Who is the speaker in J.R.R. Tolkien's poem "Roads Go Ever On"?

"Roads Go Ever On" is a walking song that Bilbo Baggins sings for the first time in chapter 19 of The Hobbit. Bilbo's first rendition of the poem conveys a feeling of weary relief as he gazes across the Shire after his long and dangerous journey. Bilbo's song seems to be a reflection on his journey, almost a self-congratulatory "job well done, Bilbo."

Bilbo sings other versions of "Roads Go Ever On" throughout Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. The songs generally mark a major transition period in Bilbo's life. For example, he hums the song after he gifts the One Ring to Frodo and leaves the Shire in Fellowship of the Ring. Bilbo's new journey is filled with "eager" hope to start his book and a new life free of the Ring. 

Bilbo is old and weary the final time he sings "Roads Go Ever On" in The Return of the King:

The Road goes ever on and on

Out from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

Let others follow it who can!

Let them a journey new begin,

But I at last with weary feet

Will turn towards the lighted inn,

My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Bilbo gracefully acknowledges that his journey is complete and gives "others" a blessing for "a journey new."

What is Zora Neale Hurston's view on slavery as she relays in How it Feels to Be Colored Me?

In paragraph 7, Hurston discusses her views on slavery. First, she says that slavery is in the past, and even though it's been 60 years since its end in the Civil War, people continue to remind her that she is "the grand daughter of slaves." Hurston sees slavery as a means to her end as an American, however, and while she appreciates the struggles that her ancestors suffered, she is living in her moment. In fact, Hurston says,

Slavery is the price I paid for civilization, and the choice was not with me. It is a bully adventure and worth all that I have paid through my ancestors for it. No one on earth ever had a greater chance for glory.

Hurston sees this moment in the 1920s and the Harlem Renaissance as her moment to shine, and she is excited to be at the center of all it, whether she succeeds or fails.

What is the foreshadowing/irony that opens Act V of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

In the beginning of Act V, Romeo has been banished to Mantua. In his opening speech he mentions a dream which predicts some "joyful news" is "at hand." He also says that Juliet will find him dead but will restore him to life with her kisses. He says,

I dreamt my lady came and found me dead
(Strange dream that gives a dead man leave to
think!)
And breathed such life with kisses in my lips
That I revived and was an emperor.

Romeo's dream is partly ironic. Had he received the message from Friar Laurence about the plot involving Juliet faking her death, he would have indeed had good news. Unfortunately, the Friar's message never arrives and so the meaning of Romeo's dream is lost. In the Friar's plan, Romeo was to rescue Juliet from the tomb, taking her away to Mantua to be reunited in their love. Fate intervenes in the form of a plague threat in Verona which delays the message.

The dream also foreshadows events in the Capulet tomb later in Act V. After Romeo has killed himself with poison, Juliet wakes up to find him dead next to her. She attempts to kiss some of the poison off his lips but they are dry. The kiss is foreshadowed in Romeo's lines. Juliet finally uses Romeo's dagger to kill herself. 

What are cold sores?

Causes and Symptoms

Cold sores are an infectious disease caused by the herpes
simplex virus. Cold sores and fever blisters are two terms used for sores that develop around the mouth. They are among the most common disorders around the mouth area, causing pain and annoyance. An estimated 45 to 80 percent of adults and children in the United States have had at least one cold sore. There are two types of herpes simplex. Type 1 usually causes oral herpes, or fever blisters, while type 2 usually causes genital herpes. About 95 percent of the cold sores located on the mouth are caused by herpes simplex type 1.

Cold sores are highly contagious, more so in the first day or two of an outbreak. Once the blister has formed a dry scab, transmission is low and the herpes simplex virus usually cannot be recovered from the site. The virus can spread to others through touch; frequently, infection spreads through kissing. The chance of infection is higher if the body’s defenses are weakened by stress, illness, or injury.

Once a person is infected with oral herpes, the virus remains in the nerve located near the cold sore. It may stay dormant at this site for years. People who have had fever blisters in the past can sometimes predict when an outbreak is going to occur. The appearance of cold sores may be preceded by a few hours of a tingling, burning, or itching sensation, a phenomenon called a prodrome. Typically, the sores erupt in a small cluster, with each blister about the size of a large pimple. The blisters quickly dry to form a scab. Generally, no scarring or loss in sensation occurs. Outbreaks usually last from three to ten days.

