Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Crash Character Analysis

The film Crash is about a wide assortment of individuals of various races in Los Angeles, California and how they all interlace with one another. In the film Crash there are numerous characters that start to change their ways all through the film. One individual in the film that has changed the most is the character Sandra Bullock plays her name is Jean Cabot.The reason being the reason she has changed is on the grounds that one night in the wake of eating, her and spouse Rick Cabot are vehicle jacked at gunpoint by two dark men in an esteemed and rich condition of California. From this experience she is sincerely scarred and generalizations each race that isn't before her face. In one scene of the film, the Cabot’s are getting new secures their home after they were commandeered. The man who is changing the locks on the entryway is a Hispanic male who is generalized by Jean as a result of his shaved head, pants around his base, and his tattoos. Jean demands to Rick that when t he locksmith leaves that he will offer the keys to his â€Å"gang banger† companions directly as he leaves.The man caught Janet and leaves the keys before her. Janet felt regret for the words she had said about the locksmith due to her bogus indictments. In numerous different scenes of the film Janet is seen loudly manhandling her Hispanic house cleaner Maria. In one scene of the film, Maria arrived behind schedule to work because of driving her child to class. Janet comes down the stairs into the kitchen and finds that Maria didn't void out the dishwasher of all the perfect dishes from the prior night. Janet lashes out on Maria each possibility she gets and in the long run fires her.During the finish of the film, Janet Cabot has an acknowledgment of her conduct and activities towards any individual who isn't a similar shading as her. One scene of the film Janet is seen chatting on the telephone with her companion of ten years about every day occasions and parts of the bargai ns. After the discussion has finished, Janet tumbles down the steps and can’t move. Janet called her companion of ten years to come help yet she said that she was to occupied with getting a back rub and would not have the option to come. In distress Janet summoned Maria who came option to help. In a revelation, Janet understands that her house keeper that she obnoxiously mishandled ordinary was her closest companion. She at that point acknowledges what is in reality wrong and it is maxim due to her vehicle being taken it is becauseâ she is simply furious constantly.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Worship Of Hindu Gods Now And Then Religion Essay

Love Of Hindu Gods Now And Then Religion Essay Hinduism: Hinduism or Sanatan (which means an all inclusive religion) is viewed as the universes most seasoned religion that began on the Indian sub-landmass. As indicated by its Vedic records, its history of beginning is dated between to 6,000 to 10,000 years and that is the reason it is considered as one of the antiquated religions of the world. It is the local religion of India and it has neither a particular human organizer nor a solitary book of veneration yet rather established its frameworks on antiquated holy sacred writings that were passed down the ages by an informal exchange and later recorded into contents and messages structures (Zavos, 2001). Hinduism has countless supporters coming to up to one billion worldwide with lion's share of them (95%) being from Indian and the rest in United States ,Europe and different pieces of the world. Demographically, it is the world third biggest religion after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism establishes a mind boggling method of love going from the excellent celebrations like Kumbhela, which is a strict huge social event of up to 45 million individuals to the straightforward Darshan, the reverential finding in home hallowed places. Hindus revere in the various antiquated and contemporary mandirs and holy places. Hindus respect Vedas (old writings) as the most antiquated and the most legitimate writings of the religion and consequently they structure the establishment of all parts of Hinduism. Hindu has three trinity which incorporate Shiva, Brahman and Vishnu not at all like Christian who have just a single trinity. These divine beings speak to the pattern of resurrection and rebirth where Vishnu is mindful of saving the universe, Shiva crushes the re-maker of the universe and Brahman make the Universe. The three goddess are the second trinity of Hindu just as the divine beings spouses of the principal trinity. Be that as it may, all the goddesses and divine beings have their types of manifestations. Hinduism include the love of God and its various gods with the significant ones being Brahma (maker) Vishnu (the preserver) and Siva (the destroyer), so relying upon ones conclusion Hinduism can be supposed to be polytheistic, monotheistic or henotheistic (which includes commitment to a solitary God while tolerating the presence of different divine beings) (Zavos, 120). Current Hinduism is sorted into two significant gatherings: Vaishnavism (the individuals who revere Vishnu and all other living things compliant to him) and Shaivism (stream of Hinduism who adore Shiva and accepts that Shiva is the destroyer and the maker of the universe). Hinduism depends on the standard of Brahman that expresses that the universe is every last one truths are a solidarity, Devine substance that is at the same time at one with the universe who rises above it also. In Hinduism individuals are protected to be caught a Samsara which is an insignificant pattern of birth demise and resurrection with karma ;ones amassed whole of good and terrible deeds and these decides on which level in the rank framework will one be conceived in the home cycle life. Old Hindus adored and interfaced with their divine beings in a somewhat unique manner when contrasted with contemporary method of Hinduism. As per antiquated Hindu contents old In the Vedic religion, there were no sanctuaries of love when contrasted with contemporary Hinduism where there are a huge number of sanctuaries and mandirs work for love. Hindus revered in the open and sanctuaries were first built in Quite a while in 200 years and it denoted the progress of Hinduism from the Vedic religion of ceremonial penances to the religion of Bhakri or love and a dedication to an individual divinity. Old sanctuaries were developed of wood and block however in later occasions, utilization of stone turned into a favored structure material. Sanctuaries developed in the medieval time differed in structural styles and frequently represented the ruler at that point and his wealth and commitment. In antiquated Hinduism, the supporters adored nature and had divine beings that spoke to every component of nature for example the lord of wind, lord of fire, lord of the ocean and divine force of light. Progressively finished, Hindus loved bestial divinities (Sacred creatures that spoke to different gods).they accepted that creatures simply like human shad soul and soul. Sacrosanct creatures in Hinduism are bovines, monkeys, tortoises and elephants. As per old Hindu writings, Hindus loved mother goddess with incredible veneration than it is in present day Hindu religion. Contemporary Hindu adherents put an incredible respects in adoring of individual gods who speak to their God who is the general divinity. As indicated by antiquated Hindu writings, there is proof that proposes that old divine beings intermarried with people and that divine beings had human characters and would come to people in a few symbols. These divine beings had spirits not distinctive with that of people and associated uninhibitedly as the two of them adored the Brahma who is their general god. There is no such sort of connection between Hindu divine beings and its admirers. The kind of human associations with divine beings relied upon singular situation in the station framework and those in higher caster were respected to be more near divine beings than