Anthem for Doomed Youth

Choose a poem in which you feel there is a significant moment which reveals the central idea of the poem; show how the poet achieves this in an effective way. ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen is a poem in which a significant moment reveals the central idea of the poem. The poet achieves this through many poetic techniques such as depersonalisation and alliteration. The first hint of content of the poem comes in the title, the paradox of ‘Doomed Youth' implies that it will not be a happy poem but the first line is significant as the central idea of the poem is revealed. â€Å"What passing bells for those who die as cattle?† The rhetorical question at the very beginning of the poem draws the reader in making them think fully about the ideas carried on through the rest of the poem. From the very start we are aware that the people who are dying are not considered important as the writer refers to the people as ‘those'. Also the depersonalisation as he calls them ‘cattle' implies that they were thought to be no more than animals. They also lose their own personal identities. ‘Cattle' also implies that the men do not have voices and needs that anyone else – anyone human – can understand. As a reader I feel that opening the poem with a rhetorical question is very effective. However in the second line of the poem Owen personifies the guns – ‘monstrous anger' – showing that the guns are worth more and have a louder voice than the men who are dying, which links to the first line as the men were depersonalised. Also Owen uses the word ‘stuttering' to describe the rifles which could imply that the soldiers are young and nervous referring to ‘youth' in the title. The reader feels sympathetic towards the young soldiers. Again Owen implies that the soldiers are not seen as individuals by the use of ‘Can patter out their hasty orisons'. By using the word ‘their' Owen shows how the soldiers were grouped together. This idea is carried on to the next line with ‘No mockeries for them' as he refers to the men as ‘them.' The idea of ‘mockeries,' ‘prayers', ‘bells' and ‘mourning' all are associated with death and funerals, but the repeated use of ‘No' tells us that no one respected the soldiers enough for a proper burial, it could also imply too many of the soldiers were dying. This also relates to the question at the beginning of the poem. The reader feels angry that the soldiers are not respected in their deaths. Although the second stanza starts the same way as the first stanza – with a rhetorical question – the ideas suggested are different. â€Å"What candle may be held to speed them all?† Unlike the first rhetorical question this implies that there is not anything good or big enough to show respect to all the soldiers who died in the war. This rhetorical question also links the first and second stanzas together as they both start the same way. Also death is portrayed in a more positive light, as the people at home respect the soldiers. This is shown by the ‘holy glimmers of goodbyes' by the use of the word ‘holy' the poet shows the reader that the soldiers were respected greatly. Owen also implies that only in death with the torture of war end which makes the reader feel sympathy for the soldiers and anger for the pointless destruction that war causes. In contrast to the treatment of the soldiers in the first stanza the writer tells the reader that the soldiers will be missed as he says about the women at home: â€Å"the pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;† This shows that they were worried about their husbands, brothers and sons. This is carried through the next line when Owen tells the reader ‘their flowers the tenderness of patient minds' showing that the war is not only affecting the soldiers but their loved ones who are left behind. This makes the reader sympathetic towards the soldiers and their family and friends. The idea of respect is carried on in the last line as the alliteration of ‘And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.' slows down the pace of the words and ‘drawing down of blinds' symbolises the end of another soldiers life as drawing down blinds was a mark of respect when someone died. ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen is a poem in which a significant moment reveals the central idea of the poem. Through many poetic techniques such as word choice, alliteration and personification the writer effectively creates a moment which the central idea is revealed. Anthem For Doomed Youth Throughout this poem there is a theme of mourning and funeral. In the first stanza it is almost sarcastic with instruments of war conducting a service on the battlefield for their victims. The guns become ‘passing-bells' and shells become ‘demented choirs'. The second stanza takes us back home where the true mourners are. The poet speaks of how ‘the holy glimmers of goodbyes' will shine in the eyes of boys instead of their hands and how ‘the pallor of girls' brows' being the ‘pall' of the dead. The last two lines, for me carry the greatest effect and meaning: ‘Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds' The first is about the disappointment of people who have worried and waited for a long time and whose pain can only be expressed in small gestures or things such as flowers. The second could be interpreted in many different ways. It could be referring to the custom of drawing down of blinds but it could also be about the end of a life and hope leaving as reality settles. These two lines also delineate the pointlessness of hoping as the dead were ‘doomed' and predestined for slaughter in the way that ‘cattle' are in the first place. ‘Anthem For Doomed Youth' is structured like a sonnet and has a very strong rhyme which never appears to be forced and does not interrupt the meaning of the poetry. Indeed, most things about the structure and choice of language appear to be unforced as they are so well incorporated with one another and only after the second reading does one