A comparison of CORBA and Web Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

A comparison of CORBA and Web Services - Essay Example Distributed Applications refer to the applications which can be distributed across different processors and computer systems.This concept helps in deploying an application across systems on a network which might be working a common project or an application. Distribution introduces a whole new set of semantics for ease of computing; some applications by their very nature are distributed across multiple computers because of one or more of the following reasons (Chaffee & martin, 1999):There are some applications which might need to access common data. Therefore, the data which these applications must access must necessarily be residing on multiple systems for administration and ownership reasons. There are several options available with distributed applications like an owner could permit the accessibility of the data-the data might be permitted to be accessed remotely but not stored on the local systems. If the data cannot be co-located, it must necessarily exist on multiple heterogen eous systems. Many applications in particular make the use of multiple processors in parallel computing to run an application and to solve a problem. Other applications may execute on multiple computers in order to take advantage of some unique feature of a particular system. Distributed applications most definitely take advantage of the scalability and heterogeneity of the distributed system (Chaffee & Martin, 1999). Some applications execute on multiple computers because users of the application communicate and interact with each other via the application. Each user executes a piece of the distributed application on his or her computer, and shared objects, typically execute on one or more servers. A typical architecture for this kind of application is illustrated below. Fig 1: Distributed Applications (Chaffee & Martin, 1999) It is necessary for the Distributed application developers to address several issues in a local program where in one operating system process all logic is executed. There are some differences between the objects that are co-located in the same process and the objects that can interact across processes or machine boundaries. The objects that are co-located can communicate faster than the ones that run on distributed applications. When in a group of objects which are co-located, one object fails, the whole of the object group fails. However, in the distributed applications, if one object among the whole bunch of objects running fails, it will not affect the other objects. Also the networks can be partitioned so as to separate the objects into different domains. Concurrent access in co-located objects is possible only through multiple threads. Concurrent access among the objects is possible in objects running in the distributed applications. Co-located objects are totally secure which i s evident through the fact that objects have access only among themselves and any other outer objects cannot access that group of objects. Objects in a distributed application environment are not secure since objects in such an environment are not protected against access from other processes. The communication speeds between the objects belonging to the same process are much higher when compared to the communication speeds between objects located on different machines. This statement implies that distributed applications which most probably might contain more than two objects having tight interactions should not be designed. If such applications are designed, the objects should be co-located to enhance the performance and the communication speeds. When two objects are co-located, they fail together; if the process in which they execute fails, both objects fail. The

Key Communication Issues Of Interracial Relationships Cultural Studies Essay

Key Communication Issues Of Interracial Relationships Cultural Studies Essay What are some key communication issues of interracial friendships? Interracial friendships provide a context of equality in which intergroup differences may be addressed to reduce prejudice and conflict. Measures of the extent of interracial friendships also reflect the state of race relations in a society, capturing the positive feelings between group members rather than the negative sentiment so often emphasized in studies of racial attitudes. When friendships cut across racial lines, they represent a form of bonding capital and a form of bridging capital (Samovar Porter, 1994). There are several communication issues which arise in interracial friendships, and these may cause communication barriers among friends (Samovar Porter, 1994). The first issue is language, and this may prove to be a communication barrier if interracial friends do not adequately understand each others language. This may serve to affect the friendship, as they will not be able to understand each other. Another issue that may arise relates to culture. Differences in perception of culture, especially if friends see issues from different viewpoints, may be a barrier to communication. This issue is more pronounced when there are inherent differences in religious views, by friends from different religions. Finally, differences in ideologies of perception of life between interracial friends may act as a barrier to effective communication. Some people are conservative while others are liberal, and when such friends are having conversation, this might degenerate into conflict due to different views and opinions. This happens if the friends are not accommodating the other person s opinions. 2. What are some key communication issues of interracial romantic relationships? Although interracial and intercultural romantic relationships have been present throughout history, they have rarely been culturally encouraged or even accepted. In fact, these relationships have often been prohibited. Ultimately, however, an increase in racial and/or ethnic diversity within the United States should cause a corresponding increase in interracial and intercultural dating and marriage, eventually promoting greater acceptance of these relationships (Gudykunst Kim, 1992). There are several communication issues which arise in interracial relationships , and these may cause conflicts among couples (Gudykunst Kim, 1992). Similar to interracial friendships , language can prove to be a communication barrier if interracial couples do not adequately understand each others language . They may be unable to communicate effectively , and this may harm their relationship . Similarly , differences in perception of culture may be another communication issue in interracial romantic relationships. Although many communication issues are the same across all romantic relationships, these relationship must also contend with issues of discrimination and identity. In interracial romantic relationships, the partners are aware of social disapproval. In some instances they are alienated from friends and families. They are required to consider social and historical forces concerning race and sexual identity in ways that other couples are not. Their communication behaviors reflect these concerns. Romantic relationships and the communication that occurs within them vary widely. Cultural scripts guide how people conduct conversations in romantic relationships, too. The factors include individual differences like love style and the degree of security or certainty about the relationship, as well as contextual considerations like geographic distance and social sanctions. 3. How can computer mediated communication (CMC) can both facilitate and hinder intercultural relationships? Computer-mediated communication (CMC) refers to human-human interaction via the computer. Some of the popular applications of CMC are email, instant messaging (IM), chat rooms, bulletin boards, and newsgroups. Compared to face-to-face (FtF) communication, CMC liberates communicators from the need to be physically co-present and thus from the consequent influence of nonverbal cues. Although some theorists and researchers argue that CMC-based intercultural relationships cannot be as rich as those formed in FtF encounters, others have identified ways in which CMC can actually increase intimacy among intercultural relationships. Research findings suggest that under Computer-mediated communication (CMC), intercultural contact can lead to reduced prejudice and positive attitude change (Klak Martin, 2003; Rubin Lannutti, 2001). These kinds of discussion facilitate person to fully describe and interpret the intercultural world and experiences in which they live. online discussions can provide a dialogic starting point for connecting with persons lived experiences- their own and others. online discussions facilitate dialogic learning is that they provide a comfortable venue in which people can explore controversial and/or ambivalent feelings about intercultural topics. People may not offer their true voices and experience on these issues in face-to-face discussions due to the fear of creating incommensurable or irreconcilable differences or because of a social desirability issue. However, the filtering out of nonverbal cues, not being able to see the reactions of others, or the identity characteristics (age, gender, race etc) that may hinder communication-makes everyone feel more at ease. 4. Define popular culture. Popular culture could be defined as sets of values, beliefs, trends or modes of symbolic expression readily available to and acknowledged by the masses (McCluskey, 2006). Popular culture is opposite from high culture which is widely accepted by high class and usually considered of great value and does not attempt to appeal the crowds attention. on the contrary, popular culture is wildly liked and propagated by the public, with the aim of attracting publics attention and making profits. As Williams (1976) expounded, popular means being seen from the point of view of the people rather than from those seeking favour or power over them. In addition, popular culture is different from folk culture which is more ethnic and traditional while popular culture usually has nothing to do with outmoded and it only deals with what is in fashion. Popular culture was spread by commercial need. The products from popular culture such as films, magazines and fashionable dress are all goods merchants use for profit-making. From this point of view, commercial destination is a distinct from other forms of culture among popular cultures identities. Since popular culture was born, an indispensable friend of it which is so-called mass media has been accompanying with it, including newspapers, television, radio and internet. obviously, people have to use, at least one kind of mass media when they feel like learning news, searching something in the latest fad and keeping in touch with others. It infers that mass media is something like ligament and support of popular culture. Another characteristic of popular culture is that it is often adopted by young people, almost the monopoly of the youth. Consequently expressions of popular culture in everyday life are always exciting and fashionable, such as Hip-hop and Bungee jumping. Also, most enthusiasts of fast food, short text message and rock n music are youth. Young people enjoy themselves in popular culture with no doubts. 5. How can cultural group portrayals in popular culture forms influence intercultural communication? In the international arena, scholars have turned to the notions of cultural imperialism developed in 1920s in the critique of popular culture, especially U.S. domination of the resources and media market in the world and its implications on intercultural communication (Condon Yousef, 1975). These scholars believe that people are informed about other cultures from popular media and cultural products. The media representations of other cultures can be used to remove the misconceptions and stereotypes of other cultures. one of the incredible uses of popopular culture as medium of intercultural communications is hidden behind its own cultural icons. The cultural role-models, could be distinguish to be based on two types real and fictitious (Gudykunst Kim, 1992) Popular culture icons can penetrate in the cultural communication on a multi-ethnic multi-cultural level. The first level is the representation of the real life, success stories, of a few dozens of people who are incredibly blessed and through their work and dedication had managed to achieve an international fame and glory. The vast wealth that they had acquired in the process is there just there to complement their stardom stature. Their real power, at lest in the context of pop-culture, is their ability to communicate and moreover to reach their followers through the world, a loyal army of supporters ready at all times to spend parts of their often moderated income on products or memorabilia with which to add to the financial wealth of their role-models, celebrities of different status ex: actresses musicians etc. The perfect example of the popular icons could be the one of the most controversial celebrities Madonna. She had undergone, different image transformation, form a boy-toy playgirl in the 80s through a flamboyant queer/gay culture supporter to a loving and down to earth mother in a matter of few decades. However, throughout all stages of her constant image change she had mange sharply to influence cultural change trough out the globe and to raise and promote and established new ideas and social values. The role of the popular icons as a role models, should not been underestimated, as that power is by far the most useful tool which the pop culture posses as the means of intercultural communication. 6. How does the media portray racialized others? Through media people are taught and reminded of their social position by all three kinds of representation-race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. Gender, race, and sexuality are all part of an interlinked system of representation that helps describe and define who has power in relationship to others. In this interlocking system, some are constructed as having power and dominance, and others are depicted as being powerless and submissive, and sometimes subservient. The subordination of some is requisite for the empowerment of others. In this world of media representations, visible differences are highlighted and some time accentuated so as to clarify who has power and who does not. Whiteness comes to having meaning in relation to the representation of racialized others. As the late Ruth Frankenberg suggested, whiteness is a product of negative difference; people come to understand themselves as white through a process by which they know who they are by what they are not. Another way of saying this in relation to Asia and Asian Americans is that whiteness becomes meaningful when contrasted to Asianess. Whiteness is therefore a default racial identity, an identity that does not come from the inside so much as being define by what is not observed to be constitutive of the other. 7. What are some recommendations to increase diversity in media, particularly according to gender, race, ethnicity, and physical ability? Historically, the media relied on stereotypes to attract the largest possible audience, thus they reinforced rather than challenged the attitudes of society. The left maintains stereotypical depictions and coverage emphasizing minorities are problems that remain. Studies show African Americans and Hispanics are still more likely to believe the media are biased in their coverage of race and ethnicity than whites, supporting the notion the media are skewed right (Gonzalez et al., 2004). Native Americans are often portrayed as stoic warriors. News and entertainment coverage of Native Americans reinforces the notion that their cultures are almost dead, as current issues are rarely addressed and they are often depicted in traditional garb. Asian men are most often depicted as martial arts experts, while Asian women suffer from too-frequent portrayals as geishas. Women in all media are portrayed as being in relationships rather than careers and as seeking romance more frequently than male characters on television and in film; in essence, the media stresses their domestic interests. The dominant ideology of gender coverage is patriarchal. Today, the representation of many minority groups in media remains small for the population and representation of all groups remains somewhat inaccurate or restricted but strides continue. 8. What are the characteristics of intercultural conflict? Intercultural conflict occurs because of an individuals lack of knowledge regarding external cultural norms and values. Neither of these individuals communicated effectively with each other and the messages conveyed were not as the communicator intended. This created a sense of vulnerability and frustration for both the parties involved (Jameson, 2007). The major characteristics of intercultural conflict are the following: (1) conflict involves intercultural perceptionsperceptions are filtered through our lenses of ethnocentrism and stereotypes, and perceptions color our conflict attribution process; (2) conflict involves interactionconflict is sustained and managed via verbal and nonverbal behaviors, and verbal and nonverbal behaviors are culture-bound concepts; (3) conflict involves interdependencefor a conflict to arise, the behavior of one or both parties must have consequences for the other, for otherwise the conflict parties can walk away from each other easily; (4) conflict involves both self-interest and mutual-interest goalsconflict is a mixed-up and incomplete jigsaw puzzle, both parties needing something from each other in order to complete the entire picture; and (5) conflict involves the protection of intergroup imagesin an intercultural or intergroup conflict situation, conflict parties have to worry about protecting b oth individual and group-based images. 9. What are the contextual sources of interracial/ethnic conflict? Interracial/ethnic conflict is a dynamic process; any one episode is typically the result of multiple sources of conflict (Hall and Mildred, 1987). In other words, conflict can simultaneously involve personal and cultural issues. In order to provide insight into how conflict often becomes racialized, we describe various sources of interracial/ethnic conflicts. Improper communication is a key source of intercultural anxiety and disagreement. The communication process is quite different among other cultures by how, when and why something is said. Communicating to one group may have different meaning to another based on tone, facial expression or nonverbal indicators. These ideas consist of a persons communication style. Miscommunication can happen when an individual communication styles are unique from someone else. In todays diverse workplace, we may have to deal with a co worker whose communication style differs from ours. Learning effectively to communicate among all different cultures is essential regardless of our line of work. For example, arguing, in some cultures is normal, others it is an unfriendly behavior, and for some the argument is highly emotional. Some cultures characteristics might be more reserve while another tends to be more forward in communication. In some cases, a cultures frankness, and values, such as telling it like it is while other groups maintain harmony. A persons accent varies greatly especially within the same language. We should not pre judge ones accent and make assumptions about that persons background. 10. What is the relationship between ethnicity, gender, religion, and conflict communication? Conflicts often arise in any form of relationship. Whether be in an intimate relationship between a husband and wife, employee with a co-employee, superior officer and employee, friend and friend, parents and children, teacher and student, brother and brother, and so many other relationships. In our lives, we often face many conflicts and disagreement on certain issues (Gudykunst and Young, 1992). These conflicts and disagreement are often based on different ethnicity, gender or religion. But even with the existence of conflicts, there are good ways for conflict communication resolution. Conflict communication does not mean that you have to sacrifice your principles; it simply requires one to come to a point to recognize the other persons view, respect it and to further avoid another conflict communication in the future. Any conflict communication must be resolved at the earliest time to prevent further injury to both parties. Although at times, this is not easy for either party, it is still the best way to do it. When there is an impending conflict communication, the best remedy is to talk and not to wait for any future time to settle a conflict. Because of the busy lives of most persons today, conflict communication is often times unavoidable. However, this could be solved and apprehended immediately as long as you keep an open mind to it. Conflict communication should be seen as a means to enhance relationships by finding out a conflict, giving solutions to it and building stronger and better relationships between two different ethnicities, genders, religions.

