Saturday, August 31, 2019

Chapter 1- Introduction to Electronic Commerce

1. Describe three factors that would cause a company to continue doing business in traditional ways and avoid electronic commerce. * Traditional commerce is a better way to sell items or services when personal selling skills are a factor, as in commercial real estate sales; or when the condition of the products is difficult to determine without making a personal inspection, as in the purchases of high-fashion clothing, antiques or perishable food items. 2. Figure 1-5 lists roommate-matching services as a type of business that is well-suited to a combination of electronic and traditional commerce. In one paragraph, describe the elements of this service that would be best handled using traditional commerce and explain why. * Customers are generally concerned about lifestyle and personality factors. As a result, they would want to meet any potential roommate. 3. Choose one major difference between the first wave and the second wave of electronic commerce. Write a paragraph that describes this difference to a person who is not familiar with either business or Internet technologies. * A major difference is the increase in broadband connections and improved hardware developments. This allows more businesses around the world to communicate with each other. 4. What are transaction costs and why are they important? * Transaction costs are the total of all costs that a buyer and seller incur as they gather information and negotiate a purchase-and-sale transaction. Reasons for being important can vary. 5. Provide one example of how electronic commerce could help change an industry’s economic structure from a hierarchy to a network. * When transaction costs were high, businesspeople would form organizations to replace market-negotiated transactions. In a network economic structure, companies coordinate their strategies, resources and skill sets by forming long-term relationships with other companies and individuals based on shared purposes, called strategic alliances or strategic partnerships. 6. How might managers use SWOT analysis to identify new applications for electronic commerce in their strategic business units? * SWOT is the acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. By using this, the analyst first looks into the business unit to identify its strengths and weaknesses. Then the analyst reviews the environment in which the business unit operates and identifies opportunities presented by that environment and the threats posed by that environment. 7. In about 200 words, explain the difference between language translation and language localization. Language translation is the process of restating some text written in one language in a different language. In other words, to translate is examine some original text, written in what is called the source language, and to write a corresponding text in different language, called the target language, with the goal of preserving the tone and meaning of the original text. * Language localization is a translation that considers multiple elements of the local environment, such as business and cultural practices, in addition to local dialect variations in the language. The cultural element is very important since it can affect—and sometimes completely change—the user’s interpretation of text 8. In a paragraph, describe the advantages of a flat-rate telecommunications access system for countries that want to encourage electronic commerce. * In the United States, telecommunications companies have long sold local telephone service as a flat-rate access system, in which the consumer or business pays one monthly fee for unlimited telephone line usage. Activists in European countries argued that flat-rate access was a key to the success of electronic commerce in the United States. Although many factors contributed to the rapid rise of U. S. electronic commerce, many industry analysts agree that flat-rate access was one of the most important. As more European telecommunications providers began to offer flat-rate access, electronic commerce in those countries increased dramatically.

Refugee Boy Essay

Refugee Boy is a story about a 14-year-old boy named Alem Kelo born in Africa. Benjamin Zephaniah uses Alem as an example of how badly treated refugees are and how it is possible for us to treat them better if we treat them like normal people. In the beginning of the novel Alem’s father took him to London for what Alem thought would be a holiday. Leaving his mother at home, his father actually planned to leave Alem in London believing it to be safer. In the beginning of the novel Zephaniah uses two passages, one named Ethiopia and the other named Eritrea. These passages are almost exactly the same and this shows use that, because Alem’s family are a mix of both Ethiopian and Eritrean, they would be hunted wherever they go or move to. This also tells us that most refugees emigrate because of very good reasons; in this case, war. Refugees are constantly viewed and treated as outsiders instead of normal people, which they are. Zephaniah shows this very well when he describes how Alem had to go through the screening process. Alem is thoroughly humiliated throughout the screening knowing that both Pamela and Sheila were watching. Another example of how Zephaniah shows use really how bad our discrimination of refugees is and how the stereotypical views we have obtained due propaganda such as news television programmes, is when Alem’s father goes to the Home Office to make his asylum application but is arrested and taken to Campsfield detention centre. Just because he is a ‘foreigner’ police automatically thought to arrest him. The children’s’ home that Alem stays in, is portrayed as a sort of dumping ground for mis-fit refugees. It is basically a place where isolated lonely boys go to when they have nowhere else to go. The whole place is filled with young boys and teenagers with cluttered up emotions. Sweeny is a good example of a young man in the home who has a lot of excess emotion and obviously feels abandoned because he feels the need to take it out on the other people there. People like Sweeny make the boys at the home want to loose they’re cultural identity in order to fit in and not be a victim Zephaniah portrays Alem as an innocent, stoical character so that we understand that our stereotypical image on refugees is wrong and not all refugees are bad people or terrorists. Zephaniah uses Alem’s background to show that refugees often don’t have a choice in emigrating and that refugees don’t always immigrate to other countries steal their Jobs and take benefits. They go to escape war or political injustice and for many other reasons. Ruth is an important character in the story because she seems like a typical teenage girl with an attitude, but when Alem finds out his mother had me brutally murdered in Africa, Ruth shows incredible solace and our views on her suddenly change, as for the first we see a gentle compassionate Ruth who has an emotional background and problems of her own. She reminds us that everyone deserves compassion and consideration not just refugees this is why she is originally distant to Alem. After her and Alem have an emotional talk we discover that she reaches out for Alem and gives him the love and compassion that her parents should have shown her when fostering children in the past. Alem feels isolated throughout the novel and whenever he gains hope he is often brought back down with bad news making him feel isolated. Like when he was just fitting in well in England and having a great time, his father wrote to him informing Alem on what had happened to his mother bringing Alem and his happiness down into a pool of isolation again. Or like when he manages to get himself back on top again when his father comes to stay in England then they’re asylum application gets turned down. One of the most isolated times for Alem, is when he is in the children’s home. He doesn’t know anyone. And he is constantly taunted and made to feel small and intimidated by Sweeny and his gang pretty much as soon as he arrives, ‘†Get the biscuits, it’s the easy way out,† on of them said as he looked Alem up and down. You’ll get me some biscuits or I’ll bust you up,† said the first kid loudly’. He’d not been in the ‘home’ very long and already he’s been threatened. It shows how bad the environment he’s got no choice to live in is and how alone he must feel during these times. ‘Mariam took Alem to the local social services where he asked the big question†¦ â€Å"What choice do I have? †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Alem feels that he has to accept the Fitzgeralds as his foster family if he is to get out of the home. He askes asks himself and other many questions about himself showing that he isn’t very confident or aware of what his future holds and therefore relies on other to make decisions for him, like when he says, ‘’How long will I be staying here? †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Alem realises that he can’t even decide to stay with the Fitzgeralds or the home. Without his parents there to decide for him Alem feels lost. ‘†Will I still be here when I’m sixteen? † â€Å"That is a good question. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Alem feels like he has no control or influence on his life, so he constantly asks questions about his future. Chapters 24-27 are in a different style to the rest of the novel. This different style is very powerful in getting it’s message across because it makes you feel like you’re reading a real report in a real newspaper which makes you feel even more for Alem because the strong effect Zephaniah uses, makes you really believe in what he’s saying and makes you believe that the novel has really happened. It is very clever how he managed to create realism and in your mind you feel throughout the novel that you’ve been with him all the way and now you have seen him to the end. Zephaniah makes us feel that all refugees have a story and he’s made you want to find out about them and their story and want to know what they’ve been through. Reading the book he’s defiantly given me a more positive attitude and view on refugees. Zephaniah structures the story so it feels like you are right by Alem on the whole of his journey so you feel like what’s happening to him is affecting you as the reader. Zephaniah is very successful in getting his message across and now I think people who read this book will have a wider opinion on refugees and the will feel much more strongly on bad they get treated.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Gender Roles in the United States Essay

1. Briefly discuss the history of ethnic relations in the United States. The ethnic history of the United States was long rooted during the colonial period. The first settlements in the United States were the Spanish outposts in the towns of Florida and California and a French outpost in Louisiana. English colonizers declared the United States’ independence in 1776 due to their yearning for freedom from their own country (Doane). â€Å"The class, racial, ethnic, and gender relationships of the contemporary nation have their roots in the colonial period† (Doane). Because of the failure to force Native American settlers to work on the fields, the British settlers resorted in importing African slaves to work on cotton plantations located at the South, while the Whites chose to reside on the North to further hone their emerging industries (Doane). The ethnic relations of the United States during the early years are characterized by the major issue of racism and discrimination based on skin color. During the colonial times, the poor whites and the indentured servants served as bridges for the slaves and the landlords. The poor whites tried to identify themselves with the rich landowning whites and propagated the idea of white racial identity rather than the class identity (Doane). This action in turn reinforced the racial discrimination in the country. The status, skin color and position in the labor market characterized the relationships among racial and ethnic groups. Some of the Blacks migrated northward to work on industrial jobs but disparity continued as they were paid less than the whites on comparable jobs. The Blacks also received less social benefits than the Whites reinforcing discrimination (Doane). 2. Describe the process of gender role socialization. Give examples of how females and males are trained to fulfill the expectations of their gender roles. There is a tendency for the society to mandate societal rules and determine what is right and acceptable to the people. This process is referred to as gender role socialization, wherein social institutions control the society’s expectations on â€Å"dress code, language, personality, leisure activities and aspirations for each sex† (Padavic and Reskin 53). Through this process, people learn their gender identity. The society associates well established values, attitudes, behavior, choices and performance that are appropriate for gender categories such as men and women. People are able to absorb the specific roles that the society is trying to inculcate to the members of a particular sex (Senior 25). Learning our gender roles is important in the aspect of socialization and our interaction with other people. Childhood experiences of socialization prepare the people in their gender and social roles in such a way that adult members of the society are expecting them to behave (Senior 25). Even as children, people have been trained to behave and act according to their biological sexual orientation. And as such, parents reinforce gender role socialization on their child-rearing methods. They give toy guns and robots to their male children and dolls and kitchen utensils to their female children. People may be unconsciously aware but through this method, social roles are being inculcated within the consciousness of children in the society as they become adults. Toy guns for male children depict that males should be aggressive and courageous. Boys are also more exposed to high-tech toys like PSP and Gameboy reflecting their advantage in the technological field of industry. Female children or girls, on the other hand, are encouraged to play with dolls and kitchen utensils to prepare them to their future social roles which are in charged of the household, homemaker and as domestic provider. It also encouraged the attitudes of women to become caring and nurturing. 3. Discuss the evidence, which points to either gender roles being biological or cultural in origin. Base on this evidence, what conclusions can be drawn about the origins of gender roles. Discuss some of the most important sources of gender inequalities in our society. How can these inequalities be alleviated? One of the speculated causes of the significant difference in the attitudes and social characteristics between men and women is their biological structure. It was said that genes and other biological components play a big role in influencing these social characteristics. There are biological explanations provided in an attempt to examine aggressiveness in males. It was already known that the inherent presence of Y gene in the 23rd chromosome makes males susceptible to physical disarray. However, there is no strong evidence explaining the role of genetics in the aggressiveness of individuals, particularly the males. Several indicators of violence have been found to be more evident in males than in females (Englander 122). Research further reveals the role of androgens in the prevalence of violence. Androgens are male sex hormones that are abundant in males. These hormones were indirectly linked to criminal violence and also to traditional behavior. Studies show that women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a medical condition in which androgens are secreted in the uterus of females, have an inclination to male tastes and preferences. Although there is no concrete evidence of the relationship between androgens and violence, it was suspected to be the reason behind men’s more aggressive behavior (Englander 123). Another biological factor that is thought to be responsible behind the violent attitude of men is the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). Behavioral patterns are related to the level of MOA presence in the blood. Men are found to have lower levels of MAO than women. Lower MAO levels are associated with aggressiveness and the sudden burst of anger and frustrations, especially impulsiveness (Englander 123). Another essential factor that was believed to be responsible for the development of aggression in men and the nurturing attitude of women is the social construction or the difference in how each was reared and molded by culture and society. A person’s social environment is accountable for the values inculcated in his or her personality. His or her socially-constructed identity is viewed to be inherent with his biological sex. Difference in gender has a widespread effect in the society, which was supported by documented knowledge in socio-biology and evolutionary psychology. This collection of knowledge states that men and women are irrevocably different in bodily configurations (Taylor & Spencer 41). Such disparities in gender can be alleviated through programs that will breach the inequality in gender such as having equal opportunity on the workplace. We could also start hastening changes through campaign programs that will call for equality between genders. Works Cited Doane, Molly. 2007. â€Å"Culture of United States of America†. Advameg, Inc. 11 November 2008 . Englander, Elizabeth Kandel. Understanding Violence. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. , 2007. Padavic, Irene and Barabara F. Reskin. Women and Men at Work, 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press, 2002. Senior, Olive. Working Miracles. London: James Currey Ltd. , 1991. Taylor, Gary and Steve Spencer. Social Identities: Multidisciplinary Approaches. New York: Routledge, 2004.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Creative individual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Creative individual - Essay Example Throughout his career, Mozart is said to have composed over 600 pieces with many of them being symphonies, chambers and types of choral music. Mozart’s creativity brought him to light at a very young age, where at merely five years of age he was given the opportunity to perform before the European Royalty. Since a young age Mozart had a passion to grow up as a great musician and this is what led him to leave the position of a court musician in Salzburg. Most of his famous works are believed to be composed in Vienna, a little before his death (ABERT, H., SPENCER, S., & EISEN, 2007). Before shedding light on Mozart’s creativity in light of various definitions, creativity theories and academic literature it is highly essential that I put forward my view of the creative personality. Mozart’s creativity if brought to light from the fact that he was, and is most likely the only composer in history to have produced masterpieces in not one, but practically all genres of music. His work was widely spread across various genres and this alone sheds light on how creatively different he was able to think as a musician. It is said about him that Mozart did his first concerto at the young age of just four, while he went on with his first symphony at the age of seven. But Mozart did not stop there, and went to perform at this first Opera at the young age of just 12 years. Throughout the musical world, many have regarded Mozart as a child genius. Moreover, the various manuscripts written by Mozart have led people to believe that his works were often composed in j ust one go, as compared to completing the piece in various sittings (CAMPBELL, 2000). Before proceeding to discuss how, if Mozart was creative at all, it is essential we first understand the definition of creativity. The famous dictionary Merriam Webster defines creativity as the quality of being creative or the ability to create new and different things. Looking at Mozart in the light of this very

