Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Sylvan Island Essays - Moline, Illinois, Rock Island, Illinois

Woody Island Kevin Danforth/David Zemke Educator Tweet School Writing 101-15 16 Nov. 2000 The Sylvan Island Dream Hopping into the water from a dam, going around through the trees, and angling from the shore were a portion of the many energizing exercises experienced by a youthful young man on Sylvan Island during the 1930's. In spite of the fact that these occasions were ample, they would before long reduce throughout the years. Republic take which gave numerous occupations to individuals from the network left business and left nobody to keep up appropriate consideration for this current youngster's play area. This island that once bolstered trails for individuals to walk and ride bicycles, open land for family picnics, and a tranquil climate for one to unwind was currently loaded with contamination and brush that made it incomprehensible for one to appreciate. Nothing was truly made of the island until the 1960's when Professor Norm Moline from the geology office at Augustana College chose to take a class over for hands on work. At the time the main aim was to give labs and experimentation to the understudies. As the class proceeded, the understudy's center began to include the island's history and potential changes that could be made to the island later on. What initially began as a class venture currently ended up being a beginning stage in returning cherished recollections to numerous who invested energy making this island their home. Numerous understudies and staff had long and momentary thoughts of what should be possible to reestablish the island once more into what it used to be. Inevitably many chipped in long periods of difficult work would be spent reestablishing the island. The task would not anyway be finished by educator Moline and his understudies. It would turn into a beginning stage in which a once little youngster named Jesse Perez who experienced and grew up with the magnificence of the island, would dominate and proceed with the mission in making Sylvan Island a home for some to encounter the islands joys for a considerable length of time to come. History of the Island Foresty Island was made in 1865 on the grounds that the U.S. government required more force so as to make a weapon store for the stockpile in Rock Island. The legislature and Moline Water Power Co. chosen to make a dam that would give capacity to the munititions stockpile just as the water organization. The administration would flexibly for all the costs yet the water organization would gracefully the land required. Plans for the dam were finished up in 1869 and expressed that the dam would be associated with the territory at sixth Street. The dam would proceed with the island until it crossed the channel into Rock Island. By 1871, all manifestations of the dam were finished and both Moline Water and the munititions stockpile got the force required. Somewhere in the range of 1941 and 1942 Mid American Energy moved the dam toward the eastern piece of the island. From that point forward, no progressions have been made. In 1894 Sylvan Island was rented to Sylvan Steel Company which would assume control over the island. The factory would on normal produce 25,000 tons of steel each year. This sum was so high in light of the fact that in 1898 a 5-ton heater was bought, and could create refined iron, hard and delicate steel, rural iron, vendor bar steel, and steel shapes. There were likewise coal and gas-terminated heaters alongside four plants running from eight to sixteen inches. That equivalent year Sylvan Steel and Republic Iron and Steel Company of Chicago would consolidate and become Republic Steel. There would be a sum of 150 representatives. At the point when the two organizations joined, the assembling of steel would now be from utilized rail steel. A wide range of agrarian apparatuses and supplies were presently delivered because of the merger. The most prosperous year came in 1931 when 38,605 tons of steel was created. Republic Steel would be ready to go until 1956. A wide range of ends have been made with respect to why the plant shut down. In the event that you were one of the workers, you would most likely say the explanation was on the grounds that the steel being delivered was excessively thick and incapable to be cut effectively, so enormous organizations, for example, John Deer would no longer buy from the plant. Proprietors of Republic Steel said the explanation behind the organization's consumption is on the grounds that

Saturday, August 22, 2020

How Could Foreign Direct Investment Obtain A Legal Protection in Saudi Dissertation

How Could Foreign Direct Investment Obtain A Legal Protection in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example I Arabia 51 3.1 Introduction 51 3.2 FDI Dispute Resolution 52 3.2 The Arbitrability of FDI Related Disputes in Saudi Arabia 53 3.3 Arbitration Law in Saudi Arabia 55 3.4 Conclusion 58 Chapter Four 59 Findings/Conclusion and Recommendations 59 4.1 Findings/Conclusion 59 4.2 Recommendations 62 Bibliography 64 Chapter One/History and Background of the Study I.I. Acquaintance According with a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) report, Saudi Arabia keeps on driving all GCC states in FDI inflows.2 GCC FDI inflows dropped by 15 % in 2008 because of the ongoing worldwide monetary emergency in spite of the fact that FDI decreases for GCC states were not as steep as other creating economies.3 Therefore slants before the worldwide budgetary emergency of 2008-2009 are progressively enlightening as it mirrors an increasingly solid comprehension of autonomous factors and along these lines are not affected by the worldwide money related emergency that impacts every single other economy. A report by the United Nations’ association, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in 2008 is along these lines increasingly enlightening. As indicated by ESCWA FDI inflows in ESCWA states started a â€Å"upward trend† in 2002 with all out inflows arriving at a â€Å"new record of US$55.6 billion out of 2006 an expansion over US$10.8 billion three years sooner in 2003.4 The major FDI beneficiaries among ESCWA states are Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Every one of these nations made an assortment of changes and made huge interests in foundation and by 2006 they pulled in 74 percent of all FDI inflows among ESCWA states.5 According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Saudi Arabia is the world’s tenth biggest beneficiary of FDI inflows drawing in US$48 billion dollars in FDI inflows in 2008 and US$36 billion in 2009.6... As indicated by a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) report, Saudi Arabia keeps on driving all GCC states in FDI inflows. GCC FDI inflows dropped by 15 % in 2008 because of the ongoing worldwide monetary emergency in spite of the fact that FDI decreases for GCC states were not as steep as other creating economies. In this way drifts before the worldwide budgetary emergency of 2008-2009 are progressively enlightening as it mirrors an increasingly dependable comprehension of autonomous factors and hence are not affected by the worldwide monetary emergency that impacts every single other economy. A report by the United Nations’ association, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in 2008 is in this manner progressively educational. As per ESCWA FDI inflows in ESCWA states started a â€Å"upward trend† in 2002 with all out inflows arriving at a â€Å"new record of US$55.6 billion of every 2006 an expansion over US$10.8 billion three years sooner in 2003. The major FDI beneficiaries among ESCWA states are Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Every one of these nations made an assortment of changes and made critical interests in foundation and by 2006 they pulled in 74 percent of all FDI inflows among ESCWA states. As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Saudi Arabia is the world’s tenth biggest beneficiary of FDI inflows drawing in US$48 billion dollars in FDI inflows in 2008 and US$36 billion out of 2009. Since the center of the 1980s various nations in the Middle East and North Africa have made various changes planned for â€Å"improving the basic determinants of profit for investments†.

Monday, August 17, 2020

Can Bipolar Disorder Get You Excused From Jury Duty

Can Bipolar Disorder Get You Excused From Jury Duty Bipolar Disorder Print Bipolar Disorder and Being Excused From Jury Duty By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Updated on February 21, 2020 Bipolar Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Your Rights Image Source/Digital Images/Getty Images While most people dont love jury duty, they do understand the importance of taking part in their civic responsibility. But there are times when you simply cant serve, either because of personal hardship or physical or mental limitations that make jury service difficult, if not impossible, to perform. If you are living with bipolar disorder, you may assume that it automatically excludes you from sitting on a jury. In some cases, you may be right, particularly if youre on disability and unable to work. But is it always the case? The simple answer is maybe. The laws governing jury duty vary from state to state, county to county, and even district to district. So, if youre suddenly facing a jury summons and feel unable to serve, you will need to identify the local laws applicable to you and make further inquiry if the rules seem unclear. State Laws Regarding Jury Duty and Mental Illness Laws can be notoriously vague when it comes to defining mental illness within the context of jury duty. An informal snapshot of current state and local laws shows how diverse the exemption process can be: In California, you may request an exemption if you are under 70 and a doctor confirms in writing that your mental illness makes it impossible to sit on a jury.In Massachusetts, the same guidelines apply but with no limitation as to age.??In New Hampshire, you not only need to provide documented proof of your diagnosis, but you must also be on temporary or permanent disability because of it.In Hawaii, a medical certificate must be submitted as proof of mental illness.?? Even so, it is not a guarantee that your request will be approved.In parts of North Carolina, you must submit a signed statement by a licensed physician on an official letterhead setting forth a diagnosis, a prognosis as to the time the mental condition is expected to continue, and an explanation as to why you are unable to perform jury duty.In Delaware, you need only fill out a questionnaire to provide evidence of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, or public necessity in order to be excused.??In Wisconsin, there i s no reference made to mental illness and jury, only a telephone directory of district courts to contact. How to Get Excused If you feel unfit to sit on a jury, there are several things you can do: If you are perfectly comfortable submitting for an exemption based on your mental illness, speak with your doctor and see if he or she can put together the bulk of the documentation for you. These requests are not uncommon in medical practice, and the office staff may have experience in how to expedite the process more efficiently.If the doctor is unable or unwilling to help, call the helpline listed on the summons, advise them about your condition, and ask them for advice on the fastest and easiest way to get an exemption. If they understand your distress, they will usually make more effort to help.Jury duty typically lasts from seven to 10 days. If you have an important medical appointment (such as therapy, a doctor visit, or a regular support group meetings), you can often get excused on the grounds that jury duty will interfere with those appointments and pose extreme inconvenience to your ongoing care.??If you are unable to get excused prior to jury duty, request to speak with t he judge upon arrival. If you speak as a human being rather than a prospective juror, you can explain what is going on with your health (including the drugs youre taking) and simply advise the judge you are unable to concentrate. Thats usually enough to be granted an excusal.Alternately, if you are just going through a rough time now and want to serve, you can request a change of date.?? These are almost always granted. Whichever way you choose to handle this, do not lie or provide false evidence. Doing so may result in a perjury charge and a hefty fine. Be honest and turn to your support system for help in gaining fair and reasonable exemption from court service. Just take it one step at a time.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The International Security Threat Report - 989 Words

