Checkpoint Styles of Love

The two styles of love I chose to cover are game-playing love (ludus) and selfless love (agape). I choose these particular two styles of love because I have experience them or know someone close to me who has been in a relationship of this kind. Game-playing love; one does not completely commit to one person; they have a main partner but still do whatever they like. A game-playing love relationship is not healthy and leads to unhappiness. In the reading, it states that game-playing is one reason relationships come to an end.For example: my male cousin cannot be serious with a female if someone gave him a million dollars. It is something about commitment that just does not agree with him. Because of game-playing ways he can keep a relationship and has multiple children from multiple women and he still continues to be a â€Å"player. † Selfless love occurs when one thinks only of his or her partner’s happiness and puts his or her own needs last. Couples with this type of love, according to the reading, last a long time.I must admit that I am like this with my fiance’. We both have selfless love for one another and our love has been strong for four years and will continue. This type of relationship is a perfect example of no â€Å"I† in â€Å"we. † The more we are together the stronger our love grows. Game-playing love and selfless love has no similarities. They are the opposite of each other. Game-playing is basically when one plays games with someone else’s heart (ludus) and selfless love is serious and one’s heart is wide open (agape).

House on Mango Street Essay

Childhood: In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole. Throughout the novel, The House on Mango Street a girl named Esperanza goes through many different changes as she tries discovering her true self. She evolves from insecure and not knowing anything about herself into confident and knowing where she wants her life to take her.That children must go through the experience of growing out of an innocent child into finding themselves as a person and finally developing self-confidence is highlighted in the book. At first, Esperanza starts out young, insecure, and immature. Her immaturity shows apparent when she talks about her mom holding her and says, â€Å"sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you and you feel safe† (6-7). This shows Esperanza’s insecurity because her mom remains a big source of comfort to her. She feels nice and safe all the time because her mom will act as a protection for her.In addition, Esperanza’s immaturity shows when she claims, â€Å"They are stupid people who are lost and got here by mistake† (28). This emphasizes how defensive and protective Esperanza reacts towards her neighborhood by calling them stupid when that’s just how they act. She does not try to understand their point of view. Though Esperanza maintains these characteristics, the reader will soon see her slight yet palpable maturity. As Esperanza develops as a person, she goes through another phase where she remains young and immature; however, she starts to show obvious signs of maturity and growing up.When Esperanza stands up for her sister she states, â€Å"That’s right, I add before Lucy of Rachel can make fun of her† she proves her maturity, because she thinks of others like her sister, Nenny (50). She does the right thing instead of caring about what her friends think about her. She takes on more and more responsibilities as she grows up. As she progresses, she shows hints of growing up physically and mentally, but not completely. When a group of her and her friends try heels, she says, â€Å"yes, it’s true. We have legs. Skinny and spotted with satin scars where scabs were picked, but legs, all our own, good to look at, and long† (40).They all realize that they finally have entered the first stage of growing up when they notice their slightly more womanly, adult figures. The long legs show their slight maturity, but their scars and scabs show that they still remain young. Even though the changes might only be slight they remain changes which continue to come as she grows older and finds her place in the world. Towards the end of the novel, Esperanza finally grows up and becomes self-confident. When Esperanza runs away from the â€Å"Monkey Garden†, she’s forced to grow up. â€Å"I looked at my feet in their white socks and ugly round shoes. They seemed far away.They didn’t seem to be my feet anymore. And the garden that had been such a good place to play didn’t seem mine either† (98). The play place that was once so innocent now, a junkyard reciprocates Esperanza’s innocence that slowly turns into reality. She is growing up. Additionally, she gains enough confidence and maturity to make her own life decisions, shown when she makes the important decision of where she wants her life to take her. She states, â€Å"I have decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain† showing Esperanza’s maturity to make her own life choices by herself (88).She finally becomes confident and independent enough to know where she wants her life to take her. Esperanza finally completes her evolution from young and immature to adult-like and confident. House on Mango Street allows children to see that they will have to grow up one way or another. People might try to experience being an adult then decide to take a step back to ignore it but, there remains no way to avoid it. Life won’t always be easy, but in the end people will discover who they are and what purpose they have in life.

The Giver by Lois Lowry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Giver by Lois Lowry - Essay Example This new gift of music is a representation of hope and rebirth. Jonas will finally be able to experience the actual world and not purely memories. The music also greets him to a different society. The source of the singing Jonas hears is as vague as the novel’s end itself. It could possibly be the music that the town he used to live in learns to create. The music might perhaps simply be an echo of the music in the town, reminding Jonas that his community maybe learning the joy of music the same time he is. The music he hears could also be only figments of his imagination, encroaching as he is dying in the cold. I chose this quote because it shows that Jonas has finally accomplished his ultimate goal for the community, to be able to let them experience affection and solitude, both free will and choice, finally wakening his whole community to the promises of life. The end of the novel is unquestionably hopeful and that is why I like this quote. The whole novel, all throughout, was generally depicting struggle and the writhe to change the way his community was living. This quote finally signified the value and meaning of what he went through and sacrificed for

Beta Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beta - Essay Example Company's (like Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc.,) security returns will also be affected. If oil price are increased in the market there will be considerable impact on other goods. Indirectly the price of other goods will rise. There is an overall risk of raising capital for firms. Whenever any entrepreneur wants to run a company/firm with low budget and high profit, entrepreneur would consider different terms of interest rate, production, long-run growth, and company debentures. A mix portfolio of 40% is invested in A + 40% of investment in B, which may earn only 7% in a good market but booms to 14% in a recession, and the other 20% in government investment G earning 4%. Portfolio Expected Return for Portfolio P: Suppose if the beta value of a company is = 1.2 the risks involved is 20% higher than the normal risk. If = 0.8 then the investment has 20% below market risk. Risks are involved in the investment market; if the potential returns are higher then potential risks involved in it are also higher. A clever investor wants his money to be doubled or at least the amount invested should return. The company that is having = 1.0 is mostly favored by the investors. More or less Wal-Mart value is just above normal market risk.

Marketing Communication Plan for Gap 360 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Communication Plan for Gap 360 - Essay Example all also identify that have an influence within the external and the internal micro and macro environment in the gap travel period and the market within which they operate. The key strengths of the company are a strong management team and deep market knowledge. This is supported by a healthy knowledge of web and strong design contacts that help to build a stronger travel network. Good understanding of social networking and internet marketing supported by plenty of financials support the Gap 360’s plans. The key weaknesses for Gap 360 is the economic slowdown and the rise in the number of small competitors has contributed towards rising costs of marketing and raise the difficulty in gaining the desired speed of SEO. The key opportunities that face Gap 360 include significant opportunities to hire top talent at cheap costs because of the economic scenario. Additionally, the company also has the advantage of economies of large scale operations in competition to smaller firms that operate with high overhead costs. Quick corporate structure and strategic partnerships can speed up the growth process for the company. The few threats the Gap 360 needs t o be careful about encompass the weak economic condition that reduces the disposable income at the hands of the consumer who, in turn, reduces his spending on leisure travel. Investment shortfall and inefficiency in operations might also cause serious setbacks (Hill and Jones, 2012; Goodley, 2010). The political scenario of United Kingdom is quite stable while the company organizes travel trips to those countries which are safe for leisure and educational travel. On the economic front, the company is facing tough times due to the weakening UK economy and the financial crisis that caused it. UK spending on leisure activities has reduced and there is a huge unemployment problem. The social scenario looks favourable to support gap year travels. The trend is also emerging in other nations like Australia, which might help Gap

Impact of Social Media in International Marketing Research Paper

Impact of Social Media in International Marketing - Research Paper Example This essay declares that the emergence of the social media has had a powerful impact on enterprises. In the coming years, social media has the potential to change the landscape of the business environment and the way organizations conduct their business operations. Companies will have to alter the way they conduct business in order to fully take advantage of the opportunities presented by the emergence of social media. Companies that quickly understand the changes brought about by social media on customer value and customer engagement will be in a good position to realize optimum benefits from the use of social media. This paper stresses that the emergence of new technologies, such as the worldwide web, mobile devices and digital television has created a number of opportunities for businesses to produce and market innovative goods and services. It has also helped customers to get increased value for their money. Traditional marketing approaches limit the number of customers a company can reach to hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands. These marketing techniques also require a lot of time, effort and cost. In sharp contrast, a business today through the use of computers and the Internet can reach millions of customers with minimal effort and cost. China has gone beyond the United States in terms of the leading country that has the maximum number of Internet users. Asia Pacific will have more than 500 million of the Internet population. In terms of the world Internet population, the percentage of users in the Latin American and South Pacific regions will increase and that of North America an d Europe will decrease even though the actual numbers will continue to increase (Luukka). Social media allows

Company Budgeting System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Company Budgeting System - Essay Example This section will describe the general steps that a company takes in its process of budget formulation. After that a brief description of the modern techniques of budgeting will be made with the intention that the concept of budgeting system can be understood more clearly. With a clear picture of the system of budgeting, it will now be helpful to discuss certain roles that budgeting plays within an organization. Thus, roles of budgeting as an instrument for planning and control have been depicted in the next section. The research paper then takes a move towards the practicalities of implementation of budgeting system in the real world by examining its scope in PepsiCo. In this section, the system that PepsiCo follows has been analyzed critically by taking data from the official site of the company. The annual report has been taken care of and also the financial result of third quarter of 2010 has been considered in order to evaluate the efficiencies of its budgeting system. The resea rch paper concludes with a few recommendations for the improvement of budgeting system in PepsiCo. The recommendations are made on the basis of investigation of the current scenario of the company and also on the basis of the certain general traits that a company requires to follow with regard to its budgeting system. The research paper has been prepared to analyze the budgeting system with respect to a company. The budgeting system of the company which will be analyzed in this research paper is PepsiCo. Inc. PepsiCo is one of the world’s biggest producers of foods, snacks and beverages. It has revenue earnings of over $60 billion and has 2, 85, 000 employees. The company was founded by Donald M. Kendall, CEO and President of Pepsi-Cola and Herman W. Lay, CEO and Chairman of Frito-Lay. The company was the creation of the merger of the two companies. The company has grown largely over the

