In Julius Caesar, why did Antony have a change of heart about Caesar being the noblest man of all and then Brutus being the noblest man of all?

Antony did not have a change of heart. He never thought that Brutus was more noble than Julius Caesar. He thought that Brutus was the noblest man of all the conspirators. But he thought that Caesar was the noblest man who ever lived anywhere at any time in human history. There are two passages in the text that show clearly how Antony thought and felt about Caesar and about Brutus. One is to be found in the soliloquy he addresses to the dead body of Caesar in Act III, Scene 1. It begins with these lines:

O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
Thou are the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.

That is where he expresses his belief that Caesar was the noblest man that had ever lived. Then near the very end of the play, when Antony and Octavius are looking at the body of Brutus, who committed suicide on the battlefield, Antony says:

This was the noblest Roman of them all.
All the conspirators save only he
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar.
He only in a general honest thought
And common good to all made one of them.    V.5

Antony is saying that Brutus was the noblest Roman of all the Roman conspirators. In the first line he says "of them all," meaning only that Brutus was the noblest of the whole group of conspirators--but not that he was the noblest of all the Romans who had ever lived, and certainly not, like Caesar, the noblest man that ever lived anywhere in the world. Brutus, according to Antony's tribute, was the noblest man in a group of perhaps thirty Romans.

The fact that Antony does not hold a higher opinion of Brutus is also shown in what he says to Brutus and Cassius during their parley just before the battle at Philippi. Brutus tells Antony that he has stolen the Hybla bees' buzzing 

And very wisely threat before you sting.

Antony heatedly replies:

Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers
Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.
You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds,
And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet...      V.1

He is calling both Brutus and Cassius villains. He hates both of them for killing the friend he regarded as the noblest man who ever lived. He considers all of the conspirators villains, including Brutus, because of the way they went about killing Caesar. They had him outnumbered, surrounded, unarmed, unprepared. Brutus was the leader, and Antony must hold him responsible for what he considers butchery.

Antony can afford to be complimentary after he and Octavius have won the battle and Brutus is lying dead. But he obviously does not place him in the same category as the great Julius Caesar.

Why does Mary Maloney insist the police eat the leg of lamb in "Lamb to the Slaughter"?

Mary's husband, Patrick, announced that he was leaving her (or a divorce).  For a few minutes after that, Mary is operating on autopilot.  She moves about the house in a daze, and she decides that she is still going to cook dinner.  Mary gets the lamb, and she announces her intentions to Patrick.  He, very callously, announces that he doesn't want any dinner, because he is going out. 

"I've already told you," he said. "Don't make supper for me. I'm going out."

Mary snaps.  She hits Patrick over the head with the leg of lamb.  The blow kills him.  

Mary admits that she knows what the punishment will likely be for her, but she doesn't know what will happen to her unborn child.  She isn't willing to risk finding out, so she makes a plan to get away with the murder.  

It was extraordinary, now, how clear her mind became all of a sudden. She began thinking very fast. As the wife of a detective, she knew what the punishment would be. It made no difference to her. In fact, it would be a relief. On the other hand, what about the baby? What were the laws about murderers with unborn children? Did they kill them both -- mother and child? Did they wait until the baby was born? What did they do? Mary Maloney didn't know and she wasn't prepared to take a chance.

In order to do that, Mary needs two things.  First, she needs an alibi.  She does that by going to the grocery store and speaking to the clerk.  Second, she needs to get rid of the murder weapon.  Mary does this by cooking it and making sure the police eat all of it.  Without a murder weapon, the police have no physical evidence to tie Mary to the murder. 

Why did people move to America?

Over the years, people have tended to move to the United States for one (or both) of two main reasons.  They have moved to the US to find greater economic opportunities or they have moved to have greater personal and political liberty.

America has long been seen as the “land of opportunity.”  People have moved here when jobs seemed scarce in their home countries.  They have moved here when bad economic times have hit their countries, as with the Irish potato famine of the 1840s.  Today, immigrants come from Latin America (whether legally or illegally) because they feel that they can get better jobs here in the US.

America has also long been seen as the “land of the free.” People have moved here in hopes of escaping persecution of various sorts at home.  Germans fled to the US after the failed revolution in their country in the 1840s.  Jews came to the US in the late 1800s in part because of pogroms in Eastern Europe.  Cubans and Vietnamese came to the US after their countries each fell to communism.  The idea that the US is a country in which people have personal and political liberties is a major draw.

Thus, there are two main reasons why people have “moved to America.”  They have done so partly for economic reasons and partly for reasons having to do with freedom.

Why does William Golding end Lord of the Flies the way he did?

William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies in part as a response to the Victorian novel Coral Island by R. M. Ballantyne. In that book, British schoolboys manage to transform a deserted island into a miniature Britain, a civilized and respectable place. Golding aimed to show that such an outcome was unrealistic due to the tendency toward moral darkness that plagues the human race. Lord of the Flies chronicles the descent of the boys from order to chaos, from morality to immorality, and from civilization to savagery. The natural destination of such a journey would be complete annihilation, and Golding brings the boys very near to that terminus.

However, just as the fire the boys have started threatens to consume the island and everything on it, a British Naval ship appears, and the boys are rescued in the nick of time. There could be several reasons Golding chose to end the book as he did. First, since it is a book about children, having them all die at the end would seem especially dark. Readers desire happy endings, and when authors become known as providing depressing fare, their readership often dwindles. Golding's work may have been read by fewer people and appreciated less if he had killed off all the characters. Second, although the novel is a warning, Golding did not mean to imply that humans are beyond hope. He shows that some people can remain true to civilization and morality, which means that it is possible to fight the moral darkness within. Having the children rescued suggests that humanity still has time to change its war-like ways. Third, taken symbolically, the Naval officer can represent salvation. For a person of faith, the officer can point to the belief that God is capable of redeeming mankind and rescuing him from the mess he has made of his personal life and of the world at large. For a person who believes salvation can come through education, enlightenment, or other means, the Naval officer can represent transformational movements that will usher in an era of higher understanding and peace. 

By ending the novel as he did, Golding was able to forcefully present his themes about evil and how people relate to each other while still leaving readers with a sense of hope for the future.

The Atlantic Ocean is show in the middle. Under which parts of the Atlantic ocean is the oldest sea-floor rock?

Since the crust is formed along the mid-Atlantic ridge, the oldest seafloor rock would be found near the coasts of either continent to the left or right of the mid-Atlantic ridge. 

Seafloor spreading is the process by which new oceanic crust is formed along the mid-Atlantic ridge. Along the mid-Atlantic ridge, convection currents under the mantel cause the tectonic plate of a divergent boundary to move apart from one another. Such movement may also result in earthquakes and volcanoes. As the plates move apart, the churning magma of the convection current wells up between the divergent boundary and moves towards the surface of the seafloor. Once exposed, the rising magma cools. Thus, seafloor spreading is speculated to cause continental drift and the creation of new crust.

Describe the character, Mr. Mead, in "The Pedestrian".

Mr. Mead in “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury is a non-conformist in the society in which he lives.  We takes nightly walks for fresh air and wanders around the city noticing that everyone is in their homes are watching television instead of enjoying life.  He describes his walks as if he is journeying through a graveyard because the houses are dark and tomb-like. He used to be a writer, but since society doesn’t need books anymore, he has been out of work for some time.  We also learn that he is unmarried when the robot police car questions him about walking at night.  Mr. Mead is a loner and an enigma in society.