The Different Lives of Jake Barnes and Brett Ashley in The Sun Also Ris

In the novel The Sun Also Rises we read about two characters that seem to depend on each other. Ernest Hemingway writes this story ingeniously to show how these two characters are intertwined with one another. One character can't get away from the other because of the friendship they share. We have to look at the lives of Jake Barnes and Brett Ashley from both points of view to understand how they are complicated. Brett Ashley was a different type of lady. She drinks all the time and enjoys the company of men. When she feels unhappy she drinks more. Hemingway's character the count said, "Let's enjoy a little more of this," Brett pushed her glass forward. The count poured very carefully. "There, my dear. Now you enjoy that slowly, and then you can get drunk" (Hemingway 66). She does not work because she is always depending on men to pay for everything. She always depends on Jake to save her when she runs into trouble. The only good that came from Brett was that she didn't take any money from Mike when she left with Pedro. The other time she was good is when she...

Arizona Laws- Immigration Essay

America the land of opportunities. Have you ever heard this infamous saying before? We live in a country created of immigrants, yet Arizona is trying to enforce SB1070 which is an intrusive law that goes against the diversity of what makes America great. The recent efforts in Arizona threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities which is crucial to keep us safe. This harsh crackdown against undocumented immigrants is currently in full swing and is causing plenty of controversy. Is this law an effective way to keep out undocumented immigrants? Or is this law simply causing more issues rather than creating positive outcomes? To be clear, Arizona’s SB 1070 requires documents to be carried at all times. Whoever violates the federal alien registration laws, are subject to arrest and penalties under the Arizona criminal code. While being stopped, SB1070 directs law enforcement officers to deter mine the immigration status of individuals who they reasonably suspect to be illegal immigrants. In addition, law enforcement officers are also authorized to arrest an individual without a warrant if there is a probable cause to believe the individual has committed a public offense that makes them removable from the U.S. In spite of it’s motives to reduce the number of illegal immigrants, SB 1070 gives all immigrants a false image as criminals and racism goes in effect, thus dividing the communities to great lengths. In addition, businesses are also affected resulting in the closure of stores and even shopping centers. Many undocumented immigrants simply want to obtain a chance at building a better life for their children so they can succeed in their future. A large portion of them would rather not be a bother, simply sending their children to school, paying taxes and staying out of trouble. Throughout my research, I came across the article â€Å"Arizona’s Punishment Doesn’t Fit the Crime† on the American Immigration Council’s website, which discusses recent statistics of Arizona’s crime rate. A century’s worth of research has demonstrated that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes or be behind bars than native borns. Furthermore, the problem of crime in the United States is not caused or even aggravated by immigrants, regardless of their legal status. In addition, a 2007 study by University of California Irvine, sociologist Rubà ©n G. Rumbaut, found that for every ethnic group, incarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants, even those who are the least educated. This statement holds true especially for the Mexicans, Salvadorans, and Guatemalans who make up the bulk of the unauthorized population. Thus, despite accusations that undocumented criminals’ are a key factor with crime, statistic show that the rates are actually lower in the most populated cities with undocumented immigrants. For example, â€Å"The El Paso Miracle† by Radley Balko describes El Paso, Texas which is a relatively poor and heavily Latino city that is home to many unauthorized immigrants, as among the list of the safest big cities in the United States. Although Arizona’s SB1070 claims race will not be an issue, it seems to actually be sparking the most controversy, which is unfortunate for it leads to division among the community. I find it rather mindboggling that some Americans feel this law is not a step towards racism. Above all, I found myself rather frustrated and even disgusted at numerous comments on newspaper articles and YouTube postings th at were clearly putting spotlight on specifically one ethnicity, yet stating racial profiling is not tolerated. I find this ironic, hence the law allows law enforcement to determine the immigration status of individuals who they reasonably suspect are illegal immigrants. Is it just me or does that clearly sound like racial profiling? Furthermore, Former state senator Alfredo Gutierrez made a good point when expressing his thoughts to Arizona radio station KTAR 92.3 saying, â€Å"Reasonable suspicion in Arizona isn’t going to be someone who looks like a Canadian, whatever a Canadian looks like, it’s going to be someone who looks like my family†. Gutierrez then went on to say, â€Å"â€Å"This is the first step towards apartheid.† According to the article â€Å"Arizona Legalizes Racial Profiling† by Juilanne Hing, she discusses when Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was bombarded with questions concerning the criteria police officers will use to determine whether or not there is reasonable suspicion to detain a person. Governor Brewer replied with â€Å"I do not kn ow what an illegal immigrant looks like.† Considering she signed the law, it’s unfortunate and rather humorous that Brewer cannot state what reasonable suspicion consists of. This response was not thoughtful considering what the public is encountering in result of SB 1070. It appears that when Arizona SB 1070 was being considered, the economic reality of what the law results of, was not a thought that crossed Governor Brewer’s mind. Coupled with the other factors of SB 1070 is Arizona’s current money situation, which is the current budget deficit of more than $4.5 billion dollars. Maybe this wasn’t thought about, but there is a significant number of immigrants and Latinos who will be persuaded to leave the state because of this new law. Thus, the tax dollars, businesses, and purchasing power they will take with them. As in the article â€Å"Hispanic Families Flee† by Ed Pilkington, a disturbing pattern is discussed where once busy shopping centers are turning into ghost towns. One example is a Mexican restaurant in which proudly boasts, â€Å"Tacos Since 1975† which is unfortunately now stripped bare like the other local restaurants and stores. In the long run, Arizonans should take into consideration not only the potential costs of implementation and defending the state against lawsuits. Additionally, what needs to be reminded is the significant numbers of residents who are currently leaving the state and what consequences that brings. In the midst of all this controversy, let’s try not to forget the American dream. We are all immigrants from somewhere and shouldn’t blame undocumented immigrants for what ails America. We should instead, recognize those before us who took the leap of coming to America and thank their hard work, as well as what they risked to be here. Immigrants are human beings, simply wanting a better life and are not criminals. Instead of dividing the community with racism, which can eventually divide America, let’s focus on improving our country. Clearly, without immigrants the economy will take an additional downfall. In short, I hope a law that is fair will replace Arizona’s SB 1070.

