What is the importance of understanding motivation and perception?

Motivation and perception are two psychological factors influencing human decision-making and behavior. Since they are at the root of human choices and behavior, there is great personal and social importance attached to understanding them. Also, since motivation and perception are psychological factors, they are complex in nature, and explanations for them have been developed by numerous schools of thought. Even so, there are uniform characteristics identified through each approach, making a basic discussion profitable.

Motivation
Motivation is influenced by inherent need and is defined as the desire to achieve a specific goal through goal-directed behavior. In a business setting, managers are successful when they have motivation to meet company expectations of production and growth. Managers can succeed when they can properly instill motivation in their employees to understand and achieve the tasks set before them relevant to production and growth. In a market setting, businesses can succeed if they understand consumer motivation and develop their brand and marketing to accord with it. These are some factors key in the importance of understanding motivation.

Perception
Perception determines how a person selectively attends to and organizes information. It is perception that drives motivation: if perception of task relevance is low, then the task will have low achievement priority; there will be low motivation to achieve the task. Perception is fluid, and each person selects information differently and organizes it differently. This selection and organization of information (perception) is affected by, depends upon and is filtered through personal circumstances of social, cultural, economic, religious, educational exposure and other background and experience. Perception has importance in a business setting because managers' and employees' motivation depends upon their perceptions of information related to task relevance, task performance, production specifications and company growth. Perception has importance in a marketing setting because successful branding and marketing depend upon how consumers in target markets perceive the product and the company. These are some key factors in the importance of understanding perception.

Discuss the idea developed by the text creator about how significant experiences can affect our lives.

In "Two Kinds," both the daughter, Jing-mei, and her mother have significant experiences that impact their lives. The mother's backstory reveals a significant event in her past that would shape the way she tried to raise her daughter. Jing-mei's mother left China in 1949 when the Communist Revolution occurred. In that event, she lost her parents, her husband, and "twin baby girls." But she didn't let those losses bring her to despair; instead she used that tragedy to spur her on to a new life, and she grabbed hold of America as the vehicle of all her hopes and aspirations for a better life. These dreams she forced on Jing-mei. She tried to create Jing-mei as a child prodigy; she wanted her to be famous and to capitalize on the new land of opportunity she had come to embrace as her country. However, when Jing-mei defied her, and especially when she shouted the hurtful words, "I wish I'd never been born! ... I wish I were dead! Like them!"--then Jing-mei's mother stopped pushing her to achieve. She gave up her hopes for Jing-mei, and "the lid to the piano was closed." 

That same incident changed Jing-mei as well. Just before that outburst, Jing-mei defied her mother's command to practice the piano. As she did so, she felt "as if my true self had finally emerged." This was the experience that solidified in the girl's mind that she would not tailor her life to please her mother, but that she would be herself. She would not live her life to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of her mother, to make up for what her mother had lost in China. Thus she disappointed her mother many times over the years, but Jing-mei did not seem to regret her decision. She was content to "only be me." Her experience of being the "Pleading Child" with her mother resulted in her coming to terms with who she really was, apart from her mother, a state which caused her to be, in the end, "Perfectly Contented." 

In the book Hatchet, how did Brian solve his raft problem?

Brian used logs that had branches protruding from them instead of clean logs, so he could bind them together more easily.

Brian needed a raft to reach the plane, where the survival pack was waiting for him.  He knew that he would need to make the raft himself, but he was not sure how.  Brian was able to find the logs, but he wasn’t sure how to combine the logs into a raft.

Keeping them together was the problem. Without rope or crosspieces and nails the logs just rolled and separated. He tried wedging them together, crossing them over each other—nothing seemed to work. (Ch. 17) 

Brian decided that the problem was that the logs he was looking at were smooth, and he needed logs “with limbs sticking out.”  He found some like that, and proceeded to “weave” them together.  He named his raft Brushpile One.  Then he had a new problem.  How would he keep it from floating away? 

Then he remembered his windbreaker and he found the tattered part he used for an arrow pouch. He tore it into narrow strips and tied them together to make a rope or tie-down about four feet long. It wasn't strong … but it should hold the raft to the plane. (Ch. 17) 

The other problem Brian had, once he solved these two problems, was that the raft barely moved.  It was dragging from its weight.  Brian decided to be patient, and turn back and try again in the morning when he had more strength.  Building the raft had taken a lot out of him. 

Brian’s work with the raft demonstrates a great deal of personal growth, which is something even he realizes.  He understands that he needs patience. He is able to stop and notice the beauty of the lake.  Brian is able to put things in perspective.  He is thinking about solving problems, and able to find solutions, without getting as easily frustrated as he used to.

In Animal Farm, if Napoleon teaches us that power corrupts, what does Snowball teach?

When one reviews Snowball's activities and what he said, it becomes evident that he had all the animals' interests at heart. He selflessly and tirelessly dedicated himself to their cause, which was to ensure a better life for all animals, free from bondage, abuse and exploitation. This aspect is clearly illustrated when he gets involved in the education of the animals, especially the less intelligent ones, his indefatigable work with his committees to ensure that the farm is run better and that everyone is involved, and his plans to build a windmill which would be used to generate electricity and make life much more comfortable and easier for everyone on the farm.

There is no evidence that Snowball bore any malice. He is depicted as good and is the perfect foil for Napoleon, who only had his own interests at heart. Although he occupied a position of authority, Snowball did not abuse his power to manipulate and exploit the other animals, whereas Napoleon did. In spite of benefiting from the windfall apples and the milk which disappeared, just as the other pigs did, Snowball never sought greater privilege or comfort for himself. He clearly wanted all the animals to, on the whole, benefit equally.

However, Snowball's kindness and hard work all came to nothing for he stood in the way of Napoleon's ambition. Napoleon wanted sole power and would ruthlessly pursue his goal. He was sly and carefully planned his ascension to become a dictator. He chose an opportune moment to ruthlessly get rid of Snowball by setting his dogs on him and chase him off the farm. He then demonized him and eventually turned the animals against him so that he was despised and seen as a traitor who was intent on destroying everything the animals hoped to achieve.

Napoleon used propaganda, manipulation, ruthless violence and threats to assert his authority and soon the animals found themselves even worse off than they had been under Jones and his men.

I believe that the lesson to be learnt from Snowball is that good can be overwhelmed by evil if those who do good are not wary of the malevolence lurking within their very midst. Snowball believed in himself and never guarded or acted against Napoleon. He was quite naive and never questioned Napoleon's motives. Although they disagreed most vehemently during meetings, Snowball never challenged Napoleon about his motives like, for example, about his purpose with the nine puppies that he had removed from their mothers once they were weaned.

The dogs became Napoleon's trump card and he used them to serve his insidious purpose. One can be sure that if Snowball had insisted that they be raised by their mothers and socialize with the general populace, the outcome would have been quite different. Bluebell and Jessie would definitely have supported him in this regard. His innate goodness did not allow him to suspect any malice on Napoleon's part and that was his greatest flaw. 

What are Abigail's characteristics in The Crucible by Arthur Miller?

Abigail Williams, Revernd Samuel Parris's niece, is a 17-year-old orphan with a penchant for lying. Originally encouraging of witchcraft, Abigail eventually blames it on Tituba and Ruth. She originally turns to witchcraft in an effort to make men like her, but later lies about what she has done. When Mary Warren and Betty, other girls, suggest they will tell the authorities in Salem what really happened, Abigail threatens them, saying,

Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you (page 19).