The â€Å"International Security Threat Report† provides data on cybersecurity attacks and threats throughout 2012. The report shows that there was a 42% increase in targeted attacks (page 10). Although the types of attacks have been evolving, the number of people affected and the amount of damage has increased. Cyber attacks have evolved in such a way that allows them to be a large threat for citizens, businesses, and governments. Cyber attacks have been putting the privacy and information of citizens at risk through mobile malware. From 2011 to 2012 the amount of mobile malware increased by 58% (page 12). The mobile malware was used to steal the the user s’ information 32% of the time (page 33). This is especially dangerous considering people increasingly use their phones to store personal information. Cell phones are tied to the owner’s phone contract, which offers an additional way for the hacker to cause financial damage to the phone’s owner. Cell pho ne users can decrease the risk of having their private information stolen and their device compromised by installing security software on their cell phones, but that does not get rid of the risk altogether. Social media has also increased the security threat for citizens. In the past cyber criminals and spammers have attempted to steal information and scam users through spam emails, however, because of the increasing popularity of social media networks, cyber criminals and spammers have been using emails less andShow MoreRelatedA Study on National Security Strategy1312 Words   |  5 PagesNational security is paramount to the protection of America and its constituents. It is imperative, particularly as the world becomes more global, that nation security maintains the integrity of the entire system. Technology, due in part to globalization, is becoming more ubiquitous. Tools that can ultimately destroy mankind, through international trade, are becoming more widespread. 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Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Fairfield University Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

Fairfield University is a private Catholic university with an acceptance rate of 60%. Located an hour from New York City in Fairfield, Connecticut, Fairfields curriculum emphasizes experiential learning across disciplinary boundaries. The school has strong international programs and has produced a number of  Fulbright Scholars. Fairfields strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned the school a chapter of the  Phi Beta Kappa  Honor Society, and the universitys Dolan School of Business is also well regarded. In athletics, the Fairfield Stags compete in the NCAA Division I  Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Considering applying to Fairfield University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Fairfield University had an acceptance rate of 60%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 60 students were admitted, making Fairfields admissions process competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 11,361 Percent Admitted 60% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 16% SAT Scores and Requirements Fairfield University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Fairfield may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required.  During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 73% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 600 660 Math 590 680 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of  Fairfields admitted students fall within the  top 35% nationally  on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Fairfield scored between 600 and 660, while 25% scored below 600 and 25% scored above 660. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 590 and 680, while 25% scored below 590 and 25% scored above 680. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1340 or higher is competitive for Fairfield University. Requirements Fairfield University does not require SAT scores for admission. Note that Fairfield recommends that students who elect not to submit standardized test scores participate in an interview. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Fairfield participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Fairfield does not require the essay section of the SAT or SAT Subject tests. ACT Scores and Requirements Fairfield University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 27% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile Composite 26 30 This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Fairfields admitted students fall within the  top 18% nationally  on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Fairfield received a composite ACT score between 26 and 30, while 25% scored above 30 and 25% scored below 26. Requirements Fairfield does not require ACT scores for admission. Note that Fairfield recommends that students who elect not to submit standardized test scores participate in an interview. For students who choose to submit scores, Fairfield participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. Fairfield does not require the ACT writing section. GPA In 2018, the average high school GPA for Fairfield Universitys incoming freshmen class was 3.65, and over 44% had average GPAs of 3.75 or higher. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Fairfield University have primarily A grades. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Fairfield University Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Fairfield University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances Fairfield University, which accepts over half of applicants, has a competitive admissions pool. However, Fairfield also has a  holistic admissions  process and is test-optional, and admissions decisions are based on much more than numbers. A strong  application essay  and  glowing letters of recommendation  can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful  extracurricular activities  and a  rigorous course schedule. The college is looking for students who will contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways, not just students who show promise in the classroom. While not required, Fairfield strongly recommends  interviews  for all interested applicants, and particularly for students who choose not to submit standardized test scores. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and scores are outside of Fairfields average range. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that most students who got into Fairfield University had averages of B or higher, and many successful applicants had A averages. Note that grades are far more important than test scores because the university has  test-optional admissions. If your scores arent on target for Fairfield, you can choose not to submit them. If You Like Fairfield University, You May Also Like These Schools Boston CollegeNew York UniversitySyracuse UniversityUniversity of VermontYale UniversityUniversity of Connecticut All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Fairfield University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 23 Free Essays