Part Two Chapter II

II Edward Collins & Co., the Pagford solicitors, occupied the upper floor of a terraced brick house, with an optician's on the ground floor. Edward Collins was deceased and his firm comprised two men: Gavin Hughes who was the salaried partner, with one window in his office, and Miles Mollison, who was the equity partner, with two windows. They shared a secretary who was twenty-eight, single, plain but with a good figure. Shona laughed too long at all Miles' jokes, and treated Gavin with a patronage that was almost offensive. ‘Mary's called. There's a bit of a glitch with Barry's life insurance. She wants me to help her sort it.' ‘Right, well, you can handle that, can't you? I'll be back at two, anyway.' Miles slipped on his overcoat, jogged down the steep stairs and walked briskly up the rain-swept little street that led to the Square. A momentary break in the clouds caused sunlight to flood the glistening war memorial and the hanging baskets. Miles experienced a rush of atavistic pride as he hurried across the Square towards Mollison and Lowe, that Pagford institution, that classiest of emporia; a pride that familiarity had never blighted, but rather deepened and ripened. The bell tinkled at the door as Miles pushed it open. There was something of a lunchtime rush on: a queue of eight waited at the counter and Howard, in his mercantile regalia, fisherman's flies glinting in his deerstalker, was in full tongue. ‘†¦ and a quarter of black olives, Rosemary, to you. Nothing else, now? Nothing else for Rosemary †¦ that'll be eight pounds, sixty-two pence; we'll call it eight, my love, in light of our long and fruitful association †¦' Giggles and gratitude; the rattle and crash of the till. ‘And here's my lawyer, come to check up on me,' boomed Howard, winking and chuckling over the heads of the queue at Miles. ‘If you'll wait for me in the back, sir, I'll try not to say anything incriminating to Mrs Howson †¦' Miles smiled at the middle-aged ladies, who beamed back. Tall, with thick, close-cropped greying hair, big round blue eyes, his paunch disguised by his dark overcoat, Miles was a reasonably attractive addition to the hand-baked biscuits and local cheeses. He navigated his way carefully between the little tables piled high with delicacies and paused at the big arch hewn between delicatessen and the old shoe shop, which was denuded of its protective plastic curtain for the first time. Maureen (Miles recognized the handwriting) had put up a sign on a sandwich board in the middle of the arch: No Entry. Coming Soon †¦ The Copper Kettle. Miles peered through into the clean, spare space that would soon be Pagford's newest and best cafe; it was plastered and painted, with freshly varnished black boards underfoot. He sidled around the corner of the counter and edged past Maureen, who was operating the meat slicer, affording her the opportunity for a gruff and ribald laugh, then ducked through the door that led into the dingy little back room. Here was a Formica table, on which Maureen's Daily Mail lay folded; Howard and Maureen's coats hanging on hooks, and a door leading to the lavatory, which exuded a scent of artificial lavender. Miles hung up his overcoat and drew up an old chair to the table. Howard appeared a minute or two later, bearing two heaped plates of delicatessen fare. ‘Definitely decided on the â€Å"Copper Kettle† then?' asked Miles. ‘Well, Mo likes it,' said Howard, setting down a plate in front of his son. He lumbered out, returned with two bottles of ale, and closed the door with his foot so that the room was enveloped in a windowless gloom relieved only by the dim pendant light. Howard sat down with a deep grunt. He had been conspiratorial on the telephone mid-morning, and kept Miles waiting a few moments longer while he flipped off the lid of one bottle. ‘Wall's sent his forms in,' he said at last, handing over the beer. ‘Ah,' said Miles. ‘I'm going to set a deadline. Two weeks from today for everyone to declare.' ‘Fair enough,' said Miles. ‘Mum reckons this Price bloke is still interested. Have you asked Sam if she knows who he is yet?' ‘No,' said Miles. Howard scratched an underfold of the belly that rested close to his knees as he sat on the creaking chair. ‘Everything all right with you and Sam?' Miles admired, as always, his father's almost psychic intuition. ‘Not great.' He would not have confessed it to his mother, because he tried not to fuel the constant cold war between Shirley and Samantha, in which he was both hostage and prize. ‘She doesn't like the idea of me standing,' Miles elaborated. Howard raised his fair eyebrows, his jowls wobbling as he chewed. ‘I don't bloody know what's got into her. She's on one of her anti-Pagford kicks.' Howard took his time swallowing. He dabbed at his mouth with a paper napkin and burped. ‘She'll come round quickly enough once you're in,' he said. ‘The social side of it. Plenty for the wives. Functions at Sweetlove House. She'll be in her element.' He took another swig of ale and scratched his belly again. ‘I can't picture this Price,' said Miles, returning to the essential point, ‘but I've got a feeling he had a kid in Lexie's class at St Thomas's.' ‘Fields-born, though, that's the thing,' said Howard. ‘Fields-born, which could work to our advantage. Split the pro-Fields vote between him and Wall.' ‘Yeah,' said Miles. ‘Makes sense.' ‘I haven't heard of anyone else. It's possible, once details hit the website, someone else'll come forward. But I'm confident about our chances. I'm confident. Aubrey called,' Howard added. There was always a touch of additional portentousness in Howard's tone when he used Aubrey Fawley's Christian name. ‘Right behind you, goes without saying. He's back this evening. He's been in town.' Usually, when a Pagfordian said ‘in town', they meant ‘in Yarvil'. Howard and Shirley used the phrase, in imitation of Aubrey Fawley, to mean ‘in London'. ‘He mentioned something about us all getting together for a chat. Maybe tomorrow. Might even invite us over to the house. Sam'd like that.' Miles had just taken a large bite of soda bread and liver pate, but he conveyed his agreement with an emphatic nod. He liked the idea that Aubrey Fawley was ‘right behind' him. Samantha might jeer at his parents' thraldom to the Fawleys, but Miles noticed that on those rare occasions when Samantha came face to face with either Aubrey or Julia, her accent changed subtly and her demeanour became markedly more demure. ‘Something else,' said Howard, scratching his belly again. ‘Got an email from the Yarvil and District Gazette this morning. Asking for my views on the Fields. As chair of the Parish Council.' ‘You're kidding? I thought Fairbrother had stitched that one up – ‘ ‘Backfired, didn't it?' said Howard, with immense satisfaction. ‘They're going to run his article, and they want someone to argue against the following week. Give them the other side of the story. I'd appreciate a hand. Lawyer's turn of phrase, and all that.' ‘No problem,' said Miles. ‘We could talk about that bloody addiction clinic. That'd make the point.' ‘Yes – very good idea – excellent.' In his enthusiasm, he had swallowed too much at once and Miles had to bang him on the back until his coughing had subsided. At last, dabbing his watering eyes with a napkin, Howard said breathlessly, ‘Aubrey's recommending the District cuts funding from their end, and I'm going to put it to our lot that it's time to terminate the lease on the building. It wouldn't hurt to make the case in the press. How much time and money's gone into that bloody place with nothing to show for it. I've got the figures.' Howard burped sonorously. ‘Bloody disgraceful. Pardon me.'

Edward Mick Mannock essays

Edward Mick Mannock essays Edward Mick Mannock was born in Brighton on May 24th, 1887. Mick lived in England, Scotland, Ireland and India. While he was in India, he got an infection and went blind. Eventually Mick had recovered his eyesight but was forever blind in his left eye. Mick fought in the Boer war, after he had returned home he deserted his family, his wife and their four children. In February of 1914, Mick was relocated for his job at the National Telephone Company to Turkey. After hearing that a war was declared, Mick tried to get back to England. Once he had heard that Turkey had formed and alliance with Germany, Mick knew he was in trouble. Mick was arrested and put into a Turkish concentration camp. He eventually made it back home to England in April of 1915. Once back home in England, Mick immediately joined the British Army; he was very soon after promoted to the position of sergeant-major. In March of 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Engineers as an officer cadet. Not long after he reached the position of Second Lieutenant. In August of 1916, Mick requested to be transferred to The Royal Flying Corps. When in flight training, he blew all the instructors away showing impressive flight skills with only a few hours of professional training. Mick arrived at St. Omer in France on April 6th, 1917. He made his first confirmed kill on June 7th, 1917. Mick quickly built up a reputation as one of the most talented pilots in the RFC. Once he arrived on the Western Front he won four dogfights in his first two weeks. On August 16th he shot down four aircrafts and two more the next day. He won the Military Cross on September 17th. In October that year he was awarded a bar to his Military Cross. The official citation read He attacked a formation of five enemy machines single handed and shot one down out of control; while engaged with an enemy machine, he was attacked by two others, one of which he forced down to the ...

Why has the membership of the major political parties declined in recent years Essay Example

