Bitter Love Quotes

Love is like dark chocolate. Although it can leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth, you will still be tempted to take a bite the next time around. Many writers have tried to put the bitter experiences of love into words and some have done an exceptional job of it. Here are 21 bitter love quotes that bring out the bleakness of love. Bitter Quotes From Famous People Mother TeresaLoneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible.Ben HechtLove is a hole in the heart. Pearl Bailey  The sweetest joy, the wildest woe is love. James BaldwinThe face of a lover is an unknown, precisely because it is invested with so much of oneself. It is a mystery, containing, like all mysteries, the possibility of torment. W. H. AudenHe was my North, my South, my East and  West,My working week and Sunday rest,My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;I thought that love would last forever:I was wrong. Maureen Duffy  The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound. William M. Thackeray  To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.Johann Wolfgang von GoetheIf  I love you, what business is it of yours?ConfuciusCan there be a love which does not make demands on its object?Henry Wadsworth LongfellowIf I am not worth the wooing, I am surely not worth the winning.S. JohnsonLove is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise. Kahlil Gibran Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. Margaret MitchellI was never one to patiently pick up broken fragments and glue them together again and tell myself that the mended whole was as good as new. What is broken is broken, and Id rather remember it as it was at its best than mend it and see the broken places as I lived.   Anais NinLove never dies a natural death. It dies because we dont know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing.Samuel Butler  It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all. Anonymous Bitter Love Quotes AnonymousTo fall in love is awfully simple; to fall out of love is simply awful. Anonymous  Love is like heaven, but it can hurt like hell.Anonymous  Love is like war: easy to begin but hard to end.AnonymousI never felt true love until I was with you, and I never felt true sadness until you left me.AnonymousLove begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop.AnonymousNo matter how badly your heart is broken, the world does not stop for your grief.

Rotavirus Essay - 717 Words

Every year it kills approximately 1 Million children world wide. The invader sneakes in unnoticed, takes over, all the while increasing in number as it goes. These children are falling victim to a rotavirus responsible for severe pediatric diarrhea. This rotavirus takes over in the human digestive tract, invading its cells and hijacking its protein synthesis machinery. This inhibits normal protein production in favor of a virus army. Children affected by this have had no chance of recovery, but now a glimmer of hope is visible on the horizon-a cure, whose secret lies in the virus unique structure-a tunnel, which, like the fate of the virus, could be sealed. So, what is the Rotavirus actually doing Our bodies consist of†¦show more content†¦Whereas normal RNA has a poly-A tail which triggers protein synthesis with a protein called PABP, the Rotavirus does not have these proteins. Instead, it uses a different protein called NSP3. What is being done about it? In order for researchers to begin to find a cure, they began looking at the structure of the viral protein and how the virus actually attaches itself to the host machinery. Researchers hoped that this knowledge would give them an idea of how the virus take-over could be prevented. The researchers used several different methods to determine the structure of the NSP3 protein. The method that yielded the most information was the Crystallographic Analysis. CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS: This process allows the researchers to determine the structure of the viral protein bound to the virusmRNA. This is done by creating a crystal containing an array of ordered NSP3 proteins bound to RNA. X-rays are then shined on this co-crystal structure. The angles at which the light bounces off the atoms produce a diffraction pattern on a detector. From the positions of and intensities of the spots, dense areas of electrons are identified. These areas correspond the location of the atoms within the protein structure. What was determined Through Crystallographic Analysis, researchers were able to determine the structure of the viral NSP3 protein. The NSP3 protein isShow MoreRelatedEffectiveness Of The Rotavirus Vaccine Essay1878 Words   |  8 PagesEffectiveness of the rotavirus vaccine in New Zealand infants between 8 weeks and three years old Abstract Background. Rotavirus is a gastrointestinal illness characterized by vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ache and a fever. Children less than three years old are particularly at risk of dehydration from the sudden vomiting and diarrhoea, which can require hospitalisation. 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These research questionsRead MoreCost-effectiveness Analysis of a Rotavirus Immunization Program for the United States1160 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Cost-effectiveness Analysis of a Rotavirus Immunization Program for the United States† was designed to estimate the economic impact of a national rotavirus immunization program. The research question and objective of the analysis was to determine if a rotavirus vaccine immunization program would be beneficial and cost effective. The study is poli cy relevant because it will determine if a rotavirus vaccine immunization program is effective enough for implementation and will assist in settingRead MoreShould Vaccines Be Required For Children?1415 Words   |  6 PagesA CDC study claims that: â€Å"children under five with the flu are contagious for about eight days, and it costs their parents an average of 11 to 73 hours of wages (about $222 to $1,456) and $300 to $4,000 in medical expenses. 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These vaccines are recommended for children in order to prevent the contraction and spread of diseases that have been controlled in recent years, eradicated from our country, or that we are hoping to prevent from being introduced. According to an article published by TIME Magazine, 1 in 10 parents choose to â€Å"opt out† of vaccinating theirRead MoreLab Report On Labo ratory Equipments And Apparatus1483 Words   |  6 PagesCompany Country DNA ladder 100bp Promega USA Green master mix Promega USA Interleukin 6 and interleukin 17 Elabscience USA One step rotavirus device Abon biopharm China RNA extraction kit Ribo-sorb Italy Rapid chromatography test for rotavirus Rapid chromatography test for rotavirus The test contains anti –rotavirus antibody coated particle and anti –rotavirus antibody coated on the membrane. 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Homer Watsons Horse And Rider Essay Example For Students

