What are the nerves present in the tongue called?

The nerve supply of the tongue is quite complex. It is understandably so because of the multiplicity of its functions. The tongue is a muscle mass occupying most of the oral cavity and it plays a very important role in taste. It is also involved in chewing, swallowing, speech and oral cleaning.

To perform these roles, the tongue is equipped with four intrinsic and four extrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles originate outside the tongue and insert in the body of the organ while intrinsic muscles are exclusively located within the substance of the tongue.

The intrinsic muscles are the superior longitudinal, the inferior longitudinal, the transverse and the vertical. The extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus and the palatoglossus. With the exception of the palatoglossus muscle, the motor function of the seven other intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue is controlled by the hypoglossal nerve. The palatoglossus muscle is controlled by the pharyngeal plexus of the vagus nerve.

The sense of taste in the anterior two thirds of the tongue (excluding the vallate papillae) is controlled by the chordae tympani branch of the facial nerve while taste in the posterior one third (excluding the vallate papillae) is controlled by the lingual branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.  

Touch and temperature sense in the anterior two thirds is controlled by the lingual branch of the trigeminal nerve while in the posterior one third, touch and temperature sense is controlled by the lingual branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.

In Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome, why do the three friends think that they are unwell?

The three friends think that they are unwell because they appear to be exhibiting certain symptoms of malaise. For example, Harris and George both claim to be experiencing "extraordinary fits of giddiness," which leaves them at a great disadvantage. Meanwhile, Jerome is convinced that his liver is out of order.

Eventually, the three friends decide that they are unwell because they are overworked. Harris suggests that a vacation of some sort is in order, while George pipes up that a change of scenery is what they need. He maintains that such a change will "restore the mental equilibrium."

Jerome agrees with George, and he suggests that they should "seek out some retired and old-world spot, far from the madding crowd" to go to for a week. However, Harris wants to have a "sea trip." For his part, Jerome doesn't like the idea at all, due to the fact that his brother-in-law and friend had bad experiences on their respective sea trips.

After much arguing about the possibility of one or all of them getting seasick on a sea trip, the three friends agree to go up the river for their vacation.

How does Chinua Achebe, through his novel Things Fall Apart, counter the imperialist stereotypes of Africa as an uncivilized continent?

In An Image of Africa, Achebe talks at length about the grotesque and inaccurate African caricatures that inhabit the margins of Western literature and exist only to justify the condescending white narrative of the "uncivilized" continent of Africa:

Heart of Darkness projects the image of Africa as "the other world," the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man's vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality (1614).

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart was written in part to counteract poisonous Eurocentric depictions of Africa as a "dark" continent. Indeed, by centering the novel on the traditional warrior Okonkwo and casting white settlers as an invasive force, Achebe subverts Eurocentric expectations. One interesting section that shows that the white settlers have displaced traditional Umuofian values occurs when Okonkwo and Obierika discuss a land dispute. The white settlers installed a European judicial model in Umuofia and, in doing so, have completely upset the customs of the people. When Okonkwo asks if the white man understands Umofian culture, Obierika responds in a pointed fashion,

How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad. . . He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart (176).

Here, Achebe gives readers an often marginalized perspective. White settlers believe (perhaps sincerely) that they help "uncivilized" Africans by applying their own model of justice. Achebe shows the side often disregarded or overlooked by Western literature: he shows that this "fair and balanced" approach by white judges tosses aside decades of Umuofian customs.

Perhaps the most interesting and foreboding passage of the novel comes at the very end. After spending the majority of the novel in the native perspective, Achebe shifts the narrative focus to the white District Commissioner. The novel ends as he ponders how to work Okonkwo's story into his own book:

The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph at any rate. . . He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger (208-9).

The ironic part here, of course, is that much more than a paragraph has already been written about Okonkwo. The arrogant District Commissioner wants to appropriate only the section that he finds interesting about Okonkwo and weave this into his own Eurocentric vision of Africa. Even the working title of his book reveals that he considers the people of the region to be monolithic, a group defined by their "primitive" nature and destined to be "pacified" by white settlers.

Thus, by writing the novel from the typically overlooked perspective of a traditional tribal man in Nigeria, Achebe subverts Western ideas about the region.

I took the passage from An Image of Africa from The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, 2nd ed.

I need help understanding deforestation and a reliable reference.

Two of the references below would be good sources to cite in an undergraduate paper on deforestation.

Deforestation is not just a modern issue, but has had a major effect on human ecosystems since the development of slash and burn agriculture, in which forests are cleared and then burned to create farmland. Unfortunately, this type of agriculture is extremely inefficient, as the soils left behind by this process are rarely suitable for sustainable agriculture once deprived of their forest canopies. In areas of the western United States such as Utah, pinyon-juniper forests are also destroyed to create grazing land, leading to rapid desertification. Logging is perhaps the major cause of deforestation, with urbanization and development also being major issues.

The first global negative effect of deforestation is that it reduces wildlife habitat and biodiversity, leading to species endangerment or extinction. An even more globally important issue is the way it disrupts climate cycles and contributes to global climate change. The main solutions are development of sustainable logging practices, tree planting initiatives, and creating global reserves of virgin forests. 

How long does Lent last?

In the Christian calendar, Lent refers to the period before Easter, and it is usually a six-week (40 days) long observation, before the Easter celebrations. There might be variations among the different Christian denominations. However, the activities of Lent tend to be similar. The beginning of the observation may be different; for instance, Catholics begin observing Lent on Ash Wednesday, with the activity lasting till Holly Thursday. For Protestants, Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Celebrating Lent is a common practice among Christians, and during the period, it is a time of self-reflection on personal life. The main idea is to live a Godly life in the days gearing up to Easter. Similarly, Lent is characterized by fasting and giving up on leisurely activities such as watching television. Charitable activities might also be adopted during such times. These might be visiting orphanages and giving out food and clothing to the destitute.

Is there any other variable that shows an upside of A.D.H.D, other than creativity?

I have a son who has attention deficit (hyperactive) disorder (ADHD), so unsurprisingly, I have done a great deal of reading about it.  While I do think that as with autism, there is a spectrum that makes generalization difficult, I do see how there are some benefits to ADHD. 

It is important to understand that ADHD is somewhat misnamed, since many people who have it can and do pay attention to things. It is just that their attention is somewhat uneven.  And in fact, many people who have ADHD tend to hyper-focus on what interests them, and this can be a powerful advantage. There is a down side to this, of course, since responsible adults need to focus on many things they would rather not, like washing dishes or paying bills.  Generally, though, hyper-focus is often behind the accomplishments of people with ADHD, who double down on projects they are enthusiastic about.

Other advantages stem from the "hunter/gatherer" school of thought regarding ADHD.  From an evolutionary perspective, people who didn't sit still very long were far more likely to live and succeed well enough to pass on their genes.  Moving one's camp frequently and acting unpredictably were advantages in many ways against one's foes.  Also, the person with ADHD tends to not have as many sensory filters, so everything just pours in, sounds, sights, smells, touches, and tastes.  Such a person is in close touch with the environment, very alert in many ways, perhaps better able to track game or forage for food than those who did not have ADHD. While it may not be obvious that this remains an advantage in today's world, I think in many ways it must be.  Soldiers are helped by it, certainly.  An organization that needs some micromanaging would be well-served by this quality. Staying safe in a high-crime area requires this kind of alertness.  And I would rather go on a nature walk with my son than anyone else I know.  He doesn't miss a thing, and thus, neither do I. 

Our genetic diversity exists for a reason, to roll the genetic die to see what works and what doesn't. If we were all alike, we would lose a great deal more than we would gain.  The qualities of ADHD have disadvantages, to be sure, but creativity, hyper-focus, unpredictability, and high awareness are qualities that can be used to great advantage.  

What are the TYPES of disputes that are solved by the Supreme Court? When does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction?

The Supreme Court hears cases involving the Constitution of the United States. Normally it has appellate jurisdiction, meaning that it does not decide the facts of a case, but has the power to accept or overturn the rulings of lower courts on the basis of law. It has the authority to invalidate laws created by state or federal government if those laws are found to violate the Constitution. In practice this is the most important role of the Supreme Court; in validating or invalidating state and federal laws it has had a large impact on national policy ranging from campaign finance regulations to LGBT rights. Famous cases such as Roe v. Wade and Brown v. Board of Education are almost always cases where the Supreme Court exercised appellate jurisdiction to rule a law Constitutional or un-Constitutional.

