Apartheid and Crimes in South Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apartheid and Crimes in South Africa - Essay Example The novel tells the story of Stephen Khumalo who is a black Christian in the rural South Africa who sets for Johannesburg to look for the missing members of his family, his sister Gertrude and his son Absalom and his brother John. Even though, he gets to fin d them, it is evident that it is at an appalling cost. This is because he finds his brother having lost his faith and in turn learnt to hate his sister had lost her dignity and turned to prostitution, and his son having killed Arthur Jarvis son who is a white man opposed to the apartheid. Despite all these findings, it is noteworthy that the novel ends in a hopeful note, and this is by way of a conversation between James and Stephen on the future of South African racial understanding. This paper assesses the novel by focusing on the rampant crime that existed in the then South Africa, and this is to establish the accurate origin of the crimes. This book is laid down in South Africa of the 1940s a time during which there was both economic and political tensions that had resulted into a lengthy complicated history. Before the arrival of the Europeans in the mid 1600s, South Africa was inhabited by a considerable number of African tribal groups such as the San and the Khoikhoi and afterwards the Bantu speakers who are the ancestors of the present Zulus (Natarajan, 200). Even though, the Europeans had not come to settle as colonizers, a century later had resulted into a settlement of Europeans into deeper areas of South Africa, thus, displacing the native south Africans (Natarajan, 202). The arrival of the English almost a decade later transformed South Africa into a colony, and this had disastrous effects on the South Africans. This led to a conflict between the Boers who were the European settlers of South Africa and English, but it was till 1881 that a war between them transpired. However, this was after a series of clashes between the Boers and the native South Africans. At this time, it is evident that bla ck workers were only permitted to hold unskilled jobs, and subjection to pass laws that restricted their freedom (Ikejiaku, 451). The enactment of the Natives Land Act led to a reduction in the land the natives were permitted to own. This is evidenced by the assertion of Arthur Jarvis that it is merely a tenth of the territory, that was allocated to the native south Africans yet they formed four fifth of the country’s population (Paton, 156). This subsequently resulted into the emigration of most native South Africans into urban areas to work on mines. This influx of cheap labor was welcomed by the min e owners, who did not care about the housing and services of these people. It is in this context that the novel begins as Stephen Khumalo goes to the city to look for his son and other members of his family, and these are associates he had not made out for a lengthy time. The status of his family members at the time he finds them paints a true picture of the social evils in the Apartheid Africa, and this is of course the cause of the rampant crimes in South Africa. This is a clear indication that it is the society itself that caused the crimes. The novel depicts the whites as those affected by the native crime but also sheds some light on the social instabilities as well as moral issues as the cause for the breakdown of the tribal system. This disconnection, thus, leads to conglomeration of crime as the natives strive to survive.

Problem solving Essay Example for Free

Problem solving Essay Issue 7 All nations should help support the development of a global university designed to engage students in the process of solving the worlds most persistent social problems. I agree that it would serve the interests of all nations to establish a global university for the purpose of solving the worlds most persistent social problems. Nevertheless, such a university poses certain risks which all participating nations must be careful to minimizeor risk defeating the universitys purpose. One compelling argument in favor of a global university has to do with the fact that its faculty and students would bring diverse cultural and educational perspectives to the problems they seek to solve. It seems to me that nations can only benefit from a global university where students learn ways in which other nations address certain soda] problems-successfully or not. It might be tempting to think that an overly diversified academic community would impede communication among students and faculty. However, in my view any such concerns are unwarranted, especially considering the growing awareness of other peoples and cultures which the mass media, and especially the Internet, have created. Moreover, many basic principles used to solve enduring social problems know no national boundaries; thus a useful insight or discovery can come from a researcher or student from any nation. Another compelling argument for a global university involves the increasingly global nature of certain problems. Consider, for instance, the depletion of atmospheric ozone, which has wanned the Earth to the point that it threatens the very survival of the human species. Also, we are now learning that dear-cutting the worlds rainforests can set into motion a chain of animal extinction that threatens the delicate balance upon which all animalsincluding humansdepend. Also consider that a financial crisisor a political crisis or natural disaster in one country can spell trouble for foreign companies, many of which are now multinational in that they rely on the labor forces, equipment, and raw materials of other nations. Environmental, economic, and political problems such as these all carry grave social consequencesincreased crime, unemployment, insurrection, hunger, and so forth. Solving these problems requires global cooperationwhich a global university can facilitate. Notwithstanding the foregoing reasons why a global university would help solve many of our most pressing social problems, the establishment of such a university poses certain problems of its own which must be addressed in order that the university can achieve its objectives. First, participant nations would need to overcome a myriad of administrative and political impediments. All nations would need to agree on which problems demand the universitys attention and resources, which areas of academic research are worthwhile, as well as agreeing on policies and procedures for making, enforcing, and amending these decisions. Query whether a functional global university is politically feasible, given that sovereign nations naturally wish to advance their own agendas. A second problem inherent in establishing a global university involves the risk that certain intellectual and research avenues would become officially sanctioned while others of equal or greater potential value would be discouraged, or perhaps even proscribed. A telling example of the inherent danger of setting and enforcing official research priorities involves the Soviet governments attempts during the 1920s to not only control the direction and the goals of its scientists research but also to distort the outcome of that researchostensibly for the greatest good of the greatest number of people. Not surprisingly, during this time period no significant scientific advances occurred under the auspices of the Soviet government. The Soviet lesson provides an important caveat to administrators of a global university: Significant progress in solving pressing social problems requires an open mind to all sound ideas, approaches, and theoriesrespective of the ideologies of their proponents. A final problem with a global university is that the worlds preeminent intellectual talent might be drawn to the sorts of problems to which the university is charged with solving, while parochial social problem go unsolved. While this is not reason enough not to establish a global university, it nevertheless is a concern that university administrators and participant nations must be aware of in allocating resources and intellectual talent. To sum up, given the increasingly global nature or the worlds social problems, and the escalating costs of addressing these problems, a global university makes good sense. And, since all nations would have a common interest in seeing this endeavor succeed, my intuition is that participating nations would be able to overcome whatever procedural and political obstacles that might stand in the way of success. As long as each nation is careful not to neglect its own unique social problems, and as long as the universitys administrators are careful to remain open-minded about the legitimacy and potential value of various avenues of intellectual inquiry and research, a global university might go a long way toward solving many of the worlds pressing social problems.

Feminism in Braided Lives :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

Feminism in Braided Lives Marge Piercy is well known for her feminist views and attitudes throughout her novels. Braided Lives is no exception. The novel follows Piercy's pattern of feminist writing. The characters in the novel are victims of society's crimes towards women. The protagonist, Jill, deals with many issues including rape and abortion. Due to her own experiences with these issues, it becomes her passion to help others in the same situation. Jill constantly strives to be in control of her own life; this struggle is another facet of the feminist movement. The goal of the novel is to "make its readers pay more attention to the current attack on legal abortion, and make them more eager to defend the imperiled gains of the women's movement" (Pollitt 378). Jill and her female companions encounter many difficult situations involving rape. At age 14, Jill is attacked by her boyfriend Freddie. This occurs at a time when Jill is first discovering her own sexuality and who she is. This experience has an effect on Jill into adulthood. In the novel, she speaks of this experience four years later, when she is preparing to leave for college. Jill recalls this event in vivid detail. I see his face hard and angry and I remember the terror that gripped me on the kitchen floor when I realized he wasn't going to listen to my firm loud nos that time. Terror twitched me violently... (30). Jill's cousin and roommate, Donna, is violently raped by a townie. Donna comes to Jill after the rape has taken place. She has been beaten both physically and emotionally. Piercy describes the rape and the aftermath of the rape in great detail. dedicating several pages to describing the horrific acts. Jill won't leave Donna's side and nurses her back to health. Jill takes it upon herself to defend and protect Donna against the man who raped her. This is just one of many times in which Jill defends and protects her female friends against society throughout Braided Lives. Fighting for a woman's right for an abortion becomes Jill's passion in life. This is a result of her own experiences and those of her friends. When Jill is a freshman in college she becomes pregnant by her boyfriend. Neither is ready for the responsibility of marriage or a child.