Treatment and Therapy

Treatment includes keeping the area clean and dry to prevent bacterial infection. The patient should avoid irritating the sores, as touching them may spread the virus. For example, if a person rubs the sore and then rubs an eyelid, a new sore may appear on the eyelid in a few days. When the fever blister is contagious, kissing should be avoided. People whose cold sores appear in response to stress should try to avoid stressful situations. Some investigators have suggested that adding L-lysine to the diet or eliminating certain foods (such as nuts, chocolate, and seeds) may help, although no research studies have validated these suggestions. Even sunlight has been linked as a trigger for cold sores. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research recommends the use of sunscreen on the lips to prevent sun-induced recurrences of herpes.

Antiviral therapy of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection is rarely curative, but is given for treatment of severe cases and to prevent or ameliorate recurrences. Treatment can also decrease viral shedding, making transmission to other people less likely. Available antiviral compounds include nucleoside analogues, which selectively interfere with viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication. Oral acyclovir (Avirax or Zovirax) and valacyclovir (Valtrex), antiviral drugs that keep the virus from multiplying, can be taken to prevent recurrence. Acyclovir applied locally has also been found effective, and foscarnet (Foscavir) is useful in treating acyclovir-resistant infections. Two topical preparations, Zovirax and penciclovir (Vectavir), have been shown to influence the eruption and duration of cold sores when applied during the prodromal stage. Antibiotics may be used in treating secondary infections. An ophthalmologist should treat any eye lesions.

Some cold sore treatments that have been successful in selected people are solvents such as ether, alcohol, povidone iodine, and antiseptic mouthwash. Other patients have applied ice or toothpaste to the sores. While none of these treatments has scientific backing, eating an ice pop or applying an ice cube to the blister may relieve the discomfort.

Perspective and Prospects

Future research is aimed at determining the precise form and location of the inactive herpesvirus in nerve cells. This information might allow scientists to design antiviral drugs that can attack the virus while it lies dormant in nerves. Researchers are also trying to learn more about how sunlight, injury, and stress act as triggers so that the cycle of recurrences can be stopped.

Bibliography:

Alan, Rick. "Cold Sores." Health Library, March 20, 2013.

"Cold Sore." Mayo Clinic, May 23, 2012.

Ignatavicius, Donna D., and M. Linda Workman, eds. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Critical Thinking for Collaborative Care. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier, 2012.

Lewis, Sharon, et al., eds. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems. 8th ed. 2 vols. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby/Elsevier, 2010.

National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Dental Research. Fever Blisters and Canker Sores. Rev. ed. Bethesda, Md.: Author, 1992.

Smeltzer, Suzanne C., and Brenda G. Bare, eds. Brunner and Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing. 12th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010.

What were the economic results of the Galveston Hurricane?

The Galveston Hurricane hit the city of Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900. At that time, Galveston was a growing port city with about 40,000 residents. It had survived other storms before, but nothing as fierce as this hurricane, which brought winds at speeds of 130-140 mph and storm surges of up to 15 feet. As a result of the storm, an estimated 8,000 people lost their lives, making it the deadliest natural disaster to date in U.S. history. In addition, the storm wrecked 3,600 buildings. At the time, damages were valued at about $20 million, which would represent a sum of over $500 million today. Residents rebuilt the city, but Galveston, which was then the largest city in Texas, lost its place to Houston, which was slightly inland.

In the book "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime," why is Christopher fascinated with illustrations, diagrams, and maps?

In Mark Haddon's novel "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime," the protagonist Christopher describes himself as a "mathematician with some behavioral difficulties." It is implied throughout the course of the book that Christopher might have some mild form of Autism, such as Asperger's Syndrome (although I should clarify that this is never directly addressed in the book but is stated in the book's blurbs). 

Christopher's complex mind has many facets and one of those facets is his ability to think logically. This might explain why he is fascinated by illustrations, diagrams, and maps. As a logical thinker, he is naturally gifted at reading, analyzing, and understanding complex images and grids. Being able to study these illustrations takes the stress off his mind. In doing this, his mind feels relaxed.

A man has a mass of 80 kg on the moon. Calculate the mass of the man on earth.

The mass of a body is a measure of the amount of content held within it and remains constant if no new mass is added to it or mass is removed from it. Thus, a person whose mass is 80 kg on the moon will still have a mass of 80 kg on Earth or anywhere else in the universe. Think about it this way. When the person is on the moon, he/she has two hands, two legs and all the other regular body parts. The same body configuration will also be present on Earth, without any change in the size or shape or their content. Thus, the mass remains same, unless growth or degeneration (or damage) to the body takes place.

What will change is the weight of the body. Our weight is the force with which a body attracts us and thus will depend on the acceleration due to gravity. The moon's acceleration due to gravity is 1/6 of that of Earth. Thus, a person weighs 6 times more on Earth than the moon. This person will have a weight of 80 kg x 9.8 m/s^2 = 784 N on Earth and 130.7 N on the moon.

Hope this helps.