The Indigo Spell Chapter Three

TRUE TO HIS WORD, Adrian made no other mention of the relationship – or lack thereof – between us. Every once in a while, though, I could swear I saw something in his eyes, something that brought back an echo of his proclamation about continuing to love me. Or maybe it was just his typical impertinence. A connecting flight and an hour-long car ride later, it was night by the time we finally reached the small resort town in the Pocono Mountains. Getting out of the car was a shock. December in Pennsylvania was very, very different from December in Palm Springs. Crisp, frigid air hit me, the kind that freezes your mouth and nose. A layer of fresh snow covered everything, glittering in the light of the same full moon that Ms. Terwilliger and I had worked magic by. The stars were out here in just as much force as the stark desert, though the cold air made them glitter in a sharper way. Adrian stayed in our hired car but leaned out as the driver handed me my small suitcase. â€Å"Need any help with that?† Adrian asked. His breath made a frosty cloud in the air. It was an uncharacteristic offer from him. â€Å"I'll be fine. Thanks, though. I take it you aren't staying here?† I nodded toward the bed-and-breakfast the car had stopped at. Adrian pointed down the road, toward a large, lit-up hotel perched on a hill. â€Å"Up there. That's where all the parties will be, if you're interested. They're probably just getting started.† I shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. Moroi normally ran on a nocturnal schedule, starting their days around sunset. Those living among humans – like Adrian – had to adapt to a daytime schedule. But here, in a small town that must be bursting with Moroi guests, he'd have the chance to return to what was for him a more natural schedule. â€Å"Noted,† I said. A moment of awkwardness followed, but the temperature gave me an excuse for escape. â€Å"Well. I'd better get in where it's warm. Nice, uh, traveling with you.† He smiled. â€Å"You too, Sage. See you tomorrow.† The car door closed, and I suddenly felt lonely without him. They drove off toward the towering hotel. My bed-and-breakfast seemed tiny by comparison, but it was cute and in good shape. The Alchemists had booked me here precisely because they knew the Moroi guests would have other accommodations. Well, most of them. â€Å"Are you here for the wedding, dear?† asked the innkeeper as she checked me in. â€Å"We have some other guests staying with us as well.† I nodded as I signed my credit card slip. It was no surprise that there'd be overflow to this inn, but there'd be a lot less here than the other hotel. I'd make sure to lock my door. I trusted my friends in Palm Springs, but all other Moroi and dhampirs were questionable. Towns like this, and the inns within them, always seemed intended for couples on romantic getaways. My room was no exception. It had a California-king-size bed draped in a gauzy canopy, along with a heart-shaped Jacuzzi by the fireplace. It screamed love and romance, which brought Adrian back to my mind. I ignored it all as best I could and jotted out a quick text to Donna Stanton, a higher-ranking Alchemist who oversaw my assignment in Palm Springs. Arrived in Pocono Hollow. Checked into inn. Her response came quickly: Excellent. See you tomorrow. A second text followed a moment later: Lock your door. Stanton and one other Alchemist were invited to the wedding as well. But they were already on the East Coast and could simply travel here tomorrow. I envied them. Despite my uneasiness, I slept surprisingly well and dared to emerge for breakfast in the morning. I had no need to worry about Moroi, though. I was the only person eating in the sundrenched dining room. â€Å"How strange,† remarked the innkeeper as she delivered my coffee and eggs. â€Å"I know many of the guests were out late, but I thought at least a few might be here to eat.† Then, to emphasize the oddness of it all, she added, â€Å"After all, breakfast is complimentary.† The nocturnal Moroi, who were all still in bed, emboldened me to explore the town a little that day. Even though I'd prepared with boots and a heavy coat, the weather change was still a bit shocking. Palm Springs had made me soft. I soon called it an early day and spent the rest of the afternoon reading Ms. Terwilliger's book by the fire. I flew through the first section and even went on to the advanced one she'd told me to skip. Maybe it was the fact that it was forbidden, but I couldn't stop reading. The scope of what the book described was so gripping and consuming that I nearly jumped a foot in the air when I heard a knock at the door. I froze, wondering if some confused Moroi had mistaken my room for a friend's. Or, worse, for a feeder's. My phone suddenly chimed with a text message from Stanton: We're at your door. Sure enough, when I opened it, I found Stanton standing there – with Ian Jansen, an Alchemist the same age as me. His presence was a surprise. I hadn't seen Ian since he, Stanton, and I had been detained by Moroi for questioning in the escape of a dhampir fugitive. Back then, Ian had had an unwelcome crush on me. Judging from the dopey smile on his face when he saw me, things hadn't changed. I gestured them inside, making sure to lock the door when I closed it. Like me, both Alchemists had golden lily tattoos on their left cheeks. It was the sign of our order, tattoos infused with vampire blood that gave us quick healing and were magically designed to stop us from discussing Alchemist affairs with those who didn't know about them. Stanton arched an eyebrow at the heart-shaped tub and then settled into a chair by the fire. â€Å"No trouble getting here?† Aside from traveling with a good-looking vampire who thinks he's in love with me? â€Å"None,† I replied. I regarded Ian with a frown. â€Å"I didn't expect you to be here. I mean, I'm glad you are, but after last time . . .† I paused as something hit me. I looked around. â€Å"It's all of us. All of us that were, uh, under house arrest.† Stanton nodded. â€Å"It was decided that if we're going to foster good relations between our groups, the Moroi would start by making amends to the three of us specifically.† Ian scowled and crossed his arms, leaning against a wall. He had brown eyes, with matching brown hair that he wore in a neat haircut. â€Å"I don't want any ‘amends' from those monsters after what they did to us this summer. I can't even believe we're here! This place is crawling with them. Who knows what'll happen if one of them drinks too much champagne tonight and goes looking for a snack? Here we are, fresh humans.† I wanted to tell him that was ridiculous, but by Alchemist reasoning, it was a very legitimate concern. And, reminding myself that I didn't know most of the Moroi here, I realized perhaps his fears weren't that unfounded. â€Å"I guess we'll have to stick together,† I said. That was the wrong word choice, judging from Ian's happy smile. The Alchemists rarely had social time, and this was no exception. Stanton soon got us down to business, going over our plans for the wedding and what our purpose was here. A file folder provided background on Sonya and Mikhail, as though I knew nothing about them. My mission and history with Sonya were secret from other Alchemists, so, for Ian's sake, I had to nod along with everything as if it was as new to me as it was to him. â€Å"Festivities will probably last until almost sunrise,† said Stanton, gathering up her papers once she'd finished the briefing. â€Å"Ian and I will be departing then and will drop you off at the airport on our way out. You won't have to spend another night here.† Ian's face grew darkly protective. â€Å"You shouldn't have stayed here alone last night. You should have had someone to look after you.† â€Å"I can look after myself,† I snapped, a bit more harshly than I intended. Whether I liked it or not, Ms. Terwilliger's training had empowered me – literally and figuratively. That, and recent self-defense classes had taught me how to watch out for myself and my surroundings. Maybe Ian meant well, but I didn't like the idea of him – or anyone – thinking I needed coddling. â€Å"Miss Sage is quite well as you can see,† said Stanton dryly. Ian's crush had to be obvious to her, and it was equally obvious to me she had no use for such frivolity. Her gaze drifted to the window, which was glowing orange and red with the setting sun. â€Å"Well, then. It's nearly time. Shouldn't you be getting ready?† They had arrived in their dress clothes, but I still needed to prepare. They talked together while I got ready in the bathroom, but each time I emerged – to get a hairbrush or earrings or something else – I'd see Ian watching me with that sappy look. Great. This was not what I needed. The wedding was being held in the town's claim to fame: a huge, indoor garden that defied the wintry conditions outside. Sonya was a huge lover of plants and flowers, and this was pretty much her dream location for a wedding. The glass walls that composed the building were steamed from the drastic difference between inner and outer temperatures. The three of us stepped inside, into an entry area that was used to sell tickets during the greenhouse's normal operating hours. Here, at last, we found the Moroi that had been hidden to me in daylight. There were about two dozen of them milling around in this entryway, dressed in rich clothing and eerily beautiful with their slim, pale features. Some were ushers and other attendants, helping organize the event and guide guests into the atrium farther into the building. Most Moroi were simply ordinary guests stopping to sign the guest book or chat with friends and family they hadn't seen in a long time. Around the sides, dhampirs in neat black and white suits stood sentry, watchful for any sign of danger. Their presence reminded me of a far, far greater threat than some drunken Moroi mistaking us for feeders. Holding the event at night meant exposing us to attack by Strigoi. Strigoi were a very different type of vampire – so different, in fact, that I almost felt foolish being unnerved in this group. Strigoi were undead, made immortal by killing their victims, unlike the Moroi, who simply drank enough blood from human volunteers to sustain themselves. Strigoi were vicious, fast, and strong – and only came out at night. The sunlight that Moroi found simply uncomfortable was lethal to Strigoi. Strigoi made most of their kills on unwitting humans, but Moroi and dhampirs were their preferred food. An event like this – Moroi and dhampirs crammed into a small space – was practically like offering up a Strigoi buffet. Eyeing the guardian dhampirs, however, I knew any Strigoi would have a difficult task breaking into this event. Guardians trained hard their entire lives, honing skills to fight Strigoi. Seeing as the Moroi queen was attending this event, I suspected the security I'd seen so far didn't even begin to scratch the surface. A number of those gathered here stopped talking when they saw us. Not all Moroi knew about Alchemists or how we worked with their people. So, the attendance of three non-feeder humans was a bit of an oddity. Even those who knew about Alchemists were probably surprised to see us, given the formality of our relationship. Stanton was too experienced to let her unease show, but Ian openly made the Alchemist sign against evil as Moroi and dhampir eyes studied us. I did a pretty good job of keeping my cool but wished there was at least one familiar face in this crowd. â€Å"Miss Stanton?