The s Night - Original Writing - 1526 Words

The first thing I noticed about the Rift was that it looked like one of those sleep pods from sci-fi movies in the early 2000’s. The machine was sleek. A silver pod, with the outline of an opening barely visible. Perfectly ordinary for such a device, but for some reason it sucked all the light out of the room. The weight of what I was about to experience finally catching up to me. I will be able to see, smell, and feel everything. Everything that happened in Elie Wiesel’s night. I will see, smell, and feel the holocaust through the eyes of Wiesel. â€Å"Alright, uh, Yavin. Nice name. I’m Mr. Hiraku. Are you ready?† the teacher asked, looking down at his chart for my name. â€Å"Yes sir.† I answered, a bit shakily. I had used VR before for video games, but never for something so important. â€Å"Alright. I’m going to read you off some side effects involved with this experience. ‘While participating in the Night VR experience software, you may encounter some nausea, disorientation, and discomfort due to the connectors. After using the Night VR experience software, you may encounter nightmares, thoughts of suicide, depression, and other symptoms of PTSD. Would you like to continue with the use of this VR software?’† I hadn’t known there was going to be so many side effects. But then again, it’s to be expected. To experience something only explainable as horrific, even through VR, is bound to leave something behind. Noticing my hesitation, Mr. Hiraku added â€Å"Yavin, these side effects areShow MoreRelatedMythology by Edith Hamilton Critical Analysis837 Words   |  4 Pagesdescribed is by analyzing the book s purpose. This book was written for many purposes. In Hamilton s perspective, the purpose of this work was simply to show us the way the human race thought and felt untold ages ago (13). Another purpose of the book was to entertain its readers and audiences. Reading Edith Hamilton s collection of Greek and Roman myths gives its readers more knowledge about how ancient civilizations explained things. Hamilton s purpose for writing this literary work was also toRead More A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay1482 Words   |  6 Pageswhere the main characters are two waiters and an old man. In the story, Hemingway hardly created a background for his characters, but this was part of his minimalist writing style. He wanted to create a story that was straightforward to the reader, and in which th e reader could easily understand his attitude. His purpose for writing the story was to expose his feelings on society, politics, and the individual at the time. These feelings could be characterized by three main words: desperation, disillusionmentRead MoreAnalysis Of The Character Clemencia For Never Marry A Mexican1240 Words   |  5 Pagesstory, I was indulge into a society where it s a shame for women to think of men sexually let alone a marry man. I think it is a sign from society to pretty much wanting women to be pure and well behave. But, Clemencia she goes against that current. Her thoughts are liquid and they sting. They let the readers in and be apart of her brain as a spectator. She makes the reader, realizes how powerful she is and she is able to have that power because she s not afraid of being blunt and straightforwardRead MoreTravel Writing : The Perfect Synthesis Of Work And Vacation1405 Words   |  6 Pagesa vacation is to take a break from work and free one s mind from the daily grind for a short while so as to be rested and recharged when you return. 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Cite more sources inside in your body paragraphs using parenthetical citations, especially after quotations, historical facts, numbers, and dates. Use author s last name and date in your parenthetical citations. If author is unknown, use title. Match these citations with theRead MoreGrammar Lesson Plan1101 Words   |  4 Pageslay and lie to converse variances between the two irregular verbs in the different principal forms. To allow students an chance to further review lay and lie irregular verb usage. To provide students with certain reading and semi-composed writing practice. Time: Approximately 60 minutes Assumptions: Students ought To be at ease with few regular and irregular verbs To be mundane with a good amount of the terminology used in the presentation and practice stages. Anticipated problems and solutions:Read MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens980 Words   |  4 PagesIn the book, Great Expectations has a young boy named Pip as it s main character. 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Juveniles Are Committing Crime Everywhere Essay - 1625 Words

Description of the Research Topic Juveniles are committing crime everywhere, but the nation is not aware of the behavior behind these acts of delinquency. No matter how much focus there is on juveniles partaking in crimes across the states, there is little understanding on why they turn to crime and what are the factors that come into play to lead them down this path. Many external factors such as, the environment they live in, family, school, peer groups, and individual self-being can bring them a step closer to the life of crime. When juveniles live under circumstances that alter or determine the way they live, crime and a sense of brotherhood is what they look for in the emptiness. When these factors come into the circulation of the juvenile’s life and there is not a stable and productive lifestyle, they are more likely to become a part of the gang world. The focus here is whether these factors drive juveniles straight to the membership of gangs or if juveniles have a choic e to defer against it. Juveniles involved in gang violence is not a current revelation, it has been an issue in the past as well. Since the 1950s through the 1980s gangs have been a part of the community and as the years pass they continually get more dangerous than what they were before (Miller, 1992). When this was going the media went ballistic on how gangs began to â€Å"flower in the 1950s, died in the 1960s, revival in early 1970s, and dormancy in later 1970s,† but later in a survey it was revealedShow MoreRelatedIn Justice We Trust: Proposition 21725 Words   |  3 Pagesonce quoted, â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.† Teenagers around the world are capable of doing anything their mind is set to do. Once a teen is set in a crime they should be fully responsible for their actions. They should be expected to go through the consequences that are brought upon them. Therefore, we the citizens arent getting the right safety we deserve. Prop osition 21, helps us find our ways of treating Juveniles to see what is well-being for us citizens. PropositionRead MoreShould Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?1017 Words   |  4 Pagesup earlier as the years go by. Serious crimes committed by juveniles have stayed pretty much the same in the last twenty years, but that is not to say people have not concluded differently. A thanks to laws passed in the ninety’s and more specifically between ninety two and ninety seven, It is easier to try juveniles as adults in the court system. There are multiple pros and cons to juveniles being tried as adult. These arguments range from a crime is a crime to they are not mentally developed enoughRead MoreGANG VIOLENCE AND HARSH PENALTIES1465 Words   |  6 Pagesspread ignorance, which is eluded by politicians and the media. Harsher punishments include (but are not limited to): sentencing enhancements and juvenile waiver policies, which both have been reported to be detrimental in the long run. Overall, the criminal justice system should consider seeking other approaches that may be proact ive. Gang-related crimes are one of the most discussed issues in criminal justice system. The root of gang violence could to be traced to as early as the 1900s. In the filmRead MoreThe Effectiveness of the Juvenile Justice System Essay1123 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effectiveness of the Juvenile Justice System The American juvenile justice system was designed over 100 years ago to reform kids who were found guilty of minor crimes such as petty theft and truancy. Today, the system is becoming overwhelmed by crimes of violence. Stealing and skipping school have been replaced by rape and murder. The juvenile justice system was never meant to deal with these kinds of problems. Juvenile delinquency describes the antisocial behavior of many differentRead MoreVandalism in the Philippines: Causes and Consequences1584 Words   |  7 Pagescomputer virus. It involves criminal damages to people’s property without the permission of the owner. It can be also in the form of graffiti in a non-authorized or government infrastructures and properties. Vandalism is a crime. It is one of the most common offended crimes in the Philippines. According to the 14th congress of the Philippines Senate Bill No. 3042 or Anti-Vandalism Act of 2009: Any person who shall commit any of the aforementioned acts of vandalism shall, in addition to payment ofRead MoreEssay on The Right to Keep and Bear Arms1184 Words   |  5 Pagesdangerous and would increase the number of violent crimes. No matter which side is right, there has to be a middleman to regulate the extent of the right to bear arms. Up to the 1900s people didnt even second-guess this amendment. Everyone realized how important guns were to maintain a polite and respectful society. Knowing that almost every man was carrying a gun was reason enough for a criminal to think twice about committing a crime. A person could walk down the street without fear knowingRead MoreIs There A Strong Relationship Between Poverty And Juvenile Delinquency?1655 Words   |  7 PagesStrong Relationship Between Poverty and Juvenile Delinquency? There is a lot of research in the world on whether or not poverty and juvenile delinquency are correlated. Of what I’ve seen, the studies suggest that there is, in fact, a relationship between them. Poverty is a serious issue, and it not only affects the people living in poverty, but it also affects the people around poverty-ridden neighborhoods. This study will address the issue of poverty on juveniles. Moreover, it will unveil the problemRead MoreAdolescence And Adulthood And The Factors That Promote Childhood Delinquency Essay1731 Words   |  7 Pagesschools and delinquency. The label of delinquency in schools does not just get slapped on because the justice system is looking for an excuse. There are many articles over adolescent delinquency and less research on juvenile delinquency. Could it be because there are just simply less crimes committed at a young age, or that they are less threatening and society does not see it as a problem? Studies show that children fro m the ages seven to twelve are at risk for more serious delinquency in adulthoodRead More One Proposal for Peace Based on A Modest Proposal Essay752 Words   |  4 PagesChildren everywhere are committing acts of hostility in their schools. Schools are no longer a safe haven for children but are now considered war zones where victims are abundant and violence is the enemy. Fifty-seven percent of public elementary and secondary school principals reported that one or more incidents of crime or violence occurred in their schools and were reported to law enforcement officials. Ten percent of all public schools experienced one or more serious violent crimes. Some 6,093Read MoreWhat Makes a Criminal?734 Words   |  3 Pagesare many contributing factors that leads to criminal behavior such as the economy, social environment, family, mental disorders etc. A criminal is someone who has committed a crime or broken the law. Anyone and everyone can become a criminal. Deviant behavior is see n everywhere in the world today. There are many types of crimes, from speeding, to stealing, on up to being a serial killer. How is a criminal created? Where and how does this criminal behavior begin? This quote shows how we all are innocent