those in the lower standing levels. There was no clerical class in old Hinduism however today minister are the ones answerable for driving the admirers in sanctuaries. In old Hinduism, social versatility in the position framework was permitted however it was very trouble. The social rank framework was included of two powerful social frameworks one dependent on age (Varna) and the other Asrama that obviously characterized people jobs and obligations sin the general public. Every now and then individuals could move starting with one position then onto the next or set up another one. In the contemporary Hinduism, the developing rank got uncalled for to those in the most reduced request and was bit by bit ignored as it supposedly was prejudicial (Ghanshyam, 45). Rank framework however still plays a significant factor in present day in masterminding of Hindu relationships. The administration in 1947 canceled station framework and subsequently rank separation is presently unlawful in India. In present day Hinduism, the social framework has been debased and not, at this point a primary significant strict quality of Hinduism. Old Hinduism was not harsh to ladies and most researchers accept that ladies had to some degree significant jobs they played in the customs of the early Vedic period, however with time the Vedic ceremony turned out to be progressively mind boggling and the significance of jobs ladies played lessened step by step. Additionally during this period, there were other ceremonial customs that ladies were permitted to take an interest in. In antiquated Hindu religion, some consecrated customs and services for example the custom of terrified move and music offering were drilled. A portion of these conventional consecrated ceremonies (upacharas), changed with time. A great case of an adjustment in Hinduism antiquated conventions and ceremonies in the previous scarcely any hundred years, is the substitution of the music offering and moves which are sacrosanct which were endorsed by Agama Shastra, with the cutting edge contributions of rice and desserts. In antiquated Hinduism the Vedic customs of fire-oblation (yajna) were frequently polished yet are quite recently just periodic practice in the advanced Hindu religion, these practices are anyway are exceptionally worshipped in principle. As per Vedic contents, in old Hinduism, butcher of creatures was allowed yet this ceremonial has basically vanished in present day Hinduism. It is in the nineteenth and twentieth hundreds of years that, noticeable figures of Indian otherworldliness like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda and Ramana Maharshi stressed the significance of ahimsa. In antiquated Hinduism, the Brahmins never permitted individuals from the lower position to appreciate equivalent status benefits. There is little resistance generally for lower segment of the Hindu people group which in any reality their own kin. This has been the standard throughout the years that it is as of not long ago such lower areas of the network were permitted to peruse Vedas which was another significant strict sacred texts. Notwithstanding that, these people were not at all they were likewise not permitted to enter the sanctuaries, where Brahmins were adored, and revere god. These class of individuals didn't too permitted to attract water a similar well with others and neither would impart their nourishments to higher stations. This standards were material either in social or strict get-together. In old Hinduism, penances were offered to God through its subordinate divine beings yet in current Hinduism, food is rather offered to individual divine beings or people before eating. By offering of food to god and gods, disguise of penances were accomplished by eating what is being yielded, which is being accepted as making the people body being a penance to god. It is likewise generally accepted by Hindu people group that offering divine beings with food is an indication of commitment or self acquiescence. It is likewise accepted that the individuals who eat food being scarified to divine beings would not be hurt by any tamasic or rajasic which would be in the food. (Houben Et al, 45) In old Hinduism, there were a less number of Hindu factions and divine beings when contrasted with current Hindu religion where numerous organizations have developed with expanded opportunity on an individual venerating any god the individual wishes. A significant number of these are because of fluctuating has confidence in the understanding of the Hindu writings. Present day Hinduism include periodic particularly during strict celebrations going to sanctuaries for revere yet many incline toward loving at home where one regularly makes a holy place with symbols devoted to their picked structure or types of god. By and large, sanctuaries are devoted to a god that is essential while related gods to most various gods Hindus play out their love through symbols (murtis) which every symbol fills in as a substantial connection between the admirer and their incomparable God. The picture or the assigned is frequently viewed as an appearance of God, as God is intrinsic. As per the Hindu messag es the Padma Purana clarifies that the mã… Â «rti isn't to be thought of similarly as simple stone or wood however as a show type of the Divinity. In antiquated H

Monday, August 3, 2020

Why I Love Reading Literary Journals

Why I Love Reading Literary Journals Three years ago I began exploring the world of literary journals. What I found was a community of readers, writers, editors, and publishers with a passion for short stories, novellas, and essays. In a short time I went from being someone who was interested primarily in novels and long-form non-fiction to falling in love with the literary journal. What I love most about reading literary journals is that they seek out and publish new authors. To me, each new issue of a journal is like a wrapped gift. I never know what I will be reading. Of course, literary journals also publish short fiction by established authors. During the time that I’ve been reading Tin House, I’ve read new fiction by Stephen King, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Joy Williams. If I hadn’t been a reader of Tin House, these stories would most likely have passed me by. Literary journals provide an easy and quick way to diversify my reading experience. In each issue, Tin House publishes insightful essays on topics I would never have come across if I had stuck to my usual ways of finding something to read. In Glimmer Train, I’ve read more stories about the American immigrant experience, war veterans with PTSD, and people with disabilities than I have anywhere else. I also love reading literary journals because of the author interviews. Here, The Paris Review reigns supreme with two extensive interviews in each issue and an archive dating back to the beginnings of the journal in 1953. A twist on the author interview is Glimmer Train’s feature Silenced Voices. In collaboration with the Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International, Silenced Voices  profiles writers, journalists, and human rights activists from all over the world who have been imprisoned for speaking the truth through the written word. Because each literary journal is published according to its own publishing schedule, reading these journals makes me go to the bookstore more regularly. I see bookstores as communities teeming with activity centered on distributing good stories. That is why I have decided to buy my journals at the store instead of subscribing to them. A subscription would remove me from the community of the bookstore. Finally, I follow several literary journals on Twitter. Of these, The Missouri Review’s tweets are in a league of their own:  humorous, self-deprecating, often expressing affection for their interns as if they were the staff’s own children. What is your relationship to literary journals? ____________________ Follow us on Twitter for more bookish goodness!

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Nuclear Energy Should Not Be The Solution For Our Energy...