Somehow, Mr. Mead has avoided the mind-numbing values of a society that lives to be entertained by their television programs. Mr. Mead is “old school” in that he still treasures life and what life can give him.  When the robot police car takes him to the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies against his will, we can assume that Mr. Mead will be re-indoctrinated to the ways of society.  According to society, Mr. Mead’s behavior has regressed and is, therefore, dangerous to the oppressive government keeping its citizens happy through the lack of knowledge.

Circle adjectives the narrator uses that indicate her feelings about the president and his actions.

There are several descriptions of the President that represent Allende’s disdain for the President’s lack of action to help his people.  First of all, he is physically described as “visiting” the area “in his tailored safari jacket.”  The President is just visiting to view the site; his fancy clothes show that he is not there to really help physically. 

His gestures also show a lack of true empathy for the victims of the volcano eruption.  He goes to the field tents to “offer relief in the form of vague promises to crowds of the rescued, then to the improvised hospital to offer a word of encouragement.”  The vague promises he makes also shows a political leader who is ineffective and only a politician at heart.  “Words” and "vague promises" will not help the victims of this catastrophe.

When he asks to see Azucena, he waves to her “with a limp statesman’s hand” and uses the press to encourage Azucena as an “example to the country.”  Again, the President is making an appearance because it is expected of him and politics demand that he makes a statement. The President also promises Rolf that he will take care of getting him the pump he needs to save Azucena, something that doesn’t happen. 

All of the descriptions of the President show Allende’s lack of faith in government and politicians to effectively serve their people. In the midst of a disaster, the President seems to be politicking for votes in the next election. He is distant and uninvolved with the disaster that has affected his country.

I’ve bolded some words that particularly show a message Allende is trying to get across about the President and other politicians in the moment of crisis.

What does the phrase "structure of the deviant act" mean?

Deviant behavior is any behavior that goes against social norms. Not all deviant behaviors are the same or have the same effect on society. To grasp the effect of a specific act on society, the structure of the deviant act has to be considered.

The structure of the deviant act takes into account aspects of the deviant behavior such as who it involves, the impact on society as a whole, the severity of the act and the reason for the behavior. The interventions, if deemed necessary, are based on the structure of the deviant act rather than the fact that a deviant act has taken place.

A the same deviant act may affect one person or many, as is the case with alcoholism and drug use. If someone starts a bar fight, but the fight is ended when the parties are separated and sent home, the act has a different structure and different consequences than if one of the fighters follows the other out and beats him severely. On the other end, some behaviors are viewed as deviant simply because they deviate from normal behavior, but cause no harm to any member of society including the person engaging in behavior. This is also taken into account when viewing the structure of the deviant act. The function of the act is also taken into consideration and, in some cases, adjusted. When possible and necessary, consequences may be made to make the function of the deviant behavior satisfy able by other means or cancelled out by repercussions. For example, stealing is not as tempting if the reward of getting more money or a particular item is weighed against the risk of jail time.

In society, remediation and reparation are the main ways that deviant acts are dealt with. Without looking at the structure or function of the behavior, inappropriate or insufficient attempts to bring the behavior back to main stream may result. There is no benefit to sending someone needing addiction services to jail solely for the deviance of being an addict and it is insufficient to remind someone politely that murder goes against social norms. 

By analyzing the deviant behavior, we can establish the structure of the deviant act. By understanding this structure, society can then determine what, if any, changes need to be made to protect the person engaging in the act or protect society. 

What effect do these adjectives from A Christmas Carol have on the reader? Scrooge is "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching,...

By putting this list adjectives describing Scrooge so close to the beginning of the story, Dickens establishes our impression early on of Scrooge as a distinctly unpleasant man. As for particular techniques Dickens uses, the first relies on the sounds of the words—all have a guttural, grinding quality. These are words you can hear and feel—harsh words. As such they convey a physical sensation of what Scrooge's hard soul is like. Second, they symbolize the rough, scraping, heavy chain that we will soon find out that Scrooge has been forging all these years, just as Marley did, through his behaviors of grasping and clutching at money. 

We can also see that this pile up of adjectives reflects the metallic piling up of money that Scrooge has amassed over the years. Further, by putting this list of adjectives in the context of the paragraph in which they appear, we perceive Dickens' use of another technique: alliteration, or using the same first consonant repeatedly in the same line or lines:

Oh! but he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.

In this larger context, we read the alliteration in grindstone and grasping, and in Scrooge, squeezing, scraping, sinner, steel, struck, secret and self-contained.

All of these words have a relentlessly harsh or hissing effect, which leads the reader to understand Scrooge as a hard-hearted man through and through.

What does the title of the story "The Possibility of Evil" mean?

The title of the story refers primarily to Miss Strangeworth's obsession with the morality of the people in her town. She believes it is her responsibility to watch for evil behavior in everybody else, and she sees this possibility everywhere she goes. But it is only a possibility not a reality, at least in most cases. It is true that there may be some real wickedness going on in a small town and that if she suspects everybody of evil doings she will occasionally be right.

There is an old French saying which is especially pertinent to this story. It is:

Honi soit qui mal y pense

There are numerous possible interpretation of this phrase. In Miss Strangeworth it can be interpreted to mean that people who think others are evil are often evil themselves. It can also imply that people who think evil of others will end up suffering from the evil in others. Miss Strangeworth is projecting her own evil upon other people. She sees it everywhere because it is coming from inside herself.

Miss Strangeworth never concerned herself with facts; her letters all dealt with the more negotiable stuff of suspicion.

It is easy for her to see the "possibility" of evil everywhere she goes. For instance, she visits the grocery store nearly every day. She sees that the owners grandson is handling some of the cash and thinks how easy it would be for him to be "lifting petty cash from the store register." That is what she warns Mr. Lewis about in one of her anonymous letter and tarnishes the relationship between grandfather and grandson.

She finally brings out the evil in Don Crane's nature--and brings it upon herself--what he accidentally discovers that she is the author of a poison pen letter addressed to him and realizes she was the author of several she had sent to his wife. The letters all suggest that their baby daughter might be mentally retarded. In retaliation, Don Crane destroys her precious rose bushes with hedge clippers and sends her a letter reading:

LOOK OUR AT WHAT USED TO BE YOUR ROSES

So the title is a double entendre. Miss Strangeworth's concern about the possibility of evil in others has an evil motivation and brings out evil in others. This sweet little old lady is crazy and a menace to others. She will eventually be exposed, and then the whole town will turn against her. Instead of being the town's leading citizen she will be the town pariah.

Honi soit qui mal y pense

There is a passage in the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament which is particularly appropriate to Shirley Jackson's story.

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
                                                                    Matthew 7

How does increased temperature affect rate of dissolving?

An increase in temperature increases the rate of dissolution of a solute in a solvent. We can notice this at home by doing simple experimentation. Try dissolving some sugar in a glass of cold water, for example 1 teaspoonful. Then try to dissolve the same amount of sugar in a glass of hot water. One can easily see that it is much easier and much faster to dissolve sugar in hot water. 

When heat is added to a substance, the molecules of the substance gain kinetic energy and start moving much faster. Due to the speed of these molecules, the chances of interaction between solute and solvent molecules increases. This causes an increase in the rate of dissolution and we see that solute dissolves much faster in solvents with higher temperature.

Hope this helps.

Do we have a red vs. blue state nation or a purple nation?

The answer to this question is largely a matter of personal opinion.  There is no clearly correct way to determine whether, on balance, the country is “red and blue” or “purple.”  My own view is that the country is more red and blue, though on a local level more than on a state level.  However, I would suggest you follow the link below to look at a fascinating set of maps that can help you think about what your opinion is on this issue.