Neo-Liberal Hyperglobalism free essay sample

Globalisation is a major topic of debate of our era. Globalisation can be defined as the â€Å"global growing interconnectedness between economy, technology, culture and political institutions† (Lofgren amp; Sarangi, 2009, pg. 57). This essay will discuss how globalisation can be good for developing countries. By applying Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism, I will analyse and demonstrate the various beneficial effects of globalisation through the case of India and the reform measures they have recently taken towards globalisation. Globalisation can provide new opportunities for developing countries due to increased access to developed country markets and technology, resulting in improved productivity and higher living standards (Balakrishnan, 2004). Following a major economic crises, India liberalised it’s economy in the early nineties. Inflation had rocketed to an annual rate of 17%, high fiscal deficit had become unsustainable and foreign investors confidence in Indian Economy was low (Goyal, 2006, p. 167). It was these factors that put pressure on the Indian government to call for a complete revamp of their economic policies. Some of the major changes made, as part of the economic liberalisation and globalisation strategy, included government’s privatisation and disinvestment in a majority of the public sector undertakings, allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) across many industries, the removal of quantitative restrictions on imports and the reduction of customs tariff from over 300% to 30 % (Goyal, 2006, p. 167). The main purpose of India’s economic reform is to ultimately â€Å"integrate Indian economy with world economy† (Singh, 1995, p. 36). This liberalisation and globalisation of the economy can help solve India’s major problems of unemployment and poverty. India’s economic reform favours a more open and market orientated economy (Goyal, 2006, p. 166). India’s new economic structure emulates the principals of neo-liberal Hyperglobalism. Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism â€Å"celebrates the global dominance of market principals over state power† (Lofgren amp; Sarangi, 2009, pg. 70). This means that decisions about allocation, production and distribution in the economy are left to the global economy rather than the government. Burke, Devetak amp; George, 2008, p. 299). States are increasingly the decision- takers and not the decision-makers (Goldblatt, Held, McGrew amp; Perraton, 1999). Three key terms that come out of neoliberalism are deregulation, liberalisation and privatisation all of which India’s new economic policies draw on. Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism favours globalism as beneficial process for a developing country. The benefits that Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism can provide are evident in India. India’s steps towards globalisation through new economic reforms have produced some significant benefits for the country. The privatisation of particular state-owned enterprises provides the government with an increased amount of cash which they can then spend on increasing their citizen’s quality of life through increased food supplies and the development of hospitals, schools, infrastructure etc in poverty stricken regions. The domestic economy has been freed up from state control, virtually abolishing state monopoly in all sectors (Panagariya, 2001). This has lead to greater competition in industries; resulting in lower prices, a greater supply of goods which benefits the citizens (Goyal, 2006, p. 68). Another step towards globalisation that has proven beneficial for India is the decision to allow foreign direct investment in the Indian industry. The huge amounts of foreign investment that now enter India have significantly boosted the country’s economy. Many foreign companies have set up industries in India, mainly in pharmaceutical, BPO, petroleum, manufacturing and chemical sectors, which have created greater employment opportunities for Indian people, decreasing unemployment and poverty (Dwivedi, 2009). A further benefit of globalisation due to foreign investment in India is the advanced technology that the foreign companies bring with them (Dwivedi, 2009). Advancements in medicine which improve the health of citizens is an example how becoming more technologically advanced can be beneficial for the country. The economic reforms that reduce custom tariffs and remove restrictions on imports support the principals of neo-liberal Hyperglobalism. That is that measures should be taken that allow trade and finance to have unrestricted movement (Burke et. al. , 2010). Removing taxes and quotas can increase international trade which in turn increases economic competition. Competition was rife in the economy, after India’s economic reform, as more imports were encouraged (Balakrishnan, 2004). Exports also significantly increased as countries became more willing to accept India’s products due to the reductions in custom tariffs (Goyal, 2006, p. 170). This improved relationship between India and its trading partners can encourage low prices, reduce unemployment through the creation of more jobs and induce improved living standards. Improved relationships between developed and undeveloped economies can prove to be profitable and extremely valuable for developing countries especially when future policies have to be negotiated. Overall, the economic reforms initiated in India since 1991 has helped the Indian economy to grow at a faster rate and led to fiscal consolidation, control of inflation, and increased foreign investment and technology (Goyal, 2006). The reforms aimed to lliberalise and globalise the domestic economy have helped boost GDP growth rates, which increased from 5. 6% in 1990-91 to a peak level of 77. % in 1996-97 (Balakrishnan, 2004). The new economic policies have also proven to increase citizen’s living standards with increased employment opportunities and a decrease in poverty from 36% in 1993-94 to 26. 1% in 1999-2000 (Fox, 2002). The new policies can be used to further support the country’s citizens and develop the country. The Indian government’s strategy to globalise t heir economy has revealed that globalisation can be beneficial to a developing country by aiding the nation to a more favourable financial position. However, there are also negative effects of globalisation. A significant negative effect is the increase in inequality that can arise from globalisation. There have been arguments that state an increase in GDP can in fact increase income inequality. â€Å"Wealth is still concentrated in the hands of a few individuals and a common man in a developing country is yet to see any major benefits of globalization† (Lovekar, 2010). Also multi-national corporations (MNC) can worsen income inequality by generating jobs and producing goods that primarily benefit the richest portion of the population (Positive and Negative Effects of Multinational Corporations, 2010). This means that the richer are getting richer and the poorer are getting poorer. Many employees are working in awful conditions where negligible health and safety regulations apply. This is an example of globalisation can develop an exploitative nature. Furthermore, â€Å"the market economy seems to be more concentrated on the growth of consumerism to attract the high income groups who are mostly in the cities in the developing countries† (Malik, 2010, p. 4). The globalisation strategy paid little attention to the rural economy and the agricultural sector, which is essentially the backbone of the Indian economy. The agriculture sector is a major provider of food and nutrition to the people as well as raw materials to industries and to export trade (Malik, 2010). A further impact the globalisation strategy has had on agriculture sector is the decrease of agriculture’s share in GDP, which has resulted in a decrease of the per capita income of the farmers and an increase of rural indebtedness (Malik, 2010). India’s era of reforms exhibit many themes that are parallel those of Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism. Since 1991, India has experienced the strong inroad of neoliberalism (Lofgren amp; Sarangi, 2009). The new economic reforms indicate a strong movement towards deregulation, privitisation and liberalisation of the Indian economy. These three factors are all examples of neoliberalism (Burke et. al. , 2010). A neo-liberal hyperglobalist state would believe that rather than the government trying to regulate and control the market through strict policies, the government should make policies to accommodate and open up the market. India’s new policies indicate the government’s willingness to adopt this thinking and it is through this thinking that has marked India’s steps towards the â€Å"real integration of the Indian economy into the global economy† (Malik, 2010, p. 1). In other words India is taking steps towards globalisation. India is an example of how the globalisation of a developing country can be positive and beneficial. Although there are some unfavourable effects such as income inequality, the overall benefits a developing country can receive from globalisation outweigh the negatives. India has proved how applying neo-liberal hyperglobalist principals to the domestic economy of a country can prove to be advantageous. With a greater focus on further developing a globalised economy, developing countries can aim to increase the working and living standards for the country’s citizens and subsequently become a healthy and wealthier state. A more liberal and global market can achieve improved living standards and wealth through the promotion of competition, efficiency, productivity, technological-upgradation and growth (Singh, 1995). Hence I believe, like a hyperglobalist, that globalisation is good for a developing country. References Balakrishnan, C. (2004). Impact of Globalisation on Developing Countries and India. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://economics. about. com/od/globalizationtrade/l/aaglobalization. htm Burke, A. , Devetak, R. , amp; George, J. (2008). An Introduction to International Relations: Australian Perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press. Dwivedi, M. (2009). South Asia Security. India: Kalpaz Publications. Fox, J. W. (2002). Poverty in India Since 1974: A Country Case Study. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. ekh. lu. se/ekhcgu/teaching/401d4/poverty%20in%20india. pdf Goldblatt, D. , Held, D. , McGrew, A. , Perraton, J. (1999). Global Transformations: What is globalisation? Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www. polity. co. uk/global/whatisglobalization. asp Goyal, K. A. (2006). Impact of Globalization on Developing Countries (With Special Reference To India). International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, (5), 1450-2887. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. eurojournals. com/IRJFE%206%20goyal. pdf Lofgren, H. , amp; Sarangi, P. (2009). The Politics and Culture of Globalisation: India and Australia. Social Science Press. Lovekar, V. (2010). Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization. Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www. buzzle. com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-globalization. html Malik, T. (2010). Impact of globalization on Indian economy- An overview. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. ibre2fashion. com/industry-article/8/738/impact-of-globalization7. asp Panagariya, A. (2001). India’s Economic Reforms: What Has Been Accomplished? What Remains to Be Done? ERD POLICY BRIEF SERIES Economics and Research Department,(2). Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. adb. org/Documents/EDRC/Policy_Briefs/PB002. pdf Positive and Negative Effects of Multinational Corporations. (2010). Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www. socialscience. gardner-webb. edu /Faculty/craymond/Devdocs/DevMNCposn

Argument Analysis for First Meditation free essay sample

When we are dreaming, such particulars as these are not true: that we are opening our eyes, moving our head and extending our hands. (Assumption) 2. Things seen during the slumber are like painted images. (Assumption) 3. Painted images could only have been produced in the likeness of true things. (Assumption) 4. Therefore, the general things of painted images are true and exist. (Conclusion from 3) 5. The general things in dreams are not imaginary things, but are true and exist. (Conclusion from 2 and 4) 6.When painters are painting images, by means of bizarre form or even by creating utterly flouters and false fashion, the color Is true and exists. (Assumption) 7. In dreams, although the general things could be imaginary, certain other things which are even more simple and universal are true and exist. (Conclusion from 2 and 6) In this part of First Meditation, Descartes tries to set up the argument that although there are many false inceptions and things in dreams, there must be some simple and universal things which are true. We will write a custom essay sample on Argument Analysis for First Meditation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His idea is explanatory and interesting but bears some defects.So I would say his argument is not convincing enough. In the first place, the definition of dream is not clearly defined and the analogy between the things in dreams and the painted images Is hard to accept. Therefore, he couldnt reach his further conclusion. On one hand, painted Images are created on real materials, Like papers and colors. Painted Images could be saved and protected. However, we couldnt keep, save or touch dreams. Dreams dont have a solid material to stick to. How should we define dreams? Descartes are not explaining these ambiguous concepts for dreams.

Making Solar Energy More Affordable

The use of solar energy can be critical for environmental and economic sustainability of many communities that can be located in different regions of the world. Moreover, the adoption of this approach can make societies less dependent on natural resources such as oil and coal that can eventually become depleted. At present, the main objective is to make solar energy technologies more affordable.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Making Solar Energy More Affordable specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their price should reflect the purchasing power of contemporary buyers who want to make sure that their investment will break in the future. In many cases, some of these consumers believe that it is not reasonable to buy such products. To a great extent, this task is related to the work of engineers, since these professionals can make technologies more energy-efficient. Moreover, they should find solutions that ca n reduce the cost of manufacturing such products. For instance, they can select the materials that can be viewed as the best ratio of price and quality. Thus, one can say that these professionals can contribute to the spread of these technologies in various countries. These are some of the main details that should be taken into account. There are several ways of making this technology more affordable. First of all, engineers may need to focus on the process of manufacturing, because high production expenses often make solar energy technologies less affordable [1]. This problem can be partly explained by the need to use very expensive materials through which the electric charge travels. However, there are some alternative solutions. For instance, it is possible to construct sells that are composed of tiny cylinders. The main advantage of this approach is that it eliminates the need for high-purity materials that are usually very costly. In turn, the application of tiny cylinders can make solar panels less expensive. This is one of the suggestions that can be made. Apart from that, researchers speak about the use of nano-crystals that can increase the efficiency of solar cells [1]. Therefore, the investment into this technology can be more justified. By adopting this approach, the engineers may not necessarily decrease the cost of such products. However, they can dramatically increase the efficiency of these technologies and their overall value. If this approach is adopted, a greater number of people will be willing to purchase such products. This is one of the details that should be taken into account. Moreover, it is important to speak about the improvement of energy storage devices which are critical for people’s ability to harness solar energy. In particular, one can mention the use of such materials Glauber’s salt and paraffin wax because they are less expensive [2]. This strategy can help manufacturers offer products better correspond to the purchasing power of clients who may have different levels of income. These are some of the recommendations that can be considered.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Overall, this discussion shows that the adoption of solar energy can be made possible provided that engineers find ways of making these technologies more economical. At present, there are materials that can reduce the costs of producing solar energy technologies. Moreover, there are ways of making solar energy technology more efficient. So, they can be of great value to consumers and investors. Finally, engineers can significantly make these technologies more affordable. These are the main arguments that can be put forward. References [1]. C. Zuchora-Walske, Solar Energy. New York: ABDO Publishing Company, 2013. [2]. R. Naggi, Solar Energy and Its Uses. New York: Pinnacle Technology, 2009. This research paper on Making Solar Energy More Affordable was written and submitted by user Kimber Garcia to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The reasons for U.S. military involvement in Vietnam essays

The reasons for U.S. military involvement in Vietnam essays The overarching reason that America became embroiled in the communist/nationalist conflict in Vietnam in the late 1950s was the attempt to halt the domino effect of communism in the region. The domino effect was first can be defined as a cumulative effect produced when one event sets off a chain of similar events. In this case, the U.S. had a policy of containment when it came to dealing with the communist U.S.S.R. and the Peoples Republic of China. The theory went that if the U.S. allowed a currently non-communist country fall into communist rule, then this would increase the likelihood that a neighboring country would then be subject to falling under communist rule as well. Thus, one domino topples into another and so on. By pursuing a policy of actively thwarting attempts at communist rule wherever it could, the U.S. government felt it could stem the tide of communism and by proxy, the influence of the U.S.S.R. and U.S. global planning has always been sophisticated and careful, as one would expect from a major superpower with a highly centralized and class conscious dominant social group. Their power, in turn, is rooted in their ownership and management of the economy, as is the norm in most societies. During World War II, American planners were well aware that the United States was going to emerge as a world-dominant power, in a position of hegemony that had few historical parallels, and they organized and met in order to deal with this situation. Planning for after the war involved dividing the world up into regional sections, and approaching each region differently but with the ultimate purpose of benefiting U.S.A. aims and Early participation against the communist led insurgency into what was then called South Vietnam consisted of the Eisenhower administration sending in military advisors and C.I.A. operatives to help train and bolster t ...

