The Island Armin Greder Essay Example

The Island Armin Greder Essay Armin Greder’s picture book The Island is a powerful allegory that depicts fear of strangers and ignorance which satirises the majority’s exclusion from the unknown and highlights the importance relationships and communicates acceptance. The barriers which prevent acceptance are demonstrated in The Island widely through the differences of appearance. The islanders do not accept the protagonist’s dissimilarities and his ostracism is shown through the first double page. A small, vulnerable man stands naked and ultimately exposes his vulnerability and whose confused expression signifies disconnection to the environment. The simplistic art shows how lonely the stranger is and the emphasis on the white proposes emptiness. This is juxtaposed with the satirical image on the next page, giving a sense of caricature of robust, homogenous, judging, threatening men that expose their enormity and conformity in a primitive society. The irony of farming tools being used as weapons instead of taking care of the land shows how xenophobic these people are and highlights the individual’s helplessness and the strength the pursuers have massed against him due to the fact that he is different. Essentially, seeing the satirical and mocking contrast of the two images we are able to see that difference cannot be accepted into an ignorant, homogenous culture. The consequence of being in a bland society and having the security of being in a group is that it can affect a person and may obscure their personal opinions. Specifically when the fisherman spoke up and â€Å"some people agreed with the fisherman but the others were louder†. This demonstrates the voicelessness and defencelessness in our society and shows how social repression can create a context where those who are different are demonised, isolated and persecuted. We will write a custom essay sample on The Island Armin Greder specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Island Armin Greder specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Island Armin Greder specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The text highly contrasts with the images in this book and provide a satirical, humorous feeling. â€Å"So they took him in† is juxtaposed with the islanders marching the man away with perilous weapons and we see that the text is saying something positive while the images are negative. The use of â€Å"they† also connotates the conformist civilization, instead of using a specific individual name, the people are defined by a group. The satanic caricature of the priest symbolises the devil and how institutions such as education, family, law and religion all manifest into concordant, alike ways of thinking. This is portrayed when a mother warns her child about the man â€Å"he will come and eat you if you don’t finish your soup! † The allusion of the Big Bad Wolf and threats in family life proves the irony of a primitive society that cannot think for itself. We can see that the community is dismissive to any inimitable opinions and lack of identity is apparent. Consequently, the satire and analogy in The Island makes us see the exclusion of a unique individual which results into intolerance and inconsideration of the other.

That Dark Type is Called Boldface

That Dark Type is Called Boldface That Dark Type is Called Boldface That Dark Type is Called Boldface By Maeve Maddox In comparing style manuals, I came across these instructions: Never underline text. If you need to call attention to certain words, use body copy that is bolded or italic. St Anselm style guide Bolded? We talk about italic type, serif type, and sanserif type. Whats wrong with boldface? Its not as if bolded saves any syllables. Use body copy that is boldface or italic. Apparently bolded is creeping into use: This is a discussion on Compressing bolded type within the Adobe Acrobat forums in Adobe Tools category; Notice the bolded type sandwiched between lighter weight typefaces. a lighter blue that will only be legible if you combine it with a larger font size or at least as in this example a bolded type On the other hand, not everyone has opted for that ugly johnny-come-lately: A single syllable or letter in boldface type in the stems marks the position of the accent throughout this grammar. Use the word â€Å"Abstract† as the title, in 12-point Times, boldface type, centered relative to the column, Authors names in boldface type, subjects or titles in lightface type. Bolded indeed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?35 Genres and Other Varieties of FictionWriting Styles (with Examples)

Benefits of Therapy and Christianity

I have found a lot about myself and how to deal with many problems for myself and others. I will learn to become more important in the classroom and the real world. This course helped me overcome worry of concern. When I first entered the class, I was not sure of myself, but I first got to know myself and other things at first by seeing my inner self and the outside self . I am always goal-oriented and I generally know the life I desire. This course will help me understand myself better. Christian counseling is a type of psychotherapy that emphasizes the importance of relationships between humans and God. Christian counseling correctly understands and treats patients using psychology of Christian psychology. Both Christian psychology and Christian counseling can help people to understand themselves psychologically and in the eyes of God. This special form of counseling combines individual's own religious perspectives to create a more personalized form of treatment. Supporters of toda y's most convincing conversion therapy are often institutions that treat fundamental Christian groups and homosexuals with religious grounds rather than as ill. The main organization advocating secular transformation therapy is the National Association for Homosexuality Research and Treatment (NARTH), which often cooperates with religious organizations. Conversion therapy techniques used in the United States and Western Europe before 1981 include treatment of hysterectomy, chemical castration and hormone therapy, treatment of aversion to things such as giving an electric shock to opponents and genitals, nausea Simultaneous administration with drugs causing homologous stimulation and masturbation repair

Drug Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Drug Control - Essay Example But even in these new types of programs, the harmful status of marijuana continues to be diminished as it is becomes more commonly recognized among both youths and their parents that marijuana poses at most the no more of physical, psychological and social threat as hard drugs. However, harder drugs such as methamphetamines and cocaine are a different issue and should be viewed as such. All available resources should be used to keep these drugs out of the hands of teenagers, the most vulnerable group because they are easily influenced and suffer a greater potential for lifelong damage. Perhaps a more reasonable approach such as the decimalization of the soft drug marijuana and tighter controls on more dangerous substances should be considered. The teenage years are the time period when people transition from naive children to socially knowledgeable adults. During this part of life, most persons have feelings of insecurity because they are developing at a swift pace both physically an d psychologically. A teens need to belong within a group is powerful during this period and, along with the fact that they do not yet have the decision-making judgment of adults, often leads to bad choices including choosing to use hard drugs. Teenagers are naturally inquisitive, one of the justifications given for this age group experimenting with drugs. They also are inclined to become bored easily and experience recurrent emotional highs and lows, all probable factors in teenage drug use. Hard drug use increases the chance that teenagers will contract a social disease, become pregnant, perform inadequately in school and attempt suicide as this paper will examine. Adolescents are in a more vulnerable life circumstance than are adults because teens are still developing in every facet of their lives. Regrettably, it is this same group that has the most access to drugs as schools have become prolific illegal drug stores. Statistics collected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse de monstrate that schoolchildren have easy access to drugs and alcohol. â€Å"The average age of first alcohol use is 12 and the average age of first drug use is 13. Almost two-thirds of all American young people try illicit drugs before they finish high school† (Anderson, 1996) The relationship between hard drug use among teens and an increased occurrence of sexual activity is a broadly accepted reality by both researchers and the general public. Many studies have time and again demonstrated an association between unsafe sexual behavior and drug use by teenagers. Drug users are more prone to take risks than do teens that don’t use drugs. This may be an obvious assertion but a tendency to take unnecessary chances with their health combined with a lowering of inhibitions while on drugs and the inherent need of all teens to feel accepted by their peer group leads to increased sexual activity. This problematic circumstance also enhances the chance of teens having multiple se xual partners, having sex at an earlier age and decreases the odds that they will utilize contraception than those that do not use marijuana. â€Å"Teens 15 and older who use drugs are five times more likely to have sex than are those teens who do not use drugs and teens who have used drugs are four times more likely to have been pregnant or to have gotten someone pregnant than teens who have never† (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 1997). Teenagers are more emotionally unstable younger children and adults