I couldn’t stay in my bedroom after that, not after seeing two angels die – one physically and one spiritually. I had to get out of there, out of the apartment. None of the others seemed to notice or care that I fled. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 23 or any similar topic only for you Order Now With Nyx captured, there were bigger things to worry about in the universe than one distraught succubus. I’d been driving in the car for about ten minutes before I realized where I was going. Dante’s. Vincent’s talk about the evil charm suddenly seemed unimportant. What I needed right now was to talk to someone about what I’d seen. Seth wouldn’t entirely understand, and besides, matters still weren’t fixed between us. Discussing serious things with the vampires was hard for me sometimes. I was still mad at Hugh. I wouldn’t bother Erik since he was still recovering. Dante was all I had left. He opened the door to his store after I banged on it for about five minutes. The messy hair and wrinkled clothing showed me that I’d woken him again. He looked annoyed, as usual, when I walked inside. â€Å"Didn’t it work? I told you – † He took a closer look at me. â€Å"What happened?† I staggered to one of the chairs and collapsed into it, hands resting on the side of my forehead. I could have been a mirror of Yasmine. I opened my mouth to speak, to explain what had happened†¦but no words came out. He knelt beside me. â€Å"Succubus. You’re freaking me out here. What happened?† I stared blankly at him for several seconds before finally focusing on his concerned face. â€Å"She fell.† â€Å"Huh? Nyx?† â€Å"No†¦Yasmine.† â€Å"Who?† My eyes went unfocused again as I remembered that black flame. The horrible sound. Blinking, I tried to shake it off and turn my attention to Dante. â€Å"She’s an angel. Was an angel. Maybe she still is. I don’t know. Fuck, I don’t know. I don’t know what she is.† He reached out and gripped my arms, shaking me slightly to get my attention again. â€Å"Look, you’re losing me. I don’t know how an angel falling ties into Nyx. If it ties into Nyx. You’ve gotta calm down and start from the beginning. Take a deep breath.† I did. â€Å"Now another.† I did. â€Å"Now talk.† I did. It was hard at first, and I had a few false starts. Finally, however, I was able to back up and explain the cast of angels to Dante. The story slowly spilled from my lips, and I told him all about what had happened: Nyx’s capture, Joel’s death, and Yasmine’s fall. He kept his hands on my arms when I finished, and I later realized it was to steady me. I was shaking. Several quiet minutes passed as we sat there. He exhaled at last and shook his head. â€Å"Fuck, succubus. That’s a lot for one night. Even for you.† He touched my chin with his hand and tilted my face up. â€Å"But you know angels fall. You know they still fall. All the time.† â€Å"But I’ve never seen it,† I whispered. â€Å"In all this time†¦ I’ve never known anyone who was an angel and then became a demon. All the demons I know†¦well, they’ve always been demons. I never saw them when they were angels.† â€Å"First time for everything.† I met his eyes. â€Å"But I liked her.† I expected some comment like, â€Å"Bad things happen to good people.† Instead, he just shook his head. â€Å"I’m sorry.† I swallowed back tears – I’d already cried enough tonight – and leaned forward, resting my head against his chest, just as I had the other night. He ran a hand down my hair and rocked me. â€Å"What hope is there?† I asked. â€Å"If even angels fall, what hope is there for the rest of us?† â€Å"There isn’t,† he said. â€Å"We’re on our own. And we have to make the choices we think are best for our own survival. If your angel friend had been thinking like that, she wouldn’t have fallen.† â€Å"But that’s the thing†¦angels don’t think about themselves, right? They’re selfless.† â€Å"Maybe,† he said doubtfully. â€Å"She let things get that far with the nephilim†¦that wasn’t really selfless. Now they’re both fucked, and we’ve got another member in the club.† â€Å"What club?† â€Å"The club. Our club. The one for people who make one mistake and are punished forever because of it.† He paused. â€Å"It’s a pretty big club.† I gently pulled out of the embrace. â€Å"What did you do?† â€Å"Hmm?† â€Å"Your one mistake. Vincent found the charm†¦he said it was horrible. Black magic. He said you had to have done something really bad to make it.† Dante’s eyes were sad as he regarded me. â€Å"You really want to know?† I nodded. â€Å"No. You don’t. Right now, for the first time, you’re talking to me like maybe I’m not the biggest asshole on earth. I tell you the truth†¦and you’ll lose all respect for me.† â€Å"I won’t. I’ll respect you more.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"People always say noble things in hypothetical situations. ‘I’d never cheat on my spouse.’ ‘I’d return the million dollars that I found on the street.’ It’s bullshit.† â€Å"It’s not,† I argued. â€Å"I respect the truth.† â€Å"But you won’t like it. Why do you think I didn’t kiss you that day outside Erik’s? I joke about wanting to sleep with you – hell, I do want to sleep with you – but if we’d done it, you’d have felt how little energy I really have.† â€Å"I buy the low energy thing, but I still want to know the story behind it.† His eyes narrowed in frustration. â€Å"Look, succubus. I don’t even think I could tell the story if I wanted to. It’s too hard.† His comment about kissing suddenly inspired me. â€Å"Can you show me?† â€Å"What?† I moved toward him. â€Å"Kiss me. I can hardly get any energy from you, but if you open yourself to the memory, I should be able to feel pieces of it.† I hoped that was true, at least. While my lovers’ thoughts and feelings came through to me during sex, it wasn’t exactly a system we could control. I couldn’t summon up specific things. Usually what I felt was whatever the guy was thinking about just then. More often than not, it was amazement or perhaps a guilty conscience over the lover he was cheating on. But maybe†¦maybe if Dante was specifically thinking of whatever he had done, it would come through. It was worth a shot. I leaned closer to him. He didn’t move, so I went in all the way and kissed him. Initially, it was just a kiss – all physical. Gradually, I started to get a bit of his life force – but it was just like he’d said. His soul was too dark. The life energy that flowed into me was barely a trickle. It was only a few drops, like a leaking faucet. Then†¦once I’d assessed the energy, I felt something else. I felt his soul – felt why it was so black, so devoid of the shining life most humans had. That blackness began pouring into me, that sickening and oozing evil†¦and there, behind it, was despair and anger and hopelessness and frustration. It was nauseating. Blackness and blood. I wanted to pull away, but I had to see what he was hiding. The memory came through to me in disjointed images, but I was able to piece them together and form a narrative. I saw a sister. Older than him by ten years. She’d taken care of him throughout his childhood – both in a motherly way and as an instructor. She was a psychic too. She’d taught him how to harness his power, to tap the magic of the world that was unseen to most humans. She had been powerful, but he was even stronger. It hadn’t been enough, though. He’d wanted more than to simply control his power – he’d wanted to enhance it. But as Hugh and Vincent had told me, few humans were born with the magnitude of power that he’d craved. So, he’d taken it. Ripped it out. From her. I saw his face when he killed her, felt his pain as the dagger touched her throat. She was half-mother and half-sister to him, but he stole her life anyway. And with that act, his power had grown by magnitudes – both because he’d gained hers and because of the spell involved. The blood of the innocent always brings power, and the black magic intertwined in this death brought it in spades. It had left him feeling like a god. And wishing he were dead. He’d damned himself. He still loved the power, still loved wielding it†¦but after killing his sister, he’d hated himself. He’d withdrawn from the world, trying to bury his memories in drugs and alcohol, only occasionally using his powers for small, nickel-and-dime con jobs. I broke the kiss, not wanting to see or feel anymore. If we went further, I’d probably see what he had to do to make the charm. It wouldn’t be as bad as what he’d done to his sister, but I was through with all this. Wide-eyed, I scooted away from him on the floor. â€Å"She was Erik’s lover,† I said softly. I’d had a brief glimpse of Tanya – that was her name – and Erik together. â€Å"She was the woman in the picture. That’s why he hates you.† Dante nodded. â€Å"The three of us†¦we were going to do great things. We were all so fucking talented, you know?† He rested a hand on his head, eyes full of grief. â€Å"Unsurprisingly, Erik chose to end our friendship after this. He wanted to kill me†¦he should have. He really should have. But, well. He’s not that kind of guy.† â€Å"No,† I agreed, voice cold. â€Å"He’s not.† I stood up and backed away from Dante, who was still sitting on the floor. He looked up and realized what I was doing. The miserable face turned angry. â€Å"Leaving so soon?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for proving me right.† â€Å"About†¦?† He threw his hands in the air. â€Å"This. I told you you’d hate me.† â€Å"I don’t – † I stopped. I did hate him. I couldn’t help it, not after seeing how much he and his sister had loved each other. Not after realizing how much this must have hurt Erik. â€Å"Dante†¦what you did†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Was a mistake. One I would take back if I could. One mistake to damn me forever. Just like your angel friend. Just like you.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"It’s not the same. Yasmine fell because of love.† â€Å"She fell because of selfishness,† he argued. â€Å"But I won’t challenge that point. Tell me about you. Did you fall because of love?† I didn’t say anything. I’d fallen because of lust. I’d cheated on my husband because I was hurt and lonely and bored and†¦well, because I could. Dante regarded me sharply. â€Å"You see? I get it. You fucked up too. I understand you – you’re not going to find too many people who do. I bet your boyfriend doesn’t.† â€Å"He accepts me.† â€Å"But does he understand? Have you ever told him in painstaking detail what you did?† â€Å"No, but it doesn’t matter.† Dante stood up and approached me. â€Å"It does matter! Being with him is a joke. It can’t work. I’m not saying you have some great romantic future with me either, but at the very least, you should stick with people who know where you’ve come from.† â€Å"Right. Hanging out with you means I’d just drink and hate life.† â€Å"Your point?† â€Å"Seth makes me hope for better things. Makes me want to be better.† â€Å"But there’s no point!† exclaimed Dante. â€Å"Why don’t you get that? Things can’t change for you. Even your own fucking palms say so.† â€Å"No†¦Nyx said†¦Nyx said the dream could come true. The man in the dream – â€Å" † – was her scamming you. You would have fallen for it, too, if your angel hadn’t fallen first.† I clenched my teeth. â€Å"Her dreams are true. Seth and I – â€Å" † – are going to get married? Run off into the sunset? Have babies? Succubus! Wake up!† Dante was shouting, his face inches from mine. â€Å"It can’t happen. Not for you. Maybe it can for him – but not with you. Every day you spend with him just ensures his life is going to be as empty and meaningless as yours.† â€Å"That’s not true!† I screamed. â€Å"We’re happy. We’re going to be happy together, and I don’t care if you don’t believe me. I’m never going to see or speak to you again. I know why Erik hates you, and I hate you too.† I kicked the door open. â€Å"You deserve to burn in Hell.† I left him, but I still couldn’t make myself go home. With nothing else to do, I simply found a twenty-four-hour diner and drank coffee, pointedly ignoring anyone who talked to me. I watched the sun come up over the Olympic Mountains and finally went to work when the bookstore opened. I helped out with the last-minute Christmas rush, doing mindless and mechanical tasks. We were closing early that day, and everyone was finishing up their shopping. It was hectic and crazy, but it gave my zombie-like body something to do. When we closed, it was nearly time for me to take Maddie to the airport. She needed a few more Christmas purchases herself and asked if I’d swing downtown with her. After witnessing the death of an angel, shopping seemed like the most trivial thing in the world. Still†¦I had nothing else to do, so I agreed. I probably would have agreed to anything. Downtown Seattle was decked out in its Christmas finery, with lights and wreaths strung along the shopping nexus that centered around Fourth Avenue. At four in the afternoon, it was already dark outside. Rain pounded down on the pavement, the kind of torrential downpour most people believed we had year-round. Really, it only rained in the winter, and that was usually a drizzly type. This heavy stuff was a rare event, as though perhaps the heavens mourned Joel’s passing. Through a window, I watched the rain and pedestrians fighting with umbrellas while Maddie searched in Banana Republic for something for her sister. I’d half-heartedly looked for a present for Seth, but my motivation eventually faded, and anyway, there was no way to compete with the ring. I still wore it around my neck. It felt heavy today. Along with my grief over what had happened to Yasmine, I still kept thinking about Nyx. In particular, I kept thinking about what she’d said to me. The man in the dream. Who was the man in the dream? The question consumed me, as futile as it was. I kept repeating Dante’s words, trying to tell myself it didn’t matter – that the whole thing had been a hoax. But that dark silhouette still haunted my mind’s eye, and some part of me believed that if I knew his identity, then maybe it could all be real. â€Å"Georgina?† I turned from the rainy street and saw Vincent standing in front of me. Beyond him, a preoccupied Maddie flipped through a rack of cardigans. I’d thought he looked grief-stricken in my apartment, but that was nothing compared to what I saw now. His face was pinched and pale. His eyes were glassy and red, but whether from crying or lack of sleep, I couldn’t say. Probably both. He handed me my apartment key. â€Å"Just wanted to give this back.† I took it. â€Å"You didn’t need to find me for that. You could have left it.† â€Å"Yeah.† He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground. â€Å"I guess I just†¦wanted to talk to someone.† â€Å"Have you, um, seen Yasmine?† He shook his head. â€Å"Nope. I don’t know what happened to her. I mean, I know†¦she’s off somewhere in Hell. Maybe they have orientation or something. I don’t know. Whatever it is, it must be awful. And it’s my fault.† â€Å"It’s not,† I said automatically. â€Å"It was her choice.† â€Å"She did it for me, though.† â€Å"It doesn’t matter why. The point is that she did it willingly. It isn’t your place to question the decisions she makes.† As the words left my mouth, I had a total holy shit moment. I was saying exactly what everyone had been telling me about Seth. I was saying exactly what Seth himself had been telling me for so long. â€Å"I guess. I don’t know.† He sighed. â€Å"It’s so fucking stupid too. All these years, we’ve been so cautious to stay at arm’s length, so she wouldn’t fall. We were so good – holding back from what we wanted. And then, we get the same results from a stupid moment of confusion and passion. It just happened so fast, you know? I acted to protect her, she acted to protect me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off and looked as though he might weep. I kind of felt like that myself. It’s a pretty big club, Dante had said. â€Å"But†¦if she’s already fallen†¦well. Maybe you guys can be together now.† Vincent shook his head and gave me a small smile that made him look sadder than when he hadn’t been smiling. â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t even know if she’ll meet with me now. Something tells me she won’t want me to see her like that.† â€Å"And how do you feel?† â€Å"I love her unconditionally†¦or, well, at least†¦I loved Yasmine the angel unconditionally. She’s not that woman anymore. I mean, she may hate what’s happened†¦she may be miserable. But eventually, she’ll settle in. They always do. And then she’ll be one of them. She won’t be the same Yasmine, and I don’t know if I can love her or if she can love me. Part of what made her such a great person was that she resisted that temptation†¦and I think she felt the same about me.† I forgot Vincent for a moment as my attention turned inward, toward my own situation. Again, it was like Seth and me, I realized. The continual tension in our arrangement was a pain, yet the morals it was based on were part of what attracted us. He might have said he was okay with us not having sex, but I think some part of him loved me because of my continual refusal to give in to that. Likewise, I loved his stead-fastness – not only in abstaining from me but from other lovers as well. It was part of what had made the fight so shocking. I didn’t expect him to be weak. And yet†¦even if we admired each other for our principles, was it worth it? And had that really been weakness on his part? Vincent and Yasmine had been together much longer than Seth and I had, torturing themselves in the same way. In the end, it had done them no good. Things had unfolded as they had. â€Å"Star-crossed love isn’t as glamorous as it seems,† Vincent said, perhaps guessing my thoughts. â€Å"I never believed it was.† â€Å"Sometimes I think†¦well, maybe it would have been better if she and I had never been together at all. These years have been wonderful†¦but well, she’d still be the woman I loved if I’d never gotten involved.† I didn’t know about that. Surely, brief moments of joy were worth the pain that might follow? Wasn’t that why I was with Seth, despite knowing he’d eventually die? Maybe Seth had been right about taking chances. Life was short. Maybe you needed to seize what good you could. It was all so confusing, and all of a sudden, I wanted to talk to Seth about all of this – about living life and taking risks, about what made us love one another, and about what made our relationship worth fighting for. I didn’t want to make the mistakes Yasmine and Vincent had. Seth and I needed to sit down with open minds and make this thing with us work. â€Å"What are you going to do now?† I asked Vincent. I didn’t think now was the best time to argue relationship philosophy with him. He gestured vaguely behind him. â€Å"Leave town. Even being masked, I know they’re looking for me. I need to hide out somewhere.† I nodded. I was sad to see him go, but I knew what the other angels and demons would do if they found him. So, I wished him well and shared a brief hug before he departed. As I watched him leave, I again pondered the cautionary tale he represented. Growing anxious, I hoped this airport trip would go quickly so that I could call Seth. Wandering to the other side of the store, I found Maddie paying for her purchases. â€Å"Who was that guy?† she asked me, handing over her credit card. â€Å"He was cute. Bedraggled†¦but cute.† â€Å"He’s had a long day,† I told her. And a long eternity to go. â€Å"He’s just a friend.† â€Å"Is he single?† I thought about it. â€Å"Yeah, I guess he is.† While I waited for her, I looked over at a nearby mirror. Maddie was still going strong with her new cute and stylish self. She’d gotten a haircut too, the layering of which made her face appear delicate and lovely. The slacks and sweater, though simple, looked sleek and elegant on her. By contrast, I looked kind of like the ugly stepsister. Oh, I still had the nice figure and pretty face born of shape-shifting, but I’d thrown on jeans and an old coat, not really concerned with high fashion today. I also hadn’t bothered to shape-shift my hair. I’d simply brushed it into a high ponytail. Most telling of all was my face. I wore as much grief as Vincent. There was a hollowness to my eyes that startled me. It counteracted all the other beauty of my features. Glancing back at Maddie, I realized she was the hot one today. When we finally hit the road to the airport, traffic was as horrible as I’d expected. I-5 was at a standstill, and with my luck lately, there was probably an accident up ahead to compound the rush hour and holiday mess. Sighing, I settled back into my seat. â€Å"Okay,† I told Maddie, desperately needing distraction. â€Å"What’s the report? What adventurous things have you done? I’m pretty sure you’ve more than met your quota.† â€Å"Well,† she began. â€Å"There’s the new clothes, of course. You’ve seen a lot of them, and I own more lingerie than I ever have in my life. I was always kind of afraid of it, but there’s so much cute stuff out there, you know?† â€Å"Yup. I sure do.† â€Å"I got a bunch of high heels too. I’m still kind of learning to walk in them, but I’m doing okay, I think.† She groaned and looked like the snarky feminist writer she was. â€Å"I feel like†¦well, like a girl.† I smiled and looked at the cars ahead of me. All the variables were in place for an accident, so I had to be careful. In this kind of stop and go, people tended to cease paying attention and fall into a lull. That was how cars got rear-ended. It was also an oddity that Seattle drivers had trouble driving in the rain. â€Å"You seemed fine in the heels to me. What else have you done? Other than shopping?† â€Å"I signed up for a judo class.† â€Å"You did not.† â€Å"I so did,† she said, laughing. â€Å"It was the craziest class I could think of. Besides, I can finally get back at Doug after all those years he used to pull my hair.† â€Å"Well-deserved,† I said. I moved over to the farthest lane, with the futile hope that it might move a fraction faster. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Mmm†¦well. I started looking for my own place.† â€Å"That’s a good idea.† â€Å"And checking out flights to some places I’ve always wanted to see.† â€Å"Another good idea.† â€Å"And I slept with Seth.† I nearly drove into the median. â€Å"What?† I said, jerking the wheel back to my own lane. Maddie had her hands stretched out protectively. â€Å"Did you say Seth?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Seth Mortensen?† She sounded incredulous. â€Å"Of course. Who else?† It was one of those things that was so ludicrous, I couldn’t even fully react. It was like saying, â€Å"Hey, did you notice the earth just exploded?† It wasn’t real because all the rest of the data in your known world said it was impossible. My brain wasn’t going to bother processing it yet. Wasted cells. â€Å"How†¦I mean, what†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook my head. â€Å"Explain.† I could see by her face that she was dying to. This was what had been bursting in her in my office yesterday. â€Å"Well, two nights ago, I ran back to the bookstore after closing because I’d left something. I saw Seth out in the parking lot. He’d been out somewhere and was coming back to get his car.† â€Å"Somewhere† was my apartment. That had been the night of the fight. â€Å"Anyway,† she continued. â€Å"He looked kind of down, and I remembered what you’d said about taking risks. Plus, he still owed me the date, right? So, I asked him out for a drink, and he said sure.† I tried not to drive into the median again. â€Å"He didn’t drink, did he?† â€Å"No, not alcohol. But we stayed out really late, and we had a great time. You can’t even imagine how great he is to talk to. He comes across as shy, but once you get to know him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sighed happily. â€Å"He thinks like I do too†¦wants to do all sorts of things, go places†¦Anyway, the place finally closed, and he asked if I wanted to go hang out at his place for a while.† I couldn’t even look at her now. â€Å"Seth†¦asked you back to his place?† â€Å"Well, if we went back to mine, we’d have to hang out with Doug, and we just wanted to talk more. And we did†¦except, well, after a while†¦we stopped talking. And one thing kind of led to another.† She exhaled, like she still couldn’t believe it herself. â€Å"I never do things like that. Not so soon. But, well, he’s a nice guy, you know? And I wanted to do something adventurous†¦Ã¢â‚¬  No, no, no. This really wasn’t happening. This was a dream. This was Nyx getting back at me for not helping her. She was sending me a nightmare, one I hoped I’d wake up from soon. I didn’t realize how long I’d been quiet until Maddie hesitantly asked, â€Å"Georgina? You still with me? You don’t think†¦you don’t think I was too easy, do you?† There was fear in her voice, fear of my disappointment and disapproval. â€Å"Huh? No†¦no†¦of course not.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"So, um, it was good?† â€Å"Oh, yeah!† She gave a nervous giggle. â€Å"I can’t believe I’m even talking about this. But, yeah, Seth’s a great lover. He’s really attentive.† â€Å"Yeah, I imagine he would be.† â€Å"God, I can’t believe this happened.† That made two of us. â€Å"What’s going to happen now? Was it†¦a fling?† After all, what else could it be? Seth was with me, right? I had no reason to be upset. I’d given him the go-ahead to get sex elsewhere. In fact†¦I had told him to that night. If he wanted to sleep with her, that was fine. But obviously, it meant nothing. It had to be a fling, right? Right? â€Å"I don’t know,† she admitted. â€Å"I hope not. I really like him†¦and it was so great. I feel like we really connected†¦like the auction hadn’t just been because he felt sorry for me. He said he would call and we’d go out again sometime.† Once more, she turned timid and unsure. â€Å"You don’t think†¦you don’t think he’s the kind of guy who’d just say something like that and not mean it, do you?† She was the Maddie I’d known before, the one who looked up to me and wanted my guidance. The one who didn’t trust men. I stared ahead and decided maybe the heavens were weeping for me now. After several moments, I finally said, â€Å"No, Maddie. If he says he wants to go out, he means it. That’s the kind of guy he is.† How to cite Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 23, Essay examples