Just in case the girls don't believe her, Abigail reminds them that she saw her parents' heads bashed in by Native Americans, so she knows how to kill people. Abigail reveals she will do anything to protect her name and accuse others of her own misdeeds.

Abigail is a bitter, nasty person who has no qualms about controlling people and seeking revenge. When John Proctor terminates their sexual relationship, she seeks revenge by accusing his wife, Elizabeth, of witchcraft. Later, as Abigail hypocritically calls on heaven to help her in court, John Proctor attacks her and cries, "How do you call heaven! Whore! Whore!" (page 88). When Elizabeth fails to back up John's confession that he had an affair with Abigail, Abigail is able to triumph in her attempts at deceit and manipulation. 

Can you help me write five short questions from Chapters 1-5 of Hellen Keller's The Story of My Life?

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Was Stalin a true hero?

The answer to this question depends largely on your definition of what a hero is.  By my definition, Stalin is most definitely not a hero.

It would be possible to say that Stalin was a true hero if you define a hero simply as someone who accomplishes notable things.  Stalin certainly accomplished some important things.  He was the ruler/dictator of the Soviet Union for over 20 years.  During that time, he led the country through World War II, in which it did much of the work of defeating Nazi Germany.  He forced the country to industrialize, taking it from a backwards economy to one that could at least compete with the US in terms of military power.  Under his rule, the Soviet Union became one of the two most powerful countries in the world.  This is notable, so if you think that a person can become a hero just by doing notable things, Stalin was a true hero.

However, in my mind, a hero is not just someone who accomplishes notable things.  Instead, a hero has to be in some way noble and has to be morally admirable.  We have to be able to look at a hero and say “I would want to have those qualities.”  A hero also has to work for goals that we can applaud.  If we look at things in this way, it is hard to call Stalin a true hero.  It is true that he was driven and determined, and it is true that those are good qualities.  However he was also extremely vicious, ruthless, and selfish.  He killed or imprisoned millions of people simply for disagreeing with him or for being, in his mind, a threat to his power.  He implemented policies that caused millions more to die of starvation.  He had no compunctions about condemning people to death (either through execution or through overwork/starvation) in order to achieve the goals that he had set. 

A hero (in my view) has to be someone who has good moral qualities and who pursues worthy goals in good ways.  If we define a hero in this way, Stalin was not a hero.

Where is the quote in Shelley's Frankenstein when Victor is trapped in a storm and only sees the figure of the creature for a moment before it...

There doesn't seem to be a passage that shows Victor trapped in any storm. The only person trapped in the story is Captain Walton when his ship becomes stuck in ice while heading towards the north pole. In Letter IV, Walton and his crew watch the creature travel across the ice on a sledge pulled by dogs while they are trapped. Walton describes the scene to his sister as follows:

"We watched the rapid progress of the traveller with our telescopes until he was lost among the distant inequalities of the ice. This appearance excited our unqualified wonder. We were, as we believed, many hundred miles from any land; but this apparition seemed to denote that it was not, in reality, so distant as we had supposed" (8).

In this passage, Walton describes the creature as though he were an apparition that moves very quickly. It doesn't use the words "supernatural speed," though.

There is another time when Victor is in a storm and he sees the creature for just a moment, but he is not necessarily trapped. In Chapter 7, Victor heads home to Geneva to be with his family after hearing about William's murder. He is abruptly caught in a storm while going to visit the spot where his brother was killed. The thunder and lightning herald the storm that rapidly falls upon him. It is through lightning that Victor catches glimpses of his monster, which he created two years previous to this encounter. He describes the scene as follows:

"I perceived in the gloom a figure which stole from behind a clump of trees near me; I stood fixed, gazing intently; I could not be mistaken. A flash of lightning illuminated the object, and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy daemon to whom I had given life . . . The figure passed me quickly, and I lost it in the gloom . . . another flash discovered him to be hanging among the rocks of the nearly perpendicular ascent of Mont Saleve. . . He soon reached the summit, and disappeared" (50).

In this passage, Victor doesn't use the words "supernatural speed," but it is apparent that the creature moves just as quickly, because with each flash of lightning Victor finds it at another location on the mountain. Then, in Chapter 10, Victor does use the words "superhuman speed" when the creature approaches him while he is on top of a mountain during a rainstorm. The passage is as follows:

"I suddenly beheld the figure of a man at some distance, advancing towards me with superhuman speed. He bounded over the crevices in the ice, among which I had walked with caution; his stature, also, as he approached, seemed to exceed that of a man. I was troubled: a mist came over my eyes, and I felt a faintness seize me; but I was quickly restored by the cold gale of the mountains" (67-68). 

Based on the passages cited, it seems as though these all encompass what is asked for in the above question: someone trapped, a storm, and the creature moving with "superhuman speed." The first passage shows Walton trapped in ice when he sees the creature; the second one shows Victor in a storm when he sees the monster for the first time since he created it; and the third one has Victor in a rainstorm, witnessing the speed of the monster, but it doesn't disappear; rather, Victor mentions its speed with the closest phrase in the book to "supernatural speed," which is actually "superhuman speed."

What is the unit for mass?

Mass is a concept that is difficult to describe without referring to its own definition; in many places, you'll find a circular statement that refers to "matter." A more physics-based concept involves the distinctions between matter, mass, and weight. If you're getting into physics, this is important, but for a biology or chemistry class, where you have a constant amount of gravity and you're really only talking about things taking place on Earth, you can usually treat weight and mass as the same thing.

The international unit of mass is the gram, which is approximately the weight of a drop of water. Grams are a good unit of measure for chemistry experiments, but for large objects like people or cars, or for large-scale reactions like industry or physics calculations, much larger units such as kilograms need to be used.

What factors contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965?

The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were very important accomplishments of the civil rights movement. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was something that had been proposed by President Kennedy prior to his death in 1963. However, President Kennedy didn’t help many people get elected to office in 1960, and they weren’t willing to stick their neck out on what was considered to be a very controversial bill at that time. When President Kennedy was assassinated, this changed the dynamics for this bill.

President Johnson used the assassination of President Kennedy to help get support for this bill. He told Congress the passage of this bill was a way to honor the legacy of the fallen leader. President Johnson knew President Kennedy wanted this bill passed. President Johnson had helped other elected officials in the past with programs they had wanted, and he was able to call in some favors to get this bill passed.

The nonviolent protests also helped bring about the passage of this bill. People were able to watch on television how nonviolent protesters were treated in Birmingham in 1963. They were able to see how the nine kids that tried to attend high school at Central High School in Little Rock were being treated. These events helped to sway public opinion in favor of passing this law.

The Voting Rights Act was also passed as a result of how the police treated the marchers who were protesting the lack of African-American registered voters. When people watched on television, they saw the brutal methods that the police used against the nonviolent marchers who were attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery. President Johnson was also infuriated. This led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Both of these laws were major accomplishments for those who believed change could occur through the use of nonviolent methods.

What point of view does the author use to tell the story in The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate?

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly, is a young adult novel which follows the self-education and adventures of Calpurnia "Callie" Virginia Tate, a young girl living on a pecan planation outside Fentress, Texas, who resists the traditional feminine duties placed on her in favor of more interesting scientific pursuits. After theorizing about the differences in grasshopper species on the lawn outside her house, Callie works up the courage to ask her aloof Granddaddy to borrow a copy of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. Impressed by her intellectual curiosity and knowing that the world is at the turning point of modernity with the 20th century rapidly approaching, Granddaddy takes Callie under his wing and helps educate her about the natural and scientific world.