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Early Development and History of Movies Essay

The Early Development and History of Movies - Essay Example It took America a year to catch up, and Edwin S. Porter produced a twenty minute film, The Great Train Robbery. In these two early films, one can see the start of two of movie's most popular genres, the sci-fi movie, and the western film.( ) D.W. Griffith was one of the leading filmmakers of his, and arguably in all of filmmaking. He first stumbled upon Hollywood in 1910, and filmed the first movie there, In Old California. In his career, he filmed over 450 short films, a massive amount for any filmmaker to reach. (Griffith 2006) By 1912 Hollywood became the center of American film and cinema. D.W. Griffith made many leaps and bounds in the now growing field. He used such techniques as multiple cameras and different angels, as well as his use of cross fading, fading in and out, and even flash backs. These are techniques still used today in the film industry, and that greatly add to film as a quality and living art form. () One of his films, The Birth of a Nation, was a three hour long silent film about the American Civil War. Although the film was a marvel technology wise, the portrayal of blacks in the movie help stimulate an already breeding negative image. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People tried to have the filmed banned, and when those efforts failed, they attempted to have certain scenes they found especially revolting censored. D. W.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Public Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Law - Coursework Example 2. Stone, R.  Entry, Search and Seizure  (4rd  Ed, London, Sweet & Maxwell 2005). Throughout his book, the author argues that police have the legal power to enter and search premises as a preventive justice depends on the circumstances under which the power is derived such as if the there is reasonable belief that there is a likely breach of peace and the police entry or search is going to prevent it. 3. Williams, D.  Keeping the Peace: The Police and Public Order  (London, Hutchinson 1997). According to this book, the law legally allows the police to have powers of entry and search of peace in order to keep peace and public order. The book further suggests that the law enforcement officer are however required to set a reasonable geographical area which should not be wider than the area necessary for the prevention of the anticipated breach of peace. 4. Fenwick, H.  Civil Liberties,  (1st  Ed, London, Routledge Cavendish Publishing 1994). 5. Stephens, P. Commentaries on the law of England (21ed. Wellington, Carswell 1993) 6. Woody, R. Search and seizure: The Fourth Amendment for law enforcement officers. (Illinois, Charles C Thomas 2006). 7. Sharpe, S. Search and Surveillance: the movement from information to evidence. (De Montford, Ashgate 2000). 8. Kerrigan, K. Breach of the Peace and Binding Over (London, Cavendish Publishing 1997). Articles 1. Nicolson D and Reid K. â€Å"Arrest for Breach of Peace and the European Convention on Human Rights† [1996]  Criminal Law Review764. This journal article suggests that although the police have powers to arrest, enter and search promises when there is a breach of peace, there are a number of privileged materials which are excluded from police warrant of search. Some of the privileged materials include records held by clergymen, doctors and voluntary organizations. 2. Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure. â€Å"The Investigation and Prosecution of Criminal Offences in England and Wales† [1981] The Law and Procedure Cmnd 8092-1 The report suggested that the police powers to enter and search are only confined to areas considered to be under immediate control of the suspect beyond which the law is unclear. 3. Goldstein, A. â€Å"The Search Warrant† The Magistrate and Judicial Review 1987† 62(6) New York University Law Review, 1173. This law review article argues that a police entry and search can be legally considered to be unlawful if there is no connection between the premises and the offence for which the search is being conducted. 4. Williams, G. â€Å"Dealing with Breaches and anticipated breaches of Peace† [1982]  Justice of the Peace 199. 5. Cameron, E. â€Å"Rights, constitutionalism and the Rule of Law† (1997) 114 SALJ 504-508. Cases 1. Lamb vs. DPP  [1990] Crim. L.R. 58 In the case, a woman had requested the company of a constable to a property where she had been previously living with the occupier. The occupier later ordered the police to leave the premises. It was ruled that the police had no license to the premise. 2. McLeod  vs.  Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis  [1994] 4 All E.R. 553 The case involved recovery of property as part of a divorce settlement. Mrs. McLeod was given the custody of their matrimonial house and the police accompanied her divorced husband to collect his property which had remained in the house. The court ruled that the po

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Historical Development of the Bureaucracy Essay

The Historical Development of the Bureaucracy - Essay Example Political scientists have identified four major periods in the history of American bureaucracy. The first, called the Government by Gentlemen (1789 - 1820), was marked by the dominance of people from elite families in the professional bureaucracy. In the next period (1830-1870), the bureaucratic positions were filled up by members of the major political parties that were lucky to win the presidential elections. In this connection, the number of people from middle and lower strata of society among the officials has dramatically increased. Many progressive changes were introduced into bureaucracy in 1880-1920 - it was reformed with the focus on balanced, rational administration. The fourth period that coincided with the period of contemporary history deepened depoliticization and professionalization of the bureaucracy. Its formation is now conditioned by competitive selection (Merit System). At the end of the 20th century, the number of federal employees in the United States has reache d 3 million people. 90% of all job positions were filled solely through a competitive process. In recent times the bureaucracy is regulated by a number of decrees and laws imposing specific legal and ethical standards, for instance, the U.S. President’s Executive Order of October 17, 1990 - Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees. One of the provisions runs that public service is a sphere of activity that excludes any personal or other financial interests that can prevent acting in good faith.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Chose an interesting Topic - Make it strong or Use Bridging the Essay

Chose an interesting Topic - Make it strong or Use Bridging the Digital Divide - Essay Example Such is the case with the urbanized communities, who are in a better position to access such technologies, as opposed to the rural communities. The access to computer and other forms of technology comes with its educational advantage, where the societies accessing the computers have higher chances of becoming educated than those who do not have the access (Bridging the Digital Divide, 49). Owing to digital divide, Nicholas Negroponte started the One Laptop per Child Program (OLPC), whose main objective was to bridge the digital divide, by making computers available and accessible to all children all over the world. Despite facing various challenges, the program has registered considerable success, by making computers accessible to many children all over the world, with some countries such as Uruguay completely meeting the objective of providing every child with a computer (Bridging the Digital Divide, 50). Due to the power and electricity accessibility problems in different parts of the world, as well as the internet infrastructural issues, the program focuses on availing computers that are not entirely dependent on electricity as a source of power and with inbuilt internet accessibility. This has seen the development of Computer models such as the OX-I, OX-1.75 and OX-3(Bridging the Digital Divide, 50). This initiative has seen other technology companies such as Intel launch similar programs, with its Classmate-PC initiative that has since made computers even more accessible to different parts of the world. The importance of such programs in bridging the digital divide cannot be overemphasized. Question 1 There are various reasons why digital divide matters to children and their families. First, digital divide places some sections of the community at an advantage over the others, through providing them with opportunities for education and information accessibility, which the other sections lack (Servon, 48). Digital divide also matters to children and their pa rents, since it serves to increase the social and economical inequality, through making computer technology affordable to the families that are at a higher economic level, enabling their children to enjoy the benefits that come with computer and internet skills, while the poor families are left behind. This translates to the rich families dominating the poor families in social aspects, such as economical and political (James, 15). Digital divide also determines the infrastructural development of the society. This means that the societies that have access to computer technology will also enjoy other infrastructural development such as electricity, compared to societies with no computer technology access. This translates to families and children who have no computer technology access remaining disadvantaged by underdevelopment (Yelton, 33). Question 2 The OLPC project will be successful. This is because; the program has translated into reality in countries such as Uruguay and parts of the US, with the same also happening in Australia and Rwanda, and in other countries in the near future (James, 23). Additionally, the initiative to provide every child with a laptop is attractive to many philanthropists, NGOs, charitable organizations and even governments, which can easily translate such a program to