realise how carefully thought out they are. In the first stanza, there is a large use of onomatopoeia: ‘stuttering', ‘rattle', ‘patter', ‘wailing'. This has the effect of bringing the reader to the battlefield. Wilfred Owen has personified the warfare and made the rifles ‘stutter' and the shells ‘wail'. He has also made them come to life; guns cannot be angry and neither can shells be ‘mourning'. This forms an image in the first stanza that is slightly ‘demented' and disturbing. He often repeats vowel sounds and uses alliteration throughout the poem. In ‘the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle' the ‘a' sound is repeated along with the alliteration of the ‘t's. The words of the poem are cleverly chosen to heighten the expression of the poem in the way it is read. For instance, in the quotation about the rifles above, the alliteration he has chosen to make makes the sound interrupted and quickens the pace. This also reminds of the panic and rushing of war. In the final lines the words are not ones that can be said quickly: ‘flowers', ‘patient', ‘minds', ‘slow', ‘blinds'. This dramatically slows the pace of reading and makes them more expressive because it makes the reader think that the poem also dies with the soldiers or the hopes for the soldiers' lives. What is interesting is that there are no phrases that bind this poem to the First World War. Of course, it was written about it, but if given to a reader who did not know about Wilfred Owen or his works, they could think it was about any or all wars after the invention of the rifle. The poem does not mention trenches or gas. ‘These who die as cattle' are not necessarily British, neither are they necessarily of any side in war; they are the collective dead. ‘The guns' are not our guns or their guns. In the preface for a book of poems he intended to publish, Wilfred Owen wrote ‘My Subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity.' ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth' is unique in that the pity is not only for the soldiers of the First World War, but also for those who suffered the loss of people they loved. It can be raised to a universal level where it comments on the shame and futility of all wars. In his other poetry, there is often blame involved but in this poem he evokes an air of sadness and waste only. There is genius behind the phrasing of it, but it is almost hidden because of its perfection.

Incredible India Essays

Incredible India Essays Incredible India Essay Incredible India Essay Dinner Transportation etc. Travel in IndiaWelcome Ceremony An auspicious and ceremonial welcome in Indian Traditional style at the Hotel with Shehnai Nagada wadan (music) at the entrance, with caparisoned camels / elephants at the gate with men women showering flower petals. The Barat (bridegrooms entourage) are greeted by with a ritual called aarti followed by tikka. Accomodation: A suit in Haveli for one night for newly Weds on complimentary basis. A special discount on Room rent to accommodate other guests. Bridal Make Up ; Costume: Bridal make up at Salon ; Costume can be arranged. Bridegroom: Leading him in procession, often-on horseback or caparisoned elephants for the Bridegroom to the marriage venue accompanied by the brass band. Bride: A silver chariot for the Bride ; Bride maids to ride to the Jaimala site. Vidaai (Concluding ceremony): Vidaai, the ceremony of seeing off the bride after the wedding, is a emotional moment for her family. We can make it all the more poignant with the lilt of the shehnai and transporting her in a tastefully decorated palki. Decoration: * Decoration of lights on trees. Decorated lights on Haveli ; Hotels ; Swimming pool. * Floral Decoration of Mandap. Rangoli ; Flower decoration, special Floral decoration ; Diyas along the pathways. * Decorative lights on the main entrance gates. The Art of Mehndi The wedding season is on! Its May already, which means the wedding seasons in full swing! Indian weddings are noisy colorful family get-togethers, which wouldnt be complete without certain things the religious ceremonies, the feast for the gue sts, and of course, the beautiful mehndi designs adorning the hands and feet of the bride and her friends. Read about mehndi, the ancient Indian body art thats reinvented itself as a modern fashion accessory. Its safe and painless since it does not require the skin to be pierced. Its completely natural and non-toxic. Its fun, exotic, beautiful, and as simple or complicated as you want it to be. It can last for a couple of days or as long as a month. Its a 5000 year old tradition and a modern craze. It was used by our grandmothers and their grandmothers and their grandmothers but our daughters and granddaughters also think its cool . It goes by the name of mehndi, and its the ancient Indian art of adorning the hands and feet with intricate designs and patterns, using a paste made from the finely ground leaves of the henna plant. The term refers to the powder and paste, the design on the skin, as well as the party or ceremony. It originated in Egypt and in Middle Eastern countries during ancient times and it slowly spread to India and other hot climates like Malaysia, Persia, Syria, Morocco, Sudan and North Africa. LANGUAGES Indias official language is Hindi in the Devanagri script. It is the primary tongue of 30% of the people. The States are free to decide their own regional languages for internal administration and education, so there are 18 official languages spoken throughout the country. Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri and Sindhi, are among the official languages which are also widely spoken. Sanskrit though an official language is hardly ever used except in rituals and ceremonies. While English enjoys associate status, it is widely spoken and is one of the most important languages for national, political, and commercial communication. In all there are 24 different languages, each spoken by a million or more persons; as well as millions of other languages and dialects.