So, to answer your question, the book is told through the voice of Callie in a first person point of view. Callie is spunky, smart, curious, and independent; her voice provides a fascinating insight into being a girl at the turn of the century and depicts an interesting narrative perspective of self-discovery.

Explain what Kant meant by the statement "Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind."

This statement encapsulates much of Kant's thinking about the relationship between sense impressions and thoughts found in the Critique of Pure Reason. 

Our intuitions, are the representations or perceptions which are given to us of objects. They are not noumena, or things-in-themselves, which are inaccessible to us but rather phenomena as we reflect on them in our minds, filtered through the fundamental frameworks of space, time, and causation which structure our perceptions. Without concepts, however, they are random and meaningless. For a person to understand a brown blob passing across her visual field as a bird, and understand it as a warm-blooded feathered creature, requires having concepts of flying, birds, living creatures, etc. 

On the other hand, a concept of a bird is empty without experiences of birds. In fact, one cannot really conceptualize birds without having experienced many different birds and begun to understand their commonalities. 

In other words, we can only know or understand the experience of a bird flying past us through a combination of perception and a priori knowledge. 

How well does the writer of "The Canterville Ghost" portray fear, mystery, suspense, and supernatural happenings in the story?

Ultimately, this is a question of opinion.  Different readers will determine different levels of effectiveness across those four items.  For me, when I look at all four of those items listed, I feel that the author does a mediocre job of portraying those elements.  I think that Wilde does a great job of portraying supernatural happenings and mystery.  The supernatural element is easy.  The story is about an actual ghost, a reoccurring blood stain, and a "Garden of Death" that is accessed through a wall.  The mystery of the story is done quite well too.  The circumstances surrounding the house and why a ghost is there in the first place is mysterious.  There is an element of mystery regarding how the ghost is going to try and scare the Otis family next, and there is an element of mystery regarding how the Otis family is going to annoy Sir Simon next.  

However, I don't believe that Wilde portrays fear and suspense quite as well as the other two.  Don't get me wrong, there are parts that are definitely scary.  For example, the first time that Sir Simon tries to scare Mr. Otis is scary.  The ghost shows up with burning red eyes, looking ragged, and dragging chains.  That's scary.  Unfortunately, Mr. Otis is not scared at all.  His family isn't scared either.  In fact, the Otis family makes it a goal to pester the ghost.  They have fun with it.   The fact that the Otis family isn't scared at all takes a great deal of potential fear and suspense out of the story.  Readers know that the ghost is going to try all kinds of scary things, but we also know that none of it is likely to work.  The story just isn't that terribly scary and suspenseful because of Wilde's intentional comedic elements.  

What is a summary of Shakespeare's Sonnet LX (60)?

William Shakespeare's Sonnet LX is about Time as a destructive force.

This destructiveness of Time is the threat to anything that is temporal. But the speaker contends that the sonnet, composed of written words which he creates, will last through time as testimony to his love.

The opening lines of this sonnet contain a simile that compares Time ("minutes") to the waves that wash upon "the pebbled shore"; each minute replaces the one before. Life moves this way to the end. Using personification, Shakespeare writes that birth "Crawls to maturity," that, once reached, ends in death. Nothing can withstand Time.

Thus, Time is a destructive force because it ages people, and then they die:

Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth,
And delves the parallels in beauty's brow;....
And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow.

Time changes the color in one's cheeks and puts wrinkles in the brow, and the body succumbs to age. However, while Time will take the minutes and wash them away, the sonnet will last to laud the loved one's worth despite the "cruel hand" of Time.

This is the message of Sonnet LX: All things that live will age and die. But poetry will last, so the poet's sonnet will continue to praise the loved one, despite the ravages of Time on all that lives.

What is a single pivotal moment in the moral development of Scout in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird?

The trial demonstrates Scout's moral development.

Scout grows up considerably over the course of the book.  When the book first begins, she is going into first grade and very immature.  She doesn’t understand the situation when she finds out that her father is defending Tom Robinson.  She thinks Boo Radley is a monster.  She fights with other children at the drop of a hat.  However, in time Scout grows to better understand human nature and develop an adult's moral consciousness through empathy for others.

The moment when you first realize that Scout's moral sense has developed to the point that she understands human nature is during the trial.  Scout shows that she is thinking about her father, her brother, and Mayella.  This is a sign of maturity.  Earlier on, Atticus tried to get Scout to see things from others’ points of view.  Scout begins to do this.

The first example is when a group of Cunninghams try to lynch Tom Robinson while Atticus is the only one there to stop them.  During the lynch mob incident, Scout walks into the middle of a mob of angry men and tries to strike up a conversation with Walter Cunningham’s father, based on what little common ground she can find from what little she knows about him, and the fact that she goes to school with his son.

Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not about what you were interested in. Mr. Cunningham displayed no interest in his son, so I tackled his entailment once more in a last-ditch effort to make him feel at home. (Ch. 15)

In this way, Scout diffused a very serious situation.  She did not completely understand what she did nor how she did it, but she did it based on a very grown-up impulse to try to understand someone she barely knew.  She was doing what Atticus taught her, albeit inexpertly.  Despite this, or maybe because of it, she succeeded.  Scout broke up the crowd, because they could no longer go through with anything after that.  As Atticus said, “it took an eight-year-old child to bring ‘em to their senses” (Ch. 16).  Scout taught a moral lesson to a group of men.

Scout also showed that she appreciated what others went through when she listened to Mayella testify.  You would think that Mayella would be her enemy, since she was the one who accused Tom Robinson of rape and Atticus was defending him.  As Scout listened to Mayella testify and her father’s cross-examination, however, she put herself in Mayella’s place.

As Tom Robinson gave his testimony, it came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years. (Ch. 19)

Scout also shows compassion for Jem during and after the trial as she realizes that he expects Atticus to win and he is heartbroken when he doesn't.  She watches her father very closely too, and feels for him every step of the way.    She doesn't understand everything that happens, but has empathy and an emotional connection.

The trial is pivotal because it shows Scout what the world is really like.  It requires her to show compassion for Walter Cunningham, Mayella Ewell, Atticus, and her brother.  The trial affected all of their lives, but for Scout it demonstrated that she was really growing up.

Who are the new neighbors in the Philbrick's Freak the Mighty?

In chapter two of Philbrick's Freak the Mighty, it is the first day of July and Max is bored. He goes outside for a change of scenery from his basement bedroom and sees a local moving van. There's a duplex next to his grandparents' house, and he sees that the unit that has been vacant since last December is the one that new neighbors are moving into. Then he spies Gwen, whose name he doesn't know at the time. He feels as though he recognizes her by thinking the following:

"I'm thinking, hey I know her, and then I'm thinking, no way, butthead, no way you'd know a female that beautiful" (7).

Max then notices Kevin crawling around and yelling at the moving men. He remembers him from their daycare days and assumes that this is where he would have seen his mother, too. Therefore, the new neighbors moving into the duplex next to Max's house are Gwen and Kevin (a.k.a Freak). If it weren't for them moving into the apartment next door, Max never would have developed a real friendship. This friendship benefits Max in so many ways because Kevin helps him to learn how to read, write, and to be confident. 