Pallitive care week 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pallitive care week 7 - Essay Example The BSN nurses are more experienced and learned than the diploma-prepared nurses (Joishy, 1999). Physician-assisted suicide is offered to the patient by a medical health professional as a means of ending the patient’s life. Ethical issues raised include the quality of life, autonomy, and acting on the best interests of the patient. The patient has the right to refuse medical treatment even when the nurse or the physician believes that the treatment is for the best interest of the patient. In such a situation, withholding the treatment of the patient as requested is not assisting the patient to die but rather a show of free-will and dignity towards the patient. The main challenge is the definition of what the patient’s best interests are and the identification of who should be allowed to determine the best interests, and if they can be met by administering a certain treatment or withdrawing it (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2010). American Society of Registered Nurses. (2010). Dilemma for nurses: Physician-assisted suicide. Retrieved from

Human Resources in Riordan Manufacturing Essay Example for Free

Human Resources in Riordan Manufacturing Essay When people think of the responsibilities of a human resources department, they may say they are responsible for the hiring and firing of employees. The truth of the matter is that a human resources management is responsible for much more than just hiring and firing. The human resources management is responsible for hiring qualified people, training employees to do their jobs according to company policies, motivate their employees and be able to support productive employees. Riordan Manufacturing has a good human resources department, which maintains an innovative and team-oriented work environment. Riordan Manufacturing mainly recruits employees outside the company via entry –level positions. There is also an internal job posting for employees to take advantage of new job opportunities. The method Riordan Manufacturing uses to recruit qualified employees is through online advertisements via Monstor.com, local newspapers, employee referrals, temp agencies, and job conferences. The plant in China uses contract workers for engineering, and IT positions. Riordan Manufacturing seeks qualified people for jobs, but the company does not conduct reference test as well as drug testing of potential employees. When concerning training and development, Riordan Manufacturing has a mandatory training program for employees within their 90 days of hire. New employees have to attend orientation on their first day on the job. For production and shipping and quality employees, they have to go through Six Sigma training. New supervisors are required to go through training workshops within 12 months of becoming a supervisor. Such workshops include interviewing guidelines, preventing EEO claims as well as workplace sexual harassment, and finally performance reviews. Riordan Manufacturing also has incentive programs for outstanding employees. There are three types of programs Riordan Manufacturing use to recognize outstanding employees. 1. Outstanding Employee Award 2. Employee Suggestion Program 3. Seniority Awards Riordan Manufacturing HR system Riordan Manufacturing implemented it’s HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems) in 1992. This system manages employee information such as the following: 1. Personal information 2. Pay rate 3. Personal exemptions for tax purposes 4. Hire dates 5. Seniority date 6. Organizational information 7. Vacation hours If an employee has to make any changes to his or her information, he or she has to submit it in writing on a special form. That information is entered later by a payroll clerk. The training and development specialist kept track of training and development records via Excel worksheets. In order for recruiters to maintain applicant’s information, all resumes are filed in a central storage area and are track via an Excel spreadsheet. Riordan Manufacturing employs a third party provider to keep track of workers’ compensation. Individual managers keep track of employee’s files and are also responsible for tacking FMLA absences as well as requests for accommodation. A compensation manager keeps results of job analyses, salary surveys and individual compensation decisions via Excel spreadsheet. Complaints, grievances, harassment complaints, as well as ethical issues are managed and tracked by employee relations specialists. HR Needed Systems Riordan Manufacturing’s current HRIS needs an up-to-date face lift. Instead of having different individuals managing employee’s vital information, Riordan Manufacturing needs to invest in human resources software. Implementing the software would increase the efficiency of their current HRIS. It would ease the burden of keeping track of all the employees’ information. References University of Phoenix (2012). Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization. Retrieved from BSA/500 – Business Systems II course website.

Trench Coat Mafia And Society :: essays research papers

The Trench coat Mafia Opinion MANY FACTORS CAUSED OUTBURST OF VIOLENCE There is no single factor that caused the outburst of violence on 20th April 1999, in Littleton, Colorado. Blaming a single factor as the cause of the Columbine High School massacre is as ludicrous as a nation blaming an economic crisis on one person alone. There were many contributing factors that led to this massacre, and with that, an array of warning signs, all of which were ignored by most people. If people were searching for a sole factor to blame, it would be most appropriate to blame the lack of awareness of the Columbine High School community. The killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, talked about their love of guns openly at school and wrote death poetry during their English classes. Can't anyone see that such behaviour can lead to nothing but darkness? The group Harris and Klebold belonged to, the Trench coat Mafia, told classmates of their plans to carry out a massacre at school, but fellow students jeered and dismissed their comments as empty threats. The preferred attire of the Trench coat Mafia were black trench coats, sunglasses and army berets. This code of dress was designed to stand out from the rest of the students, and to attract attention to them. This was not a wise decision made by the group as it attracted more abuse from students and became clearly recognised as 'misfits'. This worsened the communication gap between the group and other students. The school should have identified this problem and attempt to rectify the situation. The group's alienation from the rest of the school community made most people think that they were outcasts and soon became inferior and the butt of jokes. This proves that bullying cannot be denied a part in the cause of this massacre. Bullying lowered the self-esteem of Harris and Klebold, who eventually resorted to violence, thinking that it would be the solution to their problems. However, If the 'misfits' were not jeered at but were accepted, they would not be misfits, and peaceful co-existence as civilised human beings would have been achieved. 'Seek and ye shall find'; stated Sophocles. Harris and Klebold did accordingly and proved this statement true during their search for weapons. However strict the government make the gun laws, there are always ways for minors to obtain weapons. It would be unfair if all of the blame was laid onto the lack of gun control.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-eight