Nuclear energy should not be the solution for our energy crisis problem because of the catastrophic possibilities it may cause. About 20% of our nation’s electrical use is supplied by nuclear power per year. It is a main source of energy because of how cheap and effective it is and the government has declared it â€Å"safe†. Several countries are starting to increase their dependence on nuclear energy because of its high energy output and the power to bring electricity to everyone’s home. Although nuclear power has conveniences like this, the dangers brought by it are eminent. The probability of another accident like Fukushima or Chernobyl are present in any nuclear plant and increase the risk of causing severe harm to those that live in a close range to these plants. Millions of people would die not only from the initial explosion, but also the after effects like nuclear fallout that would cause radiation sickness. In conclusion, nuclear energy should not be u sed because of the hazardous waste it produces, the unsafe storage of the hazardous waste, the possibility of fatalities, and the cost to produce these plants. Nuclear power plants discharge high-level nuclear waste that is lethal to humans. A typical plant generates 20 to 30 metric tonnes of high level nuclear waste annually. All this waste will continue to grow especially due to the government moving towards making nuclear power our only source of energy and eliminating our common sources like fossil fuels. More thanShow MoreRelatedSuper Hero Who Will Save The World1372 Words   |  6 Pagessave the world. Our planet is on the edge right now, soon we will be faced with very serious crisis. Energy crisis. We use energy every day and it’s very hard to imagine our world with out of electricity. Can you imagine, that one-day electricity may become as expensive as gold and we won’t be able to use it on regular basis, like we do now. And this day might be coming soon. So let’s imagine that we are on a freeway. Just a few miles over the horizon lies the ultimate exhaustion of our planet’s fossilRead More Crisis1206 Words   |  5 PagesCrisis â€Å"Crisis!† Anytime we, as a society, hear this word our ears perk up and the speaker has our attention. Usually when we hear crisis we think that it is something with â€Å"the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome† (Merriam Webster) that calls for immediate response. President George W. Bush says that we are in a national â€Å"energy crisis† (Is Yucca Mountain in Nevada a safe disposal site?). Bush has proposed a solution, storing all of our nation’s nuclear waste in Nevada’s YuccaRead MoreThe Worlds Reliance on Fossil Fuels Essay1371 Words   |  6 Pagesapproximately thirty to forty more years. That means that the clock is ticking and we must find a solution to this major question facing our world. How will the world function without crude oil? I believe our driving habits, consumption of goods, technological research and emphasis on conserving crude oil plus finding a substitute must be addressed now by the world. Oil was not used as a source of energy until the latter half of the 19th century. Prior to that, wind and water power were used forRead MoreThe Economic Decision Making For Obama s Two Parent962 Words   |  4 Pagesrain – result from our dependence on fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels produces heat-trapping gases that are the main cause of the ongoing rise in global atmospheric temperatures. Therefore, as a result of the shale revolution Americans seem to have a hard time to say â€Å"goodbye† to the stereotypes of the past century. Barack Obama declared comprehensive energy strategy increasingly takes on the character of selective policy, concentrating not on a wide range of energy, but only on shaleRead MoreNuclear Energy : Nuclear Power1251 Words   |  6 Pages What is Nuclear Power? Nuclear power uses nuclear fission to release nuclear energy which creates heat that can then be used in nuclear power stations to provide electricity. In nuclear fission, the nucleus splits apart generating large amounts of energy. Nuclear fusion is also an excellent energy source because it produces no greenhouse gases or combustion products which are not radioactive. The drawback is that it takes too much energy so we are sticking to nuclear fission. Nuclear power a controversialRead MoreThe Climate Disaster Is Inevitable Or Not?896 Words   |  4 Pageslevel. Several studies might have demonstrated the causes and significant impacts of climate crisis. It is still popular argument in society, whether the climate disaster is currently inevitable or not. If it already occurred, what are the main factors? Who should be responsible? In other words, everything is still a conundrum. Therefore, this paper will examine the current background of climate disaster in our planet and the possible actions to cope with this issue. The roots of climate disaster unexpectedlyRead MoreThe Global Energy Crisis Is A Growing Concern Today s Day And Age1266 Words   |  6 PagesThe global energy crisis is a growing concern in today’s day and age. Some think we should talk about it more, others think we should be more concerned about other issues, but one thing is certain – we are not doing enough to compensate for the damage we are causing. One by one, governments around the world are beginning to embrace the miracle that is nuclear energy. Fear is ingrained into the mind of the public when it comes to radioactivity, but many of these people still believe that radioactiveRead MoreIs Nuclear Energy Answer to the Energy Crisis by Albert You1571 Words   |  7 Pages(Albert) Is nuclear power the answer to the energy crisis? Submission Date: 29/8/2012 Required Length: 1250-1500 Actual Length: 1291 Introduction It is frequently said that nuclear energy is cheaper, safer and more efficient than fossil fuels, and without the effects on air pollution, so it is often seen as a solution to the energy crisis. In 2000, approximately a sixth of the global electricity power was provided by nuclear power. (Boyle, G et al 2003) However, over the last year, there hasRead MoreOil Is Destroying The Environment ! - Argument Essay1328 Words   |  6 PagesOil Is Destroying the Environment! - Argument Essay for the Use of Nuclear Fusion By: Bryanna Bergevin Oil has been used for centuries as the main source of energy in this country. It has been valued very high from that because it is very hard to find, and there s a limit of how much people can use. What if there was a time where this country could run out of oil? That wouldn t allow society to function properly, because of the rate were using oil now. The amount of oil burned also causes a hugeRead MoreOur Energy Future1055 Words   |  5 PagesKyle Smyre June 6 2011 Period 2 Mr. Watts Our Energy Future Currently, its clear that there is an immense problem with the prospect of societys energy needs for the future. Such a large dependency on limited fossil fuels are already dampening the worlds economy, and following this path will simply ensure a destitute future. However, changes could be made in todays time to prevent such an event from occurring, but it will require many separate state entities to work together and no longer

Monday, May 11, 2020

Analysis Of Hester s The Scarlet Letter - 1874 Words

Throughout history, mental illness has been labeled as a defining deformity, that harnesses in its â€Å"victims,† into a box, parallel to the familiar â€Å"mime in a box† image. In a world where we glorify â€Å"normality,† a lack of illness, which by all means is a gift, the beauty of one mind takes away from the beauty of an outlier, even though, ironically people may not even recognize their differences. Hester, at a glance suffers from a literal scarlet letter, but an imprint on her brain may exist as well. Irrational actions, sudden emotional episodes, and destructive thoughts can only prevail for so long following sin; Hester’s persona has branches of self-defeating personality disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. No one of her time, however, will bring the issue to light, Hester will be left known as the mistress, a witch, or â€Å"A,† rather than to explore her â€Å"complicated† condition. As decades pass, Hester’s state will remain, as the â€Å"A,† the mark of the stigma on mental illness today. When left neglected, society rejects the possibility that under a visible coating, mental deformities may lie; those who are divergent, who require affection more, are made subordinate, marginalized with no quest for a cure. Haunted by the scarlet letter, Hester circles her life around its existence; it lights its way into her every passage, becoming a great fragment of her persona, shaping her every move, touch and†¦. sight. â€Å"A† warps a route into Hester’s life, to an extent where it’sShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Hester Prynne s The Scarlet Letter 1182 Words   |  5 PagesChapters 2-3 When Hester Prynne is first introduced in the novel, she comes off as a young woman who has lost all control of her life due to her adultery conviction. In the beginning, Hester appears as one of the stronger characters in the story, as seen by her bravery on the platform in which she is sentenced to stand on for three hours in front of the town. She is described as a woman whose beauty shone out, and made a halo of the misfortune and ignominy in which she was enveloped† (46) and throughoutRead MoreSymbols In The Scarlet Letter1023 Words   |  5 PagesKaci Peeler Ms. Ortiz, Period 4 English Language and Composition AP 06 June 2017 The Scarlet Letter Analysis In the book, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter,† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many symbols can be found. Hawthorne uses symbols such as the scarlet letter itself, which could represent things like determination, hard work, and a punishment. Another symbol he uses is the forest and the wilderness, which represents Hester and Pearl’s freedom from society as they explore the forest. The last symbol that seemedRead MoreIs the Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel1510 Words   |  7 Pages21, 2012 Is The Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel? â€Å"Is The Scarlet Letter a Proto Feminist Novel?