What is the symbolic meaning of Giles Corey being pressed to death in Act IV of The Crucible by Arthur Miller?

The symbolic meaning of Giles Corey being pressed to death in Act IV of The Crucible reflects how he will not acquiesce to deceit.

Giles Corey is one of the most stubborn characters in The Crucible. Miller's physical description of Corey reflects many of the traits he shows throughout the drama:

Knotted with muscle, canny, inquisitive, and still powerful. . . He didn't give a hoot for public opinion, and only in his last years did he bother much with the church. He was a crank and a nuisance, but withal a deeply innocent and brave man.

Corey does not hesitate to speak his mind, as he does not "give a hoot for public opinion." Motivated by bravery and courage, Corey is passionate about truth. For example, he constantly challenges Putnam's motivations. Corey suggests Putnam's intentions are driven by greed for land more than spirituality. In his time in front of the court, Corey refuses to give into the pressure Danforth and Hathorne exert on him, acting as his own legal counsel. Corey is also pure of heart. He sincerely asks Hale questions about his wife's reading habits out of curiosity. He has no idea such questions could be manipulated into accusations against her. Throughout the drama, Corey actively avoids peer pressure. He will not be forced to do something unless he believes in it.

Corey's death symbolizes what he embodied throughout the play. Elizabeth's description of his death communicates how he represented his beliefs until the very end:  

He were not hanged. He would not answer aye or nay to his indictment; for if he denied the charge they’d hang him surely, and auction out his property. So he stand mute, and died Christian under the law. And so his sons will have his farm. It is the law, for he could not be con-demned a wizard without he answer the indictment, aye or nay. 

To compel Corey to talk, he was pressed to death. When he insists on "More weight," Corey challenges social pressure. Corey defiantly confronts authority's desire to get him to do something he refuses to do. By insisting on "more weight," Corey emphasizes that he will not lie or embrace deceit. His challenge for more stones emphasizes this refusal.

Corey was a devoutly Christian man. This is reflected in how Elizabeth says he wanted to die with his faith. In this way, Corey acts as a Christ-figure. His sacrifice shows the transgressions within the world around him. Corey's death symbolizes the injustice of the Salem Witch Trials and how resistance in the face of unrighteousness is the only appropriate response. By refusing to speak, Corey shows how goodness and one's word do not have to be sacrificed upon the altar of public pressure.

Who is the antagonist in Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand?

Although one could argue there are multiple antagonists in Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand—including the ocean and Louis Zamperini's own self-doubt—perhaps the most accurate answer would be Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe.

During Zamperini's time as a prisoner of war in the Pacific, Watanabe was responsible for the war camp where Zamperini was held. Although there is no explicit reason stated for why Watanabe had a hatred of Zamperini, a few conclusions can be made.

Because Watanabe had not been able to attain the rank of officer in the Japanese military, he despised all those who were officers in the U.S. military. Zamperini was one of those officers. Watanabe would force U.S. troops to hit their own officers in the face, perhaps because of the disdain he had for not being made an officer himself.

The main reason why Watanabe had a severe dislike for Zamperini could be because Zamperini refused to be broken by Watanbe. While Watanabe operated by invoking fear and tearing men down, Zamperini held true to his internal strength and convictions and did not cower in Watanabe's presence.

This, in turn, only angered Watanabe more and made him want to dole out more punishments on Zamperini. The two were caught up in this seemingly endless cycle of punishment and resistance throughout Zamperini's time at the camp.

How to solve 3^sin^6x + 3^cos^6x by A.m. G.m. Method?

Hello!

The AM-GM inequality states that for any non-negative numbers `a` and `b`

`(a+b)/2gt=sqrt(a*b),` or `a+bgt=2sqrt(a*b).`

Therefore it may be suitable for estimating a sum from the below.

Denote `sin^2(x)=u,` then `cos^2(x)=1-u` and the function becomes

`3^(u^3)+3^((1-u)^3).`

`u` may be any number in `[0,1].`

We may apply this for our function and obtain an inequality

`3^(u^3)+3^((1-u)^3) gt= 2sqrt(3^(u^3)*3^((1-u)^3)) =`

`= 2*3^(1/2(u^3+(1-u)^3)) = 2*3^(1/2(1-3u+3u^2)).`

The exponent `1/2(1-3u+3u^2)`  has one and only one minimum at `u_0=1/2 in [0.1],` the value at `u_0` is `1/8.`

So for any `u` we have `3^(u^3)+3^((1-u)^3) gt= 2*3^(1/8),` and this inequality becomes an equality only at `u_0=1/2.`

Now recall that  `u=sin^2(x).` It is equal to `1/2` when `sin(x)=+-1/sqrt(2),` so at `x=pi/4+(k pi)/2.` This way we have found minimums of the given function. They are `pi/4+(k pi)/2,` and the minimum value is `2*3^(1/8) approx 2.294.`  

What did the poet wish to do when he took the path that he had not been able to choose in "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost?

The speaker says he wishes he could go back and take the other road after having chosen one.

"The Road Not Taken" is about a person who comes to a fork in a road and has to choose between two roads. He comments in the beginning that he wishes he could travel both. Since he can only choose one road, the speaker stops and thinks about his choice for a while. He notices one of the roads is grassier than the other one. It is fall, so leaves cover the road.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth 

Eventually, the speaker chooses one path, and says he will come back for the other one. He also comments that, given how life usually turns out, he doubts he will ever be back again to take that other path. 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

The speaker tells us his decision to take the less-traveled path made all the difference for him. We can assume this means he never went back to try the other one. He seems to be pleased with the less-traveled path, though.

The poem can be seen as a metaphor for life. In life, you cannot make two decisions simultaneously. You might make a decision and then try to go back and make the other choice, but that option is often no longer open to you.

What is the "ancient, inescapable recognition” that Golding refers to in the novel Lord of the Flies?

In Chapter 8, Simon encounters the severed pig's head in his secluded spot in the forest. Simon is mesmerized by the pig's head and the swarming flies around it. He begins to hallucinate and hears the voice of the Lord of the Flies. The Lord of the Flies initially tells Simon to go back to the group of boys and tell them that his stomach was upset. Simon then closes his eyes and tries not to look directly at the severed head. When Simon finally has the courage to stare back at the Lord of the Flies, Golding writes, "his gaze was held by that ancient, inescapable recognition" (198). The "ancient, inescapable recognition" that Simon is referring to is the presence of evil. Unlike the other boys on the island, Simon realizes that each individual possesses an inherent wickedness. Simon's recognition is "ancient" because ideas and beliefs about evil have been around since the beginnings of civilization. Historically, humans have believed in the existence of some form of good and evil. Simon understands that humans are essentially evil beings which is an idea closely related to Christian theology's concept of "original sin."

What is the caste system in Brave New World?

Simply put, the caste system in Brave New World is based on intelligence that was more or less determined during conception. 

Therefore, those of higher castes (and thus higher intellect), were the most nurtured throughout their embryonic development. However, those of lower castes had their mental development actively sabotaged by dividing one embryo multiple times through Bokanovsky's Process and then by adding alcohol or restricting oxygen flow to these fetuses. There are five total castes, all of which are characterized below and organized in descending order.

Alphas: They typically dress in gray and are extremely intelligent. They hold the most sophisticated jobs. They are prone to becoming very individual and to crave more than a strictly structured society can give them (e.g. Bernard and Helmholtz). 