ISA Server Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ISA Server - Research Paper Example However, the first edition has many restrictions and it was designed to be compatible with only a few of the Internet protocols. Furthermore, the second version was useful and it has expected function and one of its great functions, is to use Windows NT account databases. Finally, they came up with ISA Server, which has many tools and functions. ISA Server supports so many functions that its editions before. In addition, ISA Server components a lot of options and one of most important options is that Firewall. Moreover, it can support any version of Windows Server from Windows 2000 and they are used to offer certain security functions either at individual level or group level. Other than that, the Policy-based administration, Virtual Private network support, Proxy Server, Web Cache, and Dynamic IP filtering are other functions or tools that ISA Server provides. Finally, this paper is continuing talking about its functions and what hardware and software are required to use it also method of installed it and configured it (Shinder, Shinder, & Grasdal). The Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA Server) is a specialized server that offers a network layer firewalls for organizations and Web Cache solutions for windows. It is also helpful in providing secured and reliable internet connectivity. ISA server is multi featured product that can help any organization in a variety of ways and helps in providing a unique system of securing the internet connectivity with incorporated firewall, VPN server, and gateway along with a Web proxy. ISA server can be configured to provide all of the above facilities or can be set up for any one of the sub set requirement. This feature has an edge for the ISA server with other servers that the installation of the program is without any disruption or interference in the activities of work at the same time

Tablets and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Tablets and Business - Essay Example Businesses are using tablets in many different ways. One of the ways in which tablets are being used as a tool for business, is as a companion device. A tablet offers a strong computing platform for employees who are need a device that is lightweight but has amazing processing speed. As a matter of fact, many new generation tablets have high processing speeds that match the computing power of laptops. Moreover, these tablets are robust and lightweight. Companies in construction prefer these devices because it allows them to work in an environment where carrying 10lbs of equipment is not feasible. Without a doubt, tablets facilitate this process. In the hot world of commerce, tablets are taking place of traditional mainframe point of sales. Many companies are using tablets as points-of-sale, and as an increasing group of start-up. Also, established technological firms are in competition in providing point-of-sale services that are mobile. This is convenient especially for those businesses that are customer centric. Not only tablets allow ease of access, but they also allow privacy for customers. This is monumental for many organizations as they are trying to connect with clients. Undoubtedly, tablets are the future for companies. Another key feature of tablets is that it is dynamically caching data at a rapid pace. Employees are also in a position to help clients doing business at their branches by either hastening transactions at the teller or by minimizing over-the-counter transactions (Schmidt 214). For instance, restaurants use tablets at their point-of-sale simultaneously as the order is given by the customers. Tablets are amazing because they interconnect customers, managers, cashiers, and waiters in a seamless manner. Restaurant managers are also in a position to manage scanners, reservations. All these tasks are being automated to better serve organizations, while increasing profit. A

The Impact of African Slave Trading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Impact of African Slave Trading - Essay Example Thornton cites the example of the Ndongo war, which lasted from 1625 until 1655 in countering the traditionally held ideal that wars were strictly economical (Thornton 101). This war was fought over succession to the throne of Ndongo (Thornton 100) and can account for many of the Angolan slaves captured during this time (Thronton 101). â€Å"Such wars, however, may well have been waged solely in order to acquire slaves even without the demands of Atlantic traders† (Thornton 102). Thornton believes war and slavery were an accepted way of life in Africa, and as such would have continued without the European influence. However this is one simple example that does not explain the reasoning behind the multitude of other wars in Africa. He mentions that motives might appear to be economical when indeed they are political, but it seems impossible to believe that the knowledge of demand for slaves would not have affected the leader’s decisions in initiating war with economic ga in in mind. While Thornton does acknowledge that there was a boost in the slavery market due to the European influence, he does not seem to acknowledge the depth of change the demand of the European traders must have had. It seems that with such a large demand for slaves, it would profoundly influence the economics of the African tribes. It would be exhaustive to attempt to catalog the actual number of slaves taken from Africa over such a long time period but we are able to look at isolated instances that illuminate the effects of the slave trade.

Education system in india

Education system in india ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I take this opportunity to present my votes of thanks to all those guidepost who really acted as lightening pillars to enlighten our way throughout this project that has led to successful and satisfactory completion of this study. I am highly thankful to Mr. Pankaj Jain for her active support, valuable time and advice, whole-hearted guidance, sincere cooperation and pains-taking involvement during the study and in completing the assignment of preparing the said paper within the time stipulated. Without the active participation of our teachers it would have been extremely difficult for me to prepare the project in a time bound framework. HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN INDIA Indian education history is very rich and motivating. In the ancient days, gurus and scholars impart education orally, but after the development of letters, it took the form of writing. Palm leaves and barks of trees were used for teaching, and this in turn helped in spreading of the written literature. Temples and community centres often took the role of school. When Buddhism spread in India, education become available to everyone and this was the time when some world famous educational institutions were established like Nalanda, Vikramshila and Takshashila. History has taken particular care to give Nalanda University, which flourished from the fifth to 13th century AD, full credit for its brilliance. This university had around 10,000 resident students and teachers on its roll at one time. These students included Chinese, Sri Lankan, Korean and other international scholars. It was in the 11th century that the Muslims recognized elementary and secondary schools. This led to the formi ng of few universities too at cities like Delhi, Lucknow and Allahabad. Medieval period saw excellent interaction between Indian and Islamic customs in all fields of knowledge like theology, religion, philosophy, fine arts, painting, architecture, arithmetic, medicine and astronomy. Later, when British arrived in India, English education came into being with the help of the European missionaries. Since then, Western education gained advances in the country. With hundreds of universities and thousands of colleges affiliated to them, India has positioned itself happily as a country that provides superiority higher education to its people in specific and to the world in general. PRESENT EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA The present education system in India mainly comprises of- primary education, secondary education, senior secondary education and higher education Elementary education consists of eight years of education. Each of secondary and senior secondary education consists of two years of education. Higher education in India starts after passing the higher secondary education or the 12th standard. Depending on the stream(Arts,Commerce or Science). Doing graduation in India can take three to five years. Post graduate courses are generally of two to three years of duration. After completing post graduation, scope for doing research in various educational institutes also remains open. The growing receiving of distance learning courses and growth of the open university system is also causative a lot in the democratization of higher education in india. WORLD CLASS HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTES IN INDIA: There are quite a good number of educational institutes in India that can compete with the best educational institutes of the world and made India recognizable in the International Education. Some of them are as follows- Ø The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Ø Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Ø Indian Institutes of Science, National Law Schools, Ø Jawaharlal Nehru University are some such institutes. FACILITIES OF EDUCATION TO MARGINALIZED IN INDIA: As education is the means for bringing socio- economic transformation in a society, various measures are being taken to enhance the access of teaching to the marginalized sections of the society. One such measure is the introduction of the reservation system in the institutes of higher education. Under the present law:- (1) 7.5% seats in the higher educational institutes are reserved for the scheduled tribes, (2) 15% for scheduled castes and 27% for the non creamy layers of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). PRESENT SCENARIO OF INDIAN EDUCATION : Soon after independence in 1947, making education available to all had become a priority for the government. As discrimination on the basis of caste and gender has been a major hurdle in the healthy development of the Indian society, it also restricted the educational development of the nation as a whole. The 86th constitutional amendment has also made elementary education a fundamental right for the children between the age group- 6 to 14. According to the 2001 census:- Ø The total literacy rate in India is 65.38% . Ø The female literacy rate is only 54.16% The gap between rural and urban literacy rate is also very significant in India. This is evident from the fact that only 59.4% of rural population are literate as against 80. 3% urban population according to the 2001 census PUBLIC PRIMARY EDUCATION IN INDIA- AN OVERVIEW: Early childhood education in India is subject to two extreme but contrary deficiencies. On the one hand, millions of young children in lower income groups, especially rural and girl children, comprising nearly 40% of first grade entrants never complete primary school. Even among those who do, poorly qualified teachers, very high student-teacher ratios, inadequate teaching materials and out- moded teaching methods result in a low quality of education that often imparts little or no real learning. It is not uncommon for students completing six years of primary schooling in village public schools to lack even rudimentary reading and writing skills. PRIVATE PRIMARY EDUCATION IN INDIA- AN OVERVIEW: Cildren attending urban schools, especially middle and upper class children in private schools, are subjected to extreme competitive pressures from a very early age to acquire basic language skills and memorize vast amounts of information in order to qualify for admission into the best schools. Parents and teachers exert intense pressure on young children to acquire academic skills at an age when children should be given freedom and encouraged to learn as a natural outcome of their curiosity, playfulness and eagerness to experiment. Necessary steps should be taken to avoid unnecessary pressure for childrens. GOVERNANCE OF PRIMARY EDUCATION: Schemes undertaken by the government: Ø State-wise Allocation of Central Governments Share Made Ø Under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in India (2006-2007) State-wise Amount Spent on Elementary Education from Component of Prambhik Shiksha Kosh in India (2006-2007 and 31.10.2007) State-wise Targets and Achievements under Sarva Shiksha Abhiayan (SSA) in India (2002-2007) Selected State-wise Number of Additional Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) Sanctioned in India (As on 01.02.2006) Funds Released to North Eastern States under CentrallySponsored Schemes for Operation Blackboard and Non Formal Education in India (1997-1998 to 2000-2001) Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources under Centrally Sponsored Schemes for Elementary Education for North Eastern States in India (1999-2000 and 2000-2001 Progress Recorded under Shiksha Karmi Project in India (upto september2001) Efforts are also being taken to improve the access to higher education among the women of India by setting up various ecational institutes exclusively for them or eserving seats in the already existing institutes. Development so far:- Under SSA, Ø 1.47 lakh primary schools have been opened across the country, Ø 1.23 lakh primary schools have been upgraded to have upper primary classes. Ø 9.86 lakh teachers have been recruited, Ø children are provided free textbooks, Ø teachers are provided periodic in-service training, Ø Mid-day meal is provided to all children in classes 1-8 in Ø Government and Government aided schools. GOVERNANCE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION The National Council Of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is the legal body for governing the curriculam matters for school education in India. The NCERT provides support and technical assistance to a number of schools in India and give guidance to many educational policies in India. Different Indian curriculam bodies governing school Education in India are as follows:- The State Government Board The Central Board Of Secondary Education ( CBSE ) Board The Council For The Indian School Certificate Examinations ( CISCE) Board The Indian Certificate Of Secondary Education ( ICSE ) Board The National Institute Of Open Schooling ( NIOS ) Board GOVERNANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION In order to develop the higher education system, the government had established the University Grants Commission in 1953(UGC) . The primary role of UGC has been to regulate the standard and spread of higher education in India. There has been a marked progress in the expansion of higher education if we look at the increase of higher educational institutes in India. The higher education system in India comprise of more than17000 colleges, 20 central universities, 217 State Universities, 106 Deemed to Universities and 13 institutes of Natioanl importance. Under the Indian constitution, various minority groups can also set up their own educational institutes. This number will soon inflate as the setting up of30 more central universities, 8 new IITs, 7 IIMs and 5 new Indian Institutes of science are now proposed. PESTLE ANALYSIS OF EDUCATION P POLITICAL ANALYSIS SCHOOL LEVEL Schools being privatised (like the NHS) A government initiative creates the risk that the school may fail to deliver the policy or be diverted away from local priorities etc.Changes tothe skills required to be a teacher/ tutor Changes to curriculum with short lead times Requirement to be self managing Requirement to be self financing HIGHER LEVEL- Funding allocations to Universities and level of priority given to HE/ science.Funding allocations within the University. RAE 2008 process and its suggested replacements.University league tables and rankings. â€Å"In vogue† research disciplines. Institutional policies on IPR and open access. Publisher lobbying and the DTI. EC position on research dissemination. Pressure for global dissemination of resources including redressing the balance between information poor and information rich. Competitor institutions. Research peaks. Future of the White Rose consortium and regional cooperation in HE. What happens to work when researchers move institutions? E ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS- SCHOOL LEVEL- Central or local government funding decisions may affect school/ establishment finances Closure of a local industry may affect fund raising plans etc. Ability of parents to raise funds for optional activities The need to run breakfast/ after schools clubs Ability to invest savings/ surpluses Cost of providing resources: Ø Staff teaching support Ø Basics books/ paper Ø Technology solutions laptops etc Interest rates Shortages of materials on national/ international markets Over provision of school places in the area resulting in competition from neighbouring schools The risk of highly valued, key staff moving on to more „up and coming schools/ academies. HIGHER LEVEL- Overall funding allocations to Universities from government and from Research . Councils.Use of short term contracts for researchers. VAT on electronic publications. Publisher business model and the possible impact of open access.. Cost of data storage. Cost of digital preservation actions and/or services. Priority given to outward facing technical services in a Financially Restricted environment. Journal subscription model may be in transition; libraries universities may worry they are paying for the same thing three times. Repository services are unlikely to be income generating or, only indirectly. Student debt may make a research career less attractive. S SOCIAL ANALYSIS SCHOOL LEVEL- Decline in birth rate, reflecting national trends. Local population changes (increasing/ decreasing numbers) . Demographic changes may affect likely pupil rolls or the nature of pupils needse.g. pupils with English as a second language etc. Closure of local firms providing employment Inability to attract staff. Social networking blogs, facebook, twitter Changes to qualifications expected. Integration with local community. Integration of students with special needs. parental preference an increase in „parent power has allowed. parents more freedom of choice over their child s school. the risk of highly valued, key staff moving on to more up-and- coming establishments. Information is accessible to staff anywhere in the world via the Internet. Staff were not given enough training or access to effectively change their habits and how they expected information to be made available. HIGHER LEVEL- Widening participation. Increased student to staff ratios.. Use of short term contracts for researchers. Commodification of HE; emphasis on HE for monetary gain. Possible lack of lecturers and researchers in the future. Public attitudes towards science and scientific knowledge; demand for scientific information. Globalisation of science; possibly more democratic access to dissemination mechanishs. T TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS SCHOOL LEVEL- Changes to standards/ equipment required. Risk of selecting the wrong technology at times of change (i.e. windows -v- open source).New computer viruses may affect school/ college operations, Disturbing/ illegal images on the internet may affect ICT security measures etc.Move from paper based books to e-book readers. Computer hardware being out of date.Computer software being out of date. Time to manage IT systems. HIGHER LEVEL- Widespread availability of internet access including developing countries. Development of GRID computing. Development of virtual learning environments and virtual research Environments. Generation of increasingly complex digital objects during research. Development of common interoperability standards. Development of metadata standards. Urgent need for digital preservation protocols. Need for and cost of data storage. Massive proliferation of email. Developing scientific disciplines; new potential for research. Increased expectations of end users re quality and manner of data delivery. Increasing level of skills needed, particularly programming, to be classed as a â€Å"techie†. Anyone can be a publisher: different publishing models. Possible new models for peer review. Local IT development priorities. LITERACY RATE IN INDIA As per 2001 Census, the overall literacy rate of India is 65.38%. The male literacy rate is 75.96% and female literacy rate is 54.28%. Ranking of States and Union Territories by Literacy Rate States literacy rate male literacy rate female literacy rate Kerala 90.92 94.20 87.86 Mizoram 88.49 90.69 86.13 Lakshadweep (U.T.) 87.52 93.15 81.56 Goa 82.32 88.88 75.51 Delhi (U.T.) 81.82 87.37 75.00 Chandigarh (U.T.) 81.76 85.65 76.65 Pondicherry (U. T.) 81.49 88.89 74.13 (U.T.) 81.18 86.07 75.29 Daman Diu (U.T.) 81.09 88.40 70.37 Maharashtra 77.27 86.27 67.51 Himachal Pradesh 77.13 86.02 68.08 Tripura 73.66 81.47 65.41 Tamil Nadu 73.47 82.33 64.55 Uttaranchal 72.28 84.01 60.26 Gujarat 69.97 80.50 58.60 Punjab 69.95 75.63 63.55 Sikkim 69.68 76.73 61.46 West Bengal 69.22 77.58 60.22 Manipur 68.87 77.87 59.70 Haryana 68.59 79.25 56.31 Nagaland 67.11 71.77 61.92 Karnataka 67.04 76.29 57.45 Chhatisgarh 65.18 77.86 52.40 This table shows the literacy rate of various state in india. EDUCATIONAL TARGETS OF 11 th YEAR PLAN Reduce dropout rates of children from elementary school from 52.2% in 2003-2004 to 20% by 2011-2012 Develop minimum standard of educational attainment in elementary school, and by regular testing moniter effectiveness of education to ensure quality. Increase literacy rate for people of age seven years or more to 85% Lower genger gap in literacy to 10 percentage point Increase the percentage of each cohort going to higher higher education from the present 10% to 15% by the end of the eleventh plan.