I believe that we are a very red and blue country, but only at the level of counties.  On the state level, we are more purple.  For example, in my own state of Washington, President Obama won 55.8% of the popular vote in 2012 and Mitt Romney won 41.7%.  This would seem to indicate that Washington is fairly purple.  However, when you look at things on a county-by-county level, they look different.  In King County, where Seattle is, Obama won 68.8% of the vote while Romney only got a bit under 29%.  Meanwhile, in rural Lincoln County, the numbers were just about reversed, with Romney getting 69% of the vote and Obama only getting 28%.  On the county level, things are much more polarized than they are at the state level.

Because there is such a divide between urban and rural areas, I see our country as more red and blue.  However, you can look at the maps and decide for yourself. 

What is Bud's new band name in the story Bud, Not Buddy?

As Bud gets to know the band members, they begin to bond as a family and invite him to join the band. Bud starts playing the recorder with the understanding that he will later learn to play other instruments. For these reasons, the band members decide that Bud, like the rest of the band members, needs a band nickname.

Several names are discussed based on Bud's behaviors and appearance—names such as Waterworks, because Bud cried so much at dinner; Bone, because he is so slim; and Sleepy, because Bud slept in so late, are discussed. The nicknaming decision and process are carried out with some ceremony. The band members finally vote to nickname Bud "Sleepy LaBone." This name, it is decided, sounds more sophisticated since "LaBone" is the way the French pronounce "bone." Bud thinks this is the best name he has ever heard.

How is gender constructed?

For social constructionists, gender is a fluid concept which, according to Kate Millett, has an “essentially cultural, rather than biological" basis.

The construction of gender is affected through the process of socialisation and often starts very early in a person's life. In the first few weeks, for example, we often hear people refer to baby boys as "strong" and "alert" and to girls as "dainty" or "delicate." Later, in childhood, toys help to reinforce gender identity and differences. According to Michael Kimmel, dolls and prams, for example, are perceived as the preserve of young girls while boys are encouraged to play with cars and construction kits. Even the clothes that children wear have gender connotations: pink and yellow are more dominant in girls and boys tend to be seen in blue or green. For social constructionists, this process continues throughout an individual's life. Gender norms and socially-acceptable behaviours are reinforced in a wide range of cultural arenas, like school, home and the workplace. 

Of course, there are always exceptions to these rules. Boys will play with prams, for example, and girls might grow up to work in male-dominated industries, like engineering or construction. The very notions of masculine and feminine can also be problematic, when we consider that many people identify as neither one nor the other, or as transgender. The point is that gender has a cultural basis and that we are bombarded by culturally-acceptable notions of being a man or a woman on an almost-constant basis. 

Describe a chemical analysis method such as mass spectrometry and discuss the sampling, detection level, precision and error sources. Regarding the...

I will describe a very common chemical analysis method used throughout academia and industry alike.  High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is commonly used to analyze chemical compounds for purity and assay value.  Sampling for an HPLC analysis is usually very easy since only micrograms of sample are required.  The tiny amount of sample is dissolved in a solvent that the HPLC instrument injects into the system.  This makes HPLC an ideal method for analyzing chemical reactions since they are already dissolved in solvent.  The detection level for a quality system is down to the ppb level (parts per billion).  Precision is usually very high, with percent relative standard deviations among replicate groups of analyses well below 0.5%.  Sources of error include sample preparation (since this is the main part of the human component), or using low grade solvent systems (high grade solvent is required), a damaged column, or an out-of-calibration detector.

The main components of an HPLC system include:

• the solvent system (mobile phase)


• a degasser (to remove dissolved gasses in the solvent)


• a solvent pump that can mix and meter solvent mixtures with a high degree of specificity


• an autosampler to inject the sample


• the HPLC column (stationary phase)to perform the actual chemical separation


• a type of detector (usually some type of light absorbance based detector). 

Applications include measuring the purity of most any soluble substance that absorbs some wavelength of light.  Assay performance is very high.  In fact, regulatory agencies like the FDA and ICH have established common limits for different assay parameters that are considered universally acceptable.

What is meant by the term ‘compassion fatigue’? How has the discourse of compassion fatigue been employed within debates about television news...

Compassion fatigue is a mental state of exhaustion or extreme tension which occurs from prolonged exposure to stimuli stress or suffering of other entities. These entities can include people, animals or the environment. This prolonged exposure can lead to secondary traumatic stress. Symptoms of compassion fatigue include lack of self-care, apathy, isolation and substance abuse. The person becomes stressed to the point of immobility and inability to cope. The stress is brought on by a sense of hopelessness from the situation.

The media is blamed by many people for inducing compassion fatigue among the general population. The headlines, largely involving tragedy or injustice, are designed to grab the reader’s attention and elicit an emotional response, drawing the person to the outlet therefore driving sales. However, the continued use of this tactic has had the negative effect of creating malaise in the public. The 24/7 access to technology subjects the user to almost constant stream of news coverage, most of it polarizing. Studies have shown compassion fatigue is situational and not a personality trait, meaning almost everyone is capable of caring too much.  However, it is noted compassion is a finite resource that must be replenished.

Susan Moeller argues in her 1999 book Compassion Fatigue: How the Media Sell Disease, Famine, War and Death that the media is essentially using compassion as a drug, hooking the user with photographs or accounts of mass suffering. As the user becomes immune to the tragedy, more graphic suffering is needed to generate the same compassion response. She argues that what was once taboo information will be readily distributed to the consumer. Her arguments have some validity, for example the body of a small child, the victim of drowning, was shown repeatedly on the world news outlets to drive media stories about refugees.

What does Scout say after Jem says something about haints in To Kill a Mockingbird?

At the beginning of Chapter 28, Jem and Scout are about to walk to the Maycomb Halloween festival in the school auditorium. It is a warm October night, and it is very dark outside. Scout mentions that the Radley place looks rather scary and is glad that Jem is walking with her. Jem teases his sister by asking her if she's scared of haints. They both laugh and Jem recites the old incantation they used to say when they were young. Scout says, "Cut it out, now." (Lee 341) when they approach the Radley yard. Throughout the novel, the children mention superstitious beliefs which include Grey ghosts, haints, and magic. It is typical for children to believe in such things when they are young. At the end of the novel, the children are old enough not to believe in such imaginative ideas and laugh when they remember how silly they used to be. Scout says, "Haints, Hot Steams, incantations, secret signs, had vanished with our years as mist with sunrise." (Lee 341)

Why are people obedient to bad authority figures in Night?

This is a great question, and one that 125 words is not likely to cover entirely. I can, however, offer somethings to consider.

First, in the case of the Holocaust, one has to remember that those who tried to help the Jews (by hiding them, etc.) were, themselves, punished.  Thus, trying to help others or rise up against Hitler came at a great personal risk.  Hitler was the political leader and had a large army at his disposal.

Second, sometimes people followed Hitler because it gave them a sense of power.  Hitler rose to power at a time when Germany was in disgrace.  He conducted his speeches in local biergartens (sort of like bars) where he met with common folks and gained their allegiance and support.  Many people were able to rise to a status that they wouldn't have otherwise known as part of the Nazi army.

Finally, psychological studies like Milgram's electric shock experiment tell us that, to some extent, people are hard wired to follow authority figures and are not always primed to challenge authorities when what they are being asked to do what runs counter to their own consciences.  Likely, all of the above factored into multiple decisions not to rise up against Hitler.

What is your response to the last line?

Given that the last line contains the only metaphor in the poem -- all of the other comparisons that came before are similes -- and because metaphor is generally believed to be the strongest method by which a comparison can be drawn, the last line of the poem seems to be the most truthful, communicating the inevitable eventuality of a certain deferred dream.