The Supreme Court does occasionally have original jurisdiction, meaning that it decides the actual facts of a case as a lower court normally would. This is true when dealing with suits between two or more states, as well as with any cases involving international diplomats or treaties.

While the Supreme Court will only hear cases that are referred to it by lower courts, the Supreme Court can refuse to hear any case (with a few rare exceptions), and typically accepts only 100 to 150 of the 7,000 cases it receives each year.

What are 2 rules that are positive in their nature, and how do they help the community; also, what are 2 rules that are negative and...

The rules of the dystopian society of The Giver are meant to keep life controlled and predictable so that life will be made easier and safer. 

Here are two rules that are positive in nature.
These rules are not as restrictive as many of the others, and are, therefore, not so damaging to individuality:

1. "The evening telling of feelings" with the family (Chapter One)

Whereas many feelings are controlled and certain words are not permissible, the discussion of emotions with one's family provides the members of a family a time in which they are relaxed together and share their thoughts and feelings. Even though they are restricted from using words that are considered too harsh or strong in feeling, the family members, at least, are in the safety of their own home. There they need not be embarrassed, as they often are otherwise if they say something that is not within the parameters drawn by their controlled society.

2. The morning "ritual" of telling of dreams (Chapter Five)

Again, because the expression of certain feelings are controlled through vocabulary and pills (e.g. "stirrings"), when the family members discuss their dreams, there is some outlet for individual expression. After all, much of the meaning that people find in their lives comes from the sharing of emotions and ideas. In addition, when they are out in the community, people must control themselves so much that they need outlets for voicing their feelings such as the family discussions.  

Here are two rules that have negative aspects:
These rules are extremely restrictive and even deny people's humanity.

1. Assignments

That the Elders assign what role in the community each person will play is a denial of personal freedom of choice. This custom is extremely oppressive and denies individuality and personal expression. Each person should have the right to pursue whatever goals in life he or she desires. The Assignments handed out by the Elder are like receiving a life sentence from a judge except for not being considered a punishment.

2. The pills for "stirrings"

This rule also denies the humanity of the individual. In the community people are essentially neutered and are not permitted to procreate. To deny people their sexual feelings and the ability to have physical relationships and give birth to their own children is to deprive them of their essential natures.

The need for rules and laws

While no civilized society can be without rules and laws, these regulatory restrictions are usually made to protect citizens from those who would do harm were it not for such rules and laws. They are not designed to overly-control and restrict lives as is the case in the society of The Giver.

In "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde, why doesn't the presence of the ghost cause any fear in the Otis family?

The ghost of Sir Simon was not scary to the Otis family in the slightest.  The first indication that readers have of the Otis family's disregard for the ghost is the fact that they bought the property in the first place.  They were told that a ghost inhabited the property, but the fact didn't phase Mr. Otis at all.  

"You are certainly very natural in America," answered Lord Canterville, who did not quite understand Mr. Otis's last observation, "and if you don't mind a ghost in the house, it is all right. Only you must remember I warned you."

Mr. Otis's fearlessness is in part because he doesn't believe the ghost exists, but even when he comes face to face with the ghost, Mr. Otis is not scared at all.  Sir Simon shows up with burning red eyes and looking overall quite scary.  

His eyes were as red burning coals; long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted coils; his garments, which were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.

Mr. Otis isn't phased in the slightest.  In fact, Mr. Otis calmly hands the ghost a bottle of oil and tells Sir Simon to use it on his chains in order to stop making so much noise.  

The Otis twins are equally unafraid of the ghost.  In fact, they make it their mission to antagonize and instill fear in the ghost.  They do this by playing every summer camp prank in the book on Sir Simon.  The shoot him with pea shooters.  They set up buckets of water to dump on him when he comes through a door.  They install trip wires in the halls, and they even lube up the floors with melted butter.  

Finally, Virginia Otis is equally unafraid of the ghost; however, she shows her fearlessness differently than the rest of her family.  Virginia shows her fearlessness of the ghost by showing him empathy and by working to help him achieve eternal rest.  

Explain as thoroughly as you can how the slave trade affected African society.

In my view, the best source to consult on this is C.L.R. James's The Black Jacobins. Please pay particular attention to the first chapter, "The Property."

James uses the lectures of the late anthropologist and African scholar Emil Torday to assess the violence wrought on African societies by the Atlantic slave trade. He posits that, according to Torday, "in the sixteenth century, Central Africa was a territory of peace and happy civilisation [sic]" (James 7). Other historical sources, including John Hope Franklin's From Slavery to Freedom, place the beginning of the slave trade in the early fifteenth century. However, demand for slaves was not as high at this time due to the plentiful cheap labor offered by British indentured servants at this time.

James discredits historical revisionists who claim to have rescued Africans from tribal warfare by bringing them to the New World. He also counters those who cite systems of slavery which existed in West and Central Africa to excuse or diminish the inhumanity of the Atlantic slave trade: "It was on a peasantry in many respects superior to the serfs in large areas of Europe, that the slave-trade fell" (James 7). 

The strongest and healthiest men and women were sold to European traders. This was the likely cause of tribal life being "broken up," resulting in "millions of detribalised [sic] Africans [being] let loose upon each other" (James 7). The destruction of communities allowed for recklessness. Violence and ferocity survived due to weakened tribes and poor leadership. The horrors did not end there:

The unceasing destruction of crops led to cannibalism; the captive women became concubines and degraded the status of the wife. Tribes had to supply slaves or be sold as slaves themselves (7).

With that last sentence, James takes on a more sympathetic view of decisions made by tribal chiefs and kings. Recent historians, such as Henry Louis Gates, Jr., have been more critical. Arguably, the truth is somewhere in between. Certainly, there were those who were blinded by greed, who coveted the gold and guns that European traders brought in exchange for human chattel. However, as James argues, there were probably also those who feared the Europeans' navies and weaponry -- those who offered men, women, and children not out of cruel avarice but for survival.

The United States and Great Britain ended the African slave trade in 1807, though slaves continued to be traded throughout the British colonies and in the United States. Other European countries, such as Spain, continued to kidnap and import slaves to their colonies, though some shipments were derailed by British navies. 

Despite the end of the slave trade early in the nineteenth century, the exploitation of Africa -- this time, all over the continent -- would continue during the Age of Imperialism. By the 1870s, European nations, particularly Britain, began exploring Africa for mineral resources which would help fuel and supply their industries. The Berlin Conference of 1884-85, also known as the West Africa Conference or the Congo Conference, regulated colonization between European nations (i.e., allowed nations to divide Africa according to their own industrial needs), and helped lead to the emergence of Germany as a colonial power.

While it is certainly true that the African slave trade greatly diminished African societies -- some, according to James, as far south as Mozambique -- the exploitation of the continent did not end there.

Source: James, C.L.R. The Black Jacobins. New York: Vintage Books. 1989. Print.

In the book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, what is the theme and how does the book relate to the title?

There are a number of themes evident in Maya Angelou’s novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In Ms. Angelou’s autobiographical narrative, she delves into the themes of persistence, inner fortitude and resilience in the face of adversity, endemic prejudice, education as a means of addressing social ills, and hope that supersedes life’s atrocities.

Throughout Marguerite Johnson's life she is exposed to strong Black woman who encourage her to pursue her education. At the same time, she is exposed to segregation and prejudice. In addition, she endures abuse which breaks her spirit. She stops speaking until she is able to physically move away from the abuse, and to heal psychologically.

The title of the book provides a strong message mirroring Maya Angelou’s life. Although she endured many challenges and atrocities, she was able to find her voice. She used the experiences which “caged” her to teach others about commonalities in the human spirit through her literary works. She gave a voice to the downtrodden, allowing them to "sing."

Migration within a country is closely linked to the socio-economic conditions of the population. Debate which push factors and pull factors would...

The factors that would motivate migration from rural to urban areas include the push factors of crop failures, drought, poverty, lack of clean water, lack of healthcare and education, natural disasters, war, and others. The pull factors motivating people to go to urban areas include job opportunities, opportunities for education, food, stability, a good economy, no wars, entertainment, and better healthcare. 