Homer Watsons Horse And Rider Essay Homer Watsons Horse and Rider In A Landscape Examining the formal qualities of Homer Watsons painting Horse and Rider In A Landscape was quite interesting. I chose to analyze this piece as apposed to the others because it was the piece I liked the least, therefore making me analyze it more closely and discover other aspects of the work, besides aesthetics. The texture of the canvas works very well with the subject matter portrayed in the painting. The grassy hill side and the leaves of the trees are especially complimented by the canvas. It makes the leaves feel like they are slightly moving, this combined with the lack of detail itself the leaves. This is contrasted nicely with the very detailed renderings of the trunks and branches of the trees, the conscious decision to put so much effort into the tree itself and then to use obvious brushwork in the leaves makes the trees much more firm and immovable in the landscape. The brushstrokes are very clean and precise on the trees in the background. There is a lot of repetition of the vertical lines of the forest in the background of the painting, these vertical lines draw the eye up into the clouds and the sky. These repeated vertical lines contrast harshly with a horizontal line that divides the canvas almost exactly in half. The background, upper portion of the canvas, is quite static and flat, whereas the foreground and middle ground of the painting have quite a lot of depth. This static effect is made up for in the immaculate amount of detail in the trees described earlier. The perspective lines in the fences and the road draws the viewer into the painting. Perspective lines occur also in the background of the painting in the upper right in the trees getting smaller as they descend into the painting. This painting is an example of linear perspective. All lines converge at a vanishing point. At first sight the house in the middle ground appears to be the destination of the rider, but the use of linear perspective suggests that something else is important beyond the house and the green hill. This painting appears to take place either at either dusk or dawn, when the sun is at the horizon. Likely it is dusk, as the setting appears to be in the Northern Hemisphere and the snow in the picture residing on the left hand side of fence would suggest it has yet to melt, so the sun would be setting in the west, or on the right. So the viewer, as well as the subject, is facing south. This affects the painting in several ways. The lighting is very dramatic, the middle ground being very much more lighted than the foreground and background, therefore the colors are more saturated than the foreground and background. Greens, browns and greys are used a lot in this piece and makes it very muddy. The house really does stand out against the painting because of the contrast of lighting. The piece is pretty balanced, it is more or less partitioned into four parts by the strong horizontal line in the middle and the road meeting with the edge of the forest vertically, the lighter areas in the top right and bottom left, the darker in the top left and bottom right areas of the painting. Lastly I think the frame of the work, it being a muted tint of yellowish green, added to the prevalence of the perception of the muddiness of the work. With a darker frame it may bring the highlights and color saturation from the lighting into more predominance.