The Relevance of Aristotle’s Poetics to the World Today Essay -- Arist

The Relevance of Aristotle’s Poetics to the World Today      Ã‚   The Canadian novelist Michael Ondaatje, in his last novel titled In the Skin of a Lion, wrote that "the first sentence of every novel should be: Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human" (Ondaatje 223).   Ondaatje noted that what makes a novel a novel is order or, as that order is sometimes referred to today, plot and structure.   It is that structure that we, as both the audience and the artist, rely on to understand and appreciate a work of art.   But, even though Ondaatje noticed the order necessary, he did not do what has been done before--offer an explanation, or rather, a definition of that order.   Over two-thousand years before Ondaatje wrote that line, Aristotle, in his Poetics, did attempt to define the order necessary for a work of art, whether it be literary, visual, or performance-based, to be successful.   But we, as modern critics and artists, must ask, can a theory proposed so many years ago still be worthy or in terpretation and study today?   Even a quick look at the literature and the theater produced in the last couple of centuries would reveal the public's answer:   Much of the great art of the world is great because of its reliance on and adherence to Aristotle's theories and definitions as well as a confidence in the new suppositions that have arisen out of Aristotle's words.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before one can apply the theories of Aristotle to the world today, a brief presentation of a few of the most notable of those theories must be examined.   The first of these theories is now referred to as Aristotle's Unities; although, only one of the three unities can be directly attributed to the words of Aristotle.   In book ... ...wise, the longest running Broadway play of all time, Cats, certainly cannot be classified as the universal and clearly neglects the three unities.   Finally, most literature scholars would agree that James Joyce's Ulysses is a classic in literature, but, as it created its own style of literature, does not conform to any of Aristotle's principals.   It is clear though, with an influence in so many works of art, both past and contemporary, that, while maybe not a necessity, Aristotle's theories certainly are worthy of a careful study.    Works Cited Aristotle. "Poetics."   Dramatic Theory and Criticism.   Ed. Bernard F. Dukore.   Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1974. 31-55. Harmon, William, and C. Hugh Holman.   A Handbook to Literature. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999. Ondaatje, Michael.   In the Skin of a Lion.   Chicago: Penguin Publishers, 1987

Importance of time Essay

Do to the fact that I could not maintain punctuality in a classroom environment I shall be writing an essay of the importance of punctuality in the United States Military. Now of course it seems like this would be easy to understand however I had managed to forget it and this shall explain it in this essay. Before you can understand how being punctual is important you must understand what being punctual means. Punctuality is the characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill a moral duty before or at a specific time. There is often an understanding that a small amount of lateness is acceptable.. However in some cultures, such as Japanese society, or in the military there basically is no allowance. Some cultures have an unspoken understanding that actual deadlines are different from stated deadlines; for example, it may be understood in a particular culture that people will turn up an hour later than advertised. In this case, since everyone understands that a 9 A.M. meeting will actually start around 10am, no-one is inconvenienced when everyone turns up at 10am. In cultures which value punctuality, being late is tantamount to showing disrespect for another’s time and may be considered insulting. In such cases, punctuality may be enforced by social penalties, for example by excluding low-status latecomers from meetings entirely. Being at the right place at the right time for any member of the Army is extremely essential to the defense of the entire United States of America. It’s because of this that being on time is remarkably important. Dependability, accountability, consistency and discipline are all crucially related to being on time. Furthermore, promptness also shows that the individual Soldier aims high and has their priorities straight. However, being where one needs to be at the appointed time will always be one of the most important aspects of being a Soldier. This is why failure to be on time not only severely hinders mission capability and readiness, but also can without a doubt cost unnecessary loss of life. It is important to realize that it is necessary for those in the Armed Forces are held to a higher standard. Being punctual in the military is important for many reasons, some of which I shall describe, right now. One of the few reasons for punctuality in the military would be if someone is late for a patrol or convoy that patrol or convoy might have to leave without that person, or maybe wait for them or can’t leave without them and be late to a rally point in which it is possible that it would cost some one  there life for you being late being late to a convoy and could lead to dire consequences. Not necessarily to you but to your battle buddies you let down by not showing up. While they are on patrol, or convoying to another area, something could happen that could either need your expertise and training or they could just need another soldier to keep watch of their area and without you it would take more manpower from less people to do the job that you were supposed to do. Or maybe the patrol you were supposed to be on could be ambushed and your weapon, your eyes and your training could be what makes the difference between your patrol losing soldiers or not. It is possible that if you had been there your patrol could have seen the ambush with the extra set of eyes watching, or taken out the enemy with the extra soldier carrying a weapon he/she was trained to use. Now being late could be what makes you lose battle buddies that could have survived if you were there to help them in that situation. Even more possible is that your battle buddies are on a convoy and it could have been your eyes that notice the strange object in the road or the slight discoloration, or maybe the disheveled earth of the road ahead of you that could have prevented your convoy from running into an IED. Or in another situation one might be on their way to meet someone from another country and showing up late would be looked at as a dishonorable and that you didn’t care about them or what they were trying to do. Also being late could also hinder your battle buddies at work. You being late makes your battle buddy who you are supposed to relieve stay later than he/she is supposed to, meaning that said person loses sleep time. Another reason might be because if you were going to relieve someone from duty on a guard duty it will make whoever your relieving have to stay at work. Therefor making them stay longer which then makes them tired and sluggish. And because they are because they are tired and sluggish, it increases the high chance that whatever work that person does would be under par and not up to standards because of lack of sleep. Which on a guard post they might fall asleep and someone might slip in or pass along some classified information to the enemy without any difficulty. Although the United States is not the only society that places a high regard on being on time, Americans in particular it would seem have been criticized in the past for being a highly time-oriented people, and some other cultures may not place the same level of importance on being punctual as exists in the United States today. This sense of being tied to a clock may strike some observers from other cultures as being downright psychotic, but the fact remains that the importance of being on time is an enormously important part of the American value system and it would be reasonable to suggest that this will not change. In addition, people who fail to be on time also demonstrate whether intentionally or not what may be considered as a callous disregard for other people and their time. In the United States, then, the importance of punctuality is well established and those who are even a few minutes late for say, a job interview, run the very real risk of losing out to lesser qualified candidates simply because they were unable to find a place to park in time. Similarly, people who are consistently late will be viewed as unreliable by most employers and also run the risk of losing whatever employment they have managed to secure in the first place. Being on time is one thing, but being early is completely different. When you’re assigned to be at an appointed place at an appointed time then there is no room for tardiness. Not only is it disrespectful to your co-workers in regards to making them stay later and putting them â€Å"under the bus† but also it is an integrity check and denotes your lack of responsibility. When you have a trend of being late none of your co-workers will feel as if they can’t rely on you.