Migration from cities to suburban areas is driven by the push factors of pollution, overcrowding, expensive and insufficient housing, crime, expensive healthcare, and lack of job opportunities in cities. Pull factors drawing people to suburbs include more affordable housing, more spacious housing, less crime,  and convenience of shopping and other entertainment. 

The push factors that would drive people to move from urban to rural areas include pollution in cities, overcrowding in cities, expensive or insufficient housing, instability or war in urban areas, crime, and expensive healthcare. Pull factors drawing people to rural areas would include less pollution, open spaces for settlement and play, less crowding, more safety, and more affordable healthcare and housing. 

What are all of the boys bringing into the dining room of the McNab house in Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli?

The boys are bringing cinder blocks into the dining room.

The McNab house is pretty unusual.  Manaic Magee stays there because he wants to help Piper and Russel, but he finds the house messy and disorganized.  The Cobras do not share the same values as Manaic.  He does not see race, and they are a very racist group.

The McNab house is hardly clean.  Still, it can get worse.  Maniac doesn’t approve of the cinder block wall they are building for their revolt against the African-American East Enders.  He still finds it hard to believe they finally started.

The living room was hazy with dust. At the back end of the dining room, they were bringing in the cinder blocks – George and John and a handful of Cobras -- lugging and grunting them in from the backyard and dumping them onto the floor. (Ch. 39) 

Maniac is a very level-headed kid.  He wants everyone to get along.  When he first came to town, he didn’t even understand how racially divided it was.  The McNabs are a perfect example of racial tension at its highest. 

Once it was done, they'd be ready. Let the revolt begin. Let the "rebels," as they called the East Enders, come. Let'em bust through the newly installed bars over the plywood on the windows. Let 'em bust through the steel door. They'll find themselves staring down the barrel of a little surprise. (Ch. 39) 

They can’t decide what kind of big weapon the surprise will be, which is just as well, since they don’t actually have anything.  Clearly, these people are not willing to be open-minded and learn how to see eye to eye with people of other races.  To them, the blacks on the East End are the enemy.  That is how it is, and that is how it always will be.

With Maniac and the McNabs, the author presents two very different attitudes toward race.  In many things Jeffrey "Maniac" Magee is naive, but race is probably the biggest area.  He wants everyone to get along.  He thinks that race makes things interesting, and having people of different colors makes for better neighborhoods.  This is a very unusual perspective, but does demonstrate how racism is learned and taught, and how there is a chance with each generation for change to be possible.

Is ice, wood, soil, or air homogeneous?

Homogeneous mixtures are uniform or consistent in their phase and composition. In a homogeneous mixture, the elements forming the mixture do not remain physically distinct. On the other hand, heterogeneous mixtures are not uniform or consistent in their phase and/ or composition. The elements forming the mixture remain physically distinct. A mixture of oil and water is heterogeneous because the two don’t mix, and the elements remain distinct.

Ice is heterogeneous because it is characterized by the solid and liquid phases.

Wood is considered heterogeneous because it is characterized by differences in its grains. A piece of wood exhibits different properties in different parts with regards to toughness, color, and texture.

Soil is also considered heterogeneous because it is made up of different types of matter (plant matter and grit).

Air is homogeneous because its elements cannot be visibly distinguished.

Create a Venn diagram with the title The American Dream and two circles, one for each work. Each circle must contain at least four...

SIMILARITIES:

1) Both Of Mice and Men and "The American Dream" describe financial independence as a key component of achieving the American dream. While in the poem this is not the most important thing to the narrator, he does note that "My house and car are paid for / I have money in the banks." His children are also "on their own" and "doing well." Conversely, none of the workers in Of Mice and Men have any kind of financial stability or independence. Their greatest dream is to not have to work for anyone else; to be their own bosses.

2) Similarly, both works express the idea that the idea of 'belonging' is important. In the poem, the narrator talks about his children, his family, and the fact that they still are a part of his life. In Steinbeck's novel, when discussing his dream, George outright says: "[w]e’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. There wouldn’t be no more runnin’ round the country..."

3) Despite the above, both works indicate that the American dream is ultimately subjective. While there are certain key components (see above), Gunderson tells the reader, "Each of us has a benchmark / To make us proud of who we are." In Of Mice and Men, each character has their own dream, and while there are many similarities, there are also differences. For example, Curley's wife also wishes she could have "made somethin' of [herself]," but her dream for doing so is totally distinct from George and Lennie's.

DIFFERENCES:

1a) "The American Dream" indicates that the American dream is achievable. For the narrator, his dream has come true because his children have grown into happy, stable adults and are still a joyful part of his life.

1b) Of Mice and Men indicates that the American dream is not achievable to most people. No character in the novel achieves their dream or even comes close to it. Crooks warns them of just this when he says that he has seen hundreds of men with similar dreams, but none of them ever achieve it. Curley's wife remains trapped in her marriage. George and Lennie's dream of the farm dies with Lennie.

2a) "The American Dream" seems to indicate that the chief obstacle to achieving the dream is giving oneself a realistic benchmark. While the narrator has achieved his dream of having a stable and happy family, he also notes that if his aims were higher, he might not feel that he had achieved the dream. He thinks of himself as successful because he has achieved what he wanted, but he expresses some relief that his dream does not hinge on wanting more.

2b) Of Mice and Men indicates that the barriers to achieving the American dream are systemic and ubiquitous; that institutional poverty and social inequity make it impossible for most people to achieve it, no matter how passionate they are nor how hard they work.

3a) To the narrator of "The American Dream," family is a key component to the dream. He is happy because his children are happy and want to be with him. This is related to but not quite the same as the idea of "belonging." For Gunderson's narrator, it is specifically about the children he raised.

3b) Belonging is important in Of Mice and Men, but family is not a necessary component of the dream. Curley's wife actually wishes that she did not have her family so that she could have achieved her dream. George and Lennie have a "found family" in each other, and George's dream dies with Lennie, but the main idea is them being self-sufficient.

4a) "The American Dream" discusses the fact that achieving one's dream does not necessarily mean that life is perfect. The narrator is still missing things in his life: his "poems have not won awards / And [his] novel’s still not done ... [his] weight’s a problem / And his career may be a mess." He is happy, but he knows there is still more out there.

4b) Because none of the characters in Of Mice and Men have achieved the American dream, they do not quite seem to understand that doing so will not solve all of their problems. In fact, Crooks refers to the dream as "heaven." For the men he's talked to, the dream is an ideal, a vision of a perfect life. There is no such thing as unhappiness or burden once the dream has been realized. 

What does the last paragraph of the story "After Twenty Years" mean?

The last paragraph of "After Twenty Years" is a letter from one old friend to another.

In this letter from Jimmy Wells to Bob, alias "Silky" Bob, the old friend who was supposed to have met Bob in a twenty-year reunion, identifies himself. He tells Bob that he was, in fact, at the restaurant where they always ate together and met him in the doorway at the appointed time. However, when Bob lit a cigar, Jimmy, who was wearing his policeman's uniform, recognized his old friend as the wanted man whom the authorities in Chicago were seeking.

Jimmy writes, "Somehow I couldn't do it myself," which means that he just could not arrest his old friend. So, he returned to the precinct and asked a plain clothes policeman to make the arrest. It is this officer of the law who has handed Bob this note.

Interestingly, Jimmy makes no personal comment to Bob about his criminality, nor does he express any feelings he has for Bob. This note is probably his final gesture of friendship, given out of respect for their past together.

What are some rebuttals I could use for the debate topic, "It's time for Australia to stop fighting other countries' wars"?

This all depends on how you regard Australia's international responsibilities.  Do you think that Australia has a responsibility in the Global War on Terror?  Should Australia fight the Islamic State, an organization that has the capacity to attack many nations, as it already has in America, Belgium, and France?  These are not "other people's wars," as many countries believe that they have some responsibility in fighting the Islamic State.  

What about Australia's foreign interests in terms of trade?  If a major trade partner with Australia, such as Japan or the United States, were attacked by a foreign nation, then it would sharply curtail the Australian economy.  While aid to a trade partner could be interpreted as Australia fighting "other people's wars," your side can look at it as Australia acting in its own interests in order to keep the Australian economy stable.  

Both of these arguments for internationalism have been used by other nations.  If you use this in your argument for Australia fighting "other people's wars," I think you should do well.  

In The Hunger Games, is the decision to enter your name more times in exchange for more tesserae morally correct?