Head & Shoulder Marketing Essay

Benefits that consumers get when using Head & Shoulders Anti Dandruff (H&S) shampoo include eliminating dandruff, leaving consumer with 100% flake free hair, nourished and healthy scalp and also oiliness control over their hair. Apart from that, consumers using H&S shampoo can solve any scalp itchiness associated with dandruff. Besides that, the menthol content in the shampoo gives consumer a cooling effect and refreshing after washing their hair (The Benefits of H&S 2011). The H&S Anti dandruff shampoo bottle is a white rectangular shaped bottle with a royal blue upper part where the cover is, having a few different colored strips on it depending on the variant of the product. Using attractive white and royal blue as its base packaging and also freshness essence helps create a positive impression for consumers. The labeling of this product can be found at the back of the bottle. It includes some information for the consumer such as a direction on how to use the shampoo to achieve the best result and also a caution part where consumers are reminded of their safety when using the shampoo. Furthermore, the labeling includes additional information and reminder to consumers that this product helps fight five signs of dandruff which are flakes, itchiness, dryness, oiliness and irritation. Lastly, a list of ingredients used for the shampoo can be found in the labeling and also information of H&S’s manufacture- Procter and Gamble. H&S shampoo has a unique feature that is it is rich in Pyrithione Zinc (PTZ), the only active ingredient, which is highly effective at fighting and also preventing dandruff symptoms because of its anti-fungal properties. With PTZ, H&S created HydraZinc complex which is found in all H&S products. This formula allows consumers to control and also act on dandruff quickly (Our formula, 2011). Other than that, the ActiZinc formula which adds natural cool menthol to H&S’s menthol shampoo gives consumer a cooling and refreshed effect after washing their hair as mentioned earlier (Refreshing 2011). Due to H&S shampoo is a convenience product, there are no extra services consumer get from this product but online members of Procter & Gamble are able to enjoy free samples of H&S Anti Dandruff shampoo and also free expert tips and advice of everyday life (Coupons, Samples and Savings, 2011). As for product classification, H&S Anti Dandruff shampoo is a consumer product and normally bought by consumers  for personal use. Consumers, especially those with dandruff symptoms, are willing to spend some time in looking for the availability of this product because of its unique function in treating dandruff. In the anti dandruff shampoo market, H&S has a few competitors such as Clear anti dandruff shampoo and Sunsilk anti dandruff shampoo, which are considered as acceptable substitute products for consumers. Normally brand conscious and loyal customers would spend more time in seeking this product before they turn to other brands or even do not buy at all compared to normal consumers. H&S anti dandruff shampoo comes with 11 varieties in the market based on consumer needs. The product is also divided into regular or menthol content. Each product has 3 SKUs (Stock-Keeping Unit) consisting 80ml, 200ml and 380ml. The introduction of PTZ formula into the product has differentiated H&S Anti Dandruff from other anti dandruff shampoos. 1.2 Current Pricing In Malaysia, anti-dandruff shampoo’s market is slightly saturated with a number of sellers of different brands; therefore H&S shampoo is in a monopolistic competition market. This is the case because there are different brands offering products with the same function and almost similar price as H&S. Examples of the competitors are Sunsilk Anti Dandruff shampoo, Pantene Anti Dandruff 2 in 1 shampoo, Clear Anti Dandruff Scalp Oil Control shampoo and also Dove Anti Dandruff shampoo (Shampoo Catalogue 2011). A change in price of this product would definitely change consumers’ demand but preference is also a factor in this case. An increase in price will lead to a slight decrease in the quantity demanded although there are available substitute products with the same function but some consumers will still prefer H&S. An example on how the product’s price can affect its volume is shown when Procter & Gamble with the intention of increasing sales volume of H&S in India cuts down the products prices (Sharma Shailaja 2011). The current price of the product is slightly higher than all its competitors in the market, close to around Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 1.00. Consumers of H&S Anti Dandruff shampoo normally based their purchase decision on the quality and feature of this product. It is clear that this product costs higher than its competitors, the reason why consumers choose this product because of its effectiveness in treating dandruff issues and most victims of dandruff symptoms find this product a solution to their problems. Besides that, the  company has successfully linked H&S shampoo’s to anti dandruff through its advertisement. This creates a brand image among consumers that when it comes to dandruff they would refer it to H&S shampoo. This established brand image also plays a part in influencing consumers’ purchasing decision. Business’s costs are not very important when pricing this product because Procter and Gamble (P&G), a multinational company has 12 different hair care brands under it and also other products (Hair Care Brands 2011), because of P&G’s products diversification, the pricing of H&S is not based on the business’s costs. H&S is using price-quality inference strategy therefore it has a higher price compared to other brands. 1.3 Current Distribution This product is available for consumers in many locations around Malaysia. In Miri, there are a few locations and shops where this product can be found. At Bintang Plaza, convenience stores such as Guardian and Watsons are selling the product and also hypermarkets such as Giant Hypermarket and Survey Hypermarket. Supermarkets selling H&S Anti Dandruff shampoo are the GK supermarket at Curtin University and also the Pick & Save Mart found at the shop lots in Senadin area, Miri (Supermarkets Directory 2011). In Malaysia, Procter & Gamble (M) Sdn. Bhd. is the wholesaler of H&S shampoo and the products are imported by the company before distributing to retailers around the country. All the products are imported from Procter & Gamble (Thailand) Ltd. which is the manufacturer for H&S shampoos of Malaysia and the Philippines (Manufacturers 2011). However, consumers who wish to buy directly from the wholesaler could do so but normally very few would go by this mean because of the availability of the products in most stores and online purchasing services. The factor that influences the wide distribution of this product includes the price of the product which is low and affordable for most consumers and also a convenience product. Apart from that, another characteristic is that the product comes in three bottle sizes ranging from 80ml, 200ml and 380ml. The small product size requires only a little space for display in most stores, which contributes to why it is widely distributed. 1.4 Current Promotion One of the promotional message for H&S shampoo is â€Å"All-day itch relief. Guaranteed.†. This message is promoted at the product’s official website (Head & Shoulders 2011). The message is to assure and guarantee consumers that the product will solve any itchiness or similar kind of issues on their hair. The other promotional message of the brand is â€Å"100% flake-free† that is found in a commercial advertisement on TV. This message is showed at the last part of the advertisement together with H&S anti dandruff shampoo bottles. The message H&S is trying to bring out is the effectiveness and confidence it has in removing dandruff or flakes on people’s hair. The promotion of this product through advertisement and also internet has the intention of establishing the brand in the market so that consumers realize the existence of such product that comes with special functions. It is obvious that H&S are using some promotional tools in promoting its product such as advertising through TV, advertising online and also discounts. The purpose of promotion is that the company wants to send a message to consumers that H&S anti dandruff shampoo is a solution for dandruff symptoms patients and people who are fed up with hair itchiness. By doing this, not only the company can establish the brand in the market but also increase sales volume as promotion can be a big tool in ensuring success. The theme of the current promotions is emphasizing on the effectiveness of H&S anti dandruff in removing dandruffs and solving itchiness on the hair. In all the promotional tools that the company uses, the company has been consistent in shaping messages that reflect the theme of the promotions. Another example of the company’s promotional tool is a slogan â€Å"I Never Knew You Had Dandruff† (List of Advertising Slogans 2011). 2.0 Segmentation Theory 2.1 Define and Explain Segmentation Market segmentation is a strategy that involves dividing a larger market into subsets of consumers with common needs. This can be done through the process of splitting potential customers into different groups, within which customers share similar interests for the goods or services offered in the market (Market Segmentation 2011). Market segmentation strategies can be developed over a wide range of characteristics found among consumers, for example one group may be identified by gender while the other group composes of consumers within a given age group (Malcolm Tatum 2011). Market  segmentation has allowed H&S to benefit from the anti dandruff market in a few ways. The first benefit gained is H&S was able to better understand consumers’ needs in the market (Rupal Jain 2011). This is shown when H&S differentiate its product and came out with H&S anti dandruff shampoo, obviously wanting to help consumers that have a need in solving dandruff issues after the company found out the problem through market segmentation. The next benefit to the brand from using segmentation strategy is H&S through understanding and focusing on the needs of customers, was able to get ahead of its competitors, in this case anti dandruff. H&S anti dandruff shampoo succeeded in being the market leader by becoming the world’s No.1 brand in anti dandruff shampoo market (About Head and shoulders 2011). The third benefit from segmentation that the brand enjoyed is consumers now buy their product because they are able to focus their marketing on consumers who are most likely to buy H&S anti dandruff shampoo. On emphasizing on the ability of the product to remove dandruff, refreshing and also prevent itchiness, H&S was able to focus particularly on a group of consumers in the market which leads to a possible higher profit from the sales to these consumers who share the same interest. In 2007, the introduction of PTZ as an active ingredient to the shampoo, which is highly effective in fighting dandruff because of its anti-fungal properties is an effort of H&S to further focus on marketing this product to its segmented market. The three benefits mentioned reflects that market segmentation is used as a strategy by H&S which has successfully benefited the brand so far. 3.0 Target Market Identification 3.1 Geographic Segmentation H&S can practice geographic segmentation for its product in Malaysia. The company should extend its product marketing into the state of Johor, the southern state of West Malaysia. The capital city of Johor is Johor Bahru and this would be the focused city for H&S, with a city size of 1.37million. A density of 7,409 per km2 makes Johor Bahru the second largest urban area in Malaysia (Introduction to Johor Bahru, 2011). The main reason H&S should target the above city mentioned is because in urban areas, consumers have higher purchasing power and are more health conscious compared to consumers from rural areas. The state of Johor has an average temperate ranging from  73 °F to 89 °F each year and has high humidity (Monthly averages for Johor Bahru, 2011). The hot and humid weather are causes for dandruff or itchiness for most people. With a high density city, hot and humid weather, Johor Bahru is a potential market to be targeted by H&S that provides refreshing and healthy hair for its users. 3.2 Demographic Segmentation Demographic factors are popular bases for segmentation analysis. Based on other markets of H&S, the target market should be focused on Generation-Y, the age group of 18-30 years old male Malaysian consumers, with middle or high income level. This target group is a group that is brand conscious and care about the health of their hair. They are willing to spend more on a product as long as the product benefits them or provides a solution to their problem. The H&S anti dandruff shampoo will be a good product to this targeted group. Not only the product has many benefits to the user, considered expensive among its competitors and fights dandruff or itchiness effectively, H&S anti dandruff shampoo gives users a healthy hair, which is suitable for those with active social life. Besides, the fact that H&S is the No.1 anti dandruff brand in the world makes it attractive to the targeted group which is brand conscious. In terms of occupation and education level in an urban area, those which will be targeted are most likely professionals, managers, officers, high school graduates, businessmen and also college students. In short, the young adults are going to be the primary target of H&S. Reference List About Head and Shoulders. 2011. Head and Shoulders. Accessed 5 April,http://www.headandshoulders.com/en-US/about-us.jspx. Benefits of Head and Shoulders. 2011. Head and Shoulder. Accessed April 4,http://www.headandshoulders.com/en-US/sevenBenefits.jspx. Coupons, Samples and Savings. 2011. Procter and Gamble Brand Sampler. Accessed 4April,https://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/headshoulderbrandsampler.jsp. Hair Care Brands. 2011. P&G. Accessed 5 April,http://www.pg.com/en_US/brands/beauty_grooming/index.shtml. Head and Shoulders. 2011. Accessed 5 April, http://www.headandshoulders.com/en-US/index.jspx. Introduction to Johor Bahru. 2011. Popular Places. Accessed 5 April,http://www.marimari.com/content/malaysia/popular_places/cities/johor_bahru/johor_bahru.html. Jain, Rupal. 2011. Market segmentation. 123oye. Accessed 5 April,http://www.123oye.com/. List of Advertising Slogans. 2011. Sharing The Secrets of Internet Marketing Success. 5April,http://www.nowsell.com/marketing-guide/list -of-advertising-slogans.html#Personal-Care. Manufacturers. 2011. Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.. Accessed 5 April,http://www.tradenex.com/sites/proctergamble/. Market Segmentation. 2011. The Market Segmentation Company. Accessed 5 Aprilhttp://www.marketsegmentation.co.uk/segmentation_tmsc.htm. Monthly Averages for Johor Bahru. 2011. The weather channel. Accessed 5 April,http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/MYXX0004. Murugiah, Surin. 2008. â€Å"Average household income in Malaysia.† The Edge

90s Fashion Trends: ‘Less Is More’