† The Scarlet Letter is a very well-known novel, between the scandals and lies. It starts off with a woman named Hester Prynne. Hester decides to leave her husband behind to migrate to Boston. A couple years later, Hester gives birth to a baby girl named Pearl in prison. Hester refused to reveal the father of Pearl. The town then forces Hester to wear a scarlet letter A upon her dressRead MoreSymbolism, Use Of Color, And Themes Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1657 Words   |  7 Pages and Themes in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter is regarded as the first symbolic novel in American Literature for Nathaniel Hawthorne s skillful use of symbolism and allegory. The novel is also said to be the greatest accomplishment of American short story and is viewed as the first American psychological novel, which makes Hawthorne win an incomparable position in American Literature. Hawthorne’s â€Å"unique gift† for using this kind of skills taps into the roots of man s moral nature and givesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Scarlet Letter 972 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of The Black Man In The Scarlet Letter Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. In the novel â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, symbolism is the main feature of the story. Symbolism is used throughout the novel to describe every object in the story from the characters to the rosebush to the scarlet letter itself. One of the major symbols in â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† is the black man, who can not only beRead MoreEssay on Pearl in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne771 Words   |  4 PagesPearl in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Hesters daughter, Pearl, functions primarily as a symbol. She is quite young during most of the events of this novel—when Dimmesdale dies she is only seven years old—and her real importance lies in her ability to provoke the adult characters in the book. She asks them pointed questions and draws their attention, and the readers, to the denied or overlooked truths of the adult world. In general, children in The Scarlet Letter are portrayedRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter - Character Analysis - Pearl770 Words   |  4 Pagesgeneral, children in The Scarlet Letter are portrayed as more perceptive and more honest than adults, and Pearl is the most perceptive of them all. At the first of Pearls role in the story, it appears as though someone so grounded in her beliefs, spiritual and mental, would never be dynamic in character. However, that is not the case. This character analysis will explain the life of Pearl, and what she meant to other roles of The Scarlet Letter. The setting is the early 1600s in a newly founded PuritanRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1389 Words   |  6 PagesIf we look at the setting in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is a 1600s puritan settlement in New England. This particular place is the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where, as depicted in The Scarlet Letter, is bound by the strict rules of the Puritans. We can see that internal struggle is planted in people’s minds because of their punishment, and specifically, Hester Prynne. We can see that Hester’s punishment, however, has helped her internally to become a better, independant personRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1397 Words   |  6 Pages John Graves Professor Connie Caskey English 251: American Literature I 8 February 2016 The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850 which is based on the time frame of the Puritans, a religious group who arrived in Massachusetts in the 1630’s. The Puritans were in a religious period that was known for the strict social norms in which lead to the intolerance of different lifestyles. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the puritan’s strict lifestyles to relate to the universal issues amongRead MoreCharacterization In The Scarlet Letter1374 Words   |  6 Pagesexpressed throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Pearl is outcasted from society because of her non-conformity to rigid Puritan morals, similar to how Hawthorne alienates his own daughter Una for having a more masculine personality. These aspects all mirror Hawthorne s emotions and hardships of his early life through the literary element of characterization. The analysis of Pearl emphasizes how The Scarlet Letter is a reflection of Hawthorne s life, and how the feelings he has towards

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Golden Lily Chapter 5 Free Essays

WORD OF MY UPCOMING DATE spread fast. I could only presume Trey had told Kristin and Julia, who had in turn told Jill and Eddie and God only knew who else†¦. So, I shouldn’t have been surprised when I got a call from Adrian just after dinner. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 5 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He started talking before I could even say hello. â€Å"Really, Sage? A date?† I sighed. â€Å"Yes, Adrian. A date.† â€Å"A real date. Not, like, doing homework together,† he added. â€Å"I mean like where you go out to a movie or something. And a movie that’s not part of a school assignment. Or about something boring.† â€Å"A real date.† I figured I wouldn’t give him the specifics on the Shakespeare play. â€Å"What’s the lucky guy’s name?† â€Å"Brayden.† There was a pause. â€Å"Brayden? That’s his real name?† â€Å"Why are you asking if everything’s real? You think I’d make any of this up?† â€Å"No, no,† Adrian assured me. â€Å"That’s what’s so unbelievable about it. Is he cute?† I glanced at the clock. It was time for me to meet my study group. â€Å"Gee, maybe I should just send you a picture to review?† â€Å"Yes, please. And a full background check and life history.† â€Å"I have to go. Why do you care so much anyway?† I finally asked in exasperation. His answer took a long time, which was uncharacteristic. Adrian was usually ready with a dozen witty quips. Maybe he couldn’t decide which one to use. When he finally responded, it was in that usual sarcastic way of his – though the levity sounded a little forced. â€Å"Because it’s one of those things I never expected to see in my lifetime,† he told me. â€Å"Like a comet. Or world peace. I’m just used to you being single.† For some reason, that bothered me. â€Å"What, you don’t think any guy would ever be interested in me?† â€Å"Actually,† said Adrian, sounding remarkably serious, â€Å"I can imagine lots of guys being interested in you.† I was certain he was teasing me and had no time for his jokes. I said goodbye and headed off to my study group, which, thankfully, was pretty dedicated and got a lot of work done. But when I met up with Trey at the library later, he was less than focused. He couldn’t stop going on and on about how brilliant he was in getting Brayden and me together. â€Å"This date hasn’t even happened, and I’m already tired of it,† I said. I spread Trey’s lab paperwork out on the table before us. The numbers and formulas were comforting, far more concrete and orderly than the mysteries of social interaction. I tapped the lab assignment with my pen. â€Å"Pay attention. We don’t have a lot of time.† He shrugged off my concerns. â€Å"Can’t you just finish it?† â€Å"No! I left enough time so that you could do it yourself. I’ll help, but that’s it.