Monday, May 4, 2020

Atomic Bomb 2 Essay Example For Students

Atomic Bomb 2 Essay The Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was and is still one of the most secretive projects ever created in United States history. The purpose of the Manhattan Project was simple: to build; test; and unleash its power if necessary. Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves were the two men put in charge of this mission. These two men along with the top scientists from around the country were brought together to construct the most deadliest thing known to man. The project originated in the Pentagon in 1942 when General Groves was told, by the White House, he was to lead the Manhattan Project. World War II had already been raged for three years when the Nazis, after being victorious in Europe, declared war on the United States. This was nine months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In September of that year, Groves, met with Leo Szilard and asked him if making the atomic bomb was possible. Leo told him how an atomic bomb would work, but also that it is impossible to build. General Groves only wanted to hear that an atomic bomb was conceivable in theory and then he knew to start the project. In October of 1942 Groves went to California to meet with Robert Oppenheimer, one of the most brilliant scientists in the country. Groves informed Oppenheimer that he had been selected to lead the expedition on trying to invent the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer immediately started preparing by telling Groves that they needed an isolated area with one ringmaster(Oppenheimer). General Groves was in charge of the military or security part of the project, while Oppenheimer was in charge of the organization of the scientists and ideas. At times, Oppenhiemer and Grooves had some nasty arguments over policies. Even though Groves was the one who reported to Washington, Oppenheimer had more power and Groves was aware of this. If they had a disagreement, Oppenheimer would threaten to leave the project and take his scientists with him. Groves knew if this occurred then the project would never be finished. So, Grooves most always ended up agreeing or letting Oppenheimer do what ever he wanted to do. In April of 1943, this isolated area was being build in Las Alamos, New Mexico. The borders consisted of barbed wire fence accompanied by guard dogs. Many laboratories, storage buildings, shelters, hospitals, dining halls, and other buildings were found inside these borders, also. One thing that was not found inside these borders though was women, not even wives of the scientists. No scientist was allowed to talk to anyone outside the camp about what they see, hear, taste, or even smell. Everything they knew belonged to the army now. Everything they knew from here on was highly confidential. There job was to create the atomic bomb and to do nothing else but that. They were to refer to bomb as the gadget or devise for security reasons. The scientists were given 19 months to complete their mission. Most of them complained that it could not be done, that it was not enough time. Under the leadership of Oppenheimer the work and research began. After several days, their work got them no where. They were faced with the problems such as weight, velocity, and detonation. To make such a bomb they needed materials heaving enough to weight tip the biggest cranes in the world. Late one night, while eating an orange and talking to another scientist, Seth Neddermeyer (a scientist) thought of an idea called implosion. He got the idea from the orange he was eating. This was probably the one idea that the atomic bomb is centered around. Without implosion, the atomic bomb could not be created. When he squeezed the orange, juice squirted out or an outwards explosion. If you can reverse this process, then the explosion goes in creating a even bigger force. This theory applies to Plutonium. .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 , .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .postImageUrl , .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 , .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:hover , .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:visited , .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:active { border:0!important; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:active , .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36 .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0c4c99da286fae5dae23ead4e1cf3f36:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Confucianism And Chuang-Tzu Essay Implosion occurs causing a chain reaction which in return causes an outwards explosion. If an inwards explosion occurred the Plutonium atoms would split apart creating the biggest explosion known to man. The problem was now creating an inward explosion. By this time, turmoil started to arise inside the camp. Many scientists began complaining about the drastic security measures .