As we reflect on fashion history, there is not always a distinctive shift from one decade to the next. When transitioning from the 80s to the 90s, this was not the case, as there was an evident changeover from conspicuous consumer to ‘less is more. ’ When hearing this phrase and applying it to fashion, I think it can be viewed in two ways. The more literal interpretation can be restated as it is preferred to have either a more minimalistic and simple outfit, or that it is en vogue to wear skimpier clothing.Both of these descriptions can be seen in 90s fashion. Minimalism was a widely accepted trend of the 90s, as shoulder pads and off-the-shoulder sweaters became outdated and were replaced with cleaner lines and sleeker silhouettes. The excessive glamour of the 80s faded away, and jewelry became either non-existent or chic in its fineness and barely there quality. The only attribution to 1980s excess glamour was the bedazzling and embellishments to clothing or iridescent glitter shimmer on sheer and tulle fabrics and added to skin make up and hair spray.Designers such as Helmut Lang popularized this minimalistic trend by incorporating Japanese avant-garde aesthetics. Lang’s designs conveyed his view on how modern men and women want to dress. His clothes were without affectation and embodied an understanding that perfect cut, comfort, and ease of movement constitutes great fashion luxuries. Common examples of his key pieces slim mannish-shaped trousers for women, and sharply cut suiting that has a more androgynous shape. The minimalistic trend of the 90s was evident from head to toe and was even embraced by celebrities of the decade.Pop stars that had once worn frilly miniskirts adorned with suspenders, full faces of makeup and plentiful accessories were now embracing new, more simplistic styles. Calvin Klein’s infamous ‘Clueless’ mini dress, worn by Alicia Silverstone in the legendary film is a perfect example of the slin ky, body-con trend that became ubiquitous in the 90s. Hairstyles also reflected a ‘less is more’ vibe, and women styled their hair in a sleek manner like Jennifer Aniston, or short and funkier no-fuss style as channeled by Meg Ryan.I also think that ‘less is more’ can be applied to 90s fashion with respect to an attitude Americans felt at the time. During this 90s, people wanted easy clothing that was matched to their everyday lives and reflected an increasingly aggressive urban society. Business rules for dressing relaxed, and many people lost interest in fashion as necessary. This was a major change from 80s fashion where it what commonplace for yuppies to broadcast their wealth in expensive clothing. â€Å"1990's Fashion History – The Mood of the Millennium. † Fashion Era. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Apr 2011. . Sharma, Tanya. â€Å"1990's Women's Fashion . † love to know. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Apr 2011. . â€Å"clueless mini dress. † google. com. Web. 25 Apr 2011. . â€Å"The '90s Minimalist . † MSN Lifestyle. Web. 25 Apr 2011. .

Visiting the Grand Canyon Personal Essay Example

Visiting the Grand Canyon Personal Essay Example Essay Being a nature lover, my one wish is to cover every possible nook and corners of our world to revel in the picturesque and spellbinding beauties of Mother Nature. I have always been fascinated with landscapes and geology. Their beauties can be captured by cameras, but it is nothing when compared to seeing live with our own two naked eyes. Right now, I feel a part of my wish is granted since I stand barefoot overlooking the most spectacular place in Arizona the Grand Canyon. I feel as if I am transported to an orange planet with green vegetation. The landscape is so huge and it covers acres of land. The whole structure is made of several layers of rocks, their contour cut and shaped by natures forces giving the canyon a marvelous look of striated and multicolored walls. The soft clicks of camera caught my attention as I transferred my gaze at the crowd of people I had come with. Since the park is vast, and I did not know which part of it has the best view, I signed up for tour trip with Flagstaff, Charter and Tours. I was lucky enough to get the last ticket. We first decided to explore the South Rim as it was the most accessible part of the park and is opened all year through. Presently, we all were standing at 7000 ft above sea level. Peeking down the last barriers of rock, we could see the deep inner gorge of the Colorado River, its blueness a sharp contrast to the canyons orange walls. On the other side of the river, the North Rim stood at a towering height of about 8000 ft above sea level. Our tour guide said it was not possible to explore the North Rim because the terrain was irregular and difficult to get to. Unclasping my camera holder, I adjusted my camera to take a shot of the North Rim. The shot came out too good. The way the orange hill kissed the light blue sky was almost ethereal. While we continued our hike towards the inner canyon, the gushing sound of the Colorado River resonated in my ears. The bottom view was even more awesome, scattered with land and aquatic life. The wild burrow and the big horned sheep moved about gracefully, their hovering over the land noses were looking for something to eat. As I let my gaze wander, I spotted a mule walking towards which I could only assume was the great Colorado River. Within seconds, I found myself dipping my hands into the cool water. I collected some water in my hands and sprinkled it on my face. It was pure bliss. The water felt so silky against my skin and a trickle of water somehow made its way into my mouth. Such sweetness, I had never tasted in any water before. I could not help but spend a few minutes relishing and enjoying its delightful taste. Afternoon flew by quickly with me taking as many pictures as possible. We were promised a sky walk over the Grand Canyon in the evening, and I just could not wait for it. That time eventually came, and I felt like heaven walking over the glass the multicolored view of the canyon shimmering below in the shades of evening. One moment, the walls seemed to blend with the sunset, the orange gleaming brightly. A slow cloud loomed its way over my head and, the next moment, the view seemed so mysterious, like if it was hiding some secret. The landscape is just is not made of buttes, spires and mesas, but it is a land filled with diverse and mysterious creatures. Whereas my journey comes to an end, I can conclude only that the Grand Canyon is a deeply spiritual place, a peaceful and quiet environment, whose translucent beauty will never cease to amaze me even in my dreams. It is a mysterious place, and I regard it as my safe harbor.

My Strengths as a Communicator Essays - Communication Design

My Strengths as a Communicator Essays - Communication Design My Strengths as a Communicator According to StrengthsQuest, my five strengths are Ideation (initiating and developing new ideas), Individualization (comprehending and acting in accordance to circumstances), Analytical (understanding and using information), Restorative (intuitively bringing function back to a person, process, project, etc.), and Strategic (prioritizing executing the most effective means of accomplishing a task). These fall in line perfectly with my majors, Advertising and Theology. My aptitude for critical thinking and my love for formulating plans and strategies can be combined to make me an effective and innovative member of the Advertising field. Ideation, which is similar to the analytical and strategic strengths, is the ability to connect and develop two or more concepts into something new. The Advertising agency runs on good ideas; being able to think of multiple routes of persuading someone to do something, or multiple ways to communicate a concept is a very useful task for a career in this field. Some specific ways in which this strength can be used is in a "think tank" brainstorming setting, strategizing for future campaigns, considering ways to attract new clients, and thinking of ways to make the team one is on more compatible. I think that an environment that encourages open communication of ideas and contains a wide variety of types of thinkers/people who would both challenge and support one another would be the best location for a creative thinker. A supervisor who understands the way that an idea-minded worker's brain works would be the best fit; structure for deadlines and development would allow for the wor ker to be able to express themselves while remaining productive. Individualization is the ability to notice, investigate, and cater to what makes people or concepts unique. This strength will undoubtedly be useful in an interactive industry such as Advertising. As a member of an advertising agency, I will be required to pitch campaigns, designs, or other work to my coworkers, supervisors, and clients. These presentations will not be effective if they are not personalized to the audience they are being shown to. Having a knack to discern what a person needs to hear in order to be convinced that an idea is worthwhile will be an invaluable asset to an agency. Similarly, developing advertisements is a very subjective work. The type of advertisement a needed for a client will vary extremely based on product, audience, and other parts of the marketing mix. I will have to be able to understand the specifications of the client and be intentional about developing the right type of advertisement for them. Working on a team that understands the necessit y of this mindset would be an ideal situation for someone with the skill of individualization; it would be important to be around people who understand the goal and work together to gather the context and materials to reach it. As with Ideation, Individualization is a strength best used in a communal workplace, not independently, and a boss who encourages critical thinking and innovation would cultivate the best results from the worker. Based on these strengths, I think that a job on a creative team for an advertising agency would be the best fit. Eventually, I hope be promoted from the entry position post-graduation to director of a creative team for a nonprofit or church; I think that these strengths equip me to accomplish that in my future.

20 Synonyms for Excuse

20 Synonyms for Excuse 20 Synonyms for Excuse 20 Synonyms for Excuse By Mark Nichol The sentiment behind the verb excuse can be expressed in many ways, whether the sense is of â€Å"remove blame from† or â€Å"stop blaming† (or even, in many cases, â€Å"deflect attention from blame†). Here are twenty words and phrases that will serve, along with their pertinent meanings. 1. absolve: free from guilt or responsibility 2. acquit: discharge from accusation or obligation; also, perform satisfactorily (as in the statement â€Å"I am certain that he will acquit himself well†) 3. blink at: approve of something wrong or allow something wrong to continue 4. brush aside: ignore or disregard something that is wrong 5. clear: free from accusation or blame (usually, in reference to someone clearing one’s name, or establishing one’s innocence) 6. close one’s eyes to: see â€Å"blink at† 7. condone: see â€Å"blink at† 8. discount: minimize the importance of something 9. dismiss: reject the importance of something, or formally act to excuse, as when criminal charges are dismissed 10. exculpate: prove not guilty 11. exonerate: see exculpate 12. forgive: stop blaming, or excuse someone’s transgression 13. gloss over: treat as not important 14. overlook: see â€Å"blink at† 15. paper over: see â€Å"blink at† (also means â€Å"hide†) 16. pardon: see absolve 17. shrug off: see â€Å"blink at† 18. vindicate: show that someone is not guilty (also means â€Å"validate or confirm something criticized or doubted†) 19. wave off: see â€Å"blink at† 20. wink at: see â€Å"blink at† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)7 Tips for Writing a Film Review40 Synonyms for Praise

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 55

Essay Example ities are responsible for the diminishing quantity of water in the world today a feature that requires speedy and effective solution through a change of attitude in order to safeguard the provision of water thus the continuation of life on the planet as the discussion below portrays. Effective management of water requires both effective legislation and change of attitude of the population in order to embrace economical utilization of water. In such extreme cases of water shortage as is the case in California, the government must encourage the citizens to utilize water economically and effectively in order to ensure that everyone has adequate amount of water. The state government has for example formulated a number of legislations that will compel the population to utilize water appropriately. The legislation for example bans the use of water in the maintenance of lawns and golf courses among others. Such uses of water consume large volumes of clean and safe water that other people would require for consumption. Unsafe farming practices are some of the major factors that enhance the depletion of water resources. The use of fertilizers in farms pollute water sources a feature that renders safe and clean water unfit for human use. Furthermore, the chemicals in the fertilizers make the water unsafe for other animals that live and use in water (Charles, 2011). Farmers spend billions of gallons of clean water in irrigating their famers. They end up wasting most of such water since they do not employ strategies that maximize water usage. Most farmers divert such fundamental sources of water as rivers into their famers thereby destroying entire ecosystems besides wasting the water, the excess water from the farms flow back into the rivers. Such water is never safe for human consumption given the fact that they possess sedimentation. Furthermore, some of the water mixes with pesticides and herbicides among other chemicals from the farm. The population of humans continues