Betas: They usually wear mulberry colored clothes and are intelligent enough to easily perform skilled work, though the work they do is slightly less complex than what Alphas do. As well, they are far less likely to be dissatisfied with what society has to offer them.

Gammas: They most often dress in green and are considered to be of average intelligence. They are moderately skilled laborers, often working as mechanics or in other positions that involve manual labor and a degree of thought. Gammas and the proceeding castes go through Bokanovsky's Process and have their development hindered as a fetus. 

Deltas: They dress in khaki and have very little individuality and intellect. They are employed in simple and repetitive professions such as helicopter attendants or factory workers.

Epsilons: They wear black and are often referred to as "semi-morons" because they lack even the ability to read and write. They do the most menial and unwanted jobs. 

Also, due to the sabotage of embryonic growth, people of lower castes are much shorter and considered uglier than people of higher castes.

It should be noted that all of the above plays into the overall theme of class conflict Huxley is trying to present and satirize.  

What drove Mark Twain to become a cub-pilot on a Mississippi riverboat?

In Chapter Four, Mark Twain tells us he always wanted to be a steamboat pilot; it was his childhood ambition for as long as he could remember.

He tells us that, as time progressed and all his boyhood friends grew up, many heeded the call of the river by working as ship engineers, mud-clerks (general workers who performed the dirtiest jobs on a steamboat), and pilots on the Mississippi River. Mark Twain asserts that a steamboat pilot's pay was in itself a great lure; every pilot was paid between $150 and $250 a month, a "princely salary" at the time. Additionally, the steamboat pilot never had to pay for board, and his salary easily eclipsed that of a preacher's. To become a steamboat pilot, one had to train as a cub-pilot. This is partly why Mark Twain was driven to become a cub-pilot; without the training, he would never have realized his ambition of becoming a steamboat pilot.

Mark Twain also liked the idea of traveling on the water; such an adventure exhilarated him and gave him a profound sense of well-being and vigor. On a ship bound for New Orleans, he wrote,

When we presently got under way and went poking down the broad Ohio, I became a new being, and the subject of my own admiration. I was a traveler! A word never had tasted so good in my mouth before. I had an exultant sense of being bound for mysterious lands and distant climes which I never have felt in so uplifting a degree since. I was in such a glorified condition that all ignoble feelings departed out of me, and I was able to look down and pity the untraveled with a compassion that had hardly a trace of contempt in it.

So, basically, Mark Twain was driven to become a cub-pilot because of a boyhood ambition to work as a steamboat pilot and a desire to reap the material benefits from such an occupation. Additionally, he also viewed a life on the water as one replete with adventure and excitement.

How could "Meeting at Night" be considered as a love poem?

The poem appears to be written from the perspective of one lover on their way to reach their beloved.  The first stanza describes the beginning of the journey this lover must make to reach their beloved and have this "Meeting at Night": he or she travels some distance in a boat.  The speaker describes the colors of the sea and land at night as well as the waves rippling away from the boat and seeming to reflect the "yellow half-moon" because they seem "fiery."  It is notable that the speaker identifies the waves' color with fire because fire often symbolizes passion, which is what such a lover would feel. 

In the second stanza, the speaker reaches the beach and must travel by land now, before they can "tap" quietly at the window pane of their beloved. Then, the person inside the house strikes a match, perhaps, to light a candle -- as there seems to be some need for secrecy (perhaps they are unmarried, or perhaps their relationship is otherwise forbidden -- we don't know for sure) -- and, again, the reference to fire could be symbolic of passion.  Then, the last two lines are where we find the most evidence for this interpretation: "And a voice less loud, thro' its joys and fears, / Than the two hearts beating each to each."  Thus, they whisper, joyful, perhaps, at the sight of the lover and fearful of being caught.  These whispering voices are softer than the sound of the two hearts beating for one another.  The pounding of their hearts lets us know that strong emotion is involved in this scene.  Then, the great trouble the speaker has gone to in order to reach this person, as well as the earlier references to fire, lend themselves to the interpretation that this "Meeting at Night" is a poem about two lovers.  

In the book Outliers: The Story of Success, Gladwell says, "to say that garment work was meaningful is not to romanticize it." What does he mean by...

The analysis of the Jewish garment industry in New York is the subject of Chapter Five, “The Three Lessons of Joe Flom.” Here Gladwell shows that the reason so many children of immigrant garment workers become lawyers and doctors is that they had the benefit of the Jewish experience; they were born in the early 1930s; and they saw their parents and grandparents reap the benefits of meaningful work. One of the main stories is about Louis and Regina Borgenicht: immigrants who created their own business making and selling aprons before the turn of the last century. They became successful, but only because they were diligent at sewing and marketing their pieces. They couldn’t just sit back and let anyone else do the work for them: or at least, not at first. Gladwell says that in order for people to feel as though their work is satisfying, it must have three qualities: “autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward.” The garment workers’ path was not an easy one, and not one that should be romanticized. We can’t assume that every aspect of it was simple and wonderful and came out perfectly, every time. But with experience and over the course of some years, its immigrant originators were able to profit from it, both financially and emotionally.

Describe the central tenets of Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism. What similarities can be found among these three religions?

It would be quite presumptuous to think I could do full justice to the details of three major world religions in a single post, but I think I can at least give you some of the broad strokes about their similarities and differences.

All three religions are found primarily in India and East Asia, and have existed for at least 2000 years.  All three are very complex and have a variety of different traditions---especially Hinduism, which is probably the most diverse religion in the world. All three religions share the common basic moral values that are found in almost every human culture, such as prohibitions on murder, theft, and fraud. All three religions involve belief in reincarnation and karma in at least some of their sects. In addition, all three religions emphasize meditation and nonviolence as paths to enlightenment.

Jainism takes nonviolence particularly seriously, as many Jain are strict vegans who believe that all living things have souls, and seek to minimize their harmful impact on all things, even the plants and the soil. Buddhists and Hindus are also often vegetarians, but a significant number are not.

Sexuality is viewed quite differently in Hinduism compared to the other two religions; there is a strong tradition of Hinduism viewing sexuality as an important part of enlightenment (such as the Kama Sutra, which is actually a Hindu sacred text as well as a sex manual). Buddhism and Jainism generally view sexuality as a form of personal indulgence that is to be generally minimized if not avoided altogether. Due to the great diversity of beliefs within these religions, there are many exceptions to both of these broad patterns.

Buddhism and Jainism are both more codified than Hinduism.

Hinduism has no one particular text or set of laws that all Hindus believe in.

Almost all Buddhists follow the Three Practices (virtue, meditation, enlightenment) and the Four Noble Truths (suffering exists, suffering is caused, suffering can be ended, suffering is ended by following the eightfold path).

Almost all Jain believe in the Three Jewels (right belief, right knowledge, right conduct), as well as the Five Great Vows.

Then we come to the thorny question of how many gods. Buddhists may believe in no god, one god, or many gods. Hindus generally believe in many gods, but often have one god that they believe all other gods come from. Jain generally believe in no gods at all.

How would I write a short script based on "Scout walks Boo home, but never saw him again due to his shyness and childlike behavior" from To Kill a Mockingbird?