Because a metaphor says that one thing is another, instead of saying that it is only like another, a metaphor is more forceful than a simile.  The narrator suggests several possible outcomes for a dream deferred (and it seems to be the specific dream of racial equality, based on the title of the poem), all via simile, before he reaches the final metaphor.  The final line compares the deferred dream to a bomb by describing it as something that would be able to "explode."  The implication, here, is that if the dream of racial equality continues to be denied to African Americans, then the result with be both violent and dramatic, and it will impact everyone, not just the African-American community.  

Further, because this line is italicized, and we typically italicize words that we wish to emphasize, it seems that this comparison is underscored as the truth in three ways: it is the only metaphor in the poem, it is visually different from the others by being the only line that is italicized, and it is the only line in the answer to the initial question that stands by itself.  For these reasons, I believe that the final line of the poem, then, is the inevitable outcome of the deferred dream.

Give 5 differences between 1) metals and water, and 2) metals and oxygen.

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`bbu = , bbv = ` Find (a) `bbu + bbv`, (b) `bbu - bbv`, and (c) `2bbu - 3bbv`.

You need to evaluate the sum of two vectors,`u+v` , hence you need to perform the addition of the same versors, such that:

`u = <0,0> => u = 0i + 0j`

`v = <2,1> => v = 2i + j`

`u + v = <0,0> + <2,1> `

`u + v = <0+2,0+1> => u + v = <2,1>`

Hence, evaluating the sum `u + v` yields `u + v = <2,1> `

You need to evaluate the difference of two vectors,u-v, hence you need to perform the subtraction of the same versors, such that:

`u - v = <0,0> - <2,1>`

`u - v = <0-2,0-1> => u - v = <-2,-1> `

Hence, evaluating the difference `u - v` yields `u - v = <-2,-1> .`

You need to evaluate the difference of the vectors,`2u-3v` , hence you need to perform first the multiplication of each vector with the indicated scalar and then you need to perform the subtraction of the same versors, such that:

`2u - 3v = 2<0,0> - 3<2,1>`

`2u - 3v = <2*0,2*0> - <3*2,3*1>`

`2u - 3v = <2*0 - 3*2,2*0 - 3*1> => 2u - 3v = <-6,-3>`

Hence, evaluating the difference `2u - 3v` yields `2u - 3v = <-6,-3>.`

In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, why does Granger read Plato's Republic?

If one actually reads the final pages of Ray Bradbury's classic novel of a futuristic dystopian society in which books are banned, Fahrenheit 451, then the context in which Plato's Republic is discussed provides the answer to the student's question. Plato's Republic, of course, is one of the philosophical pillars of Western democratic thought. Plato's contemplations on the nature of a just society have been interpreted as condoning autocratic forms of government, but his writings on justice emphasize the importance of individual liberty, including freedom of thought and expression. As Bradbury's fictional totalitarian society is antithetical to the Platonic concepts of liberty and justice, his words would carry great importance to those, such as Granger, who seek to preserve such vital works of literature. Not for nothing, after all, does Montag, midway through Fahrenheit 451, ask a highly suspicious Professor Faber during their brief phone conversation, "How many copies of Shakespeare and Plato?" This early reference to Plato proves prescient when, following his flight from the city to the country, where he encounters Granger and the others, Granger notes that each of these intellectual rebels have taken responsibility for memorizing the great works of literature. Such tactics, they know, are the only remaining way to ensure that the knowledge contained in such volumes will survive the destruction of the autocratic system they have fled. Note, in the following exchange between Montag and Granger, the latter's explanation of this primitive but effective system for retaining the contents of the great works of literature:

"All of us have photographic memories, but spend a lifetime learning how to block off the things that are really in there. Simmons here has worked on it for twenty years and now we've got the method down to where we can recall anything that's been read once. Would you like, some day, Montag, to read Plato's Republic?"

"Of course!"

"I am Plato's Republic. Like to read Marcus Aurelius? Mr. Simmons is Marcus."

"How do you do?" said Mr. Simmons.

"Hello," said Montag.

"I want you to meet Jonathan Swift, the author of that evil political book, Gulliver's Travels! And this other fellow is Charles Darwin, and-this one is Schopenhauer, and this one is Einstein, and this one here at my elbow is Mr. Albert Schweitzer, a very kind philosopher indeed. Here we all are, Montag. Aristophanes and Mahatma Gandhi and Gautama Buddha and Confucius and Thomas Love Peacock . . ."

The point is that Plato's Republic is not mentioned in isolation. It is but one of many important volumes these individuals hope to preserve through memorization. All of these works of literature, in some way, address the relationships of man to his society and to the natural world. That is the significance of the references to Plato. The Republic is a work of literature worth preserving. It addressed the relationship of man to society and argued for the imperative of individual liberty. Such liberty was sublimated by the now-destroyed regime that Montag, Granger and the others fled. If these survivors hope to rebuild, and to rebuild a more just society, then Plato's thoughts were essential to their efforts. 

When Eckels returns from the world of dinosaurs, what is different from the past?

Eckels is the main character in Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder". He has paid a lot of money to a company, Time Safari Inc., to be sent back into the past so that he may hunt a dinosaur. The company has gone to great lengths to ensure that the past is not changed in any way as it is thought that even a minor change in the past could result in changes to the present. Eckels panics when he see the T. Rex and steps off the levitating path that the company has provided. He crushes a butterfly with his shoe. When he returns to the present, at first things appear to be the same, except for a faint, odd smell. He notices that a clerk in the office looks somehow different, but he can't pinpoint the difference. Eckels then sees that the signs in the office contain misspellings--but in this new "present", the signs are spelled the way they should be. The clerk, with whom he had had a discussion about the election scheduled to take place, now has the polar opposite opinion about who should be elected. 

These small differences are noticed only by those who traveled back in time with Eckels as the current world diverged from theirs as soon as Eckels killed the butterfly. This story is the source of the term "butterfly effect" to mean a very small, seemingly insignificant event that has unforeseen results.

Where does most of the action in Romeo and Juliet take place?

There are several different settings for the action in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the majority of which are in the northern Italian city of Verona. One scene, Act V, Scene 1, takes place in the neighboring city of Mantua. Within Verona, Shakespeare sets scenes in the streets of the city, the Capulet estate, Friar Laurence's "cell," and the Capulet tomb in Verona's cemetery. Two of the most action packed scenes explode in the city streets where the Montagues and Capulets clash over a longtime feud. In Act I, Scene 1 violence erupts over a simple gesture which is viewed as an insult. In Act III, Scene 1 two men are killed in the street. Many of the scenes are set at the Capulet estate, in the hall where Lord Capulet holds a masked ball focused on in Act I, Scene 5, Juliet's bedroom adjacent to the balcony which is the setting of Act II, Scene 2, and short comedic scenes set in the house's kitchen. The final scene of the play is staged at the Capulet monument which would have been a large vault housing the bodies of the Capulets, including the newly dead Tybalt, and the sleeping Juliet. It is here that the ultimate tragedy occurs as both Romeo and Juliet commit suicide.

How can Mr. Utterson be described based on the opening of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

The very first line of the novel paints a somewhat contradictory picture of Mr. Utterson, the lawyer, that the remainder of the first two paragraphs helps to flesh out.  He was

a man of a rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable.

Mr. Utterson is a rather gruff personage who never smiles, doesn't like to engage in conversation, seems somewhat unfeeling, is tall and skinny, and kind of grumpy, but he manages to be sort of endearing nonetheless. 

He largely keeps to himself.  He says that he "let[s] [his] brother go to the devil in his own way"; in other words, he doesn't consider himself anyone's moral keeper (which would be useful in his job as a lawyer). 