John F. Kennedy and PT-109 in WWII

John F. Kennedy and PT-109 in WWII PT-109 was an 80-ft. patrol torpedo boat used by the US Navy during World War II. Commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, it was sunk by the destroyer Amagiri on August 2, 1943.   After the loss of PT-109, Kennedy went to great lengths to have his crew rescued. Nation: United StatesType: Patrol Torpedo BoatShipyard: Elco - Bayonne, NJLaid Down: March 4, 1942Launched: June 20, 1942Fate: Sunk August 2, 1943 Specifications Displacement: 56 tonsLength: 80 ft.Beam: 20 ft. 8 in.Draft: 3 ft. 6 in.Speed: 41 knotsComplement: 12-14 men Armament 4 x 21 torpedo tubes ( 4 x Mark VIII torpedoes)4 x .50 cal. machines guns1 x 20 mm cannon1 x 37 mm cannon Design Construction PT-109 was laid down on March 4, 1942, in Bayonne, NJ. Built by the Electric Launch Company (Elco), the boat was the seventh vessel in the 80-ft. PT-103-class. Launched on June 20, it was delivered to the US Navy the following month and fitted out at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Possessing a wooden hull constructed of two layers of mahogany planking, PT-109 could achieve speeds of 41 knots and was powered by three 1,500 hp Packard engines. Driven by three propellers, PT-109 mounted a series of mufflers on the transom to reduce engine noise and allow the crew to detect enemy aircraft. Typically manned by a crew of 12 to 14, PT-109s main armament consisted of four 21-inch torpedo tubes which utilized Mark VIII torpedoes. Fitted two to a side, these were swung outboard before firing. In addition, PT boats of this class possessed a 20 mm Oerlikon cannon aft for use against enemy aircraft as well as two swivel mounts with twin .50-cal. machine guns near the cockpit. Completing the vessels armament were two Mark VI depth charges which were placed forward of the torpedo tubes. After work was complete in Brooklyn, PT-109 was dispatched to Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) Squadron 5 in Panama. Operational History Arriving in September 1942, PT-109s service in Panama proved brief as it was ordered to join MTB 2 in the Solomon Islands a month later. Embarked aboard a cargo ship, it arrived at Tulagi Harbor in late November. Joining Commander Allen P. Calverts MTB Flotilla 1, PT-109 began operating from the base at Sesapi and conducted missions intended to intercept the ships of the Tokyo Express, which were delivering Japanese reinforcements during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Commanded by Lieutenant Rollins E. Westholm, PT-109 first saw combat on the night of December 7-8. Attacking a group of eight Japanese destroyers, PT-109 and seven other PT boats succeeded in forcing the enemy to withdraw. Over the next several weeks, PT-109 took part in similar operations in the region as well as conducted attacks against Japanese shore targets. During such an attack on January 15, the boat came under fire from enemy shore batteries and was holed three times. On the night of February 1-2, PT-109 took part in a large engagement involving 20 Japanese destroyers as the enemy worked to evacuate forces from Guadalcanal. With the victory on Guadalcanal, Allied forces began the invasion of the Russell Islands in late February. During these operations, PT-109 aided in escorting transports and provided security offshore. Amid the fighting in early 1943, Westholm became the flotilla operations officer and left Ensign Bryant L. Larson in command of PT-109. Larsons tenure was brief and he left the boat on April 20. Four days later, Lieutenant (junior grade) John F. Kennedy was assigned to command PT-109. The son of prominent politician and businessman Joseph P. Kennedy, he arrived from MTB 14 in Panama. Under Kennedy Through the next two months, PT-109 conducted operations in the Russell Islands in support of the men ashore. On