Artworks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Artworks - Essay Example The depth of the painting can be seen when one observes a massive structure in darker tone towards the left,giving a greater sense of magnitude. Where as one gets a peaceful feeling when his eyes scrutinizes the small town hidden under the trail of hills. One of the most captivating artworks of all times, ‘Girl with a pearl earring illustrates a timeless beauty, a girl gazing at us with an exotic turban on her head. Her magical eyes and partially-opened lips engages our senses and gives depth to the painting. Her reminiscent attire give this picture this timeless feeling with surely a lasting quality. Due to his remarkable painting techniques, this artwork became a subject of poignant interest. The sense of realism is reflected in this painting because of those minute details which Vermeer give to these paintings i.e white tiny dots on either ends of her lips, that surreal look of her skin and the delicacy reflecting in the pearl she’s wearing. Just like Vincent’s Starry night, Munch uses those similar simplistic figures and vibrant colors with exaggerated details. After executing this artwork during the transitional phase of art history, Munch helped the other artists to demonstrate their inner feelings and emotions and express them beautifully in their paintings, rather than focusing on the outer appearance of different figures and objects. Why i chose this artwork? Well this one is different from all others. One has to go in its depth to get the real meaning which rests behinds this painting. Such an abstract image focuses on the subjective emotions and portrays that raw human emotion.Because of his brushwork using such vibrant layers of colors,it helps the onlooker to grab that subjective vocabulary for his very own interpretation of these subjects and this is exactly why it makes this artwork interesting. This artwork is

Diary Entry Exploring a Girls Struggle with Self-Worth Essay Example for Free

Diary Entry Exploring a Girls Struggle with Self-Worth Essay This morning, just like any other morning, I dreaded waking up again. I had to join reality, but I didn’t feel presentable to the world. I never do. A few months ago, someone told me I was pretty. I asked him to stop flattering me, I didn’t believe him anyway. I wish I could. I wish I could just be myself. I wish I could relax and feel normal. I wish I could just be secure. I wish I could feel good enough. But I don’t. Not by a long shot. I cannot believe I’m pretty. My hair is fluffy, I’ve got spots on my way too big nose, my skin is dry†¦ Those things are not the factors that define someone pretty. Those factors make me ugly. I have always had problems with people. From an early age, I learned that it’s not OK to be myself. My body, my face, my clothes, my words, my movements, nothing was good enough. It started off with my parents, continued with my classmates in primary school and has not stopped until now, high school. I was, am and will always be the ugly one. The stupid one. The wrong one. I am being bullied day and night, online and in person, verbally and mentally. There’s no one on my side, so it’s me against the world. They make up rumors, and I’m the one that’s in tears. They never think of anyone else except themselves. At first, I tried to fight back, but I soon found out that only makes it worse. Any word I say, gives them something new to dupe me. So, I decided to pretend I’m strong. And happy. My grades are at an all time low, but my morals are even lower. The only thing I do, is trying to make it through another day. I remember any insult that came out of their mouths, although I tried to erase them from my brain. Somehow, everyone of their twisted words manages to stay burned into my mind. Every snicker, every dirty look, every nasty word, holds a special place in my mind. But that place is not a happy place. It’s dark in there, unhappy and extremely miserable. It is kept under lock and key. You can never have your guard up all the time. You can never pretend you’re always strong. You can never always pretend your life isnt crumbling around you. You can never fake true happiness. Its like walking on broken glass. By now, I am so broken down, I’m losing it. I just want to disappear. I lost my will to live. To fight another day in that devastating world, is the last thing I want. I hate myself and feel incredibly stupid all the time, a feeling that never leaves me alone. I always wake up in the same miserable life. Then back to school. When I walk down the hallway, it is always a battle with my tormentors. People I once deemed friends and people I barely know yell mean things to me, in a way everyone can hear. Everyone makes up their audience. Perfect for them. Horrible for me. Getting back home isn’t any better. It’s even worse. My parents, my brother, my sisters. They are meant to love me, but all they do is making me feel even more insecure. Whatever I do, it’s never good enough. I try so hard to satisfy them, but I never succeed. It’s wearing me out. No one ever knows how miserably I really feel. I hate looking in the mirror. I hate what I see. I hate the sound of my own voice. I never before experienced a group of people trying so hard, to be so mean. To a girl. A girl like me. A girl like me should be loved. Most girls are. But somehow, that just isn’t for me. I’m not cut out for this thing called life. At first, I deemed it bad luck. Now I know better. It is my own fault, I am the ugly one. The stupid one. The wrong one. So, today, I took a pocket knife and I did it. I deserved it. In a way, it was relieving too. For a little ten seconds, I just stared at the blood running down my arm, on my hand, to my fingers and dripping off their tips. Fascinating. For that little ten seconds, I didn’t feel anything. I just loved to see the blood running down and down, to eventually leave my hand via my finger tips. It was like my misery ran down with the blood. What a disappointment after my ten seconds. I’d have loved to stay like that forever. But I needed to get back to real life, just like waking up every morning. Somehow, there must be a way to be in my own ten seconds forever. They wouldn’t care anyway.

Thin-Layer Chromatography of Steroid Hormones Essay Example for Free

Thin-Layer Chromatography of Steroid Hormones Essay The purpose of this experiment was to test the solubility of various steroids in order to obtain more information about their structure. An unknown was also given to be included in the experiment. The test that was performed was thin-layer chromatography which required a glass plate. The known steroids used in this experiment were estradiol, hydrocortisone, cortisone, corticosterone and deoxycorticosterone. Introduction Steroid hormones are a subgroup of lipids. They are found in one of the primary endocrine glands in the body, the adrenal glands, which are located directly superior to the kidneys. The structures of the adrenal glands begin with the outer layer known as the cortex. This region is most commonly referred to as the adrenal cortex and provides the gland with approximately 80% of its total mass. Within the adrenal cortex there are three layers: the outermost layer is known as the zona glomerulosa, the middle layer is known as the zona fasciculata, and the innermost layer is known as the zona reticularis. Each of these layers is comprised of many cells that synthesize and secrete hormones appropriately named the adrenocorticoids. The second portion of the adrenal gland is known as the adrenal medulla. It is the inner region and account for the remaining 20% in each of the adrenal glands. The adrenal medulla is responsible for the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream. Adrenocorticoids include three types of steroid hormones. Each class belongs to a specific layer in the adrenal cortex and each class secretes specific hormones. The first group of adrenocorticoids is referred to as mineralcorticoids. These hormones are secreted by the zona glomerulosa and are responsible for the regulation of both the reuptake of sodium and the secretion of potassium. The mineralcorticoid used in this experiment was the more potent, deoxycorticosterone. Abnormal levels of minercorticoids can be associated with hypertension and can be induced by various problems, such as, low blood sodium, high blood potassium, cardiac failure, kidney failure, or even cirrhosis of the liver. The second group of adrenocorticoids is referred to as the glucocorticoids. These are produced by the second layer in the adrenal cortex, the zona fasciculata. The functions of glucocorticoids include stimulating gluconeogenesis through the use of amino acids and breaking down of muscle proteins. In this experiment the glucocorticoids used were hydrocortisone and corticosterone. These hormones are used medically to suppress the immune system by inhibiting the inflammation process. However, too much secretion of these hormones can be indicative of Cushing’s syndrome, pregnancy, and stress that comes from disease or other sorts of bodily trauma. The third group of adrenocorticoids that will be discussed are sex hormones. Sex hormones are not only secreted by the adrenal cortex. They are largely secreted in the reproductive system of each respective gender. Sex hormones can be further categorized into androgenic hormones, estrogenic hormones, and progestational hormones. Androgenic hormones are found predominately in the testes of the male, and there is it secreted by the interstitial Leydig cells. The most common and most powerful androgenic hormone is testosterone. Estrogenic hormones are only slightly different from their counterparts. Estrogenic hormones are identified by their 18 carbon ring structure whereas androgens are identified by their 19 carbon ring structure. Estrogenic hormones are secreted by the female reproductive organs known as the ovaries. The most potent estrogenic hormone is called estradiol and its release fluctuates throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, with its peak volumes being around the time of ovulation. The last subgroup of sex hormones is called progestational hormones, or progesterone. Progesterone is responsible for the final maturation of the endometrium. Located in the ovaries, it is released from the corpus luteum during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and also increases in volume during pregnancy as the fetus progresses. Progesterone is different from the other two classes of sex hormones in that it is a 21 carbon ring structure. The modality used in this experiment was a chromatogram. Thin-layer chromatography is the type of chromatography that uses a small glass sheet covered in a thin layer of an adsorbent material. Once solutes are obtained, they are carefully placed on the glass sheet on the origin line. Then the glass sheet is soaked in a solvent for a certain period of time that varies with each chromatography technique. After it is through soaking, the solutes can be observed and the distance that each solute has moved can be measured. This value is obtained by using the R? ormula which takes the distance a solute travels from the origin line divided by the distance that the solvent traveled (this measure is known as the solvent front). This R? value can help determine unknowns as well. The final result of this experiment is known as a chromatogram, and depending on which technique is used, the steroids can be seen through regular light, or via a UV lamp. A UV light lamp was required for this experiment. Chromatography is a very useful tool in identifying the solubility properties of steroid hormones and revealing variants in hormone structure.