Monday, March 30, 2020

From A Business Perspective Essays - Business Ethics, Applied Ethics

From A Business Perspective From a business perspective, working under government contracts can be a very lucrative proposition. In general, a stream of orders keep coming in, revenue increases and the company grows in the aggregate. The obvious downfalls to working in this manner is both higher quality expected as well as the extensive research and documentation required for government contracts. If a part fails to perform correctly it can cause minor glitches as well as problems that can carry serious repercussions, such as in the National Semiconductor case. When both the culpable component and company are found, the question arises of how extensive these repercussions should be. Is the company as an entity liable or do you look into individual employees within that company? From an ethical perspective one would have to look at the mitigating factors of both the employees and their superiors along with the role of others in the failure of these components. Next you would have to analyze the final ruling from a corporate perspective and then we must examine the macro issue of corporate responsibility in order to attempt to find a resolution for cases like these. The first mitigating factor involved in the National Semiconductor case is the uncertainty, on the part of the employees, on the duties that they were assigned. It is plausible that during the testing procedure, an employee couldnt distinguish which parts they were to test under government standards and commercial standards. In some cases they might have even been misinformed on the final consumers of the products that they tested. In fact, ignorance on the part of the employees would fully excuse them from any moral responsibility for any damage that may result from their work. Whether it is decided that an employees is fully excused, or is given some moral responsibility, would have to be looked at on an individual basis. The second mitigating factor is the duress or threats that an employee might suffer if they do not follow through with their assignment. After the bogus testing was completed in the National Semiconductor labs, the documentation department also had to falsify documents stating that the parts had surpassed the governmental testing standards. From a legal and ethical standpoint, both the testers and the writers of the reports were merely acting as agents on direct orders from a superior. This was also the case when the plant in Singapore refused to falsify the documents and were later falsified by the employees at the have California plant before being submitted to the approval committees (Velazquez, 53). The writers of the reports were well aware of the situation yet they acted in this manner on the instruction of a supervisor. Acting in an ethical manner becomes a secondary priority in this type of environment. As stated by Alan Reder, . . . if they [the employees] feel they will suffer retribution, if they report a problem, they arent too likely to open their mouths. (113). The workers knew that if the reports were not falsified they would come under questioning and perhaps their employment would go into jeopardy. Although working under these conditions does not fully excuse an employees from moral fault, it does start the divulging process for determining the order of the chain of command of superiors and it helps to narrow down the person or department that issued the original request for the unethical acts. The third mitigating factor is one that perhaps encompasses the majority of the employees in the National Semiconductor case. We have to balance the direct involvement that each employee had with the defective parts. Thus, it has to be made clear that many of the employees did not have a direct duty with the testing departments or with the parts that eventually failed. Even employees, or sub-contractors, that were directly involved with the production were not aware of the incompetence on the part of the testing department. For example, the electrical engineer that designed the defective computer chip could act in good faith that it would be tested to ensure that it did indeed meet the required government endurance tests. Also, for the employees that handled the part after the testing process, they

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Spanish Jackass essays

Spanish Jackass essays The first form of government was a monarchy known as the Visogothic Kingdom. The kingdom first started in 587 A.D. and lasted until 712 A.D. One of the rulers of this preriod was King Rodrigo. He was defeated at the battle of Guadalete. The total number of years for the kingdom was 125 years. Muslim Spain was started by the Witiza Family. They caused the down fall of the Visogothic Kingdom. By the middle of the 8th century the muslims had made a strong hold in Spain. They put king Abd al-Rahman in to power. He feld the slaughter of 750 A.D. from Abbasid. Muslim Spain had a flurshing culture with libraies and other educational materials. The new Leader was Caliph Al-Hakam. Then it broke into smaller petty kingdoms known as Taifas. They soon broke up and caused even more petty kingdoms. Next the Christian Reconquest took place in 718. It lasted 774 years from 718 to 1492. During this period many new kingdoms came about such as the Basques. Much of Spain became under control of the reconquest when in 1492. It was completed by Isabel and Fernado by taking Granada. In October of that same year Columbus sailed to the West Indies. In 1469 Isabel and Fernado get married. The Spanish Empire began in 1516 with Isabella I and Ferdinand V that the newly united country began to build an empire. Spanish expansion overseas began for a number of reasons. The monarchs wanted to secure neighboring areas for defense against Muslim raids originating from North Africa, to protect Castile's shipping activities and trade in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The crown went to Charles I of Spain. Who united the two kingdoms of Aragon and Castile under one ruler. In 1556 Charles leaves the throne and leaves it to his two sons. Charles dies two years later. In 1714 Spain loses the war. Philip of Anjou becomes king and Spain loses Belgium Luxemburg Milan Naples Sardini and Minorca. This empire lasted 198 years. In 1588 ...

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Contract Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contract Law - Assignment Example This case study presents the principle that sellers are not making a valid offer to customers, and that customers who bring goods to the counter are not making an acceptance, therefore a contract is not formed. This principle is further illustrated in the case of Fisher v. Bell 1 QB 394. This case notes that the shopkeeper is not making an offer, but the customer who presents the item to the cashier is making an offer to buy. When the cashier takes the customer's money, the cashier is, in effect, accepting the customer's offer to buy the good. Partridge v. Crittenden 1 WLR 1204 is another case illustrating this point, and this court held that offering birds for sale cannot be a valid offer, as the storekeeper might not actually own the birds, therefore he cannot be contractually bound to sell them. There also must be mutual assent to the contract, and this is known as the â€Å"mirror image rule.† This means that the acceptance must mirror the offer exactly. If the acceptance deviates from the terms of the offer, then the acceptance is deemed a counteroffer, in which case the original offeror is in the position to be the acceptee. Moreover, the agreement must be certain and enforceable, which means that the terms must be ascertainable by either consulting reasonable standards or have objective terms which can be enforced. For instance, in the case of Scammell and Nephew Ltd v Ouston 1 AC 251, the court held that an agreement to buy a new van â€Å"on hire purchase terms† was too vague to be enforceable. ... If the acceptance deviates from the terms of the offer, then the acceptance is deemed a counteroffer, in which case the original offeror is in the position to be the acceptee (Restatement 2d Contracts  §59a). Moreover, the agreement must be certain and enforceable, which means that the terms must be ascertainable by either consulting reasonable standards or have objective terms which can be enforced. For instance, in the case of Scammell and Nephew Ltd v Ouston [1941] 1 AC 251, the court held that an agreement to buy a new van â€Å"on hire purchase terms† was too vague to be enforceable. In this case, there was no way of measuring the hire purchase terms, as the contract did not indicate whether the terms were to be reasonable, nor did it list a price. The court must have a way to determine what the parties intended, and this goes to the element of certainty and enforceability. Contract law traditionally required privity of contract – this means that the contract is only between the contractees, and any third party beneficiary to the contract would not have the capability of enforcing the contract. The Contracts Act 1999 changed this, as it specifically allows a third party to sue if the contract benefits the third party, and there is not a stipulation that the third party does not have the ability to enforce the contract (Contracts Act 1999). Therefore, a third party can sue to enforce the contract, which is an evolution from the common law rule regarding contract privity. Effects of Part II of the Housing Grants, Reconstruction and Regeneration Act 1996 This part of the Housing Grants, Reconstruction and Regeneration Act 1996 (HGRRA)

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Hitler and Germany Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hitler and Germany - Term Paper Example During the World War II, the young scientist served in British intelligence. As soon as the war ended, he was delegated to Berlin. It was Trevor-Roper, who was appointed as the head of the British commission, investigating the circumstances of the death of Hitler. As the result of this work, he published a range of the authoritative studies of the Nazi Germany, among which was Hitler’s Table Talk, 1941-1944. According to Trevor-Roper’s edition, Hitler covered a range of questions and issues that, to his opinion, were crucial for the Nazi Germany, its supremacy in the world, and justification of the regime. The current essay will discuss one of these topics: the status of religion, particularly Christianity, according to Nazi leader and Nazi regime. Christianity was in the deep conflict with the racist ideology of Nazism. It is clearly illustrated by the religious beliefs of Hitler. He was born in the Catholic family, but idealized antiquity. The leader of Nazi rejected the Christian religion for the following reasons: Christianity protected the weak and downtrodden; Christianity had Jewish roots; forces people to bend by the sound of church bells; the first Christians were sick, exhausted, and desperate people (Trevor-Roper 78); the Christian dogma of forgiveness of sin, resurrection, and salvation seemed utterly absurd to the Nazi; Christian compassion was unworthy and harmful to the ideology of the strength of spirit (Trevor-Roper 397); the Christian idea of love to the neighbor was not relevant for Nazi ideology, because it paralyzed man; the Christian idea of equality protected the racially inferior and weak people that were unwanted in Nazi opinion. Initially, the Nazi party program contained a grain of Christian ideas. H owever, Christian commandments could not get along in one party program with strict racist principles. Soon, the religious values had been completely suppressed by the revived Nordic values and the idea of super-human. When