June 16, the boat, along with several others, moved to an advanced base on Rendova Island. This new base became a target of enemy aircraft and  on August 1, 18 bombers struck. The raid sunk two PT boats and disrupted operations. Despite the attack, a force of fifteen PT boats was assembled in response to intelligence that five Japanese destroyers would be conducting a run from Bougainville to Vila, Kolombangara Island that night. Prior to departing, Kennedy ordered a 37 mm gun field mounted on the boat. Deploying in four sections, PT-159 was the first to make contact with the enemy and attacked in concert with PT-157. Expending their torpedoes, the two boats withdrew. Elsewhere, Kennedy patrolled without incident until spotting firing along the south shore of Kolombangara. Rendezvousing with PT-162 and PT-169, he soon received orders to maintain their normal patrol. Due east of Ghizo Island, PT-109 turned south and led the three-boat formation. Moving through the Blackett Straits, the three PT boats were spotted by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. Turning to intercept, Lieutenant Commander Kohei Hanami bore down on the American boats at high speed. Spotting the Japanese destroyer at about 200-300 yards, Kennedy attempted to turn to starboard preparatory to firing torpedoes. Too slow, PT-109 was rammed and cut in half by Amagiri. Though the destroyer suffered minor damage, it safely returned to Rabaul, New Britain the following morning while the surviving PT boats fled the scene. Thrown into the water, two of PT-109s crew were killed in the collision. As the forward half of the boat remained afloat, the survivors clung to it until daylight. Rescue Aware that the forward section would soon sink, Kennedy had a float fashioned using a timber from the 37 mm gun mount. Placing badly burned Machinists Mate 1/c Patrick MacMahon and two non-swimmers aboard the float, the survivors succeeded in evading Japanese patrols and landed on uninhabited Plum Pudding Island. Over the next two nights, Kennedy and Ensign George Ross unsuccessfully attempted to signal patrolling PT boats with a salvaged battle lantern. With their provisions exhausted, Kennedy moved the survivors to nearby Olasana Island which possessed coconuts and water. Seeking additional food, Kennedy and Ross swam to Cross Island where they found some food and a small canoe. Using the canoe, Kennedy came into contact with two local islanders but was unable to get their attention. These proved to be Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who had been dispatched by Sub Lieutenant Arthur Reginald Evans, an Australian coastwatcher on Kolombangara, who had seen PT-109 explode after the collision with Amagiri. On the night of August 5, Kennedy took the canoe into the Ferguson Passage to try to contact a passing PT boat. Unsuccessful, he returned to find Gasa and Kumana meeting with the survivors. After convincing the two men that they were friendly, Kennedy gave them two messages, one written on a coconut husk, to take to the coastwatchers at Wana Wana. The next day, eight islanders returned with instructions to take Kennedy to Wana Wana. After leaving supplies for the survivors, they transported Kennedy to Wana Wana where he made contact with PT-157 in the Ferguson Passage. Returning to Olasana that evening, Kennedys crew was ferried to the PT boat and transported to Rendova. For his efforts to rescue his men, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. With Kennedys political ascent after the war, the story of PT-109 became well known and was the subject of a feature film in 1963. When asked how he became a war hero, Kennedy replied, It was involuntary. They sank my boat. The wreck of PT-109 was discovered in May 2002 by noted underwater archaeologist and oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard.