Further, it "is the mark of a modest man to accept his friendly circle ready-made from the hands of opportunity; and that was the lawyer's way."  Thus, he is unassuming and decent, never ostentatious or showy, and his circle of friends is mostly comprised of his family and the people he has known for a long time.  He doesn't make friends easily; "his affections, like ivy, were the growth of time."  He takes a long time to warm, but once he does, he is loyal.  His tradition of weekly walks with Mr. Enfield, a distant relative, for which he neglects any other concern so that they might be uninterrupted, provides evidence of this.

What are the four sociological concepts in "Titanic" and how?

There are various types of sociological concepts addressed in "Titanic". Four that most play a part in the movie are those concerning gender, social class and ethnic inequalities, and the question of "nature versus nurture".

Gender: Rose and her mother have been left destitute by her father's death. Their only hope for "survival" is to marry Rose to a wealthy husband. Her fiance, Cal, makes it quite clear that Rose is to reflect well on him, and that he is capable of violence towards her if she does not comply.

Social class: Titanic is so stratified that the third class passengers do not mingle with first, although the first class dogs come to their deck to defecate. When the boat is sinking, despite claims of "women and children first", third class passengers are kept locked below. 

Ethnicity: People who do not speak English--and speak it "properly"--are not treated well. There are no signs in any other languages to help the passengers navigate the ship. The Irish built the ship, but it is owned by the English.

Nature versus Nurture: When Jack attends the first class dinner party in a borrowed tux, Cal smirks that he "almost looks like a gentleman." It is assumed by some of the first class passengers that they deserve their money, despite the fact that most were born with it. The poor are looked down as simply for not having money; they are somehow suspect simply for being poor. The movie makes the point that Jack, poor man though he is, is a much better human than Cal.

You could make more connections with this movie to different types of sociological concepts.

Which stain is used when preparing slides of human cheek cells?

Cheek cells are squamous epithelial cells. The addition of stains to cheek cells enables the observer to more clearly see different structures in the cells. There are many different stains that can be used to observe cells. These include the following:

• One of the most common stains used for observing cheek cells is methylene blue. Methylene blue stains DNA in the cell. This causes the nucleus of the cell to appear blue, while the cytoplasm remains clear or turns a very pale blue.

• 
  Eosin stain can be used to study the cytoplasm. Eosin stains the cytoplasm, while leaving the nucleus unstained.

• 
  Sudan stain can be used to stain lipids that are present in cell and organelle membranes.

• 
  Toluidine blue stains the nucleus and defines cell organelles. Toluidine blue is often used to scan for cancer cells which tend to have extra DNA in their nuclei.

What are the differences between a single-entry bookkeeping and a double-entry bookkeeping?

A single entry bookkeeping system is simpler to implement compared to a double entry system. This is because a single entry system only uses the most basic information such as account receivable or accounts payable. The double entry system is complex and requires a trained individual to implement. This is because it relies on the concept of duality where change on one account impacts on another.

A single entry system cannot be developed into a trial balance to check for calculation errors. A double entry system can be developed into a trial balance to check for calculation errors. However, this does not mean the double entry system is free from errors. The double entry system is susceptible to omission errors and when figures from two affected accounts are omitted the books would still balance, obscuring the underlying error.

A double entry system includes nominal accounts which are essential accounts used to determine profit and losses and the true financial position of the business. A single entry system does not include the nominal accounts and mostly relies on cash accounts which cannot be solely relied on to determine the financial position of the business.

What is Paris asking Lord Capulet in his first words?

When we first meet Paris, he is speaking with Lord Capulet in Act 1, scene 2, immediately following the scene in which there is yet another skirmish between the Capulets and the Montagues.  Paris begins, "Of honorable reckoning are you both, / And pity 'tis you lived at odds so long" (1.2.4-5).  With this, Paris is referring to the long-standing feud between Lord Capulet and Lord Montague: both are of high status, and Paris remarks that it is really a shame that this feud has been going on for so long. 

Then, he asks, "But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?" (1.2.6).  From this, and from the conversation that follows, we are given to understand that the Count Paris wishes to marry Juliet, Lord Capulet's daughter.  He is asking, in effect, what Lord Capulet thinks about his desire to marry Juliet.  However, Lord Capulet feels that Juliet is still too young to become a wife and mother -- she's not yet fourteen -- and he says that she'll have a say in her marriage partner too; he thus encourages Paris to woo her and win her favor.  Then, in another couple of years, Capulet may give his consent.

What sentence in chapter 11 of Bud, Not Buddy has the word "resourceful" in it?

The word “resourceful” is spoken by Lefty Lewis to Bud in chapter 11 of Bud, Not Buddy because of Bud’s ability to run far away from home.  The exact sentence is as follows:

You did get pretty far, Bud, maybe he won’t be too hard on you when he sees how resourceful you were at running away.

Lefty Lewis refers to Bud's father as "he" in this statement.  Lefty Lewis goes on to say that he would actually be very proud of any of his children who could make it far away from home.  Lefty Lewis adds (a bit jokingly) that he would actually offer his children money to give running away a good try.  Supposedly, they would never take the money. 

The reader must also keep in mind that Bud tells a lie to Lefty Lewis in order to get to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Bud tells Lefty Lewis that Bud is running away from Grand Rapids.  The reason why Bud tells this lie is that he thinks this is the best way to get Lefty Lewis to take Bud to Grand Rapids to find his father.  In the statement about the word “resourceful,” Lefty Lewis thinks that Bud got “all the way to Flint” which, of course, is far from Grand Rapids.

Which characters in Acts 1-3 of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar use rhetoric?

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion and Julius Caesar abounds with persuasive speeches. Shakespeare scholar David Bevington calls the play a "study in civil conflict," and persuasion is a key part of this. If Hamlet is constantly talking to himself and bemoaning his own fate, the characters in Julius Caesar seem forever to be addressing the crowd—or trying to persuade one another.

An early example of rhetoric emerges in Act I. Despite the warning of Cicero, himself a master rhetorician, that "Man may construe things after their fashion," Casca nevertheless falls for Cassius's rhetoric when Cassius interprets the recent violent storm as a "warning" against a "monstrous" occurrence: the senate's plan to make Caesar king the next day. Cassius speaks eloquently of this as "tyranny" and states that the Romans are "sheep" to allow Caesar to be crowned. Casca is stirred up and states at the end of this speech  that he will stand with Cassius and go as far "as who goes farthest."

In Act III, Caesar uses rhetoric when Brutus and Cassius ask him to pardon Cimber. Caesar depicts himself as not just a person, but as an immovable force of nature, like a star:

But I am constant as the northern star,

Of whose true-fixed and resting quality

There is no fellow in the firmament.

After Casca and the others, including Brutus, stab Caesar to death, Brutus uses rhetoric to persuade the crowd he and his cohort were loyal Romans in betraying their friend. His exhortation "friends, Romans, countryman" is one of the more famous openings of a dramatic speech. He goes on to spin his murder of Caesar as a noble sacrifice: he states that he loved Caesar, but he loved Rome more. He said he stabbed Caesar to win the freedom of his fellow citizens and for love of his country, and that he in fact weeps out of love of Caesar and honors him for his courage. Brutus might be covered in blood, but he paints himself as lily white and pure. 

Perhaps the most famous example of rhetoric, however, is Mark Antony's speech following Brutus's, in which he undercuts Brutus's protests of honor with sarcasm, repeating over and over, "Brutus is an honorable man" in a way which reveals Brutus to be anything but honorable in his killing of Caesar.