If one were to write a short script about Scout walking Boo home on the night that he saves her life, it would certainly be one-sided because he doesn't speak. Scout, therefore, would have all of the lines, and she would have to verbally interpret Boo's body language for the audience to understand. Within the script, then, stage directions might be useful to indicate Boo's part. For example, some ways to describe Boo's movements could be as follows:

"When Boo Radley shuffled to his feet, . . . every move he made was uncertain, as if he were not sure his hands and feet could make proper contact with the things he touched. He coughed his dreadful raling cough, and was so shaken he had to sit down again. His hand searched for his hip pocket, and he pulled out a handkerchief. He coughed into it, then he wiped his forehead . . . His hand tightened on mine and he indicated that he wanted to leave" (277-278).

From the passage above, examine Boo's mannerisms and body language, then apply those into the script. Scout even says that the way Boo communicates is through "his body English," which she could mention in the script as well. 

As far as what Scout might say on the way to Boo's house, she might say a few things in the script that she wished to say from the novel. For example, Scout feels as though she and her family haven't been as neighborly as they could have been as expressed in the following excerpt:

"Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad" (278).

Maybe at the end of the script Scout could mention that she will suggest to Atticus to send Boo Radley a gift for helping them out that night. Or maybe Scout promises to tell Jem everything when he's awake in the morning, too. Whatever Scout says, she does know that she most likely will never see Boo again. However, she would rather respect his wishes than annoy him by trying to get him to communicate if he doesn't want to. 

Based on the following scenario, what stage of team performance would you consider this team to be currently in?You are part of an organizational...

I believe the question is asking about Bruce Tuckman's four stages of team development. He wrote about the four stages in his 1965 article titled "Developmental Sequence in Small Groups." What's great about Tuckman's four stages is that they are easy to remember because they rhyme. The four stages of team development are "forming," "storming," "norming," and "performing."  

Based on the question, it seems that the team has been in the performing stage for the past three years. Everyone knew their roles, the leader was clearly identified, there was a common goal everybody worked toward, and there was very little (if any) friction among group members.  

Unfortunately, the addition of the new group member who doesn't learn quickly and can't do as much as the rest of the team members has knocked the team performance out of the performing stage. I wish I could say the team only moved back one stage to the norming stage. The norming stage is characterized by team members beginning to "gel" together and figure out where individual strengths are best applied. Team members in this stage usually get along with each other, but group performance isn't at peak levels yet. This is where the team in the question should be with the addition of a new member. One new member shouldn't be able to throw off all the group cohesion established over the previous three years; however, I think the new group member has pushed the team all the way back to the storming stage. 

The following is a brief summary of the storming stage:

Storming often starts where there is a conflict between team members' natural working styles. People may work in different ways for all sorts of reasons but, if differing working styles cause unforeseen problems, they may become frustrated. 

The above paragraph fits well with the scenario described in the question. There is conflict between team members about workloads, and it is causing frustration among existing group members.  It would be especially frustrating in your example because the previous, slightly smaller team can recognize the team no longer performs at peak levels.  

In "The Lumber Room" by Saki, how was Nicholas to be punished?

In “The Lumber Room” by Saki Nicholas is punished in a number of ways for his supposed transgressions. But is he really punished?

During breakfast, Nicholas refuses to eat his milk and bread because there is a frog in it. As he describes the frog in great detail, he is scolded for being obstinate. When the adults realize the frog really exists and it is of Nicholas' own doing, they are angry. His self-appointed aunt hastily plans a trip to Jagborough for the other children, but Nicholas is excluded from the trip. Is this truly a punishment for Nicholas? In the aunt's mind it is, but Nicholas sees it as an opportunity.

While the others are away, the aunt forbids Nicholas from entering the gooseberry garden, which is filled with delightful fruits and plants. Nicholas pretends to want access to the garden. This punishment is meaningless to him because he does not want to go into the garden. It becomes more of a trial for the aunt who spends her whole afternoon patrolling the outer walls of the garden so Nicholas cannot gain entry.

While the aunt is preoccupied, he executes his plan to enter the lumber room, which is filled with tapestries, artwork, and books. He enjoys the delights in the room when he is supposed to be punished for being “in disgrace.”

Although the aunt aimed to punish Nicholas, she is the one who is ultimately penalized by his actions. She fell into the water tank and had to be rescued. On the other hand, Nicholas had a satisfying day exploring the contents of the lumber room.

What is the danger in not having books?

One of the most significant themes throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 examines government censorship which makes owning or possessing literature illegal in Bradbury's dystopian society. In a conversation between Montag and Faber, Faber explains why books are important. He tells Montag,

"After all, when we had all the books we needed, we still insisted on finding the highest cliff to jump off. But we do need a breather. We do need knowledge. And perhaps in a thousand years we might pick smaller cliffs to jump off. The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are" (Bradbury 82).

Faber is essentially telling Montag that books are important to keep humanity from repeating past mistakes. The danger of making books illegal and obsolete is that former knowledge will no longer be preserved, and humanity will be destined to keep repeating its failures. In addition to preserving knowledge, government authority will remain unchecked without authors and critics critiquing its policies. Authoritative governments will be able to maintain and control the populace at the citizen's expense. Without books, humanity's innovations and advancements would stagnate and the populace would lose its political voice, clearing the way for corrupt politicians to enforce unjust policies.  

What are some similarities between Cast Away and The Pursuit of Happyness?

One similarity between Cast Away  and The Pursuit of Happyness is their affirmation of hope despite difficult external conditions.

In The Pursuit of Happyness, Chris Gardner faces challenging realities. Financial problems and their impacts on his marriage as well as homelessness are a few of these external conditions. He struggles with life as a salesman and as an intern who tries to obtain a coveted position. However, Chris's emotional strength enables him to persevere through these obstacles.  He is confident that his life will improve. His optimism is evident in the relationship he develops with his son and in the way he treats other people. External reality challenges, but never withers, his confidence.  In a similar way, the ability to maintain optimism in the midst of overwhelming challenges is seen in Chuck's situation in Cast Away. Stranded after a plane crash, Chuck battles through natural elements in order to survive.  Creating fire, honing his skills as a fisherman, developing ways to get off the island, and even his relationship with Wilson represent Chuck's hope.  Even when Chuck returns and finds that his fiancee has married another person and that he was taken for dead, he does not lose hope.  His faith in restoration can be seen in how he returns the package that "saved his life" and in his smile at the end of the film.  He stands at the literal crossroads, holding hope for his future.  Cast Away and The Pursuit of Happyness are similar in the way the main characters embrace hope despite harrowing conditions around them.

What took Hellen Keller's sight and hearing, and how old was she then in The Story of My Life?

At nineteen months old in 1882, Helen Keller, who had been a normal, healthy baby, fell ill with what doctors described as "an acute congestion of the stomach and the brain." It is conjectured that this may have been scarlet fever or meningitis. 

In her autobiography Helen writes,

One brief spring, musical with the sound of robin and mockingbird, one summer rich in fruit and roses, one autumn of gold and crimson sped by and left their gifts at the feet of an eager, delighted child. Then, in the dreary month of February, came the illness that closed my eyes and ears....

However, before she lost her sight and hearing, the precocious Helen had learned several words, such as "tea" and, of course, "water--wah, wah" which came to be the link to her understanding of the sign language which Anne Sullivan taught her. Fortunately for Helen, hers was a redoubtable spirit and a quick mind, so she was able to learn from her mother who had her touch things and taught her to imitate the actions of making what she wanted such as turning a handle for ice cream or cutting with a knife for bread. 

How does the government obtain and maintain power over the populous in Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451?