† A round-cheeked Moroi hurried forward. â€Å"I'm Colleen, the wedding coordinator. We spoke on the phone?† She extended a hand, and even tough Stanton hesitated before shaking it. â€Å"Yes, of course,† said Stanton, voice cool and proper. â€Å"Thank you for inviting us.† She introduced Ian and me. Colleen waved us toward the atrium's entry. â€Å"Come, come. We have your seats reserved. I'll take you there myself.† She swept us past the curious onlookers. As we entered the atrium, I stopped and momentarily forgot the vampires around us. The main greenhouse was magnificent. The ceiling was high and vaulted, made of that same steamed glass. A central area had been cleared and set with seats draped in flowers, very much like what you'd see at a human wedding. A dais at the front of the seating area was covered in more flowers and was obviously where the couple would take their vows. But it was the rest of the room that took my breath away. It was like we'd stepped into some tropical jungle. Trees and other plants heavy with brightly colored flowers lined the sides, filling the humid air with a perfume that was almost dizzying. Since there was no sunlight to light up the greenhouse, torches and candles had been cleverly placed throughout the greenery, casting a mysterious – yet still romantic – light on everything. I felt as though I'd stepped into some secret Amazonian ritual space. And of course, nearly hidden among the trees and bushes, black-clad guardians paced and kept watch on everything. Colleen led us to three seats on the right side of the seating area, marked with a RESERVED sign. They were about halfway back – not as esteemed a spot as family would get, of course, but enough to show that the Moroi thought highly of us and really were trying to undo the strained relationship caused by our detainment. â€Å"Can I get you anything?† Colleen asked. I realized now her exuberant energy was partially nervousness. We made her almost – but certainly not quite – as uneasy as she and the others made us. â€Å"Anything at all?† â€Å"We're fine,† said Stanton, speaking for all of us. â€Å"Thank you.† Colleen nodded eagerly. â€Å"Well, if you need anything – no matter how small – don't hesitate to ask. Simply grab one of the ushers, and they'll find me immediately.† She stood there a moment longer, wringing her hands. â€Å"I'd best check on the others. Remember – call if you need anything.† â€Å"What I need is to get out of here,† muttered Ian once she was gone. I said nothing, not trusting any response. If I reassured him we were safe, I'd be regarded with suspicion. Yet if I acted like our lives were in danger, I'd be lying. My views were somewhere in the middle of those extremes. Someone handed me a program, and Ian leaned a bit more closely than I would've liked in order to read over my shoulder. The program detailed a list of songs and readings as well as the members of the wedding party. I could tell from Ian's face that he was expecting to see â€Å"Unholy Bloodletting† right after the Corinthians reading. His next words affirmed as much. â€Å"They do a good job making it seem so normal, huh?† he asked, not bothering to hide the disgust in his voice. I was a bit surprised at how vicious his attitude was. I didn't remember him being quite this extreme last summer. â€Å"Like it's a real wedding or something.† He also wasn't regulating his volume, and I glanced around anxiously, making sure no one overheard. â€Å"So you're saying it's not a real wedding?† I whispered back. Ian shrugged but at least took the hint and lowered his voice. â€Å"With them? It doesn't matter. They don't have real families or real love. They're monsters.† It was ironic that he mentioned â€Å"real love† just then because at that moment, Adrian and his father were ushered to the opposite side of the atrium. Adrian was always a nice dresser, but I'd never seen him in anything so formal. I hated to admit it, but the look was great on him: a navy suit and vest that was nearly black paired with a pale blue shirt and blue-and-white-striped tie. It stood out from the more somber black and gray suits most men here were wearing, but not in an outlandish or tacky way. As I was studying him, Adrian glanced up and caught my eye. He smiled and gave me a small nod. I almost smiled back, but Stanton snapped me back to reality. I allowed him one last, lingering look, and then I turned away. â€Å"Mr. Jansen,† Stanton said in a stern voice. â€Å"Please keep your opinions to yourself. Regardless of their validity, we are guests here and will behave in a civilized way.† Ian nodded grudgingly, flushing slightly as he glanced in my direction – as if being so openly chastised might ruin his chances with me. He didn't have to worry, seeing as he didn't have any chance to begin with. Colleen sent an usher to check on us, and while he spoke to Stanton, Ian leaned toward me. â€Å"Am I the only one who thinks it's crazy that we're here?† He nodded toward Stanton. â€Å"She thinks this is okay but come on. They held us captive. It's unforgivable. Doesn't that make you mad?† I certainly hadn't liked it at the time, but I'd come to understand why it had happened. â€Å"I hate that they did that,† I lied, hoping it sounded convincing. â€Å"I'm angry every time I think of it.† Ian actually looked relieved enough to drop the topic. We sat in blessed silence as the atrium continued to fill up. By the time the ceremony was about ready to start, there must have been close to two hundred people in the room. I kept looking for familiar faces, but Adrian and his father were the only ones I knew. Then, at the last minute, a brightly clad figure came scurrying in. I groaned at the same time Stanton tsked with disapproval. Abe Mazur had just arrived. Whereas Adrian had made color work with formal wear in a stylish way, Abe used color to offend the sensibilities. To be fair, this was one of the more subdued ensembles I'd ever seen Abe don: a white suit with a bright, kiwi green shirt and paisley ascot. He wore his usual gold earrings, and the sheen of his black hair made me think he'd been hitting some hair oil pretty voraciously. Abe was a dubiously moral Moroi and also the father of my friend – and Adrian's former dhampir love – Rose Hathaway Abe made me nervous because I'd had some secret dealings with him in the past. He made Stanton nervous because he was a Moroi the Alchemists would never be able to control. Abe seated himself in the front row, earning a horrified look from Colleen the coordinator, who was supervising everything from the side of the room. My guess was that wasn't part of her seating chart. I heard a trumpet sound, and those sitting in the back suddenly fell to their knees. Like a wave, those seated in the rest of the rows began following suit. Stanton, Ian, and I all exchanged confused looks. Then I understood. â€Å"The queen,† I whispered. â€Å"The queen is coming.† I could see from Stanton's face that was not something she had considered. She had a split second to decide on protocol for this situation and how to maintain our â€Å"civilized† guest status. â€Å"We don't kneel,† she whispered back. â€Å"Stay where you are.† It was a valid call, seeing as we owed no fealty to the Moroi queen. Still, I felt flustered and conspicuous at being one of the only people in the room not kneeling. A moment later, a ringing voice declared, â€Å"Her Royal Majesty, Queen Vasilisa, first of her name.† Even Ian caught his breath in admiration as she entered. Vasilisa – or Lissa, as Adrian and Rose continually insisted I call her – was a picture of ethereal beauty. It was hard to believe she was the same age as me. She carried herself with a poise and regality that seemed ageless. Her tall, willowy body was graceful even among Moroi, and her platinum blond hair fell around her pale face like some otherworldly veil. Although dressed in a very modern lavender cocktail dress, she managed to wear it as though it were some grand Victorian ball gown. A black-haired guy with piercing blue eyes walked at her side. Her boyfriend, Christian Ozera, was always easy to spot, providing a dark contrast that worked perfectly with her lightness. Once the royal couple was seated in the front row – seeming very surprised to find Abe waiting for them there – the throng returned to their seats. An unseen cellist began to play, and everyone released a collective breath as we fell into the comfortable ritual of a wedding. â€Å"Amazing, isn't it?† Ian murmured in my ear. â€Å"How fragile her throne is. One slip, and they'd fall into chaos.† It was true, and it was why Jill's safety was so important. An old Moroi law said that a monarch had to possess one living family member in order to hold the throne. Jill was the only one left in Lissa's line. Those who opposed Lissa because of her age and beliefs had realized killing Jill would be easier than going after a queen. Many opposed the law and were trying to change it. In the meantime, the political fallout from Jill's assassination would be monumental. The Alchemists, whose job it was to keep the Moroi world hidden and protected , needed to prevent their society from falling into chaos. And on a slightly more personal level, I needed to prevent Jill's death because against all odds, I'd grown to care about her in the short time we'd been together. I shifted my mind from those grim thoughts and focused on the next stage of the wedding. Bridesmaids in deep green satin led the procession, and I wondered if Abe had been attempting to match them with his suit. If so, he'd failed. And there, I spotted my first friendly face, aside from Adrian. Rose Hathaway. It was no surprise she'd be a bridesmaid, seeing as she'd been responsible for the happy couple getting together. She'd inherited her father's dark hair and eyes and was the only dhampir among the bridesmaids. I didn't need to see the surprised looks of some of the guests to know that was pretty unorthodox. If Rose noticed or cared, she didn't show it. She walked proudly on, head held high and face glowing with happiness. With that humanlike dhampir appearance, she was shorter than her Moroi companions and had a more athletic build than the slender, small-chested Moroi. Rose had what was a very normal, very healthy body among humans. Yet when I compared myself to Moroi, I felt enormous. I knew it was ridiculous – especially since I wore a smaller size than Rose – but it was a hard feeling to shake. Adrian had recently had an unwelcome intervention with me, going so far as to claim I was on the verge of an eating disorder. I'd been outraged and told him to mind his own business . . . but ever since then, I'd taken a hard look at my behaviors. I now tried to eat more and had gained exactly one pound, something that had felt torturous and wrong until my friend Trey had recently commented that I was â€Å"looking pretty good these days.