I STOPPED BREATHING. WE'D each had our own blankets, but even in the middle of summer, the temperature had dropped during the night. Dimitri, in his sleep, had rolled over against me, merging our blankets into one pile and resting his head on my chest. His body lay against mine, warm and familiar, and he even snuggled a little closer. He was more exhausted than I'd realized if he was doing this in his sleep. After all, this was the guy who slept with one eye open. But his guard was down now, his body unconsciously seeking †¦ what? Simple warmth? Me? Damn it. Why had I asked Sonya my question? Why couldn't I keep going with my easy role as Adrian's girlfriend and Dimitri's friend? Because honestly, I wasn't doing a very good job at either one right now. Tentatively, fearfully, I shifted slightly so that I could put one arm around Dimitri and draw him closer. I knew it was a risk, one that might wake him and break this spell. But it didn't. If anything, he seemed to relax more. Feeling him like that †¦ holding him †¦ it churned up a swarm of emotions within me. The ache I had felt since his loss burned within me. At the same time, holding him like this also seemed to fill that ache, as though a piece of me that had been missing was now restored. I hadn't even realized that piece was missing. I'd blocked it all out until Sonya's words had shaken my fragile new acceptance of life. I don't know how long I stayed like that with Dimitri. It was long enough that the rising sun began to illuminate the tent's translucent fabric. That was all the light my eyes needed to now see Dimitri, to see the finely carved lines of his face and softness of his hair as he lay against me. I wanted so badly to touch that hair, to see if it felt like it used to. That was a silly sentiment, of course. His hair wouldn't have changed. Still †¦ the urge was there, and I finally gave in, gently running my fingers over some stray locks. They were smooth and silky, and that barest touch sent chills through me. It also woke him up. His eyes opened, instantly alert. I expected him to jump away from me, but instead, he only assessed the situation–and didn't move. I left my hand where it was on the side of his face, still stroking his hair. Our gazes locked, so much passing between us. In those moments, I wasn't in a tent with him, on the run from those who regarded us as villains. There was no murderer to catch, no Strigoi trauma to overcome. There was just him and me and the feelings that had burned between us for so long. When he did move, it wasn't to get away. Instead, he lifted his head so that he looked down at me. Only a few inches separated us, and his eyes betrayed him. He wanted to kiss me–and I wanted him to. He leaned over me, one hand resting against my cheek. I readied myself for his lips–I needed them–and then he froze. He pulled back and sat up, exhaling in frustration as he looked away from me. I sat up as well, my breathing rapid and shallow. â€Å"Wh-what's wrong?' I asked. He glanced back at me. â€Å"Pick. There are lots of choices.' I ran a finger along my lips. So close. So, so close. â€Å"I know †¦ I know things have changed. I know you were wrong. I know you can feel love again.' His mask was back up as he formulated his answer. â€Å"This isn't about love.' The last minute replayed in my head, that perfect connection, the way he'd looked at me and made my heart feel. Hell, Sonya claimed we even had some mystical connection. â€Å"If it's not about love, then what is it about?' I exclaimed. â€Å"It's about doing the right thing,' he said quietly. The right thing? Right and wrong had been perennial topics at St. Vladimir's. I wasn't eighteen. He was my teacher. We were slated to be Lissa's guardians and had to give her our full attention. All of those were arguments for why staying apart had been necessary back then. But those had long since fallen by the wayside. I would have questioned him more–if someone hadn't scratched at our door. Both of us sprang up and apart, reaching for the stakes we'd slept near. Grabbing my stake was instinct because I knew there was no Strigoi out there. But lately, Strigoi had been the least of our worries. â€Å"Rose? Dimitri?' The voice was barely audible–but familiar. Relaxing slightly, I unzipped the tent's entrance and revealed Sonya kneeling in front of it. Like us, she wore the same clothes from earlier, and her auburn hair was messy. Otherwise, she seemed to have escaped her pursuers unscathed. I scooted aside so that she could enter. â€Å"Cozy,' she said, glancing around. â€Å"You've got the farthest spot out on the campground. Took me forever to find the car you described.' â€Å"How'd you get here?' I asked. She winked. â€Å"You're not the only ones who can steal cars. Or, in my case, get people to â€Å"willingly' lend them.' â€Å"Were you followed?' asked Dimitri. He was all seriousness again, with no sign of what had passed moments ago. â€Å"Not that I could tell,' she said, shifting into a cross-legged position. â€Å"A couple guardians followed me back in the neighborhood, but I lost them a while ago. Most of them seemed more interested in you two.' â€Å"Imagine that,' I muttered. â€Å"Too bad Victor was long gone–he might have taken priority.' â€Å"He didn't kill a queen,' she said ruefully. We'd had to eventually tell her why Victor was wanted and that he'd been the one Sonya had sensed was stalking Lissa back at St. Vladimir's. â€Å"But the good news is I know where they're at now.' â€Å"Where?' asked Dimitri and I in unison. A small, knowing smile came to her lips at that. â€Å"West Michigan,' she said. â€Å"They took off in the opposite direction from Court.' â€Å"Damn,' I muttered. Dimitri and I had gone southeast from Ann Arbor, clipping the Detroit suburbs and just crossing into Ohio. We'd picked the wrong direction. â€Å"But you saw Jill? Is she okay?' Sonya nodded. â€Å"Fine. Scared, but fine. She described enough landmarks that I think we can locate their motel. I found her in a dream a couple hours ago; they had to rest. Victor wasn't feeling well. They might still be there.' â€Å"Then we need to leave now,' said Dimitri, instantly in action. â€Å"Once they're moving, Jill will be awake and out of contact.' We packed up our campsite with amazing speed. My ankle felt better but was still sore. Noticing my limp, Sonya called a halt just before we got in her car. â€Å"Hang on.' She knelt before me, examining the swelling ankle that was easily exposed by my torn dress. Taking a deep breath, she rested her hands on me, and a surge of electricity shot through my leg, followed by waves of heat and cold. When it was over and she stood up, the pain and swelling were gone, as were the scrapes on my legs. Probably the cuts on my head too. Spirit users had healed me so often that you'd think I'd be used to it, but it was still a little startling. â€Å"Thank you,' I said. â€Å"But you shouldn't have done that †¦ shouldn't have used the magic †¦' â€Å"You need to be in peak condition,' she said. Her gaze drifted from me, staring off at the trees. â€Å"And