† Trey was intelligent enough to figure out most of it on his own. Using me was just another way for him to dodge looking smart. He let the date go and focused on the work. I thought I was free of Brayden interrogation until, just as were wrapping up, Jill and Micah came strolling by, hand in hand. They were with a group of other people, which didn’t surprise me. Micah was easygoing and popular, and Jill had inherited a large circle of friends by going out with him. Her eyes sparkled with happiness as someone in the group told a funny story that made them all laugh. I couldn’t help a smile myself. This was a far cry from when Jill had first come to Amberwood and been treated as an outcast for unusual looks and odd behaviors. She was thriving with this new social status. Maybe it would help her embrace her royal background. My smile faded when Jill pulled Micah away from the group and hurried over to our table. Her eager expression worried me. â€Å"Is it true?† she asked. â€Å"Do you have a date?† â€Å"For the love of – you know it’s true! And you told Adrian, didn’t you?† I gave her a pointed look. Their psychic bond wasn’t active 100 percent of the time, but something told me she knew about his earlier phone call to me. When the bond was â€Å"on,† she could see into his mind, observing both his feelings and actions. It only worked one way, however. Adrian had no such insight. She turned sheepish. â€Å"Yeah†¦ I couldn’t help it when Micah told me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I heard it from Eddie,† Micah added quickly, as though that might get him off the hook. He had red hair and blue eyes that were always cheerful and friendly. He was one of those people you couldn’t help but like, which made it harder to undo the tangled web Jill had woven by dating him. â€Å"Hey, I did not tell Eddie,† said Trey defensively. I turned my gaze on him. â€Å"But you told other people. And they told Eddie.† Trey gave a half shrug. â€Å"I might have mentioned it here and there.† â€Å"Unbelievable,† I said. â€Å"What’s this guy like?† asked Jill. â€Å"Is he cute?† I thought about it. â€Å"Pretty cute.† She perked up. â€Å"Well, that’s promising. Where’s he taking you? Somewhere good? Night on the town? Fancy dinner? Micah and I had an awesome time at Salton Sea. It’s so pretty. You could go there, have a romantic picnic.† Her cheeks turned pink and she stopped for breath, as if realizing she was talking too much. Rambling was one of Jill’s most endearing traits. â€Å"We’re going to see Shakespeare in the park,† I said. That got me silence. â€Å"Antony and Cleopatra. It’s good.† I suddenly felt the need to defend myself. â€Å"A classic. Brayden and I both appreciate Shakespeare.† â€Å"His name is Brayden?† asked Micah in disbelief. â€Å"What kind of a name is that?† Jill frowned. â€Å"Antony and Cleopatra†¦ is that romantic?† â€Å"Kind of,† I said. â€Å"For a while. Then everyone dies in the end.† Jill’s horrified expression told me that I wasn’t really improving matters. â€Å"Well,† she said. â€Å"I hope you have, um, fun.† A few moments of awkwardness ensued, then her eyes lit up again. â€Å"Oh! Lia called me tonight. She said you two talked about me modeling for her again?† â€Å"She what?† I exclaimed. â€Å"That’s not quite how I’d put it. She asked if you could do some print ads. I said no.† â€Å"Oh.† Jill’s face fell a little. â€Å"I understand. From what she said†¦ I just thought. Well. I thought maybe there was a way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I gave her a meaningful look. â€Å"I’m sorry, Jill. I wish there was a way. But you know why you can’t.† She nodded sadly. â€Å"I understand. It’s okay.† â€Å"You don’t need a modeling campaign to be beautiful to me,† said Micah gallantly. That brought a smile back to her face that faded when she saw a nearby clock. Her transient moods reminded me of Adrian’s, and I wondered if some of that was the effect of the bond. â€Å"Ugh. Curfew’s coming. We’d better head out. You coming, Sydney?† I glanced at Trey’s lab. It was complete and, I knew, absolutely perfect. â€Å"I’ll leave in just a couple minutes.† She and Micah left. Glancing over at Trey, I was surprised to find him staring at her retreating figure intently. I nudged him. â€Å"Hey. Don’t forget to put your name on this, or it was all for nothing.† It still took him several seconds to drag his gaze away. â€Å"That’s your sister, isn’t it?† His dismal tone made it sound more like a statement than a question, as though he were revealing some unfortunate fact. â€Å"Um, yeah. You’ve seen her like a hundred times. She’s gone to this school for a month.† He frowned. â€Å"I just never thought much about it†¦ never got a good look at her before. I don’t have any classes with her.† â€Å"She was front and center in that fashion show.† â€Å"She had a mask on.† His dark eyes studied me. â€Å"You guys don’t look alike at all.† â€Å"We get that a lot.† Trey still looked troubled, and I had no idea why. â€Å"You’re smart to keep her out of modeling,† he said at last. â€Å"She’s too young.† â€Å"It’s a religious thing,† I said, knowing Trey wouldn’t quiz me for many details on our â€Å"faith.† â€Å"Whatever it is, keep her out of the public eye.† He scrawled his name on the lab and shut his textbook. â€Å"You don’t want her plastered all over magazines or something. Lots of creepy people out there.† Now I was the one left staring. I agreed with him. Too much exposure meant the Moroi dissidents could find Jill. But why would Trey feel that way, too? His claims that she was too young were sound, I supposed, but there was something vaguely unsettling about the exchange. The way he’d watched her walk away was too weird. But then, what other reason aside from concern could he have? The normality of the next couple of days was welcome – normality being relative around here, of course. Adrian kept sending me e-mails, asking me to rescue him (while also offering unsolicited dating advice). Ms. Terwilliger continued her passive aggressive attempts to teach me magic. Eddie continued in his fierce dedication to Jill. And Angeline continued her not-sosubtle advances on Eddie. After watching her â€Å"accidentally† spill her water bottle all over her white T-shirt at practice with him one day, I knew something would have to be done, no matter what Eddie had said about his personal life. Like so many awkward and unpleasant tasks in our cohort, I had a feeling I was the one who would have to do it. I figured this would be some sort of stern, heart-to-heart talk about the proper way to solicit someone’s attention, but on the night of my date with Brayden, it was soon made clear to me that I was apparently the last person who should be giving dating advice. â€Å"You’re wearing that?† demanded Kristin, pointing an accusing finger at the outfit I’d neatly set out on my bed. She and Julia had taken it upon themselves to inspect me before I went out. Jill and Angeline had tagged along without invitation, and I couldn’t help but notice that everyone seemed a lot more excited about this than I was. Mostly I was a tangle of nerves and fear. This was what it must feel like to go into a test without having studied. It was a new experience for me. â€Å"It’s not a school uniform,† I said. I’d had enough sense to know wearing that would be unacceptable. â€Å"And it’s a color. Kind of.† Julia held up the top I’d selected, a crisp cotton blouse with short sleeves and a high, button-up collar. The whole thing was a soft shade of lemon yellow, which I thought would score me points with this group since everyone accused me of not wearing colors. I’d even combined it with a pair of jeans. She shook her head. â€Å"This is the kind of shirt that says, ‘You’re never getting in here.'† â€Å"Well, why would he?† I demanded. Kristin, sitting cross-legged in my desk chair, tilted her head thoughtfully as she studied the shirt. â€Å"I think it’s more like a shirt that says, ‘I’m going to have to end this date early so I can go prepare my Power Point presentation.'† That sent them into fits of laughter. I was about to protest when I noticed Jill and Angeline going through my closet. â€Å"Hey! Maybe you should ask before doing that.† â€Å"All your dresses are too heavy,† said Jill. She pulled out one made of soft, gray cashmere. â€Å"I mean, at least this is sleeveless, but it’s still too much for this weather.† â€Å"Half my wardrobe is,† I said. â€Å"It’s made for four seasons. I didn’t really have a lot of time to switch to all summer stuff before coming here.† â€Å"See?† exclaimed Angeline triumphantly. â€Å"Now you know my problem. I can cut a couple inches off of that, if you want.† â€Å"No!† To my relief, Jill put the dress away. A few moments later, she produced a new find. â€Å"What about this?† She held up a hanger carrying a long white tank top made of light, crinkly material with a scoop neckline. Kristin glanced at Angeline. â€Å"Think you could make the neckline lower?† â€Å"The neckline’s low enough already. And that’s not a shirt you wear on its own,† I protested. â€Å"It’s meant to be tucked in under a blazer.† Julia rose from the chair. She tossed her hair; this was serious business. â€Å"No, no†¦ this might work.† She took the shirt from Jill and laid it across the jeans I’d set out. She studied it for a few moments and then returned to my closet – which was apparently free game for everyone. After a quick search, she pulled out a skinny leather belt with a tan snakeskin pattern. â€Å"I thought I remembered you wearing this.