† It had reinforced the idea that a few more pounds wouldn't kill me and might actually be good for me. Not that I'd admit any of that to Adrian. We all stood when Sonya entered. She was glorious in ivory silk, with tiny white roses adorning her fiery hair. The queen had been magnificent, but there was a glow about Sonya that dwarfed even Lissa's beauty. Maybe it was just something inherent to brides. There was an air of love around Sonya that made her shine. I was surprised to feel a pang in my chest. Ian was probably disappointed when no bloodletting followed, but the ceremony was sweet and filled with emotion. I couldn't believe how stone-faced my Alchemist companions looked – I was on the verge of tears as the couple recited their vows. Even if Sonya and Mikhail hadn't been through hell to be together, this was the kind of ceremony that couldn't help but pull at the heartstrings. As I listened to them swear they'd love each other forever, I found my gaze drifting to Adrian. He didn't see me looking at him, but I could tell the ceremony was having the same effect on him. He was enraptured. It was a rare and sweet look for him, reminding me of the tortured artist that lived beneath the sarcasm. I liked that about Adrian – not the tortured part, but the way he could feel so deeply and then transform those emotions into art. I had feelings, just like anyone else, but that ability to express them into something creative was an area I would never, ever have expertise in. It wasn't in my nature. I sometimes gave him a hard time about his art, especially his more abstract pieces. Secretly, I regarded his skills with awe and loved the many facets of his personality. Meanwhile, I had to fight to keep my face blank, to look as though I was a normal Alchemist with no concern for unholy vampire events. Neither of my companions questioned me, so apparently I pulled it off. Maybe I had a future in poker. Sonya and Mikhail kissed, and the crowd erupted into cheers. They only got louder when he brazenly kissed her a second time – and then a third. The next stage of the festivities, the reception, was being held in the hotel where Adrian and most of the other Moroi were staying. Sonya and Mikhail left first, followed by the queen and other high-ranking royals. Stanton, Ian, and I waited patiently for our row to be dismissed so that we could line up for the limos that were ferrying guests the half mile to the hotel. It normally wouldn't have been that bad of a walk, even in heels, if not for the freezing temperature. Our turn came, and the three of us got into the back of a limo. â€Å"Now we just have to get through the reception,† said Ian as the driver shut our door. â€Å"At least we've got our own car.† Suddenly, the door opened, and Abe slid in beside me. â€Å"Room for one more?† He beamed at Stanton and me. â€Å"So nice to see you lovely ladies again. And you must be Ian. A pleasure.† Abe extended his hand. At first, it looked as though Ian wouldn't shake it, but a sharp look from Stanton dictated otherwise. Afterward, Ian kept looking at his hand as though he expected it to start smoking. The drive only took about five minutes, but I could tell from the other Alchemists' faces that it felt like five hours for them. â€Å"I think it's wonderful that you three were invited,† said Abe, perfectly at ease. â€Å"Considering how much we work together, we should have more of these pleasant interactions, don't you think? Perhaps you'll invite us to one of your weddings someday.† He winked at me. â€Å"I'm sure you have young men lining up for you.† Even Stanton couldn't keep a straight face. The look of horror in her expression said there were few things more profane than a vampire coming to a human wedding. She looked visibly relieved when we reached the hotel, but we weren't free of Abe yet. Some thoughtful person – probably Colleen – had put us at his table, probably thinking it would be nice to be seated with a Moroi we knew. Abe seemed to take great delight in the awkwardness his presence provided, but I had to admit, it was kind of refreshing to have someone who openly acknowledged the strained relations between us rather than pretending everything was okay. â€Å"There's no blood in that,† Abe told us when dinner was served. The three of us were hesitating over cutting into our chicken marsala, even me. â€Å"The only blood is in the drinks, and you have to actually ask for those at the bar. No one's going to sneak you something, and the feeders are being kept in another room.† Ian and Stanton still looked unconvinced. I decided I would be the brave one and began eating without any more hesitation. Maybe vampires were unnatural creatures, but they certainly had excellent taste in caterers. A moment later, the other Alchemists joined me, and even they had to admit the food was pretty good. When the plates were cleared, Ian bravely left for the bathroom, giving Stanton a brief opportunity to lean toward me for a hushed status report. â€Å"Everything was okay when you left?† Strained relationship or not, our mission to keep the Moroi stable hadn't changed. â€Å"Fine,† I said. â€Å"It's all quiet back there. No sign of trouble.† She didn't need to know about my own interpersonal drama. Keeping my tone casual, I asked, â€Å"Any news about the Warriors? Or Marcus Finch?† Stanton shook her head. â€Å"None. But I'll certainly let you know if we uncover anything.† I answered with a polite smile, seriously doubting her words. I hadn't always liked my Alchemist missions, but I'd spent most of my life following orders without question because I believed my superiors knew what was best and were acting for the greater good. Recent events now made me wonder about that. In thwarting some crazed vampire hunters who called themselves the Warriors of Light, Stanton had withheld information from me, citing that we were on a need-to-know basis. She had brushed it off, praising me for being a good Alchemist who understood such policy, but the incident had made me seethe with anger. I didn't want to be anyone's pawn. I could accept that fighting for a greater cause meant tough decisions, but I refused to be used or endangered because of â€Å"important† lies. I'd given my life over to the Alchemists, always believing what they did and told me was right. I'd thought I was important, that they would always look out for me. Now I didn't know. And yet . . . what could I do? I was sworn and sealed to the Alchemists. Whether I liked what they'd done to me or not, there was no way out, no way to question them. . . . At least, I'd thought that until I learned about Marcus Finch. I'd only found about him recently, after discovering he'd once crossed the Warriors of Light by helping a Moroi named Clarence. Although the Warriors usually only went after Strigoi, a rebel group had once decided to target Clarence. Marcus had stepped up and defended Clarence against the Warriors, convincing them to leave him alone. I'd almost believed Clarence was making up the story until I saw a picture of Marcus. And that was where things got really weird. Marcus seemed to have also crossed the Alchemists. In fact, Clarence and one of the Warriors had hinted that Marcus had at one time been an Alchemist – but was no longer. I hadn't believed it until I saw his picture. He didn't have a golden lily – but a large tribal-looking tattoo done in blue ink that was large enough to cover the golden one, if you were trying to hide it. Seeing that was life changing. I'd had no idea it was possible to tattoo over something so powerful. I certainly hadn't thought anyone could leave the Alchemists or that anyone would even want to, not with the way our purpose was drilled into us practically from birth. How could someone consider abandoning our missions? How could someone go rogue and just walk away from the Alchemists? What had happened that would make him want to do that? Had he had experiences similar to mine? And would they let him go? When I'd asked about him, Stanton claimed the Alchemists had no knowledge of Marcus, but I knew that was a lie. She didn't know I had his picture. His blue tattoo was big enough to cover a lily, and I'd seen metallic hints of one underneath, proving he had indeed once been one of us. And if he'd had the Alchemist mark, then they most certainly knew about him. They were covering him up, and that just intrigued me further. In fact, I was a little obsessed with him. Some instinct told me he was the key to my problems, that he could help me uncover the secrets and lies the Alchemists were telling me. Unfortunately, I had no clue how to find him. â€Å"It's important no one here knows what you're doing, so remember to be discreet,† Stanton added, like I needed to be reminded. A small crease appeared between her eyebrows. â€Å"I was particularly worried about that Ivashkov boy coming to this wedding. We can't let anyone know you two have more than a passing acquaintance. Little things like that could compromise our mission.† â€Å"Oh, no,† I said quickly. â€Å"You don't need to worry about Adrian. He understands how important our work is. He'd never do anything to compromise it.† Ian returned, and our discussion ended there. Dinner soon gave way to dancing. With the atmosphere more relaxed, a number of Moroi came over to introduce themselves to us. I felt nearly as popular as the bride and groom. Ian shook so many hands that he eventually became immune to it. And as uncomfortable as it was for my companions, I could tell this event was actually accomplishing its goal of smoothing relations between Alchemists and Moroi. Stanton and Ian were by no means ready to be best friends with any of them, but it was clear they were pleasantly surprised at how friendly and benign most of the guests seemed. â€Å"I'm glad we got this chance to be together,† Ian told me during a lull in our public relations. â€Å"It's so hard with our jobs, you know? I'm in St. Louis now, in the facility archives. Where do they have you?† Secrecy was key in Jill's protection. â€Å"I'm in the field, but I can't say where. You know how it is.† â€Å"Right, right. But you know, if you ever wanted to visit . . . I'd show you around.† His desperation was almost cute. â€Å"Like for a vacation?† â€Å"Well, yeah. Er, no.† He knew as well as I did that Alchemists didn't get vacations easily. â€Å"But, I mean, they're doing all the holiday services, you know. If you decide to come to one, well, let me know.† Alchemist priests always conducted special services around Christmas in our main facilities. Some Alchemist families made a point of going to them every year. I hadn't been to any in a while, not with the way my missions kept jumping around. â€Å"I'll keep that in mind.† There was a long pause, and his next words came haltingly. â€Å"I'd ask you to dance, you know. Except it wouldn't be right in this kind of unholy setting.† I gave him a stiff smile. â€Å"Of course. That, and we're here on business. We've got to focus on building good relationships with them.† Ian had started to respond when a familiar voice interrupted us. â€Å"Miss Sage?† We looked up and found Adrian standing above us, dashing in his shades of blue. His face was the picture of perfect politeness and restraint, meaning something disastrous was probably about to happen. â€Å"It's so nice to see you again,† he said. He spoke as though it had been a while, and I nodded in agreement. As I'd assured Stanton, Adrian knew too much familiarity between us might create a trail back to Jill. â€Å"Did I just hear you two talking about building good relationships?† I was tongue-tied, so Ian answered. â€Å"That's right. We're here to make things friendlier between our people.† His voice, however, was most decidedly unfriendly. Adrian nodded with all seriousness, like he hadn't noticed Ian's hostility. â€Å"I think it's a great idea. And I thought of something that would be an excellent gesture of our future together.† Adrian's expression was innocent, but there was a mischievous sparkle in his eye that I knew all too well. He held out his hand to me. â€Å"Would you like to dance?†