the magic †¦ well, it's hard to stay away from.' Indeed it was, and I felt guilty that she was using it on me–and moving closer to insanity. Robert's restoration had healed her mind a little, and she needed to take advantage of that. This was no time for a lecture, though, and Dimitri's expression told me he too thought it best I get back in shape. We took off toward where Sonya told us Jill was, and this time, her directions were as specific as she could make them. No more vagueness or binding promises. We stopped once to â€Å"acquire' a new car and get a map. The info Sonya had gleaned from Jill led us to a town called Sturgis. While it was in the western half of Michigan, it was also south–meaning the distance wasn't quite as long as we'd expected. Nonetheless, Dimitri drove at least fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit the whole time. â€Å"There,' said Sonya, as we rolled into downtown Sturgis–which wasn't much of a downtown. We were near a modest-looking motel on a side street. â€Å"That's what she described. The Sunshine Motel.' Dimitri pulled into the lot behind the building, and we all sat there, staring at the motel, which didn't look as cheerful as its name. Like me, I presumed my companions were trying to figure out how to approach this. Jill's dream info had gotten us here, but Sonya had nothing else to help us find their room–if they were even still here. They certainly wouldn't have checked in under real names. I was going to suggest we just walk past the doors and hope Sonya would sense Robert when she suddenly pointed. â€Å"That's their car,' she said. â€Å"They're here.' Sure enough. There was the CR-V we'd taken to Jill's house. Talk about karma. I'd swiped Victor's keys, and he'd repaid the favor by taking ours. None of us had thought much about his escape vehicle in the ensuing chaos. â€Å"Sloppy,' murmured Dimitri, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. â€Å"They should have switched cars.' â€Å"That's Sydney's,' I pointed out. â€Å"It's not technically stolen, so it's not on any police lists. Besides, something tells me Victor and Robert aren't hot-wiring pros like some people are.' We'd left a string of stolen cars across the Midwest. Dimitri nodded, like I'd actually just complimented him. â€Å"Whatever the reason, it helps us.' â€Å"How do we find them?' asked Sonya. I was about to suggest the aura plan but dismissed it. Robert would sense Sonya at the same moment, giving him brief warning. Plus, when we found the brothers, there'd likely be a fight. Doing it in the motel would attract attention. This parking lot was in back, away from the main road. â€Å"We wait,' I said. â€Å"It's amazing enough that they even stopped this long. If they have any sense, they'll leave soon.' â€Å"Agreed,' said Dimitri, catching my eyes. Souls in sync. The memory of that near-kiss returned, and I looked away, fearing what my face would betray. â€Å"The lot's easy to defend too. Not much room for escape.' It was true. The motel flanked one side, a concrete wall the other. There weren't many other buildings nearby either. He moved our car to the farthest spot he could in the lot, providing us with a full view of it and the motel's exit–but keeping us semi-concealed. We considered sitting in the car, but Dimitri and I decided we should wait outside, giving us more mobility. We left Sonya inside. This wasn't her fight. Standing behind the car with Dimitri, in the shadow of a leafy maple, I became acutely aware of his proximity and fierce warrior stance. He might be missing his duster, but I had to admit I liked the view of him I got without the coat. â€Å"I don't suppose,' I said softly, â€Å"that we're going to talk about this morning?' Dimitri's eyes were fixed so hard on the CR-V that he might have been trying to make Jill and the brothers materialize inside it. I wasn't fooled. He was just avoiding looking at me. â€Å"There's nothing to talk about.' â€Å"I knew you'd say that. Actually, it was a toss-up between that and â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about.† Dimitri sighed. â€Å"But,' I continued, â€Å"there is something to talk about. Like when you almost kissed me. And what did you mean about â€Å"the right thing'?' Silence. â€Å"You wanted to kiss me!' It was hard to keep my voice low. â€Å"I saw it.' â€Å"Just because we want something doesn't mean it's right.' â€Å"What I said †¦ it's true, isn't it? You can love, can't you? I realize now that right after the transformation, you really didn't think you could. And you probably couldn't. But things have changed. You're getting yourself back.' Dimitri gave me a sidelong look. â€Å"Yes. Things have changed †¦ and some haven't.' â€Å"Okay, Mr. Enigma. That doesn't help explain the â€Å"right thing' comment.' Frustration filled his features. â€Å"Rose, I've done a lot of bad things, most of which I can never fix or find redemption for. My only choice now, if I want to reclaim my life, is to go forward, stopping evil and doing what's right. And what is not right is taking a woman from another man, a man I like and respect. I'll steal cars. I'll break into houses. But there are lines I will not cross, no matter what I–‘ The motel's back door opening jolted us to attention. It was no wonder my love life was so messed up when the most profound and intimate moments were always being interrupted by dire situations. It was just as well because I had never, ever seen that line coming: What is not right is taking a woman from another man, a man I like and respect. New drama took precedence. Victor stepped outside, with Robert and Jill walking side by side behind him. I'd half expected to see her tied up and was surprised that she accompanied them so calmly. Too calmly, I soon realized. It wasn't natural. There was an almost robotic feel to her movements: she was being compelled into docility. â€Å"Compulsion,' said Dimitri quietly, recognizing it as well. â€Å"Go for Victor. I'll get Robert.' I nodded. â€Å"Jill will run as soon as the compulsion's broken. I hope.' I didn't put it past her to join our fight, which could cause more harm than good. We'd find out soon enough. Mercifully, no one else was around. It was still fairly early in the morning. Dimitri and I sprang out from our hiding spots, crossing the distance of the parking lot in a matter of moments. Two healthy dhampirs could outrace two old Moroi any day. And as crafty as they might be, the brothers hadn't expected us. In my periphery, I just barely saw Dimitri kicking into warrior god mode, fierce and unstoppable. Then, I focused entirely on Victor, throwing my full weight at him and knocking him to the ground. He hit hard against the asphalt, and I pinned him down, slamming my fist into his face and making his nose bleed. â€Å"Well done,' he gasped out. â€Å"I've been wanting to do that for a very long time,' I growled. Victor smiled through the pain and the blood. â€Å"Of course you have. I used to think Belikov was the savage one, but it's really you, isn't it? You're the animal with no control, no