The government in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 doesn't have to force the populous to be submissive to its desires. In fact, the government simply capitalizes on the weaknesses of the populace to take control and maintain its manipulative power. When people stopped reading, educating themselves, and caring about anything other than having fun, the government easily stepped in by creating a system where people could tattle on their neighbors for having books. Faber explains it as follows:

"Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord. You firemen provide a circus now and then at which buildings are set off and crowds gather for the pretty blaze, but it's a small sideshow indeed, and hardly necessary to keep things in line. So few want to be rebels any more" (87).

This passage proves that the firemen system of control is intended to be an intimidation tool for the government, which it is to an extent, but it isn't necessary. Those who dare to read books do it in secret and don't try to take over the government. However, the government also provides many distractions for its citizens in order to maintain power. Radio seashells, parlor walls, sleeping pills, and fast cars are a few examples of what people use to distract themselves from the manipulation going on in their society. Captain Beatty verifies the concept of distraction as a tool for manipulation as follows:

"More sports for everyone, group spirit, fun, and you don't have to think, eh? Organize and organize and super organize super-super sports. More cartoons in books. More pictures. The mind drinks less and less" (57).

The government wants the people to be distracted with sports and other mindless activities so they won't worry life's difficult issues or changing their society. Beatty explains the government's policy in other words:

"Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely 'brilliant' with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy" (61).

Captain Beatty freely gives this information to Montag because people wouldn't care even if the truth about the government manipulating society got out. As long as the government keeps people in the dark about what matters in life, and people think they are happy, then nothing more needs to be done to maintain power and control.

To what extent does the supernatural foresee what is already within a character in Shakespeare's Macbeth and Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus?

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the supernatural is primarily represented by the Three Witches. Early in the play, they greet Macbeth with two titles which he does not yet hold. The last of these titles is that of king: "All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!" Given this comment, it seems reasonable to conclude that these women foresee that Macbeth is ambitious enough to become king, even if it means participating in the murder of the king, who also happens to be a relative of his and a guest in his house when the killing takes place. The Three Witches may also foresee that Macbeth's wife is also ambitious enough to encourage Macbeth to kill King Duncan. 

As for Oedipus in Sophocles' earlier play, the supernatural in that play is primarily represented by Apollo, a god connected with wisdom and with the famous oracle at Delphi (also called Pytho in the play). It is difficult to say, though, what character trait Oedipus has which leads him to kill his father and marry his mother, as Apollo's oracle predicted. Indeed, this is a matter of great controversy. Some have thought that Oedipus had a bad temper, although other scholars have denied this.

What cannot be denied, though, is that Oedipus was a man who wanted to discover the truth, no matter what the cost. Perhaps this is what Apollo foresaw in Oedipus. It was Oedipus' search for the truth about his parents that led him to leave the house of Polybus and Merope and travel to Delphi. During that journey, he had a violent encounter with Laius, whom he killed, but did not realize was his father.

It was also Oedipus' search for the truth that led to him discovering that he had, in fact, killed his father and married his mother. So, perhaps Apollo foresaw that Oedipus was the sort of person who would seek the truth even if it destroyed him, his father Laius, and his mother Jocasta. 

      With all these indications of the truth
      here in my grasp, I cannot end this now.
      I must reveal the details of my birth. (Johnston translation)

What does Tom Buchanan want from his wife, Daisy, and what does he want from Myrtle Wilson?

From his wife, Daisy, Tom Buchanan wants to be respected and loved.  When she mocks the books he's been reading, he "glanc[es] at her impatiently."  Further, when Daisy refers to him as "hulking," he objects "crossly," saying that he hates the word, even if she's joking around.  As though to taunt him, she says it again.  Tom speaks passionately about his belief that "the white race" has to be careful so that minority populations do not gain "'control of things.'"  He seems to want to be taken seriously by his wife and by Nick, though neither seems to respect his opinions.  Later, during the confrontation between Gatsby and Daisy and Tom, Tom feels utter disbelief when he learns that his wife "never loved" him; this seems to be what angers and hurts him the most.

From his mistress, Myrtle, Tom seems to require subservience.  When he and Nick go to the valley of ashes so that Nick can meet Tom's "girl," Tom issues an order for her to get on the next train and meet them in NYC.  He doesn't ask or care if she's free or what she wants.  When she says Daisy's name over and over, after he's demanded she never say it, he breaks her nose.  He wants her to be there for him whenever he wants; he wants to control her without question from her.  It seems possible that he wants this from Myrtle since he cannot have it with Daisy.

By definition, cyber-crime occurs in "cyberspace.” Where, exactly, is "cyberspace"? What are some examples of cyber-crime? Is catching...

1. Where, exactly, is "cyberspace"?
According to U.S. government definitions of cyberspace as reported in the CRS report "Cybercrime: Conceptual Issues for Congress and U.S. Law Enforcement" (2015), cyberspace is the "virtual environment of information and interactions between people" ongoing in "the interdependent network of information technology infrastructures." This information technology infrastructure consists of "the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and controllers in critical industries." Cyberspace is a "constructed world" that can be "controlled or altered by man." It is "a fabrication ... a construct, cyberspace is mutable," an environment that can be "modified and transformed" (CRS report).

In other words, cyberspace is the function of electronic activities and transactions involving communication and exchanges between people and modifications and transformations of the "interdependent network" proceeding at all times, via the inter-connectivity of cyber-infrastructures, and traversing across the street, across the state, across the nation, across the globe. Cyberspace is "where" the components of the infrastructure are; it is "where" a transaction begins in one electronic device and "where" it terminates in other electronic devices; it is "where" the electronic signal traverses during any electronically commanded action. Cyberspace is that virtual environment through which electronic command signals traverse, and it is bordered by the physical infrastructure components that begin, continue and end electronic actions.

6. What are some examples of cyber-crime? Is catching cyber-crime like lassoing a cloud?
There are many types of cyber-crime, with the fastest growing one being identity theft, according to law enforcement. South African law defines cyber-crimes as "any criminal or other offence that is facilitated by or involves the use of electronic communications or information systems, including any device or the Internet or any one or more of them" (Electronic Communications and Transactions Amendment Bill, 2012). Crime-Research.org uses the definition "crimes committed on the internet using the computer as either a tool or a targeted victim." Some examples of cyber-crime are: point-of-sale (POS) skimming, online child pornography (CRS report), fraud and transferring proceeds of fraud, downloading disruptive programs such as viruses and spyware, online harassment and bullying (uslegal.com).

Since cyber-crime has an agent and a victim in a physical, real, geographical location--even though the location of the cyber criminal may be disguised and routed through many electronic cyber-byways--catching cyber-crime is not like lassoing a cloud. Each cyber-crime and criminal falls under some definition of crime and some jurisdictional authority. While it is true, as governments agree, that specific universal definitions of cyber-crime are not yet established and that there are "jurisdictional challenges" (CRS report), the agent and the victim--whether a computer or a person is the victim in any given cyber-crime--have physical locations during the event of the crime. These locations provide groundwork for untangling jurisdictional authority and cyber-crime definition challenges on a case-by-case basis.

Despite criminals exploiting virtual space, the criminal actor and the victim(s) are located in the real world—though often in different cities, states, or even countries. Similarly, the digital technologies used to facilitate these crimes, such as Internet servers and digital communication devices, are located in physical locations that may not coincide with the locations of the criminal actors or victims. As such, law enforcement faces not only technological but jurisdictional challenges in investigating and prosecuting cyber criminals. (CRS report)

Make your reactions regarding this...