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde coursework Essay

In the novel, â€Å"Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† which was written by Stevenson in 1886, a doctor known as Henry Jekyll is curious to know if it is possible to separate the two sides of human nature, good and evil. In his basement he creates a concoction to try and this is were Mr Hyde is introduced to the story. Jekyll drinks the potion and transforms into Hyde. Hyde is a prime example of pure evil, the complete opposite of Dr Jekyll but later on he is taken over by Hyde and it shows through him wanting to transform again after all of the crimes committed by his dark side. Stevenson’s objective for the novel was to get the reader to realize that nobody is perfect and everybody has a dark side to their personality. The Victorian era started in 1837 and ended in1901. This was how long Queen Victoria ruled for. Society in London was very posh and rich during that era. In the novel Dr Jekyll is one of these rich people. Although London was said to be a civilised place there were actually a few criminals who committed horrific rapes, decapitations and murders. Jack the ripper is one of them. This side of society back then represents Mr Hyde. London back then had dark fogy nights and some rainy nights, identical to the nights described in Jekyll and Hyde. â€Å"nine in the morning, and the first fog of the season†¦ as the cab drew up before the address indicated, the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street.† The setting is choosing Mr Utterson’s path. The setting gives a picture that evil is trying to pick out Utterson’s path, luring him into evil. The â€Å"Fog† gives the audience an airy and tense atmosphere. You feel that anything could happen and that evil is lurking somewhere beyond the fog but it is undetectable. Just like Mr Hyde, whatever will happen next is unpredictable. There is also a sense of suspicion as â€Å"the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street.† We wonder why the fog shows him a dingy street which is most likely infested with evil beings and we also wonder if Mr Utterson is wandering into a trap and this intensifies the suspence. Evil masterminds aren’t handsome and this shows when Hyde looks into the mirror for the first time for the audience to see. â€Å"He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance, something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sounds like a hideous monster, deformed and gives the woman a feeling of hatred when she sees him. Most villains look discomforting like the ones in movies. Jekyll on the other hand is the complete opposite, handsome and liked by the women in the novel. This shows the difference between the good and evil in the novel and contributes to Stevenson’s objective of getting the reader to see the difference between good and evil. Hyde’s actions are animalistic and he shows a sign of superhuman strength when he beats Carew so rapidly his cane snaps and Carew dies. This emphasizes his anger towards Carew and this unprovoked attack is so brutal, it makes the made at the window faint from shock. â€Å"†¦and at that Mr Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next moment, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under his foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway. At the horror of these sights, the maid fainted.† This description shows how relentless Hyde is and he doesn’t hold back his anger and lets loose a barrage of bone shattering blows. It is clear to the audience that he has channelled his anger into his physical strength then unleashes is all on Carew and the fact that Carew is beaten to death further expresses his anger and hatred towards Carew. His actions gives us an insight of what he is physically capable of doing and also makes us wonder if he is a human or a savage beast with intense strength. Back in those times reputation was a key factor to a well known wealthy person’s life and Hyde lives on a dull dingy street whereas Jekyll lives in his humble abode to avoid being found out by Utterson and Enfield. They both are suspicious about Jekyll and want to find him out but they are unsure if they should ruin his reputation, so instead they keep a close eye on him and ask him a few questions. The information they find out they want to keep to themselves because they don’t want to ruin Jekyll’s reputation in case he is innocent. Utterson and his acquaintance Mr Enfield do all they can to identify who Hyde really is. What gets them thinking is when Hyde â€Å"tramples calmly over the little girl† and Utterson wants Hyde to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100 compensation and when he does, they realize that it is signed by Dr Henry Jekyll but they both promise never to talk about the case again, so they don’t let it out into the public. Hyde is able to stay hidden from the two lawyers because of the area he lives in. The area is dirty, dingy, smelly and full of the low classed people. This way Hyde can keep a low profile and high status people won’t voyage into this area and spot Hyde. He blends in with all of the citizens there. The women are poor and very savage and referred to as â€Å"Wild harpies† â€Å"And all the time, as we were pitching it in red hot, we were keeping the women off him as best we could, for they were as wild as harpies† This quote emphasizes the violent side to these women. They have unleashed their dark side, just like Hyde was unleashed from Jekyll and when Hyde gets into trouble, a woman laughs and says he deserves it. This lady shows her dark side and no remorse at this comment towards Mr Hyde. This makes you realize that not only Dr Jekyll has an evil side to his personality. This also makes us realise that everyone has an evil side to their personality. Stevenson presents the evil side of human nature in his novel, however he also captures the good side of human nature and this is shown when Henry Jekyll admits to his own guilt. â€Å"The pleasures which I made haste to seek my disguise were, as I have said, undignified; I would scarce use a harder term. But in the hands of Edward Hyde, they soon began to turn towards monstrous†¦ it was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty. Jekyll was no worse.† Dr Jekyll is admitting to his mistakes and he reveals to us that Hyde was his disguise. He is taking responsibility for unleashing his dark side which is Hyde and refers to his actions as â€Å"undignified†. This shows that there is a good side to every human and he has displayed this through revealing that Hyde was to blame for all of the crimes committed and that Jekyll (his good side) was no worse. Overall Stevenson has shown us that no human is perfect. Everyone has a darker side to their personality. Good and evil is a regular part of human nature. Stevenson makes us realise that we are all capable of doing bad things but all choose not to for a variety of reasons.

Abandoned Dog’s 3-Year Wait for Owners Ends in Finding a New Home

†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ENG 101H December 2, 2012 ABANDONED DOG'S 3-YEAR WAIT FOR OWNERS ENDS WITH NEW HOME The story that I want to share today is regarding an abandoned dog that waited three years for his owners to return to their house. When moving to another town, Chen was left abandoned in the house. He wondered around the property for three years, waiting for them to come back, sleeping in the carport and scavenging food scraps from a nearby grocery store. After years of waiting, a neighbor told Lisa Rendstrom from Chap’s Chow Rescue Foundation what was happening to Chen.She came to the site and bit by bit gained the dog’s trust and affection. She took him the their shelter where she started searching for a new owner to adopt the wonderful animal. It didn’t take long, because Ben Rupp saw his photo online, immediately felt a connection between them and flew to Georgia to take him. Chen is happy now, having a new home in Ohio, with an owner who f ell in love with him the moment he saw him. This story reminds me of a movie that is one of the most emotional movie that I have even seen : â€Å"Hachi, a dog tale†.Based on a true story from Japan, Richard Gere stars this great movie as a college professor who finds an abandoned dog and takes the poor lost animal in. The film follows the two as the man and animal soon form a strong and unexplainable bond. Every morning, the dog used to walk his owner to the train station and expect for him to arrive back from work, in the afternoon. But when, one day, the owner doesn’t arrive, having suffered a heart-attack and died at work, the dog keeps waiting in the train station for him.Days pass and the animal would not leave, even though his owner’s family put efforts in getting him home. The dog kept returning in the morning and in the afternoon, waiting for the train to arrive and his owner. After nine years of waiting in the same place, he dies in the train station. Hachi is a film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. Although most people are aware that there are more dogs and cats being born than there are people willing to adopt them, the actual number of unwanted dogs and cats is staggering.About 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet and about 78. 2 million dogs and about 86. 4 million cats are owned in the United States. (ASPCA. org) Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). (AnimalWorldNetwork. com) The connection that forms between a human and his pet animal cannot be described in words.But the question remains: Do our dogs feel the same things that we feel? In â€Å"The Botany of Desire,† author Michael Pollan observes that there are tens of millions of dogs in North Ame rica and only ten thousand wolves. He asks, â€Å"So what does the dog know about getting along in this world that its wild ancestor doesn’t? † The best explanation for everything canine, from the evolution of the wolf to the domestication of the dog — to the incredible emotional relationship that has emerged between the modern pet and its owner — is that dogs feel what we feel.Dogs have long been considered â€Å"man's best friend,† and they have certainly earned the title. The bond between humans and canines is unmistakable. Since the domestication of the dog, people have been drawn to them (and they to us). Dogs have helped us in so many ways and expect little in return. They have hunted with us, kept vermin and pests away, served the military and police, assisted the disabled, and faithfully remained our loyal companions. In turn, we care for them and maintain good quality of life.This is more than a fair trade. The bond you have with your dog begins the moment he comes into your life and never stops growing. And the two materials presented above prove that this is a â€Å"till death do us part† bond! The link to the web-material is: http://www. mnn. com/family/pets/stories/abandoned-dogs-3-year-wait-for-owners-ends-with-new-home Works Cited AnimalWorldNetwork. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. animalworldnetwork. com/bsurpetstat. html ASPCA. org. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from www. apsca. org Abandoned Dog’s 3-Year Wait for Owners Ends in Finding a New Home †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ENG 101H December 2, 2012 ABANDONED DOG'S 3-YEAR WAIT FOR OWNERS ENDS WITH NEW HOME The story that I want to share today is regarding an abandoned dog that waited three years for his owners to return to their house. When moving to another town, Chen was left abandoned in the house. He wondered around the property for three years, waiting for them to come back, sleeping in the carport and scavenging food scraps from a nearby grocery store. After years of waiting, a neighbor told Lisa Rendstrom from Chap’s Chow Rescue Foundation what was happening to Chen.She came to the site and bit by bit gained the dog’s trust and affection. She took him the their shelter where she started searching for a new owner to adopt the wonderful animal. It didn’t take long, because Ben Rupp saw his photo online, immediately felt a connection between them and flew to Georgia to take him. Chen is happy now, having a new home in Ohio, with an owner who f ell in love with him the moment he saw him. This story reminds me of a movie that is one of the most emotional movie that I have even seen : â€Å"Hachi, a dog tale†.Based on a true story from Japan, Richard Gere stars this great movie as a college professor who finds an abandoned dog and takes the poor lost animal in. The film follows the two as the man and animal soon form a strong and unexplainable bond. Every morning, the dog used to walk his owner to the train station and expect for him to arrive back from work, in the afternoon. But when, one day, the owner doesn’t arrive, having suffered a heart-attack and died at work, the dog keeps waiting in the train station for him.Days pass and the animal would not leave, even though his owner’s family put efforts in getting him home. The dog kept returning in the morning and in the afternoon, waiting for the train to arrive and his owner. After nine years of waiting in the same place, he dies in the train station. Hachi is a film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. Although most people are aware that there are more dogs and cats being born than there are people willing to adopt them, the actual number of unwanted dogs and cats is staggering.About 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet and about 78. 2 million dogs and about 86. 4 million cats are owned in the United States. (ASPCA. org) Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). (AnimalWorldNetwork. com) The connection that forms between a human and his pet animal cannot be described in words.But the question remains: Do our dogs feel the same things that we feel? In â€Å"The Botany of Desire,† author Michael Pollan observes that there are tens of millions of dogs in North Ame rica and only ten thousand wolves. He asks, â€Å"So what does the dog know about getting along in this world that its wild ancestor doesn’t? † The best explanation for everything canine, from the evolution of the wolf to the domestication of the dog — to the incredible emotional relationship that has emerged between the modern pet and its owner — is that dogs feel what we feel.Dogs have long been considered â€Å"man's best friend,† and they have certainly earned the title. The bond between humans and canines is unmistakable. Since the domestication of the dog, people have been drawn to them (and they to us). Dogs have helped us in so many ways and expect little in return. They have hunted with us, kept vermin and pests away, served the military and police, assisted the disabled, and faithfully remained our loyal companions. In turn, we care for them and maintain good quality of life.This is more than a fair trade. The bond you have with your dog begins the moment he comes into your life and never stops growing. And the two materials presented above prove that this is a â€Å"till death do us part† bond! The link to the web-material is: http://www. mnn. com/family/pets/stories/abandoned-dogs-3-year-wait-for-owners-ends-with-new-home Works Cited AnimalWorldNetwork. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. animalworldnetwork. com/bsurpetstat. html ASPCA. org. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from www. apsca. org