† She laid the belt over the white shirt and stepped back. After a bit more scrutiny, she gave it a nod of approval. The others crowded in to look. â€Å"Good eye,† said Kristin. â€Å"Hey, I found the shirt,† Jill reminded her. â€Å"I can’t wear the shirt alone,† I said. I hoped my protests covered up my anxiety. Had I really been that off on the yellow shirt? I’d been certain it was date-appropriate. How was I going to survive tonight if I couldn’t even dress right? â€Å"If you want to put a blazer on over it in this weather, be my guest,† said Julia. â€Å"But I don’t think you have to worry about it showing too much. This wouldn’t even be worth Mrs. Weathers’s notice.† â€Å"Neither would the yellow blouse,† I pointed out. They decided my clothing was a done deal and moved on to hair and makeup advice. I drew the line there. I wore makeup every day – very nice, very expensive makeup applied to make the most of my features in a way that made it look as though I didn’t even have makeup on. I wasn’t going to change that natural look, no matter how adamantly Julia swore pink eye shadow would be â€Å"hot.† None of them put up much of a fight on my hair. It was currently in a layered cut that went just past my shoulders. There was exactly one way it could be styled, worn down with the layers carefully arranged with a hair dryer. Any other style looked messy, and of course, I already had it in the perfect configuration today. No point messing with a good thing. Besides, I think they were all too excited that I’d agreed to wear the white tank top – once I’d tried it on to verify that it wasn’t transparent. My only nod to jewelry was my little gold cross. I fastened it around my neck and said a silent prayer that I’d get through this. Although Alchemists used crosses a lot, we weren’t exactly part of any traditional Christian faith or practice. We had our own religious services and believed in God, that He was a great force of goodness and light that infused every bit of the universe. With all that responsibility, He probably didn’t care much about one girl going on a date, but maybe He could spare a second to make sure it wasn’t too painful. They all traipsed down the stairs with me when the time came for Brayden to pick me up. (Actually, it was a little earlier than the appointed time, but I hated being late.) The girls had all come up with reasons for needing to meet him, from Jill’s â€Å"It’s a family thing† to Kristin’s â€Å"I can spot an asshole in five seconds.† I wasn’t confident in that last one, seeing as she’d once speculated that Keith might be a good catch. All of them were also full of unsolicited advice. â€Å"You can split the cost of dinner or the play,† said Julia. â€Å"Not both. He needs to pick up the whole bill on one of them.† â€Å"Better if he pays for everything, though,† said Kristin. â€Å"Still order something, even if you don’t want to eat it,† added Jill. â€Å"If he’s buying dinner, you don’t want to let him off cheap. He’s gotta work for you.† â€Å"Where are you guys getting all of this?† I asked. â€Å"What does it matter if I – oh, come on.† We’d reached the lobby and found Eddie and Micah sitting on a bench together. They at least had the decency to look embarrassed. â€Å"Not you guys too,† I said. â€Å"I was just here to see Jill,† said Micah unconvincingly. â€Å"And I was here to, um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eddie faltered, and I held up a hand to stop him. â€Å"Don’t bother. Honestly, I’m surprised Trey isn’t here with a camera or something. I figured he’d want to immortalize every moment of this debacle of a – oh. Hey, over here.† I put on a smile as Brayden stepped into the lobby. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who liked to be early. Brayden seemed a little surprised that I had an entourage. I couldn’t blame him since I was kind of surprised I had one too. â€Å"It’s nice to meet all of you,† said Brayden, friendly, even if a little bewildered. Eddie, while uncomfortable with Angeline’s advances, could be perfectly outgoing in less bizarre social situations. He played up the brotherly role and shook Brayden’s hand. â€Å"I hear you guys are seeing a play tonight.† â€Å"Yes,† said Brayden. â€Å"Although, I prefer the term drama. I’ve actually already seen this production, but I’d like to watch it again with an eye toward alternative forms of dramatic analysis. The standard Freytag method can get a little cliched after a while.† This left everyone speechless. Or maybe they were just trying to figure out what he’d said. Eddie glanced at me then back to Brayden. â€Å"Well. Something tells me you guys are going to have a great time together.† Once we were able to extract ourselves from my well-wishers Brayden said, â€Å"You have very†¦ devoted family and friends.† â€Å"Oh,† I said. â€Å"That. They just, uh, happened to all be going out together at the same time we were. To study.† Brayden glanced at his watch. â€Å"Not too late for that, I suppose. If I can, I always do my homework right after school because – â€Å" â€Å"If you put it off, you never know if something unexpected might happen?† â€Å"Exactly,† he said. He smiled at me. I smiled back. I followed him to visitor parking, over to a shiny, silver Ford Mustang. I nearly swooned. Immediately, I reached out and ran my hand along the car’s smooth surface. â€Å"Nice,† I said. â€Å"Brand new, next model year. These new ones will never quite have the character of the classics, but they certainly make up for it in fuel economy and safety.† Brayden looked pleasantly surprised. â€Å"You know your cars.† â€Å"It’s a hobby,† I admitted. â€Å"My mom is really into them.† When I’d first met Rose Hathaway, I’d had the incredible experience of driving a 1972 Citroen. Now I owned a Subaru named Latte. I loved it, but it wasn’t exactly glamorous. â€Å"They’re works of art and engineering.† I noticed then that Brayden had come with me to the passenger side. For half a second, I thought he expected me to drive. Maybe because I liked cars so much? But then, he opened the door and I realized he was waiting for me to get in. I did, trying to remember the last time a guy had opened a car door for me. My conclusion: never. Dinner wasn’t fast food, but it wasn’t anything fancy either. I wondered what Julia and Kristin’s opinion would be on that. We ate at a very California type of cafe, that served all organic sandwiches and salads. Every menu item seemed to feature avocado. â€Å"I would’ve taken you somewhere nicer,† he told me. â€Å"But I didn’t want to risk being late. The park’s a few blocks away, so we should be able to get a good spot. I†¦ I hope that’s okay?† He suddenly looked nervous. It was such a contrast to the confidence he had shown when talking about Shakespeare. I had to admit, it was kind of reassuring. I found myself relaxing a little bit. â€Å"If it’s not, I’ll find a better place – â€Å" â€Å"No, this is great,† I told him, glancing around the cafe’s brightly lit dining room. It was one of those places where we ordered at a counter and then brought a number to our table. â€Å"I’d rather be early, anyway.† He’d paid for all of our food. I tried to make sense of the dating rules my friends had bombarded me with. â€Å"What do I owe you for my ticket?† I asked tentatively. Brayden looked surprised. â€Å"Nothing. It’s on me.† He smiled tentatively back. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. So, he was paying. That would make Kristin happy, although it made me a little uneasy – through no fault of his. With the Alchemists, I was always the one picking up the bills and handling the paperwork. I wasn’t used to someone else doing it. I guess I just had trouble shaking that feeling that I had to take care of everything because no one else could do it right. Academics had always been a breeze for me. But at Amberwood, learning how to hang out with people my own age in a normal way had been a much more difficult task. I’d gotten better, but it was still a struggle trying to figure out the proper things to say to my peers. With Brayden, there were no such problems. We had an endless supply of topics, both of us eager to put forth all we knew on anything and everything. Most of the meal was spent discussing the intricacies of the organic certification process. It was pretty awesome. Trouble came when, as we were finishing up, Brayden asked if I wanted to get dessert before we left. I froze, suddenly in a dilemma. Jill had said to make sure I ordered enough to not come across as a cheap date. Without even thinking about it, I’d ordered an inexpensive salad – simply because it sounded good. Was I now on the hook to order more so I’d seem like someone Brayden had to work for? Was this worth breaking all my own rules about sugar and dessert? And honestly, what did Jill know about dating etiquette anyway? Her last boyfriend had been homicidal, and her current one was oblivious to the fact that she was a vampire. â€Å"Uh, no thank you,† I said at last. â€Å"I’d rather make sure we get to the park on time.