Juxtapositions of the modern and the archaic Essay

Juxtapositions of the modern and the archaic - Essay Example It was extremely absurd; when his aunt continuously corrected him to be addressing respectable black man by the initials, Mr. Her aunt told him that he should address them by the name nigger. This went on until young children got used to addressing black people as Negros. White men held rituals that showed respect and affection to maintain the impression of personal relationship that never existed. Black men used the initials Mr. once addressing a white man and Miss to a woman (Ayers 100). This never happened when white people were addressing black people as they addressed them rather by their names, which was a sign of disrespect. Black women did not have the privilege of having the initials Mrs by their names but instead assumed the name of an â€Å"aunt† prior their first names. Black men’s address was Negros, which mostly was evident in the newspapers or just as two boys were killed. It was not customary for the two races to shake hands or socialize in public beside s black men to removing their hats in public places especially those meant for the whites, but white people did not remove hats in homes owned by black people. There were days that were set aside for black people to shop and socialize. Saturday was set aside for black people to shop and socialize thus white people did not go to towns. ... Many white and black people tried to create a humane relationship even though hate and dislike characterized the then atmosphere in the atmosphere. The whites believed that being kind to the old and respectable blacks was a sign of strong character. Rituals that revealed race relationship normally marked the Christmas holiday. Southern blacks celebrated Christmas as a moment of white giving gifts to the blacks and offering freedoms. However, the ritual went on fading, and it only remained in some plantations (Ayers 102). This practice remained in some parts since the white people deemed that black people were naturally beggars. This annoyed the white people as blacks begged from morning to evening. Besides, black Negroes demonstrated that there were laws in Christmas. They could move around the streets making jokes and shouting since they recognized themselves as equals to white people. When black people had nobody else to turn to, they sought help from the white people. They begged for bread and others edible stuffs during Christmas, though some could resolve to toil for themselves. For illustration, there was woman left by  the   husband, and he had to borrow food for Christmas. His husband who fled with another woman left her, and she worked all day long to provide for his family. There are laws, which barred or discouraged rural urban - race relations. Sectors like rural roads, cotton grins and stores; there was no evidence of segregation. Anglers and hunters respected laws and rules as long they were fair regardless of law. White and black men used to work together in these sectors besides seen around fireplaces while women cooked from the same kitchen,

A comparison of the UK housing market with the Bulgarian housing Essay

A comparison of the UK housing market with the Bulgarian housing market - Essay Example Irrespective of the developed, developing or under developed countries, people usually have the habit of taking loans for purchasing or constructing a house. The difficulties in getting loans have prevented people across the world to think about purchasing a home at present and the real estate business people were forced to reduce their activities because of the less demand for buildings. Even though the latter half of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 have shown some sign of a revival, many people are still hesitant in spending much on the housing market. UK and Bulgaria are two European countries in which lot of construction activities were going on earlier. But the global recession has badly affected these countries and the construction sector and the housing market are going through a bad patch. UK is one of the strong and developed countries in the world whereas Bulgaria is economically poor compared to UK. Both the countries have democratic administration at present though the head of UK is the monarch at least on paper. Bulgaria was under communist regime earlier. Stevenson (2010) has reported that the economy is emerging out from recession and grew slightly in the fourth quarter of last year in UK. Moreover, industrial production also increased in last November more than expected (Stevenson, 2010). As per the article Best Bulgarian Real Estate – Your Trust Worthy Bulgarian Real Estate Partner (2008), the Bulgarian property market is the current investment hotspot and offers countless opportunities to any open-minded investor. A recently released report by the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction, property prices in Bulgaria have increased by 145% in the last three years. Moreover the value of the Bulgarian properties has risen 5 times after the country joined the European Union in 2007 (Bulgarian Real Estate

Journal of Korean Melodrama Christmas in August (1998) Movie Review

Journal of Korean Melodrama Christmas in August (1998) - Movie Review Example Jung decides and tries his best not to get into a relationship with her but eventually they form one. The film tends to have a weak plot but there is a strong in-depth look at both the characters that the audience can implicitly feel. The audience see and feel how Jung experiences the illness and how he deals with the people during the last days of his life. There is a silence among the members of his family because they are the only ones aware of it. Jung also holds back his emotions when he is with his friends and that is a painful moment. The relationship with Da-rim and Jung is the central focus of this story. Da-rim affects him deeply and how he responds to her is a beautiful feeling in the film. People often take others for granted but Jung’s character gives an emotional sensation to the audience on how painful it is when you know you don’t have time. In addition, the interesting thing about this film is that there are not many dialogues throughout the film. This is a strong point but it may as well start seeming to be a negative point as it drags the movie in some scenes. But this technique works for the emotional audience as the awkward and meaningful silences bring out the feel between the characters even in scenes when Jung is working alone and there is silence which expresses his isolation, pain, and loneliness. There is another major element in this film which is the subtleness. The audience get a sense that Jung and Da-rim have fallen in love but the film doesn’t really show a formal acceptance or declaration of their love. Jung would never talk about his illness but it is evident how it is affecting his relationship. The film does not even disclose the actual illness that Jung is going through and thus the movie is subtly explained through the actions and expressions of the characters that have done a great job on screen. This fact may leave the film open to several interpretations; it would also make this film thought

The need for divorce reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The need for divorce reform - Essay Example In 1966, the Law Commission undertook a study and noted that 40% of illegitimate births occurred in stable families, a factor that mooted reform in the divorce laws. There is a need to evaluate social evidence in making the estimation about the need for reform and the kinds of reform that will be appropriate. Proposals for reform in the divorce process were mooted by Government4 in a report that examined the viability of mediation as an option in handling divorce costs in view of rising costs that were accruing to contestants in a divorce. As a result of the need for reform that was identified in this report, the Family Law Act of 1996 was passed by Parliament in 1996, whereby divorce is granted on the basis of an irretrievable breakdown of a marriage. While this law introduces many useful amendments, the problem is that some of the provisions are still not operational and may not be brought into effect. Some of the major grounds that permit divorce are (a) adultery (b) unreasonable behavior (c) separation (d) two years separation with consent (e) five years separation without consent. The major causes of divorce are adultery and unreasonable behavior, reflecting the changing social mores that have created single parent families, step parents, same sex parents and extended family units. In view of the issues that rise in a divorce settlement, including high costs and the need to reduce acrimony in the divorce for the welfare of the children that may be involved in the divorce process, arbitration may emerge as a viable process.

Meaning of Socratess Claim Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Meaning of Socratess Claim - Essay Example The essay "Meaning of Socrates’s Claim" analyzes Socrates's statement, â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living† which is a clear representation of the deeply principled arguments that are rooted in philosophical life. In order for one to fully comprehend one’s self, relative to the world, it is pertinent that self-examination and self-questioning of one’s life and its foundations. In the case that one chooses not to examine one’s life, they relinquish critical thinking and remain ignorant to their own though process, behaviors, and emotions (Rudebusch). This creates a situation where individuals become merely a passive receiver of experience as opposed to an engage and active exegetist of experience. At the individual level, one has to fundamentally question the very foundations' values that one has inherited from society so as to critically analyze the validity of the basis or foundations of these norms and cultures (Strauss). This requires the deconstructing all the values that one holds, stripping them down to the source, purpose, advantages and disadvantages of the given value. Depending on the conclusion of these results, the value, norm and/or culture can either be discarded, modified or upheld as it was initially. When one lives an unexamined life at the social level, they have no one to observe the individual’s evolutionary process. This is the isolation of man that is damaging to experience. This is because man is naturally tuned to socialize and interact with members of his/her own species.

The need for divorce reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The need for divorce reform - Essay Example In 1966, the Law Commission undertook a study and noted that 40% of illegitimate births occurred in stable families, a factor that mooted reform in the divorce laws. There is a need to evaluate social evidence in making the estimation about the need for reform and the kinds of reform that will be appropriate. Proposals for reform in the divorce process were mooted by Government4 in a report that examined the viability of mediation as an option in handling divorce costs in view of rising costs that were accruing to contestants in a divorce. As a result of the need for reform that was identified in this report, the Family Law Act of 1996 was passed by Parliament in 1996, whereby divorce is granted on the basis of an irretrievable breakdown of a marriage. While this law introduces many useful amendments, the problem is that some of the provisions are still not operational and may not be brought into effect. Some of the major grounds that permit divorce are (a) adultery (b) unreasonable behavior (c) separation (d) two years separation with consent (e) five years separation without consent. The major causes of divorce are adultery and unreasonable behavior, reflecting the changing social mores that have created single parent families, step parents, same sex parents and extended family units. In view of the issues that rise in a divorce settlement, including high costs and the need to reduce acrimony in the divorce for the welfare of the children that may be involved in the divorce process, arbitration may emerge as a viable process.