Special Advertizing Campaigns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Special Advertizing Campaigns - Research Paper Example According to research conducted by the prestigious consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Interactive Advertising Bureau Poland Internet is still a dominant communication channel, it has even achieved a 12.9% increase year to year. In the research 29 entities took part and they presented data related to sales executed by external firms. The most dynamic segment has been search engine marketing which has increased by 3% compared to 2008 and in 2009 constituted 26% of total advertising expenses. The segment of advertisements and yellow pages noted a 5% value increase, whereas taking into consideration the share in the advertising types it has experienced a slight decline – 1%. E-mail marketing maintained its position of advertising expenses, that just like in 2008 amounted to 6%. In the research report, with the help of 14 entities: interactive agencies or interactive departments of advertising agencies took part , sum of net revenues of advertising agencies without medi a increased by 6.3% year to year (6.9% including media i.e. planned purchase and service of media by mediation of interactive agencies). ... The number of long-term projects lasting from 3 to 6 months has increased, whereas the number of projects executed within a month has halved. In total sales in 2009 there is a distinct share increase in motorization, transport, alcoholic beverages and telecommunication. While the following sectors: finances, commerce, hygiene, pharmacy, computers, fashion and books, DVD, food, tourism have reported a decline. According to 29% of researched agencies the interactive sector expects a 21-40% increase in sales in 2010; according to 21% of the researched the increase will amount to 5-10% and according to 14% of the researched the level of sales increase may exceed 61%. This report also reports that year 2009 has been the period of development of social portals engaging internauts. Social marketing has been the fastest developing segment in the US market. Among communities significant presence of business could be observed. Mobile segment turned out to be particularly strong. It is estimate d that in 2010 mobile advertising in Great Britain will increase by 38%. We would like to wish to the Internet sector next success in 2010. The Report has been divided into 8 chapters. Chapter 1 focused manily on Polish Internet market survey results. According to the InternetWorldStats data for December 2009, 27% people across world uses Internet. 42% Asians of all Internet users dominate among internauts. Whereas almost every fourth Internet user (24%) lives in Europe. According to GUS research of April 2009, 57% of Polish households used Internet. Next 2% did have access; remaining 41% did not have access to Internet due to lack of skills, lack of need & too much expense. According to the NetTrack research (Millward Brown SMG/KRC commissioned by

Industrial Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrial Relations - Essay Example The collective bargaining of the union has greatly facilitated the welfare of the workforce and has promoted their interest amongst the management. According to Claude Bernard, ‘Art is I; Science is We’ (Bernard). Indeed, the strategic leadership of the management and the union significantly promote better relationship to maintain smooth operation. Like science, the union leaders are much more informed and constantly make efforts to improve and improvise relationship between the employee and employer and ensure that workforce is not exploited. They strike hard bargain with the management in the interest of the working class. Then again, one can broadly define art as a creative expression of oneself. It is individualistic and normally confined to the interest of one person, even though it might have significance for others. The science, on the other hand, is not exclusive and the outcome of scientific experiments has direct impact on people at large and applies universally. Indeed, in science, what affects one person, has the same concern for others also. This works best for labor unions because if the union fights for the injustice of one employee in an organization, the result of that negotiation applies for others also. This has specially become significant in the contemporary times of recession when businesses are going in for large lay off of the workforce. The repercussion of loss of job for one person is as traumatic as for others. So the unions across the regions and nations are working hard towards coming come up with creative forms of negotiations to wards of employees lay off. A case in point is the role of unions in Virginia where ‘unions have played a major role in local races, including making a $50,000 contribution to Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulovas campaign for board chairman. And they are preparing to dedicate significant resources to this years hotly contested campaign for governor’

Muscular System Outine Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Muscular System Outine - Assignment Example Another research on muscular system is on the testing of strength and rowers training (Lawton et al., 2011). This research has established that children physical activity is associated with fundamental movement skills. The second research has established that elite rowers are stronger in comparison to less competitive peers. This was based on the relationship, which exists between lean body mass and strength. Moreover, the research established that maximal strength could only be attained and sustained in cases where infrequent, but intense units of strength training were used Researchers still have questions on the relationship between behavioral and physiological outcomes in adolescents and children and fundamentals movement skills (Lubans et al., 2010). On the second research, researchers have a question on whether training should focus at attainment of optimal strength, power, and endurance, so that performance would be enhanced in the competition phase (Lawton et al.,

How do we identify trends in physical properties Ionic Compounds Lab Report

How do we identify trends in physical properties Ionic Compounds - Lab Report Example Ideally, the alkali metal or metals will donate an electron that will be added to the electron cloud of the halogen atom. At the molecular level, brittle crystals will form because the placement of ionic charges requires a precise positive/negative juxtapositioning. Physical deformation risks associating a positive with a positive and negative with a negative, generating repellant charges that cancel the bonding tendency, thus, the salt crystal shatters, whereas covalent bonds involving a more cooperative distribution of electrons are much more likely to withstand the same level of deformation. On the other hand, the structure of an ionic lattice tends towards a far higher melting and boiling point than for covalent forms. The heightened charges allow for electrical conductive when melted, but those same charges also allow for solubility in water or other polar liquids, but not in nonpolar liquids such as most lipid-based oils. SOLUBILITY OF IONIC COMPOUNDS IN WATER BASED ON CHARGES PRESENT Ionic compounds, typically salts dissolve easily in aqueous solution. Solubility is the result of an attraction between negative, and positive charges among the ions present. In simple sodium chloride the salt's positive ions (Na+) attract the partially-negative oxygens found in water. In addition, the salt's negative ions (Cl?) attract the partially-positive hydrogens in H2O. The Solubility constant (Ksp) and the common ion effect determine how much salt can potentially be dissolved within that solution. It is simply a matter of whether the ions in the water itself have a greater affinity for the ions in the compound than those ions do for each other. In general, the following rules provide a basis for predicting solubility: Ionic compounds with group 1A metal cations. Nitrates are soluble regardless of the cation. In terms of how soluble a given compound is, based on the available data, it is reasonable to assume that size; more to the point, atomic radii is a decisive fac tor. Moving down an elemental series on the periodic table, the larger atomic numbers appear to be less soluble in water. This is due to the larger sizes of atoms involved, in which the available charge that might be available to the ions in water is more â€Å"insulated† by the larger distances involved. Thus, with less charge within reach of either ion present in a molecule of water, the largest ions are less soluble. (Clark, 2002). Otherwise, the available data with the nine ions indicates an increase in conductivity as concentration throughout the solution increases. In terms of experimental design, graphs can be computed displaying the curve of each ion made as it increases in concentration and the accompanying increase in conductance. ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY BASED ON QUANTITY OF DISSOLVED IONS IN SOLUTIONS With an increase in the number of charged ions in an aqueous solution, electrical conductivity will certainly increase. When ionic compounds break down, they will dis solve into both negatively and positively charged ions, which are of course attracted to the oppositely charged electric particle or current. Covalent compounds will dissociate into neutral ions which will not conduct electricity and should therefore have no consequence for aqueous electrical conductivity. Therefore, there is an inevitable correlation between electrical conductance and the actual quantity of ions present in the water. In terms of

International People Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International People Management - Essay Example Employees encounter more ambiguity and decreased job security (Coetzee, 2005). Because of lack of job security, the employees too expect the employers to demonstrate their commitment in terms or providing the right work environment like safety and work-life balance. Even change management requires not just effective leaders but committed followers. Thus, gaining and maintaining employee commitment is a challenge that management faces because they need committed employees. The HR functions have to be integrated and this includes recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, remuneration and managing workforce diversity. Employee commitment has been defined by various authors in different ways and there is no consensus. This force is experienced as a mindset. Commitment has been defined as the basis of an individual’s psychological attachment to the organization (Caldwell, Chatman & O’Reilly, 1990; Jafri, 2010). It has been defined as a stabilizing force that acts to maintain behavioural direction†¦.an obliging force that requires that the employee honour the commitment †¦.the psychological attachment felt by the individual†¦.or that state which binds the individual to the organization. Thus all the definitions suggest that there has to be a force that directs the individual’s behaviour (Coetzee, 2005). Authors also differ on the various forms that commitment can take. Commitment can be retain their organizational membership or a commitment to support the goals of the organization. Organizational commitment has also been defined as an attitude toward the organizat ion manifested as identification with organizational goals, willingness to exert effort on behalf of the organization, and a strong desire to maintain membership in the organization (Taylor, Levy, Boyacigiller & Beechler, 2008). Two approaches have been used to define commitment by the