The 12 Olympians of Greek Mythology

The 12 Olympians of Greek Mythology In Greek mythology, there were 12 Olympians, gods and goddesses, who lived and held thrones on Mount Olympus, although you may run across more than a dozen names. These major gods and goddesses are named Olympian for their place of residence. Greek Names The canonical list, based on the Parthenon sculptures includes: Olympian Gods ApolloAresDionysusHermesHephaestusPoseidonZeus Olympian Goddesses AphroditeAthenaArtemisDemeterHera You may sometimes see: AsclepiusHeraclesHestiaPersephoneHades listed as Olympian deities, but they are not all regulars. Roman Names The Roman versions of the Greek names are: Olympian Gods ApolloBacchusMarsMercuryNeptuneJupiterVulcan Olympian Goddesses VenusMinervaDianaCeresJuno The alternates among the Roman gods and goddesses are: Asculapius, Hercules, Vesta, Proserpine, and Pluto. Also Known As: Theoi Olympioi, Dodekatheon Alternate Spellings: Hephaestus name is sometimes spelled Hephaistos or Hephestus. Examples: Iuno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercurius, Iovis, Neptunus, Vulcanus, Apollo.Ennius Ann. 62-63 Vahl.From Plautus as a Source Book for Roman Religion, by John A. Hanson, TAPhA (1959), pp. 48-101. The 12 Olympians were the major gods and goddesses with prominent roles in Greek mythology. Although being an Olympian meant a throne on Mt. Olympus, some of the major Olympians spent most of their time elsewhere. Poseidon lived in the sea and Hades in the Underworld. Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Poseidon, and Zeus are the names of the Olympian gods on the Parthenon frieze, according to the Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World. However, Elizabeth G. Pemberton, in The Gods of the East Frieze of the Parthenon (American Journal of Archaeology Vol. 80, No. 2 [Spring, 1976] pp. 113-124), says that on the East frieze of the Parthenon, in addition to the 12 are Eros and Nike.

Fertilizer essays

Fertilizer essays Fertilizer is a substance added to soil to help plants grow. Fertilizer is divided into two groups: natural and synthetic. Fertilizer provides one or more of the chemical elements essential for plant nutrition. Natural fertilizers are items like animal excrement, straw, other plant materials, guano, animal tankage and meat and bone meals, and bone meals and flours. All natural fertilizers are from nature. Synthetic fertilizers come in either liquid or solid. They are usually classified into 10 groups: nitrogen fertilizers (it can make the soil acid), ammonia (a kind of fertilizer that contains 82% nitrogen), ammonium nitrate (is made by oxidizing ammonia), ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride (mostly made from synthetic ammonia), urea (a fertilizer that is 45% to 46% nitrogen and made by combining ammonia with carbon dioxide), others (fertilizers that are only important in few places for special crops), phosphate fertilizers (made from deposits of rock phosphates), superphosphates (made by reacting rock phosphate with sulfuric acid), basic slag (or Thomas slag, a by-product of steelmaking) , and potassium fertilizers (fertilizers that are water soluble). Synthetic fertilizers are also called chemical fertilizers. They have three groups of elements involved in making them. The primary elements include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These elements are required in the bigge st amount. The secondary elements are sulfur, calcium, and magnesium. These elements are required in smaller amounts. The other elements are boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. These elements are only required in trace amounts. ...

No Child Left Behind Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

No Child Left Behind - Research Paper Example †¢ Teachers are either inadequately skilled or lack the motivation to inspire students to higher levels of learning. †¢ Local communities, school board members, and superintendents do not know what their students should be learning or to what degree they should be learning it. †¢ Accountability through testing will pressure the system to improve. (Ramirez: 205) Thus, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was signed into law in January, 2002 to replace the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The NCLB upholds four main principles that envisions the following outcomes: (1) stronger accountability for student academic performance, i.e., tougher state standards for students; (2) increased flexibility and local control over school operations i.e., flexibility in the way states spend federal dollars; (3) expanded school choice options for parents, i.e., parental choice in those schools labeled as ‘chronically’ failing schools; and (4) an emphasis on effective teaching methods, i.e., focusing resources in proven ‘research-based’ approaches (Gibbons and Paige as cited in Gardiner, Canfield-Davis & Anderson: 143). In an effort to raise the standard of education in the United States, the NCLB required public schools to test all third and eighth-grade students annually in Reading and Mathematics and to sort test results by race, socioeconomic status, disability and English proficiency. This is to identify where achievement gaps are prevalent. NCLB targets the end of the 2013-2014 schoolyear to have all students become proficient in both Reading and Math (Ravitch: 5). Consequences for schools that do not show progress towards NCLB’s goals of 100% proficiency in all groups identified (racial, economic, ability and English proficiency groups) are stringent. If the school continues to fail to make its â€Å"adequate yearly progress† (AYP) for any group, their students are given an option to either leave the s chool or enroll elsewhere. On its third year of failure, the students are entitled to free tutorial sessions after school hours. If in the following years, the school still continues to fare poorly, then government may convert it into one run by private management or turn the school into a chartered school, dismissing all its staff and turning it over to the state (Ravitch: 5). Thus far, NCLB has provided disappointing results, earning the criticism of many. In 2009, Ravitch reports that the latest release of scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed no evidence of the effectiveness of NCLB because no significant improvement was noticed in the scores. Achievement gaps between groups of students were still maintained. U.S. students scored well behind their international counterparts in Asian countries. Math and Science scores improved since these were the subjects emphasized by the curriculum in preparation for the national tests, however, Science scor es lagged behind. This proves that since NCLB only considered Math and English as the basic subjects that students needed to be proficient in, it has neglected to give attention to non-tested subjects such as Science, History, Civics, the Arts and geography (Ravitch:5) Achievement gaps still persist notwithstanding NCLB’s mandate to upgrade educational standards for all students. Finkel (n.pag) analyses why Black students still get left behind their white peers in achievement rates, blaming it on hostile and alienating environments.

Mathematical Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mathematical Concepts - Essay Example This paper seeks to discuss mathematical concepts of a course. The paper will offer a summary of the concepts learnt in the course, relevance of the concepts to the characteristics of a mathematics teacher as well as analysis of the influence of the learnt concepts on my personal ideas and philosophy of teaching. Summary of the major mathematical concepts One of the mathematical concepts discussed in the course is problem solving. This concept is described as an approach towards finding a solution to a problem. The concept of problem solving involves a number of steps that starts from understanding the problem at hand, developing a strategy, exploring any applicable pattern and finally using logic to ascertain the nature of the solution. Strategy to problem solving, according to Billstein, Libeskind and Lott, involves a series of steps that include â€Å"understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back† over the solution (Billstein, Libeskind and Lott, 2010, p. 4). In order to understand a problem, it is necessary to be able to acculturate and paraphrase the problem before identifying the next course of action. The necessary information in the problem that can be used in its solution is then extracted and the unknown that is to be solved identified (Billstein, Libeskind and Lott, 2010) ... As an approach to describing numbers through notations, numeration systems include Hindu Arabic system and Tally system among others. The concept of sets on the other hand involves definition of sets and set operations such as unions and intersections. The course also covers concepts of operation of whole numbers that includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with stepwise procedures for carrying out the operations. The course also described the concept of algebra that covers variables, equations, and functions. Variables refer symbols that can take more than one values. In numerical concepts, a variable can represent more that one number or quantities and is represented using a letter. Algebraic equations are on the other hand used to represent values, either algebraic or a combination of both algebraic and numerical, which are assumed to have similar magnitudes. Equations can then be used to solve for exact values of unknowns in given problems. Relationship betwe en variables is further explored through functions (Billstein, Libeskind and Lott, 2010). Like operations of whole numbers, the course covers basic rules in operation of decimal numbers and fractions. It explores algorithms of basic operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, with respect to decimals and fractions. The final set of mathematical concepts, as covered by the course includes proportions, ratios, and percentages. The basis of ratios, percentages, and proportions as expression of relationship between variables, and understanding of their concepts is important in solving real life problems such as interest and interest rates among other practical relationships (Billstein, Libeskind and Lott, 2010) Relevance of the learnt

Standard Of Monopolized The Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Standard Of Monopolized The Oil Industry - Essay Example Buying Competitors Though most of Standard Oil’s takeovers aimed at gaining competitive advantage, they also benefitted the acquired company too. Rockefeller and his partners gained confidence from the competitors through wide-ranging volunteer association. Standard Oil also offered the former executives, of the acquired companies, high positions in the new company and was assured parity in management and was assimilated into the management because they were experienced and were well acquainted with the oil industry and local markets (Montague 76-81). The Standard Oil trust comprised of different companies in the industry which attained competitive advantage and maintained an even competition among the members. Rockefeller perceived the buyouts of the other refineries in Cleveland as foreseeable. He is quoted noting â€Å"the battle of the new idea of cooperation against competition† (Montague 52). In his mind, huge industrial amalgamations referred to as monopolies wou ld substitute competition and individualism in the oil industry. Rockefeller used hardball tactics to buy out the competitors. In 1874, the company started purchasing new oil pipeline networks. This assisted the company to amputate the flow of oil to the other companies that Rockefeller wanted to acquire. When a competing company made efforts to build a rival pipeline across Pennsylvania, Standard Oil purchased the land along the way to barricade the way. In the end, Standard Oil obtained control of all the pipelines within the nation. Notably, Standard Oil had attained full control of 90 percent of United States refining companies (Montague 176) Discounted Shipping Rates In order to attain a competitive advantage over its competitors, Standard Oil surreptitiously organized for reduced shipping rates from railroads. This aimed at reducing the average costs incurred by the company. Rockefeller had a fascination for efficiency that was unparalleled.

