bodyguard?' â€Å"Not uncommon for those that can't get guardians,' said Mikhail. â€Å"Abe Mazur is proof of that. He's got his own army.' â€Å"I think of them more as a mafia.' My joke aside, I was getting confused. Despite the widespread disdain about learning to fight, sometimes Moroi did have to hire Moroi security because they just couldn't obtain a guardian. Someone like Daniella Ivashkov wouldn't have that problem. In fact, I was pretty sure she'd be entitled to two guardians if she stepped outside protective borders–and she'd made it clear she didn't think Moroi should fight. Why would she travel with Moroi protection when she could have better trained guardians? It made no sense. Still †¦ if you'd killed a queen, you probably did all sorts of unorthodox things. They didn't have to make sense. â€Å"Who was she?' I asked. â€Å"The woman?' â€Å"I didn't know her either,' said Ian. â€Å"I just passed them while they were on their way to something. A meeting, maybe.' â€Å"Do you remember what she looked like?' Something. We needed something. This was on the verge of falling apart, but if Ian could identify Daniella, we might just be set. â€Å"Sure,' he said. â€Å"She's easy to remember.' The ensuing silence irritated me. â€Å"So?' I asked. â€Å"What did she look like?' He told me. The description was not what I had expected.

Rosa Parks Essays - Montgomery Bus Boycott, Community Organizing

Rosa Parks Essays - Montgomery Bus Boycott, Community Organizing Rosa Parks Who is Rosa Parks? Rosa Parks is someone who grew up believing people should be judged by the respect they have for themselves and others. (Le Blanc, 190) Rosa Parks is mostly known for standing up for herself and for other all other African Americans when she refused to go to the back of the bus to give up her seat for a white man. (Le Blanc, 190) When Rosa took a stand, she didn?t do it to make her name go down in history. She did it because she believed in herself and she stood up for an injustice she thought was wrong. Rosa Parks is a courageous and very remarkable person. Rosa Parks was born in Tuskagee, Alabama. When she was a young child her parents separated. After her parents got divorced, she moved to Montgomery with her mom. (Le Blanc, 189) She grew up with an extended family that consisted of her maternal grandparents and Sylvester, her younger brother. (Le Blanc, 189) Rosa?s mother was a school teacher and she was taught by her until age 11. (Celsi, 1) At age 11 she went to Montgomery Industrial School for Girls. It was an all black school. Everything in Montgomery was either ?blacks only? or ?whites only.? Though she found it humiliating, Parks became used to obeying segregation laws. (Celsi, 1) ?With her mother?s help, Rosa was able to grow up proud of herself and other black people.? (Contemporary Black Biography, 190) By the time she reached the midpoint of her life, Rosa was no longer a stranger to white intimidation. (Le Blanc, 190) At the age of 20, Rosa married Raymond Parks, who was a barber. Rosa and Raymond had to keep steady jobs to support themselves. (Le Blanc, 190) Rosa hated the way of life. She had always dreamed of equality and freedom. (Stewart, 1) Although Rosa grew up with segregation, she turned out to be a very well rounded unique person many people can look up to. She was just a normal person with a normal life, but she did something that not many black people back then had the courage to do?she stood up for herself. In Rosa?s spare time, she became active in the NAACP. She was also active in the Montgomery Voters League. (Le Blanc, 190) The Montgomery Voters League was a group that helped black people pass a special test so they could register to vote. (Le Blanc, 190) Rosa had been silently protesting segregation in her own quiet way over the years. For example, instead of riding up an elevator that said ?blacks only? she would take the stairs. (Le Blanc, 190) The most well known boycott is the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This was a boycott that took place in response to Rosa?s arrest. Her arrest caused black people throughout Montgomery to refuse to ride buses. (Church, 393) The success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott encouraged a wave of massive demonstrations that swept across the South. (Church, 394) Rosa Parks has succeeded in establishing herself in history by what she did. She is one of the most honored and distinguished African Americans in our history. (Asante, 71) Rosa Parks stood didn?t only stand up for herself, she stood up for racism. It must have been hard for her because not only was she an African American, she was also a woman, and back then things were much more difficult for women. Even though Rosa did something very courageous, some might say she isn?t the best leader. Many leaders give speeches, lead demonstrations and write petitions. Rosa Parks didn?t do any of these things. Other people were motivated to do these things because of her standing up for herself. (Asante, 71) The most important incident that happened in Rosa?s life occurred on December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was riding the bus home from work like she did every day. But that day had been especially tiring. (Le Blanc, 190) The bus was a constant irritation to black people. The front four rows were reserved for whites (and remained empty even when there were not enough white passengers to fill them). The back section, which was always very crowded, was for black passengers. In between