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Reflective journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Reflective journal - Essay Example In addition, I also learnt about colostomies. The high point of my day was doing an IVPB successfully with minimal direction from my clinical instructor. The low point was seeing the patient so nauseas and unable to eat anything and there was nothing I could do to help. The patients on the medical surgery floor received great care. However, the unit should be added two more nurses to ease the amount of workload that they have to do. The nurses in the unit should also be trained on how to handle patients with unique medical conditions. Although I did not encounter any challenge, I know that I can always ask for help from any of the nurses on the medical surgery floor. My interaction with patients presents an opportunity to acquire valuable life lessons. Seeing the patient deal with so much pain with a lot of calm taught me the importance of having courage when I am faced with unpleasant conditions. Lastly, my last day on the medical surgery floor provided a great opportunity to acquire practical nursing skills. I am grateful for all the things that I have learned from the other nurses and the patients. In addition, I have been able to identify my strengths and weaknesses. This experience has not only helped me to grow as a nursing profession but also as a

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Future of Electronic Money ( case 1) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Future of Electronic Money ( case 1) - Essay Example There are many viewpoints on whether paper money should be completely eliminated. However, it would seem fair to suggest that paper money will still have a number of uses and it would be impractical to rely completely on electronic forms of money. This is because of the problems that are generally associated with information technology, such as power failures and database overloads, which could cause a break in the system and would therefore necessitate the use of paper money (Khilawala, 2011). It would be foolish to eradicate paper money completely whilst there is still a risk of these things happening. Paper money is also still popular with many. This is for a number of reasons. Firstly, if paper money were to be abolished, the government of that particular country would have to sell assets to ‘soak up the unwanted notes and coins’ (Rogoff, 2002, p2). It would mean a movement from the non-interest holding debt (cash) to interest holding debt (electronic money), which is an unappealing prospect for any government. The public also seem to have an insatiable demand for paper money, with the main reason for this popularity being the anonymity of cash. This is useful for those committing money-based crimes, but also appeals to the innocent as well for a number of different reasons. It has been suggested that when the government is able to identify the holders of cash using DNA techniques, electronic money may then become as popular as paper money (Rogoff, 2002). Conversely, this does mean that electronic money may be more useful for crime-detection. Despite this, there are a number of reasons why paper money is problematic. Governments may print off more paper money in anticipation of certain events as a way of controlling the economy (Jakobsson & Yung, 1996), but if this prediction is wrong then it may cause issues and as a

Lamb to the Slaughter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lamb to the Slaughter - Essay Example The use of irony can easily captivate and excite us. Many a times in order to understand the moral of the story or the theme; it needs one to be able to recognize irony. There are multiple uses and examples of irony throughout this short story. One example is when Mary Maloney goes to the grocery store after she kills her husband; she acts as if nothing has happened and gives the grocery store clerk the idea that everything is fine. This is considered dramatic irony because the reader knows more about what’s taken place than some of the characters in the story. The clerk thinks Patrick is at home waiting for dinner, but we know he is dead. Another example is when the policemen are eating the leg of lamb and one says "Probably right under our very noses. What do you think, Jack? "(Dahl 9).This is dramatic irony because the weapon used to kill Patrick really is right under their noses. Yet they have obviously committed one of the worst errors possible in this crime scene, and lo st the pivotal evidence they would need to for finding the killer, they continue eating, assuming the leg of lamb could never be a weapon, while Mary Maloney is giggling in the other room. In other words, Dahl is trying to capture here, and the dramatic irony really catches the tone of the dark comedy. That makes the audience feel the ideas of a tragedy as something funny. Therefore, relating back to the overall picture of the piece of literate as a dark comedy. The conflict then begins to arise again as she creates an alibi and brings in the police to catch the murderer. There are two external conflicts in this story.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Cuba and Argentina are in Latin America Essay Example for Free

Cuba and Argentina are in Latin America Essay Although both Cuba and Argentina are in Latin America, they still have differences in cultures and even in educational systems. Moreover, despite the fact that these two countries are close in terms of literacy rates (although Argentina is slightly higher than that of Cuba), the two countries have much differences in educational practices. In Cuba, the government subsidize education at all levels. This makes the education in this country extensively state-directed. A lot of public dispute and politics covers the education, being state-directed. The bulk of the tax burden of the people are mainly allocated for education. Education has been the top priority of the country when it comes to funding expenditures and extra projects. Cuba is praised for showing an extravagant and long-lasting effort to ensure the quality of education services that their youth receive. There is a free compulsory primary education for all Cuban children age 6 to 15. The government subsidizes even the higher education. However, this scenario also implies negative impacts. Since the government â€Å"trains† its youth, they also rate them according to their political beliefs. Students have their own â€Å"Cumulative School File. This is like a report card that goes beyond documenting academic standing. It is the record of the student’s political thinking. Anyone who has join protests against the government is hindered to have more opportunities of the higher education or universities. This is also applicable even for the employed people. Some of the students are expelled from school and others are dismissed from work for the employed ones. The control of the government over the people last in more or less a lifetime because this â€Å"report card† are updated. All of the students are expected to have the Marxist way of thinking towards the government and politics. On the other hand, Argentina government is less rigid when it comes to education. They also have the compulsory primary education for children ages 6 to 14 years of age. All children of these ages are mandated to attend the primary education that lasts 12 years. There is no longer compulsory education for the high school level although they could still have affordable high school education offerings. However, half of those who attended the compulsory primary education do not continue to high school. Yet, Argentina is still among the countries who have the most number of degree holders in relation to their population. These two Latin American countries are the same and yet different in a number of aspects in education. Indeed, both countries give importance to education. The government allot an adequate amount of resources to education. This is true since they even have legislated a law that could legalize a mandated primary education for Argentina and in all levels in the case of Cuba. Both are strict when it comes to age requirement for the grade levels. However, their approaches towards the implementation of quality education are different. In Argentina, students who have finished the primary education are allowed to choose in what school they will pursue. Moreover, they have the decision whether they would continue or stop schooling. The students and their family can choose among the various schools that are affordable. On the other hand, Cuba goes beyond the primary education. The government subsidizes education up to the highest level. However, the bearing is that it can decide for the future of the student. The student and his family should agree with the government in all aspects so that he or she could enroll in the best universities. The government does not only have the political power but also the power to have the youth favor to them. Now, if the students from these two countries migrate to the United States of America, they may have the same cultural adjustment problems. Both speaks the same language, and thus both may have the same learning and communication styles. The both may also have the same expected problems when they are brought to the US classrooms. Basically, the problems that may arise from the immigration of the students may be classified into three: intercultural communication, learning styles, and adolescence (Introduction to Immigration in US, 2001). In the United of States of America, government provides education for the people. It could either be on the federal, state, or local level. Because there is allotted budget for education, it is compulsory to avail these education benefits. Children from four to 18 years old are required to undergo the basic education. Moreover, formal education in the US is being held in public, private and home schools. The schooling is divided into kindergarten up to twelfth grade. There are many universities among the numerous states. The students from Cuba and Argentina are expected to have problems intercultural communication. This means not only their difference in language but also the differences in diverse cultures. This may be called a crash of culture or others termed this as â€Å"culture shock. † For example, in the US, the common form of greeting is handshake. On the other hand, in Cuba and Argentina, it is common to give hugs even among the boys, but in the United Sates, this form of greeting is given for those who are already closely related to each other. Another intercultural communication conflict may also be attributed to the differences in religion. The people of Argentina and Cuba relatively have different religion to the majority of the people in the United States. The Cubans and Argentineans are mostly Roman Catholic while the Americans are mostly Protestants. There may be some differences or even conflicts in religious practices and even celebrations. The second type of problem that may arise among the immigrating students is the differences in learning styles. The communication styles also differ from the two countries. People in the United States are a lot more direct in the matter of speaking than the two other countries. Moreover, noises in the American classroom setting are common. This may be distracting to the Cuban and Argentinean students who are used to formal and quiet classroom setting. The third issue is the adolescence of the students. Adolescents struggle with identity issues. This process may be more difficult and complicated for the students who have migrated. They may try to cope with these differences and tend to cover or set aside their own culture. This may cause emotional and social chaos to the student. Statement Prompt The main difference between the education in the United Sates and the education in Argentina is that the former has longer basic education. In Argentina, the compulsory basic education lasts until the student is 14 years old while the basic education is compulsory until the students in the United States are 18 years of age. The basic education in US involves more grade level and classification. More often than not, after the long basic education, the students are qualified to work. Many of the students in US work while studying in college. The long basic education aims to make the students independent and included in the working force of the state. Nevertheless, these problems may be adequately addressed. There are recommendations to smoothen the learning and coping process of the students. First, the teacher has to be aware of the differences of culture among the diverse types of students in the class. The teacher should have the initiative to lessen the crash of culture among the students. He or she should have adequate knowledge about the nature of the immigrant students. This is not to encourage them to change but to let them preserve their culture in their very rights (Introduction to Immigration in US, 2001). Moreover, the teacher should also help the student to have faster English-learning process. He or she should encourage the students to speak English in and even out of the class. Although he is not the student’s English teacher, he should still be patient to talk the student. Lastly, the family of the immigrant students should also be acquainted to the educational system in the United States. â€Å"New comer† programs are effective to encourage the students and even their families to participate more in the school programs. This will make them trust that the school can help the child regardless of the differences in culture. There should be trainings about language skills, work skills and even cultural adaptations program especially for the students. Reasons for immigration may be different but the adaptation that needs to be done may be the same. The differences in culture may be settled in effective communication. Although there are also differences in manners of communication itself, compromising is universal to resolve conflict: crash of culture for this matter. The educational systems may also be different but the goal of education is universal too, learning, knowledge and may be wisdom are the goals of the people who avail education. Reference: Introduction to Immigration in the United States. 2001. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Available at: http://www. nwrel. org/cnorse/booklets/immigration/5. html#overall