Thomas Jefferson and Jonathan Swift Essay Sample free essay sample

There exists a all right line between the grade of duty a authorities has for its citizens. and the control it assumes to guarantee the proliferation of its power. While freedom may be a traditional American value. how it is defined is a inquiry that has long been a beginning of argument. Furthermore. when an establishment follows a class of action that becomes damaging to society. what duty. if any. do the citizens have to demo their dissent. and what signifier should that dissent take? All of these are inquiries looking to be answered. with changing grades of earnestness. by Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Swift. Thomas Jefferson’s A Declaration of Independence may be thought of as a cosmopolitan symbol of traditional American values. nevertheless in it exists several beds of significance. each appealing to the reader and their sense of societal duty. While Swift’s A Modest Proposal attempts a similar prayer to the public’s understanding. We will write a custom essay sample on Thomas Jefferson and Jonathan Swift Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page it diverges drastically in its usage of sarcasm. While the manner of each work separately differs. their map is basically the same: to seek out the reader’s sense of empathy in an attempt to pull support to their cause. When composing the Declaration of Independence Jefferson non merely created something that was shockingly incendiary. it was full of thoughts that were radical for the clip period it was written. While modern-day American society may believe of the inquiry of freedom to be a bygone decision. the political civilization of 1776 was drastically different. Globally the power rested with the monarchies. who concerned themselves more with fostering their ain involvements than protecting and authorising their citizens. Jefferson believed this thought undermined single autonomy. and sought to alter it by making a authorities that derives its â€Å"just powers from the consent of the governed. † Jonathan Swift. who. like Jefferson. was a politically progressive presence in the face of the English. sought to happen similar support in his scathing sarcasm. While Swift apparently claims he is seeking to happen a solution to the poorness that has ravaged the Irish. his true motive in composing the booklet is to pull some attending to the sordidness that the Irish are populating in while being invariably oppressed by the affluent English aristocracy. Swift doesn’t merely direct his exasperation at the English. nevertheless. he besides finds sees failing among the Irish. whom he finds merely as responsible for the hapless province of personal businesss within the state. Both Jonathan Swift and Thomas Jefferson have found considerable mistake with the governing party ; they are utilizing the written word as a agency of protest. The bringing in the Declaration of Independence is instead straightforward. it is divided into three really distinguishable parts with a preamble that outlines both the construction of the Declaration and the directing the representatives have in composing it. Jefferson opens with his bringing of the entitlements each adult male has by virtuousness of merely his ain humanity. â€Å"We keep these truths to be axiomatic. that all work forces are created equal. that they are endowed by their Godhead with certain unalienable rights. that among these are life. autonomy and the chase of felicity. † The certainty with which Jefferson declares these rights. along with their cosmopolitan entreaty. instantly draw the reader into the debut. With each subsequent subdivision of the Declaration Jefferson inside informations how these basic homo privileges are being violated. who is robbing the settlers of such indispensable rights. and what. really exactly. is to be done about it. Already holding listed rights that seem non merely indispensable but really sensible. Jefferson argues that the monarchy has committed awful atrociousnesss against those seeking such entitlements. By the clip the Declaration has concluded. the reader is shocked that the settlers. by all histories such sensible and good intentioned people. are being treated in such a transparently oppressive mode. Swift’s bringing in A Modest Proposal is a similar effort at emotionally pull stringsing the audience into action. nevertheless the sarcastic quality of the essay creates an off-putting air of appendage. robbing Swift of some of his effectivity. In the debut Swift invokes the day-to-day sight of poorness on the streets of Ireland. and how households. â€Å"are forced to use all of their clip in sauntering. to implore nutriment for their incapacitated babies. who are. as they grow up. either turn stealers for privation of work. or leave their beloved native state. † While Swift opens with a strong sense of compassion. making a sense of empathy in the reader. his remarks approximately adult female as â€Å"breeders† and Irish who â€Å"fight for the Pretender in Spain. † give some penetration into his assorted truenesss. The deplorable description of poorness surely creates a demand for alteration. but when Swift begins to assail the same hapless people he c laim need aid. the quality of his bringing is compromised and the reader loses some grade of emotional investing in the narrative. Another of import constituent of each work separately is the class of action the writer claims will be effectual against their sensed beginning of dictatorship. The Declaration of Independence. holding clearly labelled each discourtesy committed by the male monarch. culminates in a concluding paragraph of action ; the settlements claim to be â€Å"absolved from all commitment to the British Crown. and that all political connexion between them and the province of Great Britain. is and out to be wholly dissolved ; and that every bit Free and Independent States. they have full power to impose war. reason peace. contract confederations. set up commercialism. and to make all other Acts of the Apostless and things which Independent States may of right do. † Jefferson has made his instance boundlessly clear. those disenfranchised by the British are hammering their ain way and giving birth to non merely a new province but an advanced set of values with which to run it by. The class of action detailed by Jefferson is particularly powerful in its determination to take the power from the monarchy and give it to the people. A reader of the declaration would probably experience non merely a sense of moral righteousness about declaring independency from such a corrupt monarchy. they would probably experience really sceptered about the ability they all of a sudden have to be portion of something radical. While Swift is besides researching ways in which to procure more freedom for the oppressed. his â€Å"Proposal† is different from Jefferson’s in a shockingly irregular manner. Swift deduces that the best agencies of aid for such a big population of hungering people would. undoubtably. be economic ; of the 120. 000 kids born each twelvemonth 100. 000 of them should be sold off as a epicure daintiness. Swift supports his proposal by guaranting the audience that a healthy kid. â€Å"is at a twelvemonth old a most delightful. nourishing and wholesome nutrient. † The sarcasm of the proposal. that infanticide is a morally acceptable solution to the job. is one of the ways Swift is looking to agitate his audience out of their indifference. The statement of eating kids. every bit satirical as it may be. is such an utmost signifier of freshness that it may turn the reader off of the essay as a whole. In stressing this redress for Ireland Swift insinuates that the Irish ar e so starving for solutions that even cannibalism is preferred to the position quo. Even in a comedic visible radiation Swift’s statement falls short. the hapless gustatory sensation and unfavorable judgment of the Irish people cause the reader to doubt the unity of Swift’s purposes. Both Swift and Jefferson have advanced visions for the subjugated people on whose behalf they are talking. Jefferson is working to make a new order. free of the subjugation of Great Britain. His thoughts and straightforward manner. along with his unequivocal call to action for the settlers to divide themselves from the male monarch. assist do the Declaration of Independence into the influential and ill-famed papers it is known as today. A Modest Proposal. while working to pull attending to the predicament of the Irish people. falls victim to many of Swift’s biass as an writer. While the implicit in message is finally one of critical importance. particularly for the epoch in which it was written. Swift fails to motivate in the reader the same degree of emotional response and Jefferson. The Declaration of Independence has so earned its topographic point as one of the most critically of import. and politically powerful. paperss of all clip. Plants Cited Henderson. Gloria Mason. Anna Dunlap Higgins. Bill Day. and Sandra Stevenson Waller. explosive detection systems. Literature and Ourselves: A Thematic Introduction for Readers and Writers. 6th erectile dysfunction. New York: Longman. 2009. Print. Jefferson. Thomas. â€Å"Declaration of Independence. † Henderson. Higgins. Day and Waller 703-06. Swift. Jonathan. â€Å"A Modest Proposal. † Henderson. Higgins. Day and Waller 696-702.