Why has the membership of the major political parties declined in recent years Essay Example Why has the membership of the major political parties declined in recent years Essay Why has the membership of the major political parties declined in recent years Essay Essay Topic: Recent The membership of the major political parties has declined alarmingly in recent decades. In the 1950s, Labour had a million members and the Conservatives over two million, but nowadays they have 360,000 and 335,000 respectively. Parties are keen to recruit as many members as possible as they can provide important campaigning and financial support. There must be some wider reason for this phenomenon, as it did not affect just one party. Political apathy may be one factor, as people lose interest in the political system in general. Another possible reason could be the dissatisfaction the electorate feel towards the political parties of today. The class and party de-alignment arguments could also be used to explain this contrast with yesteryear- that the changes in the class system have left people unsure about whom their natural representatives are. The huge increase in floating voters may have something to do with this decline as well. Evans (1997) suggests another possibility, rather than people not participating in politics, this generation has shifted from party politics to supporting pressure groups. A politically apathetic electorate would have no interest in politics; therefore they would not join political parties. This state of mind has increased dramatically, possibly as a result of the move by the major parties in their stances. Moves, initially, by the Labour Party but subsequently by the Conservatives have left very little distinction between the parties. As the Labour Party shifted towards the centre under Blairs early leadership period, so did the Conservatives as a reaction against the Thatcher stereotype. This might have left the electorate feeling discontented, as there would not be as much political debate from two sides that operate so close to each other in their policies. Political apathy can be measured in a number of ways: party membership, turnout, and public opinion polls, although these are not completely reliable, as people might not vote for certain reasons and not join parties for reasons other than political apathy. Without a change in the attraction of politics and parties, this should not change. There would need to be more opportunity to get involved in politics than under the current political system, possibly an increase in referenda and initiatives. This might make the electorate more interested in politics, and consequently political parties. Parties and their politicians have also been given a poor image by the media in recent years, which may have resulted in people not supporting the political parties by not joining them. Incidents like the Neil Hamilton saga and the introduction of negative campaigning show politics up to be a dirty business and one that many people dont want to be a part of. The political parties have become much more centralised now, with less power allowed to the members, and this has been reflected by the membership figures. The politicians in comparison with the constituency groups now hold much more power and some people may think there is nothing to be gained from joining the parties other than funding something that they are not a part of. Party conferences, formerly a means of allowing the member a real vote, are now seen as a media charade. The de-centralisation of the main parties would probably considerably increase their membership, as the members would be in a position to have their say and not have their party managed by an elite. Traditionally, Labour has attracted working class support whereas the Conservatives have got their vote from the middle and upper class. However, according to Crewe (1977), following the emergence of an evolved class system, with a smaller working class, the traditional class boundaries have been eliminated with people making rational choices about their vote. This is the same with whichever party they are going to join, if any. People are not necessarily going to support their class representatives anymore. As these people become more sceptical and objective about the state of the different parties, so have the parties changed their policies to suit most people as opposed to their traditional voters. This has led to a loss of core support, and an increase in the floating vote. There is nothing to suggest that this trend of rational choice voting is going to change. On the contrary, if de-industrialisation continues, the movement towards rational choice voting would gather pace and membership figures would decrease further. For an election victory, the floating vote is very important but these voters will not join a party and will therefore not donate or participate in political activities. The floating electorate choose their affiliations in the short-term, and are the most objective of the different types of voters. Their only commitment is to the party that most attracts them with its various factors whose popularity can only be defined by the individual. They will not participate in party activities- such as assistance in election campaigns, donating money, etc. as they are not members. The increase in this group would explain any change in the party membership. During recent years, the trend has been to support single-issue groups as opposed to broad groups like political parties. In this pattern, there is a divide, where younger people are interested in these single-issue protest activities whereas the older generation are more dedicated to political party activity. Whereas only 6% of 15-34 year olds describe themselves as very interested in politics, 73% see themselves as particularly interested in the homeless situation, and similar proportions have concern about disabled rights, animal rights, and increased funding for the NHS. This could suggest that in the future party enrolment will decrease even more as the previous generation of party activists die out. In conclusion, there are five main reasons for the decline of party membership: an increase in political apathy, due in some considerable way to the move to the centre ground which has disillusioned more partisan support; the distrust surrounding politics, especially showed in the media coverage of sleaze and negative campaigning; the class-dealignment experienced by Britain as a result of de-industrialisation, which has left more people moving to a rational choice model of voting; this having resulted in an increase in floating voters who do not tie themselves down to one political party; and the younger generations tendency to be more interested in single-issue politics than the wide spectrum of issues in politics today. If the following continue as expected, party membership will decrease even further. To stop this movement, parties and the political system will need to change to allow the electorate a bigger role in political decision-making. It should be noted that these conclusions could also be used in the explanation of the decline in the faith of the electorate in the present political system.

H.H. Holmes Biography

H.H. Holmes Biography Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, also known as H.H. Holmes, was one of the nineteenth centurys most prolific serial killers. His victims, numbering anywhere from the dozens to over 200, were killed in his property, the Worlds Fair Hotel, which came to be called Holmes Murder Castle. Fast Facts: H.H. Holmes Full Name:  Herman Webster MudgettAlso Known As: Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, H.H. Holmes, Alexander Bond, Henry Gordon, O.C. Pratt, and othersBorn:  May 16, 1861 in Gilmanton, New HampshireDied:  May 7, 1896 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaKnown For:  One of Americas first documented serial killers. Confessed to murdering 27 people in his Murder Castle, although only nine were ever confirmed. Early Years Born Herman Webster Mudgett in 1861, Holmes was the son of an old New England family, descended from early British settlers. His parents were devout Methodists. After graduating high school at age 16, Holmes took up teaching as an occupation, working in towns near his native Gilmanton, New Hampshire. He enrolled at the University of Vermont, but soon grew bored and dropped out. The following year, he went to medical school and worked in the anatomy lab at the University of Michigan, completing the program in three years. While attending school, Holmes supplemented his income by using cadavers to perpetrate insurance scams. During this time he was briefly married to Clara Lovering, but their relationship was violent, and she left him in Michigan and returned to New Hampshire with their son Robert. Holmes moved to New York State, and whispers began to spread that hed been seen with a child who was later reported missing. He relocated to Philadelphia to work in a pharmacy, and rumors surfaced that a child had died after taking medication Holmes had blended. He then fled to Chicago, changing his name from Herman Webster Mudgett to Herman Henry Holmes. In 1886, he married Myrta Belknap, but never bothered to get a divorce from Clara. Eight years later, in 1894, Holmes went to Denver and married Georgiana Yoke, without divorcing Myrta first. The Worlds Fair Hotel The Worlds Fair Hotel was also known as Holmes murder castle.. Chicago History Museum / Getty Images In Chicago, Holmes took a job in a drugstore that he eventually ended up purchasing. He then bought an empty lot across the street, and planned the construction of a two-story building which would include retail space on the ground floor and apartments above. Construction began in 1887. After a year of work, Holmes hadnt paid the architects or steel suppliers, so they took him to court. Construction resumed, and by 1892, Chicago was preparing for the Worlds Columbian Exposition. The Exposition, commonly called the 1893 Worlds Fair, would bring plenty of visitors to the city, so Holmes decided to add a third floor to his building and turn it into a hotel. The building, which he named the Worlds Fair Hotel, was never completed, and Holmes continued his history of running insurance scams and defaulting on bills. He worked in his drugstore while the building was being constructed, and it is believed that his first victim was his mistress, Julia Smythe, who worked at the jewelry counter. Smythe was married; she and her husband lived in an apartment upstairs. Smythe and her daughter disappeared in December 1891 and their bodies were never found; Holmes later claimed she died following a botched abortion. Two other women who worked in the building, Emeline Cigrande and Edna Van Tassel, also disappeared over the next couple of years. Holmes persuaded an actress named Minnie Williams to sign the deed to her Texas property over to him, using the alias Alexander Bond. The two of them began living together, and Williams sister Nannie came to visit in July 1893; both sisters vanished and were never seen again. With insurance investigators closing in, suspecting Holmes of numerous fraudulent claims, he left Chicago and went to the Texas property he had conned from Williams. Once in Fort Worth, he attempted to replicate the building of his Chicago hotel, and continued to swindle investors, construction crews, and suppliers. He was finally arrested in 1894. While in jail, Holmes struck up a friendship with Marion Hedgepeth, known as The Debonair Bandit. Holmes planned to collect an insurance payout by faking his own death, and offered Hedgepeth $500 for the name of a lawyer who could be trusted to process the fraudulent paperwork. Hedgepeth later told investigators about Holmes insurance fraud scheme. Once back in Philadelphia, Holmes killed a carpenter named Benjamin Pitezel and filed the claim on himself, using Pitezels corpse. Shortly afterwards, he killed Pitezels daughters and buried them in the basement of his Toronto home. A detective investigating the case discovered the childrens decomposing bodies, leading police back to Chicago, where they closed in on Holmes. Investigation, Trial, and Conviction Marion Hedgepeth, the Debonair Bandit, tipped police off to Holmes whereabouts. Bettmann / Getty Images When Chicago police searched Holmes hotel, historians say they discovered, soundproof rooms, secret passages and a disorienting maze of hallways and staircases. The rooms were also outfitted with trapdoors over chutes that dropped Holmes’ unsuspecting victims to the building’s basement. Holmes was arrested for the murder of Pitezel and his children, and sentenced to death. Before his execution, he confessed to the murders of 27 people; that number has been disputed because several of the people he claimed to have killed were still alive. At one point, he claimed to have been possessed by Satan. While he was in prison, his hotel mysteriously caught fire and burned to the ground. In May 1896, Holmes was hanged. Over a hundred years after his death, rumors spread that Holmes had faked his execution, and his body was exhumed in 2017 for testing. Dental records determined that it was in fact Holmes in the grave. Sources Editors, History.com. â€Å"Murder Castle.†Ã‚  History.com, AE Television Networks, 13 July 2017, www.history.com/topics/crime/murder-castle.Hirschlag, Allison. â€Å"9 Things You Didnt Know About Americas First Serial Killer, H.H. Holmes.†Ã‚  Mental Floss, 16 May 2017, mentalfloss.com/article/72642/9-things-you-didnt-know-about-americas-first-serial-killer-hh-holmes.Larson, Erik.  The Devil in the White City - Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. Vintage Books, 2004.Pawlak, Debra. â€Å"American Gothic: The Strange Life of H.H. Holmes.†Ã‚  The Mediadrome - History - American Gothic: H.H. Holmes, web.archive.org/web/20080611011945/themediadrome.com/content/articles/history_articles/holmes.htm.

American Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

American Constitution - Essay Example It would be erroneous, however, to describe the frame of government, signed by Washington and his fellow-delegates at Philadelphia, as their invention. It is not so much a creation of political theorists as a codification by practical statesmen of doctrines which experience showed had worked well, or were needed for the well-working of government in their country. Moreover, it did not fully satisfy any of its framers, and the discussion connected with its adoption disclosed a strong popular feeling that it ought to be supplemented by a formal bill of rights. Accordingly, various amendments were prepared and ten of these were ratified within two years after the original Constitution went into effect. All of these were suggested by political experience during the revolutionary and colonial periods, while some trace their origin back through English history to Magna Charta. T is clear that the Convention which drafted our Constitution did not originate with political agitators whose heads were filled with new schemes of government. It resulted from the popular conviction that the existing federal system was a failure, a conviction which was voiced by Patrick Henry 1 and other champions of state sovereignty, as well as by those who "thought continentally." How slowly this conviction matured is shown in the stages by which public opinion advanced towards the goal of the Convention. (Taylor 1998 67) The Background of the Constitutional Convention As early as 1643 the colonies of Massachusetts, New Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven drew up "Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England," driven thereto by the dangers which threatened them from the hostile Indians, and from the Dutch at New Amsterdam and Fort Orange ( New York and Albany). The purpose of this confederation was principally that of mutual defence, and matters of internal affairs were expressly left to the several colonies, but nevertheless the commissioners were directed to "endeavoured to frame and establish agreements and orders in general cases of a civil nature wherein all the plant cons are interested for preserving peace among themselves, and preventing as much as may bee all occasions of war or difference with others." (Tucker, 1997 74) Provision was also made for the return by each colony to the authorities of the others of runaway servants and escaped criminals. Control of the affairs of the confederation was put into the hands of eight commissioners, two from each colony, and in most matters action could be taken by the concurrence of six commissioners. 2 The confederation functioned actively until the conquest of New Netherlands in 1664, and there were occasional meetings of the commissioners for twenty years more, when the organization finally fell apart. In 1684 representatives of Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, and Virginia met at Albany to provide for measures of defence against the Five Nations, and ten years later representatives from Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey met at the same place to frame a treaty with the same Indian tribes. While in 1721 there was a gathering of New England governors

Agency Assessment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Agency Assessment - Research Paper Example The hospice key goals include providing satisfaction through its services not just to their clients, but also to their families and friends in general. Genuine respect, commitment to excellence, compassionate care, and delivery of innovative programs to the community are among its set goals since its inception. The hospice has also made it its goal to ensure that patients experience at the hospice is that of comfort and confidence. There is also a special service program for the families associated with the hospice. It is referred to as the Bereavement/Grief services. The program was put up so to enable the family members and friends of those patients under FBH care are heard and recognized for their contribution. The program entails services such as The agency’s priorities for this year are honoring and encouraging its volunteers for their services, which have played a big role in the agency’s service provision. The hospice is planning to do this by holding two volunteer luncheons one in May and another in November. The agency in its five year plan is focusing on establishing more volunteers at the hospital as there is a growing need for service because the increasing number of patients. The agency is also focusing on attaining more donor funding to enable it run smoothly its expanding service need by the community. Is the agency easy to locate? Describe the physical location. Is there adequate parking? Is the agency clearly marked? Does the site appear to be well-maintained? Is the location near public transportation? The hospice is located at a junction between Sigma Rd. and Neutron Rd. both these roads are well maintained and do not have traffic congestion. The hospice can easily be identified using a navigation system or Google maps. Being close to, the road makes it easier to spot. The Hospice itself is a large building white in color with multiple entrances and exits. It has a wide parking area that is located at the front

The ways in which use of the strange and unfamiliar prompts the reader Research Paper

The ways in which use of the strange and unfamiliar prompts the reader to think about the known and the familiar - Research Paper Example However, the Goblin Market is a poem which is narrated by Christina Rossetti’s, the poem describes the markets place dynamic and Rossetti depicts on how the† Goblin† or the merchant’s cries for the business. The merchants croon by shouting out loud for the crowd to come and buy, come and buy which they repeat it several times so that they can attract the customer’s attention to go, and buy their products. The merchant does this by preparing the list of the items in a paratactic manner. These two books try to analyze the ways in which the use of the strange and unfamiliar prompts the reader to think about the known and the familiar. All through the ages, the man has always struggled in defining the necessary situation of the utopian society. Writers along with philosophers proclaim that they discovered the key to perfect societal structure; however, they sometimes fall short in a number of aspects. The perfect society cannot easily be attained, and almost impossible to achieve it completely. Gulliver’s Travels, invites readers into the world which is ruled by the creatures who looks like the horses, recognized as Houyhnhnms, who in spite of being kind, calm, and coherent, they lack the critical thought as well as wisdom. These animals rule their whole lives on the morals of reason, good value, wisdom, and self-control, and they believe that, the only means of living is by being friendly as well as benevolent, to their own kindness. Gulliver’s Travel is a story of adventuring that involves several voyages of a man by the name Lemuel Gulliver, known to be a surgeon because of the series of the mishaps and an ability to route to the recognized ports and end ups on several of the unknown islands where he lives with the people as well as, animals of the unusual sizes, he is able to go back to his home in

A Personal Narrative on How Important an Higher Education Is Essay

A Personal Narrative on How Important an Higher Education Is - Essay Example BODY 1 1. University policies explains what should take place on arrival of new students 2 i) Orientation is the first program me in the admission policy ii) We have advanced on how to fit the higher education system iii) From my Kisii community woman does not have a right iv) University policies of gender violence, affirmative act and sexual harassment were explained. I found it disturbing to Condon cheeky ladies vi) The dean of students gives an example of two students who were expelled B. I learnt of the need to conform to the policies BODY 2 1. The university hostel rule allow students to randomly selected 2. I) John I came from the same tribe ii) John differed with one of the roommates iii) John fell down due to illness iv) John fell due to illness v) I helped him but the Dholuo roommate did more help. v) Brian provides his traditional knowledge of the ailment and solved the problem vi) I learnt that every culture was of co-importance with its practioners. 3. I realized the impo rtance of accommodation rule E. BODY 3 1. The course lecturers and the content deliver had an impact 2. i) the professional terms referred to the lecturers were motivational ii) Their art of teaching did more good that damage iii) A Sociology lecturer answered questioned rerating to culture. iv) This encouraged me to be like him v) I took advantage of the available cultures to learn and appreciate them. vi) I started to befriend everybody irrespective of culture. 4. To promote cultural appreciation I participated in exchange programs BODY 4 1. The university programmes which promoted cultural festivities 2. I) in October, the university cultural exchange promoted understanding ii) Local and international cultural exchange promoted understanding iii) International students performed colonial related drama. iv). Public speaking promoted political understanding v) I also learnt on the cultural talents of sports and games vi). Cultural ceremonies too promote talents 3. Through the cultu re week program, I discovered my community hidden talent CONCLUSION I) Higher education is designed to promote peace II) There is need to educate all the stake holders on the need to accommodate all cultures. Introduction Since the onset of my life I never knew of other God granted opportunities that would enable me to travel to other parts of the world leave alone my own country. I grew up in a village where nobody knew about the neighbor on ethnicity and tribalism. I only knew of my local primary and secondary schools where I footed to every morning. My remote village remained a reserve as described by the colonial man who first ignited the fire of racism On my second last year in high school, my teachers explained to us the necessity of working hard to serve a chance in any government institution of higher learning. It is from the sharp but harmless words of Mr. Kill that I gained my mental and emotional stigma of excellence I passed well. In September 2009, I joined the internat ional university of Kenyatta where I found it difficult to adopt the new environment, full of cultural confusion, people like me described it as â€Å"unethical meeting our tribal enemies whose contact was viewed as a curse. Though higher education is seen to advance knowledge, it also promotes unity and cohesion in its policies, programmes, courses, rules, exchange programs

Planning a Training Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning a Training Program - Essay Example It was identified particularly in the case of organizations that in order to carry out the regular operations effectively, the employees or the workforce needs to be in a constant process of learning. The requirement of this constant process or learning could be considered as an assurance which could also be regarded as a kind of support for conducting training programs (Caffarella, 2002). The aspect of action entails initiation of the response from the individuals engaged with the organization towards the mentioned promise with the help of budgetary along with distribution of other resources. The action also helps in ascertaining the definite engagement towards the education as well as training function. In certain organizations, there exist employees who are keen on looking or finding ways of enhancing their service. In such kind of organizations, actions are perceived to exist in the range of activities associated with education as well as training. The process of training would a lso ensure the distribution of the knowledge which facilitates organizational as well as individual learning. This aspect of distribution of knowledge remains to be a great concern for the management of the organizations which is attained with the help of proper education as well as training programs. The planners supporting or substantiating the need of such programs and in terms of differentiating the planning framework calls for the requirement of focusing increased concentration on the way of bringing individuals together and in seeking encouragement from the organization. The mentioned need of support also entails the aspect of help from the broader environment in which the considered organizations operate (Caffarella, 2002). There have been mentioned to be a few definite plans that makes certain of the assurance or encouragement from the individuals. Individuals have been categorized on the basis of groups and they have been mentioned to be supervisors, top-level managers, lea rners and middle-level managers. Apart from the facet of encouragement, it is also considered necessary to develop or build support from the organization. The organizational support entails taking into concern the essentiality of such training as well as education programs along with facilitating a certain kind of organizational culture which would encourage the constant progress and learning (Caffarella, 2002). In the process of establishing support from the individuals for training as well as education programs there are certain kinds of individuals who need to be engaged while developing a framework for the process. The individuals who require to be entailed are the present and the budding learners, in case of organizations or field of work, the supervisors of the budding applicants, the senior and mid-level managers related to the supporting organizations, at times need to even entail the board members along with the different stakeholders displaying vested interest. This intere st could be related to the planning procedure or in case of the consequences or the outcome derived from such programs, for instance, the funding agencies or the grassroots’ group of people. In numerous organizations, there exist certain definite vital individuals who need to be constantly tapped for the reason of encouragement, particularly in the instance of planning

The Fall of Rome Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Fall of Rome - Research Paper Example This researcher paper "The Fall of Rome" analyzes the key causes that triggered the fall of Rome. The destructive effect of nomad tribes’ invasions has been discussed as one of the most significant reasons of Rome’s decay. This point of view is adopted by Ward-Perkins who claims a sort of military crisis caused by the invasion of people from Asia to have triggered the fall (Ward-Perkins). Having conquered the territory of the Black Sea region be the beginning of the 3rd century, the unions of Goths launched the military campaign against the Roman Empire. The first battle between Romans and Goths took place in 378 bringing overwhelming defeat to the Roman army and death to the emperor. After a pause lasting about 50 years, the tribes besieged Rome. Although the capital suffered raging hunger and diseases, Roman refused to surrender or accept Alaric’s proposals (Alaric was the head of the Goth army). Unfortunately, despite desperate attempts to hold the line, the e nemy had managed to gain control over Rome – it was for the first time in the history of this glorious empire that barbaric tribes had captured this city. Later, Vandals became the ones to deliver the final blow to the capital of the Western Roman Empire, killing an immense amount of citizens and enslaving the survivors. It is reasonable to add, that the name of this tribe has turned into a common noun for villains and destroyers as a result of the atrocities the conquerors committed in Rome. However, it was Guns who led the Western Roman Empire to the complete collapse.