School Prayer Essay Example for Free

School Prayer Essay In simple terms, prayer is talking to God or a god. During that conversation, the person praying may use his or her own words or, â€Å"a set order of words,† such as the Lord’s Prayer to speak to God, may â€Å"request or wish† something from a God. The conversation may be vocal or silent. Questions involving school prayer are among the most argumentative questions posed to the courts. This has been the case decades ago and still occurring today. The history of prayer in the public education system is a story of legal rendering. The relationship between religion and government in the United States is governed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, which both prevents the government from establishing religion and protects privately initiated religious expression and activities from government discrimination. The First Amendment establishes certain limits on the conduct of public school officials as it relates to religious activity, including prayer. The First Amendment says, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, [known as the Establishment Clause], or prohibiting the free exercise thereof [known as the Free Exercise Clause],† (U.  S. Constitution) When deciding a case, the court has to balance between favoring a religion and prohibiting it. Landmark Case: Engle vs. Vitale The Supreme Court has many times held that the First Amendment requires public school leaders to be neutral in their treatment of religion. This means not showing favoritism toward any religion but yet not showing any hostile expression towards any religious doings, such as prayer. One of the most famous court cases involving religion and public schools happened in a New York City school district in the 1950s. Each morning before classes started, students would say a twenty-two word prayer that was created by the school board. Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country. A few parents objected, saying that this school promoted prayer violated the First Amendment. The New York Supreme Court ruled against the parents, who was represented by Stephen Engle. After taking their claim to a higher court numerous times, the court case Engle v. Vitale (1962), finally made it to the Supreme Court. In 1962 the Supreme Court Judges voted, the vote was 6 to 1, deciding that the twenty-two word prayer was unconstitutional. It was decided that the prayer, â€Å"singled out a particular religious practice contradicting the Establishment Clause of the First Amendement. † (Haas 48) This landmark case is one of the significant case laws used in order to determine neutrality in questions of school prayer. It was decided that teachers and other public school officials may not lead their classes in prayer, devotional readings from the Bible, or other religious activities. Engel v. Vitale, 370 U. S. 421 (1962) Violation of the Establishment Clause: Sante Fe v. Doe While school leaders may not lead their students in prayer, according to 105 ILCS 20/5, Students do have the right to pray at school. They must respect the schools policies, regulations, and rules that are in place regarding any disruption to the educational system. This being said, â€Å"students may read their Bibles during study hall or other non-structured time, may say grace, and may discuss religion with their peers during non-directed free time, such as time spent on the playground, on a school bus, in the hallways, or in the cafeteria. † (Braun 184) This student right and Illinois compiled statute was tested in the case of Sante Fe Independent School District v. Doe. Santa Fe v. Doe centered on the Santa Fe Independent School District policy allowing student-led prayer before football games. Santa Fe Independent School District had a history of student-led prayer. The students were elected by their peers to lead prayer at a school event. An Appellate Court ruling found that the district’s policy was unconstitutional in accordance with the Establishment Clause. The Court stated that the policy was not only an actual endorsement of prayer, but also a perceived endorsement, and, therefore, sent a message to nonbelievers that they were outsiders and that believers were the favored group in the community If the prayer is student lead, driven, and initiated it does not go against the constitution. The Supreme Court ruled saying, â€Å"The delivery of such a message, over the schools public address system, by a speaker representing the student body, under the supervision of the school faculty, and pursuant to a school policy that explicitly and implicitly encourages public prayer is not properly characterized as private speech† (Santa Fe v. Doe, 2000). Moment of Silence for Prayer: Wallace v. Jaffrey? So far a few things have been decided. The first is that any school-sponsored religious practice is prohibited because it is in violation of the Establishment Clause. The second thing is that students do have a right to freely exercise their personal religious practices as long as they do it during non-structured times; but where does the law stand on moments of silence that schools use for personal prayer times? After court cases such as Engle vs. Vitale it was obvious that religion in schools was diminishing. To counter back at these Supreme Court rulings many states started establishing moments of silence at the beginning of each school day as a substitute for the vocal prayer that had been taken away. These moments of silence are permissible as long as they are done for a secular purpose. Wallace v. Jaffrey is the only case that the Supreme Court has heard on a moment of silence in schools. The case contested an Alabama law that established a moment of silence for the purpose of â€Å"meditation or voluntary prayer† (Wallace v. Jaffrey, 1985). The court found that the statue was unconstitutional because it was enacted solely for the purpose of promoting religion in schools. The majority opinion found that any statute establishing a moment of silence that included the word â€Å"prayer† was unconstitutional. 1985 the Supreme Court concluded that Alabama’s silent meditation and prayer statute violated the Establishment Clause. Alexander 217) Explaining how this ruling came to be, an understanding of how our courts can make such a decision is needed first. The Establishment Clause Tests: The Supreme Court uses three tests to determine violations of the Establishment Clause. The tests may be considered singularly or together to determine constitutionality. The court has repeatedly stressed that the Constitution prohibits public schools from teaching children in religion. But it is not always easy to determine exactly what constitutes teaching or school sponsorship of religious acts. To help explain the establishment clause, which is often a question in issues of school prayer, the court uses several tests. The three main tests include the Lemon, coercion, and endorsement test. Lemon Test: The Lemon test gets its name from the 1973 decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman, in which the Court struck down a state program that was giving aid to religious elementary and secondary schools. The Lemon test is a three prong test, each part being just as important as the other two. Using the Lemon test, a court must first determine whether the law or government action in question has a secular purpose. This prong is based on the idea that government should only concern itself in civil matters, leaving religion to the conscience of the individual. Second, a court would ask whether the state action has the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion. Finally, the court would consider whether the action excessively entangles religion and government. While religion and government must interact at some points while co-existing in society, the concern here is that they do not so overlap and intertwine that people have difficulty differentiating between the two. Although this test has come under fire from certain Supreme Court Justices, it has never been over turned, and it is still used to guide decisions in courts today. Coercion Test: Some justices propose allowing more government support for religion than the Lemon test allows, their support stands with the coercion test. Justice Kennedy created the coercion test in Lee v. Weisman. The coercion test is used to determine whether or not the government coerced participation in the religious activity. In regard to public schools, it is used to determine whether or not students experienced a coercive effect. Based on the 1992 case of Lee v. Weisman, 505 U. S. 577 the religious practice is examined to see to what extent, if any, pressure is applied to force or â€Å"coerce† individuals to participate. The Court has defined that the government does not violate the establishment clause unless it, (1) provides direct aid to religion in a way that would tend to establish a state church, or (2) coerces people to support or participate in religion against their will. Even the coercion test is subject to varying interpretations. This was evident and illustrated in Lee v.  Weisman. Endorsement Test: The third test that was proposed by Justice Sandra Day OConnor is the endorsement test. It was used in the 1984 case of Lynch v. Donnelly, asking whether a particular government action amounts to an endorsement of religion, thus violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Its with this test that a government action is invalid if it creates a perception in the mind of a reasonable observer that a religion is being endorsed or disapproved. The endorsement test has been included into the Lemon test. While the endorsement test has been applied in many cases, it has not produced a conclusive answer to the question of constitutionality in all cases. There is a forth test that is sometimes used in establishment-clause decisions, it is the neutrality test. While the Lemon, coercion, and endorsement test are used in matters of expression the neutrality test is mainly used in issues dealing with funding. Making sure the government is giving neutral aid to public and religious schools with no religious promotion. Because of its dealings and ruling in funding matters, the neutrality test is not often used in issues of prayer in public schools. The Wallace case is legally significant for representing the value of neutrality underlying the Establishment Clause. It also showed the significance for the Lemon test as the main test for evaluating the constitutionality of public school involvement in religion. The Court in Wallace showed its position that the Establishment Clause â€Å"‘requires the state to be a neutral in its relations with groups of religious believers and non-believers. ’† (Lofaso 30) The Court then concluded that Alabama’s moment-of-silence statute violated the Establishment Clause because it failed the purpose prong of the Lemon test: â€Å"The legislature enacted . . for the sole purpose of expressing the State’s endorsement of prayer activities for one minute at the beginning of each school day. Does Location of the Prayer Matter? It was almost a half-century ago that the Supreme Court in Engle v. Vitale established that daily prayer in the classroom is unconstitutional. Since then, this thought has grown due to cases where location of the prayer have been put into question. Now the Supreme Court extends their thinking to include, â€Å"any particular form of prayer which is to be used as an official prayer in carrying on any program of governmentally sponsored religious activity. The Supreme Court continued to keep watch even when school prayer moved outside the classroom to a graduation ceremony. In Lee v. Weisman, principals at public schools in Providence, Rhode Island invited clergy to speak at graduations. The principals provided the clergy with guidelines, which essentially boiled down to keeping the prayers nonsectarian. When Principal Lee invited a rabbi to give a prayer at Nathan Bishop Middle School’s graduation, Deborah Weisman and her parents objected. When the Weismans alleged a violation of the Establishment Clause, the school board argued that an event as significant as graduation warranted prayer. The lower courts agreed with the Weismans and the Supreme Court affirmed. The school board argued that graduation was a voluntary event. The Court dismissed this argument, finding graduation to be an important event in a student’s life that must not be forfeited due to different religious beliefs and that the government must not get involved. In 1992 the Court decided that it was unconstitutional for a member of the clergy to deliver an invocation or benediction at a public school graduation, and that in doing so, the school endorsed religion and required students who were non-believers to accept the religious practices. Conclusion: Supreme Court decisions provide insight into the debate against school prayer. Because of the various Court rulings on the school prayer issue, we do have a foundation to base other decisions off of when issues arise with mixing church and state in the public educational system. Students today can not be forced to recite any prayer that has been endorsed by the school, but they may practice a moment of silence during the school day as long as they are not required to use that time for prayer. Students are also free to exercise their religious beliefs. They may read their Bibles during non structured time and pray as long as they are following the rules and regulations regarding school disruption. If at any time the state gets involved, or the activities become school-sponsored then the religious acts are unconstitutional and violate the First Amendment. It is important to remember that the United States exists today because the founders sought to live in a country free from government interference, especially concerning religion. Individuals are free to exercise their beliefs as long as they are not forcing those beliefs unto others.

Cultural Perspectives in Tom Robbins Even Cowgirls Get the Blues :: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Essays

Cultural Perspectives in Tom Robbins' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Literary works are always affected by the times and places in which they are written. Those crafted in Western America often reflect conflicts that occurred between advancing civilization and the free spirited individual. The 1970’s was a particularly popular time for authors to introduce new ideas for living in the modern world. There are few authors who captured the essence and feeling of culture quite like Tom Robbins. Robbins comments on the differences and similarities between Western civilization and Eastern philosophies. His text offers philosophical and cultural meaning that is completely original. Certain beliefs are threaded through out the content of the story. He includes significant content reflecting the laws of physics; how motion and force affect the life process. Through the dialogue and action of his characters, Robbins illustrates how two very different ideals can coexist. Robbins intentions are to expand cultural perspectives and awareness through his novels. His use of metaphors and stylistic diction emphasizes further how thoughtful and awesome his work is. Tom Robbins writing offers an insightful perspective into cultural themes of our modern world. Robbins writing reflects different lifestyles, and philosophies. His characters are eccentric and complex; yet retain a familiar quality that allows them to be adored by the reader. His characters often possess personality traits like those he admires—women in particular. The characters, plot, and writing style all reflect Robbins thoughts about the world. In 1967, Robbins introduced Sissy Hankshaw to the world. In his novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Sissy dedicates her life to hitch-hiking across the globe. She is one of many characters whose attitude and actions conflict with stereotypical Western values. She is unbiased in nature and insightful about the world around her. The Cowgirls Quest Sissy takes on hitch-hiking as her life mission mostly because she was gifted in one area imperative to successful hitching: Sissy develops abnormally large thumbs. Robbins comments on how he pondered the opposable thumb: the one small physical difference that catapulted the homo sapiens ahead of other species. Hitch-hiking becomes Sissy’s passion--her purpose in life--at a very young age. The extraordinarily large thumbs not only gave her the will, but also isolate her from the other children. She accepts the fact that she is different from everyone else, but also acknowledges the negative view of her digits is not universal.

welfare :: essays research papers

Images of Welfare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These words are uttered in elementary schools, high schools, and various events and meetings throughout the nation everyday. We usually do not associate the image of welfare with the American flag or think about it as we recite the allegiance. We, however, associate it with images of prosperity and freedom. As I look closely at the last words of this allegiance: â€Å"†¦with liberty and justice for all.† I remember the number of homeless who beg in the streets, those who for one reason or another await assistance in the social services office, and those who because of the color of their skin or gender association have yet to receive their share of benefits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Webster’s dictionary, welfare means â€Å"Well-doing or well-being in any respect; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; exemption from any evil or calamity; prosperity; happiness.† Before taking classes such as this, my connotation of welfare was totally opposite. Welfare always meant something bad. When I heard the word ‘welfare’ I pictured a homeless person or an immigrant who’s only dream was a better life, but found it was not as easy as it seemed. When I heard about someone on welfare I was quick to jump to conclusions. I’d assume he or she was lazy and just didn’t want to work or that he or she was in some sort of trouble. Looking at Webster’s meaning I notice the words â€Å"respect† and â€Å"the common blessing of life.† I have come to realize those on welfare are people too and deserve the respect everybody else does. They may have come upon hard times or made a mistake or two, but because of the prejudice and stereotypes of others, find themselves stuck in a position where all they have is their â€Å"common blessing of life.