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

ASBO Order for Environmental Health Legislation

ASBO Order for Environmental Health Legislation Write a cabinet paper on the potential for ASBOs to contribute to the effective enforcement of legislation enforced by environmental health departments. The following are the arguments in favour of ASBO’s contributing or having the potential to contribute to the effective enforcement of the legislation carried out by environmental health departments across the country. The Prime Minister has already expressed in public his determination to reduce and eliminate anti-social behaviour and allow the general public to feel safer and have the problems associated with anti-social behaviour reduced. ASBO’s have already proved that they have potential in making Britain a cleaner and safer place to live in. Between their introduction from 1 April 1999 and the 31 March 2004, 2455 ASBO’s were approved and enforced showing the determination of the police, environmental health departments and social services amongst others to reducing the problems associated with anti-social behaviour.[1] ASBO’s are an alternative sanction available to both environmental health departments and ultimately the police to ensure that legislation is enforced and public order is maintained. Environmental health departments have to meet requirements such as reducing the level of graffiti, vandalism and litter or tackling noise nuisance, all of which can be considered anti-social behaviour and can lead to the involvement of the police and the courts. Such behaviour either directly effects law abiding people, intimidates them or blights their lives with fear. ASBO’s have the potential and the intention of protecting the property, the environment and the personal safety of the majority of law-abiding people. They are intended to remove the anti-social behaviour carried out by the law breaking minorities that ruin the lives of the most vulnerable and cause social, economic and environmental damage to local communities.[2] Tackling anti-social behaviour through the use of ASBO’s has the potential to make people feel safer as well as improving the physical environment they live in. The work of environmental health departments is closely linked with not only the police but also social services and local education authorities as there are strong connections between truancy and youths being involved in anti-social behaviour and crime. Close co-operation between these agencies increases the potential of ASBO’s to decrease crime, people’s fear of crime whilst making Britain a better place to live in. This government should take pride in been able to reduce people’s fear of being the victims of crime. The British crime survey has shown a fall from 40% in 1995 to 26% in 2004 of people expecting to be the victims of crime and anti-social behaviour or believing that they faced such a risk. If ASBO’s allow environmental health departments and other agencies to reduce the amount of graffiti and vandalism visible and counter the presence of gangs that fear of crime should diminish further as should the risk.[3] ASBO’s offer the potential to break up the gangs that break the law through acts of vandalism, graffiti and other forms of anti-social behaviour by banning individuals from the estates or areas they cause damage in. Breaking up gangs would mean that environmental health departments could deal with individuals rather than more intimidating gangs. ASBO’s can allow agencies such as environmental health departments and the police to control, punish or rehabilitate minor offenders whilst avoiding imprisonment were possible. However ASBO’s it should be stressed are not a soft option and the breaking of their conditions should result in further appropriate action been taken to curb anti-social behaviour including ultimately imprisonment.[4] Through the use of ASBO’s environment health departments have the potential to tackle persistent offenders without spending so much time preparing prosecutions whilst still being to prosecute people that breach their ASBO’s. While any ASBO is still in operation the onus remains on environmental health departments, social services and the police to monitor the behaviour of those subject to ASBO’s. ASBO’s can be used as part of the government’s crime reduction targets. [5] Central government can offer incentives for local authorities to tackle anti-social behaviour and has already allocated extra resources to the areas worst affected by anti-social behaviour. The success of environmental health departments in tackling anti-social behaviour will be measured with little extra cost through the Comprehensive Performance Assessment process already carried out by the Audit Commission that monitors local authorities provision of services. The public will be able to find out which local authorities are the most effective and will be able to press the less effective councils into taking further action.[6] ASBO’s potentially allow environmental health departments to fulfil their legislative obligations by diffusing and stopping anti-social behaviour more efficiently and with greater speed. The removal of persistent offenders or gang ringleaders will show the determination and effectiveness of environmental health department to enforce the law properly and completely. ASBO’s have the potential to reduce anti-social behaviour whilst the involvement of environmental health departments and other agencies could allow the police to switch their resources to tackling more serious crimes. Anti-social behaviour may not always be considered to be major crime yet it can lead to it hence the importance of ASBO’s in reducing the problem. Reducing anti-social behaviour will not only enhance the public’s quality of life it would prove cost effective in terms of lower expenditure in cleaning up graffiti and property damage as well as fewer people in overcrowded prisons.[7] The availability of ASBO’s offers the potential for environmental health departments to clean up areas of environmental damage or anti-social behaviour that impacts on the environment such as noise pollution, juvenile crime and vandalism. Other areas in which ASB0’s have the potential to allow environmental health departments fulfil their statuary requirements include countering anti-social behaviour caused by drinking and to a lesser extent begging in public. There are certainly strong links between heavy drinking (and drug taking) with anti-social or criminal behaviour.[8] Some crimes such as burglary, car crime and robbery have fallen significantly in 2004-05 by 20%, 17% and 12% respectively. However the potential of ASBO’s to work effectively for environmental health departments, the police and other agencies would increase with measures against binge drinking. Binge drinking is directly connected to most violent crime and anti-social behaviour. ASBO’s are part of the solution to environmental health departments meeting their statutory requirements yet will work best in combination with other strategies and through co-operation with other agencies.[9] Bibliography Coxall B, Robins L Leach R (2003) Contemporary British Politics 4th edition, Palgrave, London Dodd T, Nicholas S, Povey D and Walker A (2004) Home Office Statistical Bulletin, Crime in England and Wales 2003/04, Crown Copyright, London Home Office (2005) The Government Reply to the Fifth Report from the Home Affairs Committee Session 2004/05 HC80 Anti-Social behaviour, Crown Copyright, London Jones M and Lowe R (2002) From Beveridge to Blair – The first fifty years of Britain’s Welfare State 1948-98, Manchester University Press Manchester and New York. Slack, R ‘Drunken yobs blamed for record violent crimes, Daily Mail 21st July 2005 www.homeoffice.gov.uk Crime Policing / Anti-Social Behaviour Orders Legally Binding Undertaking I (Barry Vale) undertake that in line with my contractual obligations this work is completely original, and has not been copied from any website or any other source, either in whole or in part. By submitting this work I understand that if my work is found to be plagiarised I will not only forfeit my fee but also be subject to legal proceedings in order to recover damages for loss of profit and damage to business reputation. Moreover, I understand that I may be subject to legal proceedings from any third parties, such as the end clients and copyright holders of the original work who may have had their rights infringed or suffered loss as a result of my actions. I also understand that in addition I will be liable to a  £100/$200 administration charge and that I may be liable for legal costs. I understand that this e-mail and the work I am submitting may be used as evidence against me if I breach this undertaking. Please take this to constitute my electronic signature (Barry Vale) [1] www.homeoffice.gov.uk [2] Home Office (2005) p.3 [3] Dodd, Nicholas, Povey Walker (2004) p. 18 [4] Home Office (2005) p. 6 [5] Coxall, Robins Leach, (2003), p.275 [6] Home Office (2005) p.1 [7] Coxall, Robins Leach (2003) p. 276 [8] Jones and Lowe (2002) p. 189 [9] Slack, Daily Mail 21st July 2005

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Role of Communication in Health and Safety

Role of Communication in Health and Safety DIANE PARSONS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Explore the role of communications training in the promotion provision of health safety in the workplace. Page 2 2. Outline the principles procedures of good house-keeping in the workplace. Page 3 3. Noise, dust and fumes are hazards which are commonly found in workplaces. For one of these hazards outline the risk associated with exposure to this hazard and control measures which might be used in the workplace. Identify at least 3 hazards which are commonly encountered in your workplace and briefly describe how these are controlled. Page 45 4. Explain the typical contents of a first-aid kit their appropriate uses. Page 6 5. Explain the risks associated with the following hazards work environment, work practices, medication, alcohol, drugs and outline for each, steps which an employer might take to control these risks (please provide at least 2 controls per hazard). Page 78 6. Outline risk factors in relation to health, to include stress/ lifestyle/ diet/ illness. Page 910 ReferencesPage 11 1. EXPLORE THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING IN THE PROMOTION PROVISION OF HEALTH SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE. The role of communications and training in the work place is important in any job. In Healthcare there is no exception to this. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (SHWWA 2005) all employers must specify the training essential to ensuring the health and safety of their employees. The training provided will help staff achieve the essential skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to ensure that they are competent in the health and safety features of their work. In healthcare the Conformity European (CE) mark is important and a lot of employers train their staff to look out for this. Communication in the workplace is essential as is training and the Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Service Authority (HSA) and Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) are there to ensure that the SHWWA 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007 (GAR 2007) are in place in the workplace. It is important from management to staff that communication is enforced in the workplace for health safety. For instance if there was a spillage in a nursing home in the corridor and there was a sign put in place to warn others of this the management could rest in ease knowing that their staff are aware and capable of ensuring health safety practices in the workplace. That is just one way of communicating there are many more ways I have listed a few below. (Course Notes 2015) Verbal – speaking, face to face Listening Non Verbal – texting, email, notice board, fax, registered mail, skype Demo/Training Focus group Conference call Emergency procedures www.google.com /images 2. OUTLINE THE PRINCIPLES PROCEDURES OF GOOD HOUSE-KEEPING IN THE WORKPLACE. The importance of good house-keeping is so important Healthcare and in particular Nursing Homes and Hospitals which are all about health and the well-being of patients. If a workplace practises bad house-keeping it can become unsafe and even hazardous for the staff and patients. Cluttered and untidy areas, spills and leaks and broken and damaged equipment are all signs of poor house- keeping. An example of bad house-keeping could be a fire exit left blocked and a fire breaking out in the work place, this bad house-keeping endangers everybody in the work place and it is up to the employers and employees to avoid incidents like this. Work places need to outline the principles procedures of good house-keeping to all employers and employees. The workplace needs to be actively monitoring the process of house-keeping within the workplace. HIQA and HSA have certain standards on house-keeping and have an inspection system in place. Some benefits of good house-keeping are: Good housekeeping prevents accidents such as slips, trips and falls Make the workplace happy, enjoyable and safe Improve and maintain your company’s image (good housekeeping echoes a well-run company) order and routine will impress visitors, employees and clients etc. Reduce the risk of accidents or harmful materials i.e. dust, vapours Help your company make the most and benefit the best out of its work space. In house-keeping there are 5S, this is a method of work organised in 5 stages with the goal of considerably improving the order and cleanliness in the workplace. This is known as the Heidelberg Model. These 5S are: SORT- removing anything unnecessary and disposing of it properly STRAIGHT- set things in order, easy to find SHINE- keep work place clean and safe STANDARD- maintain high standards in house-keeping and maintain orderliness SUSTAIN- to keep in working order, to perform regular audits (www.hsa.ie) 3. NOISE, DUST AND FUMES ARE HAZARDS WHICH ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN WORKPLACES. FOR ONE OF THESE HAZARDS OUTLINE THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO THIS HAZARD AND CONTROL MEASURES WHICH MIGHT BE USED IN THE WORKPLACE. IDENTIFY AT LEAST 3 HAZARDS WHICH ARE COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR WORKPLACE AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBE HOW THESE ARE CONTROLLED. A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause you or others harm. In the workplace there are many hazards. There are 5 categories of hazards Physical, Mechanical, Biological, Chemical and physosocial. (Course Notes 2015) Fumes would be a major hazard, the risks associated with this are life threatening. They would be physical and chemical hazards. The risks of fumes can come from gas leaks, chemical fumes etc. Some of the risks associated with fumes are they can cause serious illness, death, over exposure can lead to long term health problems, gas leaks can cause explosions. The control measures for this hazard would be storing chemicals away in proper storage areas, a carbon dioxide alarm and when handling dangerous substances always wear your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Making sure all chemicals are Classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is available and up to date. (www.google.com/image) In healthcare hazards are all too common but they must be identified and control measures must be put in place. Employers need to refer to the hierarchy of control measures which are: Remove, Replace, Reduce, Restriction, training and PPE to ensure safety. 3 HAZARDS COMMON IN THE WORKPLACE 4. EXPLAIN THE TYPICAL CONTENTS OF A FIRST-AID KIT THEIR APPROPRIATE USES. First aid is the first or immediate help given to a patient before the arrival of a paramedic or doctor. The first aid kit is there to offer an appropriate point of care, everything in the first-aid kit is put together based on the knowledge and experience on those putting it together. Included in it is PPE which is one of the employer’s duties in the workplace to have to maintain health and safety at work. (www.hsa.ie) 5. EXPLAIN THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS WORK ENVIRONMENT, WORK PRACTICES, MEDICATION, ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND OUTLINE FOR EACH, STEPS WHICH THE EMPLOYER MIGHT TAKE TO CONTROL THESE RISKS In the workplace there are many risks, some include hazards work environment, work practices, medication, alcohol and drugs. Under the SHWWA 2005 one of the employer’s duties to employees is to provide a safe place to work so therefore the employer may have steps in place to control these risks. Every year it costs the state 3.6billion in accidents, 70% of accidents can be prevented by good health safety morals. (Course Notes 2015) There would usually be a risk assessment carried out which would: Identify the hazard b) assess the risk c) put controlled measures in place www.google.com/image 6. OUTLINE RISK FACTORS IN RELATION TO HEALTH, TO INCLUDE STRESS/LIFESTYLE/DIET/ILLNESS The risk factors in relation to health in the workplace are huge because stress, lifestyle, diet and illness all fall under health. In healthcare it is important that the staff promote good health and wellbeing, they do this through putting into practice of workplace policies and health promotion activities. For employers the risk factors can lead to loss of business and damage the company name, performance impairment, absenteeism and the loss of competitive edge. STRESS is a major risk to the health of an employee. Stress can be caused by many different reasons and have many different effects. Some effects of stress: Can be physical or mental Interfere with your ability to perform Increase cholesterol blood pressure Cause depression, break downs etc. All these can have a bad effect on the employees work and performance. www.google.com/image LIFESTYLE can have risk factors in relation to an employee’s health. A hectic or busy lifestyle can take its toll on someone’s health. If a person had a busy social lifestyle and were out parting every night it would eventually have an effect on their work due to tiredness or maybe coming into work with alcohol still in their system, the same would go for drugs. Drugs can be part of someone’s lifestyle too and have a devastating impact on it. ILLNESS can also have a lot of risk factors in relation to health. In the workplace it can lead to cross contamination staff and patients. It can lead to poor work performance, judgement and unpredictable moods. Lack of good time keeping and an increase of absenteeism. DIET can play a major role in the growth, repair and maintenance of a body. A well balanced diet and exercise are essential to good health. A bad diet, lack of water and no exercise can result in tiredness, stress, illnesses and depression which in return can influence someone’s ability to work. www.google.com/image REFERENCES (Course Notes 2015)page 2 (www.google.com/image)page 2 (www.hsa.ie) page 3 (Course Notes 2015)page 4 (www.google.com/image)page 4 (www.hsa.ie)page 6 (Course Notes 2015)page 7 (www.google.com/image)page 8 (www.google.com/image)page 9 (www.google.com/image) page 10 1