The Enterprise Is Emirates Airlines Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Enterprise Is Emirates Airlines - Assignment Example Background Emirates Airlines was established by the Government of United Arab Emirates (UAE) in an agreement with the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in May 1985 and the foremost service was started on 25th October, 1985. It is one of the largest airlines of Middle East and recognized as a global player in worldwide airline industry (Cannegieter, 2004). Emirates Airlines had begun their first flight with the destination of Bombay, Delhi (India), Karachi in Pakistan along with Colombo in Sri Lanka and Cairo in Egypt. In 1987, Emirates had started the services with London, Frankfurt and Istanbul. In 1992, the airline company had expanded their services to Djakarta, Rome and Paris. In present days, Emirates Airlines is offering their customers with the domestic, the international and the regional flights. They are serving 53 countries with 75 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, CIS, Africa, Australia and many other regions (Cannegieter, 2004). The Emirates Group holds 40 per cent of stock in the Airlanka. It is an airline company of Sri Lanka. Emirates Airlines has recently made 10 years agreement with Airlanka. This in turn can increase the long-term growth of the company. The organization has made ‘code share’ based agreements with Air Mauritius, ANA, Air India, British Airways, Daallo Airlines, continental Airlines, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Srilankan Airlines and Thai Airway international (Cannegieter, 2004). Emirates Airlines hardly faced economic downturn because the company has set up their centre point in Dubai to get connected with European and Asian countries. Dubai is the ‘City of Gold’ in tourism and commerce and is also known as tax free city for shopping. Many luxurious hotels are also situated their like Burj-Al Arab and other seven star... This essay stresses that organizational culture encompasses the customer satisfaction along with the organizational dedication to the employees because both customer and employee satisfaction are essential factors to gain competency in the market. Adaptability, involvement, mission and consistency are the aspects of Denison Organizational Culture Model This paper makes a conclusion that Emirates Airlines has implemented the organizational culture successfully and through the Denison Model, it can be inferred that motivating the customers and satisfying the employees are the key features of cultural management. From the above context, it can be stated that Emirates Airlines are highly concentrated on the motivating the customer along with analyzing the customer requirements. Emirates Airlines have won many awards for providing high class services. The company has motivated their employees by providing incentives, gratuity payment and bonus. Employees of the Emirates Airlines are secured for the future because the government is providing them with the insurance and pension payment. Customer satisfaction level of Emirates Airline can be judged by the company’s dedication that has been discussed earlier. Emirates Airlines had committed to ensure the customer satisfaction along with the motivation of the employees, this can be on e of the reasons for it to become one of the largest airline companies throughout the world.

Sensation and Perception Essay Example for Free

Sensation and Perception Essay Memory – knowing the past Thinking – knowing the future Cognition = the influence of perception, memory, and thinking Aug 29th, 2012 Basic principles of perception 1.Stimulation -Many kinds of energy implode on the body Electromagnetic energy (light) Mechanical energy -Pressure waves in air Pressure on skin Body movement Thermal energy (heat) Chemical energy (molecules in air, food) -Energy changes detected by receptors 2.Information a.Our sensory systems evolved to pick up information (not just stimulation) b.In general, information is provided by change c.Change can occur over time, or over space 3.Transduction -The process of converting stimulus energy into nerve impulses -Generally, stimulus energy causes a change in a receptor cell’s electrical potential (voltage) -If change is enough, it will trigger â€Å"nerve impulses† 4.Transmission -For perception to occur, sensory organs (containing receptors) must transmit nerve impulses to the brain -Perception occurs in the brain, not in the sensory organs 5.Mediation -Our perception of the world is mediated by various processes between transduction and our conscious awareness -These processes alter the neural information -What we consciously perceive may not be an accurate reflection of the original stimulation 6.Interpretation -Sensory information is ambiguous (there are ALWAYS multiple possible interpretations) 7.Construction -Sensory information is â€Å"sketchy†; the brain â€Å"fills in† missing information 8.Modularity -Your brain consists of independent â€Å"modules†. These modules may construct different, possibly conflicting, interpretations of the world. -You â€Å"see† one interpretation of an ambiguous **Missed Class†¦locked out of room** Sept 5th, 2012 Signal Detection Theory (Slides and appendix in book) Sept 7th, 2012 The Eye Light -Light is electromagnetic radiation varying in: Wavelength Intensity Radiance – intensity of light as it leaves the light source Illuminance – intensity of light as it is absorbed by object (white objects higher in illuminance than black objects) Luminance – amount of light that is reflected by object 100 illuminance omits 40 luminants; albedo = 40/100= .4 Retinal Illuminance – light that reaches your eye Brightness – perception of radiance, illuminance, or luminance Lightness – perception of the reflectance (albedo) Brightness is a perception of the light; lightness is a perception of the object surface Myopia = nearsighted = focal length is shorter than distance  to retina Hyperopia = farsighted = focal length is longer than distance to retina Presbyopia = aged vision, lens can’t adjust because of age (reading glasses for old people) Sept 10th, 2012 The Retina Fovea is the part of eye where visual acuity is highest Vision involves â€Å"rods† and â€Å"cones† in the back of the retina Photopic = conesScotopic = rods Purkinje Shift – as illumination decreases, red objects lose brightness more quickly than green, blue; red goes to black whereas green and blue pass through shades of gray **2 Missed Classes – Canada** Sept 19th, 2012 Gestalt Psychology -Brief history of behaviorism, psychoanalysis -The laws of perceptual grouping October 1st, 2012 Distance Perception Why is depth perception important? -Effective action (e.g. grasping) requires correct perception of distance -Correct perception of size and shape requires correct perception of distance Size and shape consistency Just as an infinite number of object sizes and shapes can cast the exact same image on the retina, a single object can cast an infinite number of sizes and shapes of retinal image Size Consistency = we (usually) perceive the size of an object as constant, despite changes in the size of the retinal image Shape Consistency = we (usually) perceive The farther away something is from your eye, the less the retinal disparity will be Stereopsis -Retinal Disparity = the mismatch between the left and right eyes’ retinal  images -Stereopsis = the ability to use retinal disparity as a depth cue Motion parallax Interposition = idea that an object in front of another object will block that object out Aerial Perspective -Refers to effects of the air on distance perception Clarity = as light passes through more air, light is scattered and so the image gets blurrier oBlueness = as light passes through more air, long wavelengths are filtered out and so the image gets bluer Chapter 2 Transduction and receptive fields Signal Detection Theory -Always noise (random activity) Eye Movements EXAM 2 MATERIAL OCT 12TH 2012 Perceptual Ambiguity (Lecture 9) States of form perception 1.Feature extraction 2.Perceptual grouping 3.Figure-ground differentiation 4.Figural resolution 5.Pattern recognition Ambiguity – multiple possible interpretations – can occur at any level (2-5) Figure-ground differentiation -Some perceptual groups are treated as â€Å"figure†, other groups are treated as â€Å"ground† Yates Thesis -Yates. J (1985). The content of awareness is a model of the world. Psychological Review, 92, 249-284 -Visual images are inherently ambiguous (allow multiple interpretations) -Coherent action requires selection of one interpretation -We tend to represent in awareness the simplest interpretation of the most sensory data Figural Resolution -After â€Å"figure† has been differentiated from â€Å"ground†, it may still be  necessary to resolve the structure of the figure -Figural resolution influenced by†¦ Bottom up vs. top-down October 15th, 2012 Lecture 10 Pattern Recognition Pattern Recognition – knowing what figures in the visual field ARE. Requires interaction of sensation/perception with memory (pre-existing knowledge) Template Matching -Match of whole pattern to a stored pattern -Problems onfinite variation of problems No access to feature differences Can’t recognize†¦ Feature Analysis -Patterns are recognized by detection of particular â€Å"critical features† -Accounts for recognition of partially obscured patterns -Predicts that objects with more features in common are more confusable Problem: Not ALWAYS true Some confusions are predicted better by the whole shape New â€Å"configural properties† (or emergent features) arise from the combination of features †¢Impossible to define complex objects entirely by simple features Template Matching vs. Feature Analysis -Template matching emphasizes the whole, fails to account for importance of parts -Feature analysis emphasizes the parts, fails to account for importance of the whole -Possible solutions: Maybe more than one brain mechanism for pattern recognition oA â€Å"hybrid† approach that encompasses both the whole AND the parts Structural Theories of Pattern Recognition Objects are recognized by their â€Å"structural description†, how their parts are organized into the whole †¢DO NOT CONFUSE WITH STRUCTURALISM! (Structuralism assumed that the â€Å"structure† can be decomposed into elemental parts† Yates Thesis -We tend to represent in awareness the simplest explanation for the most sensory data Oct 17th, 2012 Three kinds of brain damage 1.Agnosia = â€Å"loss of knowledge† a.Prosopagnosia – loss of ability to recognize faces b.Object agnosia – loss of ability to recognize objects c.Word agnosia (alexia) – loss of ability to recognize written words 2.Object agnosia never occurs without either word agnosia or prosopagnosia Oct 24th, 2012 Light Light is electromagnetic radiation varying in: Wavelength Intensity Amplitude, if considered as a wave Number of photons, if considered as particulate Color is all in your head! â€Å"Hue† does not exist in the physical world – wavelength is a simple quantitative continuum, like intensity, or frequency of sound, or length, or weight †¢You brain CONSTRUCTS categories of perception, resulting in qualitative differences in the perception Dimensions of Color -HUE the perception of wavelength, or (in a mixture) dominant wavelength -SATURATION – the perception of purity (proportion of the dominant wavelength in a mixture) -BRIGHTNESS – perceived intensity Subtractive Color Mixture -A paint pigment absorbs certain wavelengths, reflects others -When two pigments are mixed, each subtracts out certain wavelengths -You see what’s left over Exam 2: Perceptual ambiguity Pattern recognition Color vision Sound Music The Ear Ear to Brain Visual Illusions Inner ear- cochlea, organ of corti, Moon Illusion – moon looks larger when at horizon than when it is over-head Perceived size = retinal image size x perceived distance EXAM 3 MATERIAL(FINAL EXAM)NOV 9TH, 2012 Final Exam Friday Dec 14th, 3:30-5:30 66 questions, appx. 2/3 material last 3rd of class Study 1st 2 exams for remaining 1/3 Don’t need to know every single experiment, just the general results Medial and lateral superior olives -Loudness in 2 ears and time of arrival in 2 ears