Monday, January 27, 2020

Studying New Age Tourism Potential In Kerala Tourism Essay

Studying New Age Tourism Potential In Kerala Tourism Essay Tourism seeks greener pastures for its growth and in this century every dimension of human culture has the potential to become a tourism product. Gauging the potential of variety, the products that are offered in new age tourism varied from alternative healing methodologies, avenues for aesthetic development, discourses by spiritual gurus and innovative tourism practices. This variety in tourism product resulted in the evolution of centres of attraction, which are almost three times more growth potential than the classic tourism market. Kerala is considered as the first State in India, which had initiated steps to exploit the emerging market of new age tourism and is now providing with wide and varied centres of attraction like aesthetic development, experiential and personalised self-development, and alternative approaches to health care. This study is of the view that there is a need for Certification of these New Centers of tourist attractions which will ensure quality of service provide and finally will boost tourism in Kerala. Introduction The history of tourism industry depicts a picture of exponential growth and increasing diversity. The number of activities and experiences that can be categorised as tourism has increased significantly and now every dimension of human culture has the potential to become a tourism product. It is rightly opined that tourism seeks for greener pastures to grow and expand. It uniquely celebrates differences in places and peoples to create novel experiences (Tejvir, 2004). Gauging the potential of variety, the products that are offered with new age tourism varied from alternative healing methodologies, avenues for aesthetic development, discourses by spiritual gurus and innovative tourism practices. This variety in tourism product resulted in the evolution of centres of attraction, which are almost three times more growth potential than the classic tourism market. Now tourist destinations are not seen as set of distinct natural, cultural, artistic and environmental resources but as an over all product, a complex and integrated package offered by a territory able to supply a holiday, which meets the varied needs of the tourist (Maria and Peter, 2006). The New Age faction has grown significantly since its emergence in the 1950s and 1960s (Dallen and Daniel, 2006). Originally, it was a counter-cultural movement, interacting with other counter-cultural movements of that time, such as the ecology, hippie, and commune movements. During the last decades, spiritual and esoteric methods have been popularized and commercialized by an expanding market of literature and workshops. This has made New Age a socially accepted phenomenon and it has thus lost much of its anti-modernist and culture-critical character. Objective of the study The main objective framed for this study is to analyse the available potential of tourism in Kerala vis-à  -vis to the New Age Tourists. The other objectives are as follows To identify the basic motivations of tourists visiting Kerala. To analyze the socio-demographic profile and the image of the destination from the tourist perspective. To examine the activities undertaken by tourists and the usage of usage of tourism intermediaries and suppliers. Study Area The new age destinations are facing a challenge to manage and organize their resources in order to supply a holiday experience that must be equal to or better than the alternative destinations experiences on the market (Maria and Peter, 2006). Hence Kerala can be considered as the first State in India, which had initiated steps to exploit the emerging market of new age tourism. As is rightly opined by Professor Peter Cochrane Travel has long been with us. Virtual reality is well upon us. Experience is already being revealed in tourism to the extent that it may now be the key objective of todays traveler (Khan, 1997). It is this urge of the present day traveler which made the tourism authorities in Kerala to developed wide and varied centers of attraction like aesthetic development (Kalamandalam art, drama and music); experiential and personalised self-development, (courses on meditation, personal relationships and self knowledge and finally, courses on alternative approaches to heal th care (Ayurveda massage for body rejuvenation). Moreover, it can also be opined that the primary sector comprising of agricultural allied operations is stagnant and tourism is considered one of the alternative strategy that can be adopted to regenerate the economy especially in the rural area (Tribe, 1995). During the last decade, one can witness the development of tourist resorts where packages are provided where all the above amenities are clubbed together. The study area was restricted to Kovalam, Varkala, Guruvayoor, Vallikavu, Kumarakom and Munnar. Out of this Kovalam and Varkal are beach resorts, Munnar, the famous hill resort and Gurvayoor and Vallikavu are religious centers. Methodology Both primary and secondary data was used for the study. Through the primary survey, we tried to analyse the demographic profile, visitor motivation, activities indulged at the centre and duration of stay. Statistical tools like correlation analysis were used to analyse the expenditure pattern and duration of stay of these visitors. Results and Discussions Driven by a buoyant economy and increase in the purchasing power of the middle class population along with the rising interest towards oriental culture and values, one can witness an increasing shift of tourism traffic towards India. From the Figure 1.1, it is clear that the tourist flow to India is showing an increasing trend. Only the moths April to June can be considered as slump period while peal flow is observed during the tourist season October to February. * = Provisional  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Source   :   Ministry of Tourism, GOI Likewise, only the off season period between April-May, one can observe a short fall in the tourist earnings. The efforts made by the Central government along with the sufficient support of various State Governments to make tourism a yearlong affair, can be clearly observed in the Figure 1.2 shown below. * = Provisional  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Source   :   Ministry of Tourism, GOI Though with vast potential and diversity in the products that can be offered by India, yet it ranks only twenty-second. Hence, India was not able to harness its multiplier effects for employment and poverty eradication. The recent policy changes like liberalization in aviation sector, rationalization of tax rates in the hospitality sector, tourist friendly visa regime etc is imperative to boost the tourism sector in India. Tourism in Kerala Domestic tourist arrivals (excluding pilgrims) rose from 52.40 lakhs in 2001 to 59.46 lakhs in 2005. Thus in five years, annual growth rate for foreign and domestic tourist arrivals are respectively 13.27% and 2.69%. According to the study of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on tourism sector in the State, Travel and Tourism generates as much as 7.7% of GSP and 6.2% of total employment. Visitor exports (tourism receipts) are worked out as 14.3% of the total export of the State. Figure : 1.3. Earnings from Tourism Source : Economic Review, 2006. Figure 1.3 provides a clear insight into the earnings from Tourism between 2001 2005. It can be observed that the foreign exchange earnings during 2005 is Rs. 1552.31 Crores and the total earnings from the tourism sector is Rs. 7738 Crores. The Economic Review highlights that the Tourism sector employs around 10 Lakhs persons in the State. As per the estimates of World Tourism Organization (WTO), propelled by the tourism and business travel boom, India needs an additional 300,000 by the year 2020. When we analyzed the expansion plan of various tourist markets in India, it is observed that Kerala is considered as a potential tourist zone, yet the expansion plan should be further strengthened to accommodate the needs of the tourists. Figure 1.3 illustrates the new room supply expected to be included in the key tourist zones. Potential of Spiritual Tourism in Kerala It is the Greeks and the Romans who cultivated the quest of well being through Spiritual tourism. One can also observe that the followers of majority of the religions used to undertake spiritual journeys at least once in a year. It is rightly opined by Timothy Dallen that spiritual tourism as the oldest and now one of the fastest-growing segments in the travel industry. The new breed of spiritual travelers likes to enjoy spiritual enlightenment without giving up their comforts, which resulted in this being added as an important component of New Age Tourism (Greg, 2007). Various studies had pointed out that many thousands of tourists visit India for various types of spiritual interactions with diety or godman. Though there are reservations against comodifying religion and to put holy places into spot light for mass consumption and to make holy things unholy, yet one can observe that the lines between mass tourists and religious tourists are becoming increasingly blurred. Even spiritual tourism is seen by many government and tourism officials as a way to either diversifying or save struggling economies (Dallen and Daniel, 2006). There exist difference of opinion about whether spiritual tourism is related to escapism from the self to an entirely different environment that offers pure relaxation, or, an opportunity to renegotiate ones place in the world and relationships. In extreme cases, it might be about confrontation of the worlds darker side and human tragedy, a reminder of ones mortality and place in a universal cycle (Steiner and Reisinger, 2006). This kind of exploration arguably has philosophical and spiritual dimensions, which can make ones minor troubles, seem relatively insignificant. Katusuhiko Yazaki who is the Japanese mail-order multimillionaire opined that We cannot find true meaning in life by occupying spacious residences. At some point people will need to raise their desires to a higher level (Khan, 1997). His illusion is that we have material possessions but for fulfillment, we need something beyond them, which urged the present day traveler to undertake spiritual journeys of self-discover y. These spiritual journeys make the traveler feel that he is just a minute component in the massive super structure called Universe. The study observed that majority of the tourists selected for the study falls in the age group 35 45 and 45 55. It is surprising to note that in both the groups majority of them is from the female group rather than male. This can be attributed to male ego, which refrain them speaking aloud about their personal life or difficulties. The study also observed that there exists a positive correlation (+.73) between income and expenditure on spiritual journeys. Majority of the tourists are from the higher income group due to which there demand for quality in services is much higher than the others. The Gurus or Godmans are of the view that when the tourist (patient) feels confident and energetic without any negative side effects literally provides them the assurance that the treatment had achieved its ultimate objective. Potential of Health Tourism in Kerala From the Medieval Age one can trace the elements of health tourism like the scrupulous attention paid to well-being of Romans and Greeks (Melanie and Catherine, 2006) along with the development of seaside and spa tourism of the 18th and 19th century by the European elite which continues even now though at a much faster rate. The House of Lords opined that the proliferation of wellness centers, holistic retreats, spas, spiritual pilgrimages, and complementary and alternative therapies is unprecedented (House of Lords Report, 2000). Experts came forward with various theories to justify the sudden spurt in growth. Some of them are of the view that the anomie of the western capitalist societies, the breakdown of traditional religions and the fragmentation of the communities. Though the advancement made in the field of medical science had resulted in the development of curative care for major diseases, yet one can observe that the psychological and emotional problems of man are left untr eated. Depression is commonly cited as being one of the greatest disease burdens of the 21st century and suicide rates are rising, especially amongst young men (e.g., Mealanie Smith and Catherine Kelly 2005). This can be attributed to high pressure he should withstand in a performance related pay-package work environment. But the only viable solution that is left for the mankind is to indulge in Health Tourism. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, deals with both the preventive and curative aspects of health in a most comprehensive way. Besides contributing to maintenance of health, it also has a wide range of therapeutic measures to combat various illnesses. Though the art of Ayurveda had spread around in the 6th century BC to Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea and Sri Lanka, yet one can witness in Kerala that this medical system is still being practised and perfected by the Kalari Gurukals who are considered as the master of the traditional martial art of Kerala Kalari. Vogue magazine once opined that Technology is destroying usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Nature has a remedy for every illness, an answer for every problem (Khan, 1999). It is from this view that the strength and growth of Ayurveda lies. Kerala is the only state in India, which can boast of making concerted efforts to promote health tourism in a big way, which has resulted in a substantial increase of visitor arrivals into the state. Kerala and ayurveda have virtually become synonymous with each other. The study observed that many of the health resorts are located in beach resorts like Kovalam and Varkala. Yet one can also observe that the serene hill resorts of Kerala also attract health tourists in sizeable numbers. Like all other form of tourism, Health Tourism also attracts mainly the affluent sections of the society. It is observed that both man and woman of various age groups are showing considerable interest in ayurveda and body rejuvenation therapies. Kerala can also boast of having the best pool of ayurvedic physicians and masseurs who are effectively trained and added to the resource pool by the many number of ayurvedic hospitals. When we made a correlation analysis with that of the total expenditure incurred by the tourists, it was observed that the correlation value is 0.89. Though the study observed that many of the ayurvedic health resorts are available in developed countries yet majority of them feel that it only at the origin of the practices, they feel that they ha d received optimum service. The study observed that though there is negative opinion about the effectiveness of certain therapies of ayurveda yet the people are of the view that it has placebo effect. Potential of Culture Tourism in Kerala Cultural tourism has been identified as one of the most rapidly growing areas of global tourism demand. Cultural tourism is about people traveling for cultural motivations and is measured by determining whether the travelers attended activities and venues such as festivals, exhibitions, theatre performances or historic sites. Kerala can boast of a unique Dravidian culture and tradition. It is because of the uniqueness, Kerala can boast of a unique standard of living, which is very different from the rest of India. This unique model is popularly known as the Kerala Model of Development. Hence both domestic and foreign tourists want to have a first hand experience about the social and cultural wealth of Kerala. Along with various historical sites, Kerala also boast of unique centers of learning where can both witness the art forms of Kerala. Moved by the unique nature, many of the tourists got enrolled in these centers of learning like Kalamandalam. The study observed that though vario us tour packages had included short duration performance by the traditional artists, only the dedicated ones like to purse these art forms. The short duration performance also enhanced the sales prospects of art souvenirs of Kerala. From the table given below, one can observe that the highest consumer group of cultural tourism in Kerala is the foreign tourists. Table 1.1 Trend in Expenditure Pattern of Foreign Tourists Activity Foreign (in percentages) Domestic (in percentages) Shopping for Souvenirs 78 52 Local Cuisine 63 48 Historic Buildings 81 67 Other Findings The other findings of the study are as follows. Though both the foreign and domestic tourists are satisfied with their visits, yet majority of them opined that there is still scope for improvement. From the study, it is clear that the tourists irrespective of the area to which they belong, depends on internet for their information needs. The study also observed that spiritual and cultural tourism is most preferred by domestic tourists than international tourists. The period of stay is higher for the foreign tourists than the domestic. It ranges between two to four days for the foreign tourists while majority of the domestic had a shorter stay of less than three days. The size of the group comprising the domestic tourist is much higher than the foreign tourist. Hence it is clear that the emphasis for domestic tourist is quantity and for the foreign tourist it is quality. This also conveys that for the domestic tourist, time is an important criterion whereas for the foreign they dont give undue importance to time factor. Finally, it can be opined that that the foreign tourist is very selective about the type of accommodation whereas the domestic tourists are satisfied with the available accommodation at the area. Conclusion Suggestions It can be opined that just as (old) mass tourism is not necessarily unsustainable, in all circumstances, new or alternative forms of tourism are not inevitably panacea in all situations. Indeed neither form of tourism is sustainable unless an appropriate planning and management regime is in place (Moscardo et.al, 1998). Much of the research till date focused on service quality in the hospitality sector, and in particular, measurement of customer perceptions of quality. There is little or no effort integrating quality into all aspects of managing tourism enterprise (Derek et.al, 2003). One of the views that emerged from this research is that majority of tourists visit Kerala for relaxation and rejuvenation. It was observed that both domestic and foreign tourist on their arrival at the destination, a sense of anti-climax prevailed in their minds. This is due to the gap between what that is propagated and what is actually practiced. The study observed that Certification of these New Cen ters of tourist attractions should be incorporated which will ensure the quality of service provide and finally will boost the tourist traffic to Kerala. These New Centers should adopt Co-opetetion strategies whereby the new or minor centers should co-operate with one another to achieve a sustained flow of tourists to these centers (Edgell, 2006). It can be concluded that it is due to the availability of diversified products that ensures that tourism still thrives in Kerala economy. Finally this study is of the view that still the government lacks a holistic view towards tourism development in Kerala. The authorities consider competitiveness and attractiveness as different entities but it is rather supply and demand side of tourism. Only through such a holistic approach, policy makers will have a clear understanding about what the tourists are looking for and what the stakeholders are investing in. Though there is an increase in the employment for the local community due to the appe arance of tourism, yet this study is of the view that there one can witness conflicts between the host and service providers. Hence it is suggested that the onus for bridging the gap should be on the shoulders of the service providers and the government. They should try to make the centers of tourist attraction especially the villages a self-sufficient one. The growing needs of tourist sector like meat, egg, fish etc can be sourced from the village itself rather than depending on external markets which will ensure the trickle down effect and sustainability in the long run.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Dangerous Dogs