The Membrane essays

The Membrane essays The membrane has a double lipid layer through which fat- soluble substances will move, by passive transport or diffusion. The molecules will only move through if they are small enough. There are globular protein regions, which are hydrophilic. These regions allow water and water soluble substances through, but only if they are small enough, for example starch grains are too big. These substances move through by passive transport or diffusion. Diffusion is the passive movement of substances from a high concentration to a low concentration ( N.B., you don't need a membrane present, e.g. diffusion occurs in the air). In CONTRAST, diffusion of water across a semi- permeable membrane is called OSMOSIS. Active transport requires energy from ATP, and involves carrier molecules studding the membranes. The carrier combines with the molecule on the outside, which requires ATP. It then moves across, (which also requires ATP), and returns. An example is glucose being transported by active transport by insulin. Why is it called the Fluid Mosaic Model? Fluid- it is called a fluid because proteins are said to wander through the membrane (hence fluid) Mosaic- it is a mosaic because it is a collection (or mosaic) of structures Model- because no matter how real the diagram looks, it is not real. Therefore, it is a model. SO you put all three bits together and you get. FLUID MOSAIC MODEL! YAY!!!!!! ...

10 Amendments - First Changes to the Constitution

10 Amendments - First Changes to the Constitution The first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. Those 10 amendments  establish the most basic freedoms for Americans including the rights to worship how they want, speak how they want, and assembly and peaceably protest their government how they want. The amendments have also been subject to much interpretation since their adoption, particularly the right to carry a gun under the Second Amendment. A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference, said  Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States. The first 10 amendments were ratified in 1791. History of the First 10 Amendments Before the American Revolution, the original colonies were united under Articles of Confederation, which did not address creation of a central government. In 1787, founders called a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to build a structure for a new government. The resulting Constitution did not address the rights of individuals, which became a source of contention during the documents ratification. The first 10 amendments were predated by the Magna Carta, signed in 1215 by  King John  to protect citizens against abuse of power by the King or Queen. Likewise, the authors, led by James Madison,  sought to limit the role of the central government. Virginias Declaration of Rights, drafted by George Mason immediately after independence in 1776, served as a model for other state bills of rights as well as the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Once drafted, the Bill of Rights was quickly ratified by the states. It only took six months for nine states to say yes - two short of the total needed. In December 1791, Virginia was the 11th state to ratify the first 10 amendments, making them part of the Constitution. Two other amendments failed ratification. List of the First 10 Amendments Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. What it means: The First Amendment is, to many Americans, the most sacred of the first 10 amendments because it protects them from persecution over their religious beliefs and government sanctions against the expression of opinions, even those that are unpopular. The First Amendment also prevents the government from interfering with journalists responsibility to serve as watchdogs. Amendment 2: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. What it means:  The Second Amendment is one of the most cherished, and divisive, clauses in the Constitution. Advocates for the right of American to carry guns believe the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms. Those who argue the United States should do more to regulate guns point to the phrase well regulated. Gun-control opponents say the Second Amendment merely allows states to maintain militia organizations such as the National Guard. Amendment 3: No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. What it means: This is one of the simplest and clearest amendments. It forbids the government from forcing private-property owners to house members of the military. Amendment 4: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. What it means: The Fourth Amendment protects the privacy of Americans by prohibiting the search and seizure of property without cause. Its reach is indescribably broad: every one of the millions of arrests made annually is a Fourth Amendment event. So too is every search of every person or private area by a public official, whether a police officer, schoolteacher, probation officer, airport security agent, or corner crossing guard, writes the Heritage Foundation. Amendment 5: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. What it means: The most common use of the Fifth Amendment is the right to avoid incriminating oneself by refusing to answer questions at a criminal trial. The amendment also guarantees Americans due process. Amendment 6: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. What it means: While this amendment seems clear, the Constitution doesnt actually define what a speedy trial is. It does, however, guarantee those accused of crimes a decision on guilt or innocence made by their peers in a public setting. That is an important distinction. Criminal trials in the United States take place in full public view, not behind closed doors, so they are fair and impartial and subject to judgement and scrutiny by others. Amendment 7: In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. What it means: Even if certain crimes rise to the level of being prosecuted at the federal level, and not the state or local, defendants are still guaranteed a trial before a jury of their peers. Amendment 8: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. What it means: This amendment protects those convicted of crimes from excessive jail time and capital punishment. Amendment 9: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. What it means: This provision was meant as a guarantee that Americans hold rights outside of just those specified in the first 10 amendments. Because it was impossible to enumerate all the rights of the people, a bill of rights might actually be construed to justify the government’s power to limit any liberties of the people that were not enumerated, states the Constitution Center. Thus the clarification that many other rights exist outside of the Bill of Rights.   Amendment 10: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. What it means: States are guaranteed any power not delegated to the U.S. government. Another way of explaining it:  the federal  government holds only those powers delegated to it in the Constitution.