APC Hypermethylation as a Prostate Cancer Indicator

APC Hypermethylation as a Prostate Cancer Indicator Evaluation of APC Hypermethylation From Serum Samples as an Indicator for Presence of Prostate Cancer and Higher Gleason Score Abstract Purpose In this prospective study it is aimed to identify role of hypermethlation analysis of APC gene from serum samples on detection of prostate cancer in patients with PSA level 2,5-10 ng/ml and its correlation with GS of the patients Materials and Methods Data from 142 patients underwent prostate biopsy with PSA level of 2,5-10 ng/ml was analyzed. Hypermethlation analysis of promoter region of APC gene from serum samples was done via methlation specific PCR. Patients were grouped as positive or negative depending on results of methylation analysis and compared for presence of prostate cancer and GS distrubution. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of methylation analysis were calculated. P value of 0.05 is used for statistical significance. Results There were 48 patients (33.8%) in methylation (+) group and 94 patients (66,2%) in methylation (-) group. Prostate cancer was detected in 43 of 142 (30,2%) patients after the first biopsy and 32 of these patients were in methylation (+) group. sensitivity and specificity of methylation analysis were 74,4% and 83,8%. PPV and NPV were 66.6% and 88.30 %. When GS distrubutions of the two groups analyzed patients in methylation (+) group were more likely to have higher GS compared to methylation (-) group(p=0,03). Conclusions Hypermethlation analysis APC gene from serum samples have shown promising results with its correlation with prostate cancer and higher GS. Further studies on prediciton of survival with long term follow up are needed to verify its value on prediction of survival Introduction Prostate Cancer (PCa) is one of the most important medical problems of the male population as it is the most common solid neoplasm in Europe having the highest incidence of 202,100 cases in 2004 (1). It is not only common but also a dangerous disease that it is the second most common cause of cancer death in men (2). These findings prove the importance of detection of PCa. However identifiying patients with clinically significant disease is an important issue, that is to treat patients that really need treatment while sparing ones that have silent disease. The European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) trial concluded that 1,410 men would need to be screened and 48 additional cases of PCa would need to be treated to prevent one death from PCa (ERSPC-3). These findings point out that current diagnostic tools are inadequate for screening and detection of clinically significant PCa (3). Epigenetic studies evolved in the era of urooncology in the last decade and DNA methylation is widely studied for certain urological malignancies especialy for PCa (4). Hypermethylation of promoter regions of tumor supresor genes results in gene silencing. This epigenetic change in APC gene promoter regions has been shown in cancerous and precancerous prostate tissues,serum, and urine of PCa patients and sensitivity and specificity rates of 27-100% and 50-100% have been reported (5,6). However the current literature lacks studies that investigate corrolation of results of methylation analysis from serum samples and clinicopathologic properties (grade and stage of disease) of patients. This point should be verified to identify applicability of this method in clinical practice. In this prospective study it is aimed to identify role of hypermethlation analysis of promoter region of APC gene from serum samples on detection of prostate cancer in a population of patients with PSA level 2,5-10 ng/ml and its correlation with Gleason score (GS) of the patients. Patients and Methods. This study was approved by ethical committe of Turkish Ministry of Health. All patients signed informed consent. The patients admitted to urology outpatient clinics of Ankara University Schol of Medicine with PSA level of 2,5-10 ng/ml and who were decided to undergo prostate biopsy were involved in the study. Serum samples were obtained from all patients prior to biopsy and 12 cores transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy was performed by a single radiologist. Age, serum PSA level, prostate biopsy results were recorded and patients were followed regardless of the results of methylation analysis. Rebiopsy was suggested to patients with benign histology and persistant elevated PSA levels 6 months after the first biopsy. Patients with biopsy results of PCa were evaluted for staging and treated based on their stage. GS of the patients were evaluated in 3 groups GS:6 , GS: 7 and GS:8-10. The patients were grouped as positive (methylation +) and negative (methylation -) based on methylation analysis results and compared with results of prostate biopsy. The primary outcome measures were sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of methylation analysis. As a secondary outcome measure the results were also compared with the GS groups. Genetic analysis DNA extraction Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples using a PureLink â„ ¢ Genomic DNA Mini Kit (Invitrogen â„ ¢, catalog No. K1820-02) according to the manufacturer’s instructions and were stored at -20 °C until modification and MSPCR amplification. DNA integrity and quantity was assessed with agarose gel electrophoresis and spectrophotometry, respectively. For this purpose, 1% agarose gel was used and 260 nm and 280 nm optical density ratio values (OD260/OD280) were determined. Bisulfite Modification and Methylation-Specific PCR of APC and GSTPI promoters The genomic DNA was modified by sodium bisulfite treatment using the CpGenomeTM DNA Modification Kit (S7820, Chemicon, Temecula, CA). The DNA promoter methylation status of APC and GSTPI genes were investigated by MSPCR using the specific primers to methylated and unmethylated promoters. The methylated and unmethylated control DNA were also subjected to bisulfite DNA modification and PCR analysis, and serves as positive controls for methylated and unmethylated DNA respectively. H2O was used as negative control for the PCR reaction. The PCR reaction was started with denaturation at 95 °C for 13 min, followed by 40 cycles at 95 °C for 30 s, 56 °C for 30 s, 72 °C for 30 s; and 72 °C for 5 min. Statistical analysis Continuous variables were compared using the t –test. Categorical variables were compared by the chi-square test..Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were calculated. Results Prostate biopsy was performed in 142 patients. The mean age of the patients were 68,3  ± 8,2 and mean ages of the methylated and unmethylated groups were not significantly different (67,8 vs 68,6 , p=0,47). There were 48 patients (33.8%) in group 1 and 94 patients (66,2%) in group 2. Prostate cancer was detected in 43 of 142 (30,2%) patients after the first biopsy and 32 of these patients were in methylation (+) group and 11 of them were in methylation (-) group. Based on these results, sensitivity and specificity of methylation analysis were 74,4% (95% CI: 58.83 % 86.46 %) and 83,8% (95% CI: 75.08 % to 90.47 %). PPV and NPV were 66.6% (95% CI: 51.59 % to 79.59 %) and 88.30 % (95% CI: 80.02 % to 94.00 %). When GS distrubutions of the two groups analyzed patients in methylation (+) group were more likely to have higher GS compared to methylation (-) group (p=0,041) and results are summarized in table 1. Second biopsy was performed in 12 (6 patients in each group) patients totally. At these second biopsies, PCa was observed in 4 patients, and all of them were in methylation (+) group. Based on the total results of first and second biopsies, sensitivity and specificity , PPV and NPV were reevaluated. Sensitivity and specificity of methylation analysis were 76.6 % (95% CI: 61.97 % to 87.68 %) and 87.3 % (95% CI: 78.97 % to 93.29 %). PPV and NPV were 75.0 % (95% CI: 60.4 % to 86.3 %) and 88.30 % (95% CI: 80.02 % to 94.00 %). Discussion Epigenetic alterations, such as hypermethylation of prompter regions of tumor supressor genes are associated with many human tumor types and this type of alteration have also emerged as markers for cancer risk assessment, cancer diagnosis, and therapy monitoring in several different types of cancer (7-10). APC is a well-characterized tumor suppressor gene and it downregulates Wnt signaling by targeting the transcriptional coactivator beta-catenin for proteasomal degradation and this prevents its association with the nuclear transcription factor Tcell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (11). The activation of Wnt pathway leads to deregulation of cell proliferation and differentiation and is a common feature of many human cancers including prostate cancer (12-14). Detection of clinically significant PCa at an early stage is still a great challenge and current imaging modalities are often not able to detect a tumor and biopsies may miss the tumor focus. Role of gene promoter hypermethylation in prostate carcinogenesis, has been studied recently and promising results to improve PCa diagnosis has been established (5-7). In this study methylation analysis of promoter region of APC gene is performed prior to prostate biopsy in serum samples in order to evaluate the the role of this analysis on prostate cancer detection. Serum samples were obtained from all patients prior to biopsy and PCa was detected in siginificantly higher rates in patients with positive methylation analysis. In their study Yoon et al. showed that APC methylation levels were significantly higher in PCa patients than in benign prostate hyperplasia patients. Moreover, APC hypermethylation was not only associated with the increased incidence of PCa but was also positively correlated with increased GS (15). This has also been shown in other studies indicating APC hypermethylation as a reliable predictor of PCa and of its aggressive feature (12,13). Similarly, in our study, methylation positive patients were found to have higher GS and GS>7 was not observed in any patient with negative methylation analysis. Sensitivity and specificity of APC hypermethylation has been studied on prostate tissue samples and high sensitivity (89.3%) and specificity (98.1%) rates have been reported (15). In our study, sensitivity of 74,4% and specificity of 83,8% was found. These results are slightly lower compared to results of Yoon et al. and this may be due to source of DNA, that is higher rates might be reached when analysis is made through prostate tissue samples compared to serum samples. Additionally the results may be effected from the detection method, including the primer design, reagents, detectors, equipment, and protocols, all of which potentially influence the sensitivity and specificity. The important point of our study is making the analysis from serum samples to evaluate its role in clinical practice. The lack of such studies has been emphasized in previous trials conducted on tissue samples (15). Repat biopsies is an important issue in PCa diagnosis in the study of Trock et al. (16) APC methylation provided a very high NPV with a low percentage of false negatives, in a clinical cohort of men undergoing repeat biopsy.In our study, repeat biopsy was performed in 12 patients (6 patients in each group) and all of the 4 patients with PCa detected in second biopsy were in the methylation positive group. Our study involves low number of repeat biopsies therefore further studies with higher number of patients evaluating role of hypermethylation analysis from body fluids should be conducted on the topic of repeat biopsies. Conclusion Prediction of clinical significance of PCa is of clinicial importance and hypermethlation analysis of promoter region of APC gene from serum samples have shown promising results with its correlation with prostate cancer and higher GS. Further studies on prediciton of survival with long term follow up are needed to verify its value on prediction of survival. Conflict of interest: None of the authors have any conflict of interest Ethical standarts: The study was approwed by ethical committe of Turkish Ministry of Health. References 1. Boyle P, Ferlay J. Cancer incidence and mortality in Europe 2004. Ann Oncol 2005 Mar;16(3):481-8. 2. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E, et al. Cancer statistics, 2008. CA Cancer J Clin 2008 Mar-Apr;58(2):71-96. 3. Schrà ¶der FH, Hugosson J, Roobol MJ, et al.Screening and prostate-cancer mortality in a randomized European study. N Engl J Med 2009 Mar 26;360(13):1320-8. 4. Veeck J, Esteller M J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. Breast cancer epigenetics: from DNA methylation to microRNAs. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2010 Mar;15(1):5-17. 5. Kang GH, Lee S, Lee HJ, et al. Aberrant CpG island hypermethylation of multiple genes in prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. J Pathol 2004; 202: 233–40 6. Yegnasubramanian S, Kowalski J, Gonzalgo ML et al. Hypermethylation of CpG islands in primary and metastatic human prostate cancer. Cancer Res 2004; 64: 1975–86 7. Moritz R, Ellinger J, Nuhn P, Haese A, Muller SC, Graefen M, Schlomm T, Bastian PJ. DNA hypermethylation as a predictor of PSA recurrence in patients with low- and intermediate-grade prostate cancer. Anticancer Res 2013 Dec;33(12):5249-54. 8. Kim WJ, Kim YJ. Epigenetic biomarkers in urothelial bladder cancer. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2009;9:259-69. 9. Hoque MO. DNA methylation changes in prostate cancer: current developments and future clinical implementation. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2009;9:243-57. 10. Ushijima T. Detection and interpretation of altered methylation patterns in cancer cells. Nat Rev Cancer 2005;5:223-31. 11. Rai K, Sarkar S, Broadbent TJ, et al. DNA demethylase activity maintains intestinal cells in an undifferentiated state following loss of APC. Cell 2010;142: 930-42. 12. Jeronimo C, Henrique R, Hoque MO, et al. A quantitative promoter methylation profile of prostate cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2004;10:8472-8. 13. Bastian PJ, Ellinger J, Wellmann A, et al. Diagnostic and prognostic information in prostate cancer with the help of a small set of hypermethylated gene loci. Clin Cancer Res 2005;11:4097-106. 14. Gavert N, Ben-Zeev A. beta-Catenin signaling in biological control and cancer. J Cell Biochem 2007;102:820-8. 15. Hyung-Yoon Yoon, Young-Won Kim, Ho Won Kang, et al. Pyrosequencing Analysis of APC Methylation Level in Human Prostate Tissues: A Molecular Marker for Prostate Cancer. Korean J Urol. 2013 Mar;54(3):194-198. 16. Trock BJ, Brotzman MJ, Mangold LA, et al. Evaluation of GSTP1 and APC methylation as indicators for repeat biopsy in a high-risk cohort of men with negative initial prostate biopsies. BJU Int. 2012 Jul;110(1):56-62 Table 1. GS distrubutions of the two groups