International trade & business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International trade & business - Assignment Example onal trade and its correlation with foreign direct investments, domestic environments, latest technologies, and the impact on the current international business environment. It also describes the role of driving forces behind the firmly integrated global international trade system. A substantial preference is given to underline the implications of international trade i.e. declining barriers to the international business and its continuous contribution towards the world’s economy. It also analyzes that how the international businesses are reacting to the changing environment of global economy. The paper puts some light on the concerns highlighted by rapid growth of international trade along with its implications to some particular countries and multinational companies. The roles of these companies and government policies have been critically analyzed to figure out the benefits and gray areas of international trade. Over the past thirty years or so, a universal shift has been occurring in the world economy. There was a time when national economies were isolated from one another and relatively self contained. The rationale of isolation included barriers to cross-border trade and investment, i.e. due to distance, time zone, environment and cultures, natural differences in languages and political regulations, and the business systems. Today, the world has been observing a totally different scenario because geographical distances are reducing due to tremendous development in telecommunications and transportation technologies. Beside this, the global environment and culture have turned into almost same fashion while national economies are merging into an integrated as well as independent global economic system. All these changes and developments have decreased the barriers to cross-border trade and investments. It is widely believed that all such happenings and improvements have been occurred by the tremendous growth of international trade at global scale (Panic,

Social Psychology Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Psychology Paper - Essay Example We are to define the terms, map the terms to excerpts from the examples, and then correlate the reasons we selected those excerpts to those definitions. Terms to define and understand Confirmation Bias Balez (2008) defines confirmation bias as something that occurs when people project their expectations on one another and the other reacts in the way that person is projecting. This is commonly referred to as the "Pygmalion effect" (Overview section, para. 1). If one expects the best from another that is what one will receive. Conversely, if one expects the worst treatment, this is what one will receive. In the second scenario it was stated, â€Å"Though disappointed, he tried to hide it because at least she seemed to care for the students and it wasn’t really her fault that so many students showed up at the same time† (Example 2, 2011). Because Jonathan believed the best in Dr. Jones, he looked for ways to defend her behavior in cutting the advising sessions short. Addit ionally, Jonathan thought, â€Å"at least she seemed to care for the students† and â€Å"Dr. Jones was impressed with Jonathan’s maturity† (Example 2, 2011). External Locus of Control A person's perception of the source of his or her fate is termed locus of control. Those with an internal locus of control believe they are in control of their destiny or what may or may not occur in their environment. Treven & Treven (2011) describe those guided by an external locus of control as being guided by something outside him or herself. Externals faced with a stressor are more likely to be stressed, passive, and defensive. â€Å"She tried to disguise her disappointment and anger because her advisor cared too little for his students to allow enough time to meet every student for the time they needed† (Example 1, 2011). If Jessica had given much thought to the timing of their sessions, late in the term, a long wait, she may have realized that there would be concerns with the time frame. Both students were affected by the timing of the session being shortened and in being disappointed. However, Jessica was affected from an external standpoint and became angry and appeared â€Å"rude and incompetent† to her advisor (Example 1, 2011). Fundamental Attribution Error Per Changingminds.org (2011), the ability humans have to attribute the cause of events to one thing or another exists because humans have a need to explain the world, in their own mind and to those around them. This helps each of us to feel like we have some sense of control. When explaining behavior, it can affect the standing of people within a group. When another person has erred, we will often use internal attribution, saying it is due to personality factors. When we have erred, we will more likely use external attribution, attributing causes to situational factors rather than blaming ourselves. Antello, Prilipko, & Sheridan-Pereira (2010) define fundamental attribution error aaccording to Heider from 1958 as "observers attribute characteristics to actors on the basis of the actor's behavior" (Literature Review, para. 4). â€Å"Upon entering the room he was disappointed to hear Dr. Jones say she was running late with his student meetings and would have to get done in 10 minutes and there was only time for last minute checks of her schedule† (Example 1, 2011). â€Å"Because her advisor cared too little for his students† (Example 1, 2011). Jessica refused to take responsibility for her situation by getting angry. She

A New Architecture for Sustainable Development Research Proposal - 1

A New Architecture for Sustainable Development - Research Proposal Example Though the article is quick to blame developing countries for this problem, nothing has been mentioned of the role played by developed countries or the efforts that the developing countries may be putting in place to deal with this problem. Therefore, other than blame games, if developing countries have to embrace sustainability (which they should), developed countries have to reward them as a motivation to follow sustainable paths and to abscond from doing exactly what the developed countries did some few decades ago. UNIT Globalization and sustainability Confino, J. 12 July 2013. Should sustainability professionals fly less? The Guardian. [online] Available at http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/should-sustainability-professionals-fly-less DESCRIPTION: Thanks to globalization, the world has become a borderless global market with companies establishing their operations anywhere around the world. A good number of companies are based in westerns countries though they have their operations in Asia, Europe, and Africa or virtually in any corner of the world. This means that most executives make numerous business trips around the planet. What they do not realize is that by traveling in vehicles and taking flights, they are contributing to the same pollution that they are trying to fight in their businesses’ social corporate responsibility policies RELEVANCE: The article highlights the challenge that globalization has on the essence of sustainability. Global sustainability refers to the possibility of meeting the current needs without affecting the chances of future generations meeting theirs (Hart & Milstein, 2003) REFLECTION: By making numerous flights, we increase environmental pollution. Such pollution has the potential of preventing future generations from meeting their basic needs, which contradicts with our sustainability efforts. Maybe to solve this contradiction, it would be advisable to use more video conferencing and other real-time com munication channels to reduce our trips across the globe. Sustainable Organisations Eccles, R.G. & Serafeim, G. May 2013.The Performance Frontier: Innovating for a Sustainable Strategy. Harvard Business Review. [online] Available at http://hbr.org/2013/05/the-performance-frontier-innovating-for-a-sustainable-strategy/ar/1 DESCRIPTION: The article explains the culture of organizations in innovating strategies that would lead to sustainability in their business. Many organizations have put in place diverse measures towards achieving sustainability, some of which do not align with their business objectives. Therefore, the main question is what should an organization focus on to remain sustainable or to achieve sustainability? Today, there are numerous educational programs critical in bending the curve of the current world towards a more sustainable future ( Dey, Kurucz & Colbert, 2010).  