Blood Promise Chapter Eleven

I stared at Mark for several long seconds. Finally, stupidly, I asked, â€Å"Did you say†¦ heal?† Mark stared at me in equal surprise. â€Å"Yes, of course. She can heal other things, right? Why not this?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense. The darkness†¦ all the bad side effects†¦ those come from Lissa. If she could just heal it, why wouldn't she heal it out of herself?† â€Å"Because when it's in her, it's too ingrained. Too tied into her being. She can't heal it the way she can other things. But once your bond has pulled it into you, it's like any other sickness.† My heart was pounding in my chest. What he was suggesting was too ridiculously easy. No, it was just ridiculous, period. There was no way after all that we'd been through that Lissa could heal that rage and depression the way she could a cold or a broken leg. Victor Dashkov, despite his wicked schemes, had known an astonishing amount about spirit and had explained it to us. The other four elements were more physical in nature, but spirit came from the mind and soul. To use that much mental energy-to be able to do such powerful things-couldn't be done without devastating side effects. We'd been fighting those side effects from the beginning, first in Lissa and then in me. They couldn't just go away. â€Å"If that were possible,† I said quietly, â€Å"then everyone would have done it. Ms. Karp wouldn't have lost her mind. Anna wouldn't have committed suicide. What you're saying is too easy.† Mark didn't know who I was talking about, but clearly it didn't matter for what he wanted to express. â€Å"You're right. It's not easy at all. It requires a careful balance, a circle of trust and strength between two people. It took Oksana and me a long time to learn†¦ many hard years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face darkened, and I could only imagine what those years had been like. My short time with Lissa had been bad enough. They'd had to live with this a lot longer than we had. It had to have been unbearable at times. Slowly, wonderingly, I dared to give credence to his words. â€Å"But now you guys are okay?† â€Å"Hmm.† There was a flicker of a wry smile on his lips. â€Å"I'd hardly say we're perfectly okay. There's only so much she can do, but it makes life manageable. She spaces out the healings as long as we can handle it, since it takes a lot out of her. It's draining, and it limits her overall power.† â€Å"What do you mean?† He shrugged. â€Å"She can still do the other things†¦ healing, compulsion†¦ but not to the levels she would if she wasn't always healing me.† My hope faltered. â€Å"Oh. Then†¦ I couldn't. I couldn't do that to Lissa.† â€Å"Compared to what she's doing to you? Rose. I have a feeling she'd think it was a fair trade.† I thought back to our last meeting. I thought about how I'd left her there, despite her begging. I thought about the lows she'd been experiencing in my absence. I thought about how she'd refused to heal Dimitri when I'd thought there might still be hope for him. We'd both been bad friends. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't know,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"I don't know if she would.† Mark gave me a long, level look, but he didn't push me on the matter. He glanced up at the sun, almost as if he could tell the time from it. He probably could. He had that surviving-in-the-wilderness kind of feel to him. â€Å"The others will wonder what happened to us. Before we go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, plain silver ring. â€Å"Learning to heal will take time. What worries me the most right now is this vigilante mood you're in. The darkness is only going to make it worse. Take this.† He extended the ring to me. I hesitated and then reached for it. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Oksana infused it with spirit. It's a healing charm.† Once again, shock ran through me. Moroi charmed objects with elements all the time. Stakes were charmed with all four of the physical elements, making them lethal to Strigoi. Victor had charmed a necklace with earth magic, using the base nature of earth to turn the necklace into a lust charm. Even Sydney's tattoo was a charm of sorts. I supposed there was no reason that spirit couldn't charm objects too, but it had never occurred to me, probably because Lissa's powers were still too new and too foreign. â€Å"What's it do? I mean, what kind of healing?† â€Å"It'll help with your moods. It can't get rid of them, but it'll lessen them-help you think more clearly. Might keep you out of trouble. Oksana makes these for me to help between healings.† I started to slip it on, but he shook his head. â€Å"Save it for when you really feel out of control. The magic won't last forever. It fades just like any other charm.† I stared at the ring, my mind suddenly open to all sorts of new possibilities. A few moments later, I slipped it into my coat pocket. Paul stuck his head out the back door. â€Å"Grandmother wants to leave now,† he told me. â€Å"She wants to know why you're taking so long and said to ask why you'd make someone as old as her keep waiting and suffering with her back.† I recalled how fast Yeva had been walking while I struggled to keep up with my load. Her back hadn't seemed all that bad to me, but again, I remembered that Paul was only the messenger and spared him my commentary. â€Å"Okay. I'll be right there.† When he was gone, I shook my head. â€Å"It's hard being worthy.† I moved toward the door, then gave Mark a backward glance, as a random thought occurred to me. â€Å"You're telling me that going off on your own is bad†¦ but you aren't a guardian either.† He smiled at me again, one of those sad, wry smiles. â€Å"I used to be. Then Oksana saved my life. We bonded and eventually fell in love. I couldn't stand to be separated from her after that, and the guardians would have assigned me elsewhere. I had to go.† â€Å"Was it hard to leave them?† â€Å"Very. Our age difference made it even more scandalous.† A strange chill ran through me. Mark and Oksana were the embodiment of the two halves of my life. They fought against a shadow-kissed bond as Lissa and I did and also faced the same condemnation for their relationship that Dimitri and I had. Mark continued, â€Å"But sometimes, we have to listen to our hearts. And even though I left, I'm not out there recklessly going after Strigoi. I'm an old man living with the woman he loves and tending his garden. There's a difference-don't forget that.† My mind was reeling when I returned to the Belikov house. Without the bricks, the walk back had been a lot easier. It had given me a chance to ponder Mark's words. I felt like I'd received a lifetime of information in a one-hour conversation. Olena was going about the house, doing her normal tasks of cooking and cleaning. While I would personally never want to spend my days doing those sorts of domestic duties, I had to admit there was something comforting about always having someone who was around, ready to cook and worry about me on a daily basis. I knew it was a purely selfish desire, just as I knew my own mom was doing important things with her life. I shouldn't judge her. Still, it made me feel warm and cared for to have Olena treat me like a daughter when she hardly knew me. â€Å"Are you hungry?† she asked automatically. I think one of the greatest fears in her life was that someone might go hungry in her home. Sydney's perpetual lack of appetite had been a nonstop worry for Olena. I hid a smile. â€Å"No, we ate at Mark and Oksana's.† â€Å"Ah, that's where you were? They're good people.† â€Å"Where is everyone?† I asked. The house was unusually quiet. â€Å"Sonya and Karolina are at work. Viktoria's out at a friend's, but she'll be glad you're back.† â€Å"What about Sydney?† â€Å"She left a little while ago. She said she was going back to Saint Petersburg.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Left for good? Just like that?† Sydney had a blunt nature, but this was abrupt even for her. â€Å"The Alchemists†¦ well, they're always on the move.† Olena handed me a piece of paper. â€Å"She left this for you.† I took the note and immediately opened it. Sydney's handwriting was neat and precise. Somehow this didn't surprise me. Rose, I'm sorry I had to leave so quickly, but when the Alchemists tell me to jump†¦ well, I jump. I've hitched a ride back to that farm town we stayed in so that I can pick up the Red Hurricane, and then I'm off to Saint Petersburg. Apparently, now that you've been delivered to Baia, they don't need me to stick around anymore. I wish I could tell you more about Abe and what he wants from you. Even if I was allowed to, there isn't much to say. In some ways, he's as much a mystery to me as he is to you. Like I said, a lot of the business he deals in is illegal-both among humans and Moroi. The only time he gets directly involved with people is when something relates to that business-or if it's a very, very special case. I think you're one of those cases, and even if he doesn't intend you harm, he might want to use you for his own purposes. It could be as simple as him wanting to contract you as a bodyguard, seeing as you're rogue. Maybe he wants to use you to get to others. Maybe this is all part of someone else's plan, someone who's even more mysterious than him. Maybe he's doing someone a favor. Zmey can be dangerous or kind, all depending on what he needs to accomplish. I never thought I'd care enough to say this to a dhampir, but be careful. I don't know what your plans are now, but I have a feeling trouble follows you around. Call me if there's anything I can help with, but if you go back to the big cities to hunt Strigoi, don't leave any more bodies unattended! All the best, Sydney P.S. â€Å"The Red Hurricane† is what I named the car. P.P.S. Just because I like you, it doesn't mean I still don't think you're an evil creature of the night. You are. Her cell phone number was added at the bottom, and I couldn't help but smile. Since we'd ridden to Baia with Abe and his guardians, Sydney had had to leave the car behind, which had traumatized her almost as much as the Strigoi. I hoped the Alchemists would let her keep it. I shook my head, amused in spite of her warnings about Abe. The Red Hurricane. As I headed upstairs to my room, my smile faded. Despite her abrasive attitude, I was going to miss Sydney. She might not exactly be a friend-or was she?-but in this brief time, I'd come to regard her as a constant in my life. I didn't have many of those left anymore. I felt adrift, unsure what to do now. I'd come here to bring peace to Dimitri and had only ended up bringing grief to his family. And if what everyone said was true, I wasn't going to find many Strigoi here in Baia. Somehow, I couldn't picture Dimitri, wandering the road and farms for the occasional prey. Even as a Strigoi -and it killed me to think those words-Dimitri would have a purpose. If he wasn't returning to the familiar sights of his hometown, then he would be doing something else meaningful-inasmuch as a Strigoi could. Sydney's comment in the note had verified what I kept hearing over and over: Strigoi were in the cities. But which one? Where would Dimitri go? Now I was the one without a purpose. On top of it all, I couldn't help but replay Mark's words. Was I really on an insane vigilante mission? Was I foolishly rushing to my death? Or was I foolishly rushing into†¦ nothing? Was I doomed to spend the rest of my days wandering? Alone? Sitting on my bed, I felt my mood plummet and knew I had to distract myself. I was too susceptible to dark emotions as long as Lissa used spirit; I didn't need to further encourage them. I slipped on the ring that Mark had given me, hoping it would bring some sort of clarity and tranquility. I felt no noticeable difference, though, and decided to seek peace from that same place I always did: Lissa's mind. She was with Adrian, and the two were practicing spirit again. After some initial bumps in the road, Adrian was proving a quick study at healing. That had been the first of Lissa's powers to manifest, and it always irked her that he made more progress on what she had to teach him than vice versa. â€Å"I'm running out of things for you to heal,† she said, setting some tiny potted plants onto a table. â€Å"Unless we start cutting off limbs or something.† Adrian smiled. â€Å"I used to tease Rose about that, how I was going to impress her by healing amputees or something equally absurd.† â€Å"Oh, and I'm sure she had a smartass response for you each time.† â€Å"Yes, yes, she did.† His face was fond as he recalled the memory. There was a part of me that was always insanely curious to hear them talk about me†¦ yet at the same time, I always felt bad at the grief my name seemed to invoke. Lissa groaned and stretched out on the carpeted floor. They were in a dorm lounge, and curfew was swiftly approaching. â€Å"I want to talk to her, Adrian.† â€Å"You can't,† he said. There was an unusual seriousness in his voice. â€Å"I know she still checks in on you-that's the closest you'll get to talking to her. And honestly? That's not so bad. You can tell her exactly how you feel.† â€Å"Yeah, but I want to hear her talk back like you do in your dreams.† This made him smile again. â€Å"She does plenty of talking back, believe me.† Lissa sat up straight. â€Å"Do it now.† â€Å"Do what now?† â€Å"Go visit her dreams. You always try to explain it to me, but I've never actually seen it. Let me watch.† He stared, at a loss for words. â€Å"That's kind of voyeuristic.† â€Å"Adrian! I want to learn this, and we've tried everything else. I can feel the magic around you sometimes. Just do it, okay?† He started to protest again but then bit off his comment after studying her face for a moment. Her words had been sharp and demanding-very uncharacteristic for her. â€Å"Okay. I'll try.