NBA relates to Popular Culture of America Essay

NBA relates to Popular Culture of America - Essay Example Besides, the numerous advantages the NBA offers explain why American people embrace the sport and recognize it as part of their popular culture. The National Basketball Association has been around since the 19th century and has undergone different transformations since its creation: â€Å"Dr. James A. Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891† (Staffo). However, the leagues have met various hardships throughout the years since their implementation. The road was difficult and filled with various challenges as people learn their way through, improve and expand the leagues. This critic informs: â€Å"Until the recent surge in popularity of the NBA, professional basketball leagues had led tenuous existences. Professional basketball leagues began as early as 1898 only seven years after the invention of the game, but often professional barnstorming teams were more successful† (Nelson). This painful learning process leads to the successful industry we know today. Throug hout these years, the organization has known different names, increased the number of teams and even changed the configuration of the leagues. Many of the names of the teams were different from what we know today, and of course some were more successful than others. This statement indicates: â€Å"The literature on the history of professional basketball is extremely sparse prior to the emergence of the NBA in 1950. What has been written acknowledges the superiority of the Celtics, but generally recycles the same stories regarding them† (Nelson). This lack of interest reflects the level of the organization during that time, which did not have much popularity. In addition, the differences between the old teams and the current ones are considerably remarkable in almost all aspects. They may even be confusing if we know that the current Celtics are in Boston while the old team was in New York. This significant detail may be hard to understand for those not aware of the NBA histor y. However, regardless of its location, the team seems to have always been successful. This assertion reveals: â€Å"Probably the most famous and, arguably, the most successful was the Original Celtics of New York, a team inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1959† (Nelson). Besides, professional basketball has not always been prominent; it was actually a game for the lower class, especially African Americans. These ethnic groups’ inability to afford college compels them to become professionals with the hope to earn money and improve their living conditions. According to this author: â€Å"College basketball was the game of the middle and upper classes, while professional basketball, only recently removed from the settlement houses of ethnic neighborhoods, was the game of the lower class and the "ethnic" middle class† (Nelson). This difference between college basketball and the NBA totally conflicts with what we know today because professional basketball ha s become more proficiently and successful. This recent success of the NBA comes with much popularity because many people embrace the sport and make it their own. This popularity explains why NBA has become part of American popular culture because numerous people buy expensive tickets to attend games or subscribe to cable TV to follow their favorite teams.

Emergency Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Emergency Management - Essay Example Vol. 27, Issue 5, pp 1265-1281, October 2007. 5. In considering the challenges in implementing disaster mental health programs described by Elrod et al. which of the following is not true? Answer should be A. Source is CL Elrod, 2006, â€Å"Challenges in Implementing Disaster Mental Health Programs. The premise of this article is that risk to a system, as well as its vulnerability and resilience, can be understood, defined, and quantified most effectively through a systems-based philosophical and methodological approach, and by recognizing the central role of the system states in this process. A universally agreed-upon definition of risk has been difficult to develop; one reason is that the concept is multidimensional and nuanced. It requires an understanding that risk to a system is inherently and fundamentally a function of the initiating event, the states of the system and of its environment, and the time frame. In defining risk, this article posits that: (a) the performance capabilities of a system are a function of its state vector; (b) a systems vulnerability and resilience vectors are each a function of the input (e.g., initiating event), its time of occurrence, and the states of the system; (c) the consequences are a function of the specificity and time of the event, th e vector of the states, the vulnerability, and the resilience of the system; (d) the states of a system are time-dependent and commonly fraught with variability uncertainties and knowledge uncertainties; and (e) risk is a measure of the probability and severity of consequences. The above implies that modeling must evaluate consequences for each risk scenario as functions of the threat (initiating event), the vulnerability and resilience of the system, and the time of the event. This fundamentally complex modeling and analysis process cannot be performed correctly and effectively

Goethe’s Faust Essay Example for Free

Goethe’s Faust Essay Scene vii of Faust ii act v takes place in a steep, rocky side of an unspecified mountain. The scene is dominated by female characters and takes place on earth. It starts with a chorus of nature spirits, in which the nature is describes the mutually interdependent processes taking place. The idyllic conditions described by the chorus of nature are the celebration of processes like plant and animal life, earth and water. Then enter the four anchorite fathers, who seem to represent progressively increasing degrees of spiritual attainment. First there is Pater Ecstaticus who is hovering up and down in the air. Then there is Pater Profundus who apparently lives in the depth of the earth. He marvels at the creative processes of nature and describes lightning, trees which strive to reach heaven and water flowing from heaven to earth. His heart is however is not at peace and he asks for a divine illumination from the Lord â€Å"Oh, God! Calm my thoughts, pacify us/ And bring light to my needy heart! † The third father is Pater Seraphicus. He lives in the middle regions, (probably between the air and earth). He invites the spirits of young boys who died at birth and had not thus experienced earthly life to come and experience the world through his body. Then a group of angels pass by carrying the soul of Faust and relate why they rescued Faust’s soul. We learn that Faust soul was saved because he struggled so much in developing his projects (â€Å"Whoever strives, in his endeavor, we can rescue from the devil. †). In this instance we are also told of the other reason why Faust’s soul was saved which is that Gretchen was interceding for him to Mother of God. The Younger Angels say of how they distracted the Mephistopheles by using roses of holy love. The More Perfect Angels also say that even though the heart of Faust has â€Å"escaped the flames† it is still impure and that the bond between the soul and body is left for â€Å"Eternal Love† to unwind. The angels then take Faust’s soul to the blessed boys above who â€Å"Joyfully receive Him as a chrysalis† after all the ‘threads that surround him’ disappear since ‘divine love has found him. ’ Then we meet the fourth anchorite father, Doctor Marianus who resides in ‘the purest cell’. When he sees â€Å"womanly shapes† floating around he starts praising Mater Gloriosa and together with the choir of penitent women, Magna Peccatrix, (the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet), the Samaritan woman who met Christ at the well and Mary of Egypt together plead to Mater Gloriosa not to begrudge the true soul of Gretchen. They plead that she transgressed without knowledge of her fall. The Gretchen herself goes to Mater Gloriosa and pleads on behalf of Faust asking Mater Gloriosa to allow her, Gretchen, to teach him the new ways there since he is still blinded by the bright light. She says that Faust is a completely new person having â€Å"thrown off every bond/ Of his old earthbound integument,† The scene ends when Mater Gloriosa accepts Faust’s soul and beckons Gretchen and all the others to follow her into the higher sphere. This scene takes place by the Aegean Sea where the Sirens are addressing the Moon. The Nereids and Tritons are also swimming around and even swim to the Greek mythological island of Samothrace, ‘the domain of the mighty Cabiri’ in an effort to show that they are more than fish. Meanwhile, Thales and Homunculus have gone to visit the sea god, Nereus for advice on how Homunculus can be reborn completely. Thale tells Homunculus that though Nereus is stubborn and a grumbler, people respect him because of his wisdom. They then meet Nereus, who is angry and wants to send them away, he tells them of how men can never heed advice and tells them of how Paris laughed at him when he told him of the future he saw, he also tell them of how he warned Ulysses of ‘Cyclops’ horrors and of Circes wiles’ but the advice brought Ulysses no gain. He tells them finally to go to Proteus, the shape changer since he is waiting for Dorides and Galatea. Nereids and Triton arrive then carrying Cabiri in a turtle-shell and Thales and Homunculus watch the procession. Proteus, who is hovering near is so attracted by the light that that homunculus emits. He draws near and Thales asks for advice on Homunculus’ behalf. Proteus suggests that homunculus can repeat the human birth process by starting in the sea and then develop to a full being. They then all (Thales, Proteus and Homunculus) leave together to go and watch the sea festival. In the procession, the Telchines, the nine dog-headed Children of the Sea, pass by and boast that they were the first to shape gods in the image of man. Galatea finally arrives and Nereus, the Sirens and Thales comment on the doves of Paphos which accompany Galatea. Galatea comes closer to her father. And in the process Homunculus drawn near and smashes the glass that holds him at the feet of Galatea and all marvels as the light of Homunculus mixes with the waves in a symbolic marriage with the sea. Analysis of the acts In both these two acts there is a strong reference to the female presence. The female presence in act v is represented by Mater Glorioso, Gretchen, Choir of Female Penitents, Magna Peccatrix, The Woman of Samaria, Mary of Egypt and the female forms that hover in the sky which Dr. Marianus. The strong women influence in this act, as in the rest of the drama, shows the empathetic face of women. The three repentant women plead for Gretchen while Gretchen pleads for Faust. The women are a strong symbolism to life givers. Mater Glorioso gives Faust soul another life by uttering few words. In this act we also know that the soul Faust is received by the young boys in a ‘pupal’ stage. This is so like Homunculus, who is a half being and only survives in a bottle. The rebirth of Homunculus takes place when he joins with the Galatea in a sea wedding. This is what completes Homunculus. Faust soul is also completed by the love of Gretchen. It is Gretchen’s love that finds him and is to lead him in the new place since ‘The new light still blinds him. ’ In act ii, there is also an overwhelming female presence. The sirens, Nereids and Tritons, Galatea, Dorides are all representative of female personalities. Generally this act is one in which the three, Homunculus, Faust and Mephistopheles are on a search of what completes them, which in the three cases happen to be the female personality. References Wolfgang, Johann von Goethe. Faust. Berlin: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1867.