Exercise A Dangerous dogs 1. Give an outline of the various views on dangerous dogs presented in text 1, 2 and 3. There are different opinions in the three texts. In text 1, â€Å"Police bask new law on killer dogs† by Jamie Doward, the police officer, Bernard Hogan-Howe has demanded a change to the law on dangerous dogs so children are better protected and so the new rules will target the owners of dangerous dogs, rather than the animals themselves. That happens after five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson was mauled by a pit bull and died.Four breeds were banned as followed by the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. That led to hundreds of people handing in their dogs to the police in the Merseyside area, because they were afraid they might be prosecuted. Bernard Hogan-Howe says that there are now 200 fewer illegal dogs in Merseyside. In text 2, â€Å"Jail owners of killer dogs† by Victoria Stilwell has another view. She is against breed-specific legislation. She means that you should fa ce jail if your dog kills someone, and it is time owners take responsibility when they mix kids and pets.The death of 13-month-old Archie-Lee Hirst – mauled by his family’s rottweiler – has started a tighter control on dangerous dogs. But Victoria Stilwell says that people should not start thinking that all rottweilers are killers, because they certainly are not. Instead she recommend people to consider which breed that fit into their home, and not to buy a dog on the net or from a backyard breeder. In text 3, â€Å"If the dog is dangerous, the owner will be, too† by Simon Heffer, Simon Heffer himself means that the Dangerous Dogs Act is a pointless piece of legislation, because many pit bulls are still to be found.He also writes that the owner of the dog, who killed five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson, Kiel Simpson was a drug dealer and was jailed for possessing 44Ib of cannabis. Simon Heffer thinks that this underlines that if you meet a dangerous dog, a dang erous human is not far away. Both Jamie Doward and Simon Heffer find a change in the legislation necessary after a pit bull mauled five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson. They both blame the owners to the dogs and see it as a big problem that irresponsible people has it bulls. Victoria Stilwell is opposite the to men against breed-specific legislation. She also blame the owners and says â€Å"you would not leave your baby alone with a stranger – so why a dog†? 2. Characterize the tone used by Simon Heffer in text 3. Illustrate your answer with examples from the text. Simon Heffer uses a readable language and do already catch the reader in the headline. Simon Heffer use a little Ethos and a little pathos when he writes about dangerous dogs and their owners.He explains his points in shortly sentence and he is easy to understand; â€Å"(†¦) 1057 of these repulsive animals are â€Å"legally† owned in this country†¦Ã¢â‚¬  After reading the text we can see that Sim on Heffer is very subjective when he writes about the owners of dogs; not only the owner in the Story of Ellie Lawrenson, but every owner of a dog; â€Å"And it underlines the point that wherever one finds a dangerous dog, there is normally a dangerous human lurking not far away†. It is like he also indicates that he find it more necessary to take control of all the dangerous human, like drug dealers (Kiel Simpson) and so on.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 6