higher reasoning except to fight and kill.' I clenched his shirt and leaned him over him. â€Å"Me? I'm not the one who tortured Lissa for my own benefit. I'm not the one who turned my daughter Strigoi. And I'm sure as hell not the one who used compulsion to kidnap a fifteen-year-old girl!' To my disgust, he kept that maddening smile on his face. â€Å"She's valuable, Rose. So, so valuable. You have no idea how much so.' â€Å"She's not an object for you to manipulate!' I cried. â€Å"She's a–ahh!' The ground suddenly rolled up beneath me, a mini-earthquake centered around us. The asphalt bucked up, giving Victor the leverage to push me off. It wasn't a strong push, and I could have easily recovered my balance if not for the ground rippling and surrounding me, rolling like ocean waves to knock me over. Victor was using his earth magic to control the area where I stood. Faint cries of surprise told me others were feeling a little of it, but the magic was clearly focused on me. Not without cost, though. Victor was an old man–an old man I'd just shoved onto asphalt and punched. Pain and fatigue were all over him, and his labored breathing told me wielding magic this powerful–something I'd never seen an earth user do–was pushing every ounce of strength he had left. One good punch. That was all I needed. One good punch would knock him down and take him out of this fight. Only, I was the one being taken down. Literally. Try as I might, my personal earthquake got the best of me, knocking me to my knees. I was still in that stupid dress too, meaning my newly healed legs got scraped again. And once I was down, the asphalt rose around me. I realized Victor was going to ensnare me by creating a stone prison. I couldn't let that happen. â€Å"All that brawn for nothing,' gasped out Victor, sweat pouring off his face. â€Å"It does you no good in the end. Real power is in the mind. In cunning. In controlling Jillian, I control Vasilisa. With Vasilisa, I control the Dragomirs, and from there–the Moroi. That's power. That's strength.' Most of his smug tirade went over me. But part of it stuck: In controlling Jillian, I control Vasilisa. Lissa. I couldn't let him hurt her. I couldn't let him use her. In fact, I couldn't let him use Jill either. Lissa had given me a chotki, which was kind of a cross between a bracelet and a rosary. It was a Dragomir heirloom, bestowed upon those who protected the family. That was my duty: to protect all the Dragomirs. The old guardian mantra rang in my mind: They come first. With skill I didn't know I possessed, I sized up the shaking ground and attempted to stand again. I made it, practically dancing in that parking lot. And as I stared at Victor, I felt what Sonya had warned about: the catalyst. The spark that would ignite the darkness I'd gathered and gathered from Lissa. In looking at him, I saw all the evils of my life in one man. Was that entirely accurate? No, not exactly. But he had hurt my best friend–nearly killed her. He'd toyed with Dimitri and me, complicating what was already a mess of a relationship. He was now trying to control others. When would it end? When would his evil stop? Red and black tinged my vision. I heard a voice call my name–Sonya's, I think. But in that moment, there was nothing else in the world but Victor and my hate for him. I sprang at him, fueled by rage and adrenaline, leaping out of the epicenter of shaking ground that threatened to seize me. Once more, I threw myself at him, but we didn't hit the ground. We'd shifted position slightly, and instead, we hit the concrete wall–with just as much force as I might have thrown a Strigoi. His head bent back at the impact. I heard an odd cracking sound, and Victor slumped to the ground. I immediate dropped down, grabbing his arms and shaking him. â€Å"Get up!' I screamed. â€Å"Get up and fight me!' But no matter how much I shook him or yelled, Victor would not stand. He wouldn't move on his own. Hands grabbed me, trying futilely to pull me away. â€Å"Rose–Rose! Stop. Stop this.' I ignored the voice, ignored the hands. I was all anger and power, wanting– no, needing–Victor to face me once and for all. Suddenly, a strange sensation crept along me, like fingertips across my skin. Let him go. I didn't want to, but for half a second, it seemed like a reasonable idea. I loosened my hold slightly, just enough for those hands to jerk me away. Like that, I snapped out of the haze and realized what had happened. The person who'd pulled me was Sonya, and she'd used a tiny bit of compulsion to get me away and let go of Victor. She was strong enough in her power that she didn't even need eye contact. She held onto me, even though she had to know it was wasted effort. â€Å"I have to stop him,' I said, wriggling from her grasp. â€Å"He has to pay.' I reached for him again. Sonya gave up on physical restraint, appealing to words instead. â€Å"Rose, he has! He's dead. Can't you see that? Dead. Victor's dead!' No, I didn't see that–not at first. All I saw was my blind obsession, my need to get to Victor. But then, her words broke through to me. As I gripped Victor, I felt the limpness in his body. I saw the eyes that looked blankly at †¦ nothing. That crazy, churning emotion in me faded, transforming into shock. My grip slackened as I stared at him and truly understood what she had said. Understood what I had done. Then, I heard a terrible sound. A low wailing broke through the frozen horror in my mind. I glanced back in alarm and saw Dimitri standing with Robert. Robert's arms were pinned behind his back as Dimitri effortlessly held him, but the Moroi was doing everything in his power–and failing–to break free. Jill stood nearby, looking uneasily at all of us, confused and afraid. â€Å"Victor! Victor!' Robert's pleas were muffled by sobs and as useless as my own efforts to get Victor up. I dragged my gaze back down to the body before me, barely believing what I had just done. I'd thought the guardians had been crazy in their reaction to Eddie killing a Moroi, but now, I was starting to understand. A monster like a Strigoi was one thing. But the life of a person, even a person who– â€Å"Get him out of here!' Sonya was so near me that the unexpected exclamation made me wince. She'd been kneeling too but now jumped to her feet, turning toward Dimitri. â€Å"Get him out of here! As far as you can!' Dimitri looked surprised, but the powerful command in her voice drove him to instant action. He began dragging Robert away. After a few moments, Dimitri simply opted to toss the man over his shoulder and cart him off. I would have expected cries of protest, but Robert had fallen silent. His eyes were on Victor's body–their gaze so sharp, so focused that they seemed like they could burn a hole through someone. Sonya, not having my fanciful impression, thrust herself between the brothers and dropped to the ground again, covering Victor's body with her own. â€Å"Get him out of here!' she called again. â€Å"He's trying to bring Victor back! He'll be shadow-kissed!' I was still confused and upset, still