Monday, August 19, 2019

Prosopagnosia: Seeing the World through Fog-Colored Glasses :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Prosopagnosia: Seeing the World through Fog-Colored Glasses With impressive consistency, the visual system, along with each accompanying component that in sum total constitutes a person, develops without error. Patterns of input impinge on complex layers of cells, with the resulting neural interpretation allowing us to negotiate the spatial world around us such that we may avoid causing harm to ourselves or to others. Various devices and techniques have been devised to allow those who are not equipped with a similarly functioning visual system to escape natural selection's discerning grasp. However, various gradations of dysfunction exist between perfect and no vision, which complicate the life of the person suffering from these disorders no less. The disorder prosopagnosia, in particular, otherwise known as "face blindness," causes a crippling deficit in a person's ability to recognize faces (1, 2, 3, 6, 7). It is a somewhat ill understood and deceiving phenomenon. Those individuals suffering from prosopagnosia are able to see perfectly well , to the extent that their perception of visual stimuli is not impaired. However, when presented with a person's face, they are utterly unable to recall having seen that face or having interacted with the person attached to it. Some people would make the distinction between prosopagnosia and facial agnosia (4, 8), with the former applying only to familiar faces while the latter applies more generally to prevent the recognition of any faces. While this might suggest memory impairment as a possible cause, evidence for perceptual deficits has been consistent (4), thereby refuting the notion that these individuals are simply not able to remember people they have encountered. Specifically, the locus of damage that results in prosopagnosia appears to be the medial occipitotemporal cortex (4), though the disorder may be congenital or acquired (2). Lesions in this somewhat posterior and deeply embedded region of the brain, suggested by some researchers to be bilateral in the instance of this disorder, would be consistent with the presented deficits in perception. However there are certain elements of the research and the disorder which seem counterintuitive. For instance, that these "face blind" individuals only ci te difficulty in recognizing familiar faces suggests that the problem may be more than just perceptual. Furthermore, there is separate evidence suggesting that visual processing occurs on a unilateral level (4), and that stimuli are perceived contralaterally. This orientation does not preclude a bilateral lesioning being at the root of prosopagnosia, however it does offer some complicating factors.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Stephen Kings Why We Crave Horror Films Essay -- essays research paper

As I was lying in bed recalling the event happened an hour before I was thinking to myself that I will never look at lightning the same way again. Thunder and lightning was still present in the night sky as I lay there in bed thanking God I was alive and well. Each flash of lightning lit the entire room and each clap of thunder rattled the windows of my hotel room. Lightning can seem much more terrifying when you’re up 20,000 ft in the mountains, and the thunder sounds a lot louder too. The sound of nature’s fury seemed to slowly descend as the night went on, but my nerves did not. I was still stunned and in shock of being stuck in a lightning storm high in the mountains. I never thought about the power and damage lightning can inflict upon its surroundings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was summer 2001 and we had been invited to attend the wedding in Colorado for one of our friends. The wedding took place on a mountain top in Keystone, Colorado. The wedding reception also took place in the lodge on the mountain top. The mountain top was about 20,000 ft about sea level. In order to get there you had to ride two gondolas. Each gondola sat about six people and would carry on up the mountain and down the mountain and down the mountain; much like a ski lift. Each ride lasted about 15 minutes. The wedding was a success, and it was one of the best weddings I’ve ever attended. The reception went all into the night. Laughter and conversation could be heard yards away from the lo...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Kite Runner + Great Gatsby Thoughts

The portrayal of his loyalty towards Emir, how he values their friendship despite Emir's betrayal, his appreciation towards Emir's father, his obedience towards his father, his difficulties, his love towards the wife and son, his well treatment towards his mother who used to abandon him, his dreams and how they shattered, and his ending fate, are Intensely heart-breaking to me. I can't help but sympathies with the character.Nevertheless, the way Hosannas carries himself, through his speeches, actions and his final letter to Emir do not show that he wants the readers' sympathy or compassion. Symbolically, he wants us to know and understand that he still chooses goodness and sincerity, In the midst of the hatred and lies. Despite having his own problems, he still hopes, wishes and wants the best for the people he loves and cares – and he does all that unconditionally. He has a very pure heart and soul. In the story, he may be seen like a victim, yet symbolically, he is the hero. The ending is beautifully inspiring. He ends it by giving Emir a light of hope – telling the readers, that despite anything, there is some hope. No matter how hard circumstances are and were, hope for something better is always there. The Great Gatsby: I've read the Great Gatsby more than a dozen times. It's one of books that I find I can come back to it again and again and learn something new each time. As a story there is nothing that amazing about The Great Gatsby. It's so simple and in many ways eradicable, yet works so wonderfully well, making it irresistible.It's constructed as a series of ticking time bombs that make you simultaneously want them to go off to relieve the pressure, but not go off, so you can enjoy the way things are slowly unraveling for as long as possible. My favorite part is definitely the first person narration, and how easy Fitzgerald makes it seem to put internal thoughts and commentary between plotting, dialog and observation. Though there were ma ny moments that made me feel uncomfortable: moments of anti-smelts and racism, which, on afterthought, were probably appropriate for asses America.