In this play, Shakespeare shows the power of rhetoric, or "spinning" a situation, to win approval or persuade, especially in the public arena. 

What is an example of a pathetic fallacy that shows fear in Golding's Lord of the Flies?

The word "pathetic" is often, hastily, interpreted as a value judgment, implying that something is weak or inferior, mostly because this is the way the word is commonly used in language today. However, it has etymological roots in the term "pathos," which simply means feeling, emotion or sentiment. In rhetoric, pathos is the means by which we recognize and appeal to the emotions of the audience, and lies in contrast to logos, or logic, which deals strictly in facts. A "pathetic fallacy," therefore, is not a "pitiful mistake," but the misattribution of emotions, typically to an inanimate object or animal. For example, assuming that predators are angry and vicious, or that the sea or a mountain could be cruel and uncaring.

There are no cases where the boys attribute fear to inanimate objects on the island, although they do seem to attribute fear to the pigs when they are being hunted on a few occasions, particularly the piglet that Jack hesitates over killing in Chapter 2. However, pathetic fallacies that "show fear" could easily reveal fear that the boys feel, rather than fear attributed to another. In this interpretations, we can see many occasions of such;

• Simon hallucinates a cruel omniscience to the Lord of the Flies (the pig's head) which mockingly comforts him over his fears of social rejection.


• The ocean, on the far side of the island, reflects Ralph's increasing sense of isolation and desperation. The ocean seems to be completely indifferent to them, while simultaneously operating as their greatest true threat. Ralph is afraid they're going to die on the island. 


• The Beast is an embodiment of fear. One aspect of the Beast that the boys generally fail to recognize is the fact that it becomes progressively more powerful and unbelievable to the rational mind as the story goes on; first it was a 6-year-old's nightmare, and by the end, it has become an inscrutable, sea-dwelling, child-eating ghost. In a sense, the boys actually need the Beast, as a means of giving their fears a name, and the fact that it grows more powerful is a means of allowing it to continue to exist each time it is "proven" to be nonexistent.

Macbeth is a play about various kinds of killing (among other things). How does the play distinguish between honorable and dishonorable violence?...

The difference between "honorable" and "dishonorable" violence lies at the root of the reasons for the violence itself.  In Act I, scene II, Macbeth is revered for his acts of honorable violence, namely his bravery and prowess in fighting off Macdonwald's rebellion and the Norwegian invasion,

For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name),
Disdaining Fortune, with brandished steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution. (1.2 18-20)

His victory and the subsequent disembowelment/decapitation of Macdonwald are described in graphic detail, and Macbeth is celebrated for them. However, as Macbeth's ambition grows and he is corrupted by the power he gains, he begins to commit acts of violence that are not brave, but treacherous.  He enters into the first of these acts, the murder of King Duncan, knowing in his heart that it is dishonorable.  But his ambition drives him on.  He murders King Duncan in order to take the crown for himself.  The act is done in the middle of the night, while Duncan is staying at Macbeth's castle.  Immediately afterward, Macbeth expresses regret and paranoia that his act will be discovered. 

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash the bloodClean from my hand?  No, this my hand will ratherThe multitudinous seas incarnadine,Making the green one red. (2.2 78-81)

Despite his regret, Macbeth continues to commit dishonorable acts, later having his best friend killed as well as the family of Macduff.  As the play continues, Macbeth's reputation changes from that of a celebrated, honorable hero to that of a treacherous, dishonorable tyrant.

Conversely, Macduff is celebrated for acts of violence because they are considered honorable, just as Macbeth's slaying of Macdonwald.  The violence committed by Macduff is against the tyrannous Macbeth and thus deemed justified. 

Macduff is one of the first characters to suspect Macbeth of foul play, to the point of not going to Scone to see Macbeth crowned. As Scotland begins to deteriorate under Macbeth's reign, Macduff becomes even more suspicous and eventually travels to England to try to convince Malcolm, the rightful king, to return and overthrow Macbeth. While there, he is also informed of the slaughter of his family, at which time he vows to kill Macbeth. Malcolm supports Macduff's desire for revenge, stating,

Be this the whetstone of your sword.  Let grief
Convert to anger.  Blunt not the heart; enrage it. (4.3 268-269)

Macduff's intentions are not only considered honorable, but are also sanctioned by the rightful heir to the throne. At the end of the play, when Macduff finally confronts Macbeth, the tyrant himself understands Macduff's wish to kill him, saying,

Of all men else I have avoided thee.
But get thee back.  My soul is too much chargedWith blood of thine already. (5.8 6-7)

Macbeth has avoided Macduff because he understands that Macduff's desire for vengeance is honorable. Just as Macbeth killed and decapitated the treacherous Macdonwald, so does Macduff kill and decapitate the now-treacherous Macbeth.  From the first act to the final act, Macbeth has shifted from brave and honored hero to cowardly and dishonorable villain. Macbeth and Macduff illuminate that in the world of Shakespeare, it is not violence that is condemned or condoned, but rather the reasons for the violence.

Why does Miss Maudie make a comparison between a "Roman carnival" and the people passing by to attend the trial at the courthouse in Harper Lee's...

In Chapter 16 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem, Dill, and Scout stand outside observing all of the county's folks journeying to the courthouse in town on the day of Tom Robinson's trial. Miss Maudie also comes out on her porch just as a wagonload of foot-washers drive past, mocking Miss Maudie for the vanity she displays in her yard full of summer flowers. After Miss Maudie mocks them right back, the kids approach her house to converse with her. When the kids ask her if she is going to the courthouse to observe the trial, Miss Maudie replies:

I am not. 't's morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life. Look at all those folks, it's like a Roman carnival. (Ch. 16)

By speaking of a "Roman carnival," Miss Maudie is referring to the fact that Roman Catholics have a time of festival just before their period of Lent. The festival, generally called Carnival or even Mardi Gras in some places, is a time of wild entertainment marked by parades, theater, singing, and folk dancing. Attendees also wear costumes. The Carnival season is in general considered a wild time in which attendees abstain from the restrained, moral behavior the Catholic religion usually requires. It is especially a time to cut loose just before the season of Lent, a 40-day period in which members of the Roman Catholic Church fast, don't eat meat, and abstain from other worldly pleasures in order to imitate Jesus Christ's own 40-day period of fasting in the desert.

The Carnival season begins at different times in different places around the world dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. For example, in Bavaria, Carnival lasts more than a month and begins as early as the feast of the Epiphany, which takes place on January 6th, and lasts until the Tuesday just before Ash Wednesday, called Shrove Tuesday. In Cologne, Carnival begins even earlier, on November 11th, making it a nearly 3-month-long celebration. However, other areas are stricter. For example, in France, Carnival is only celebrated on Shrove Tuesday.

Hence, in referring to the town as looking like a Roman carnival and attendees of the trial as Carnival attendees, Miss Maudie is commenting on the fact the citizens look like they are going out for a time of wild merry-making, a time when all morality is forgotten for a period. Since many of the county's citizens, including the members of the jury, believe Robinson to be guilty simply because they are racist, we know that Miss Maudie's simile comparing the citizens to Carnival attendees is very fitting.

Scientists do believe that the iridium found in some rock layers may originally have come from ___?

There is a theory that the iridium found in some rock layers may have originally come from meteorites. This is called the Alvarez Theory, and was proposed by Walter Alvarez in the 1970s.