Knife Gun And Gang Crime In East London Criminology Essay

Knife Gun And Gang Crime In East London Criminology Essay In this Project I will be writing about crime in East London. The main reason I chose to do Crime was because crime has been a key factor in how it has affected many people across the world. The types of crime I will talk about are Knife, Gun, and Gang. East London is located in London and an easier way to find it is by any post code as anything beginning with E is part of East London. In general East London is a very multi-cultural society with many sets of group living there and in it you can find something from all parts of the world but recently, over the past 3 years has been hit by a number of crime related incidents which have affected many people in the area from the young to the old. I will now write about crimes which occurred over the past 20 years and give examples of some I will also define the meaning of each crime and also the word crime, so that people know what they mean. The word Crime can simply mean an action that breaks the law but different people have different opinions of what they think of the word crime: The three main types of crime I will talk about are knife, Gun and Gang. Knife crime can be any crime that involves a knife. This could include many aspects such as: carrying or trying to buy a knife if youre under 18, threatening people with a knife, carrying a knife that is banned. Knife Crime in the Past 20 years wasnt such a major problem because knives were not easy to get hold of and the main purpose of having a knife was for home purposes such as cooking etc. The most common knife crime was committed in the very early 70s by a person who was known as Jack the ripper, who killed more than 5 people by raping his victims and slicing their throats with a knife and hiding his victims under the floor boards in plastic bags. Gun Crime can be anything that involves a gun for example a murder where the victim is shot, any situation where a gun is fired, intimidating people with a weapon, carrying a gun that is banned, such as a handgun, carrying or using an imitation gun such as a plastic or toy gun. In the 17th century a series of gun related crimes were committed in the East London by the person called Thomas Hopkins, in which he kidnapped people who had caused him grief and trouble in his childhood and took them to his house where he put them through pain and eventually killed them by shooting them through the brain blowing their heads off. He had 3 victims killed before soon realising that no one could help with his illness and he shot himself to death on the 4th of March 1799. Gang crime could be a gang in a large group of people who maynt be involved in crime and violence. Many young people will not realise they are in a gang, they will just think they are in a group of friends. Being in a gang is not illegal only the criminal offences committed within the gang is illegal. The most commonly known gang crimes were committed in east London by two people who were also bothers named the Kray twins, (Ronnie and Reggie). They worked together to commit a number of violent assaults, arson, armed robberies and other organised crimes. They were known as the East End gangsters and the Godfathers of Britain. Both sets of bothers were sentenced to imprisonment once found guilty by the police. Since then they both have died. In this section of my project I will talk about the crime in East London in the recent years. It is quite obvious that crime compared to the past 20 years has increased and below I will talk about why it has increased and give some examples of people who have been affected by the type of crimes. Figures and research show that crime has increased by 25% in the East London with Knife and Gang crime being the highest of number of Crimes committed. Knife Crime in East London has recently increased from the past. This is down to an increase of Gangs and easier ways to get in possession of a knife. An example of knife crime in East London was On Sunday 7th October; a boy was stabbed to death when he tried to stop a gang stealing a friends mobile phone in West Ham Park. It was due to him protecting his friends and was innocently stabbed and died on the scene. The reason why people especially young people may carry knives around is due to the number of Knife crime happening in the area, and in order for them to feel safe and secure they carry a knife around with them or if they are part of a gang it could have been pressured on them to carry one or as the rest of the gang may have one, then the young person has to have one to feel as if they are part of it and not left out, and in case anyone tries to stab them or attack them with a knife they have something to use against the attacker. Gun Crime is a lot fewer then Knife crime. A boy from London has made British criminal history by becoming the youngest person to be convicted for possessing a firearm. The boy, aged 13 at the time and cant be named for legal reason, said he was storing a Russian-made pistol, two silencers and ammunition in his mothers home as a favour for an older gang member. Many people will not carry a gun on them, but may be in possession of one or may know somewhere where one is easy to get hold of. Gun Crime is not so common is East London as it has been harder to get hold of guns and find them. The largest number of gangs in East London are said to be in Hackney, (22 gangs); Enfield in north London (13); Lambeth and Merton in south London (12 gangs each); Waltham Forest(8) in north east London. Gangs are found to have around 20 to 30 members and to commit crimes in smaller groups of three to six, as being in a large group could get people suspicious. Religion was also found to be a key factor, with some gangs solely being just Muslims or Catholics members and there is rather few gangs with a mixture of race and religion in them as people feel a mixture of people in a gang cant be trusted. A former gang leader said some young people became gang members in order to feel protected. They feel safe in a gang because you have got older people in the gang who are always going to look after them; they feel like we are their olders almost like brothers and family member. You are always moving as a pack. Its as you fight in a war people out there in the world are out to come after us and take us down we have to keep on the move. It is very common that if you find a large gang that someone normally the higher rate leader will be in possession of a gun for safety purposes or to use in case of a gang feuds. There is one other Main issue why gang crime has increased and has been created in East London and this is down to which postcode they live in. Teenagers marked as E5 or E9 were at risk of being attacked for straying into the wrong area. Simply crossing to the other side of a street which borders two postcodes could end in violence. An Example of these post-code gangs is that one teenage girl has been a victim of two attacks due to the area she comes from and the area she went into. The Most common way of people asking where the people are from by asking What Ends are you from? giving a wrong answer at this point could have you attacked or mugged. The reason why this happens is that Gangs feel like their area is their territory and that no one should cross, especially people from opposite postcode. This Type of gang crime has become so bad people dont feel safe walking through some areas and have to find alternative routes to get home etc. Unfortunately some people are unaware that they may be in a gang, a large group of friends could be hanging out together, something which may be normal to them, but people may feel that they are in a gang as people walking past may feel intimidated by the size and feel unsafe. So it shows you that you dont need to be committing crimes in a gang to be classified as being in a g ang. All crimes are related to each other in some shape or form. Due to the increase of Knife Crime and overall crime more and more people are joining gangs to feel safe and have people protecting them. These gangs cause crime and will carry some sort of weapon with them normally a knife and maybe a gun. So all these types of crime are linked within each other. Many things have been done to reduce crime in East London. A new law was created by the government that police have the right to stop and search anyone they think might be in possession of a weapon or look suspicious. Many people have their own point of view on this topic. Some people think that it is inappropriate as police says its a random stop and search. While they could be searching someone by random who is innocence someone else carrying a knife would not being searched as and walking about with a Knife. I personally have been stopped and searched and think its a time consuming process and waste both mines and police time as I know that Im not carrying a weapon and the police time as they not find nothing on me. Tougher sentence have been put in place for people who carry a knife or stab or kill someone using a weapon, as more people would know that they cant get away. There is more surveillance put in place as more police officers have been put on patrol on the streets to hel p reduce the crimes and make the public feel safer. Also another new law that has been created by the government is the rise in the age of people who can buy a knife as now people have to be over 18 to be able to purchase a knife from a shop. This law allows young people from being able to stop them from buying a knife and going out and using it. Even ASBOs (anti social behaviour order) have been given to some gangs and gangs members to try to make them stop hanging around in large groups and causing trouble but some people think that ASBOS are a tag of pride and use it to show people that they have it and show off about it thinking it is a good thing and its not working for the police. Thats why many more police officers are patrolling the streets of East London to stop large groups hanging around and try to get them to move away from residential areas. The reason why crime occurs in east London I think is due to poverty as people dont have money so they go out and commit crimes to ensure that they get money and the things they need. So doing these crimes would make them money or stealing from people by using a knife to threaten them to hand over their items. So I think money and greed are the biggest motivation why so many people go out there and commit crimes. Poor upbringing is another reason why people who have failed in life or no longer attend school or college for reasons like being excluded from it are more likely to go out and commit crimes. Has they dont have anything to do and they know that they dont have a good future ahead and some believe that prison life is much easier than the real world. Also some people think that crime is the easier option to take in life as its easy money to get hold of. The way crime has increased over the time has affected the world, as East London is such a multi-cultural area; many people want to come over to East London from all parts of the world. The people have heard about the crimes that have occurred in east London, which may make them feel unsafe as they would be new to the country, and make them reconsider about coming over in case they get caught up in any of the crime. The reason why crime has stayed on the increased and not gone down since the past is down to not harsh enough punishment given to the people who get caught. So if someone was caught committing a crime and faced a punishment they would know that they wont get away and make them re-think about not going out and committing the crimes as they would know that the punishment would be a substantial one. I think that the crimes that are occurring in east London are unnecessary and only just giving a bad name to East London and I think that East London will not be the same for a very long time as crimes if nothing is done to make them stop. All these crimes are affecting peoples live; people who live here are worried over their safety and outsiders who want to come over for a holiday or to live and will think twice. I think that the only way crime can be stopped is by getting the police to do more. Crime in East London hasnt really affected me in a way that much. The only way it has affected me is that all crimes that happen get blamed on the young people and I am one of the young people so even people who arent committing the crimes get given a bad name.