I believe the decision to enter a name into the "raffle" more times in exchange for additional tesserae is morally correct; however, I believe the system that created such a process is morally suspect.  

Katniss explains to readers in chapter one how the tesserae process works.  

Say you are poor and starving as we were. You can opt to add your name more times in exchange for tesserae. Each tessera is worth a meager year's supply of grain and oil for one person. You may do this for each of your family members as well. So, at the age of twelve, I had my name entered four times. Once, because I had to, and three times for tesserae for grain and oil for myself, Prim, and my mother.

In other words, if you want more food for your family, you have to apply for the reaping more times. It's a straightforward risk vs. reward decision. I don't see that as being morally wrong, especially when it is done for survival. Katniss can get a lot more food and oil for her family, but her risk of being chosen for the Hunger Games is now higher. 

I do think the entire system is corrupt, though. Katniss is operating within the rules of the system for the welfare of her family, but the system is lopsided. It practically guarantees children from poor families will always be selected in the reaping. Poor families need the tesserae; therefore, a person from a poor family is more likely to have his or her name in the reaping selection more times than a person from a wealthy family. This means a person from a poor family is statistically more likely to be selected for The Hunger Games. I think inherently unfair systems like that are morally corrupt.  

What gives Vera confidence to weave her story about the tragedy in "The Open Window" by Saki?

In "The Open Window," Vera gains the confidence to fabricate her tale about her aunt's brothers and husband after Framton Nuttel says he knows "[H]ardly a soul" in the area. 

When Framton first arrives at the Stappleton's house, he finds himself talking to Vera, a girl of fifteen, who is the niece of Mrs. Stappleton and a "self-possessed young lady." She asks Framton if he knows many people in the area, and Framton replies,

"Hardly a soul. . . My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here."

"Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?" the girl asks.

"Only her name and address."

With the knowledge that Framton Nuttel will not know what is true and what is not, Vera spins a tale of how Mrs. Stappleton suffered the tragic loss of the male members of her family, and now delusionally believes they will return. Knowing Mrs. Stappleton will watch for her husband and her brothers to return through the open window, Vera hopes to play a practical joke on Mr. Nuttel.

Vera's ruse works so well at blurring the lines between what is imaginary and what is real that when Mr. Stappleton, his sons, and the dog return, Framton Nuttel flees in terror, and Vera's joke is complete.

Based on the variety of Shakespeare’s works, how can one demonstrate that he is an outstanding writer?

The first piece of evidence that you should cite in favor of the claim that Shakespeare was an outstanding writer is his critical reception. He has become one of the standard authors read by all people studying English literature and his plays are widely performed. He has been translated into most of the world's languages and his complete works are available in numerous print and web editions.

Shakespeare wrote plays and poems, but not prose fiction. His poetry includes both long narrative poems and numerous sonnets. He contributed significantly to the development of the English sonnet, so that now the standard English sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a couplet is known as the Shakespearean sonnet. 

Shakespeare's plays include comedies, tragedies, and histories. He is one of the pioneers of "mixed" genre plays in which tragedy or even romantic comedy includes interludes of broader comedy involving "rustics" or other lower class characters. He was a very prolific dramatist and has a greater variety of characters and plots than most other dramatic writers. 

What symbols best represent the idea of regret in "The Necklace"?

In symbolizing the life which Madame Loisel desires, there are several things that represent her regret that she does not possess the luxuries she desires.

Because she has no dowry, Mme. Loisel marries a minor clerk in the Ministry of Education. Disconsolate that she does not possess the finer things in life for which she feels herself deserving, she "grieves over the shabbiness of her apartment" and the chairs and the draperies that are worn and unattractive.

The sight of the little Breton girl who did her humble housework roused in her disconsolate regrets.... 

These regrets roused by the appearance of the meager servant are for luxurious material possessions. She regrets not owning

• Oriental tapestries on the walls


• large, overstuffed armchairs


• stylish sitting rooms "just right for the four o'clock chat with friends"


• "gleaming silverware" on a lovely dining table


• "delicious dishes served on wonderful china"


• evening clothes and jewels such as a diamond necklace


• lovely wraps to throw over her dresses

Mme. Loisel no longer visits a well-to-do friend from her schooldays because she has always felt so "distressed" whenever she returns home. "And she would weep for days on end from vexation, regret, despair, and anguish."

Of course, the necklace is the greatest item of suffering and regret. For, it becomes the instrument of revenge that fate sets upon Mathilde Loisel for her pettiness, vanity, and hypocrisy as she has to cheat the grocer, do the heavy housework and cooking herself, and live in a garret apartment in order to repay the loan for the replacement of the necklace she has lost.

Why was the Renaissance considered the beginning of the modern era? Are there any attitudes or ideas from the Reformation that you can see may have...

The Renaissance was the beginning of the modern era in that it brought about the beginning of rational secular thought.  The invention of the printing press made books more affordable and more people had access to knowledge.  People began to read their Bibles for themselves and question what the Catholic Church had been claiming for centuries--this reliance on Scripture reading and personal salvation would be the backbone of the Protestant Reformation.  

The Renaissance was also modern in that people studied math and science more.  Man looked to make sense of his world and the printing press gave more people access to ancient thinkers such as Euclid and Plato.  With the rise of literacy more people wanted books in the languages they normally spoke (instead of the Church's Classical Latin) so this is the beginning of the modern French and Germanic languages becoming popular in literature.  With literature also came national identity--this would lead to the nation state.  Also, the Military Revolution happened during the Renaissance.  Small kingdoms fell, while the larger ones grew into nation-states in need of large bureaucracies.  The larger ones were able to harness the manpower and money to expand the armies in terms of numbers and technology.  Also, military science became a field of study--this outgrowth of learning is similar to what was happening in other fields during the Renaissance such as in the sciences and religion.  

How did the Americans win independence in spite of British military advantages?

The Americans were able to win the war for independence for a number of reasons. First, the British found it difficult to destroy the American armies in the field and simultaneously occupy American cities. Second, they grossly overestimated the extent of loyalist support (or at least loyalist military support), particularly in the South. Third, the war was deeply unpopular at home from the outside, and the Americans always had sympathizers in Parliament who placed significant pressure on a series of ministers to win the war. Fourth, British generals, through incompetence, indecisiveness, and lack of strategic vision, often failed to press their advantages, most notably in the New York campaign of 1776, when Washington's entire army was there for the taking. Fifth, Washington's leadership should not be downplayed. As commander of the Continental Army, he managed to hold the force together, keeping it viable and battle-ready as he led the British through what he called a "war of posts." Basically, although he made many mistakes and never really won a major decisive victory, Washington avoided defeat, making the conflict far longer, messier, and more expensive than the British were willing to bear. Finally, French aid, including French military assistance, proved decisive after 1778, and it is very unlikely the Americans would have been able to achieve independence outright without it.

Why are petrol and diesel the only fuels that can be used to power vehicles?

While petrol and diesel are two of the most commonly used fuels to power vehicles, there are actually a wide variety of fuels that have been used in the past and present.

The following is a non-comprehensive list of the most commonly used alternative fuels that power vehicles. Because scientists are always searching for new ways to generate energy, it is impossible to list every possible type of fuel, but hopefully this list helps you in your research. Click on the descriptions to find a corresponding link containing more information about each type of fuel.

In addition, while not technically fuels, both solar power and electricity can be used to generate energy to run vehicles.

This link can help you learn more about solar-powered cars: https://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/2011/11/a-solar-powered-car/

Here is a resource for learning more about electric cars: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/evtech.shtml

Without modification, many vehicles designed to run on diesel or petroleum gas cannot use alternate fuels or energy sources. The following resource can be used to determine if a vehicle can run on an alternative fuel: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/search/

New technology is constantly being innovated in the field of alternative energy, and there are many books and websites that can help you study and research this exciting topic.

How does research and development help to improve efficiency of resource allocation?

Research and development departments have various goals depending on the organization.  However, there are two general goals of every R&D facility.  The first is to generate new products or improvements for the organization to sell in the marketplace.  This is generally deemed the development side.  The second goal is to determine what products are desired, how to meet customer demand and anticipating trends.  The second part is the research portion of the department.  Although there appears to be two separate missions, the interaction between the two is seamless and should be seen as one unit.