Truffles Case Essay Example for Free

Truffles Case Essay Mushrooms, in general, and truffles, in particular, occupy very important place in modern art of cooking. In cuisines of many countries mushrooms are used as competent and delicious substitution for meat. Mushrooms are great with potato and pasta; also they are used in salads and in different soups. Truffles are extremely delicious and popular. The most famous French food lover and bon vivant Jean Brillat Savarin called them â€Å"diamonds of the kitchen†. (Wikipedia) Truffles are special and unique mushrooms, because they grow up and can be found only underground, in symbiotic relationship with some definite species of trees. Truffles are mushrooms of spherical irregular shape, which diameter varies from 5 to 20 cm. Despite of long lasted difficulties with cultivation of this fungus, now truffles are grown in Europe, Africa, Asia and Northern America. The best season for picking truffles is from May to September. Truffles have rather long history. Their origin is unknown: once they were found and started being used for making meals more delicious and tasty. But there are numerous historical recordings about attempts to cultivate truffles. Many rich people dreamt about big truffle fields, which could bring incredible profits and fame, but the majority of early attempts to domesticate truffles failed. First recordings about the truffles are left from the times of Roman Empire. Actually, the Romans used a terfez mushroom, which was similar to truffles in shape, but had slight rose paleness and specific taste. Terfez came to Roman Empire from Greece and the territories of the Middle East, that’s why it was sometimes called as â€Å"desert truffle†. It had unique property to intensify the other flavors of meals, so it was really great for bright and spicy cuisine of Roman times. In XVII – XVIII centuries the truffles were very popular in France and Italy. It was still quite hard to cultivate truffles, and that’s why they could be afforded only be wealthy people, including the courts of French Kings. In those times culinary specialists used to cook different types of meals with truffles, but the peak of the art was truffled turkey. Besides, truffles were known not only for their excellent taste, but also with their aphrodisiac and medical qualities. (Savarin) There is a great variety and diversity of truffles. A number of similar subterranean fungi is called â€Å"false truffles†, which look and taste quite similar to real truffles, but can be poisonous. There are only three species of real truffles, which have the greatest commercial and culinary value. Generally, there are black truffles (Tuber Melanosporum) and white truffles (Tuber Magnatum), which slightly vary depending on their taste and place of cultivation. It is supposed that the best black truffles are being cultivated in the south-east of France, though there are also big territories of truffle production in Spain, Italy and other European countries. French black truffle is from 2 to 15 cm. It is cultivated on special fields and can be collected from about 20 cm underground. The researchers found out that truffle produces special chemical substance, which is similar to steroids of male pigs. That is why pigs and specially trained dogs help people to find truffles below the soil. Recently the amount and quality of truffles produced is decreasing, that is why specialists started mentioning so called â€Å"cycles of truffle cultivation†. In the end of XX century France used to produce 30-60 tones of truffles every year, but recently the production is considerably lower. The main reason for it is, certainly, worsening of environmental conditions, which is characterized by de-forestation and acid rains. That is why recently some lack of investments into truffle cultivation industry takes place. The best time for collecting black truffles is January, because at this time truffles are at the peak of their taste and perfume properties. The price for truffles on French market varies from USD 110-330 per pound, depending on season. There are also so called summer black truffles, which are very close to winter truffles in their taste properties. The best white truffles are cultivated in northern Italy. They are supposed to be superior to French black truffles in taste and aroma. That is why Italian white truffles are much more expensive: in autumn, when they appear at the market, their price can reach USD 2000 per pound. There are some legendary unique Italian truffles, which are sold in luxury auctions. In the year 2005 a 2.6 pound truffle was sold for USD 112,000, considerably surpassing the price for truffles at previous auctions. In 2004 a truffle weighing 1.9 pound was sold for USD 50,000, but shortly after it got decayed in refrigerator due to incorrect preserving. Two types of truffles are cultivated in China. Chinese products are called Tuber sinensis and Tuber himalayensis. Their taste and aroma qualities are much poorer. Also, these sorts of truffles are much less pungent than their European analogs, and their texture is rather different: Chinese truffles are much softer and rubbery. That is why Chinese truffles are much cheaper at the market. Frequently, Chinese smugglers import such truffles to Europe and illegally sell as high-quality truffles. Also, some types of black truffles are being successfully cultivated in New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia, Northern Africa and the Middle East. In the USA first truffles Tuber gibbosum were found in the end of XIX century in California by Dr. H.W. Harkness. Nowadays, there are two most advanced places of producing truffles in the United States: in Texas and in Oregon. Recently, there are about 60 species of hypogenous mushrooms are grown in our country, and some of them are absolutely new for science. Oregon truffle plantations are the most advanced and profitable: here truffle cultivation started in 1985, when a tree farmer tried to inoculate Tuber species close to specially planted trees. First attempts to cultivate truffles this way proved to be successful, and soon the harvest reached 200-300 pounds per acre. Oregon truffles do not have intense aroma of European ones, but instead they have very special flavor. There are many truffle lovers and admirers in the United States, who enjoy eating these miraculous mushrooms. Also, a number of organizations, like Oregon Mycological Society or the North American Truffling Society, carry out some special biological and genetic researches, develop new technologies for more productive cultivation, and supply our market with fresh and jarred quality truffles of our own production. These products can be found in many supermarkets, and they are quite affordable. Truffles have to be prepared for cooking as usual mushrooms: they must be washed very carefully, brushed, dried with a towel, and then peeled. Some white quality truffles can be used even raw, because taste characteristics and aroma of white truffles is especially sensitive to any heat. That is why it is better simply to slice fresh peeled truffles onto a salad or other dish. At the same time, it was discovered that white truffles can recollect their wonderful aroma and taste after processing and jarring. Black truffles (both winter and summer ones) are mostly used as a little cooked products. The majority of advanced gourmands do not suggest mixing winter and summer black truffles due to some slight differences in their delicate flavors. But, at the same time, using jarred winter and summer black truffles is absolutely possible, especially for different dishes with white meat and poultry. Many specialists criticize jarred black truffles, saying that their usual taste is lost. But the other specialists, on the contrary, find jarred black truffles to be enriched with special spicy flavor, which is usually absent in fresh ones. Truffles are very easy to be preserved in butter or oil, and they taste incredible both as fresh and jarred. Besides, truffles can become perfect additives for many foodstuffs, as vinegar or butter. Truffles enrich such products with their natural exotic flavor, make them creamy and balsamic, and considerably improve their quality. Italians add extracts from black or white truffles into their premium quality olive oil. Only couple of drops of such divine oil can bring special and piquant taste to any salad or sauce. Exceptional taste of truffles is incomparable accompaniment of different dishes with potato (especially mashed potato), macaroni and pasta, chicken and fish, omelets or dishes with rice (especially risotto). Truffles are perfect components for different salads, sauces and especially fillings. Truffled roasted meat and truffled eggs are real masterpieces of culinary art, along with French cheesy Fonduta with truffles, which is one of the most popular dishes in modern France and Italy. Meals with truffles go especially great with white wine. In addition, truffled food is not only extremely delicious and unforgettable, but it is also very healthy. There are many people, who afraid and avoid eating mushrooms, but some dishes with truffles are really worth to be tried! Eating truffles is quite safe, because they do not cause problems with digestion or any other unpleasant symptoms. That is why for very long time truffles remain among the most desirable and admirable foods all around the world! Bibliography: †¢ Freedman, Louise. Wild about Mushrooms: Truffles. MSSF. Mycological Society of San Francisco. Ed. William Freedman. 2000. 12 Dec. 2005 http://www.mssf.org/cookbook/truffles.html. †¢ Savarin, Brillat. The Physiology of Taste: or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy Counterpoint Press, October, 2000, ISBN: 1582431035, 464 p. †¢ Truffle. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia Online. 7 Dec. 2005. 12 Dec. 2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truffle.