† He nodded as he rose from the table and gave me another smile. â€Å"I was thinking the same thing. Most people don’t seem to think punctuality is that important.† â€Å"Important? It’s essential,† I said. â€Å"I’m always at least ten minutes early.† Brayden’s grin widened. â€Å"I aim for fifteen. To tell you the truth†¦ I really didn’t want dessert anyway.† He held the door open for me as we stepped outside. â€Å"I try to avoid getting too much sugar.† I nearly came to a standstill in astonishment. â€Å"I totally agree – but my friends always give me a hard time about it.† Brayden nodded. â€Å"There are all sorts of reasons. People just don’t get it, though.† I walked to the park, stunned. No one had ever understood me so quickly and easily. It was like he had read my mind. Palm Springs was a desert city, filled with long stretches of sandy vistas and stark, rocky mountain faces. But it was also a city that mankind had been shaping for a long time, and many places – Amberwood, for example – had been given lush, green makeovers in defiance of the natural climate. This park was no exception. It was a huge expanse of green lawn, ringed with leafy deciduous trees instead of the usual palms. A stage had been set up at one end, and people were already seeking out the best spots. We chose one in the shade that had a great view of the stage. Brayden took out a blanket to sit on from his backpack, along with a worn copy of Antony and Cleopatra. It was marked up with notes and sticky tabs. â€Å"Did you bring your own?† he asked me. â€Å"No,† I said. I couldn’t help but be impressed. â€Å"I didn’t bring many books from home when I moved here.† He hesitated, as though unsure he should say what he was thinking. â€Å"Do you want to read along with mine?† I’d honestly figured I would just watch the play, but the scholar in me could certainly see the perks of having the original text along. I was also curious about what kind of notes he’d made. It was only after I’d said yes that I realized why he was nervous. Reading along with him meant we had to sit very, very close together. â€Å"I won’t bite,† he said, smiling when I didn’t move right away. That broke the tension, and we managed to move into positions that allowed us both to see the book with almost no touching. There was no avoiding our knees brushing one another, but we both had jeans on, and it didn’t make me feel like my virtue was at stake. Also, I couldn’t help but notice he smelled like coffee – my favorite vice. That wasn’t a bad thing. Not bad at all. Still, I was very conscious of being so close to someone. I didn’t think I was getting any romantic vibes. My pulse didn’t race; my heart didn’t flutter. Mostly I was aware that this was the closest I’d sat to anyone, maybe in my life. I wasn’t used to sharing my personal space so much. I soon forgot about that as the play started. Brayden might not like Shakespeare performed in modern clothing, but I thought they did an admirable job. Following along with the text, we caught a couple of spots where the actors messed up a line. We shot each other secret, triumphant looks, gleeful that we were in on something others didn’t know about. I kept up with Brayden’s annotations too, nodding at some and shaking my head at others. I couldn’t wait until we discussed this on the ride home. We were all leaning forward intently during Cleopatra’s dramatic death scene, intensely focused on her last lines. Off to my side, I heard the crinkling of paper. I ignored it and leaned forward further. The paper crinkled again, this time much louder. Looking over, I saw a group of guys sitting nearby who appeared to be about college-aged. Most of them were watching the performance, but one was holding an item wrapped in a brown paper bag. The bag was too big for the object and had been rolled down several times. He glanced around nervously, trying to be discreet and unroll the paper in small batches. It was obvious that was actually making more noise than if he’d just gone for it and unrolled it all at once. This went on for another minute, and by then, a few others nearby were glancing over at him. He finally managed to open the bag and then, still in slow motion, carefully lowered his hand inside. I heard the pop of a cap and the guy’s face lit up in triumph. Still keeping the object concealed, he lifted the bag to his mouth and drank out of what was very obviously a bottle of beer or some other alcohol. It had been pretty apparent right away from the bag shape. I clapped a hand over my mouth, in an attempt to smother my laughter. He reminded me so much of Adrian. I could absolutely see Adrian smuggling in alcohol to an event like this and then going to all sorts of pains to be covert, thinking that if he just did everything slowly enough, no one would catch on to him. Adrian, too, would probably have the misfortune of opening the bottle right in the middle of the play’s most tense scene. I could even picture a similarly delighted look on his face, one that said, No one knows what I’m doing! When, of course, we all knew. I didn’t know why it made me laugh, but it did. Brayden was too focused on the play to notice. â€Å"Ooh,† he whispered to me. â€Å"This is a good part – where her handmaidens kill themselves.† The two of us had plenty to debate and analyze on the way back to Amberwood. I was almost disappointed when his car pulled up to my dorm. As we sat there, I realized we’d come to another critical dating milestone. What was the correct procedure here? Was he supposed to kiss me? Was I supposed to let him? Had that been the real price of my salad? Brayden seemed nervous too, and I braced myself for the worst. When I looked down at my hands in my lap, I noticed they were shaking. You can do this, I told myself. It’s a rite of passage. I started to close my eyes, but when Brayden spoke, I opened them quickly. As it turned out, Brayden’s buildup of courage wasn’t for a kiss, so much as a question. â€Å"Would you†¦ would you like to go out again?† he asked, giving me a shy smile. I was surprised at the mix of emotions this triggered. Relief was foremost, of course. I’d now have time to research books on kissing too. At the same time, I was kind of disappointed that the swagger and confidence he’d shown in dramatic analysis didn’t carry through here. Some part of me thought his line should’ve been more like, â€Å"Well, after that night of perfection, I guess we have no choice but to go out again.† Immediately, I felt stupid for such a sentiment. I had no business expecting him to be more at ease with this when I was sitting there with my hands shaking. â€Å"Sure,† I blurted out. He breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"Cool,† he said. â€Å"I’ll e-mail you.† â€Å"That’d be great.† I smiled. More awkward silence fell, and suddenly, I wondered if the kiss might be coming after all. â€Å"Do you†¦ do you want me to walk you to the door?† he asked. â€Å"What? Oh, no. Thank you. It’s right there. I’ll be fine. Thank you.† I realized I was on the verge of sounding like Jill. â€Å"Well, then,† said Brayden. â€Å"I had a really nice night. Looking forward to next time.† â€Å"Me too.† He held out his hand. I shook it. Then I left the car and went inside. I shook his hand? I replayed the moment in my head, feeling dumber and dumber. What is wrong with me? As I walked through the lobby, kind of dazed, I took out my cell phone to see if I had any messages. I’d turned it off tonight, figuring if ever there was a time I’d earned peace, this was it. To my astonishment, no one had needed anything in my absence, though there was one text message from Jill, sent about fifteen minutes ago: How was your date with Brandon? What’s he like? I unlocked my dorm door and stepped inside. His name is Brayden, I texted back. I pondered the rest of her question and took a long time in trying to decide how to respond. He’s just like me. How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 5, Essay examples

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Stock market free essay sample