Iridium is very rare in the earth's crust and occurs at a higher concentration in meteorites. Alvarez discovered a rock layer that contained about 30 times the concentration of iridium normally found in the earth's crust. The age of the layer indicates that the iridium was incorporated near the end of the Cretaceous Period. The amount of iridium was consistent with a large metereorite impact, and other iridium deposits were subsequently discovered around the world suggesting that many meteors struck the earth during that time period. This provides evidence to support the theory that the extinction of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period was caused by a world-wide meteor event.

Is it possible in any way to live without cells? Has anybody ever been caught alive without cells? How would your body look without cells? If you...

According to the cell theory, cells are the fundamental units of all living beings. In other words, we are all (including plants, animals, birds, etc.) made up of cells. A cell is the smallest functional unit of life. That is, cells are capable of carrying out life processes, such as growth, reproduction, etc. Without cells, there would be no living organisms. Cells contribute to all the processes in our body. For example, cells make tissues, which combine to form organs and a group of organs working together forms an organ system. An organ system, such as the circulatory system or digestive system, could not work without cells. 

Cells make up our skin, our blood, our organs, etc. Hence nobody can live without them. Without cells, we would look totally different as we would not be alive.

Hope this helps. 

Explain various examples of worldwide anxieties that challenged the idea of progress during 1890-1914, and which groups protested the status quo?

From 1890-1914, citizens across the world agitated for change; they wanted more security, better opportunities, and less instability in their lives. Much of the collective, worldwide anxiety could be seen in the rise of revolutions and reforms around the globe at this time. Among them were:

The Mexican Revolution in 1910.

The Mexican Revolution was caused by dissatisfaction with the status quo; it  actually started as a revolt by middle class citizens against the regime of Porfirio Diaz.

As a ruler, Diaz presided over a period of great economic growth in Mexico. A new middle class emerged during this time, one that included educated teachers, merchants, lawyers, and businessmen. However, Diaz paid no attention to the concerns of this new class. He did nothing about landed gentry who controlled much of the power in local provinces. Essentially, provincial oligarchies appropriated most of the benefits derived from foreign investment and trade. In government, power was consolidated in the hands of the military.

The middle class agitated for representative government, and they coalesced under the leadership of one Francisco Madero. Madero soon defeated Diaz's military in 1911 and was inaugurated president in 1912. He was elected in one of the freest elections ever held in Mexican history; although his reign was short, his ascent to power inspired the middle class to continue agitating for meaningful change.

Source: The Mexican Revolution

The Boxer Uprising in China (1900).

Dissatisfaction with the presence of foreigners in China during the Qing dynasty led to the Boxer Rebellion. At the time, Western powers such as the British, Americans, French, and Italians held diplomatic and economic ties with China. Yet, foreign presence in China was deeply resented by the native population, and a new group soon consolidated all its efforts into ousting all Western powers from the country.

The Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (Yihequan) were local Chinese who fought to expel all foreigners from China; interestingly, the group had initially worked to overthrow the corrupt regime of Empress Dowager Tzu’u Hzi. However, the 'Boxers' (as they were called) soon joined forces with the Empress, as they believed themselves to be fighting a common enemy. The Boxers soon carried out attacks against Chinese Christians and foreign subjects. Their actions were inspired by the belief that the poor standard of living endured by the working class in China was due to the presumptuous meddling of foreigners in Chinese internal affairs.

Source: The Boxer Rebellion.

The Anglo-Boer War in Africa (1899-1902).

The Anglo-Boer war was caused by dissatisfaction with British rule in Transvaal; it was also called the Second War of Independence and was fought between Britain and the Boers from Transvaal (South African Republic) and the Orange Free State.

Although historians have cited several causes for the war, the main cause for the Anglo-Boer War appears to be conflict over the control of gold-mining operations in South Africa. At stake was the Witwatersrand gold mining complex in the South African Republic, of which the British was coming to depend on entirely. Additionally, the annexation of Transvaal angered the Boer people. They wanted and demanded independence from Britain. The local people resented the British colonial presence and were ready to fight to achieve independence.

Source: The South African War.

Progressive Reforms in America (1900-1918).

The Progressive Movement in America was a response by American citizens against the evils of industrialization. Reformers also agitated for change in the way government was run; they wanted to root out political corruption at the highest levels of government.

The best known reforms during this era would be the 18th and 19th amendments (Prohibition and Women's Suffrage). The reformers of this period were mostly from the middle class who felt a distinct responsibility towards the working poor. The growth of industrialization had led to widespread abuses in working conditions, and reformers were especially interested in securing the rights of the poor in this matter. Progressive journalists such as Jacob Riis wrote exposes about living conditions in tenements; his book, How the Other Half Lives (1890), inspired meaningful reform in tenement housing.

For more: The Progressive Movement.

If a utopian society is perfect, why does the book The Giver come up when I search for a book about a utopian society?

The Giver comes up under the category of "utopian novel" because it is a novel that is concerned with the concept of a utopian society. While the narrative is definitively about a dystopian society, it certainly points to the challenges of attempts to create a utopia, a worthy examination, to be sure.

The society of Jonas, who is the main character, is purportedly a perfect society: the environment is controlled, everyone plays a productive role in the community, desires and sexual urges that could go awry are controlled, emotions are controlled as euphemistic words are used and people are taught to be sensitive to others' feelings. Each age group is treated similarly, so that there is no competition among the children. Finally, at the end of their twelfth year, the adolescents are assigned their roles in life. Only one is appointed as the Receiver of Memory for the community. Many of these memories are painful, but one person must retain them because they may be necessary in times of crisis.

Sameness is considered the solution to conflict, but it is not ideal as there are too many adjustments, some of which are inhumane, that must be made in order to have the controlled, perfect society. Jonas is appointed as the Receiver, and his world changes for him because he learns how these controls really work. In Chapter 12 the Giver tells Jonas, 

We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with differences....We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others."
"We shouldn't have!" Jonas said fiercely.

There is no question that at first the society of Jonas seems a peaceful, contented world. However, as the narrative progresses, this utopian society reveals flaws, and it becomes apparent that the perfect society is not so perfect. But, at one point it is almost perfect; at one point it is a utopia.

In J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, how is Holden Caulfield a hero?

Seeing Holden Caulfield as a hero is tough.  Really tough.  For most of the novel, I wanted to throw Holden out of a window or something.  He complains about everything, and he is never willing to do anything about his complaints.  Additionally, Holden is nothing like a typical noble hero.  He's not honest.  In fact, Holden is a perpetual liar.  For example:

"Oh, how nice!" the lady said. But not corny. She was just nice and all. "I must tell Ernest we met," she said. "May I ask your name, dear?"

"Rudolf Schmidt," I told her. I didn't feel like giving her my whole life history. Rudolf Schmidt was the name of the janitor of our dorm.

There is literally zero reason for Holden to lie here.  He's not in trouble, and saying his real name would carry no consequences, yet Holden lies about it. 

Holden is also not a typical hero, because he's not brave either.  

I'm one of these very yellow guys. . .  Only, I wouldn't have the guts to do it. I'd just stand there, trying to look tough.

Finally, Holden is not a hero because he's completely incapable of making any kind of authoritative decision.  

Like I said, it's tough to see him as a hero.  I've read a character analysis or two that says that Holden is a hero because he is the protagonist.  That's ridiculous, but I can find a way to see Holden as a hero character.  Holden can be viewed as a hero because Holden cares deeply for people that are close to him.  Take Jane, for example. Holden can't screw up the nerve to do anything about his own feelings for Jane, but Holden most definitely wants to protect her from guys like Stradlater.  

"You don't even know if her first name is Jane or Jean, ya goddam moron!"

Holden is equally protective of his sister too.  I don't know if Holden would have followed through with leaving town, but I do believe that the main reason that Holden didn't leave is because he wants to be there for his sister.  That's honorable and heroic in my opinion.  