The Miraculous Reishi: Mushroom or Medicine? :: Botany

The Miraculous Reishi: Mushroom or Medicine? Ganoderma lucidum, otherwise known as the Reishi or Mannentake has been heralded by Asian cultures for many centuries. It is a polypore mushroom of corky or woody texture that appears to have a coat of varnish on the top. It is a shelf mushroom that grows on dead and dying trees. There are many varieties of Reishis. Akashiba is the red Reishi, the most potent; Kuroshiba--the black Reishi; Aoshiba--the blue Reishi; Shiroshiba--the white Reishi; Kishiba--the yellow Reishi; and Murasakishiba--the purple Reishi. (www.canited.com/w-reshi.htm) The Reishi mushroom is attributed with many health stimulating properties from general good health and recuperation, to longevity, sexual prowess, wisdom, and happiness. In certain cases it is used as sculptural artwork. Under certain conditions the fruiting body takes on what is referred to as an "antler" shape, that to some is aesthetically pleasing. According to Paul Stamets, this is a result of elevated carbon dioxide levels in the surrounding en vironment. Reishis may prove useful to the fight against cancer as well. More and more research is being conducted about compounds, in reishis, that stimulate the immune system. Historical Usage Reishi, Ling Zhi, or Saiwai-take, a mushroom of many names and uses. It has been documented with some pretty amazing properties for over two thousand years. "The earliest mention of Ling Chi was in the era of the first emperor of China, Shi-huang of the Ch'in Dynasty (221-207 B.C.)" (Stamets, 355) The Reishi is credited with longevity, increased virility and sexual prowess; the Chinese considered it one of the "Herbs of the Gods". In China it was believed that a tincture of this type of mushroom could bring the dead back to life. Often sold in Chinese medicine shops, commonly in tinctures with Ginseng. Ganoderma lucidum, or a closely related species, can be used to combat high altitude sickness. Himalayan guides sometimes employ the Reishi for this purpose. Mayan Indians have used reishis to fight and prevent communicable diseases. In China, sometimes a woman will give a man Reishis to express sexual interest. The antler form mentioned previously is favored for this purpose. Interest ing considering that the Reishi is supposed to stimulate sexual virility. Medicinal Usage The Reishi is a mushroom of many medicinal properties. Supposed to cure cancer, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a whole slew of other ailments. It is no wonder that it is supposed to grant its user a long healthy life. The Miraculous Reishi: Mushroom or Medicine? :: Botany The Miraculous Reishi: Mushroom or Medicine? Ganoderma lucidum, otherwise known as the Reishi or Mannentake has been heralded by Asian cultures for many centuries. It is a polypore mushroom of corky or woody texture that appears to have a coat of varnish on the top. It is a shelf mushroom that grows on dead and dying trees. There are many varieties of Reishis. Akashiba is the red Reishi, the most potent; Kuroshiba--the black Reishi; Aoshiba--the blue Reishi; Shiroshiba--the white Reishi; Kishiba--the yellow Reishi; and Murasakishiba--the purple Reishi. (www.canited.com/w-reshi.htm) The Reishi mushroom is attributed with many health stimulating properties from general good health and recuperation, to longevity, sexual prowess, wisdom, and happiness. In certain cases it is used as sculptural artwork. Under certain conditions the fruiting body takes on what is referred to as an "antler" shape, that to some is aesthetically pleasing. According to Paul Stamets, this is a result of elevated carbon dioxide levels in the surrounding en vironment. Reishis may prove useful to the fight against cancer as well. More and more research is being conducted about compounds, in reishis, that stimulate the immune system. Historical Usage Reishi, Ling Zhi, or Saiwai-take, a mushroom of many names and uses. It has been documented with some pretty amazing properties for over two thousand years. "The earliest mention of Ling Chi was in the era of the first emperor of China, Shi-huang of the Ch'in Dynasty (221-207 B.C.)" (Stamets, 355) The Reishi is credited with longevity, increased virility and sexual prowess; the Chinese considered it one of the "Herbs of the Gods". In China it was believed that a tincture of this type of mushroom could bring the dead back to life. Often sold in Chinese medicine shops, commonly in tinctures with Ginseng. Ganoderma lucidum, or a closely related species, can be used to combat high altitude sickness. Himalayan guides sometimes employ the Reishi for this purpose. Mayan Indians have used reishis to fight and prevent communicable diseases. In China, sometimes a woman will give a man Reishis to express sexual interest. The antler form mentioned previously is favored for this purpose. Interest ing considering that the Reishi is supposed to stimulate sexual virility. Medicinal Usage The Reishi is a mushroom of many medicinal properties. Supposed to cure cancer, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a whole slew of other ailments. It is no wonder that it is supposed to grant its user a long healthy life.

The Northern Lights Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Northern lights are poetry, they are nature's light show, and they are quantum leaps in the oxygen atom. They are elementary particle physics, superstition, mythology and fairy tales. The northern lights have filled people with wonder and inspired artists; they have frightened people to think that the end is at hand. More exact explanations of the phenomenon could not be given until modern particle physics were developed, and knowledge about details in the earth’s magneto sphere has been based on measurements from satellites. When the northern lights are seen over Tromsà ¸, it happens in a set pattern, although this pattern varies considerably. The outburst starts with a phosphorocent glow over the horizon in northwest. The glow dies out and comes back, and then an arch is lit. It drifts up over in the sky. And new arches are lit and follow the first one. Small waves and curls move along the arches. Then within a few minutes a dramatic change is seen in the sky. A hailstorm of particles hit the upper atmosphere in what is called an aurora sub-storm. Rays of light shoot down from space, forming draperies, which spread, all over the sky. And they really remind us of draperies or curtains, which are flickering in the wind. And you can see a violet and a red trimming at the lower and upper ends. Or the colors are mixed all together, woven into each other. The curtains are disappearing and forming all over again by new rays of light shooting down from space. Above our head we cans see rays going out in all directions forming what is called an aurora corona. After 10 to 20 minutes the storm is over and the activity decreases. The bands are spread out, disintegrating in a diffuse light all over the sky. We can not see individual pockets of light, but the total effect is bright enough to enable us to make out details of the countryside around us. If we look very carefully, we can see the remains of the northern lights display as faint, pulsating flames. Clouds of light which is turned on and off regularly every 5 - 10 seconds as though by an electric light-switch. The natures own gigantic light show is over. What causes the northern lights? To answer this, we start with the sun whose energy production is far from even and fluctuates on an 11-year cycle. Maximum production coincides with high sunspot activity when processes on the sun's surface throw particles ... ...ll over the sky. 7) Bands of northern lights one above the other, raising towards the zenith indicates that the sub storm is starting. 8) Rays of light shoot down from space tells about higher activity. 9) Draperies are formed with waves at the lower end. 10) Curls and waves wave along the draperies. 11) The draperies look as if they are flickering in the wind. Maximum activities close. 12) The interaction between the moving charged particles and the earth’s magnetic field creates a charging magnetic field. The particles stream down along the magnetic field lines. 13) Rays and draperies can die out in one place of the sky, and form at another. 14) During the maximum of a sub storm, the whole sky can be full of light. 15) An all-sky (fish eye) picture showing that the draperies are stretched from east to west, through zenith. 16) When the activity reaches Zenith, by an optical illusion, it seems like the rays stretch out in all directions above our heads. This form of the northern lights is called aurora corona. Works Cited http://www.uit.no/npt/nordlyset/nordlysbilder.en.html http://www.uit.no/npt/nordlyset/ Way North Magazine, publication by Tromsà ¸ Museum.