appalled at what I'd done, but the danger of what she said hit me hard. Robert couldn't be allowed to bring back Victor back. The brothers were dangerous enough without being bonded. Victor couldn't be allowed to summon ghosts the way I could. Victor had to stay dead. â€Å"Doesn't he have to touch the body?' I asked. â€Å"To finish the bond, yes. But he was wielding tons of spirit just now, calling Victor's soul back and keeping it around,' she explained. When Dimitri and Robert were gone, Sonya told me to help her move the body. We'd made too much noise, and it was a wonder no one had come out yet. Jill joined us, and I moved without really being aware of what I was doing. Sonya found the keys to the CR-V on Victor and flattened the backseats to increase the rear cargo space. We crawled into it, the three of us having to hunch down to stay out of sight. We soon heard voices, people coming to see what had happened. I don't know long they were in the parking lot, only that they mercifully didn't search cars. Honestly? I had few coherent thoughts at all. That rage was gone, but my mind was a mess. I couldn't seem to get a hold of anything concrete. I felt sick and just followed Sonya's orders, staying low as I tried not to look at Victor's body. Even after the voices were gone, she kept us in the car. At last, she exhaled a deep breath and focused on me. â€Å"Rose?' I didn't answer right away. â€Å"Rose?' â€Å"Yeah?' I asked, voice cracking. Her voice was soothing and cajoling. I felt that crawling on my skin again and a need to please her. â€Å"I need you to look at the dead. Open your eyes to them.' The dead? No. My mind felt out of control, and I had enough sense to know bringing ghosts here would be a bad idea. â€Å"I can't.' â€Å"You can,' she said. â€Å"I'll help you. Please.' I couldn't refuse her compulsion. Expanding my senses, I let down the walls I kept around me. They were the walls that blocked me from the world of the dead and the ghosts that followed me around. Within moments, translucent faces appeared before me, some like normal people and others terrible and ghastly. Their mouths opened, wanting to speak but unable to. â€Å"What do you see?' asked Sonya. â€Å"Spirits,' I whispered. â€Å"Do you see Victor?' I peered into the swarm of faces, seeking anyone familiar. â€Å"No.' â€Å"Push them back,' she said. â€Å"Put your walls back up.' I tried to do as she said, but it was hard. I didn't have the will. I felt outside encouragement and realized Sonya was still compelling me. She couldn't make the ghosts disappear, but feelings of support and determination strengthened me. I shut out the restless dead. â€Å"He's gone then,' Sonya said. â€Å"He's either completely consumed by the world of the dead or is wandering as a restless spirit. Regardless, any lingering threads to life are gone. He can't come back to life.' She turned to Jill. â€Å"Go get Dimitri.' â€Å"I don't know where he is,' said Jill, startled. Sonya smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. â€Å"Close, I'm sure. And watching. Go walk around the motel, the block, whatever. He'll find you.' Jill left, needing no compulsion. When she was gone, I buried my face in my hands. â€Å"Oh God. Oh God. All this time, I denied it, but it's true: I am a murderer.' â€Å"Don't think about that yet,' said Sonya. Her take-charge attitude was almost comforting. Almost. It was easier to take orders than fend for yourself. â€Å"Deal with your guilt later. For now, we have to get rid of the body.' I uncovered my eyes and forced myself to look at Victor. Nausea welled up within me, and those crazy feelings spun even more out of control. I gave a harsh laugh. â€Å"Yes. The body. I wish Sydney was here. But we don't have any magic potions. The sun won't destroy him. Weird, isn't it? Strigoi are harder to kill †¦ harder to kill, easier to clean up.' I laughed again because there was something familiar about my rambling †¦ it was like Adrian in one of his weird moments. Or Lissa when spirit had pushed her to the edge. â€Å"This is it, isn't it?' I asked Sonya. â€Å"The flood †¦ the flood you warned me about. Lissa escaped spirit, but it finally defeated me †¦ just like Anna †¦ just like the dream †¦ oh God. This is the dream, isn't it? But I won't wake up †¦' Sonya was staring at me, her blue eyes wide with †¦ fear? Mockery? Alarm? She reached out and took my hand. â€Å"Stay with me, Rose. We'll push it back.' A knock at the window startled us both, and Sonya let Jill and Dimitri in. â€Å"Where's Robert?' asked Sonya. Dimitri glanced down at Victor and then promptly looked away. â€Å"Unconscious, hidden in some bushes around the corner.' â€Å"Charming,' said Sonya. â€Å"Do you think that's smart? Leaving him?' He shrugged. â€Å"I figured I shouldn't be seen carrying an unconscious guy in my arms. In fact †¦ yes, I think we should just leave him there. He'll wake up. He's not a fugitive. And without Victor, he's †¦ well, not harmless. But less harmful. We can't keep dragging him with us anyway.' I laughed again, that laugh that seemed unhinged and hysterical even to me. â€Å"He's unconscious. Of course. Of course. You can do that. You can do the right thing. Not me.' I looked down at Victor. â€Å"†An animal,' he said. He was right. No higher reasoning †¦' I wrapped my arms around myself, my fingernails digging into my skin so hard they drew blood. Physical pain to make the mental pain go away. Wasn't that what Lissa had always said? Dimitri stared at me and then turned to Sonya. â€Å"What's wrong?' he demanded. I'd seen him risk his life over and over, but never, until now, had he truly looked afraid. â€Å"Spirit,' said Sonya. â€Å"She's pulled and pulled for so long †¦ and managed to hold it back. It's been waiting, though. Always waiting †¦' She frowned slightly, maybe realizing she was starting to sound like me. She turned to Jill. â€Å"Is that silver?' Jill looked down at the heart-shaped locket around her neck. â€Å"I think so.' â€Å"Can I have it?' Jill undid the clasp and passed it over. Sonya held it between her palms and closed her eyes a moment, pursing her lips. A few seconds later, her eyes opened, and she handed me the locket. â€Å"Put it on.' Just touching it gave me a strange tingling in my skin. â€Å"The heart †¦' I looked at Dimitri as I fastened the clasp. â€Å"Do you remember that? â€Å"Where's the heart?' you asked. And here it is. Here it †¦' I stopped. The world suddenly became crisper. My jumbled thoughts slowly began to move back together, forming some semblance of rationality. I stared at my companions–the living ones–truly seeing them now. I touched the locket. â€Å"This is a healing charm.' Sonya nodded. â€Å"I didn't know if it'd work on the mind. I don't think it's a permanent fix †¦ but between it and your own will, you'll be okay for a while.' I tried not to focus on those last words. For a while. Instead, I tried to make sense of the world around me. Of the body in front of me. â€Å"What have I done?' I whispered. Jill put her arm around me, but it was Dimitri who spoke. â€Å"What you had to.'