R&D departments can greatly influence resource allocation efficiency through trend prediction and technology investment.  Trend prediction relies on R&D to understand upcoming changes to the marketplace which will affect the organizations bottom line.  For example, print newspapers have dwindled dramatically over the last few decades with the rise of the internet.  News organization that did not invest in an online edition simply failed to survive the consumer driven change in the marketplace.  Instead of allocating resources to beat reporters, it may have been more efficient to invest in an online presence.

Technology investment focuses resource allocation on the most efficient means of producing a new or improved product for the marketplace.  When there are multiple competing projects R&D should be able to analyze the cost benefit of each by calculating the production cost, time delay and launch projections.  This allows the company to focus resources on projects with an expected return versus the "long shot" project.

Why is Holden adjusting poorly and withdrawing from social interaction in The Catcher in the Rye?

In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden admits on page one that he's telling the story from some type of mental hospital after "this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy." The entire novel is about Holden's withdrawal from society.

Early in the novel, it seems like Holden is just a slacker. The first real hint that something is mentally and emotionally wrong with Holden is when he discusses Allie's baseball mitt and his brother's death:

I was only thirteen and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. . . I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. . . It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it, and you didn't know Allie."

Another instance in which it is clear Holden is removing himself from society is his desire to run away from New York. Before he expresses his desire run away with Sally, he lectures her as to what he sees as the "phony" aspects of the world, saying,

I hate living in New York and all. Taxicabs, and Madison Avenue buses, with the drivers and all always yelling at you to get out at the rear door, and being introduced to phony guys that call the Lunts angels, and going up and down in elevators when you just want to go outside, and guys fitting your pants all the time at Brooks.

Finally, Holden's desire to remove himself from society relates back to his brother's death and his belief that childhood should be kept intact throughout life. When at the Museum of Natural History, he explains that children, like his sister Phoebe, shouldn't change.

I kept thinking about old Phoebe going to that museum on Saturdays the way I used to. It didn't exactly depress me to think about it, but it didn't make me feel gay as hell, either. Certain things should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.

There are many other instances of Holden withdrawing from society, but I see these as the three most central to his character.

How is Lord Acton's famous quote, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” applicable to George Orwell's Animal Farm?

Lord Acton's belief about the corrupting nature of power can be seen in the political landscape that defines Animal Farm.

One of the reasons why Orwell's novel is so powerful is because it is a study of political power. Whoever is in political control of the farm displays corruption. As the novel opens, Farmer Jones is corrupt. He abuses and exploits the animals because he can. No one is able to challenge his authority. Part of the reason why Old Major's appeal resonates with the animals is because he is right in expressing Farmer Jones's corruption: 

And you hens, how many eggs have you laid in this last year, and how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens? The rest have all gone to market to bring in money for Jones and his men. And you, Clover, where are those four foals you bore, who should have been the support and pleasure of your old age? Each was sold at a year old—you will never see one of them again.

Jones is corrupt because he has unfettered political power over the farm. He is able to do whatever he likes. He does not display any regard for the animals' feelings. He embodies what Old Major calls "the tyranny of human beings" because he exercises political power without any limitations or checks on his autonomy.

Motivated by Old Major's theory of "Animalism," the animals wage a revolution to overthrow Jones and the humans. After its success, Manor Farm is renamed "Animal Farm." The pigs assume power in the name of all the animals. Over time, though, the pigs, specifically Napoleon and Squealer, begin to display the same trappings of power that Jones displayed. They learn to read and begin to consolidate political control of the farm to maximize their benefits. Squealer uses propaganda and media manipulation to ensure complete deference to "Comrade Napoleon." For his part, Napoleon uses the dogs as his private army. Once he is able to develop political security through force, he exiles Snowball and represses all dissent. Power and control motivate Napoleon. Like Jones, he abuses the animals and bullies them into submission. Like Jones, he takes advantage of the animals' labors because of the strength of his political position. Under Napoleon's leadership, Animal Farm becomes "the tyranny of the pigs."

Both displays of political control show how "power corrupts" and that "absolute power corrupts absolutely." Jones and Napoleon do not exercise power in a shared and collaborative manner. Their display of power is absolute and unchecked. As a result, they embrace corruption because they can. They are able to act outside of the law because they are the sole arbiters of power in their political communities. At the end of the novel, the farm has been renamed again and the animals are unable to differentiate between pigs and humans. This underscores how corruption is a part of the human and pig autocratic displays of power in Animal Farm.

In "The Open Window," why do you think Saki chose to name the visitor Framton Nuttel?

Framton Nuttel certainly is an unusual name. It helps to characterize the visitor as an odd and eccentric man. The last name of Nuttel must suggest to most readers that the visitor is a little bit nutty, just as Aunt Sappleton's last name suggests the woman is a bit of a sap. Saki may have had another reason for giving the visitor such an unusual name. Authors often have problems choosing names for their characters. If they choose a common name, such as "Bob Wilson," a number of male readers who happen to have that name (or people who know a "Bob Wilson") might think the author is writing about them! This is not important if the character is fairly innocuous. Framton Nuttel is not innocuous, though; he is depicted as an object of ridicule, so Saki probably gave extra thought to Nuttel's name and came up with a name that would keep Nuttel from being mistaken for any man in the general population.

As another example, Vladimir Nabokov created an outrageous character in his novel Lolita. Nabokov didn't want any living man to be offended, so he chose Humbet Humbert, a name that seems as weird as the protagonist and would be impossible to find duplicated in any phone book.

What is a summary of the story Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams?

Peter Abraham's young reader's mystery thriller titled Down the Rabbit Hole opens with a very self-conscious, awkward thirteen-year-old Ingrid Levin-Hill having to visit the orthodontist. After her routine checkup and adjustment, she finds that her parents are late picking her up. At 4:10pm, she begins worrying about missing soccer practice since she is a star player on the A team. By 4:18, knowing she will have to miss a game if she misses practice, which is her coach's rule, she makes the fateful decision to run from her orthodontist's office to the soccer field. She thinks she knows the way, but winds up getting lost in a rough neighborhood full of "shabby gingerbread houses" (p. 11).

In this rough neighborhood, she has her fateful encounter with a woman in the neighborhood whom people call "Cracked-Up Katie." Cracked-Up Katie notices Ingrid looks lost and invites Ingrid inside her home, offering to call a cab for her. While waiting in Kate's parlor for the cab to arrive, Ingrid pulls her bright-red Puma cleats out of her backpack to show Kate as proof that she plays soccer. During their conversation Ingrid notices that Kate grows very pale and disappears upstairs just as the cab arrives outside and honks. Ingrid arrives at the soccer field to find that practice had been canceled due to rain and that her mother has been looking for her.

The next morning, Ingrid looks at the local paper to see a front-page headline reading that a local woman had been murdered: "ASSAILANT UNKNOWN" (p. 34). Below the headline is a photo of Cracked-Up Katie. Soon Ingrid realizes her beloved red Puma cleats are missing and that she must have left them at Kate's. Ingrid sees right away that the cleats place her at the scene of the crime; worse yet, Ingrid was probably the last person to see Kate alive.

Later, Ingrid returns to Kate's house, all blocked off with police tape, to retrieve her red Pumas. While there, Ingrid hears someone break a windowpane and come up the stairs, forcing her to hide under Ingrid's bed. From under the bed, she could tell the intruder was a man and that he wore Adidas sneakers "spattered with dark-green paint" (p. 92). She observes him retrieve from under the bed a playbill of Dial M for Murder, a show Kate once performed, and leave. Following clues, Ingrid is able to figure out who murdered Kate and convince the police.

A subplot concerns her and her grandfather pulling a stunt to prevent his property from being sold to the company Ingrid's father works for; the company wants the property for a new condo development. Other subplots concern Ingrid's involvement in soccer and her role as Alice in the play Alice and Wonderland, put on by the Prescott Players of the Prescott Hall, a theater owned by a man Kate was once engaged to.

Who is the protagonist in The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri?

Gogul Ganguli is the protagonist in The Namesake.

The entire narrative of The Namesake revolves around Gogul's experiences. Gogul's complex and agonizing search for identity is the basis for the novel. He experiences this struggle emotionally and culturally. We understand the full implications behind Gogol's profound realizations about his own existence, the love he holds for other people, and how he fares in balancing his own needs with his need for others' acceptance. No other character experiences these realities as forcefully as Gogol does. From being so unsettled in the world to finding his place in it, Gogol is the means through which the novel's message emerges.  