Spirit Bound Chapter Eight

AFTER THE BITCHING I'D DONE to Abe about always going to remote, crappy places, I should have been excited about the prospect of going to Sin City. Alas, I had a few reservations about my next epic trip. First of all, somewhere like Las Vegas was the last place I would expect a semi-crazy recluse to be. From the bits and pieces I'd heard, Robert had dropped off the radar and wanted to be alone. A busy, tourist-filled city didn't really fit that description. Second, cities like that were perfect feeding grounds for Strigoi. Crowded. Reckless. Low inhibitions. Very easy for people to disappear–especially when most of them were out at night. Part of me was certain it had to be a trick on Victor's part, but he swore up and down that it was true. So, with no other leads, Las Vegas became our next destination. We didn't have much time to debate the matter anyway, knowing the guardians would be searching Fairbanks for us. Admittedly, Lissa's charms had altered our appearances enough that they wouldn't be looking for people with our descriptions. They knew what Victor looked like, though, so the sooner we were out of Alaska, the better. Unfortunately, we had a slight problem. â€Å"Victor has no ID,† said Eddie. â€Å"We can't take him on a plane.† It was true. All of Victor's possessions had been seized by prison authorities, and in the midst of disabling surveillance and taking out half a dozen guardians, we'd hardly had time to go searching for his personal stuff. Lissa's compulsion was phenomenal, but she was exhausted after wielding so much at the prison. Besides, guardians would likely be watching the airport. Our â€Å"friend† Bud the car rental guy provided the solution. He hadn't been thrilled to see his car returned with all the scratches from Eddie's daredevil driving, but enough cash had finally stopped the human's muttering about â€Å"renting to a bunch of kids.† It was Victor who thought of an alternative plan and suggested it to Bud. â€Å"Is there a private airport nearby? With flights we might charter?† â€Å"Sure,† said Bud. â€Å"But it won't be cheap.† â€Å"It's not an issue,† I said. Bud eyed us askance. â€Å"Did you guys rob a bank or something?† No, but we were packing a lot of currency. Lissa had a trust fund that doled her out monthly money until she was eighteen, as well as a high-limit credit card. I had a credit card of my own, leftover from when I'd sweet-talked Adrian into funding my Russian trip. I'd let go of the rest of my assets, like the huge bank account he'd set up. But, wrong or not, I'd decided to keep one card on hand, just in case of emergency. This was certainly an emergency, so we used the card to pay for part of the private plane's cost. The pilot couldn't take us as far as Las Vegas, but he could take us to Seattle, where he was able to connect us with another pilot he knew who could go the rest of the way. More money. â€Å"And Seattle again,† I mused, just before the plane took off. The little jet's interior had a set of four seats, two on each side facing each other. I sat next to Victor, and Eddie sat across from him. We figured that was the best protective configuration. â€Å"What about Seattle?† asked Eddie, puzzled. â€Å"Never mind.† Little private jets aren't nearly as fast as big commercial ones, and our trip took a large part of the day. During it, I continued asking Victor about his brother's role in Las Vegas and finally got the answer I wanted. Victor would have had to tell us eventually, but I think he'd gotten a sadistic thrill out of prolonging the answer. â€Å"Robert doesn't live in Las Vegas proper,† he explained. â€Å"He has a small house–a cabin, I suppose–out by Red Rock Canyon, miles outside the city.† Ah. Now that was more what I'd expected. Lissa stiffened at the mention of a cabin, and I felt unease through the bond. When Victor had kidnapped her, he'd taken her to a cabin in the woods and tortured her there. I gave her as reassuring a look as I could. It was times like these I wished the bond worked both ways so that I could truly send her comfort. â€Å"So we'll go out there?† Victor snorted. â€Å"Certainly not. Robert values his privacy too much. He wouldn't let strangers come to his home. But he'll come to the city if I ask.† Lissa eyed me. Victor could be setting us up. He had lots of supporters. Now that he's out, he could call them instead of Robert to meet us. I gave her a tiny nod, again wishing I could respond back through the bond. I'd thought of this as well. It was imperative we never leave Victor alone to make unsupervised calls. And actually, this plan to meet in Las Vegas itself made me feel better. For our own safety from Victor's henchmen, it was better to be in the city than out in the middle of nowhere. â€Å"Seeing as I've been so helpful,† said Victor, â€Å"I have the right to know what you want with my brother.† He glanced at Lissa. â€Å"Looking for spirit lessons? You had to have done some excellent investigative work to find out about him.† â€Å"You have no right to know about our plans,† I retorted sharply. â€Å"And seriously? If you're keeping track of who's been the most helpful here, we are totally beating you on the score-card. You've got a ways to go to catch up after what we did at Tarasov.† Victor's only response was a small smile. Some of our flight time took place at night, which meant it was early morning when we landed in Las Vegas. The safety of sunlight. I was surprised to see how crowded the airport was. The private one in Seattle had had a fair amount of planes, but the Fairbanks airport had nearly been deserted. This strip was chock-full of little jets, many of them screaming â€Å"luxury.† I shouldn't have been surprised. Las Vegas was the playground of celebrities and other wealthy people, many of whom probably couldn't lower themselves to fly commercial with ordinary passengers. There were taxis there, sparing us the ordeal of another rental car. But when the driver asked us where we were going, we all stayed silent. I turned to Victor. â€Å"The middle of the city, right? The Strip?† â€Å"Yes,† he agreed. He'd been certain Robert would want to meet strangers somewhere very public. Somewhere he could easily flee. â€Å"The Strip's a big place,† said the driver. â€Å"You got any place in particular or should I just drop you off in the middle of the street?† Silence fell over us. Lissa shot me a meaningful look. â€Å"The Witching Hour?† I considered it. Las Vegas was a favorite place for some Moroi. The bright sun made it less appealing for Strigoi, and the windowless casinos created comfortable, dark atmospheres. The Witching Hour was a hotel and casino we'd all heard of. While it had plenty of human customers, it was actually owned by Moroi, so it had lots of clandestine features to make it a great getaway for vampires. Feeders in back rooms. Special Moroi-only lounges. A fair number of guardians on patrol. Guardians†¦ I shook my head and glanced sideways at Victor. â€Å"We can't take him there.† Of all the hotels in Las Vegas, the Witching Hour was the last we'd want to go to. Victor's escape had to be breaking news all over the Moroi world. Taking him into Vegas's largest concentration of Moroi and guardians was probably the worst thing we could do at this point. In the rearview mirror, the driver's face looked impatient. It was Eddie who finally piped up. â€Å"The Luxor.† He and I were in the backseat, with Victor between us, and I peered over. â€Å"Where did that come from?† â€Å"It puts distance between us and the Witching Hour.† Eddie suddenly looked a little sheepish. â€Å"And I've always wanted to stay there. I mean, if you're coming to Vegas, why not stay in a pyramid?† â€Å"You can't fault that logic,† said Lissa. â€Å"The Luxor it is,† I said to the driver. We rode in silence, all of us–well, except for Victor–staring at the sights in awe. Even in the daytime, the streets of Las Vegas were teeming with people. The young and glamorous walked side by side with older couples from Middle America, who'd probably saved and saved to make this trip. The hotels and casinos we passed were huge, flashy, and inviting. And when we reached the Luxor†¦ yup. It was just like Eddie had said. A hotel shaped like a pyramid. I stared up at it when we got out of the car, trying hard not to let my jaw drop like the starry-eyed tourist I was. I paid the driver and we headed inside. I didn't know how long we'd be staying, but we definitely needed a room as our base of operation. Stepping into the hotel was like being back in the night-clubs in Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk. Flashing lights and the overwhelming scent of smoke. And noise. Noise, noise, noise. The slot machines beeped and rang, chips fell, people yelled in dismay or delight, and the low thrum of conversation filled the room like humming bees. I grimaced. The stimuli grated on my senses. We passed through the casino's edge to get to the front desk, where the attendant didn't even blink at three teenagers and an old man getting a room together. I had to imagine that around here, they saw it all. Our room was average-size, with two double beds, and somehow we'd lucked out with an amazing view. Lissa stood at the window, entranced by the sights of people and cars on the Strip below, but I jumped straight to business. â€Å"Okay, call him,† I ordered Victor. He'd settled down on one of the beds, hands crossed and expression serene, as though he truly were on vacation. Despite that smug smile, I could see the fatigue etched on his face. Even with his blood refill, the escape and long trip had been exhausting, and the effects of his slowly returning disease were naturally taking a toll on his physical strength. Victor immediately reached for the hotel's phone, but I shook my head. â€Å"Liss, let him use your cell. I want a record of this number.† She gingerly handed the phone over, as though he might contaminate it. He took it and gave me a nigh-angelic look. â€Å"I don't suppose I could have some privacy? It's been so long since Robert and I have talked.† â€Å"No,† I snapped. The harshness in my voice startled even me, and it occurred to me Lissa wasn't the only one suffering from all the spirit used today. Victor gave a small shrug and began dialing. He'd told us on one of the flights that he had Robert's number memorized, and I had to take it on faith that that was who he was calling. I also had to hope Robert's number hadn't changed. Of course, even if Victor hadn't seen his brother in years, Victor had only been imprisoned a short while and had probably kept tabs on Robert beforehand. Tension filled the room as we waited while the phone rang. A moment later, I heard a voice answer through the phone's speaker–though I couldn't make out the exact words. â€Å"Robert,† said Victor pleasantly, â€Å"it's Victor.† This received a frantic response on the other end. I only could hear half of the conversation, but it was intriguing. Victor first had to spend a lot of time convincing Robert that he was out of prison. Apparently, Robert wasn't so removed from Moroi society that he was out of touch with current news. Victor told him that the details would be revealed later and then began making his pitch for Robert to come meet us. It took a long time. I got the feeling that Robert lived in fear and paranoia, which reminded me of Ms. Karp when she'd been in the advanced stages of spirit's insanity. Lissa's gaze stayed fixed on the scene outside the window during the entire call, but her feelings mirrored mine: fear that this could someday be her fate. Or mine as well, if I siphoned away spirit's effects. The image of the Tarasov sign flashed briefly through her mind: WARNING–NOW ENTERING PRISONER AREA (PSYCHIATRIC). Victor's voice turned surprisingly cajoling as he spoke to his brother, gentle even. I was reminded uneasily of the old days, before we'd known about Victor's demented plans for Moroi domination. Back then, he'd treated us kindly too and had practically been a member of Lissa's family. I wondered if at some point he'd been sincere or if it had all been an act. Finally, after almost twenty minutes, Victor convinced Robert to come see us. The unintelligible words on the other end of the phone were filled with anxiety, and at this point, I felt convinced that Victor truly was talking to his crazy brother and not one of his accomplices. Victor set up a dinner meeting at one of the hotel's restaurants and at last disconnected. â€Å"Dinner?† I asked when Victor set the phone down. â€Å"Isn't he worried about being out after dark?† â€Å"It's an early dinner,† Victor replied. â€Å"Four thirty. And the sun won't go down until almost eight.