Quotes from Ludwig Wittgenstein (The book, Tractatus Essay

Quotes from Ludwig Wittgenstein (The book, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus) - Essay Example in determining meaning arrives through the process of determination of whether an elementary proposition can be considered true or false depending on how it relates to the perceived reality of the world that is accepted as real by the multitudes. Language can therefore be said to consist entirely of propositions all of which can be analyzed for the purpose of breaking them down into elementary propositions. In turn, elementary propositions are actually simply name combinations used to refer to objects. On the metaphysical level, elementary propositions can also be termed logical representations of atomic facts. It is at the level of atomic facts that metaphysical language becomes particularly confusing because atomic facts are combination of complex facts that represent truth in the world (3.261) If language is a series of elemental propositions representing logical representations of atomic facts, then the obvious answer to the question of metaphysical meaning lies in the realization that any meaning of a particular word must be divorced from the thing it is intended to represent and instead pulled forth from this distortion of meaning so that it is applied instead to how the word is utilized. The meaning of language essentially becomes intertwined with context constructed from the elementary proposition. If elementary propositions are intended as a logical representation of an atomic fact then it becomes true that facts can change through context. As an example, consider the blue heron in scenario one. The blue heron can be broken down into several elementary propositions and the one the participant chooses to use in the scenario becomes a logical representation of the atomic fact that represents only the truth that some people do seen signs and make connection. Essentially this entire scenario can be read as a language game in which words like â€Å"sign† â€Å"soul† and â€Å"being† are all capable of being used with a broad amount of variability. Due the

National Programme for Information Technology Essay

National Programme for Information Technology - Essay Example The NPFiT programme is designed to be in ten years and deliver key elements that are concerned with NHS care record service (National patient Record Spine and Local Service Providers), electronic bookings, electronic transmission of prescriptions and underpinning IT infrastructure and network. The implementation of the program will involve new technology and information systems are being implemented in planned phases both at national and local levels. National Application Service Providers are responsible for purchasing and integrating IT systems common to all users nationally whereas locally, this will be provided by Local Service Providers across ten strategic health authorities in England grouped into three regional programmes. Their mandate is to ensure that the local systems that exist or being put into use go hand in hand in meeting the national standards that will also facilitate the flow of data nationally and locally.This program has key components set up to deliver the new IT systems and services that include the national network providing infrastructure and broadband connections for the NHS to enable patient information to be shared between organisations. Care records service ensures every patient will have his individual record easily accessible to him and health professionals hence reduce administrative and clinical errors. A national central database – referred to as Spine – will is the backbone of the project as it has a summary of patient records and key data. such as NHS numbers, demographic details, drug allergies, medications and significant diagnoses or problems. It will also point