Napoleon Bonaparte †Hero or Villain? Essay

Some men are born heroes while others earn the title after their death. Either way, a hero’s life and his achievements are cemented in the history of the world and become timeless. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) is known today as one of the most intelligent and skilled leaders to have ever lived. He is also known as a controversial figure, his reputation however is disputable as many criticize him for being brutal, selfish and delusional. A deeper study of his life and motives dictating it explains whether this accusation of his villainy is true or false. Military Successes His first actual military feat was in the Siege of Toulon, when he was the captain of the artillery, driving away the British naval and land forces. It was Napoleon’s ingenious plan to place the republican guns strategically atop a hill, in a manner that they could protect the city’s harbor and they would push the British ships out of the city. Napoleon at the ripe age of 24 was known henceforth as Brigadier General and was consequently given the artillery arm of France’s Army of Italy to lead. These events proved his ambitious and speedy progress on the military front and set a parable for time to come. (Asprey, 2000). In October 1975, he was given command of the forces at the Tuileries Palace where Napoleon had recently seen the massacre of the King’s Swiss Guard. He employed large cannons and used them to repel his enemy. The idea worked like magic, the streets were cleared in what is commonly known ‘a whiff of grapeshot’ as phrased by Thomas Carlyle in The French Revolution: A History. Napoleon had once again used his experience and devised an intelligent solution to hit the nail on the head. (Louis, 1998, p. 40) Bonaparte was to take command of the Army of Italy so he devised a plan that was entirely unpredictable. The man’s greatness and vision is reflected in how he could be so delicately tactful and roughly aggressive at the same time. First he overtook the Austrian forces at the Battle of Lodi. Then he went on towards the Papal States. The Directory advised him to conduct a march on Rome but as a man of reason would, Napoleon felt that would weaken the state and refused. In March 1797, Napoleon led the army into Austria which being defeated already decided to negotiate for peace in the Treaty of Leoben. The clauses of this Treaty were such that France got hold of most of northern Italy and the Low Countries. Seizing the opportunity to claim as much of the land as he could, he seemingly awarded Venice to Austria after which he marched into it, ending its 1,100 years of independence with a triumphant invasion. When viewed objectively and for its sheer innovation and creativity, Napoleon’s strategy leaves most people astounded and is certainly admirable. Not only does it take a thorough understanding of conventional military leadership, it also requires a fresh and bright mind to achieve this. Napoleon thus dedicatedly created for himself a reputation, cooking up military plots that his opponent could not often predict or prevent. (Asprey, 2000) Napoleon was one of a kind when it came to military tactics such as concealment, espionage, envelopment and surveillance. His talent was obvious with the numerous battles he fought and won in a very short span of time. That and the rising popularity inspired him to prepare for invading England which had vast trading interests in India at that time (Louis, 1998). He had a developing interest in the Middle East, and had the foresight to realize that joining hands with a figure like Tipu Sultan would be Britain’s Achilles Heel. Napoleon told the Directory ‘as soon as he had conquered Egypt, he will establish relations with the Indian princes and, together with them, attack the English in their possessions. ’ (Asprey, 2000, p. 26) Bonaparte sketched out the Constitution of the Year VIII on becoming First Consul and was soon known as the most powerful person in the country. In 1804, he formalized this status by crowning himself Emperor. Following this in 1805 he was crowned King of Italy too. Even at this exhilarating point in his life, Bonaparte with his quick thinking decided to promote his top generals to ‘Marshals of the Empire’, ensuring their loyalty to him for times to come. He did not take his success for granted. (Louis, 1998, p. 11). One of the most frequently discussed events of that time was the Battle at Austerlitz where, on the first anniversary of his coronation, Napoleon defeated Austria and Russia together. Following this, Austria signed the Peace of Pressburg after which Napoleon was named the Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine (Moore, 1999). Austria had to also give up its land and Napoleon termed Austerlitz as one of his finest battles (Louis, 1998). Critics argue that at such a prime time in his life, Napoleon lost touch with reality and as Frank McLynn expressed ‘what used to be French foreign policy’ became a ‘personal Napoleonic one’. ’ On the contrary, it seems few remember that the man had noble intentions. Vincent Cronin stated Napoleon was not overly ambitious for himself, that â€Å"he embodied the ambitions of thirty million Frenchmen†. (Moore, 1999, p. 2). One such example of Napoleon’s exceptional foresight and vast vision is that even after a failure to capture Egypt; he pursued his desire to secure a place in the Middle East. His insight that an alliance in that region would give the French the power to pressurize Russia from the South was brilliant. He worked hard to convince the Ottomans to join hands with him against Russia. He gave them incentives like they would regain lost territories and in 1806 Selim III called France a ‘sincere and natural ally’ ready to form an alliance. Following this feat, the Persian Empire of Fateh Ali Shah also formed the Franco-Persian Alliance in 1807 (Asprey, 2000, p. 23). Personal skill – the exemplary hero Napoleon’s biggest and most undeniable influence has been in warfare – his methods are now referred to as ‘Napoleonic warfare’. The influential military theorist Carl von Clausewitz describes him as a genius in the operational art of war. Wellington, when asked who was the greatest general of the day, answered: â€Å"In this age, in past ages, in any age, Napoleon. † (Moore, 1999, p. 1). Napoleon was always head first into the battle scene. This not only motivated his soldiers and collegues, it also helped set high standards of dedication and passion on the field. In battles like Montenotte, Mondovi, Arcola and Rivoli, Napolean set great examples often getting wounded himself. He also kept soldiers going by promising those rewards and incentives. (Louis, 1998). ‘Napoleon suffered various military setbacks however: at Leipzig in 1813, in Russia in 1812, and arguably at Aspern-Essling in 1809. He also had to abandon his forces in Egypt’. Despite the blows he suffered and felt responsible for subjecting his country to, Napoleon was always quick to get back on his feet. His resilient spirit as a fighter lives as an example for all those who search for the determination to achieve high goals. (Asprey, 2000, p. 38). Napoleon’s Strong Foundation Initially, Napoleon had a good opportunity to study and it was because of his dignified and prosperous family background and the strong ties among them. It laid the foundation, and gave him a chance to learn French at a religious school in Autun and later got him to enroll into a military academy at Brienne-le-Chateau. An examiner his exceptional aptitude in mathematics, history and geography, all of which helped him excel in the battlefield. The potentials map of the world, a desire to change history and the mathematical grid with which to arrange troops for an invasion – the seeds were sown for a new vision of the French Empire (Louis, 1998). Napoleon and other Heroic Achievements Not only was he a keen military man, his humane and artistic side too was alive and kicking. Bonaparte published two newspapers, which were apparently for troops but most of France was reading them under that cover. He also started Le Journal de Bonaparte et des hommes vertueux, a newspaper to be published in Paris, increasing his influence on the political front in the country. 1798, Bonaparte was elected a member of the French Academy of Sciences, his Egyptian group discovered the Rosetta Stone and their work was published in the Description de l’Egypte (Asprey, 2000). Bonaparte was the one to initiate centralized administration, higher education, tax codes, road and sewer systems and the country’s central bank (Louis, 1998). He bargained for the Concordat of 1801 with the Catholic Church, which inviting the Catholic population towards himself as he regulated public worship. In 1802, he instituted what is today the highest tribute in France in both military and civilian achievements, the Legion d’Honneur. These won him public support and high regard, and served as a bible for time to come. Multi talented and as much a man of reason as he was of force, Napoleon’s also created the famous Napoleonic code—was an enormous stepping stone in the nature of the civil law and legal systems promoting lucid and accessible laws. In his own words â€Å"My true glory is not to have won 40 battles†¦ Waterloo will erase the memory of so many victories. †¦ But†¦ what will live forever is my Civil Code. † (Louis, 1998, p. 51). Correctly so, the Civil Code has immense significance, used in over a quarter of the world’s jurisdictions including Europe, the Americas and Africa. It encouraged civilians to own property without fear and helped fight the plague of feudalism. Among his other achievements, Napoleon emancipated Jews from laws which restricted them to ghettos, and helped them win their rights to proper worship places, and work placed. In exile, in the first few months on Elba he created a small navy and army, developed the iron mines, and reformed and renovated the agricultural systems according to modern ways. He was not only known for ruling loud and mighty but had a much more humane and thoughtful side to him, his vision extended much beyond the war field (Louis, 1998). The Decline The Russians were defeated in a series of battles and Napoleon resumed his advance. But the harsh climatic conditions made the advance a fierce challenge. The Battle of Borodino resulted in approximately 44,000 Russian and 35,000 French, dead, wounded or captured, and may have been the bloodiest day of battle in history up to that point in time. In Napoleon’s own words was: â€Å"The most terrible of all my battles was the one before Moscow. The French showed themselves to be worthy of victory, but the Russians showed themselves worthy of being invincible. † The French suffered greatly in the course of a ruinous retreat, begun as over 400,000 frontline troops, but in the end fewer than 40,000. (Asprey, 2000, p. 28). Napoleon won a series of battles in the Six Days Campaign, but could not sustain control in Paris which was captured by the Coalition in 1814. The Allies eventually forced Napoleon to abdicate. He escaped but was intercepted soon. When confronted by a regiment, Napoleon approached them and shouted, â€Å"Here I am. Kill your Emperor, if you wish. † The soldiers, with hidden awe and admiration for him replied with, â€Å"Vive L’Empereur! † and marched with Napoleon to Paris; another example of the respect Napoleon received from those who knew his strengths and forgave his weaknesses. (Asprey, 2000, p. 64). Conclusion Many ideas demean the man’s reputation today. There is a term called the Napoleon Complex which indicates aggressive behavior of a person who lacks height. (Moore, 1999). He reinstated slavery in French colonies, encouraged looting and often sought to solve problems with brute force rather than by deliberation. His attack on Jaffa was brutal: innocent men, women and children lost their lives sometimes to save bullets, supplies and at other times because they were suffering from the bubonic plague and were a burden. In 1920 he re-established slavery in France’s colonial possessions. (Asprey, 2000). Critics feel that the brutalities committed during his reign are unforgivable and were entirely unavoidable. However there are those like Vincent Cronin who felt that Napoleon was not ‘responsible for the wars which bear his name, when in fact France was the victim of a series of coalitions which aimed to destroy the ideals of the Revolution’. His was the rule that ended lawlessness in France after the revolution (Louis, 1998). A hero lives as an example to people to believe in good and strive to achieve it. A hero dies to live on in their minds as a proof of what the human spirit is capable of if the heart is set on it. Today International Napoleonic Congresses are held in which scholars and politicians meet to discuss matters of world wide significance. An icon of ‘military genius and political power’, Napoleon is used to name products, places and characters, all of which speak of his outstanding skills and innumerable successes (Moore, 1999). American journalist Chuck Palahniuk says ‘We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever; the goal is to create something that will’. Napoleon has emerged a hero, through what he created – an undying inspiration for great leadership, superb administration, unending determination, ruthless loyalty and masterful skills leading to eternal triumph (Louis, 1998, p. 66). He is remembered today in all historical publications as a courageous and able soldier, a man whose tact, craft and vision extended much beyond others. His name has come to symbolize a soldier’s epitome, a leader’s aspiration. His flaws may be many and will remain attached to his exalted but very human condition. As Alexander Pope puts it, ‘To err is human, to forgive is Divine. ’ It is not everyday one finds a story so moving and as passionate as one of Napoleon Bonaparte. A man fuelled with a ferocious desire to be victorious only to see a victorious France. 1799. Napoleon was laid to rest in May 1821 after fighting with persistent ill health. His last words were ‘France, army, head of the army, Josephine’ which he spoke in French (Louis, 1998, p115). There was no doubt that in his dying moments as his life flashed before him, he expressed what was dearest to him, and in it was his first and deepest love – France. Those who judge him for being self absorbed would think again. He was initially buried in St. Helena but later shifted to Seine as he had requested in his will. He was given a state funeral, respects to a man who was a hero of his time, albeit with inevitable human flaws. (Asprey, 2000). References Books B. Asprey, Robert. (2000). The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. First Edition. New York: Basic Books. Fauvelet de Bourrienne Louis, Antoine. (1998). Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte. Constables Miscellant – Original and Selected Publishing. Websites Richard Moore. (1999). Napolean Guide. May 26, 2010, from www. napoleonguide. com.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Last Sacrifice Chapter Nineteen