† â€Å"Four thirty?† I asked. â€Å"Good God. Are we getting the senior citizen special?† But he made a good point about the time and sun. Without the safety of Alaska's nearly nonstop summer light, I was starting to feel suffocated by the pressure of sunrise and sunset boundaries, even though it was summer here. Unfortunately, a safe early dinner still meant we had hours to pass. Victor leaned back on the bed, arms behind his head. I think he was attempting an unconcerned air, but my guess was that it was actually exhaustion driving him to seek the bed's comfort. â€Å"Care to try your luck downstairs?† He glanced over at Lissa. â€Å"Spirit users make remarkably good card players. I don't have to tell you how good you are at reading people.† She made no response. â€Å"Nobody's leaving this room,† I said. I didn't like the idea of us all being cooped up here, but I couldn't risk an escape attempt or Strigoi lurking in the casino's dark corners. After showering the dye from her hair, Lissa pulled up a chair by the window. She refused to get any closer to Victor. I sat cross-legged on the second bed, where there was plenty of room for Eddie to sit too, but he remained upright against a wall, in perfect guardian posture as he watched Victor. I had no doubt Eddie could maintain that position for hours, no matter how uncomfortable it got. We'd all been trained to endure harsh conditions. He did a good job at looking stern, but every once in a while, I'd catch him studying Victor curiously. Eddie had stood by me in this act of treason but still didn't know why I'd done it. We'd been there a few hours when someone knocked at the door. I leapt up. Eddie and I mirrored each other, both of us straightening to rigid attention, hands going for our stakes. We'd ordered lunch an hour ago, but room service had long since come and gone. It was too early for Robert, and besides, he didn't know the name our room was under. There was no nausea, though. No Strigoi at our door. I met Eddie's gaze, silent messages passing between us on what to do. But it was Lissa who acted first, rising from her chair and taking a few steps across the room. â€Å"It's Adrian.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Are you sure?† She nodded. Spirit users usually only saw auras, but they could sense each other if they were close enough–just as she had at the prison. Still, none of us moved. She gave me a dry look. â€Å"He knows I'm here,† she pointed out. â€Å"He can feel me too.† I sighed, still keeping my hand on my stake, and strode to the door. I squinted through the peephole. Standing there, his expression amused and restless, was Adrian. I could see no one else, and with no indication of Strigoi to be found, I finally opened the door. His face lit with joy when he saw me. Leaning in, he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping into the room. â€Å"You guys didn't really think you could go off on a party weekend without me, did you? Especially here of all places–â€Å" He froze, and it was one of those rare moments when Adrian Ivashkov was caught totally and completely off guard. â€Å"Did you know,† he said slowly, â€Å"that Victor Dashkov is sitting on your bed?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"It was kind of a shock to us too.† Adrian dragged his gaze from Victor and glanced around the room, noticing Eddie for the first time. Eddie had been standing so still that he practically seemed like part of the furniture. Adrian turned to me. â€Å"What the hell is going on? Everyone is out looking for him!† Lissa's words spoke to me through my bond. You might as well tell him. You know he won't leave now. She was right. I didn't know how Adrian had found us, but now that he had, there was no way he'd go. I glanced hesitantly at Eddie, who guessed my thoughts. â€Å"We'll be fine,† he said. â€Å"Go talk. I won't let anything happen.† And I'm strong enough again that I can compel him if he tries anything, Lissa added. I sighed. â€Å"Okay. We'll be right back.† I took Adrian's arm and led him outside. As soon as we were in the hallway, he started in again. â€Å"Rose, what's–â€Å" I shook my head. In our time here, I'd heard enough noise from other hotel guests in the hall to know that my friends would hear our conversation if we talked out there. Instead, Adrian and I took the elevator and headed downstairs, where the noise of the casino would mask our words. We found a slightly out-of-the-way corner, and Adrian practically pushed me against the wall, his expression dark. His light attitude annoyed me sometimes, but I preferred it to when he was upset, largely because I feared spirit would add an unstable edge. â€Å"You leave me a note saying you're sneaking off for one last party weekend, and instead I find you holed up with one of the most notorious criminals ever? When I left Court, that's all everyone was talking about! Didn't that guy try to kill you?† I answered his question with a question. â€Å"How did you even find us?† â€Å"The credit card,† he said. â€Å"I was waiting for you to use it.† My eyes widened. â€Å"You promised me when I got all those that you wouldn't go snooping!† Since my accounts and cards had come with his help, I'd known he had access to the records but had believed him when he'd said he'd respect my privacy. â€Å"When you were in Russia, I kept that promise. This is different. I kept checking and checking with the company, and as soon as the activity with the charter plane showed up, I called and found out where you were going.† Adrian's arrival here so soon after ours wasn't that unbelievable if he had been monitoring the card. Once he'd had the information he needed, he could have easily booked a flight. A nonstop commercial jet would have made up the time on our slower, multistop trip. â€Å"There was no way I could resist Vegas,† he continued. â€Å"So I thought I'd surprise you and show up to join in the fun.† I'd used my card for the room, I realized, again tipping off our location. No one else was linked to my or Lissa's cards, but the ease with which he'd tracked us made me nervous. â€Å"You shouldn't have done that,† I growled. â€Å"We might be together, but there are boundaries you've got to respect. This is none of your business.† â€Å"It's not like I was reading your diary! I just wanted to find my girlfriend and–† It was a sign of Adrian's distress that his mind was only now beginning to backtrack and put pieces together. â€Å"Oh lord. Rose, please tell me you guys aren't the ones who busted him out? They're all looking for two human girls and a dhampir guy. The descriptions don't match at all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He groaned. â€Å"But it was you, wasn't it? Somehow, you broke into a maximum-security prison. With Eddie.† â€Å"Must not have been all that secure,† I remarked lightly. â€Å"Rose! This guy has fucked with both of your lives. Why would you free him?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. How could I explain this to Adrian? How could I explain that which, by all evidence in our world, was impossible? And how could I explain what goal in particular was driving this? â€Å"Victor has information we need. Or, well, he has access to someone we need. This was the only way we could get it.† â€Å"What on earth could he possibly know to make you do all this?† I swallowed. I walked into prisons and nests of Strigoi, but saying what I did next to Adrian filled me with apprehension. â€Å"Because there might be a way to save Strigoi. To turn them back to the way they were. And Victor†¦ Victor knows someone who might have done this.† Adrian stared at me for several long seconds, and even in the midst of the casino's movement and noise, it was like the world grew still and silent. â€Å"Rose, that's impossible.† â€Å"It might not be.† â€Å"If there was a way to do that, we would know.† â€Å"It involves spirit users. And we only just found out about them.† â€Å"That doesn't mean it's–oh. I see.† His deep green eyes flashed, and this time, they were angry. â€Å"It's him, isn't it? This is your last crazy attempt to get to him. To Dimitri.† â€Å"Not just him,† I said vaguely. â€Å"It could save all Strigoi.† â€Å"I thought this was over!† Adrian exclaimed. His voice was loud enough that a few people at nearby slot machines glanced over. â€Å"You told me it was over. You told me you could move on and be with me.† â€Å"I meant it,† I said, surprised at the desperate note in my voice. â€Å"It's something we only just found out about. We had to try.† â€Å"And what then? What if this stupid fantasy works? You free Dimitri in some miraculous act, and you drop me like that.† He snapped his fingers. â€Å"I don't know,† I said wearily. â€Å"We're just taking this one step at a time. I love being with you. Really. But I can't ignore this.† â€Å"Of course you can't.† He turned his eyes heavenward. â€Å"Dreams, dreams. I walk them; I live them. I delude myself with them. It's a wonder I can spot reality anymore.† The weird sound of his voice made me nervous. I could recognize one of his slightly crazy, spirit-induced lapses. Then, he turned from me with a sigh. â€Å"I need a drink.† Whatever pity I'd felt for him turned to anger. â€Å"Oh, good. That'll fix everything. I'm glad in a world gone mad, you've still got your old standbys.† I flinched at his glare. He didn't do it very often, and when he did, it was a powerful thing. â€Å"What do you expect me to do?† he asked. â€Å"You could†¦ you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh God. â€Å"Well, now that you're here, you could help us. Plus, this guy we're meeting. He's another spirit user.† Adrian didn't betray his thoughts, but I had a feeling that I had piqued his interest. â€Å"Yeah, that's exactly what I want. To help my girlfriend get her old boyfriend back.† He turned away again, and I heard him mutter, â€Å"I need two drinks.† â€Å"Four thirty,† I called after him. â€Å"We're meeting at four thirty.† There was no response, and Adrian melted into the crowd. I returned to the room in a dark cloud that had to be obvious to everyone. Lissa and Eddie were smart enough not to ask questions, but Victor, of course, had no such reserves. â€Å"What? Mr. Ivashkov isn't joining us? I'd so been looking forward to his company.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall near Eddie. â€Å"Don't speak unless you're spoken to.† The next couple hours dragged by. I was convinced that any minute, Adrian would come back and reluctantly agree to help us. We could use his compulsion if things went bad, even though he couldn't match Lissa. Surely†¦ surely he loved me enough to come to my aid? He wouldn't abandon me? You're an idiot, Rose. It was my own voice that chastised me in my head, not Lissa's. You've given him no reason to help. You just hurt him again and again. Just like you did Mason. When four fifteen came around, Eddie looked over at me. â€Å"Should we stake out a table?† â€Å"Yeah.† I was restless and upset. I didn't want to stay in this room any longer, trapped with dark feelings that wouldn't go away. Victor rose from the bed, stretching as though getting up from a relaxing nap. Still, I could have sworn there was an eager glint hidden in the depths of his eyes. By all accounts, he and his half-brother were close, though I'd seen no indication that Victor displayed love or loyalty to anyone. Who knew? Maybe somewhere there was true affection for Robert. We formed a sort of protective configuration with me in the front, Eddie in the back, and the two Moroi between us. I opened the room's door and came face-to-face with Adrian. His hand was raised as though he'd been about to knock. He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Oh, hey,† he said. He had the standard laid-back Adrian expression on his face, though his voice was a bit strained. I knew he wasn't happy about any of this. I could see it in the tight set of his jaw and agitation in his eyes. Nonetheless, he was putting on a good front for the others, for which I was grateful. Most importantly, he'd come back. That was what mattered, and I could ignore the scent of alcohol and smoke wreathing him. â€Å"So†¦ I hear there's some party going on. Mind if I join you?† I gave him a weak, grateful smile. â€Å"Come on.† Our group now up to five, we headed down the hall toward the elevator. â€Å"I was cleaning up at poker, you know,† Adrian added. â€Å"So this better be good.† â€Å"I don't know if it'll be good,† I mused. The elevator doors opened. â€Å"But I think it'll be memorable.† We stepped inside, off to see Robert Doru. And what might be Dimitri's only salvation.