Planning a Training Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning a Training Program - Essay Example It was identified particularly in the case of organizations that in order to carry out the regular operations effectively, the employees or the workforce needs to be in a constant process of learning. The requirement of this constant process or learning could be considered as an assurance which could also be regarded as a kind of support for conducting training programs (Caffarella, 2002). The aspect of action entails initiation of the response from the individuals engaged with the organization towards the mentioned promise with the help of budgetary along with distribution of other resources. The action also helps in ascertaining the definite engagement towards the education as well as training function. In certain organizations, there exist employees who are keen on looking or finding ways of enhancing their service. In such kind of organizations, actions are perceived to exist in the range of activities associated with education as well as training. The process of training would a lso ensure the distribution of the knowledge which facilitates organizational as well as individual learning. This aspect of distribution of knowledge remains to be a great concern for the management of the organizations which is attained with the help of proper education as well as training programs. The planners supporting or substantiating the need of such programs and in terms of differentiating the planning framework calls for the requirement of focusing increased concentration on the way of bringing individuals together and in seeking encouragement from the organization. The mentioned need of support also entails the aspect of help from the broader environment in which the considered organizations operate (Caffarella, 2002). There have been mentioned to be a few definite plans that makes certain of the assurance or encouragement from the individuals. Individuals have been categorized on the basis of groups and they have been mentioned to be supervisors, top-level managers, lea rners and middle-level managers. Apart from the facet of encouragement, it is also considered necessary to develop or build support from the organization. The organizational support entails taking into concern the essentiality of such training as well as education programs along with facilitating a certain kind of organizational culture which would encourage the constant progress and learning (Caffarella, 2002). In the process of establishing support from the individuals for training as well as education programs there are certain kinds of individuals who need to be engaged while developing a framework for the process. The individuals who require to be entailed are the present and the budding learners, in case of organizations or field of work, the supervisors of the budding applicants, the senior and mid-level managers related to the supporting organizations, at times need to even entail the board members along with the different stakeholders displaying vested interest. This intere st could be related to the planning procedure or in case of the consequences or the outcome derived from such programs, for instance, the funding agencies or the grassroots’ group of people. In numerous organizations, there exist certain definite vital individuals who need to be constantly tapped for the reason of encouragement, particularly in the instance of planning

Atenism as Related to Henotheism, Monotheism, and Polytheism Research Paper

Atenism as Related to Henotheism, Monotheism, and Polytheism - Research Paper Example It was a peaceful religion with brotherhood and kindness, taking precedence over the activities of daily living. Although many have considered it a type of pre-cursor to monotheism; there is no proof that it was; neither was it polytheism. It was actually a quasi-blend of the two more associated with the New Age religions, also known as henotheism. Atenism as Related to Henotheism, Monotheism, and Polytheism Initially one can say there are elements of monotheism, polytheism, and henotheism intrinsic to the ancient Egyptian religion of Atenism. In taking a closer look, Atenism is not polytheism, the worship of many gods and goddesses, or monotheism, the worship of one close and personal god, exclusive of all others, but more closely related to henotheism, a blend of the two where there is one main deity, either with multiple manifestations and names, or one main deity with many associates. While early Egyptologists felt that Atenism was a predecessor of monotheism, there has been no p roof linking that cult with today’s traditional monotheistic beliefs. (Lawlor, 2007) Atenism is the religion associated with the worship of Aten, the sun disk, who until about the 12th century B.C., was just one of the many gods and goddesses associated with ancient Egyptian religion. ... worship of other gods was permitted; however within five years of its introduction; Atenism had become the supreme religion with only one Supreme Being worshipped. During this time, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaton, Glorious Spirit of the Aten, beneficial to Aten. He then proceeded to build a new city in honor of Aten, Akhenaten, the horizon of the sun disc; it is near what is known today as Amarna, between Thebes and Memphis in the Valley of the Kings. There is some speculation that since pharaohs were thought to be deity personified that perhaps Akhenaton was, as well, the messenger person for Aten. (Geller,2002) With the installation of Aten, nine years from the beginning of Akhenaton’s reign, all traces of Amun, the previous supreme deity, were erased even to the point of chiseling the inscription off of temples, statues and entering tombs to remove all traces of the former deity. This was a common practice aimed at removing the old and instituting the new as tho ugh the old never existed; it continues with Egyptian history today, as the national history books are re-edited with the installation of new leaders, showing the previous leaders as ineffective and requiring replacement. (Geller, 2002) In Atenism, God is seen as loving and beneficent, protecting and supporting his people through his very presence, which is real enough, though not personally involved. He is not seen as authoritarian, judgmental, and justice-oriented. The worship of idols was banned, and all references to Aten in written form were shown using a sun disk whose rays culminated in upraised hands. Later, Akhenaton permitted it to be written phonetically; a symbol of his radicalism in the new religion.

Mental Health Issues among University Students

Mental Health Issues among University Students Introduction Mental health issue among university students is a major growing health concern. Research conducted in recent years has established that cases of students diagnosed with mental health issues are on the rise. A study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found out that one in four students in the US suffers from a mental-related health issue. In the UK, university counselors have reported increased cases of students dealing with mental-related issues. A survey conducted by NUS in 2014 established that 75% of the students suffered from a mental health issues (Winrow, 2017).   There are also increased cases of university students dropping out of school because of being overwhelmed by mental health issues. Mental health status of a university student is of uttermost importance because it plays a critical role in shaping the education life. In the UK, about 15,000 first year students reported dealing with mental health issues (Burns, 2017). The figures are a sharp contrast to about 3000 students in 2006 that were diagnosed with mental health issues. Surveys conducted by different companies have also established that females are more likely to report a mental health issue than males. Mental health issues affecting university students There are numerous mental health issues that affect university students. Depression is among the prevalent mental health issues among students. A survey conducted by YouGov found that 77% of students with mental health issue had depression (Aronin and Smith, 2016). Anxiety is another mental health issue facing university students. Anxiety is largely caused by divergent issues like exam fear and experiencing difficulties while studying. University education is quite demanding and may prove a high-energy consuming activity for some students. Students are also expected to attain a certain score to guarantee them a pass in a certain class. Resultantly, some students may become anxious about their performance, which may affect their mental status. Stress among university students is another major mental health issue. Stress among university students is influenced by different factors. The highly demanding university studies are a leading cause of stress among the university students. Othe r causes of stress include examinations, deadlines, managing debts and demand coursework. Other mental health issues facing university students in the UK include self-harm, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and addiction. Causes of mental health issues There are numerous and divergent students pressures that may cause mental health issues. They include; Living independently for the first time Some university students are compelled to live independently depending on the location of the university they study. Living away from their homes may result to loneliness. Students living alone may feel overwhelmed by responsibilities, which they are expected to do on their own. At times, they may also feel scared. Such situations may lead to mental health issues. Managing an increased workload Students are expected to go through a large amount of workload during their university education. Students are expected to bear the amount of workload expected in a university. However, some students find it a tall order, which may make them uncomfortable and unhappy. Failing to manage increased workload can result in poor performance. Such students may fail to complete assignment and fail to meet deadlines set for different academic activities. As a result, such students may develop stress, which affects their mental health status. Additional work responsibilities Some students may be in engaged in other responsibilities like working on a part-time basis. They may engage in such activities to raise income that will help them to sustain their university education. Balancing between education and part-time job is at times a challenge that may bring health mental issues. Culture shock, language barriers, and homesickness International students studying in different UK universities suffer from culture shock, language barrier, and homesickness. These students are compelled to leave their families and countries and embark on education in the UK.   They are compelled to go through a difficult period of learning a new culture feel like strangers. Cultural differences may at times feel strange and difficult to adopt. International students also experience language barrier, which may make it difficult for them to comprehend what the professors are saying. Language barrier may also make it difficult for such students to interact with local students. International students experience homesickness because they are separated from their family and loved ones. Such issues lead to substantial levels of stress, which affect their mental health status. Increased study costs The cost of funding university education is on the rise. Resultantly, students are increasing a difficult situation of dealing with the soaring expenses to fund their education. A research conducted among 2000 students by NUS established that a third of them report of having mental health issues because of financial problems (Minsky, 2016). The students stated credit cards and payday loans as some of the financial problems that contributed to mental health issues. Maintenance loans given to students results in increased stress because students are worried about their debts. Increasingly competitive job market The job market is getting increasingly competitive, which results in increased pressure among university students. New grads looking for jobs are compelled to cope with increased competition. Employers have increased the competitiveness of the job market because they are looking for grads that possess hard and STEM skills. Universities are churning out students, who do not have employability skills that can match the fast-changing skills that characterize the competitive job market. Curbing health mental issues Besides relying on health authorities to monitor mental health issues among students, universities need to increase support services that should look after their own students to help them deal with mental health issues. The already established support services that deal with mental health issues are overwhelmed by the increasing number of students affected. A study conducted by IPPR found out that one in four students is using or waiting to use counseling services. In Leeds University, the study found out that there was a 50% increase in demand of mental health services, while the University of Birmingham there has been an annual increase of 5-6% for the past 10 years in need of the services (Burns, 2017).   Universities need to prioritize mental health issues and channel more resources and effort towards curbing the issues. Additionally, universities need to improve students’ access to National Health Service (NHS) In summary, it is evident from the above discussion that mental health issues among university is a major concern that should be taken more seriously given the rising cases of the affected students. Mental health issues stem from different student pressures like living independently for the first time, managing an increased workload, additional work responsibilities, and soaring university cost. Students may experience different mental health issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and eating disorders. Universities need to increase their efforts towards establishing the right support services to handle increasing cases of students experiencing mental health issues. References Aronin, S. and Smith, M. (2016). YouGov | One in four students suffer from mental health problems. [online] YouGov: What the world thinks. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/08/09/quarter-britains-students-are-afflicted-mental-hea/ [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018]. Burns, J. (2017). Sharp rise in student mental illness. [online] BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-41148704 [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018]. Minsky, C. (2016). UK students’ mental health affected by financial worries. [online] Times Higher Education (THE). Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/uk-students-mental-health-affected-financial-worries [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018]. Winrow, L. (2017). More students are dropping out of university because of mental health. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/more-students-are-dropping-out-of-university-because-of-mental-health-problems-a7788901.html [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018].