America Needs the Death Penalty Essay -- pro capital punishment essays

In 1973 Author Shawcross was convicted of raping and murdering two children in upstate New York; however, after serving 15 years Shawcross was paroled in 1988. In a horrific 21-month killing spree, Shawcross took 11 more lives. That is 11 innocent people who would be alive today had justice been served (Pataki, Deterrent 2). With the topic of the death penalty comes a lot of controversy which is rooted from questions like: is the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment, is it helpful in crime control, is proper representation applied to these cases, and should reform be applied in the areas of crimes punishable and methods? Although some people argue that the death penalty is inhumane and against human rights, crime rates could be lowered through the use and reform of the death penalty. Since the 1700’s forms of the death penalty have been used for one reason or another, but today some disagree with this judicial practice. The death penalty is the ultimate punishment imposed for murder or other capital offenses, and in Alabama a capital offense is murder with eighteen aggravating factors. In 1972 the Supreme Court moved away from abolition, holding that â€Å"the punishment of death does not invariably violate the constitution† (Bedau, Case against 2). Since 1900, in this country, there have been on the average more than four cases each year in which an entirely innocent person was convicted of murder (Bedau 7) and because of these startling numbers people are against capital punishment. It is a horrible reality to convict an innocent person of a crime and even worse to put this person on death row. There are even more horrific stories, like the one of Roger Keith Coleman, who was executed in Virginia despite widely pu... ... Death Penalty† American Civil Liberties Union Ed. Michael Wood. July 1992. Web. 24 Jul 2014. D’Alembe, Talbot â€Å"Understanding the Death Penalty Study Commission Report† Raising the Bar in Capital Cases. 34.2 ( 2007): n.pag. Web. 24 Jul 2014. Liptak, Adam â€Å"Does Death Penalty Save Lives? A New Debate. New York Times. New York Times, 18 Nov 2007. Web. 9 Jul 2014. Pataki, George E. â€Å" Death Penalty is a Deterrent†. USA Today Magazine. USA Today, Mar 1997. Web. 26 Jul 2014. Peirce, Gleen L. and Michael Radelet â€Å"Monitoring Death Sentences Decisions: The Challenges and Barriers to Equity†. 34.2. n. pg. Web. 26 Jul 2014. Templeton, Jean M. "Death Row Reforms May Lead to a Fairer Criminal Justice System." Capital Punishment. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 17