Both Spirited Away and Pan(TM)s Labyrinth Essay Example for Free

Both Spirited Away and Pan(TM)s Labyrinth Essay Both Spirited Away and Pans Labyrinth represent the traditional family unit as an important part of a childs life. How do the two films convey these messages to the audience? Hayao Miyazakis Spirited Away (2001, Japan) and Guillermo Del Toros Pans Labyrinth (2006, Spain) are both feature length films which delve into the journey of a young female character experiencing their own personal journeys to achieve different goals. This is achieved by the aid of supporting characters who take on the roles of those in a traditional family. This may include a mother, father, siblings and others. The traditional family unit in Spirited Away is absolutely essential to the development of the piece. Chihiro, the main protagonist, throughout the film is on a journey to maturity. At the start, she is represented as a very naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and insignificant person. For example, towards the start of the film we see a low-angle shot from behind Chihiro, looking up at the bathhouse. Just this camera shot already suggests to the audience that the director is portraying her in a stereotypically childlike light; she is wandering into the unknown with a complete lack of self-awareness. In contrast, towards the end of the film, we see Chihiro reach a new level of maturity. If we look at how she reacts to her parents driving her away from her home, friends, and everything that she had become accustomed to; she complains about it, and generally acts childish in her actions, for example when we see her father point out her new school, at which point she sneers and pokes her tongue out at it t hrough the car window. We can compare this directly to when Chihiro journeys, by train, to return a gold seal to Zeniba. The decision to go was completely self-motivated, brought about solely by her own feelings of responsibility. This in itself conveys messages of maturity. Although we have almost exactly the same situation as at the start of the film in the car (she is travelling to an alien destination), this time she has an awareness of where she is going, and has chosen to take the journey herself. This path of maturity becomes an imperative aspect to acknowledge when looking at the supporting characters and their significance. During the film, her parents are taken away from Chihiro, and she is left alone. However, this triggers a traditional family unit to form around her. From my observations, these surrogate family members include Lin, taking on the big sister role, Yubaba, taking the role of a grandmother and Kamaji assuming the father/grandfather/uncle figure. The character of Haku whose relationship with Chihiro is possibly one of the most significant, is also the most debatable and perhaps the hardest to define as part of a family unit. Looking at the character of Lin, her influence on Chihiros development is more than apparent. From the moment that Chihiro becomes employed in the bathhouse, her contact with Lin is very much of a sisterly nature; they share the same daily routine, eat together, sleep together,live together. Being the younger of the two, she would naturally default to mimicking her in everything she does, exactly as a stereotypical older/younger sister relationship would operate, especially concerning their work in the bathhouse. We see this when Chihiro notices how Lin uses the bath tags in a certain manor to receive water from the boiler, and then later when she takes on the task of cleaning the stink spirit, she remembers this and makes use of it several times in order to finish the job at hand. This shows advancement in Chihiros independence and ability to adapt to the situation given in the workplace, and these skills are learned directly from Lin. Again, this is undeniable evidence suggesting t he importance of a sister figures contribution to the traditional family unit. In the absence of her real mother, Yubaba as the only mature female character in the piece, becomes the obvious choice of surrogate mother/grandmother for Chihiro. The first introduction of Yubaba as a mother/grandmother figure is her naming/re-naming of Chihiro to Sen, like a mother christening her child. The importance of this act is that giving Chihiro a new name in this workplace, which only an adult experiences, is a disciplinary act, giving her a completely different identity, almost forcing Chihiro to become someone else. As in every traditional family, if children are spoilt, they never mature, but if they are disciplined along the way by their mother, they learn respect, appreciation and other such skills. This is another vital step for Chihiro to take on her path to growing up, induced entirely by Yubaba. However we also have the part of Zeniba, who takes on a similar role to Yubaba but in a more affectionate and understanding way. In a stereotypical parental unit there wil l always be the affectionate side and the disciplinary side in order to ensure a childs good upbringing. Kamajii, the boiler man, is conveyed to us as the audience in such a way that we immediately recognise him as very experienced, kindly and possibly wise. Although he is a rather removed character in the film, only appearing infrequently, he is only ever welcoming in nature, helping Chihiro at any obstacle that should arise, but at the same time diligently carrying out his work. We see this when he is grinding all sorts of different herbs and spices on his pedestal, but voluntarily he pretends that Chihiro is his granddaughter and requests that Lin takes her to see Yubaba for work. All of these are the traits of a father, however, due to his absence in the film as a whole, he is more like a grandfather, and actually refers to Chihiro as his granddaughter near the beginning of the film. We see this when Chihiro is desperately trying to find a way to get to Zenibas place, and Kamajii offers her his only train ticket there. Again, although a seemingly small contribution, everybody needs a bit of stability and support, much like Chihiro did here, and this is exactly what Kamajiis fatherly character offers. Haku, being one of the first characters which Chihiro meets within the film, immediately becomes important to her; a lost child in real life would latch on to the nearest compassionate figure, and when Haku finds Chihiro, this is precisely what happens. More than that; however, particularly in such unfamiliar surroundings, this boy being the first person that she meets and him even rescuing her from death, forms a unique relationship between the two, which lasts throughout the film. It is because of this that Chihiro possibly cares about him more than any other character in the film, and certainly, Haku cares for her more than any other character. We see this several times, for example when Chihiro notices Haku, as a dragon, flying into a window of the bath house, in a bloody state. Chihiro is desperate to try and help Haku, and chases him up to Yubabas room to do this. The significance of this, is that due to these romantic or otherwise feelings, Chihiro was shown by Haku how to care for someone at the start of the film, and in the example given, she mirrors Haku in this, giving direct evidence to suggest that Haku, interpreted as a family figure or not, is still a massive influence in Chihiros personal development. So the ideology of this film seems to, certainly, be that a strong family unit is absolutely vital for the development of a child. In Pans Labyrinth, our central character is the young Ofelia, and we are straight away shown a typical parent-child situation with her mother Carmen in the backseat of a car; Carmen is telling Ofelia that she is too old for books and fairy tales. We can suggest that probably the most prominent development in Ofelias character, throughout the film, is how she becomes notably more courageous, in a rebellious manner. This is not necessarily to say that Ofelia doesnt demonstrate courage and self-determination towards the beginning of the film, for example, she independently wanders off into the labyrinth to find Pan the faun quite early on the piece. However, if we particularly observe her actions towards the Captain, her step-father, as the piece progresses, Ofelia, without doubt, feels more confident to rebel against him with more audacity, and greater consequence. For example, Ofelia seemingly unintentionally offers the Captain her left hand at the start of the film, a comparatively m inor act of disrespect, but nearing the end, she even has enough daring to go so far as to steal her baby brother from his room. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the main heroine in the film develops due to supporting characters taking on family orientated roles, much in the same way as in Spirited Away. What does differ though is that Ofelia actually has her real mother for the majority of the piece although her presence fades throughout the film, she is still present. This distinction is vital to acknowledge as a mother figure, for a young girl, will probably the most influential person in the shaping of their own character. Her mother aside, our traditional family unit members include Mercedes, as a big sister/mother role and Pan, as the only possible fatherly figure the piece. Much like in Spirited Away, where Yubaba is instantly recognised as an evident adult figure, due to her being introduced in the workplace and her business-like nature, we can also instantly identify Carmen as an adult because she is portrayed as a mother above all else in the film, being in her pregnant state. In terms of Carmens impact on Ofelia, the main citation to be made is how Carmen shows devotion to her children, which Ofelia learns, and employs later in the film. For example, we see how Carmen marries a man, who she debatably doesnt even love, in order to bring a safe environment to her children, showing a great deal of affection to her children. Even though all logic would lead Ofelia to care very little about her brother, (he is the cause of her mothers death and Captain Vidals son) she ends up giving her life for him at the end of the film, almost mirroring her mothers actions, proving to the audience that Ofelia has gained skills from her mother, conveying messages of massive importance upon the part of a motherly figure in a traditional family unit, relating directly back to the question. The character of Mercedes is without question, the most appropriate person to take on a sisterly role for Ofelia. We can quite easily make the connotation that, due to Mercedes and Ofelias almost identical circumstances (they are both at the mercy of the captain), Mercedes can simply be described as an older version of Ofelia. Furthermore, both of these characters close relations come to harm at the hands of the captain. We see this when the captain instructs the doctor that, if the baby can be saved, then Carmens welfare is negligible. Also Mercedes comrade, one of the Guerrilla rebels, is eventually tortured by the captain and killed. Ofelia in fact looks to Mercedes as more of a role model after her mother dies, and possibly identifies her as a secondary/replacement mother figure. Much like in Spirited Away, Ofelias loss of parentage leaves her with no choice but to latch on to the nearest affectionate character, here being Mercedes. So overall, Mercedes greatest contribution to Ofelias development is that of displaying courage, particularly in rebelling against Captain Vidal, which Ofelia learns from and mimics, much like a younger sister would do. We see this quite clearly when Mercedes seeks out Ofelia and tries to escape with her near the end of the film. After Carmens death, Mercedes is Ofelias new role model, Ofelia goes on to steal the baby from the captain, a courageous, and rebellious, skill learnt directly from Mercedes, the evident sister figure in the piece. Pan, the faun, is a very interesting character in terms of analysis. It is he who actually opens up this supernatural world to Ofelia, which is what makes him interesting, because he could be interpreted as a character which does not develop Ofelia, but actually completely the opposite, simply due to the fact that he widens this supernatural world, which Ofelia creates through her childlike imagination. This can be seen by the way that he sets out a task for Ofelia in order to become Princess Moanna of the underworld, and stay a child forever. Conversely, Pan, being a seemingly authoritative figure in this strange world, actually makes rules within this world i.e. he tells Ofelia that these various tasks must be completed in a certain fashion e.g. he instructs her not to touch the fruit in the second task. Be this imaginary or not, this makes him become an embodiment of discipline for Ofelia, taking on the role of a replacement father. This is very similar again, to Yubabas role in S pirited Away. Laying out rules for Ofelia in each of the tasks that he sets her, forces her to independently mature and stick to the rules, very unlike the actions of a child, clearly benefiting her. Because nobody seems to step in and take the role of Ofelias father, it is rather convenient that it is Pan who induces Ofelia to rebel against the Captain, steal the baby, and for the final goal to re-unite Ofelia with her real father. This is so significant in the sense that, this is very likely exactly what a stereotypical father would do if one were still present. Relating back to the question, if we remember that the only missing member of Ofelias family unit is a father, Pan could well be Ofelias attempt at completing this broken family unit through her imagination. If we then look at what this suggests about the ideology of Pans Labyrinth, it seems to me that it could suggest the same as Spirited Away but also, when taken out of the comfort zone of a strong family unit, it can actually force a child to mature in a greater way than with one. Through close analysis of both films, it has become clear that children crave the stability that the traditional family unit provides. They also thrive in it. Both central female characters in each film, undoubtedly piece together some kind of family in whatever way they can, in the absence of their actual family members. However it has also become apparent that people around characters who lack stability, are without question, drawn to filling those roles. When looking at the evidence given for each character explored in the two products, it would be a huge understatement to say that each member of the traditional family unit doesnt have a massive impact on the central protagonist. The two films convey the messages of family importance in such a way that without the supporting family characters whose roles are taken on within each piece, the actions and development of both Ofelia and Chihiro in their respective films would both be completely different without the presence of these characters.