Another reason why Gogol is the protagonist is because Lahiri uses him to convey her own experiences. For example, Lahiri struggled with her own name in a way that mirrors Gogol's: "I always felt so embarrassed by my name. . . You feel like you're causing someone pain just by being who you are." Gogol learns a person's identity encompasses both their past and future and the need to accept one's own namesake. Gogol is the vehicle through which Lahiri communicates thematic and personal truths in The Namesake.

Are spiders deaf?

Spiders have all the senses we do. Spiders are not deaf, although they do not hear with ears the way people do.  Spiders "hear" by sensing vibrations in the air. They receive these vibrations through hairs and small slits all over their bodies. Humans, too, hear sounds as vibrations in the air. Our ears capture these vibrations. The spider's sense of hearing is so well fine-tuned that the spider knows the size and type of insect caught in its web, much as we would know if someone large or small were coming up the steps based on the heaviness of the person's tread. The spider also uses this sense of hearing when he courts a female by "plucking" at a pattern on the female, rather than just touching her anywhere. This is considered a proper spider introduction, letting the female know his intentions are to court her, not attack her.

In "Lord of the Flies", how does Jack feel about the rules the boys create? What is their plan to get rescued?

Jack supposedly supports the rules at first; when the boys first suggest having rules, such as the conch giving its holder the sole privilege to speak, Jack responds enthusiastically, saying they'll have "lots and lots of rules", and gleefully promising punishment to anyone who breaks them. This is a foreshadowing of his future rule by force. Later, when we look back on Jack's behavior at this point in the development of the tribe and its social relationships, it seems like Jack's true interest in having "lots and lots" of rules, was to provide more opportunities for people to break them, and therefore to be punished.

Jack, ironically, is the first and most frequent breaker of the rules, particularly the rule of the conch, and he often invents exceptions to the rules that benefit him, such as claiming the conch doesn't apply on the mountain. It only takes a few chapters before Jack completely reverses his position;

“The rules!” shouted Ralph. “You’re breaking the rules!”

“Who cares?”

Ralph summoned his wits. “Because the rules are the only thing we’ve got!”

But Jack was shouting against him. “Bollocks to the rules!"

So, regardless of his early enthusiasm, Jack doesn't really invest any meaning in the rules, particularly if they get in his way. An important aspect of the rules that prevented Jack from respecting them was the fact that he was never actually punished for breaking them.

The rescue plan, established by Ralph during the boys' first assembly in Chapter 2, is to make themselves more obvious to any passing ships by starting a fire on the mountain, so the smoke will be more visible, and signal to anyone who can see it that there are people on the island. 

Discuss the presidency of Thomas Jefferson and why it made such an impact on the future of America.

While I cannot write your entire eight-paragraph essay for you, I can suggest some main ideas that you might mention. Jefferson was important first because of the election of 1800, in which he narrowly defeated Aaron Burr for the Presidency. He was originally deadlocked with Burr, and the House of Representatives had to decide the election. This situation resulted in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1804, which stated that electors would vote on separate ballots for the President and Vice-President (instead of voting for two people, as was formerly done, and having the winner be the President and the runner-up be the Vice-President).

Once in office, Jefferson began to reverse the Federalist fiscal policy that Adams and other Presidents had put into place. For example, he discontinued the excise tax on whiskey, which had been wildly unpopular among farmers, and he put into place a more agrarian fiscal policy that reduced the size of the federal government and reduced the deficit. He attempted to dismantle the Bank of the U.S., a central feature of the Federalist plan (started by Hamilton), but was unsuccessful doing so. He also pardoned several of the people who had been jailed under the Alien and Sedition Acts, passed under John Adams.

In a move that was somewhat contrary to his idea of reducing the size of the federal government, he bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country, and Jefferson sent the explorers Lewis and Clark to investigate the purchase. Their expedition, from 1804 to 1806, uncovered knowledge of the natural world in the new territory as well as knowledge about the Native Americans who lived there.

In foreign affairs, Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807 that made American exports to Britain and France illegal. The goal was to force Britain and France to respect American shipping rights during the Napoleonic Wars. The act unfortunately mainly hurt American manufacturing. In addition, Jefferson sent naval troops to fight the First Barbary War against the Barbary pirates off North Africa.

Jefferson's purchase of the Louisiana Territory had a lasting effect on the future of the U.S., as it vastly increased the complexity and size of the country. His intervention in foreign affairs, while not entirely successful, increased American power abroad over time. However, his attempts to keep the U.S. an agrarian society largely only caused sectional conflict between the North, which pursued a more industrial program, and the South, which wanted to stay agrarian. Agrarianism, in addition to the argument over slavery and states' rights, were causes of the Civil War. Jefferson's commitment to agrarianism and states' rights, as well as his continued commitment to maintaining his own slaves, were parts of his legacy that can be considered negative. 

In Guns, Germs, and Steel, what does Jared Diamond identify as the modern consequences of the different rates of human development across different...

The answer to this question can be found on pages 16 and 17 of Guns, Germs, and Steel.  In essence, what Jared Diamond says is that many of the difficulties encountered by people in areas of the world that have been colonized can be attributed to different rates of development over the long sweep of history.

Diamond begins his answer to this question at the bottom of p. 16.  He tells us that

much of Africa is still struggling with its legacies from recent colonialism.

He goes on to say, on p. 17, that in many other places in the world, there are civil wars going on.  He says that in those places,

civil unrest or guerrilla warfare pits still-numerous indigenous populations against governments dominated by descendants of invading conquerors.

Diamond goes on to say that many indigenous peoples have had their populations reduced so much that there is no way they can seriously resist the descendants of their colonizers.  Even in those places, however, Diamond says that the indigenous people are “increasingly asserting their rights.”  Finally, Diamond says that many native languages are dying out as people increasingly speak languages such as English, Russian, Chinese, and some other languages.

All of these facts about the modern world came about because some people colonized other people.  Diamond believes that this happened because of the different rates of human development in different parts of the world.  He devotes most of Guns, Germs, and Steel to asking why these rates differed from place to place.

What is the mood of the carnival in the story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe?

Montresor, the first-person narrator of Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado," describes the carnival as "supreme madness." By this, he is referring to the raucous drinking and celebration which occurs during the days before Lent. Lent is a Catholic religious observance leading up to Easter Sunday. During Lent, people often abstain from drinking alcohol and eating meat. Therefore, they view the carnival as a time to drink and eat before a period of abstinence. The term "carnival" literally means a farewell to meat, and the celebration involves a great indulgence in both drinking and eating. People also often dress in bright-colored and absurd clothing.

Montresor says Fortunato "wore motley," including a "tight fitting parti-striped dress" and a "conical cap and bells." Montresor also notes that his servants have all left his estate "to make merry in honor of the time." Thus, the mood of carnival is happy and festive with people enjoying themselves and many becoming quite drunk. In fact, Montresor describes Fortunato as being partially inebriated when they meet. For Montresor, the holiday atmosphere is perfect for his plot. No one is paying attention to what he is doing as he lures Fortunato into the catacombs below his estate with the pretext of getting Fortunato's opinion on a bottle of wine.   

How are the characters affected by the outcome of Tom Robinson's trial in lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

The outcome of the Tom Robinson trial drastically affects various members of Maycomb's community. Jem, Scout, and Dill lose their childhood innocence after witnessing racial injustice firsthand. Jem becomes jaded with his prejudiced community members, Dill is extremely upset at the treatment of Tom, and Scout gains perspective regarding the duality of human nature. Scout's tolerant attitude towards her community and awareness of the prominent racial prejudice throughout Maycomb influence her to protect innocent individuals. Atticus is upset at the verdict but understands that significant steps were made towards racial equality. Bob Ewell was exposed as a liar and abusive father throughout the trial. Even though Tom was found guilty, Bob Ewell seeks to avenge Atticus for "ruining" his reputation. Following the guilty verdict, Tom Robinson loses hope and does not try to appeal the sentence. Tom eventually attempts to escape from prison and is shot to death. Helen Robinson is forced to provide for her children, and Bob Ewell tries to intimidate her while she walks to work. Aunt Alexandra also shows empathy for her brother following the trial and becomes more understanding of Atticus.

I need help with the following assignment: Write a message to persuade your boss to invest capital resources to develop the product or service for...