Although privatization may reduce the value of BCE but may increase liquidity for BCE. * Consumers- Interested in maintaining services with BCE. Privatization may result in an improvement in quality since the new owner(s) would attempt to improve the company after takeover. * Employees- Interested in maintaining their jobs. Winning or losing is unknown as intentions of the new owner(s) are unknown. Strategic Oversight Committee- Interested in maximizing shareholder value and would be considered a winner if privatized. Examine and comment on the reaction of the stock and bond markets to the various key events in the litigation time line. In the early part of 2007 BCEs stock had been trading around $30 per share and the value of the bonds were around $122. In April 2007, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan(Teachers’) filed a Statement of Beneficial Ownership (Schedule 13D) notifying the Securities and Exchange Commission of their intentions to attempt a leveraged buy out of BCE. We will write a custom essay sample on Stock market or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Once it was made public that BCE was a LBO target the stock and bond markets reacted drastically and inversely of each other. The stock price soared to $39 per share, a 21% increase in value. Meanwhile the bonds suffered a sharp decline going from $120 to $109, a 10% decrease in value. This is typical of a situation in which a company is threatened with a hostile takeover because the target firm is struggling and the potential buyer will add value to the target firm. The added value will drive the stock prices up as investors expect an upswing in the value of the target firm. These trends were expected to continue to fluctuate until a purchaser won the auction process. On June 26, 2007 it was announced that Teachers’ won the auction process with a winning bid of $42. 75 per share. The winning bid would entail Bell Canada to take on $38. 5 billion in debt that would result in a downgrade of the BCE bonds credit rating to below investment grade. Bond prices fell from $109 to $105 during this time period while the stock price rose slightly to $41 per share. During the time period between the approval of the bid and the injunction filed by the bondholders with the Quebec Superior Court prices for stocks and bonds varied. This was to be expected with the uncertainty surrounding the Courts decision as to whether or not they would allow or suspend the sale of BCE to Teachers. By the time the Court made their decision on March 7, 2008 to allow the sale of BCE to resume, the bond values fell an average of 18% from April 2007. Meanwhile the value of the stocks remained about 20% higher than when the LBO process initially started. Following the Superior Courts decision the bondholders filed an appeal in a last ditch effort to reverse the Courts decision. Though the appeal process would not stop the decreasing value of their bonds. The bondholders were hopeful they would win their appeal and prevent the bonds from being downgraded, which would return value to their bonds by not increasing the debt of Bell Canada. While the process of appeal was being heard by the Court of Appeals, the value of the bonds decreased even further trading at a low of $90. At the same time BCEs stock was trading between $35-$39 per share. The Quebec Court of Appeal decision came on May 2008 and shockingly sided with the bondholders. The Court stated that the Strategic Oversight Committee did not consider the unfavorable effect a downgrade in credit ratings would have on BCE bondholders that would be forced to sell their bonds at a severe loss. Following the Quebec Court of Appeals’ decision to overrule the Superior Courts decision the value of BCEs stocks suffered a severe decrease, dropping from $39 per share down to $33 per share (a 15% loss in value). Meanwhile the bondholders’ expectations were met and it showed in the increased in value of the bonds, as they rose from $93 to $104 (a 11% increase). 3. What were the major differences in the Revlon case and the Quebec Court of Appeal’s approaches to how the board should weigh the various stakeholder interests? The case of Revlon, Inc. v MacAndrews amp; Forbes Holding Inc. led to a revolutionary decision in regards to hostile takeovers. The responsibility of the board of directors is typically to act in the best interest of the corporation. However, the U. S. Supreme Court of Delaware determined that when the sale or breakup of a firm is inevitable, the fiduciary obligation of the directors of the target firm change considerably. The court deemed that the fiduciary obligation, when firms’ are â€Å"in play† as a takeover target, must now be merged with the best interest of a firms’ stockholders by securing the highest purchase price possible. Thus a firm would enter into an auction process whereby they would obtain the maximum price available, which Revlon did not do. Ronald Perelman, CEO of Pantry Pride, initially approached Revlon Inc. in regards to a negotiated or if need be a hostile takeover at a price range of $42-45 per share. The initial offer was rejected and when Pantry Pride revised their offer, it was apparent that Revlon would be sold or broken up. Prompting Revlon to take defensive measures such as a poison pill, adopting a Note Purchase Rights Plan, and the repurchase of five million out of thirty million shares to help prevent/delay the takeover. Revlon then entered into negotiations with Forstmann and eventually approved the leveraged buyout via Forstmann by means of providing inside financial data, a lock up and a no-shop agreement. Revlon’s’ fiduciary responsibility to shareholders was violated by failing to receive the maximum price per share possible as it was known that Pantry Pride would exceed any offer by Forstmann. These actions destroyed the bidding process for Pantry Pride, prompting them to file an injunction with the Delaware Supreme Court. Where the Delaware Supreme Court found Revlon’s’ agreement with Forstmann was insufficient in attaining the maximum price possible. Though the cases against BCE and Revlon have similarities there were major differences in the actions taken by each firm. BCEs leveraged buyout was opposed by debenture holders from one of its subsidiaries (Bell Canada). While in the case of Revlon, Pantry Pride a potential buyer of the firm challenged the buyout deal by Forstman arguing that they would have provided a better offer for the shareholders. Meanwhile Bell Canada’s debenture holders argued that the buyout would devalue their bonds by lowering the credit rating of these bonds to below investment grade. Creating a problem since the majority of Bell Canada’s debenture holders were restricted to investing in investment grade bonds. The resulting downgrade in the credit rating of said bonds would force these debenture holders to sell their bonds at a loss, to the tune of an eighteen percent loss. At the same time the value of stockholders investments increased by forty percent, wherein lied the problem for BCE. Under the precedent set by the Revlon case the winning bid (for BCE) would be recognized as fair and acceptable. Though in light of the conflicting claims from Bell Canada’s bondholders, the Quebec court of appeals perceived the acceptance of the buyout as biased towards the stockholders. Also, the Court of Appeal found the process to be flawed by disregarding the interests of the bondholders by not considering the thirty million dollars of debt taken on by Bell Canada. So, the Court held that, â€Å"there is no principle that one set of interests — for example the interests of shareholders — should prevail over another set of interests. †3 Thus the court rejected BCEs assumption that they were protected under the preceding Revlon line of cases that supports the interest of shareholders prevails when conflicted with the interest of creditors and other stakeholders of a firm. Ultimately the Quebec Court of Appeals determined that merging the interest of a corporation with shareholders was not enough. They reasoned that the best interest of all stakeholders of a firm should be considered when a company is an LBO target. Implying that bondholders and other stakeholders of a firm must be considered by the board of directors in determining the best course of action during a takeover. Another major difference in the LBO’s was process of guiding the firms through the hostile takeover attempts. Revlon was in exclusive negotiations with only two firms and they took defensive measure to ensure that Forstmann would be the purchaser of the firm. While BCE conducted an auction where the highest bid was granted the right to purchase firm. 4. As a member of the BCE’s board, what course of action would you recommend? As members of the board of directors, we would recommend a restructuring of the traditional focus for conducting business in the best interests of only the shareholders. Many corporations have many stakeholders who are affected by the decisions made by the board of directors for the corporation. At BCE we learned that the best outcome for shareholders can negatively affect the bondholders, not to mention employees, suppliers, consumers and so on. We should attempt to work out a sale of BCE but find a suited buyer which can accommodate the interests for a majority of the stakeholders, If not a perfect overall solution for all stakeholders, sort of a win-win strategy. With our current situation, we should create a decision tree of sort and identify the stakeholders affected, whether negatively or positively and determine the best course of action. Next we should determine how to accomplish such an action. Maybe a refinancing of debt or even a chapter 11 reorganization (although this may devalue the stocks of the corporation by increasing risk exposure). In following such an approach, the board can justify their decision in front of any court of law, and prevent any potential lawsuits. BCE is a publicly traded company and should make their decisions as such†¦ as how it would affect the public.