Causes of Economic Growth and Crashes

Causes of Economic Growth and Crashes Amy Zhi â€Å"How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes,† â€Å"Too Big to Fail† and the 2008 Recession The film â€Å"Too Big to Fail† takes viewers down the 2008 financial meltdown, also known as the â€Å"Great Recession of 2008,† and emphasizes its impact on the economy. The crisis was avoidable and caused by â€Å"widespread failures in financial regulation (Fed’s failure to stem the tide of toxic mortgages); dramatic breakdowns in corporate governance including too many financial firms acting recklessly by taking on too much risk; an explosive mix of excessive borrowing and risk by household and Wall Street that put the financial system on a collision course with crisis; and simply lacking a full understanding of the financial system they oversaw.† ( University of North Carolina). The book â€Å"How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes,† by Peter Schiff, comically interprets the effects of inflation, deficit spending, central banking, foreign trade, and the housing bubble and credit crunch of 2008. The U.S. economy boomed during the 2000-2007 period, as the global pool of fixed-income securities increased greatly from $36 trillion in 2000 to $80 trillion by 2007. In â€Å"How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes,† the Usonian economy starts with production and trade soon follows. Usonia now had savings and credit, an increase in savings decreases real interest rates and an increase in credits increases demand, hence, there was expansion in the Usonian economy. As the economy prospered, it created a paper currency backed by fish, similar to currency backed by full gold reserves in the U.S. However, fractional reserve banking develops and only a fraction of bank deposits were backed by actual fish for withdrawal. The government decided to delink the paper currency from the fish. Usonia degraded the value of the fish by creating more fish out of the value of one. This process of â€Å"shrinking fish† eventually leads to â€Å"fishflation.† As people start spend ing more and producing less, the economy stops blooming and crashes. A king from Sinopia, an island that still had no savings, bank credit, or business, observed Usonia and saw their luxurious lifestyle of credit and commerce. The king thought that the possession of Fish Reserve Notes was the key to advancement. Notes were then used as money across the entire ocean, and the economy was saved as Sinopia traded their fish for Usonia’s fish reserves. Thus, Usonia was again piled with savings and credit, causing a spending binge atmosphere in Usonia. This is similar to when China supplies the essential items for U.S. fiat currency. Usonia largely consumed and Sinopia produced, hence, the trade relationship was skewed. However, as Goodbank said, â€Å"The people will get wise. They will worry about their savings and withdraw their deposits,† which is exactly what happened next. Foreign islanders realized that the fish reserve was worthless with no backing at all. Therefore, islanders started to withdraw fishes with their fish reserves all at once. In truth, there really were not enough fish in the economy, so Usonia had no choice but to close the fish reserves window. It is fiat currency and worthless, backed by nothing but the faith in the government. Producers were harmed by the expansion of the money supply because resources were more expensive and workers would soon demand higher real wages. Production decreased further and the Usonian bank loan officials targeted the islands â€Å"hut loan market.† As lenders and borrowers in the U.S. put their immense amount of savings to use, the â€Å"Giant Pool of Money† â€Å"overwhelmed the policy and regulatory control mechanisms in the country.† (Abir) Citizens jumped to buy houses all at the same time, either for greed, fear, or stupidity. There were risky investors and individuals who thought there was no ceiling price on real estates. There were individuals jumping into the housing market because they were concerned if they didn’t, they would lose out on easy profit. Mortgage regulators were not paying close enough attention to the market and business practices, commodity mortgage buyers were not researching the loans they were taking out, and speculators /builders were pricing homes entirely too high in the first place. All of which lead to the housing bubble of 2008. Senator Cliff Cod of Usonia created Finnie Mae and Fishy Mac to buy hut loans from the market. â€Å"The hut lending program was a massive hit amongst banks as they were earning risk-free profits. These agencies created a big industry where hut building, hut selling and hut decorating industries took off.† (Krishna) All of production and advancement occurred while no actual fish were being generated, so, nothing productive was actually happening. Although loans were not the best use of savings, political officials â€Å"encouraged hut ownership and education.