Children speech and language development Essay

From the time of birth to three years, children’s brain known to grow quickly. This makes it very important for early intervention to treat autism disorder at this age. It needs a therapy hence during this age the children have not yet started going to school hence very available for this exercise. Also at this age children have less ingrained habits. This makes it easier to stop this behavior for it might turn to intractable once left for a long period. 2. The sharp rise may be because most mass media in most countries have no access to the right information. It is also because of people neglecting vaccines and its additive. There is a lot of mercury present in many vaccines and this accelerates the development of autism among children. Mercury is not only harmful but it is toxic to our brains. 3. Naturalistic this is because it orients the child to the practical world. The children learns from the environment in which they live in and also pass. In this case, students learn more on themselves and the environment as a whole. In so doing the children develop themselves as they interact with the rest of the world. The environmental contribution to children’s speech and language acquisition is put in to weight by analysists. Skinner (1957). 4. An effective intervention may have the following elements: â€Å"Child talk† communication pattern. They should be outgrown well to avoid bringing learning problems to the child. One should make sure that communication skills are learned by the child before she is five years old. this is the age when the brain is developing quickly. The involvement of a pathologists is very important to children with speech disorder. The child’s teacher should be aware of the best method to deliver the communication skills to the child during class time. The family of the child should also be involved during the development of objectives and methods of facilitating the most effective therapy. Counselors can be included for the suggestion of effective strategies which will assist in linking the several phases of development. The element of technology should be considered and the use of communication systems which mainly requires electronics. These are very important for people with physical l disabilities. Brise, A. (2000). 5. It is a bit difficult for for speech to be replaced by reading during learning English because People cannot wait to learn instead of making speech because it is easier to pass the required information without much struggle. Speech is also the first and the quickest thing to be learn even before children start attending schools. The skills needed to compensate for children with visual impairments are: tools use and using modifications. Tools like braille for communication are very important. Use of computers and adaptations for writing. 6. Some of the compensation required for visual impairment are using tools for example glasses, involving educational tasks for the children and providing opportunities that enable the students to interact with the environment. The teacher can also use large writings on the board and make use of recorded materials. The use of assistive technology is of importance especially during the writing practice. Leisure activities should also be provided to these people for the development of skills. Personal management should be allowed to visually impaired student who in order for them to judge their abilities and skills. This will assist them live independently. Social interactions should highly be considered to enable the children grow in a relationship world. This will assist them solve their problems for companionship purposes. Mobility of the students either through traveling or having picnics should be put into consideration for it will help them understand the world better they live better. 7. A child with impairment may it be health or physical, will always be isolated by the rest who are healthy and fit. This isolation leads to loneliness among the impairment children . They always lack partners to play with and to appreciate them. This in turn may lead to poor social development of the child. They often depend on themselves and only little assistance is received from their parents. Many people and communities see these people as a bad omen in the society and may look for any way to terminate them even before they reach the age of ten. Many people will look down upon them making them loss their self perception. This bad perception from many people on children with physical impairment should be avoided and instead introduction of homes to care for them be introduced. 8. Special curriculum should be provided for disabled people. Teaching practices should be of high class and clear discussions made. More concentration should be made on these people compared to those without special needs. 9. Bright students also require special education because this is a disability of a kind. They should never be mixed with the slow learners because they try to understand quickly to others. 10. Teachers should make sure that they organize a class discussion for all the students to participate in. this vigorous exercise will make all the student feel important and equal. The teacher should organize for a games while teaching or during break hours. This will make all participate and refresh them too. Community service is important to all. This will make the student serve the community they live in. Both local and international internships should be organized for disabled students this also make them feel part and parcel of the community. Lesson plan by the teachers should be available to all the learners. References. Skinner, D. (1957). Children speech and language development. Harvard university press. Brise, A. (2000). Communication disorders among the young people. Arlington.