How you go about completing this assignment depends on the specific context and industry. It seems as though you are being asked to think of an example that is directly relevant to your own work experience.  As you have not specified where you work or in what industry, this answer will address the rhetorical issues of the assignment. 

You should note that this sort of assignment is most likely to be completed successfully if your chosen project is fairly modest. For example, if you work for a restaurant, rather than suggesting opening an entire new chain, you might investigate adding one dish to a menu or offering delivery in a very limited area during lunchtime.

You should use a standard report format for this project and include the following information:

• 
  Executive summary: This is a single paragraph which summarizes the main points of the entire report. It should specify the product you would wish to develop, what sorts of resources would be required, the time frame to bring it to market, and the benefit to the corporation (e.g. increased market share, broadening consumer base, establishing presence in some new market or area, enhancing company's reputation.) It should consist of fewer than one hundred words.


• 
  Description of product or service: This should be clearly written and describe the specific product or service you intend to develop in some detail.


• 
  Market Analysis: Here you should cover two things, the size of the potential market for the product or service and your competition.


• 
  Resources Required: This should cover human resources, physical resources, and amount of capital required. You might also include time to market here and what sort of impact it would have on the rest of the business (would you need to hire new people? temporarily reassign them?).


• 
  Exit Strategy: If your product or service is not profitable, you should have a clear exit strategy to minimize losses. 


• 
  Financial Projections: This should ideally consist of a short paragraph detail your assumptions and spreadsheets or other graphic information showing your estimates.

The least common multiple of a number "n" and 6 is 24. What is the value for "n"?

Let's consider the prime factorization of both given numbers, `6` and `24.`

It is clear that `6 = 2^1 * 3^1`  and  `24 = 2^3 * 3^1.`

Hence the number `n` must contain `2` exactly in degree `3` in its prime factorization. If it would have `2` in greater degree, the LCM of `6` and `n` would have `2` in that greater degree, and if in less, then in less.

Also `n` may contain `3` in degree not greater than `1.` It may contain `3` in degrees `0` or `1,` because `6` already have `3^1` and `24` also.

And it cannot have any other prime factors.

This gives us two options for `n:`  `2^3 * 3^0 = 8` and `2^3 * 3^1 = 24.`

What did Isabel and America have in common?

Both Isabel and America are relatively young.  Isabel is a young slave girl, and America hasn't even declared independence when the book begins, which makes America a very young country by the time the book ends.  

Both America and Isabel are also unhappy with their respective masters.  America is very unhappy with British rule and the treatment from the king.  Things like taxation without representation are big issues for the fledgling country.  Isabel is equally unhappy with her master, Madam Lockton.  Madam Lockton is incredibly abusive to Isabel and Ruth.  She beats both girls at various points in the novel, and she even has Isabel's face branded.  

Because of their harsh treatment at the hands of unfair rulers, both America and Isabel deeply desire freedom.  Additionally, in order to achieve that freedom, both Isabel and America are forced to take that freedom by force.  America declares independence and fights a war to keep it.  Isabel breaks herself out of Madam Lockton's house, fakes a document that states that she is free, breaks Curzon out of prison, and escapes New York. 

Where in To Kill a Mockingbird do Jem and Scout find out that Boo Radley is the one leaving gifts in the tree for them?

In chapter 8 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem is the first one to come to the conclusion that Boo Radley is the one behind the gifts they find in the tree's knothole. This information does not come easy, though, because Jem takes some time to examine the types of gifts that are received; then, he compares them to the strange goings-on around the Radleys' home. For example, on the night that Jem sneaks up to the back porch of the Radleys' house, he loses his pants on the fence when he runs away. When Jem goes back to fetch his pants later that night, he finds them crudely mended, folded up, and waiting for him--as though a friend helps him to avoid punishment for sneaking around that night. 

Next, as gifts show up in the knothole of the tree, Jem takes them to Atticus for help to examine their origins and purpose. This helps him to determine that only a kind-hearted person would share spelling medals from school, a broken pocket watch, and carved soap dolls with neighborhood children--not a boogeyman that some people like Stephanie Crawford would have the town believe. 

Finally, on the night of the Miss Maudie's house fire, Scout receives a blanket from someone who cannot be accounted for among the neighbors helping with the fire. As a result, Jem decides that Boo Radley is the generous benefactor of the blanket and the gifts in the tree as follows:

"Jem seemed to have lost his mind. He began pouring out our secrets right and left in total disregard for my safety if not for his own, omitting nothing, knothole, pants and all. . . 'Mr. Nathan put cement in that tree, Atticus, an' he did it to stop us findin' things--he's crazy, I reckon, like they say, but Atticus, I swear to God he ain't ever harmed us, he [Boo] ain't ever hurt us, he coulda cut my throat from ear to ear that night but he tried to mend my pants instead . . . he ain't ever hurt us, Atticus--" (72).

The above passage shows that Jem believes that Boo is a kind and generous person trying to communicate with the children through the knothole by giving them gifts. Mr. Nathan Radley, on the other hand, is the one who stops it because "he's crazy." As a result of Jem's outburst of information to Atticus in chapter 8, Scout learns that Boo is the benefactor behind the gifts in the tree as well.

Why does being too strict on children actually create rebellious children with behavioral problems and cause children to have shy personalities, be...

While it is designed to create rule-following children, strict parenting, research suggests, actually backfires. This result occurs because children whose parents always dictate how their kids should act do not allow their children to develop their own internal mechanisms for self-control and good behavior. Kids learn to accept limits and boundaries when these limits are lovingly enforced, and strict parenting makes kids not want to follow limits and therefore become rebellious rule beakers. Children with strict parents can also become depressed, withdrawn, and shy because they absorb the idea from their parents that they are somehow bad or flawed, rather than feeling accepted. They also have low self-esteem, as they do not believe in their own power to regulate themselves and form warm relationships with others, including their parents. 

References:

Burhans, Karen Klein, and Carol S. Dweck. “Helplessness in Early Childhood: The Role of Contingent Worth.” Child Development 66 (1995): 1719-38.

Chapman, Michael, and Carolyn Zahn-Waxler. “Young Children’s Compliance and Noncompliance in Parenting.” In Marc H. Bornstein, ed., Handbook of Parenting, vol. 4, Applied and Practical Parenting. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1995.

What did Gorbachev mean by "de-ideologizing relations" among states in his speech to the United Nations? What implications did this have for...

To answer this question, we must look at the context of Gorbachev's speech. This speech was delivered to the United Nations in 1988, a time when political and social change was reaching a tipping point in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The world was approaching what Gorbachev himself called a "new world order" elsewhere in the speech, and even though neither he nor most other observers anticipated the collapse of communism in the USSR in 1989, he was attempting to foster an atmosphere of international cooperation. In doing so, he hoped to create an atmosphere in which he could bring about what he saw as much needed reforms, known as glasnost and perestroika, within the Soviet Union itself. To do this, he needed normalized relations with the United States, as the Cold War had forced him to devote an unsustainable amount of resources to military spending. In this speech, he announced his intent to reduce the size of the Soviet military by 500,000 men, to work toward limitations on nuclear weapons, and above all to tolerate political change in former Soviet satellite nations. So when he said "the de-ideologization of interstate relations has become a demand of the new stage" he meant that the Soviet Union and the United States had to be prepared to accept political and social change, particularly in Eastern Europe. Europe had for many years been divided along the ideological and political lines of the Cold War, and as the nations of Eastern Europe began to pursue alternate political and social arrangements to communism, the Soviets had to be prepared to accept this. So in many ways, this line was more than a invitation to improve relations between the US and the USSR. It was a call for cooperation between the powers of the world to shape the new world order. It would also, as mentioned above, facilitate political change in the Soviet Union that Gorbachev hoped would establish a "socialist state based on the rule of law." 

What did Robert Frost contribute to literature?

The American poet Robert Frost was an acknowledged traditional poet in that he followed the classic rules of rhyme and meter well before Modernists such as T.S. Eliot and E.E. Cummings rejected those traditions. Frost’s major contribution was his “portraiture” of New England in poems that not only illustrated a rural way of life in lively pictures, but also utilized a Jungian symbolism into his canon. Poems such as “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” (dealing with the attractiveness of death) and “The Road Not Taken” (standing for the consequences of any choice and the opportunity cost imbedded in choice-making) serve as philosophical statements as well as sensitive observations.  Due to their structural simplicity, his poems are easy to memorize and recite. Frost's keen eye for details of New England life gives him a place next to Walt Whitman and William Carlos Williams in the American poetic canon that illustrates an American life now past.