Hepatitis causes and effects

Hepatitis causes and effects Abstract Hepatitis, one of the major incurable diseases, still exists nowadays endangering many peoples lives. It has many types i.e. Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and G. The nature of Hepatitis is viral which is caught by either through body fluids or improper personal hygiene in addition to other causes which remains unknown. This disease leads into serious physiological effects such as fatigue, jaundice and serious liver complication like liver Cirrhosis. Psychosocial effect which is another outcome of Hepatitis includes social withdrawal, anxiety, depression and suicidal tendency. Despite of the extensive researches to find a cure for Hepatitis, there is still no effective treatment for it so the responsibility of avoiding this infection is both on government and individuals. Hepatitis is one of the most fatal diseases which was discovered in the early eighties; it can be defined as an inflammation of the liver organ. Hepatitis is derived from the Latin words Hepat which means the liver and itis inflammation. The usual cause of Hepatitis is a virus that invades the body through blood stream. This virus could get into the body either through body fluids or improper personal hygiene, leading to serious physiological and psychosocial effects. There are several types of Hepatitis, such as A, B, C, D,E and G. A, B and C viruses are the most common types of Hepatitis and all these viruses can cause similar problems and have similar symptoms, but they spread in different ways and have different effects on the body. There are several modes of transmission including contaminated body fluids, improper personal hygiene in addition to idiopathic causes. Contaminated body fluids include saliva, blood, feces and urine. Blood transfusion is the most common method, where the blood is transferred from an infected patient to another patient what would be called Horizontal Transmission. Another method is the Vertical Transmission which occurs when a pregnant woman pass it to her fetus. Furthermore, contaminated needles shared by the drug abusers or in medical accidents such as needle pricks† is another way emphasized by (Nowak and Handford, 2004, p.379). Having unprotected sex and multi-partners are other ways leading to this disease according to Nowak and Handford (2004) whom reported that Sexual transmission does occur, particularly among the homosexuals. Note also that 20% of infected heterosexuals pass the virus to their spouses.(p.380). All of the above mentioned causes can lead to Hepatitis B a nd C which are the most dangerous ones. The second major cause of Hepatitis is poor hygiene, for instance, personal and general. To start with contaminated water such as sewage lanes, rivers and public toilets are places of great risk for caching Hepatitis A especially to those who live nearby. This type of Hepatitis is usually transferred by feces according to Fiore (2004) HAV is primarily transmitted by the fecal-oral route, either by person-to-person contact or by ingestion of contaminated food or water (p.705-15).Moreover, unwashed vegetables and shellfish, such as clams and oysters may be contaminated by sewage to become sources of infection to humans. Also, personal hygiene is another element for contacting hepatitis and can occur by sharing razors, toothbrushes and towels, and leads to Hepatitis B and C. Despite previously discussed causes of this disease, there is still a great sector of hepatitis which remains unknown. Statistics shows that approximately 30% of hepatitis B infection are of unknown origin.40% of Hepatitis C cases are idiopathic (Nowak and Handford, 2004,p.379-80). Where another article points that sources is unknown but could be considerable; 50% of reported patients with hepatitis A do not have an identified source of infection (Fiore, 2004, p.706). But McHutchison Bacon (2005) emphasized in their diagram of Figure 2: Sources of Infection for Persons With Hepatitis C that only 10 % of Hepatitis C infection are unknown(p.S287). There are many effects of this disease which lie under the two categories: the physiological effects and psychosocial effects. Where the physiological effects contain all the symptoms of Hepatitis, the psychosocial effects indicate the emotional and social consequences of being a Hepatitis patient. The symptoms of the various forms of hepatitis are similar and they are caused by the damage in the liver. The most noticeable symptom is jaundice which causes a yellowing of the skin. Other symptoms associated with hepatitis include fatigue, general body pain, nausea, mild fever, and loss of appetite. As the infection spreads in the liver, the organ becomes enlarged. It may cause pain in the abdomen and in worst scenario can lead to liver Cirrhoses which mean total liver damage and eventually death. It takes seven to eight weeks after exposure to the Hepatitis virus for the symptoms to appear. A patient with Hepatitis is not only predisposed to physical symptoms, but also to emotional and social problems. These complexities include depression and social withdrawal as each one leads into the other, added to that depression and anxiety which commonly occur together. Anybody who suffers from Hepatitis will be anxious and this anxiety may lead in to depression in sever cases, for example when a patient suffers from Hepatitis and he knows it is a serious illness defiantly he will not stop worrying, these worries can make the person preoccupied with his illness and lead him to depression. Moreover, a Hepatitis patient social withdraw as a result of being unable to find a partner who is willing to live with this fatal disease. It is also hard to make people understand the nature of this serious disease and make friends and families accept and accommodate it. All this may drive the patient to be lonely and tempt to be suicidal. To sum up, Hepatitis is still one of our life time mysteries to be solved. The spread of this disease is mostly due to the natural or hygienic causes in addition to some percentage of idiopathic causes which is still unknown. Like any other illness, Hepatitis has many drawbacks which could be listed under two categories physiological and psychosocial. Unfortunately, despite the advanced field of medicine Hepatitis remains un-ended and research continues in order to find the ultimate treatment for it. Until a final cure is found, precautionary steps should be taken by both government and individuals. The government is responsible to ensure infection control awareness over this disease through its health system. But it is a personal responsibility to prevent oneself from this disease as well as any other disease by following the simple rules of hygiene and ensure to get proper health care from reliable health establishments only. References Fiore, E. (2004). Hepatitis A Transmitted by Food. FOOD SAFETY, 38(1), 705-715. McHutchison, J. G., Bacon, B. R. (2005). Chronic Hepatitis C: An Age Wave of Disease Burden. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MANAGED CARE, 11(10), S286-295. Nowak, T. J., Handford, A. G. (2004). Pathophysiology :Concepts and Application for Health care Professionals (Third ed.). NY: Mc Graw Hill. Prevention, C. f. D. C. a. (2009). Disease burden from viral hepatitis A, B, and C in the United States [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 9 Dec 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/resources/dz_burden02.htm.

Great Expectations - A Cinderella Story Essay example -- Great Expect

Great Expectations - A Cinderella Story In the profound novel, Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens, the main character "Pip" is put through many tests that examine the type of man Pip strives to be and the type of man Pip really is. Pip's relationships with two central characters, Tom and Magwitch, are examined closely in this essay, and through these relationships, Pip's character is visible. Great Expectations is, in a sense, a Cinderella story in which Pip's fairy godmother turns out to be a convict running from the law. This "amulet" gives Pip a gift that changes Pip and his life. In the beginning of the novel, Pip is a young boy that lives in an inhospitable home with his older sister and her husband. Although Pip's relationship with his sister is unkind, the relationship Pip develops with her husband is affable. Pip's brother-in-law, Joe, has taken Pip under his wing, and wants to take care of Pip. Critic Christopher Morris writes, "Pip claims to have developed a solicitude for Joe" in the opening of the novel, but later "that claim is everywhere contradicted by his actions." One example that Morris writes of to prove his point is, after Pip learns of the "selfless rational for Joe's acquiescence in Mrs. Joe's government", Pip writes: Young as I was, I believe that I dated a new admiration of Joe from that night. We were equals afterwards, as we has been before: but afterwards, at quiet times when I sat looking at Joe and thinking about him, I had a new sensation of feeling conscious that I was looking up to Joe in my heart. (7, 52)3 Morris* points out the fact, that throughout the novel, this is the only time Pip will regard Joe as his equal. In chapter VIII, Pip is offere... ...ip as a very low person. Later, when Pip began to except Magwhich, he was able to shut the ideas of the man's past out. Their relationship became that of a very strong friendship because they did see each other's faults but chose to ignore them. When a friendship is composed, the two parties have an unspoken agreement to except any flaws the other has. This is much more meaningful than love, because the human will is involved. The outcome of love may seem more important, but there is always the chance a lover will regain their true sight and not be able to accept your faults. In the case of friendship, there is a bond because the other is all ready at ease with your faults, and your bond can only become stronger. * In an article written by Christopher D. Morris, the actions and moral bad faith that the central character, Pip, exhibits are examined.

Cloning is Not Morally Correct :: essays research papers

For many years now many people have debated over the fact about the moral issues connected with cloning. To begin with, what is cloning Cloning is ?making a living thing from another living thing such as a plant or animal. The process uses the genes of the first so they both have identical DNA.?1 This means that something is being made through a process of copying. This is helpful, no doubt, in many ways. Scientists could use clones to ultimately cure diseases and such. But is it worth ?playing God?2 to achieve things that probably could be done in a different approach? Is cloning truly ethical? Or is it morally wrong? I believe that cloning is morally incorrect and unethical. One of the things that greatly impacts people?s perspective of the answer to this question is religion. Studies have shown that the more religious a person is, the more against cloning they are.3 Religion is one of the things that is the foundation of many beliefs and fundamentals in the lives of many people. This affects me directly because I am Protestant and believe in God. When cloning we are not only opening the doors to ?religion vs. science? debates, but we are also saying that the beliefs of other is incorrect. This may be offense to many people. When cloning animals of any sort it challenges the beliefs of many religions. I believe that cloning is immoral because a very small percentage of the cloning ?beings? actually live. The success rate of cloning is between a mere 0.1% and 3%4 (the famous Dolly [cloned sheep] was 1 successful try out of 276 tries [.36%] 5). This small percentage shows us that the efficiency of cloning is very small. I believe that if we are going to allow something to be ?legal? it should have a greater success rate. Many problems come up when looking at this percentage. The first one is what will happen to all the ?trash? or the failures? A place will need to be built in which the materials of the failed experiments will go. Another problem is what if a couple wants to design their own ?perfect? child. With a small success rate, the length of time in which one child might be completely and perfectly produced might be very long. Cloning might also mess the mind-set of parents because many cloned animals have problems in their later development.

People Like Us :: Literary Analysis, David Brooks

This essay will discuss the intrinsic relationship between diversity conceptualization and social integration presenting a response against David Brooks’ essay entitled â€Å"People Like Us.† In order to do this I will discuss four crucial elements: the influences of different definitions of diversity in cultural unification, Brook’s ideas about social groups working together and social groups coexisting together, the importance of diversity, and the influence of diversity in social changes. I will examine why some people have the perception that our American society ignore or see as unworthy diversity. Thus, I will dispute Brook’s view stating that our society disregards diversity, and Americans just pretend that it is important to them. First, I will discuss the influences of different definitions of diversity in cultural unification. The major problem concerning this issue is that many people differ in the real meaning of the concept and how they view their personal involvement. Brook argues that â€Å"we do not really care about diversity all that much in America, even though we talk about it a great deal† (306). However, they are the general, erroneous interpretations of diversity that are really creating this wrong image of indifference. According to Kira Hudson Banks in her research entitled â€Å"A Qualitative Investigation of Students’ Perceptions of Diversity,† many people defined diversity as race and do not include other types of diversity (153). The real definition of diversity includes different elements of the identity and culture of each person. Diversity involves cultural differences, such as origins, religious or political affiliation, race, and gender, and other more profound differences, such as experiences and personality. As Banks argues in her research, the real definition involves several elements of our identity (149). Therefore, the way in which we define and conceptualize diversity affects the way in which we interact with people of others culture, race, and affiliations. Second, I will discuss Brook’s ideas about social groups working together and social groups coexisting in a specific area. According to Brooks, in the United States we cannot see neighborhoods with different races or cultures because people always try â€Å"to group themselves with people who are basically like themselves† even in their workplaces (306-307). He makes this asseveration giving just an example on how wealthy Democratic and Republican lawyers do not tend to buy expensive houses in the same neighborhoods (307). However, in our country we can see middle class neighborhoods where we have different social groups coexist together, such as Coral Gables in Miami, Fl or Pembroke Pines in Broward, Fl.