LASIK Vision Correction Essay -- Lasik Seeing Eye blind Essays

LASIK Vision Correction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Are you ready to give up your glasses or contacts? LASIK vision correction is an up-and-coming procedure designed to reduce your dependence on glasses and contacts. My objective is to show both sides of the procedure, the risks involved and the wonderful possibility of not having to wear glasses or corrective lenses. Of patients with moderate vision impairments who have had the LASIK surgery performed, eighty-two percent achieve 20/20 vision or better and ninety-nine percent achieve 20/40 or better (May 60). However, LASIK vision correction is not for everyone. There are definite risks as well as possible side effects involved. Some of the side effects are hazing, night glare and halos, loss of vision, dry eye, infections and corneal abrasions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering on the front of the eye, using an Excimer laser (â€Å"LASIK†). A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of the flap. The flap is then folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is then replaced (â€Å"LASIK†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Initial clinical trials of LASIK in the United States began in 1996 with Marc Michelson, M.D. being one of the first LASIK surgeons involved. These clinical investigations culminated in the approval by the FDA of the LASIK procedure in 1999 (May 20). â€Å"LASIK is the most popular refractive [or vision correction] procedure worldwide right now,† Marc Michelson tells WebMD (Braslavsky). Michelson says that because the LASIK procedure has become very popular lately, patients need to be careful when choosing a surgeon. He emphasizes the need for patients to seek out someone with experience and a long history of good outcomes (Braslavsky).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many factors taken into account before becoming a candidate for LASIK surgery. Candidates for LASIK surgery should be at least 18 years old and not be pregnant or nursing. Candidates should also have no active eye disease, a stable prescription for one year and have no restrictions mandated by their employer. Having realistic goals is also an important factor. Some common goals are: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be less dependent on gl... ...ford LASIK vision correction. This just is not the case. This surgery is quite expensive and results are not guaranteed. Surgical complications are estimated to occur in between 1.2 and 2.2 percent of patients. The CRS-USA LASIK Study noted that, overall, 5.8 percent of LASIK patients experienced side effects at the three-month follow up period (â€Å"Risks†). My attempt here was to show that there are risks involved with this procedure and to encourage research to be done before a decision is made. Corneal abrasions, infections, hazing, dry eye, loss of vision, and night glare and halos are among the many possible side effects. Are you willing to take the risk?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WORKS CITED Braslavsky, Andrea M, MS. â€Å"Keeping an Eye on Side Effects of Laser Eye Surgery.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2001 Healtheon/WebMD. 13 Oct. 2001.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . â€Å"Lasik Eye Surgery: Learning About LASIK.† U.S Food and Drug Administration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 Oct. 2001. . May, Carl J., M.D. LASIK Vision Correction. Utah: MedWorld Publishing, 2000. â€Å"Risks and Complications.† The LASIK Institute. Oct. 2001. 21 Oct. 2001   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The May Eye Care Center and Associates. Bringing Your World Into Focus: Laser   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vision Correction.

Use of Irony in A Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

Use of Irony in A Tale of Two Cities In A Tale of Two Cities, the author, Charles Dickens, uses a great deal of irony in the opening chapter to draw the reader into the story. By using a slew of contradictory statements in the opening paragraph, the author forces the reader to further investigate the meaning of the cryptic opening line: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." As the reader continues, he finds that the story is a dramatization of the circumstances surrounding London and Paris during the time period of the French Revolution. The historical record of the conditions of life in France and England during the French Revolution were identical to the ways they are described in the story. Life for the nobles or higher class people was exquisite, while the lower class was crawling in poverty. People were constantly being nagged by thieves and petty criminals, causing the state of life in those two countries to be especially unbalanced. To begin the story, the author uses a long paragraph almost perfectly describing life in Europe during the late 1700s. However, the paragraph consists of nothing but seemingly absurd statements about the "spring of hope" and the "winter of despair." By writing phrases such as ."..it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness...," the author brings an ironic feeling to the whole story. Of course, the seasons of Light and Darkness could never coincide, but in France and England's situation during the time period of the story, that is exactly what life is like for the people living there. Through the use of self-contradiction in the first chapter, readers are able to understand the plight of the countries of France and England in a darkly humorous way.

Business, government and society Essay

Business, government and society – all 3 are inter-related with each other. Things remain unchanged for all companies. Robi is not different from that. Govt. is a system through which policies and rules are made and implemented for the society. Society is a network of human relation. Consumer of a product comes from the society and govt. is a part of total social system. Robi and other telephone operators company once decided that they will close the access of new company in the market. So they gave money to some powerful person of govt. So, now new comp can’t access in the telecom market. Robi’s consumer – who belongs to the society are confined in these old telecom companies. They are also disturbed over the government and Robi. That’s how Robi, govt. and society are inter-related. There are four models of BGS relationship: 1. Market Capitalism Model 3. Dominance Model 2. Dynamic Force Model 4. Stakeholders Model Robi stands in Dominance Model. Robi and other 4 companies are all of the telecom market. No new competitor can come here. Robi and other 4 companies with the help of government control the market. A company’s stakeholders are those who can affect and affected by the operations of that company. If it is done directly they are the internal stakeholders and if it is done indirectly they are the external stakeholders. Robi’s internal stakeholders are its Board of directors, Managers, Employees and all the people who have direct influence over the firm’s action. External stakeholders are Customer, Government, Potential buyers, Competitors etc. A Board of Directors of Robi can easily change its operations and if Robi losses he will be responsible for that. Robi changes its packages according to its customer choice, otherwise they will not use Robi. Business Environment of Robi: Every company has its own environment. There are two types of environment, external and internal. As the method Robi has the maximum control over its internal environment and has no or less control over its external environment. Now Robi needs to know the environment for its strategic planning and to create link with society. Its environment depends on their strength like technology, law, social responsibilities, government, and local competition over telecom business. Robi is a mobile operator in Bangladesh which concentrates on offering GSM communication services for private and corporate customer. Their intention is to promote the wireless lifestyle -the complete mobile society. And that is their mission. Their structure based on the services they provide like internet and mobile networks. And their resources are international server and national networking system through which their system process is running. Robi’s management includes their all employees, board of director, owners and key stakeholders etc. is maintaining the culture of this company. And these are inter-related to each other to make their internal environment. In the sense of environment, through better technologies than other telecom companies Robi try to attract more customers. Robi take care of all labor force and suppliers to create a link in society by abiding the government policy. And that’s there external environments. Robi is jointed with a foreign company. So we can assume that government has given them an entry to our market. And letting them doing business here. So it’s a governmental or political environment of this company. This company is profiting day by day. This money comes from us and that changes our economy. So they have clear connection with this economical issue which is their economical environment. Consumers of this company are enjoying cheap rates and good network. So, more people are finding attraction. The attitude and behavior is changing slightly. That is how the society is working for the company as its environment. The one most important part of this company is technology. Telecom companies are depended on technology. Good server and network is their main key to maximizing their profit. But technology changes very fast. So, the company has to keep pace with their technological environment. This company also obsessed with natural environment like bad weather, bad network. Business Power of Robi: Power is the force or strength that can change something. Business power is the Strength of business that can change a society. Robi made its sim card and call rate more cheep. So, more people are using Robi now. There are different types of business power and that do different changes. When Robi reduces its call rate, people talk more over telephone. Their expenses for telephone increase. This is creates economical change. Robi sponsors various cultural programs on various occasions. So, these programs are regaining its lost glory. Thus Robi makes cultural change. Robi is introducing new services like- mobile ticketing, 4G, internet services etc. through their technology. This technological power is making our life more easy. After the availability of mobile phone people talk so much over phone. Robi is changing our habit by giving special offers and talktimes. There are also various power inside Robi like – political power, positional power, coercive power, reward power etc.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 13