† (Krishna) There were tax breaks on hut loans, which caused even more people to invest on these huts. Sinpoian fish were being imported to Usonia like rapid waves, credit levels were high and risk was ignored. Huts started becoming more luxurious and unreasonably expensive. Eventually, â€Å"the â€Å"hut market† took a down turn and every associated industry felt the pain.† (Krishna) As U.S. home pri ces declined steeply after peaking in mid-2006, it became more difficult for borrowers to refinance their loans. In addition, â€Å"assets dramatically plummeted, while the liabilities owed to global investors remained at full price.† (Abir) One of the primary causes of the recession was government intervention in the housing market. This intervention, primarily through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, helped inflate the housing bubble that triggered the crisis. Due to the lack of regulation, banks and credit card companies were freely lending out money to people. Even those who could not afford expensive houses took out loans that they seemingly couldn’t pay back to buy the expensive houses. During the 2008 recession, struggling banks and lenders cut back lending and created a sudden sharp reduction in availability, causing a credit crunch. Consumers were no longer able to borrow and spend, while businesses also cut back their investments as demand decreased. In â€Å"Too Big to Fail,† Dick Fuld, CEO of Lehman Brothers, a large investment bank, is seeking investment, but investors are hesitant because Lehman is exposed to toxic housing assets from the housing bubble. The Lehman’s counterparty risk, risk that a counterparty will not pay as obligated on a transaction, is impacting the entire financial market, while the stock market is in a free fall. The government could only do one thing, urge consumers to spend more. They wanted to keep spending though the crisis and borrow more, however, this would eventually lead to a depression. In the film, Henry Paulson, U.S. Treasury Secretary, plans to buy the toxic assets from the banks, so they wouldn’t go bankrupt and could lend out money again. Paulson later then decides to inject capital into the banks, for it was easier and could boost lending more quickly. By injecting the capital, he expected that the banks will have the money now to lend out to citizens and credit will flow again. The banks agreed, markets stabilized, and the banks repaid their Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds. However, Paulson’s expectations were wrong, banks didn’t lend out the money from the injections. As the epilogue of â€Å"Too Big to Fail† stated, â€Å"credit standards continued to tighten resulting in rising unemployment and foreclosures. As bank mergers continued in the wake of the crisis, these banks became even larger and ten financial institutions held 77% of all U.S. banking assets and have been declared â€Å"too big to fail.†Ã¢â‚¬  (Gould) Congress created â€Å"TARP in October 2008, part of which was used by the Treasury to inject much needed capital into the nation’s banks. The Fed aggressively lowered interest rates during 2008, adopting a zero interest rate policy by the end of the year. It engaged in massive quantitative easing in 2009 and early 2010, purchasing Treasury bonds and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities to bring down long term interest rates.† (Blinder and Zandi) â€Å"The Troubled Asset Relief Program of 2008 rescued our financial system from almost certain meltdown, saving the U.S. financial system at the brink of disaster.† (Weller) Shortly after TARP enacted, loan tightening and interest rates eased. The Recovery Act spending helped decrease unemployment and personal disposable incomes increased. â€Å"Industrial production turned around with infrastructure spending spurred by the Recovery Act. After-tax income grew more quickly following the payroll tax cut , followed by job growth accelerating and decrease in household debt. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 â€Å"strengthened the fledgling economic recovery by cutting the payroll tax and continuing extended unemployment insurance benefits.† (Weller) In the end, Usonia was completely out of fish. They borrowed more and more to the point where most of their debt was funded by more debt. Citizens don’t save more since borrowing is a simple and easy process. Most people just walk in wanting more money, and walk out with more money and debt. Although higher taxes create more jobs and government revenue, it discourages work and investment. Plus, individuals and private businesses use money more efficiently than the government. In today’s society, spending is almost the route to happiness. That is, people spend to make themselves and others happy. We can’t spend less, but perhaps we can spend smarter. The book’s message itself is very clear. 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