One Nation Under Corn?

A position paper done in fall of 2012 on the cause and affect of the industrialized corn crop. I decided on this subject after my own battle with illness. This battle, ended up changing my diet, and my life as it turns out. I have almost completely removed any corn derived product from my life (all-be-it difficult sometimes) and am a proponent of a purely organic vegetarian diet. One Nation Under Corn? Chad Cribb DeVry University One Nation Under Corn One of the many freedoms we enjoy in this great country is the freedom to choose what you will eat and when you will eat it.Pull up to your favorite fast food burger restaurant, and little thought goes into the entire process. From the drive there, to the ordering of your food, and the packaging they are contained in. When we think more about it, as Michael Pollan did in his book, â€Å"The Omnivore’s Dilemma†, there is a whole lot more going on. Pollan dives deep into the heart of our nation’s fascination with the corn crop and its many uses. Corn started out as a crop grown to feed its people. But in this day and age, very little is actually eaten. Corn has become a giant in the food industry, at a low price; thanks in part to the government help.We started this nation as one based in principle and in the pursuit of freedom†¦. and now it seems†¦ corn. But who is the real beneficiary of this corn crop? And just as important†¦who are the losers? Corn has been around since recorded history and has played a major role in trade and many complex social societies. Corn’s spread across the globe began after contact between the European colonial powers and indigenous peoples of North and South America. It continued on to Africa during the slave trades and was used to actually pay for them. What’s more, it was a source of power for the African middlemen involved in the slave trade.Fast forward now to the 1940’s and 1950’s as corn and corn based foods became c rucial in the agriculture market to sustain military troops during the war. It was after the war that America saw a huge surplus in corn yield partly due to the new hybrid seeds and fertilizers that had recently been manufactured. This surplus had a dramatic effect on the market and the market prices. It was these prices, over the years that caused unpredictable price swings (Wise 2005-9). As our population has increasingly grown thru the years, our need for more food has increased along with it.The polarity between the two was unbalanced and by using the free market approach, farmers regularly had booms and busts in the market. Making farmers the target of continued and increasing depressed prices in their crop. The government soon stepped in with â€Å"The New Deal†, in order to bring supply into line with demand, an approach known as â€Å"supply management† using conservation set-asides, a price floor guaranteeing a fair price (like having a minimum wage), and a gr ain reserve to deal with overproduction. What was not widely known, it appears, is the corporate-world began lobbying for a free market approach again.Beginning in the 1970’s, they used the World Food Crisis and the Russian Wheat Deal to validate their argument to government. Coupling that with the notion of â€Å"getting government out of agriculture†. The result of that was that prices collapsed by the late 1990’s and the government had to bail out farmers with millions in emergency subsidy payments. Prices completely collapsed shortly after the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act, causing expensive taxpayer bailouts. By 2000, subsidies provided 49% of farmers’ net income. This has helped the corn industry to comprise 95% of all food grain produced in America (USDA 2010).The government’s well-intended approach to help â€Å"prop up† the industry, in fact, created a market dependent on the very subsidies that were created to help it. Between 1995 and 2006, the government paid out $56 billion in corn subsidies (Wise 2005-12). What’s more, it helps create a market monopoly. With only 3 companies controlling 90% of the corn market, 2 companies controlling the corn seed market, and 4 companies controlling the high fructose corn syrup industry, the answer should be clear. But as Pollan points out, â€Å"It’s not about who is profiting, but rather who is suffering† (Pollan 2006).Most of what we see in the news is the emphasis placed in the trials and tribulations of the farmer, for the benefit of the consumer. But is it really the consumer who benefits? If the price of food per calorie is the magic calculation, then the answer is yes. But if the average weight per person is, then the answer is no. As the corn industry exploded and the number of companies shrank, corn began a new transformation into other parts of the food industry and more. This came in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), gasoline additiv es, plastics, and cattle feed to name a few.Cattle feed now encompasses over 50% of the industrialized corn produced in America (Wise 2005-11). The increase of this has helped create the perpetual cycle that has infested the industry, and moreover, the agricultural policy that affects it. The overproduction of corn has led to an overconsumption of corn; mostly in an indirect way. America’s agriculture and international trade policies have created an environment that breeds monopolies and corruption. Big business lobbyist has taken hold in an industry that believes in the â€Å"bottom line†.This philosophy has squeezed out the once popular sugar cane, and ushered in the cheaper, easily produced, HFCS for its products. Because the government has placed so many incentives on the production of corn, other more healthy crops have been left behind. Crops like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have quickly become a thing of the past. The relationship between government and business has become as unhealthy as the population consuming the products they produce. At one point, it almost looks like the industry wanted the market to crash and the government to step in.One would ask why anyone would want that. Because subsidizing the industrial crop ensures it stays at a cheap price for one. Secondly, the corporations who buy corn to turn into high fructose corn syrup (used in almost every food product) or as feed for livestock, or ethanol for vehicles operations have profited by the billions. Thirdly, the corporate consolidation of our food system as whole. When you think about it, it reaches thru banks, seeds, fertilizers, grain traders, food processors, manufacturing plant, to retailing. Walsh says, â€Å"This kind f uncompetitive market squeezes the farmer on both sides† (Walsh-2009). This notion seems to place a lot of blame on the subsidies themselves. My contention is that subsidies are not the problem with our food system, but merely a produc t of a broken system. To fix the farm policy, legislators must first have a clear understanding of who wins and who loses under the current system and why. Also, the high tariffs placed on sugar cane need to be downsized to allow for balance in the market. But this is a prime example of how the government’s intention to help has unintentional consequences.I believe that the root of our problem today is the â€Å"clinging† to a free market food system. One that allows commodities like corn to be priced so low that would allow big business to develop monopolies over farmers and corn while reaping huge profits because of cheap corn. America now spends less of our income on food than any other generation in history (Pollan-2002). When you look at it in perspective, the agriculture our grandparents helped build was now growing fast food. This affecting our wallets, farmlands, and waistline.Some may say that our waistline and rate of disease are due to laziness and other fac tors. I disagree. I believe they are a direct relation to cheap, processed food made by cheap, industrialized corn. In order for us to decrease the consumption of corn, the government needs to cease its subsidizing of it. This will do two things. One, it let the markets adjust themselves at a rate that creates dependence on itself rather than assistance. Two, tighten the ability of lobbyist to affect change in agriculture and government policy that increase benefits to the very few.The bottom line here is this; big business reaps profits at the expense of the farmer. And the consumer? Well†¦. we are just scenery it seems in this great manipulation of industrialized food industry. And as I see it; in an economy where every dollar counts, doesn’t it make sense for the government to hang onto theirs? Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. â€Å"A Natural History of Four Meals†. April 2006 This well-known book has been called an â€Å"eater’s manifest o† by critics and peers alike. Pollan, Michael. What’s America Eating? Smithsonian, June 2006. Retrieved on October 4, 2012 http://michaelpollan. om/articles-archive/whats-eating-america/ An article, written with a chronological touch, that takes reader from â€Å"soup-to-nuts† on the history of corn and how it came to western America. Pollan, Michael. When Crop Becomes King. NY Times. July 2002. Retrieved on October 1, 2012 http://www. organicconsumers. org/toxic/toomuchcorn071902. cfm An article written in a way that is easily understood for most. This article describes Zea Mays (original term) from Central America to what we know today as corn Walsh, Bryan. â€Å"Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Corn†.Time Magazine. August 21, 2009. http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1917726-2,00. html Walsh is a senior writer for Time Magazine and a correspondent for the last 8 years Health Journalism Fellowship from the Center for Disease Con trol Foundation. As part of this fellowship, he attended training at the U. S. Centers for Disease Control during summer 2010. Wise, Timothy. Identifying the Real Winners from US Agricultural Policies. Tufts University. December 2005. Retrieved October 1, 2012. http://www. ase. tufts. edu/gdae/Pubs/wp/05-07RealWinnersUSAg. pdf

Defensive Homicide Essay

Under defensive homicide in the crimes act (2005), A person who, by his or her conduct, kills another person in circumstances that, but for section 9AC, would constitute murder, is guilty of an indictable offence (defensive homicide) and liable to level 3 imprisonment (20 years maximum) if he or she did not have reasonable grounds for the belief referred to in that section. Explain the law of self defence in relation to homicide cases The law of self defence in relation to homicide case are that a person is not guilty of murder if he or she carries out the conduct that would otherwise constitute murder while believing the conduct to be necessary to defend himself or herself or another person from the infliction of death or really serious injury. In regard to an Alternative verdict of defensive homicide on charge for murder, If on the trial of a person for murder the jury are not satisfied that he or she is guilty of murder but are satisfied that he or she is guilty of an offence against section 9AD (defensive homicide), the jury may acquit the accused of murder and find him or her guilty of defensive homicide and he or she is liable to punishment accordingly. The reasons why the defence of provocation was abolished in Victoria in 2005. The reason as to why the defense of provocation was abolished in Victoria in 2005 was because it was a recommendation by the Victorian Law Reform Commission in a review of defenses to homicide. Reasons as to why it was in review in the first place was because it promoted a culture of blaming the victim and had no place in a modern society, also it had served to excuse male violence against women. Provocation was abolished because the Victorian legislature believed it was outdated and no longer reflected the norms of modern society. Specifically, it was no longer appropriate for the criminal law to have a defense available that for all intents and purposes condoned male violence against women and blamed the female victim for her own fate. Other reason as why it was abolished was that it shouldn’t be used for an individual loss of self-control is an inappropriate basis for a partial efence—people should be able to control their impulses, even when angry, gender biased, privileges a loss of self-control as a basis for a defence, the test for provocation is conceptually confused, complex and difficult for juries to understand and apply, is an anomaly—it is not a defence to any crime other than murder and is an anachronism—as we no longer have a mandatory sentence for murder, provocation should be taken into account at sentencing as it is for all other offences. Do you believe the objectives of the Government when it introduced this crime have been subsequently achieved in court cases? Fact: the majority of men convicted of defensive homicide have been males killing other men). Refer to TWO (2) Victorian cases which have applied the offence of defensive homicide. I do not believe that the objectives of the government when it introduced this crime haven been subsequently achieved in court cases. The government introduce this law with the intention to be a reform of the law when someone had a genuine motivation of self-defence but the change to the law has failed to work as intended and instead appears to be being used by offenders to escape full responsibility where they deserve to be convicted of murder. The law of Defensive homicide is intended to be applied in cases where people kill to defend themselves or others – such as victims of prolonged domestic violence. Instead males are killing other males and are using the defence homicide charge to get a lower sentence. One case is R v Smith [2008] VSC 87 (1 April 2008), the victim and the offender had a conflict at a party that they both attended, the victim left then returned in aggressive state. A Fight ensued and the offender stabbed the victim. The Victim was also using a knife against the offender. Mr Smith pleaded guilty to defensive homicide and was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment and non-parole of 5 years. The other case is R v Edwards [2008] VSC 297 (13 August 2008), the victim initially threatened to hit the offender with a table leg. The offender grabbed the table leg and hit the victim in the head also used glass bottles as well. The Attack continued after victim was unconscious and occurred in presence of offender’s son and victim’s partner. Mr Edwards pleaded guilty to defensive homicide and was sentenced to 9. 5 years imprisonment and non-parole of 7. 5 years. Describe some criticisms that have been made of defensive homicide. Some criticisms that could be made against defensive homicide could be that defensive homicide is being misused on the basis that it has been used almost exclusively by men who kill other men, and not for those for whom it was intended. Defensive homicide was introduced as a ‘safety net’ for women who kill their violent abusers once provocation was abolished. The law is meant to protect battered women being abused by brutal men. Defensive homicide applies when an accused believed – although unreasonably – that they needed to defend themselves or another person using force, and this resulted in the victim’s death. The offence may therefore be proved when a victim has behaved in a way, such as committing or threatening to commit an act of violence, which led the offender to unreasonably believe that lethal violence was necessary to defend themselves. However, in six of the 16 guilty plea convictions, it appears there was no prior violent exchange (physical or verbal) between the victim and offender. So they are using this defense but in the outline of defensive homicide it states that when a person kills another while believing the conduct was necessary to defend themselves or another from death or really serious injury where they did not have reasonable grounds for this belief, but they aren’t having to show that they were in fright of their life. Also not having to go to court and pleading out the case is another criticism, so for an accused to plead guilty to defensive homicide, the prosecution must agree to withdraw any other homicide-related charges, including murder. The decision to enter and accept a guilty plea has been made by the prosecution and the accused only. As a consequence, the public is left to trust that these parties have upheld the same judicial principles that would apply to a conviction after trial. Your reflections on whether or not defensive homicide should be abolished and whether you believe further reform is needed in this area I don’t believe that defensive homicide should be abolished because if it was to be abolished would the law adapt and deal with cases that have a long term family violence which this law was attended to apply to. Maybe defensive homicide should only be limited to serious family violence. The law is there for a safety net for women who kill violent partners who have been violently abusing their spouse for an extend period of time and not for males to kill other males. One in five Victorian women report being physically or sexually abused by an intimate partner at some time in their life and if the law was to be abolished maybe the victims would feel as if no one understands what they are going thru or care to. And by doing that more women might stay in a violent relationship and more women might end up dying. The law of defensive homicide needs to be reform if it is to be kept because it has become a blur so to speak, it has failed to realise its intended purpose.