What have been Obama's contributions on the world?

President Obama has been one of the most popular recent US presidents on the global stage with approval ratings of over 70 percent in many countries. He has been an exponent of multilateralism, attempting to work with global leaders and institutions, repairing the damage done by the "cowboy" style of unilateralism of the Bush administration.

He has worked towards global nuclear disarmament and managed to sign the New START arms control treaty with Russia as well as negotiating for Iran to give up its nuclear weapons development in exchange for relaxing sanctions. He also ordered the strike that killed the terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden in 2011, and has participated in multilateral efforts to support the Arab Spring. He has opened up diplomatic relations with and visited Cuba, ending a long period of Cold War hostility between Cuba and the United States. 

He has been active in working on international efforts to mitigate global climate change. He steered the US economy out of the worst recession in recent decades, a move that has contributed to a global recovery.  He has also been a strong voice for human rights, gender equality, and LBGT rights. 

How did the Fireside Poets influence American literature?

The Fireside Poets, a group that included Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John Greenleaf Whittier, and other New England poets, popularized American forms of poetry. Writing in the 19th century, they produced works that made American literature even more popular than British literature in the early United States. They wrote for the common person, rather than for the literary classes, and used standard poetic forms and rhymes that made memorization and recitation of their works easy. As a result, many of their poems were used in the classroom, causing them to also be called "the schoolroom poets." For example, children used to have to memorize poems such as "Paul Revere's Ride" by Longfellow. In addition, many of the poets, such as Whittier and Longfellow, were abolitionists and used their journalistic and poetic works to speak out against slavery. An example is "The Slave's Dream" by Longfellow.

Which events in Iago's deception of Othello were planned and which were opportunistic?

The first incident, featured in Act I, Scene 1, in which Iago and his sidekick Roderigo inform Brabantio that Othello stole his daughter Desdemona was definitely planned. When the upset Brabantio, who is awoken from sleep in the middle of the night, discovers his daughter is indeed missing, he immediately takes steps to have Othello arrested, as indicated in his question to Roderigo:

Do you know
Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? 

Secondly, Iago disappeared during Brabantio's discourse with Roderigo in the above incident in order to be with Othello. This, too, was planned, as he told Roderigo:

Yet, for necessity of present life,
I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign. 

Iago wanted to convince the general that he is there for him and purposely bad-mouths Brabantio in the process. Othello believed his so-called "faithful" ensign. 

In Act II, Scene 3, in Cyprus, Iago and Roderigo set up Cassio and he is dismissed from his post as lieutenant by Othello. In this scene, Iago deliberately creates the impression that he is most loyal and trustworthy by speaking well of Cassio, when he had, in fact, set him up. Othello falls for his trickery and says,

Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. 

Iago then opportunistically uses Cassio's dismissal to advise him to seek redress through Desdemona by asking her to speak to Othello on his behalf. He is not satisfied with Cassio's dismissal. He wants to destroy Cassio completely and, in the process, destroy Desdemona and Othello. Once again, he sets up Cassio to create the impression in Othello's mind that he is being cuckolded by his erstwhile lieutenant and Desdemona.

In the fourth instance, Iago comments, 'Ha! I like not that,' when he and Othello chance to see Cassio slipping away from Desdemona's company on their arrival. Othello is immediately intrigued by Iago's comment and asks about it. Iago is very evasive but finally persuades Othello to pay close attention to interactions between Cassio and Desdemona. He also makes the general aware of a so-called "custom" Venetian women have of keeping a secret lover. He also makes Othello note that Desdemona betrayed her father and might do the same to him.

Othello is deeply troubled by Iago's assertions and treats Desdemona with disdain, brushing aside her napkin when she tries to wipe his brow. Emilia, Iago's wife and Desdemona's maidservant, picks it up and gives it to Iago. Othello later confronts Iago, threatening him if he should be deliberately tainting his wife's honor. Othello tells him he wants "ocular proof" of Desdemona's infidelity.

Once again, Iago smoothly slips out of a difficult situation by deliberately lying about an occasion when he had, supposedly, shared a bed with Cassio and he had, in a dream, cried out Desdemona's name, kissed him passionately and then extended a leg over his thigh. Othello is in shock and threatens to tear Desdemona into pieces. The pernicious Iago, seeing his advantage, refers to the handkerchief Othello gave Desdemona as a first gift, saying that he saw Cassio wiping his beard with it.

This is opportunistic, for Emilia gave Iago the napkin and he had planted it in Cassio's room where he would obviously find it, with no idea of how it got there or to whom it belonged. At this point, Othello is convinced of Cassio and Desdemona's guilt and vows to take vengeance. He kneels to make a pledge and Iago kneels with him, promising absolute allegiance to the general.

In one final, maliciously deliberate act, Iago sets Othello up to see the ocular proof he required. He arranges a meeting with Cassio and asks Othello to stay hidden and eavesdrop on their conversation. Iago then entices Cassio to speak about Bianca. Othello believes that they are talking about Desdemona and grows angrier the more he hears Cassio supposedly bragging about his affair with his wife.

It is also opportunistic for Iago that Bianca turns up, angrily waving Desdemona's napkin at Cassio and asking why he could insult her by asking her to 'take out the work' of his mistress's napkin. Othello is overwhelmed. He decides to kill Desdemona by smothering her in her bed, at Iago's suggestion, and makes Iago promise to kill Cassio within three days.

Who is Sonia?

In the book Unwind, Sonia is a fairly minor character.  She is important for sure, but she gets very little page time.  Her background is explored in much greater detail in the sequel book UnWholly.   

In Unwind, Sonia operates an underground railroad of sorts.  Instead of secretly spiriting away slaves, Sonia helps runaway Unwinds make their way to the Graveyard.  She does this by housing the Unwinds in her basement and arranging safe transport to Arizona.  While staying in her basement, Sonia requires each Unwind to write a letter to a loved one.  She keeps the letter until the Unwind turns 18.  At that point, the child is no longer in danger of being unwound.  The child can then return for the letter and personally mail it out or destroy it.   If the child is unwound or does not return for the letter, Sonia mails it out herself.  Connor and Risa both benefit from her work and her protection in the book Unwind. Unfortunately, so does Roland.   

What are the similes and uses of alliteration in Shakespeare's Sonnet 116?

Although Sonnet 116 has plenty of metaphors, there are no similes at all in this poem. You can tell because of the absence of the words "like," "as," and "resembles" every time the speaker of the poem makes a comparison.

For example, when he states that love "is an ever-fixed mark," he's comparing love to a lighthouse ("an ever-fixed mark") by actually stating that love is the lighthouse, not that love is like a lighthouse or that love guides us with its constancy as a lighthouse does.

However, you can find quite a few examples of alliteration in Sonnet 116:

In the first quatrain: "marriage of true minds," "love is not love," "alters when it alteration finds," and "remover to remove" are all alliterative phrases. It may be more to the point to notice, though, that the speaker is using an especially emphatic repetition of words and their alternate forms (and not just beginning sounds) in most of these examples of alliteration.

In the third quatrain: "compass come" and "But bears" are the brief alliterative phrases.

In the final couplet: "never writ, nor no" is the alliterative phrase.

Why did various groups of people from the US migrate to Texas after it became a state?

In 1845, Texas became the 28th state to join the United States.  The statehood of Texas was quickly followed by the Mexican-American War, which did not encourage migration to the new state.  Migration continued after the war ended.

Prior to the statehood of Texas, the Mexican government enticed Americans living primarily in the south with the promise of free land.  They offered many acres of land for both farming and raising cattle.  Many of these new residents stayed in Texas when it became a state.

In the early 1840s, a German society called the Adelsverein sought to create a new Germany within Texas.  The plan was to accomplish this through mass immigration of Germans to the area.  German-Americans from U.S. states also migrated to Texas.  Ultimately, the plan to establish a New Germany was unsuccessful, though a significant German population remained.

Cotton became a key crop in Texas.  Residents from other U.S. states moved to Texas to farm cotton.  Many slaves were also brought to Texas for the purpose of growing and harvesting cotton.