THE VANS PARKED IN A semi-remote part of Court, so seeing the area packed with eager Moroi was quite a shock to Lissa. Guardians moved through the people like ghosts, just as they had at the nomination session, keeping as much order as possible. The crowd kept getting in the way as the vans attempted to reach the garages, and faces looked in the windows, trying to get a glimpse of the royal candidates. Lissa stared at the masses in shock, almost afraid to get out. Ariana gave her a comforting smile. â€Å"This is normal. They all want to know who made it and who didn't. They especially want to know.' She inclined her head toward the front of the van. Peering through the windshield, Lissa spied the other six candidates. Because the forest course could only accommodate so many people, the group had been split in half. The rest of the candidates would take the same test tomorrow and were no doubt curious who among their competitors had passed today. Lissa was used to order and decorum around royals, so she was astonished to see such eagerness and frenzy among them now. And of course, the â€Å"common' Moroi who'd been arriving at Court were mixed into the crowd too. Everyone was pushing, peering over the heads of others to find out what had happened. People were shouting some of the candidates' names, and I was half-surprised they hadn't come up with songs and banners. Lissa and her companions exited the van and were met with a wave of cheers that rippled through the crowd. It became obvious pretty quickly who had passed and who hadn't. This sent the crowd abuzz even more. Lissa stood rooted to the spot, staring around and feeling lost. It was one thing to rationally discuss the pros of her running for queen with her friends. It was an entirely different matter to suddenly be thrust into what the elections truly meant. Her focus had been limited to a few things: my safety, finding the murderer, and surviving the tests. Now, as she took in the crowd, she realized the election was bigger than her, bigger than anything she could have imagined. For these people, it wasn't a joke. It wasn't a scam to twist the law and stall for time. Their lives were figuratively on the line. Moroi and dhampirs lived inside various countries and obeyed those laws, but they also obeyed this government, the one that operated out of the Court. It reached around the world and affected every dhampir and Moroi who chose to stay in our society. We had some voting, yes, but the king or queen shaped our futures. The guardians in charge of the crowds finally gave the okay for family members to push through the masses and collect their nominees. Lissa had no one. Both Janine and Eddie–despite earlier claims–were occasionally given temporary tasks that prevented them from being with Lissa 24/7, and she certainly had no family to come for her. Adrift, she felt dizzy in the chaos, still stunned by her moment of clarity. Conflicting emotions warred within her. Deceiving everyone made her feel unworthy, like she should resign her candidacy right now. At the same time, she suddenly wanted to be worthy of the elections. She wanted to hold her head high and walk into the tests proudly, even if she was taking them for ulterior motives. A strong hand at last caught hold of her arm. Christian. â€Å"Come on. Let's get out of here.' He pulled her away, shouldering through the onlookers. â€Å"Hey,' he called to a couple guardians on the crowd's periphery. â€Å"A little help here for the princess?' It was the first time I had ever seen him act like a royal, throwing around the authority of his bloodline. To me, he was snarky, cynical Christian. In Moroi society, at eighteen, he could now technically be addressed as Lord Ozera. I'd forgotten that. The two guardians hadn't. They rushed to Lissa's side, helping Christian part the crowd. The faces around her were a blur, the noise a dull roar. Yet, every once in a while, something would come through to her. The chanting of her name. Declarations about the return of the dragon, which was the symbol of the Dragomir family. This is real, she kept thinking. This is real. The guardians efficiently led her out of it all and back across the Court's grounds to her building. They released her once they considered her safe, and she graciously thanked them for their help. When she and Christian were in her room, she sank onto the bed, stunned. â€Å"Oh my God,' she said. â€Å"That was insane.' Christian smiled. â€Å"Which part? Your welcome home party? Or the test itself? You look like you just †¦ well, I'm not really sure what you just did.' Lissa took a quick survey of herself. They'd given her dry towels on the ride home, but her clothing was still damp and was wrinkling as it dried. Her shoes and jeans had mud all over them, and she didn't even want to think about what her hair looked like. â€Å"Yeah, we–‘ The words stuck on her tongue–and not because she suddenly decided not to tell him. â€Å"I can't say,' she murmured. â€Å"It really worked. The spell won't let me.' â€Å"What spell?' he asked. Lissa rolled up her sleeve and lifted the bandage to show him the tiny tattooed dot on her arm. â€Å"It's a compulsion spell so I won't talk about the test. Like the Alchemists have.' â€Å"Wow,' he said, truly impressed. â€Å"I never actually thought those worked.' â€Å"I guess so. It's really weird. I want to talk about it, but I just †¦ cant.' â€Å"Its okay,' he said, brushing some of her damp hair aside. â€Å"You passed. That's what matters. Just focus on that.' â€Å"The only thing I want to focus on right now is a shower–which is kind of ironic, considering how soaked I am.' She didn't move, though, and instead stared off at the far wall. â€Å"Hey,' said Christian gently. â€Å"What's wrong? Did the crowd scare you?' She turned back to him. â€Å"No, that's the thing. I mean, they were intimidating, yeah. But I just realized †¦ I don't know. I realized I'm part of a major process, one that's gone on since–‘ â€Å"The beginning of time?' teased Christian, quoting Nathan's nonsensical statement. â€Å"Nearly,' she answered, with a small smile that soon faded. â€Å"This goes beyond tradition, Christian. The elections are a core part of our society. Ingrained. We can talk about changing age laws or fighting or whatever, but this is ancient. And far-reaching. Those people out there? They're not all Americans. They've come from other countries. I forget sometimes that even though the Court is here, it rules Moroi everywhere. What happens here affects the whole world.' â€Å"Where are you going with this?' he asked. She was lost in her own thoughts and couldn't see Christian as objectively as I could. He knew Lissa. He understood her and loved her. The two of them had a synchronicity similar to what Dimitri and I shared. Sometimes, however, Lissa's thoughts spun in directions he couldn't guess. He'd never admit it, but I knew part of why he loved her was that–unlike me, who everyone knew was impetuous–Lissa always seemed the picture of calmness and rationality. Then, she'd do something totally unexpected. Those moments delighted him–but sometimes scared him because he never knew just how much a role spirit was playing in her actions. Now was one of those times. He knew the elections were stressing her, and like me, he knew that could bring out the worst. â€Å"I'm going to take these tests seriously,' she said. â€Å"It's–it's shameful not to. An insult to our society. My ultimate goal is to find out who framed Rose, but in the meantime? I'm going to go through the trials like someone who intends to be queen.' Christian hesitated before speaking, a rarity for him. â€Å"Do you want to be queen?' That snapped Lissa from her dreamy philosophizing about tradition and honor. â€Å"No! Of course not. I'm eighteen. I can't even drink yet.' â€Å"That's never stopped you from doing it,' he pointed out, becoming more like his usual self. â€Å"I'm serious! I want to go to college. I want Rose back. I don't want to rule the Moroi nation.' A sly look lit Christian's blue eyes. â€Å"You know, Aunt Tasha makes jokes about how you'd actually be a better queen than the others, except sometimes †¦ I don't think she's joking.' Lissa groaned and stretched back on the bed. â€Å"I love her, but we've got to keep her in check. If anyone could actually get that law changed, it would be her and her activist friends.' â€Å"Well, don't worry. The thing about her â€Å"activist friends' is that they have so much to protest, they don't usually get behind one thing at the same time.' Christian stretched out beside her and pulled her close. â€Å"But for what it's worth, I think you'd be a great queen too, Princess Dragomir.' â€Å"You're going to get dirty,' she warned. â€Å"Already am. Oh, you mean from your clothes?' He wrapped his arms around her, heedless of her damp and muddy state. â€Å"I spent most of my childhood hiding in a dusty attic and own exactly one dress shirt. You really think I care about this T-shirt?' She laughed and then kissed him, letting her mind free itself of worry for a moment and just savor the feel of his lips. Considering they were on a bed, I wondered if it was time for me to go. After several seconds, she pulled back and sighed contentedly. â€Å"You know, sometimes I think I love you.' â€Å"Sometimes?' he asked in mock outrage. She ruffled his hair. â€Å"All the time. But I've got to keep you on your toes.' â€Å"Consider me kept.' He brought his lips toward hers again but stopped when a knock sounded at the door. Lissa pulled back from the near-kiss, but neither of them broke from the embrace. â€Å"Don't answer,' said Christian. Lissa frowned, peering toward the living room. She slipped out of his arms, stood up, and walked toward the door. When she was several feet from it, she nodded knowingly. â€Å"It's Adrian.' â€Å"More reason not to answer,' said Christian. Lissa ignored him and opened the door, and sure enough, my devil-may-care boyfriend stood there. From behind Lissa, I heard Christian say, â€Å"Worst. Timing. Ever.' Adrian studied Lissa and then looked at Christian sprawling on the bed on the far side of the suite. â€Å"Huh,' Adrian said, letting himself in. â€Å"So that's how you're going to fix the family problem. Little Dragomirs. Good idea.' Christian sat up and strolled toward them. â€Å"Yeah, that's exactly it. You're interrupting official Council business.' Adrian was dressed casually for him, jeans and a black T-shirt, though he made it look like designer clothing. Actually, it probably was. God, I missed him. I missed them all. â€Å"What's going on?' asked Lissa. While Christian seemed to consider Adrian's arrival a personal offense, Lissa knew that Adrian wouldn't be here without a good reason– especially this early in the Moroi day. Although he had on his normal lazy smile, there was an excited and eager glitter in his aura. He had news. â€Å"I've got him,' said Adrian. â€Å"Got him trapped.' â€Å"Who?' asked Lissa, startled. â€Å"That idiot Blake Lazar.' â€Å"What do you mean trapped?' asked Christian, as perplexed as Lissa. â€Å"Did you set out a bear trap on the tennis courts or something?' â€Å"I wish. He's over at the Burning Arrow. I just bought another round, so he should still be there if we hurry. He thinks I went out for a cigarette.' Judging from the scent wreathing Adrian, Lissa had a feeling he actually had been out for a cigarette. And likely shared in the round. â€Å"You've been at a bar this early?' Adrian shrugged. â€Å"It's not early for humans.' â€Å"But you're not–‘ â€Å"Come on, cousin.' Adrian's aura didn't have the muted colors of someone who was completely drunk, but yes, he'd definitely had a few drinks. â€Å"If pretty boy Ambrose was right about Aunt Tatiana, then this guy can tell us the names of other jealous women.' â€Å"Why didn't you ask him yourself?' asked Christian. â€Å"Because me asking about my aunt's sex life would be sick and wrong,' said Adrian. â€Å"Whereas Blake will be more than happy to talk to our charming princess here.' Lissa really wanted her bed, but finding out anything to help me sparked a new rush of energy within her. â€Å"Okay, let me at least get some different clothes and brush my hair.' While she was changing in the bathroom, she heard Adrian say to Christian, â€Å"You know, your shirt's kind of grungy-looking. Seems like you could put in a little more effort since you're dating a princess.' Fifteen minutes or so later, the threesome were on their way across Court to a tucked away bar inside an administrative building. I'd been there before and had originally thought it was a weird place to house a bar. But, after a recent stint of filing, I'd decided that if I were doing office work for living, I'd probably want a quick source of alcohol on hand, too. The bar was dimly lit, both for mood and Moroi comfort. Adrian's joking aside, it really was early for Moroi, and only a couple patrons were there. Adrian made a small gesture to the bartender, which I presumed was some kind of ordering signal because the woman immediately turned and began pouring a drink. â€Å"Hey, Ivashkov! Where'd you go?' A voice called over to Lissa and the others, and after a few moments, she spotted a lone guy sitting at a corner table. As Adrian led them closer, Lissa saw that the guy was young–about Adrian's age, with curly black hair and brilliant teal eyes, kind of like Abe's recent