The room was fil ed with a sudden blaze, and I felt the warmth on my leg in the same instant that I realized there wasn't enough room for me to pin Diego to the wal without some part of myself touching the sunlight. â€Å"Bree!† he gasped. I twisted away from him automatical y, rol ing myself tight against the wal . It took less than a second, and the whole time I was waiting for the pain to get me. For the flames to hit and then spread like the night I'd met her, only faster. The dazzling flash of light was gone. It was just the pil ar of sun again. I looked at Diego's face – his eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open. He was total y stil, a sure sign of alarm. I wanted to look down at my leg, but I was afraid to see what was left. This wasn't like Jen ripping my arm off, though that had hurt more. I wasn't going to be able to fix this. Stil no pain yet. â€Å"Bree, did you see that?† I shook my head once quickly. â€Å"How bad is it?† â€Å"Bad?† â€Å"My leg,† I said through my teeth. â€Å"Just tel me what's left.† â€Å"Your leg looks fine to me.† I glanced down quickly, and sure enough, there was my foot and my calf, just like before. I wiggled my toes. Fine. â€Å"Does it hurt?† he asked. I pul ed myself off the ground, onto my knees. â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"Did you see what happened? The light?† I shook my head. â€Å"Watch this,† he said, kneeling in front of the beam of sunshine again. â€Å"And don't shove me out of the way this time. You already proved I'm right.† He put his hand out. It was almost as hard to watch this time, even if my leg felt normal. The second his fingers entered the beam, the cave was fil ed with a mil ion bril iant rainbow reflections. It was bright as noon in a glass room – light everywhere. I flinched and then shuddered. There was sunlight all over me. â€Å"Unreal,† Diego whispered. He put the rest of his hand into the beam, and the cave somehow got even brighter. He rol ed his hand over to look at the back, then turned it palm up again. The reflections danced like he was spinning a prism. There was no smel of burning, and he clearly wasn't in pain. I looked closely at his hand, and it seemed like there were a zil ion tiny mirrors in the surface, too smal to distinguish separately, al shining back the light with double the intensity of a regular mirror. â€Å"Come here, Bree – you have to try this.† I couldn't think of a reason to refuse, and I was curious, but I was also stil reluctant as I slid to his side. â€Å"No burn?† â€Å"None. Light doesn't burn us, it just†¦ reflects off of us. I guess that's kind of an understatement.† Slow as a human, I reluctantly stretched my fingers into the light. Immediately, reflections blazed away from my skin, making the room so bright that the day outside would look dark in comparison. They weren't exactly reflections, though, because the light was bent and colored, more like crystal. I stuck my whole hand in, and the room got brighter. â€Å"Do you think Riley knows?† I whispered. â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not.† â€Å"Why wouldn't he tel us if he did? What would be the point? So we're walking disco bal s.† I shrugged. Diego laughed. â€Å"I can see where the stories come from. Imagine if you saw this when you were human. Wouldn't you think that the guy over there just burst into flames?† â€Å"If he didn't hang around to chat. Maybe.† â€Å"This is incredible,† Diego said. With one finger he traced a line across my glowing palm. Then he jumped to his feet right under the sunbeam, and the room went crazy with light. â€Å"C'mon, let's get out of here.† He reached up and pul ed himself toward the hole he'd cut to the surface. You'd think I would have been over it, but I was stil nervous to fol ow. Not wanting to seem like a total chicken, I stayed close on his heels, but I was cringing inside the whole way. Riley had real y made his point about burning in the sun; in my mind it was linked to that horrific time of burning as I became a vampire, and I couldn't escape the instinctive panic that fil ed me every time I thought of it. Then Diego was out of the hole, and I was next to him half a second later. We stood on a smal patch of wild grass, only a few feet from the trees that covered the island. Behind us, it was just a couple of yards to a low bluff, and then the water. Everything around us blazed in the color and light shining off of us. â€Å"Wow,† I muttered. Diego grinned at me, his face beautiful with light, and suddenly, with a deep lurch in my stomach, I realized that the whole BFF thing was way off the mark. For me, anyway. It was just that fast. His grin softened a little bit into just the hint of a smile. His eyes were wide like mine. Al awe and lights. He touched my face, the way he'd touched my hand, as if he was trying to understand the shine. â€Å"So pretty,† he said. He left his hand against my cheek. I'm not sure how long we stood there, smiling like total idiots, blazing away like glass torches. The inlet was empty of boats, which was probably good. No way even a mud-eyed human would have missed us. Not that they could have done anything to us, but I wasn't thirsty, and al the screaming would have ruined the mood. Eventual y a thick cloud drifted in front of the sun. Suddenly we were just us again, though stil slightly luminous. Not enough that anyone with eyes dul er than a vampire's would notice. As soon as the shine was gone, my thoughts cleared up and I could think about what was coming next. But even though Diego looked like his normal self again – not made of blazing light, anyway – I knew he would never look the same to me. That tingly sensation in the pit of my stomach was stil there. I had the feeling it might be there permanently. â€Å"Do we tel Riley? Do we think he doesn't know?† I asked. Diego sighed and dropped his hand. â€Å"I don't know. Let's think about this while we track them.† â€Å"We're going to have to be careful, tracking them in the day. We're kind of noticeable in the sunlight, you know.† He grinned. â€Å"Let's be ninjas.† I nodded. â€Å"Super-secret ninja club sounds way cooler than the whole BFF thing.† â€Å"Definitely better.† It didn't take us more than a few seconds to find the point from which the whole gang had left the island. That was the easy part. Finding where they'd touched ground on the mainland was a whole other problem. We briefly discussed splitting up, then vetoed that idea unanimously. Our logic was real y sound – after al, if one of us found something, how would we tel the other? – but mostly I just didn't want to leave him, and I could see he felt the same. Both of us had been without any kind of good companionship our whole lives, and it was just too sweet to waste a minute of it. There were so many options as to where they could have gone. To the mainland of the peninsula, or to another island, or back to the outskirts of Seattle, or north to Canada. Whenever we pul ed down or burned down one of our houses, Riley was always prepared – he always seemed to know exactly where to go next. He must have planned ahead for that stuff, but he didn't let any of us in on the plan. They could have been anywhere. Ducking in and out of the water to avoid boats and people real y slowed us down. We spent al day with no luck, but neither of us minded. We were having the most fun we'd ever had. It was such a strange day. Instead of sitting miserably in the darkness trying to tune out the mayhem and swal ow my disgust at my hiding place, I was playing ninja with my new best friend, or maybe something more. We laughed a lot while we moved through the patches of shade, throwing rocks at each other like they were Chinese stars. Then the sun set, and suddenly I was stressed. Would Riley look for us? Would he assume we were fried? Did he know better? We started moving faster. A lot faster. We'd already circled al the nearby islands, so now we concentrated on the mainland. About an hour after sundown, I caught a familiar scent, and within seconds we were on their trail. Once we found the path of the smel, it was as easy as fol owing a herd of elephants through fresh snow. We talked about what to do, more serious now as we ran. â€Å"I don't think we should tel Riley,† I said. â€Å"Let's say we spent al day in your cave before we went looking for them.† As I spoke, my paranoia started to grow. â€Å"Better yet, let's tel them your cave was fil ed with water. We couldn't even talk.† â€Å"You think Riley's a bad dude, don't you?† he asked quietly after a minute. As he spoke, he took my hand. â€Å"I don't know. But I'd rather act like he was, just in case.† I hesitated, then said, â€Å"You don't want to think he's bad.† â€Å"No,† Diego admitted. â€Å"He's kind of my friend. I mean, not like you're my friend.† He squeezed my fingers. â€Å"But more than anyone else. I don't want to think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Diego didn't finish his sentence. I squeezed his fingers back. â€Å"Maybe he's total y decent. Our being careful doesn't change who he is.† â€Å"True. Okay, the underwater cave story it is. At least at first†¦ I could talk to him about the sun later. I'd rather do it during the day, anyway, when I can prove what I'm claiming right away. And just in case he already knows, but there's some good reason why he told us something else, I should tel him when we're alone. Grab him at dawn, when he's coming back from wherever it is he goes†¦.† I noticed a ton of I's rather than we's going on in Diego's little speech, and it bothered me. But at the same time, I didn't want much to do with educating Riley. I didn't have the same faith in him Diego did. â€Å"Ninja attack at dawn!† I said to make him laugh. It worked. We started joking again as we tracked our herd of vampires, but I could tel he was thinking serious stuff under the teasing, just like I was. And I only got more anxious as we ran. Because we were running fast, and there was no way we had the wrong trail, but it was taking too long. We were real y getting away from the coast, up and over the closest mountains, off into new territory. This wasn't the normal pattern. Every house we'd borrowed, whether it was up a mountain or on an island or hidden on a big farm, had a few things in common. The dead owners, the remote locale, and one other thing. They al were sort of focused on Seattle. Oriented around the big city like orbiting moons. Seattle was always the hub, always the target. We were out of orbit now, and it felt wrong. Maybe it meant nothing, maybe it was just that so many things were changing today. Al the truths I'd accepted had been turned upside down and I wasn't in the mood for any other upheavals. Why couldn't Riley have just picked someplace normal? â€Å"Funny they're this far out,† Diego murmured, and I could hear the edge in his voice. â€Å"Or scary,† I muttered. He squeezed my hand. â€Å"It's cool. The ninja club can handle anything.† â€Å"You got a secret handshake yet?† â€Å"Working on it,† he promised. Something started to bug me. It was like I could feel this strange blind spot – I knew there was something I wasn't seeing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Something obvious†¦ And then, about sixty miles farther west than our usual perimeter, we found the house. It was impossible to mistake the noise. The boom boom boom of the bass, the video-game soundtrack, the snarling. Total y our crowd. I pul ed my hand free, and Diego looked at me. â€Å"Hey, I don't even know you,† I said in a joking tone. â€Å"I haven't had one conversation with you, what with al that water we sat in al day. You could be a ninja or a vampire for al I know.† He grinned. â€Å"Same goes for you, stranger.† Then low and fast, â€Å"Just do the same things you did yesterday. Tomorrow night we'l get out together. Maybe do some reconnaissance, figure out more of what's going on.† â€Å"Sounds like a plan. Mum's the word.† He ducked close and kissed me – just a peck, but right on the lips. The shock of it zinged through my whole body. Then he said, â€Å"Let's do this,† and headed down the side of the mountain toward the source of the raucous noise without looking back. Already playing the part. A little stunned, I fol owed from a few yards behind, remembering to put the distance between us that I would put between myself and anyone else.