What are quotes about Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, chapters 16-20?

Chapters 16-20 in To Kill a Mockingbird cover the the day after the mob visits Atticus outside the jail through most of the Tom Robinson trial.  During this time, Atticus is dealing with disapproval from many people in Maycomb.  Many people are appalled that Atticus is defending a black man who has been accused of attacking a white woman.  Despite popular opinion against his breaking of societal norms, Atticus does not waver.  He knows in his heart that he is doing the right thing in defending Tom.

Over breakfast the day after the mob encounter, Atticus talks to his children about Walter Cunningham.  Scout and Jem are concerned that Mr. Cunningham would be a part of a mob.  Atticus shares his opinion about mobs:

"A mob's always made up of people, no matter what.  Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man.  Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know— doesn't say much for them, does it?" (Chapter 16)

Atticus believes in empathy.  Rather than be angry at Mr. Cunningham and the mob, he sees them as a group of friends and neighbors.  This quote reveals his desire to understand people.

In Chapter 20, Atticus addresses the jury.  They have already heard the evidence from the witnesses.  Scout observes her father and notes his calm, collected disposition.  She thinks that the jury appreciates it:

We looked down again.  Atticus was speaking easily, with the kind of detachment he used when he dictated a letter.  He walked slowly up and down in front of the jury, and the jury seemed to be attentive: their heads were up, and they followed Atticus's route with what seemed to be appreciation.  I guess it was because Atticus wasn't a thunderer.

The jury pays attention to Atticus because of the way he speaks to them.  He reminds them that the courts are made to give everyone a fair chance, despite societal inequalities:

"But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president.  That institution, gentlemen, is a court.  It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve.  Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal."

Atticus notes that from the highest courts to the lowest, a fair trial gives everyone a chance to be equal.  He implores the jury to remember this as they deliberate.  This reveals the desire for justice and equality in his character.

Feminist ethnography is an ‘ethnography with women at the centre written for women by women’ (Abu-Lughod). Discuss.

Lila Abu-Lughod is a scholar at the top of her discipline, and she has written on some controversial subjects like veiling. Feminist ethnography tackles the issues of intersectionality and lived experience or insider perspectives. Historically, anthropology and ethnography have been done by outsiders looking in. The very first ethnographers like Jordanes wrote their ethnographic texts without ever having visited the peoples and places they were writing on! As the field of anthropology was really developing in the 19th century, it was common practice for explorers or "natural scientists" to travel to new places and write on the peoples and cultures they encountered. Most of these early ethnographers were upper-class, white, Christian men. A major criticism of early anthropology and ethnography is that the accounts written by these men are framed from an upper-class, white, Christian, and largely colonialist perspective. The values of the ethnographer shaped what they found to be important and chose to write on. This resulted in outsider ethnographies that either left out or misinterpreted entire parts of culture. Early ethnographies also tend to focus on the people the ethnographer found to be most interesting or easy to relate to- that being upper-society men of the culture. The roles and perspectives of women and children are narrow and devalued if mentioned at all.

Anthropology and ethnography have come a long way since the 19th century, with increasing criticisms of earlier works and new perspectives from the very people who were once left out of the picture. Feminism, disability studies, gender and sexuality studies, and ethnic or racial crossovers have really been shaping anthropology over the past fifty years or so. Feminist ethnography is a work of intersectionality that tells the unique perspective of being a woman in a particular culture or cultures. Body politics are a major theme in feminist ethnography, as women are generally oppressed to some degree the world over. Much self-ethnography, especially, deals with the unique struggles of being a woman and a person of color, or being a woman and disabled, or dealing with other life-shaping factors.

What would a white, upper-class, able-bodied, Christian man have to say on the struggles of a disabled, lower-class, Muslim woman of color? Similarly, what would the woman have to say of the man? Very little of value. A persistent trouble in anthropology is how we understand our subject. Self-ethnography is one way of overcoming this trouble. Who understands us and our predicaments better than ourselves? Outsiders often do not have the knowledge and experience to explain every aspect of a culture, especially where oppression is involved.

Lila Abu-Lughod's work on the veil has enlightened many people on the elements of choice and personal security involved in wearing the veil (also called hijab, tichel, burqa, niqaab, or headscarf.) Western culture commonly misinterprets the headscarf as a symbol of possession- that a woman who veils is owned by a man (the husband or father) and is not on display for anyone else's eyes. It is misinterpreted as a symbol of oppression. Abu-Lughod's writing has been pivotal in revealing to the Western world that the veil is not inherently forced and does not symbolize oppression but devotion and personal security. When a woman chooses to cover herself, she is making a statement that she values her relationship with herself, her body, and/or the divine more than she values the opinions of others. Veiling offers personal security in places and cultures where the gaze of others may be sexualizing or consumptive. Many Muslim women describe it as a way of carrying the security and privacy of one's home with them out of doors. 

Feminist ethnography tells the story of these women who veil (and others) in the way that they understand it to be, and not from the perspective of someone who has never and will never live that experience.

In terms of health insurance, what would be considered a soft technology and hard technology? How are they used globally and domestically, and what...

There are two aspects to this question, that of uses of hard and soft technology within a health insurance company and its use by the people the company is insuring. Both affect profitability, customer service, and effective provision of health care.

Hard Technology: The term refers to physical and mechanical objects and processes. Offices, computers, phone answering systems, and claims processing software are examples of hard technology used internal to an insurance company. In patient care, canes, walkers, and medical alert devices would be examples of hard technology. Big data is normally defined as part of hard technology. The main advantage of hard technology is that it often provides low cost and high standardization. Its major limitations are lack of flexibility and a perception that it is cold or inhuman (e.g. people general prefer reaching a real human being to speaking to a computerized answering system).

Soft Technology: This term refers to either human beings or processes which require substantial amounts of human intervention. In the insurance industry, this might refer to the staff who work for your company, call center staff, or procedures designed to help staff make decisions. In patient care, soft technology might include hospice care, personal assistants, service animals, nursing care, or intelligent, patient controlled assistive devices. The main advantage of soft technology is flexibility and user preference. Having, for example, a nurse visit a senior "aging in place" may bring emotional benefits with a positive health benefit compared to using automated monitoring systems. 

Global Issues: Cost-benefit calculations and other choices vary tremendously depending on location. For example, high technology devices that provide increased functionality and cost savings in the western world may be expensive and unreliable in Africa or India where power supplies are unpredictable and logistics complex. On the other hand, personalized nursing care or high levels of human staffing at call centers can offer significant cost saving in Southeast Asia or Latin America due to lower wages. Also, the sophistication in operating technology and comfort with doing so varies across different cultures. As most wealthy countries are experiencing a demographic shift towards an aging population, hard technology solutions for both corporate operations and patient care becomes increasingly desirable. 

What is the significance of the jury deliberation in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The length of the jury deliberation for Tom Robinson’s verdict was important because of the legacy of unfair trials and injustices towards blacks during this time period.  In Tom Robinson’s case, the jury took several hours to come to a guilty verdict, and the length of time they were sequestered showed that there was some discussion and apprehension about the guilt of Tom in the jury room.  Most blacks accused of raping a white woman would have been found guilty in minutes.  During this racist time, the word or testimony of a black defendant meant very little.  However, Tom’s testimony and Atticus’ defense were enough to put doubt in at least some of the jurors' minds.  Jury trials rarely found poor blacks innocent of their accused crimes, particularly when the crime was against a white woman.  A distrust of our court system remains today because of the history of an unfair justice system towards blacks, which Harper Lee shows in To Kill a Mockingbird.