Christian Ethics Essay Sample

Christian Ethics Essay Sample Christian Ethics Essay In our day to day activities, we always strive to meet and satisfy our needs and wants. To many, our opinions come fast but to others, it’s vice versa. Many people fear being judged by the society at large due to their prestige while others care less about what people say about them. Every society has its standards and acting against such often warrants ridicule. What people fail to realize is that harsh judgment in the society can lead to dire casualties such as loss of lives due to depression and peer pressure. That said, people also ought to live lives that are purposeful to them since the society is not responsible for what happens to them. Biblically, we ought to live a life that is pleasing to God more so since He is the giver of life. In a Christian perception, moral principles can help us greatly in living such a life. Unambiguously, Christian ethics helps a lot in trying to solve our life situations. The Bible is also an important entity which is a key in helping us to grow morally. Utter use of the moral values found in the Bible helps a lot in sorting out our life issues. The Bible states that faith without action is dead. We ought to show God that we have faith in Him and that we trust Him with our lives. Mere practice of showing that you have faith is not that pleasing in the eyes of God but one ought to practice the morals being communicated. Violence erupts in many societies but it is our key responsibility to ensure that peace prevails. We must fight against all odds to live together in harmony. We should always be willing to offer a listening heart to our fellow society members. The Bible teaches us to always treat our neighbors how we expect them to treat us. We should also love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves, but majorly we should love God most. Such a command is quite influential especially to Christians who are, therefore, expected to love and put others before them. Many people do not know what the word of God says. Christians should share the word of God with those who have lost hope in life, those who lead a life that is not pleasing to God and those who choose to be pressured by the pleasures of the world. Ethically, God is pleased when His word is spread all over and more souls come to Him. Introducing new souls to the church also helps in making them understand the word much better. Abiding by the church laws morally is also a major virtue of Christian ethics. By winning souls for God, Christians learn to be servants which is also a command and one of the moral principles of being a Christian. Christians are also expected to abstain from drugs or any other thing that may tempt them to act in evil. The abuse of drugs and falling into temptations does lead to major casualties. The Bible calls our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Using drugs interferes with our being pure and as Christians we ought to teach ourselves and others to practice self control. Abstaining from drugs and temptations makes us not sin before God. At times it is hard to do so but through consistent prayers, we can ask God to step in and give u strength to overcome the temptation to sin. Knowledge of the scripture is an important virtue of Christian ethics. People are usually undecided on whether what they are doing is right or wrong. Some people end up doing the wrong thing due to lack of knowledge of what is expected. However, Christians need to immerse themselves deeply in the Bible and understand what God expects of them. In conclusion, Christian ethics is relevant today because it fills a void that no material moral system can manage to fill satisfactorily. Christian ethics helps us learn how important is God and how important are His word and His creations.

Business Idea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Business Idea - Essay Example The umbrellas can be delivered at a client’s convenience upon request. The clients will be provided with our business cards so that they may refer their friends to our services and also ensure that they make request of our services. The average cost of an umbrella in UK is 20 pounds. We plan to allocate 300 pounds to purchase approximately 15 umbrellas for the start of the business. The remaining 200 pounds will be used to cater for the product of business cards and process the operational license of the business. The The unique selling point of this business is based on the fact that the umbrellas can be delivered upon request by the client. Therefore, a client does not have to under any challenge in case the rain begins falling and they do not have an umbrella. Additionally, the prices will also be relatively available. We expect to sell the umbrella at an affordable price that will favor our clients and the continuity of our business. Owing to the fact that the region experiences frequent rainfall, this business idea is strategic, targeting clients that may be faced by mobility challenges due to frequent rain. The umbrellas are also good quality; our clients will be assured of durability of their umbrellas: We intend to research and determine the most affordable and high quality umbrellas that we will take at wholesale prices to ensure that we reduce operational costs. The business targets International students in the college, specifically Russian and Chinese students, who are still not aware of the rainfall pattern of the area. In addition, it also targets local students and lecturers, who may be in need of umbrellas to improve their mobility during the rains. On the other hand, the business targets support staff within the college and other people such as visiting parents and others. These targets are believed to be lucrative for this business owing

Evolution of the 19th Century European Paintings Term Paper

Evolution of the 19th Century European Paintings - Term Paper Example Towards the age of enlightenment in the 18th century, perceptions have been changed. Art is then described as a pursuit or profession in which skill is geared towards the achievement of taste or creation of what is beautiful. And although the skill is there, art is further associated with taste, class, elegance, and beauty. An account has been made that Mme. de Pompadour contributed in the development of new standards for such taste and elegance, but also did so much to heighten the status of the artists in the society. During this century, artists and writers became frequent guests in aristocratic rendezvous.In the 19th century, artists already began to show more extensive emancipations with conventional ideas and techniques, interpretation, and appropriate subject matter. The manifestations of the artists' skills are greatly shown in their works. Their ideas of beauty and creativity coupled with their skills were radiated to superior works of art that have entertained spectators. W ith this, artists held special and sublime class, in some ways distinct from ordinary humans. Another noted consideration of the 19th-century perception of art and its relation to the present day is the ability of paintings to persuade and teach. At that time, it has been the most powerful visual image and the window of people to get information about the world around them. Thus, wealthy and powerful supporters used art for the purpose of education. This concept has transcended to the creation highly technological visual images used today. Somehow, the theories that apply to the use of art during the olden centuries have been handed down to current generations. It is a very important tool to facilitate learning and it continuously advances to graphic designs in cyber technology. Also during the 19th century is the spread of democracy and at this stage, avenues have been provided for artists that allowed them to present vast diversity of visions and messages. This was also because of the fact that there has been an increase in the middle class that already patronize their works; like today, exhibits are held to publicly display an artist' masterpieces. There were still convictions, as there have been in the past, in the supremacy of art to shape human minds. But now, these works of art became expressions of visions and the thus the artists were foreseen as prophets. They somehow provide moral and spiritual guidance and to project beauty and significance for the emergence of the industrial age; to reinvent and develop the visual arena to meet the changing times. As noted in the past, the later years of the 19th century gave rise to significant movements such as modernism, impressionism, expressionism, and symbolism. In many ways, these movements are clearly s een in today's concept of arts. The quest for innovation and updated-ness is inherent in the artist's goal of producing fine arts. Nonetheless, there are still many who remain to patronize the traditional, nostalgic techniques and endeavored to hinder the accelerating rate of change. The appearances of such arts are with intricate, elaborate, and decorative details, as opposed to modernist penchant to simplify forms and diminish decorative details. Similar to present setting, there is a diverse range of themes in modern paintings. There may a touch of contemporary inspiration or the traditional and melancholy mood. However these