The Cyclops: An Unusual People :: essays research papers fc

The Cyclops: An Unusual People   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cyclopes were unique and unusual mythical people. They had very interesting lives. They had an unusual beginning and they had an unusual lifestyle. Also, the Cyclopes appeared to be completely different when described by opposing viewpoints. Overalll, the Cyclopes were an unconventional race in mythical legends.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cyclopes had an intriguing origin. They were the eldest sons of Mother Earth, Gaia, and Father Heaven, Uranus (Evslin 1). While the Cyclopes were still in the womb of Gaia, Uranus got jealous of the babies. He sent a bat to eat one eye out of each baby to make them hideous and thus make everybody hate them (Evslin). Because of what Uranus executed, the baby Cyclopes were born with one eye. They grew to be of gigantic size (Hamilton 65). This beginning of the era of the Cyclopes proved to be a unique situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the Cyclopes were born disfigured they led attracting lives. The Cyclopes had a brother named Cronos who killed his father Uranus (Evslin 13). Since everyone was afraid of the Cyclopes (2), Cronos punished them by tricking them into imprisonment. Zeus, the son of Cronos and the new god king, freed them after Cronos had imprisoned them (31). The Cyclopes were very good smiths (12). They forged thunderbolts for Zeus because he freed them (Schmidt 74). A war was in the midst so the Cyclopes made armor and weapons for the gods of Olympus (Evslin 39). Even though the Cyclopes performed all of these good deeds the people still disliked them so much that they were forced to return to their smithy in the middle of a volcano for eternity (71). The Cyclopes lives were filled with helpfulness to others, but they were still shunned and hated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cyclopes were basically good people, but there were other Cyclopes. Homer wrote of Cyclopes that were extremely bad. They were downright savage shepherds (Schmidt 74). They were so savage that they did not give a thought before they devoured humans. They almost ate Odysseus, the main character of