My first reaction is entirely due to the fact that I'm American. In America, we've had a contentious health care debate raging for a couple of decades now. When the Democrats make their case for government run health care or universal health care they often cite the Canadian system as an example of how to do it right. This articles illuminates the fact that, like other countries, Canada is struggling to deal with the medical implications of a larger elderly population than at any point in history.

The article details the problem Canadians are having with long delays in seeing doctors or receiving care. This is something that public healthcare opponents in America have warned about. It even goes so far as to say that Canada is falling behind America since the U.S. instituted Obamacare. The idea that Obamacare has actually improved healthcare in the U.S. would make some Americans scratch their heads (although not those who are now under the healthcare umbrella for the first time).

But it looks like the problem in Canada is not quality of care for the general population; rather, it is how to handle what it calls the “silver tsunami,” the large group of citizens who will become elderly in the next 15 years. Instead of having an adequate supply of long-term care facilities, these citizens are being “warehoused” in regular hospitals, where they are taking up valuable time, space, and resources and still not receiving appropriate care.

The answer seems to be investing in more long-term facilities that will specialize in the care of the elderly. This will make it possible to properly supervise patients with age-related conditions such as dementia and problems with walking and movement.

What the article does not address is the problem that always goes along with any new social programs or major initiatives—money. Where will the money come from to implement new care facilities? New taxes? Or will the medical industry be able to figure out how to reapportion enough existing funds toward new facilities for the elderly?

The article notes that Ottawa is apparently in greater danger of being negatively impacted by this issue than the rest of Canada, implying that this is due to the fact that Ottawa has not fully taken part in the Canadian healthcare system.

What were the various acts and measures passed in England attempting to administer and control the Colonies?

The diverse acts and measures the British passed against the colonists were unified in their intent to increase control.

There were many British initiatives designed to intimidate the colonists. An entire list cannot be presented in this space. What is featured is more of a guide to examine the most critical acts and measures that made the case for revolution so strong in the colonists' minds.

One of the very first acts England passed against the colonists was the Proclamation of 1763. This law enforced a boundary against colonial settlement in the new frontier. It limited the colonists' freedom of mobility. It inspired colonial resentment for a couple of reasons. The colonists perceived the Proclamation of 1763 as ingratitude for supporting the British in the French and Indian War. The colonists believed the only reason Britain won against their French nemesis was because of their sacrifice for the English cause. To have such a law passed in the face of that sacrifice triggered resentment. Another reason why the colonists were angry was because they felt their rights were being curtailed. The colonists did not appreciate being told where they could and could not go.  

The colonial chorus that sang about the need to protect the violation of rights grew louder in 1764 when British Parliament passed the Sugar Act. This law was one of many taxes passed against the colonists. The preamble that explained the law's passage was direct:

It is expedient that new provisions and regulations should be established for improving the revenue of this Kingdom... and... it is just and necessary that a revenue should be raised... for defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the same.

It was clear the colonists were being viewed as a source of revenue without any consent or representation, something that angered colonists quite a bit.

A year later, the British passed a pair of acts designed to increase control over the colonists. The Quartering Act forced colonists to house and feed British soldiers, while the Stamp Act was another tax. This particular required colonial publications to obtain a "stamp" of approval from the British. Both acts fueled colonial anger. Colonists felt their political and economic rights were being wantonly violated. Colonial protests began to emerge. While such resistance resulted in the repeal of the Stamp Act, the British passed the more expansive Declaratory Act, which affirmed British power over the colonists “in all cases whatsoever.”

The Tea Act was one of the most important laws passed because of the response it generated. The act was designed to prop up the British East India tea company, allowing its tea to flood the colonial marketplace by imposing taxes on any other tea consumed. As a response, the colonists organized the Boston Tea Party, where colonial protesters boarded British sea vessels with tea and then dumped all the tea onboard into the Boston Harbor. The protestors proceeded to burn down British ships.  

The British response to the Boston Tea Party resulted in another series of laws and actions designed to control the colonists. Describing the Boston Tea Party and colonial resistance as "intolerable," the Intolerable Acts were passed. One of these acts closed Boston Harbor, preventing Boston merchants from seeing any trade profits go in or out. Additionally, Massachusetts colony was placed under British administrative control, reducing the its colonial government's power. The Intolerable Acts reinforced the Quartering Act as a means of increasing British military presence in the colonies. The repression of colonial rights in the Intolerable Acts led to greater organized resistance. The creation of the First Continental Congress resulted in the colonies acting like an organized nation, united in their belief that British authority had to be challenged.  

What are some of the foreshadowed events in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flanner O'Connor?

The main foreshadowed event in this story is the family's--and most particularly--the Grandmother's encounter with the Misfit, who is mentioned by the Grandmother in the first paragraph of the story. The family's death is another event foreshadowed by the mention of the Misfit. The Grandmother will mention him a second time--quite a lot for a story of this length--when the family stops for lunch at the diner while traveling toward their vacation destination. By the time the car ends up in a ditch in a deserted area and the Misfit and his men appear, we as an audience are not surprised to see him, unsettling as this may be, and not surprised that his intentions are malevolent. Further, since the Grandmother has been the one most obsessed with him, we are not surprised that they have the most interaction, and at the very end, a brief moment of connection. 

What is a disadvantage of running a fast-food franchise?

According to data in Chapter 4 of Fast Food Nation, the International Franchise Association (IFA) has overstated the benefits of owning a franchise. A 1998 IFA survey reported that 92% of franchise owners said they were successful. However, this survey left out franchises that had gone bankrupt. Timothy Bates, an economics professor at Wayne State University, has found that 38.1% of new franchise businesses went under. Another study reported in Chapter 4 found that three-quarters of American companies that began to sell franchises in 1983 had gone out of business a decade later. These rates of failure are higher than those of independent businesses.

In addition, people who buy fast food franchises are coming into more frequent conflict with the fast food chains. Fast food restaurants are often located near each other, pitting one franchise against each other. Franchise owners are usually left to their own devices after opening their restaurants, so they have to put up with fast food chains placing competing restaurants next to theirs, a process called "encroachment." Fast food chains earn royalties from each restaurant, so they are eager to open as many restaurants as possible; they therefore encourage the process of encroachment. In addition, fast food chains require their franchise owners to waive their legal rights to lodge complaints against the chain. The franchise owners therefore have no legal recourse against policies of the chains that they do not like. 

In "The Canterville Gost" by Oscar Wilde, why doesn't the Canterville ghost make any plans to frighten Virginia?

The Canterville ghost does not make any plans to frighten Virginia because she is the only member of the family who does not humiliate or belittle him. In Chapter Three, for example, it is noted that Virginia does not "enter into the joke" of the re-appearing blood-stain in the library. This contrasts with her brother, Washington, who is constantly cleaning it. Similarly, as the narrator mentions:

She had never insulted him in any way, and was pretty and gentle.

Evidently, the ghost likes Virginia and does not want to upset her. There is also another reason why the ghost does not make plans to scare her: he knows that he will soon need her help. Once he has tired of trying to scare her family, the ghost becomes depressed and thinks often about death. In order to die, however, he must fulfill the prophecy on the library window which expressly states that he needs a "golden girl" to pray for him. As the only character who fits this description, the ghost knows that he must appeal to Virginia and her good nature for his dreams to be realized.