Elena, sleeping serenely with one hand locked onto Stefan's, knew she was having an extraordinary dream. No, not a dream – an out-of-body experience. But it wasn't like her previous out-of-body visits to Stefan in his cel . She was skimming through the air so quickly that she couldn't real y make out what was below her. She looked around and suddenly, to her astonishment, another figure appeared beside her. â€Å"Bonnie!†she said – or rather tried to say. But of course there was no sound. Bonnie looked like a transparent edition of herself. As if someone had created her out of blown glass, and then put in just the faintest tint of color in her hair and eyes. Elena tried telepathy. Bonnie? Elena! Oh, I miss you and Meredith so much! I'm stuck here in a hole – A hole? Elena could hear the panic in her own telepathy. It made Bonnie wince. Not a real hole. A dive. An inn, I guess, but I'm locked in and they only feed me twice a day and take me to the toilet once – My God! How did you get there? Well†¦ Bonnie hesitated. I guess it was my own fault. It doesn't matter! How long have you been there, exactly? Um, this is my second day. I think. There was a pause. Then Elena said, Well, a couple of days in a bad place can seem like forever. Bonnie tried to make her case clearer. It's just that I'm so bored and lonely. I miss you and Meredith so much! she repeated. I was thinking of you and Meredith, too, Elena said. But Meredith's there with you, isn't she? Oh my God, she didn't fall, too? Bonnie blurted. No, no! She didn't fall. Elena couldn't decide whether to tel Bonnie about Meredith or not. Maybe not just yet, she thought. She couldn't see what she was rushing toward, although she could feel that they were slowing down. Can you see anything? Hey, yeah, below us! There's a car! Should we go down? Of course. Can we hold hands? They found that they couldn't, but that just trying to kept them closer together. In another moment they were sinking through the roof of a smal car. Hey! It's Alaric! Bonnie said. Alaric Saltzman was Meredith's engaged-to-be-engaged boyfriend. He was about twenty-three now, and his sandy-blond hair and hazel eyes hadn't changed since Elena had seen him almost ten months ago. He was a parapsychologist at Duke, going for his doctorate. We've been trying to get hold of him for ages, Bonnie said. I know. Maybe this is the way we're supposed to contact him. W here is he supposed to be again? Some weird place in Japan. I forget what it's called, but look at the map on the passenger seat. She and Bonnie intermingled as they did, their ghostly forms passing right through each other. Unmei no Shima: The Island of Doom, was written at the top of an outline of an island. The map beside him had a large red X on it with the caption: The Field of Punished Virgins. The what? Bonnie asked indignantly. What's that mean? I don't know. But look, this fog is real fog. And it's raining. And this road is terrible. Bonnie dove outside. Ooh, so weird. The rain's going right through me. And I don't think this is a road. Elena said, Come back in and look at this. There aren't any other cities on the island, just a name. Dr. Celia Connor, forensic pathologist. What's a forensic pathologist? I think, Elena said, that they investigate murders and things. And they dig up dead people to find out why they died. Bonnie shuddered. I don't think I like this very much. Neither do I. But look outside. This was a village once, I think. There was almost nothing left of the vil age. Just a few ruins of wooden buildings that were obviously rotting, and some tumbledown, blackened stone structures. There was one large building with an enormous bright yel ow tarp over it. When the car reached this building, Alaric skidded to a stop, grabbed the map and a smal suitcase, and dashed through the rain and mud to get under cover. Elena and Bonnie fol owed. He was met near the entrance by a very young black woman, whose hair was cut short and sleek around her elfin face. She was smal , not even Elena's height. She had eyes dancing with excitement and white, even teeth that made for a Hol ywood smile. â€Å"Dr. Connor?†Alaric said, looking awed. Meredith isn't going to like this, Bonnie said. â€Å"Just Celia, please,†the woman said, taking his hand. â€Å"Alaric Saltzman, I presume.† â€Å"Just Alaric, please – Celia.† Meredith real y isn't going to like this, Elena said. â€Å"So you're the spook investigator,†Celia was saying below them. â€Å"Well, we need you. This place has spooks – or did once. I don't know if they're stil here or not.† â€Å"Sounds interesting.† â€Å"More like sad and morbid. Sad and weird and morbid. I've excavated al sorts of ruins, especial y those where there's a chance of genocide. And I'l tel you: This island is unlike any place I have ever seen,†Celia said. Alaric was already pul ing things from his case, a thick stack of papers, a smal camcorder, a notebook. He turned on the camcorder, and looked through the viewfinder, then propped it up with some of the papers. When he apparently had Celia in focus, he grabbed the notebook too. Celia looked amused. â€Å"How many ways do you need to take down information?† Alaric tapped the side of his head and shook it sadly. â€Å"As many as possible. Neurons are beginning to go.†He looked around. â€Å"You're not the only one here, are you?† â€Å"Except for the janitor and the guy who ferries me back to Hokkaido, yes. It started out as a normal expedition – there were fourteen of us. But one by one, the others have died or left. I can't even re-bury the specimens – the girls – we've excavated.† â€Å"And the people who left or died from your expedition – â€Å" â€Å"Well, at first people died. Then that and the other spooky stuff made the rest leave. They were frightened for their lives.† Alaric frowned. â€Å"Who died first?† â€Å"Out of our expedition? Ronald Argyl . Pottery specialist. He was examining two jars that were found – Well, I'l skip that story until later. He fel off a ladder and broke his neck.† Alaric's eyebrows went up. â€Å"That was spooky?† â€Å"From a guy like him, who's been in the business for almost twenty years – yes.† â€Å"Twenty years? Maybe a heart attack? And then off the ladder – boom.†Alaric made a downward gesture. â€Å"Maybe that's the way it was. You may be able to explain al our little mysteries for us.†The chic woman with the short hair dimpled like a tomboy. She was dressed like one too, Elena realized: Levi's and a blue and white shirt with the sleeves rol ed up over a white camisole. Alaric gave a little start, as if he'd realized he was guilty of staring. Bonnie and Elena looked at each other over his head. â€Å"But what happened to al the people who lived on the island in the first place? The ones who built the houses?† â€Å"Well, there never were that many of them in the first place. I'm guessing the place may even have been named the Island of Doom before this disaster my team was investigating. But as far as I could find out it was a sort of war – a civil war. Between the children and the adults.† This time when Bonnie and Elena looked at each other, their eyes were both wide. Just like home – Bonnie began, but Elena said, Sh. Listen. â€Å"A civil war between kids and their parents?†Alaric repeated slowly. â€Å"Now that is spooky.† â€Å"Well, it's a process of elimination. You see, I like graves, constructed or just holes in the ground. And here, the inhabitants don't appear to have been invaded. They didn't die of famine or drought – there was stil plenty of grain in the granary. There were no signs of il ness. I've come to believe that they all killed one another – parents kil ing children; children kil ing parents.† â€Å"But how can you tel ?† â€Å"You see this square-ish area on the periphery of the vil age?†Celia pointed to an area on a larger map than Alaric's. â€Å"That's what we cal The Field of Punished Virgins. It's the only place that has careful y constructed actual graves, so it was made early in what became a war. Later, there was no time for coffins – or no one who cared. So far we've excavated twenty-two female children – the eldest in her late teens.† â€Å"Twenty-two girls? Al girls?† â€Å"Al girls in this area. Boys came later, when coffins were no longer being made. They're not as well preserved, because the houses al burned or fel in, and they were exposed to weathering. The girls were careful y, sometimes elaborately, buried; but the markings on their bodies indicate that they were subjected to harsh physical punishment at some time close to their deaths. And then – they had stakes driven through their hearts.† Bonnie's fingers flew to her eyes, as if to ward off a terrible vision. Elena watched Alaric and Celia grimly. Alaric gulped. â€Å"They were staked?†he asked uneasily. â€Å"Yes. Now I know what you'l be thinking. But Japan doesn't have any tradition of vampires. Kitsune – foxes – are probably the closest analog.† Now Elena and Bonnie were hovering right over the map. â€Å"And do kitsunes drink blood?† â€Å"Just kitsune. The Japanese language has an interesting way of expressing plurals. But to answer your question: no. They are legendary tricksters, and one example of what they do is possess girls and women, and lead men to destruction – into bogs, and so on. But here – Well, you can almost read it like a book.† â€Å"You make it sound like one. But not one I'd pick up for pleasure,†Alaric said, and they both smiled bleakly. â€Å"So, to go on with the book, it seems that this disease spread eventual y to al the children in the town. There were deadly fights. The parents somehow couldn't even get to the fishing boats in which they might have escaped the island.† Elena – I know. At least Fell's Church isn't on an island. â€Å"And then there's what we found at the town shrine. I can show you that – it's what Ronald Argyl died for.† They both got up and went farther into the building until Celia stopped beside two large urns on pedestals with a hideous thing in between them. It looked like a dress, weathered until it was almost pure white, but sticking through holes in the clothing were bones. Most horribly, one bleached and fleshless bone hung down from the top of one of the urns. â€Å"This is what Ronald was working on in the field before al this rain came,†Celia explained. â€Å"It was probably the last death of the original inhabitants and it was suicide.† â€Å"How can you possibly know that?† â€Å"Let's see if I can get this right from Ronald's notes. The priestess here doesn't have any other damage than that which caused her death. The shrine was a stone building – once. When we got here we found only a floor, with al the stone steps tumbled apart every which way. Hence Ronald's use of the ladder. It gets quite technical, but Ronald Argyl was a great forensic pathologist and I trust his reading of the story.† â€Å"Which is?†Alaric was taking in the jars and the bones with his camcorder. â€Å"Someone – we don't know who – smashed a hole in each of the jars. This is before the chaos started. The town records make note of it as an act of vandalism, a prank done by a child. But long after that the hole was sealed and the jars made almost airtight again, except where the priestess had her hands plunged in the top up to the wrist.† With infinite care, Celia lifted the top off the jar that did not have a bone hanging from it – to reveal another pair of longish bones, slightly less bleached, and with strips of what must have been clothing on it. Tiny finger bones lay inside the jar. â€Å"What Ronald thought was that this poor woman died as she performed a last desperate act. Clever, too, if you see it from their perspective. She cut her wrists – you can see how the tendon is shriveled in the better-preserved arm – and then she let the entire contents of her bloodstream flow into the urns. We do know that the urns show a heavy precipitation of blood on the bottom. She was trying to lure something in – or perhaps something back in. And she died trying, and the clay that she had probably hoped to use in her last conscious moments held her bones to the jars.† â€Å"Whew!†Alaric ran a hand over his forehead, but shivered at the same time. Take pictures! Elena was mental y commanding him, using al her wil power to transmit the order. She could see that Bonnie was doing the same, eyes shut, fists clenched. As if in obedience to their commands, Alaric was taking pictures as fast as he could. Final y, he was done. But Elena knew that without some outside impetus there was no way that he was going to get those pictures to Fel ‘s Church until he himself came to town – and even Meredith didn't know when that would be. So what do we do? Bonnie asked Elena, looking anguished. Well†¦my tears were real when Stefan was in prison. You want us to cry on him? No, Elena said, not quite patiently. But we look like ghosts – let's act like them. Try blowing on the back of his neck. Bonnie did, and they both watched Alaric shiver, look around him, draw his windbreaker closer. â€Å"And what about the other deaths in your own expedition?†he asked, huddling, looking around apparently aimlessly. Celia began speaking but neither Elena nor Bonnie was listening. Bonnie kept blowing on Alaric from different directions, herding him to the single window in the building that wasn't shattered. There Elena had written with her finger on the darkened cold glass. Once she knew that Alaric was looking that way she blew her breath across the sentence: send all pix of jars 2 meredith now! Every time Alaric approached the window she breathed on it to refresh the words. And at last he saw it. He jumped backward nearly two feet. Then he slowly crept back to the window. Elena refreshed the writing for him. This time, instead of jumping, he simply ran a hand over his eyes and then slowly peeked out again. â€Å"Hey, Mr. Spook-chaser,†said Celia. â€Å"Are you al right?† â€Å"I don't know,†Alaric admitted. He passed his hand over his eyes again, but Celia was coming and Elena didn't breathe on the window. â€Å"I thought I saw a – a message to send copies of the pictures of these jars to Meredith.† Celia raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Who is Meredith?† â€Å"Oh. She – she's one of my former students. I suppose this would interest her.†He looked down at the camcorder. â€Å"Bones and urns?† â€Å"Well, you were interested in them quite young, if your reputation is correct.† â€Å"Oh, yes. I loved to watch a dead bird decay, or find bones and try to figure out what animal they were from,†Celia said, dimpling again. â€Å"From the age of six. But I wasn't like most girls.† â€Å"Well – neither is Meredith,†Alaric said. Elena and Bonnie were eyeing each other seriously now. Alaric had implied that Meredith was special, but he hadn't said it, and he hadn't mentioned their engagement to be engaged. Celia came closer. â€Å"Are you going to send her the pictures?† Alaric laughed. â€Å"Well, al this atmosphere and everything – I don't know. It might just have been my imagination.† Celia turned away just as she reached him and Elena blew once more across the message. Alaric threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender. â€Å"I don't suppose the Island of Doom has satel ite coverage,†he said helplessly. â€Å"Nope,†Celia said. â€Å"But the ferry wil be back in a day, and you can send pictures then – if you're real y going to do it.† â€Å"I think I'd better do it,†Alaric said. Elena and Bonnie were both glaring at him, one from each side. But that was when Elena's eyelids started to droop. Oh, Bonnie, I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you after this, and make sure you're okay. But I'm falling†¦I can't†¦ She managed to pry her lids open. Bonnie was in a fetal position, fast asleep. Be careful, Elena whispered, not even sure who she was whispering it to. And as she floated away, she was aware of Celia and the way Alaric was talking to this beautiful, accomplished woman only a year or so older than he was. She felt a distinct fear for Meredith, on top of everything else.