Essentials of a Valid Contract Essay

To be enforceable by law an agreement must possess the essential elements of a valid contract as laid down by Sec. 10 of Contract Act in the following terms; ‘All agreements are contracts if they are made by the free consent of parties competent to contract, for a lawful consideration and with a lawful object, and are not hereby expressly declared to be void. ’ Following are the conditions for validity of the contract in detail. 1. Offer and Acceptance: There must be an agreement based on a lawful offer made by one party and a lawful acceptance of that offer from the other party. The adjective lawful implies that the offer and acceptance must satisfy the requirements of the Contract Act in relation thereto. 2. Legal Relationship: The parties must have intended their agreement to have legal consequences and legal obligations. Agreements of a social or domestic nature do not contemplate legal relations, and as such they do not give rise to a contract. 3. Lawful Consideration: Consideration means something in return (quid pro quo). For a valid contract both parties must have provided consideration, i. e. each side must promise to give or do something for other. However, it must be legal, real, harmless and not immoral. 4. Competent Parties: The parties to an agreement must be competent to contract. The contracting parties must be of the age of majority and of sound mind and must not be disqualified by any law to which they are subject. (Section 11) 5. Free Consent: Free consent of all parties is another essential element. Consent means that the parties must have agreed upon same things in the same sense. Consent is said to be free if it is not obtained by coercion, undue influence, fraud, misrepresentation or mistake. (Section 14) 6. Lawful Object: Object means ‘the purpose of entering into a contract’. For the formation of a valid contract it is also necessary that the parties to an agreement must agree for a lawful object. According to Sec. 23 the object of an agreement is lawful, if it is Not forbidden by law; Not fraudulent; or Not involves or implies injury to the person or property of another Not regarded immoral by the Court Not opposed to public policy. Not immoral. 7. Not Expressly Declared Void: The agreement must not have been expressly declared to be void under the Act. Sec. 24-30 and Sec56 specifies certain types of expressly declared void agreements: Agreement in restrain of marriage, trade, or legal proceedings. (sec. 26,27,27) Agreement by way of wager. (sec. 30) Agreement to do impossible acts. (sec. 56) Agreement the meaning of which is not certain. (sec. 29) 8. Writing and Registration: The prescribed legal formalities of writing, registration, etc. necessary for the agreement to be enforceable by law must have been observed. It must be in writing, properly attested by witnesses and registered if so required by law. The absence of any of the essentials explained above will not result in a valid contract but a void contract.

God’s Word in Schools Essay

Currently our country is in moral decay because we are not raising our children under the authority of God’s Word. For example, some parents feel as though their children should not have to do chores around the house. It is our responsibility as parents to educate our children on what God’s Word  says about all of life’s issues, including chores. In Jane Smiley’s, The Case Against Chores she attacks parents that have their kids do chores saying that it alienates children from the family, but it my family it brings us together because we all pitch in to get the job done. In 1 Samuel 16:11 it says when Samuel came to anoint David, he was in the field tending the sheep. He was doing his chores! This passage clearly indicates that God wants kids to do chores. Whether or not our kids do chores is not the biggest issue though. In the 1960’s the U. S. Supreme Court decided to take prayer out of our schools. From that point on our country has seen a vast moral decay resulting in things such as AIDS and the murder of millions of innocent babies. Are we to blame the government for this? How about the school system? We need to look at ourselves as parents. Since our school systems are not going to allow the Word to be taught we parents must take up the sword and teach our children what God has to say about life’s major issues. Traditional family values are quickly becoming a thing of the past. In her article Ms. Smiley states, â€Å"And don’t the parents love their children anyway, whether the children vacuum or not? † This is insinuating that the only reason parent’s love their kids, is because of the work they do. To that I say it’s because we love our kids we assign them chores. This helps them learn responsibility. The Bible says, â€Å"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it† (Proverbs 22:6). It’s not just about teaching our children what the Word says, but we must show them in our relationship with them. Ms. Smiley says in her article when she was taking care of her horse she saw the purpose of her labor. If we educate our children about God’s Word they will see the purpose in everything they do. Colossians 3:23 says, â€Å"And whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. † When God’s Word is in our heart our entire life takes on new meaning. Ms. Smiley says in her article when she was a girl she had a problem with a teacher because she (Ms. Smiley) always did what she wanted to do. She had no responsibility. She would leave for school with her room a mess and return home and it would be cleaned up for her. It’s clear that God’s Word had not been taught to Ms. Smiley. The Bible says in Romans 13:1 that we are to submit ourselves to authority. Proverbs 15:33 tells us the fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom. Had Ms. Smiley been taught the Word there would not have been a problem. In the case of Ms. Smiley we can see where our culture is going astray. We have gotten away from God in the home and in the schools and we now have one generation passing down their values (or lack thereof)  to another. In order to restore our country to what our founding fathers intended it to be we must start in the homes. We can do this by giving our kids chores, disciplining them when needed, telling them what they need to hear as opposed to what they want to hear, spending time with them, showing them love, and most importantly teaching them about our Heavenly Father. In doing so we can bring up a nation of young leaders who can restore this great land to what it once was, one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

Chinese Women and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chinese Women and Culture - Essay Example The recent developments on China portray a comparatively liberal image of the women than was possible some decades ago. Not too far off in history, in fact if a critical analysis is made for the 1980`s and the 1990`s both the authorities in China as well as the traditional Chinese society were resistant to the growth of feminist attitudes.The traditional ancient Chinese rituals and belief systems though still prevalent to some extent in China adds to the limitations that women have to face to contribute significantly to the Chinese cultures and traditions. 1990`s however opened doors towards acceptance to the fact that women can also significantly contribute to the cultural development in China.To understand China in the modern context, it is crucial to analyze the role of women in the ancient century as well so that patterns in evolution can be drawn.China is always perceived as a culturally isolated and a backward society, and the image of the state is that of an authoritarian tyra nnical one. Modern elements of change like modern art, modern music, internet evolution and social networking seems to be absent and highly controlled. The beginning of the new century saw an immense increase in modernization. With the opening of market in the late 1990`s, China`s economy started to boom as markets expanded and modernized. Cultural values, however, didn’t saw as immense of a change but some level of change was inevitable and 12 Girls Band is the product of this change. Thus, 12 Girls Band is symbolic for women empowerment, the ability for Chinese to preserve their traditional legacies, portraying a liberal yet sophisticated image of Chinese woman throughout the world. All members of the 12 Girls Band are thus Ambassadors to China who have positively affected the cultural variables in China at home and abroad. To understand China in the modern context, it is crucial to analyze the role of women in the ancient century as well so that patterns in evolution can b e drawn. In the ancient China women were considered to be inferior to men, and all their lives they were expected to obey the male members of the family, thus they had no freedom of their own and their role towards cultural community development was absent. The practice of binding women`s feet is symbolic for the control over women during that century. However, with time when the People`s Republic of China was found the role of women started to change, at least rhetorically and a significant level of independence was gained by the women. It wasn’t until 1979 that the government enacted reforms which enabled women to seek jobs in the market. This was the beginning of the initiation of the contribution of women to art; however the role was still very limited. However, with the cultural revolutions more and more opportunities were produced for the women and the process of evolution began to speed up (Wales 1967). Until the 1990`s the women were significantly contributing economi cally as well as culturally to the Chinese legacy. During this period, women poetry groups and arts clubs began to emerge and their activities began to enhance rapidly (Descoteaux 2008). The beginning of the new century saw an immense increase in modernization, and thus 12 Girls Band is a product of the modernization and cultural fusion. The band was selected in an audition in 2001, and twelve members later constituting of thirteen members, this band was a unique blend of girls who knew to play diverse range of instruments both modern and traditional in nature. All band members have gone through rigorous trainings in the field, and all of them belong to the conservatories groups which include the China`s Academy of Music, Central Conservatory of Music and the Chinese National Orchestra. The idea behind the concept belongs to Wang Xio-Jing who wanted twelve members for a band and his aim was to promote folk music however make it appealing by adding a modern touch to it. Thus, the wom en were inspired by the work of Yue