† The whole idea of Adrian trying to get into my head while I was watching him through Lissa's head was surreal, to say the least. I didn't quite know what to expect from him. I'd always wondered if he had to be asleep or at least have his eyes closed. Apparently not. He instead stared off at nothing, his eyes going vacant as his mind left the world around him. Through Lissa's eyes, I could see some of the magic radiating off him and his aura, and she tried to analyze each strand. Then, without warning, all the magic faded. He blinked and shook his head. â€Å"Sorry. I can't do it.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Probably because she's awake. Did you learn anything by watching?† â€Å"A little. Probably would've been more useful if you'd actually made the connection.† Again, Lissa had that petulant tone. â€Å"She could be anywhere in the world, you know, on any schedule.† His words were smothered by a yawn. â€Å"Maybe we can try at different times of the day. I've been getting her†¦ actually, close to this time. Or sometimes I catch her really early in the day.† â€Å"She could be close by then,† said Lissa. â€Å"Or on a human daylight schedule in some other part of the world.† Her enthusiasm dropped. â€Å"Right. That too.† â€Å"How come you guys never look like you're working?† Christian strolled into the room, looking amused at Lissa sitting on the floor and Adrian sprawling on the couch. Standing behind Christian was someone I hadn't thought I'd see anytime soon. Adrian, who could detect women a mile away, also immediately noticed the newcomer. â€Å"Where'd you get the jailbait?† he asked. Christian shot Adrian a warning look. â€Å"This is Jill.† Jill Mastrano allowed herself to be nudged forward, her light green eyes impossibly wide as she looked around. â€Å"Jill, this is Lissa and Adrian.† Jill was one of the last people I'd expected to see here. I'd met her a little over a month ago. She was in ninth grade, which meant she'd be here on the upper campus in the fall. She had the same super-slim build that most Moroi had, but it was paired with height that was impressive even by vampiric standards. It made her look rail-thin. Her hair fell in light brown curls to the middle of her back and would be beautiful-when she learned how to style it properly. For now, it was kind of messy, and her overall impression-while cute-was kind of awkward. â€Å"H-hi,† she said, looking from face to face. As far as she was concerned, these were Moroi gold star celebrities. She'd nearly passed out when she first met me and Dimitri, thanks to our reputations. From her expression, she was in a similar state now. â€Å"Jill wants to learn how to use her power for good instead of evil,† said Christian with an exaggerated wink. That was his coy way of saying Jill wanted to learn how to fight with her magic. She'd expressed the interest to me, and I'd told her to find Christian. I was glad she'd had the courage to take me up on my advice. Christian was a campus celebrity too, albeit an infamous one. â€Å"Another recruit?† asked Lissa, shaking her head. â€Å"Think you'll keep this one around?† Jill gave Christian a startled look. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"After the attack, lots of people said they wanted to learn to fight with magic,† Christian explained. â€Å"So they found me, and we worked together†¦ once or twice. Then everyone faded away once it got hard, and they realized they had to keep practicing.† â€Å"It doesn't help that you're a mean teacher,† pointed out Lissa. â€Å"And so now you've got to recruit among children,† said Adrian solemnly. â€Å"Hey,† said Jill indignantly. â€Å"I'm fourteen.† Immediately, she flushed at having spoken so boldly to him. He found it amusing, as he did so many other things. â€Å"My mistake,† he said. â€Å"What's your element?† â€Å"Water.† â€Å"Fire and water, huh?† Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill. He snapped it out straight. â€Å"Sweetheart, I'll make you a deal. If you can make a bucket of water appear and dump over Christian's head, I'll give you this.† â€Å"I'll add in ten,† laughed Lissa. Jill looked stunned, but I suspected it was because Adrian had called her â€Å"sweetheart.† I took Adrian for granted so often that it was easy to forget he really was a hot guy. Christian pushed Jill toward the door. â€Å"Ignore them. They're just jealous because spirit users can't go charging into battle like we can.† He knelt down to Lissa's height on the floor and gave her a quick kiss. â€Å"We were practicing in the lounge upstairs, but I've got to walk her back now. I'll see you tomorrow.† â€Å"You don't have to,† said Jill. â€Å"I can get back there fine. I don't want to be any trouble.† Adrian stood up. â€Å"You aren't. If anyone's going to step up and be the knight in shining armor here, it might as well be me. I'll take you back and leave the lovebirds to their lovebirding.† He gave Jill a grand bow. â€Å"Shall we?† â€Å"Adrian-† said Lissa, a sharp note in her voice. â€Å"Oh, come on,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"I've got to head back anyway-you guys are of no use once curfew comes. And honestly, give me some credit here. Even I have boundaries.† He gave Lissa a meaningful look, one that told her she was an idiot for thinking he was going to hit on Jill. Lissa held his gaze for a few moments and realized he was right. Adrian was a scoundrel at times and had never made his interest in me a secret, but walking Jill home wasn't part of some grand seduction. He really was just being nice. â€Å"All right,† said Lissa. â€Å"I'll see you later. Nice meeting you, Jill.† â€Å"You too,† said Jill. She dared a smile at Christian. â€Å"Thanks again.† â€Å"You better show up for our next practice,† he warned. Adrian and Jill started to step out the door, just as Avery stepped through it. â€Å"Hey, Adrian.† Avery gave Jill a once-over. â€Å"Who's your jailbait?† â€Å"Will you guys stop calling me that?† exclaimed Jill. Adrian pointed at Avery chastisingly. â€Å"Hush. I'll deal with you later, Lazar.† â€Å"I certainly hope so,† she said in a singsong voice. â€Å"I'll leave the door unlocked.† Jill and Adrian left, and Avery sat down next to Lissa. She seemed animated enough to be drunk, but Lissa smelled no liquor on her. Lissa was rapidly learning that some part of Avery was always just vivacious and carefree, regardless of intoxication. â€Å"Did you really just invite Adrian to your room later?† asked Lissa. She spoke teasingly but had been secretly wondering if something was going on between them. And yeah, that made two of us who wondered. Avery shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe. Sometimes we hang out once you guys are all tucked into bed. You aren't going to get jealous, are you?† â€Å"No,† laughed Lissa. â€Å"Just curious. Adrian's a good guy.† â€Å"Oh?† asked Christian. â€Å"Define ? ®good.'† Avery held up her hand and began ticking items off with each finger. â€Å"He's devastatingly handsome, funny, rich, related to the queen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You got your wedding colors picked out?† asked Lissa, still laughing. â€Å"Not yet,† said Avery. â€Å"I'm still testing the waters. I figured he'd be an easy notch on the Avery Lazar belt, but he's kind of hard to read.† â€Å"I really don't want to be hearing this,† Christian said. â€Å"Sometimes he acts like a love 'em and leave 'em type. Other times, he mopes like some heartbroken romantic.† Lissa exchanged a knowing glance with Christian that Avery didn't catch while talking. â€Å"Anyway, I'm not here to talk about him. I'm here to talk about you and me busting out of here.† Avery threw her arm around Lissa, who nearly fell over. â€Å"Out of where? The dorm?† â€Å"No. This school. We're going off on a wild weekend to the Royal Court .† â€Å"What, this weekend?† Lissa felt like she was three steps behind, and I didn't blame her. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because it's Easter. And her royal majesty thought it would be ? ®lovely' if you could join her for the holiday.† Avery's tone was grand and high-pitched. â€Å"And, since I've been hanging out with you, Dad's decided I'm on good behavior now.† â€Å"Poor oblivious bastard,† murmured Christian. â€Å"So he said I can go with you.† Avery glanced at Christian. â€Å"You can too, I guess. The queen said Lissa could bring a guest-in addition to me, of course.† Lissa looked into Avery's radiant face and didn't share her enthusiasm. â€Å"I hate going to Court. Tatiana just goes on and on, giving what she thinks is useful advice for me. It's always boring and miserable now.† Lissa didn't add that she'd once found Court fun-when I'd gone with her. â€Å"That's because you haven't gone with me yet. It'll be a blast! I know where all the good stuff is. And I bet Adrian'll come too. He can push his way into anything. It'll be like a double date.† Slowly, Lissa began to acknowledge that this might be fun. She and I had managed to find a little of the â€Å"good stuff† that hid underneath the polished surface of Court life. Every other visit since had been just as she described-stuffy and businesslike. But now, going with Christian and wild, spontaneous Avery? That had potential. Until Christian ruined it. â€Å"Well, don't count me in,† he said. â€Å"If you can only bring one person, bring Jill.† â€Å"Who?† asked Avery. â€Å"Jailbait,† explained Lissa. She looked at Christian in astonishment. â€Å"Why on earth would I bring Jill? I just met her.† â€Å"Because she's actually serious about learning to defend herself. You should introduce her to Mia. They're both water users.† â€Å"Right,† said Lissa knowingly. â€Å"And the fact that you hate it at Court has nothing to do with it?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Christian!† Lissa was suddenly getting upset. â€Å"Why can't you do this for me?† â€Å"Because I hate the way Queen Bitch looks at me,† he said. Lissa didn't find this convincing. â€Å"Yeah, but when we graduate, I'll be living there. You'll have to go then.† â€Å"Yeah, well, then give me this small vacation first.† Lissa's irritation grew. â€Å"Oh, I see how it is. I have to put up with your crap all the time, but you can't go out of your way for me.† Avery glanced between them and then stood up. â€Å"I'll leave you kids to work this out on your own. I don't care whether Christian or Jailbait goes, as long as you're there.† She peered down at Lissa. â€Å"You are going, right?† â€Å"Yeah. I'll go.† If anything, Christian's refusal had suddenly spurred Lissa more. Avery grinned. â€Å"Awesome. I'm going to head out of here, but you two had better kiss and make up when I'm gone.† Avery's brother Reed suddenly appeared in the doorway. â€Å"Are you ready?† he asked her. Every time he spoke, it always came out as sort of a grunt. Avery flashed the others a triumphant look. â€Å"See? My gallant brother, coming to walk me back before those dorm matrons start yelling at me to leave. Now Adrian'll have to find a new and exciting way to prove his chivalry.† Reed didn't look very gallant or chivalrous, but I supposed it was nice of him to come walk her back to her room. His timing had been eerily perfect. Maybe she was right about him not being as bad as people always thought. As soon as Avery was gone, Lissa turned on Christian. â€Å"Are you really serious about me bringing Jill instead of you?† â€Å"Yep,† said Christian. He tried to lie back into her lap, but she pushed him away. â€Å"But I'll count the seconds until you return.† â€Å"I can't believe you think this is a joke.† â€Å"I don't,† he said. â€Å"Look, I didn't mean to get you all worked up, okay? But really†¦ I just don't want to deal with all that Court drama. And it would be good for Jill.† He frowned. â€Å"You don't have anything against her, do you?† â€Å"I don't even know her,† said Lissa. She was still upset-more so than I would have expected, which was odd. Christian caught hold of Lissa's hands, face serious. Those blue eyes she loved softened her anger a little. â€Å"Please, I'm not trying to upset you. If it's really that important†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Like that, Lissa's anger diffused. It was abrupt, like a switch. â€Å"No, no. I'm fine bringing Jill-though I'm not sure she should be hanging out with us and doing whatever Avery has in mind.† â€Å"Give Jill to Mia. She'll look after her for the weekend.† Lissa nodded, wondering why he was so interested in Jill. â€Å"Okay. But you're not doing this because you don't like Avery, are you?† â€Å"No, I like Avery. She makes you smile more.† â€Å"You make me smile.† â€Å"That's why I added on the ? ®more.'† Christian gently kissed Lissa's hand. â€Å"You've been so sad since Rose left. I'm glad you're hanging out with someone else-I mean, not that you can't get everything you need from me.† â€Å"Avery's not a Rose replacement,† said Lissa quickly. â€Å"I know. But she reminds me of her.† â€Å"What? They have nothing in common.† Christian straightened up and sat beside her, resting his face against her shoulder. â€Å"Avery's like how Rose used to be, back before you guys left.† Both Lissa and I paused to ponder that. Was he right? Before Lissa's spirit powers had begun showing, she and I had lived a party girl lifestyle. And yes, half the time I was the one coming up with the crazy ideas to find a good time and get us into trouble. But had I been as out there as Avery seemed sometimes? â€Å"There'll never be another Rose,† said Lissa sadly. â€Å"No,† agreed Christian. He gave her a brief, soft kiss on the mouth. â€Å"But there will be other friends.† I knew he was right, but I couldn't help but feel a small stab of jealousy. I also couldn't help feel a small amount of worry. Lissa's brief spurt of irritation had been kind of out of the blue. I could understand her wishing Christian could go, but her attitude had been a little bitchy-and her almost jealous worry over Jill was weird too. Lissa had no reason to doubt Christian's feelings, certainly not over someone like Jill. Lissa's moodiness reminded me too much of the old days. Most likely she was overtired, but some instinct-maybe it was part of the bonding-told me something was wrong. It was a fleeting sensation, one I couldn't quite get a hold of, like water slipping through my fingers. Still, my instincts had been right before, and I decided I'd be checking in on Lissa more frequently.