September 8, 1864 She is not who she seems. Should I be surprised? Terrified? Hurt? It's as if everything I know, everything I've been taught, everything I've believed in my past seventeen years is wrong. I can still feel where she kissed me, where her fingers grasped my hands. I still yearn for her, and yet the voice of reason is screaming in my ears: You cannot love a vampire! If I had one of her daisies, I could pluck the leaves and let the flower choose for me. I love her †¦ I love her not †¦ I †¦ I love her. I do. No matter the consequences. Is this what following your heart is? I wish there was a map or a compass to help me find my way. But she has my heart, and that above all else is my North Star †¦ and that will have to be enough. After I slipped away from the carriage house back to my own chambers, I somehow managed to sleep for a few hours. When I awoke, I wondered if everything was all a dream. But then I shifted my head on the pillow and saw a neat puddle of dried, crimson blood and touched my fingers to my throat. I felt a wound there, and though it didn't hurt, it brought back the very real incidents of the previous evening. I felt exhausted and confused and exalted all at once. My limbs were enervated, my brain abuzz. It was as if I had a fever, but inside I felt a sort of calm I'd never felt before. I dressed for the day, taking extra care to wash the wound with a damp cloth and bandage it, then buttoned my linen shirt as high as it would go. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I tried to see if there was anything different, if there was some glint in my eye that acknowledged my newfound worldliness. But my face looked just as it had yesterday. I crept down the back stairs toward the study. Father's schedule was like clockwork, and he always spent the mornings surveying and visiting the fields with Robert. Once I closed myself in the cool, dark room, I ran my fingers along the leather-bound spines on each shelf, feeling comforted by their smoothness. I just hoped that somewhere, in the stacks and shelves of books on every subject, there would be a volume that would answer some of my questions. I remembered Katherine reading The Mysteries of Mystic Falls and noticed the volume was no longer in the study, or at least not in plain view. I walked aimlessly from shelf to shelf, for the first time feeling overwhelmed by the number of books in Father's study. Where could I possibly find information on vampires? Father had volumes of plays, fiction, atlases, and two full shelves of Bibles, some in English, some in Italian, and some in Latin. I traced my hands against the gilt- lettered, leather spines of each book, hoping that somehow I'd find something. Finally, my fingertips landed on a thin, tattered volume with Demonios written in flaking silver on the spine. Demonio †¦ demon †¦ This was what I was looking for. I opened the book, but it was written in an ancient Italian dialect that I couldn't make heads nor tails of, despite my extensive tutoring in Latin and Italian. Still, I carried the book with me to the club chair and settled in. Trying to decipher the book was an action I could understand, something easier than trying to eat breakfast while pretending everything was normal. I ran my fingers along the words, reading out loud as if I were a schoolboy, making sure I didn't miss a mention of the word vampiro. Finally, I found it, but the sentences surrounding it were nothing but gibberish to me. I sighed in frustration. Just then, the door to the study creaked open. â€Å"Who's there?† I called loudly. â€Å"Stefan!† My father's ruddy face registered surprise. â€Å"I was looking for you.† â€Å"Oh?† I asked, my hand flying to my neck, as if Father could see the bandage beneath the fabric. But all I felt was the smooth linen of my shirt. My secret was safe. Father looked at me strangely. He walked toward me, taking the book off my lap. â€Å"Y and I ou think alike,† he said, a strange smile curving onto his face. â€Å"We do?† My heart fluttered in my chest like a hummingbird's wings, and I was sure Father could hear my breath catching in short, shallow gasps in my throat. I felt sure he could read my thoughts, sure he knew about Katherine and me. And if he knew about Katherine, he'd kill her and †¦ I couldn't bear to think of the rest. Father smiled again. â€Å"We do. I know you took our conversation about vampires to heart, and I appreciate you taking this scourge seriously. Of course, I know you have your own motivations in avenging the death of your young Rosalyn,† Father said, making the sign of the cross over his chest. I stared at a thin spot on the Oriental rug, where the fabric was so faded, I could see the stained wooden floor below. I couldn't look up at Father and let my face betray my secret, betray Katherine's secret. â€Å"Be assured, son, that Rosalyn did not die in vain. She died for Mystic Falls, and she will be remembered as we rid our town of this curse. And you, of course, will be an integral part of the plan.† Father gestured toward the book I still held. â€Å"Unlike your good-for-nothing brother. What good is all his new military knowledge if he can't put it to use to defend his family, his land?† Father asked rhetorically. â€Å"Just today he went off on a ride with some of his soldier friends. Even after I told him I expected him here this morning to accompany us to our meeting at Jonathan's house.† But I wasn't paying attention anymore. All I cared about was that he didn't know about Katherine. My breathing slowed. â€Å"There wasn't very much information that I could understand in this book. I don't think it's very useful,† I said, as if all I'd been doing this morning was indulging in a scholarly interest in vampires. â€Å"That's just as well,† Father said dismissively, as he carelessly placed the book back on the shelf. â€Å"I feel that together we have a good store of knowledge.† â€Å"Together?† I parroted. Father waved his hand impatiently. â€Å"Y and I ou Father waved his hand impatiently. â€Å"Y and I ou and the Founders. We've set up a council to deal with this. We're heading to a meeting right now. Y ou're coming.† â€Å"I am?† I asked. Father glanced at me in annoyance. I knew I sounded like a simpleton, but there was simply too much information swimming in my mind to even begin to understand it all. â€Å"Y And I'm taking Cordelia as well. She has es. a good knowledge of herbs and demons. The meeting is at Jonathan Gilbert's house.† Father nodded, as if the subject was closed. I nodded as well, even though I was surprised. Jonathan Gilbert was a university teacher and sometimes inventor who Father not so privately called a crackpot. But now Father said his name with reverence. For the thousandth time that day, I realized this truly was a different world. â€Å"Alfred is hitching up the carriage, but I will drive it. Do not tell anyone where we're going. I've already sworn Cordelia to secrecy,† Father said as he strode out of the room. After a second, I followed him, but not before I slipped Demonios into my back pocket. I sat next to Father in the front seat of the carriage, while Cordelia sat in the back, hidden from sight lest she arouse suspicion. It was strange to be out in the morning, especially without a footman to drive us, and I caught the curious stares of Mr. Vickery as we passed by the Blue Ridge Estate next door. I waved, until I felt Father's hand on my arm, a subtle warning not to attract attention to ourselves. Father began talking once we entered the barren stretch of dirt road that separated the plantation road from town. â€Å"I don't understand your brother. Do you? What man doesn't respect his father? If I didn't know better, I'd think he was consorting with one of them,† Father said, spitting on the dirt road. â€Å"Why would you think that?† I asked uncomfortably, a trickle of sweat running down my spine. I ran my finger beneath my collar, recoiling when I felt the gauze bandage of my neck. It was damp, but from sweat or blood I could not tell. My thoughts were a tangle. Was I betraying Katherine by attending this meeting? Was I betraying Father by keeping Katherine's secret? Who was evil or good? Nothing seemed clear. â€Å"I think that because they have that kind of power,† Father said, using the whip on Blaze as if to prove the point. Blaze whinnied before shifting into a fast trot. I looked back at Cordelia, but she was impassively staring straight ahead. â€Å"They can take over a mind before a man realizes anything is amiss. They compel them to submit fully to their charms and whims. Just a glance can make a man do whatever a vampire desires. And by the time a man does know he's being controlled, it's too late.† â€Å"Really?† I asked skeptically. I thought back to last night. Had Katherine done that to me? But no. Even when I was frightened, I'd been myself. And all my feelings had been mine. Maybe vampires could do that, but Katherine certainly hadn't done it to me. Father chuckled. â€Å"Well, not all the time. One hopes that a man is strong enough to withstand that type of influence. And I certainly have raised my sons to be strong. Still, I wonder what could possibly have gotten into Damon's head.† â€Å"I'm sure he's fine,† I said, suddenly very nervous at the idea that Damon might have figured out Katherine's secret. â€Å"I think he's simply not sure what he wants.† â€Å"I don't care what he wants,† Father said. â€Å"What he needs to remember is that he's my son and I will not be disobeyed. These are dangerous times, much more so than Damon realizes. And he needs to understand that if he is not with us, people might construe that his sympathies lie elsewhere.† â€Å"I think he just doesn't believe in vampires,† I said, a sick feeling forming in the pit of my stomach. â€Å"Shhh!† Father whispered, waving his hand toward me to quiet me down. The horses were clip-clopping into town, just past the saloon, where Jeremiah Black was already nearly passed out by the door, a half bottle of whiskey at his feet. Somehow, I didn't think Jeremiah Black was listening or even seeing what was going on, but I nodded, pleased that the silence gave me a chance to sort through my thoughts. I glanced over to my right, where Pearl and her daughter were sitting on the iron bench outside the apothecary, fanning themselves. I waved to them, but, seeing Father's warning glance, thought better about calling out to say hello. I closed my mouth and sat silently until we reached the other end of town, where Jonathan Gilbert lived in an ill-kept mansion that had once belonged to his father. Father often made fun of the fact that the house was falling apart, but today he said nothing as Alfred opened the door of the carriage. â€Å"Cordelia,† Father called tersely, allowing her to walk up the rickety steps of the Gilbert mansion first as we followed suit. Before we could ring the bell, Jonathan himself opened the door. â€Å"Good to see you, Giuseppe, Stefan. And you must be Cordelia. I've heard much about your knowledge of native herbs,† he said, offering his hand to her. Jonathan led us through the labyrinthine hallways and toward a tiny door next to the grand staircase. Jonathan opened it and gestured for us to head inside. We took turns ducking down to enter a tunnel that was about ten feet long, with a flimsy ladder at the other end. Wordlessly we climbed the ladder and emerged into a tiny, windowless space that immediately made me feel claustrophobic. Two candles burned in tarnished candleholders on a water-stained table, and as my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I could make out Honoria Fells sitting gingerly on a rocker in the corner. Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes shared an old wooden bench. â€Å"Gentlemen,† Honoria said, standing up and welcoming us as if we were just stopping in for tea. â€Å"And I'm afraid I haven't made your acquaintance, Mrs†¦.† Honoria glanced suspiciously at Cordelia. â€Å"Cordelia,† Cordelia murmured, glancing from one face to another, as if this was the last place she wanted to be. My father coughed uncomfortably. â€Å"She treated Stefan during his spells after his †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"After his fiancï ¿ ½e got her throat ripped out?† Mayor Lockwood said gruffly. â€Å"Mayor!† Honoria said, clapping her hand to her mouth. As Jonathan ducked back out into the hall, I settled on a straight-backed chair as far away from the group as possible. I felt out of place, though probably not as out of place as Cordelia, who was now awkwardly sitting on a wooden chair next to Honoria's rocker. â€Å"Now, then!† Jonathan Gilbert said, coming back to the room, his arms laden with tools and papers and objects I couldn't even begin to identify. He sat on a moth-eaten velvet armchair at the head of the table and looked around. â€Å"Let's begin.† â€Å"Fire,† Father said simply. A shiver of fear ran up my spine. Fire was how Katherine's parents had perished. Was that because they were vampires, too? Had Katherine been the only one to escape? â€Å"Fire?† Mayor Lockwood repeated. â€Å"It's been recorded, many times in Italy, that fire kills them, as does beheading or a stake in the heart. And, of course, there are herbs that can protect us.† Father nodded to Cordelia. â€Å"Vervain,† Cordelia confirmed. â€Å"Vervain,† Honoria said dreamily. â€Å"How pretty.† Cordelia snorted. â€Å"It ain't nothing but a herb. But if you wear it, then you have protection from the devil. Some say it can also work a bit to nurse those who've been around them back to health. But it's poison to them devils you call vampires.† â€Å"I want some!† Honoria said greedily, holding out her hand eagerly. â€Å"I don't have any with me,† Cordelia said. â€Å"Y don't?† Father looked at her sharply. ou â€Å"It's all gone from the garden. I used it for Mr. Stefan's remedies; then when I went to pick it this morning, it was all gone. Was probably the children who took it,† Cordelia said indignantly, but she glanced straight at me. I looked away, reassuring myself that if she had known about Katherine's true nature, she would have told my father by now. â€Å"Well, then, where do I get some?† Honoria asked. â€Å"It's probably right under your nose,† Cordelia said. â€Å"What?† asked Honoria sharply, as if she'd been insulted. â€Å"It grows everywhere. Except our garden,† Cordelia said darkly. â€Å"Well,† Father said, glancing at the two women, anxious to diffuse the situation. â€Å"After this meeting, Cordelia may escort Miss Honoria to her garden to find vervain.† â€Å"Now, wait just a damn minute,† Mayor Lockwood said, pounding his beefy fist on the table. â€Å"Y lost me at the woman talk. Y mean to ou ou tell me that if I wear a lilac sprig, then the demons will leave me alone?† He snorted. â€Å"Vervain, not lilac,† Cordelia explained. â€Å"It keeps evil away.† â€Å"Y es,† Father said sagely. â€Å"And everyone in town must wear it. See to it, Mayor Lockwood. That way, not only will our citizens be protected, but anyone who does not wear it will be exposed as a vampire and can then be burned,† Father said, his voice so smooth and matter-of-fact that it took every ounce of self-control for me not to stand up, rush down the shaky ladder, find Katherine, and run away with her. But if I did that, and if Katherine was as dangerous as the Founders thought †¦ I felt like a trapped animal, unable to find any escape. Was I trapped with the enemy right now, or was the enemy back at Veritas? I knew that, beneath my shirt collar, the wound on my neck was beginning to ooze specks of blood, and it would only be a matter of time before they soaked through the fabric and stood out as a visible reminder of my betrayal. Mayor Lockwood shifted uneasily, causing the chair to creak. I jumped. â€Å"Now, if the herb works, that's one thing. But we're in the middle of a war. We've got a lot of Confederate government officials passing through Mystic Falls on their way to Richmond, and if word gets out that instead of aiding the cause we're fighting storybook creatures with flowers †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"We cannot issue an edict that everyone wear vervain.† â€Å"Oh, really? Then how do we know you're not a vampire?† Father demanded. â€Å"Father!† I interjected. Someone had to bring a voice of reason into the discussion. â€Å"Mayor Lockwood is right. We need to think calmly. Rationally.† â€Å"Y son has a good head on his shoulders,† our Mayor Lockwood said grudgingly. â€Å"A better head than yours,† Father mumbled. â€Å"Well †¦ we can discuss vervain later. Honoria, you'll be in charge of making sure that we have a ready supply, and we can strongly encourage those we love to wear it. But for now, I want to discuss other ways we can find the vampires that walk among us,† Jonathan Gilbert said excitedly, unfolding large sheets of paper onto the table. Mayor Lockwood put his bifocals on his nose and peered at the papers, which had complicated mechanical drawings on them. â€Å"This here looks like a compass,† Mayor Lockwood said finally, pointing to a complicated drawing. â€Å"It is! But instead of finding north, it finds vampires,† Jonathan said, barely containing his excitement. â€Å"I'm working on the prototype. It just needs a bit more fine-tuning. It's able to detect blood. The blood of others,† he said meaningfully. â€Å"Can I see that, Mr. Jonathan?† Cordelia asked. Jonathan looked up, surprised, but handed her the papers. She shook her head. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"The prototype.† â€Å"Oh, ah, well, it's very rough,† Jonathan said as he fumbled in his back pocket and pulled out a shiny metal object that looked more like a child's trinket than a tool for finding victims. Cordelia turned the compass slowly in her hands. â€Å"It works?† â€Å"Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬â€œJonathan shrugged–â€Å"it will work.† â€Å"Here's what I propose,† Father said, leaning back on his chair. â€Å"We arm ourselves with vervain. We work day and night to get the compass to work. And we make a plan. We set up a siege, and by month's end our town will be clear.† Father crossed his arms in satisfaction. One by one, every member of the group, including Cordelia, nodded their heads. I shifted on the wooden chair, holding my hand against my neck. The attic was hot and sticky, and flies were buzzing in the rafters, as if it were the middle of July rather than the middle of September. I desperately needed a glass of water, and I felt like the room was going to collapse in on me. I needed to see Katherine again, to remind myself that she wasn't a monster. My breathing became shallow, and I felt that if I stayed here, I would say something I didn't mean. â€Å"I think I'm feeling faint,† I heard myself say, even though the words rang false even to my ears. Father looked at me sharply. I could tell he didn't believe me, but Honoria clucked out sympathetic noises. Father cleared his throat. â€Å"I'll see my boy out,† he announced to the room before following me down the rickety ladder. â€Å"Stefan,† Father said, grabbing my shoulder just as I opened the door that would lead back to a world I understood. â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"Remember. Not a word of this to anyone. Even Damon. Not until he comes to his senses. Except I think his senses may be taken with our Katherine,† Father muttered, half to himself as he let go of my arm. I stiffened at the mention of Katherine's name, but when I turned around, Father's back was toward me as he headed into the house. I walked back through town, wishing I'd ridden Mezzanotte instead of coming in the carriage. Now I had no choice but to walk home. I turned to my left, deciding to cut through the forest. I simply couldn't interact with any more humans today.