tie. It was as though someone had taken the stunning color of both Adrian and Christian's eyes and mixed them together. He had a leanly muscled body–about as buff as any Moroi could manage–and, even with a boyfriend, Lissa could admire how hot he was. â€Å"To get better-looking company,' replied Adrian, pulling out a chair. The Moroi then noticed Adrian's companions and jumped up. He caught hold of Lissa's hand, leaned over, and kissed it. â€Å"Princess Dragomir. It's an honor to meet you at last. Seeing you from a distance was beautiful. Up close? Divine.' â€Å"This,' said Adrian grandly, â€Å"is Blake Lazar.' â€Å"It's nice to meet you,' she said. Blake smiled radiantly. â€Å"May I call you Vasilisa?' â€Å"You can call me Lissa.' â€Å"You can also,' added Christian, â€Å"let go of her hand now.' Blake looked over at Christian, taking a few more moments to release Lissa's hand– seeming very proud about those extra seconds. â€Å"I've seen you too. Ozera. Crispin, right?' â€Å"Christian,' corrected Lissa. â€Å"Right.' Blake pulled out a chair, still playing the over-the-top gentleman. â€Å"Please. Join us.' He made no such offer to Christian, who went out of his way to sit close to Lissa. â€Å"What would you like to drink? It's on me.' â€Å"Nothing,' said Lissa. The bartender appeared just then, bringing Adrian's drink and another for Blake. â€Å"Never too early. Ask Ivashkov. You drink as soon as you roll out of bed, right?' â€Å"There's a bottle of scotch right on my nightstand,' said Adrian, still keeping his tone light. Lissa opened her eyes to his aura. It bore the bright gold all spirit users had, still muddled slightly from alcohol. It also had the faintest tinge of red–not true anger, but definite annoyance. Lissa recalled that neither Adrian nor Ambrose had had a good opinion of this Blake guy. â€Å"So what brings you and Christopher here?' asked Blake. He finished a glass of something amber colored and set it down beside the new drink. â€Å"Christian,' said Christian. â€Å"We were talking about my aunt earlier,' said Adrian. Again, he managed to sound very conversational, but no matter how much he might want to clear my name, delving into the details of Tatiana's murder obviously bothered him. Blake's smile diminished a little. â€Å"How depressing. For both of you.' That was directed to Adrian and Lissa. Christian might as well have not existed. â€Å"Sorry about Hathaway too,' he added to Lissa alone. â€Å"I've heard how upset you've been. Who'd have seen that coming?' Lissa realized he was referring to how she'd been pretending to be angry and hurt by me. â€Å"Well,' she said bitterly. â€Å"I guess you just don't know people. There were a million clues beforehand. I just didn't pay attention.' â€Å"You must be upset too,' said Christian. â€Å"We heard you and the queen were kind of close.' Blake's grin returned. â€Å"Yeah †¦ we knew each other pretty well. I'm going to miss her. She might have seemed cold to some people, but believe me, she knew how to have a good time.' Blake glanced at Adrian. â€Å"You must have known that.' â€Å"Not in the way you did.' Adrian paused to take a sip of his own drink. I think he needed it to restrain any snippy remarks, and honestly, I didn't begrudge him it. I actually admired his self-control. If I'd been in his place, I would have long since punched Blake. â€Å"Or Ambrose.' Blake's pretty smile transformed into a full-fledged scowl. â€Å"Him? That blood whore? He didn't deserve to be in her presence. I can't even believe they let him stay at Court.' â€Å"He actually thinks you killed the queen.' Lissa then added hastily, â€Å"Which is ridiculous when all the evidence proves Rose did it.' Those hadn't been Ambrose's exact words, but she wanted to see if she could elicit a reaction. She did. â€Å"He thinks what?' Yes. Definitely no smile now. Without it, Blake suddenly didn't seem as good-looking as earlier. â€Å"That lying bastard! I have an alibi, and he knows it. He's just pissed off because she liked me better.' â€Å"Then why'd she keep him around?' asked Christian, face almost angelic. â€Å"Weren't you enough?' Blake fixed him with a glare while finishing the new drink in nearly one gulp. Almost by magic, the bartender appeared with another. Blake nodded his thanks before continuing. â€Å"Oh, I was more than enough. More than enough for a dozen women, but I didn't fool around on the side like he did.' Adrian's expression was growing increasingly pained at each mention of Tatiana's sex life. Still, he played his role. â€Å"I suppose you're talking about Ambrose's other girl- friends? † â€Å"Yup. But â€Å"girl' is kind of extreme. They were all older, and honestly, I think they paid him. Not that your mom needed to pay anyone,' added Blake. â€Å"I mean, she's actually pretty hot. But you know, she couldn't really be with him in any real way.' It seemed to take all of them a moment to follow what Blake was alluding to. Adrian caught on first. â€Å"What did you just say?' â€Å"Oh.' Blake looked legitimately surprised, but it was hard to say if it was an act. â€Å"I thought you knew. Your mom and Ambrose †¦ well, who could blame her? With your dad? Though just between you and me, I think she could have done better.' Blake's tone implied exactly whom he thought Daniella could have done better with. In Lissa's vision, Adrian's aura flared red. â€Å"You son of a bitch!' Adrian was not the fighting type, but there was a first time for everything–and Blake had just crossed a serious line. â€Å"My mom was not cheating on my dad. And even if she was †¦ she sure as hell wouldn't have to pay for it.' Blake didn't seem fazed, but maybe things would have been different if Adrian actually had hit him. Lissa rested her hand on Adrian's arm and squeezed it gently. â€Å"Easy,' she murmured. I felt the smallest tingle of calming compulsion move from her into him. Adrian recognized it immediately and pulled his arm back, giving her a look that said he didn't appreciate her â€Å"help.' â€Å"I thought you didn't like your dad,' said Blake, utterly clueless that his news might be upsetting. â€Å"And besides, don't get all pissy at me. I wasn't sleeping with her. I'm just telling you what I heard. Like I said, if you want to start accusing random people, go after someone like Ambrose.' Lissa jumped in to keep Adrian from saying anything. â€Å"How many women? Do you know who else he was involved with?' â€Å"Three others.' Blake ticked off names on his hand. â€Å"Marta Drozdov and Mirabel Conta. Wait. That's two. I was thinking with Daniella; that's three. But then, that's four with the queen. Yeah, four.' Lissa didn't concern herself with Blake's faulty math skills, though it did support Adrian's previous â€Å"idiot' claims. Marta Drozdov was a semi-notorious royal who had taken to traveling the world in her old age. By Lissa's estimation, Marta was hardly in the U.S. most of the year, let alone Court. She didn't seem invested enough to murder Tatiana. As for Mirabel Conta †¦ she was notorious in a different way. She was known for sleeping with half the guys at Court, married or otherwise. Lissa didn't know her well, but Mirabel had never seemed overly interested in any one guy. â€Å"Sleeping with other women wouldn't really give him a motive for killing the queen,' pointed out Lissa. â€Å"No,' agreed Blake. â€Å"Like I said, it's obvious that Hathaway girl did it.' He paused. â€Å"Damned shame too. She's pretty hot. God, that body. Anyway, if Ambrose had killed her, he'd have done it because he was jealous of me, because Tatiana liked me better. Not because of all those other women he was doing.' â€Å"Why wouldn't Ambrose just kill you?' asked Christian. â€Å"Makes more sense.' Blake didn't have a chance to respond because Adrian was still back on the earlier topic, his eyes flashing with anger. â€Å"My mother wasn't sleeping with anybody. She doesn't even sleep with my father.' Blake continued in his oblivious way. â€Å"Hey, I saw them. They were all over each other. Did I mention how hot your–‘ â€Å"Stop it,' warned Lissa. â€Å"It's not helping.' Adrian clenched his glass. â€Å"None of this is helping!' Clearly, things weren't going the way he'd hoped when he'd first summoned Lissa and Christian from her room. â€Å"And I'm not going to sit and listen to this bullshit.' Adrian downed the drink and shot up from his chair, turning abruptly for the exit. He tossed some cash on the bar before walking out the door. â€Å"Poor guy,' said Blake. He was back to his calm, arrogant self. â€Å"He's been through a lot between his aunt, mom, and murdering girlfriend. That's why really, at the end of the day, you just can't trust women.' He winked at Lissa. â€Å"Present company excluded, of course.' Lissa felt as disgusted as Adrian, and a quick glance at Christian's stormy face showed he felt the same. It was time to go before someone really did punch Blake. â€Å"Well, it's been great talking to you, but we need to go.' Blake gave her puppy-dog eyes. â€Å"But you just got here! I was hoping we could get to know each other.' It went without saying what he meant by that. â€Å"Oh. And Kreskin too.' Christian didn't even bother with a correction this time. He simply took hold of Lissa's hand. â€Å"We have to go.' â€Å"Yeah,' agreed Lissa. Blake shrugged and waved for another drink. â€Å"Well, any time you want to really experience the world, come find me.' Christian and Lissa headed for the door, with Christian muttering, â€Å"I really hope that last part was meant for you, not me.' â€Å"That's no world I want to experience,' said Lissa with a grimace. They stepped outside, and she glanced around, in case Adrian had lingered. Nope. He was gone, and she didn't blame him. â€Å"I can see now why Ambrose and Adrian don't like him. He's such a †¦' â€Å"Asshole?' supplied Christian. They turned toward her building. â€Å"I suppose so.' â€Å"Enough to commit murder?' â€Å"Honestly? No.' Lissa sighed. â€Å"I kind of agree with Ambrose †¦ I don't think Blake's smart enough for murder. Or that the motive's really there. I can't tell if people are lying or not from their auras, but his didn't reveal anything overly dishonest. You joked, but if anyone was going to commit a jealous murder, why wouldn't the guys want to kill each other? A lot easier.' â€Å"They did both have easy access to Tatiana,' Christian reminded her. â€Å"I know. But if there is love and sex involved here †¦ it seems like it'd be someone jealous of the queen. A woman.' A long, meaningful pause hung between them, neither of them wanting to say what they were both likely thinking. Finally, Christian broke the silence. â€Å"Say, like, Daniella Ivashkov?' Lissa shook her head. â€Å"I can't believe that. She doesn't seem like the type.' â€Å"Murderers never seem like the type. That's why they get away with it.' â€Å"Have you been studying up on your criminology or something? † â€Å"No.' They reached her building's front door, and he opened it for Lissa. â€Å"Just laying out some facts. We know Adrian's mom never liked Tatiana for personality reasons. Now we find out that they were sharing the same guy.' â€Å"She has an alibi,' said Lissa stonily. â€Å"Everyone has an alibi,' he reminded her. â€Å"And as we've learned, those can be paid for. In fact, Daniella's already paid for one.' â€Å"I still can't believe it. Not without more proof. Ambrose swore this was more political than personal.' â€Å"Ambrose isn't off the list either.' They came to Lissa's room. â€Å"This is harder than I thought it would be.' They went inside, and Christian wrapped his arms around her. â€Å"I know. But we'll do it together. We'll figure it out. But †¦ we might want to keep some of this to ourselves. Maybe I'm overreacting here, but I think it'd be best if we don't ever, ever tell Adrian his mom has an excellent motive for having killed his aunt.' â€Å"Oh, you think?' She rested her head against his chest and yawned. â€Å"Naptime,' said Christian, leading her toward the bed. â€Å"I still need a shower.' â€Å"Sleep first. Shower later.' He pulled back the covers. â€Å"I'll sleep with you.' â€Å"Sleep or sleep?' she asked dryly, sliding gratefully into bed. â€Å"Real sleep. You need it.' He crawled in beside her, spooning against her and resting his face on her shoulder. â€Å"Of course, afterward, if you want to conduct any official Council business †¦' â€Å"I swear, if you say â€Å"Little Dragomirs,' you can sleep in the hall.' I'm sure there was a patented Christian retort coming, but another knock cut him off. He looked up in exasperation. â€Å"Don't answer it. For real this time.' But Lissa couldn't help herself. She broke from his embrace and climbed out of bed. â€Å"Its not Adrian †¦' â€Å"Then it's probably not important,' said Christian. â€Å"We don't know that.'She got up and opened the door, revealing–my mother. Janine Hathaway swept into the room as casually as Adrian had, her eyes sharp as she studied every detail around her for a threat. â€Å"Sorry I was away,' she told Lissa. â€Å"Eddie and I wanted to set up an alternating system, but we both got pulled for duty earlier.' She glanced over at the rumpled bed, with Christian in it, but being who she was, she came to a pragmatic conclusion, not a romantic one. â€Å"Just in time. I figured you'd want to sleep after the test. Don't worry–I'll keep watch and make sure nothing happens.' Christian and Lissa exchanged rueful looks. â€Å"Thanks,' said Lissa.