Todd Gitlin Summary on Media

Todd Gitlin is a notable author born in New York City. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, where he received a PhD in sociology and was heavily involved in the Students for a Democratic Society group. Gitlin is now a professor at New York University where he teaches culture, journalism, and sociology. Gitlin’s selection, Supersaturation, or, The Media Torrent and Disposable Feeling, comes from his book Media Unlimited: How the Torrent of Images and Sounds Overwhelms Our Lives (2001). In this selection, Gitlin describes how private lives and domestic spaces have evolved from the seventeenth-century until now. He feels as though our once private households are now dominated by other worldly things in the form of media. There are many ideas in Todd Gitlin’s writings that support his view of our media influenced world, two of which, are the ideas of â€Å"supersaturation† and â€Å"disposable feeling. † According to dictionary. com the definition of supersaturation is â€Å"to increase the concentration of (a solution) beyond saturation. Gitlin uses the word â€Å"supersaturation† to describe the way today’s world has completely absorbed the media and its relations. Society has become immersed in the gossip and images displayed by the media. The lines between living space and working space are no longer as distinct as they used to be. Gitlin states that, â€Å"the outside world has entered the home with vengeance – in the profusion of media† (Gitlin 558). Relating to this same concept, Gitlin uses the idea of â€Å"disposable feeling† to explain the way people of today are able to move from one worldly image to the next, one piece of gossip to another, with no concern. We are able to shrug them off and come back to them later if we choose to do so. In some of Gitlin’s research, he refers to the writings of analyst Raymond Williams who states, â€Å"What we have now is drama as habitual experience, more in a week, in many cases, than most human beings would previously have seen in a lifetime† (Gitlin 559). We have become immune to true feelings for individual images and stories, and thrive on the idea of the next gossip that will follow. In this selection of the book, Gitlin discusses a seventeenth-century Dutch painter by the name of Vermeer. Vermeer was known for being able to†fr[ee]ze instants, but instants that spoke of the relative constancy of the world in which his subjects lived† (Gitlin 558). People collected Vermeer’s paintings for display throughout their homes. Gitlin sees Vermeer as the seventeenth-century version of the media. In that time, the images painted were relative to the people’s era and private world. In today’s world Vermeer would be the equivalent to a celebrity photographer or movie director. If Vermeer, or any other artist of his time, were to see today’s households, they would find that the once private space inside the home is now much more dominated by images of the outside world than what would have been possible in the 1600’s. As mentioned in Gitlin’s research, statistics show that, â€Å" ‘watching TV is the dominant leisure activity of Americans, consuming 40 percent of the average person’s free time as a primary activity [when people give television there undivided attention]’ † (Gitlin 560). Even the wealthier parts of poor worlds have access to some sort of media. It would take someone from a third world country to be stunned by the fact that our lives are constantly portrayed through television, radio, internet and other forms of media. People of today come in contact with more â€Å"information† in a single day than any one person of Vermeer’s time could have ever imagined. The media surrounds our world in every aspect of society. Gitlin notes in his writings that the statistics referenced â€Å"don’t take into account the billboards, the TV’s at bars and on planes, the Muzak in restaurants and shops . . . nd logos whizzing by on the sides of buses and taxis, climbing the walls of buildings, making announcements from caps, bags, T-shirts, and sneakers† (Gitlin 563). Thanks to all of the latest technology and communication systems people are able to connect to the outside world whenever we like. In Gitlin’s conclusion he goes on to explain that our personal opinion is no longer important to the world. People of our time are followers rather than leaders, and are consistently being sucked in to how the media says we should live our lives. Gitlin feels that the way we live our lives, â€Å"or spend it,† (563) determines who we are. Our lives have become completely consumed with technology and the latest electronics. Gitlin argues that even in our most private times we cannot bring ourselves to stay clear of the media. â€Å"[Our] life experience has become an experience in the presence of media† (Gitlin 563). In seventeenth-century time this degree of media dependence would be unthinkable. Earls View In my reading of Todd Gitlin’s Supersaturation, or, the Media Torrent and Disposable Feeling, I have come to the conclusion that I agree with Gitlin on the matter of an overwhelming media presence in today’s world. The media has become such a large influence on everything on society. From TV, internet, and cell phones to billboards, magazines, and newspapers, it has become nearly impossible to be media free. Going along with Gitlin’s opinion on the subject, I agree that even in our seemingly private home lives, we continue to depend on media and other electronic entertainment. In this day and age people are constantly fixated with staying connected with the outside world through the media using smart phones, emails, news, social networks and sports. As technology continues to advance we become consumed with the idea of having the latest and the best gadgets to keep us linked to media at all times. These gadgets have become part of our daily routine to check on society. People feel lost when they can’t check there emails or their status on Facebook. Dinner in a home used to be eating at the dining room table and having conversations about your day but has now become sitting in the living room and watching TV. Even children have been affected by this media trend. They watch more TV than reading books. There are TV shows to help them learn rather than reading books for math, science and English. It is clear that the world is being dominated by media. The world has evolved in to a smart, fast pace place where we have to know everything that goes on, not just where we live and what’s going on in our lives but the entire world as well. We spend all our money on top of the line, expensive electronics to keep up to date with media and worldly news * Technology continues to advance (walkman mp3 players, tapes blue ray) * Constantly fixated on staying â€Å"connected† to the outside world (using smart phones to check email, news, sports) * Has become part of daily routine to check for updates in society * Even watch tv whil e eating family meals, tv’s in restaurants, portable computers, ect * Faster growing demand for careers in technology fields

Fools Crow

The tribal status of White Man’s Dog, as it were in the beginning of Fools Crow, was certainly not as he desired it to be. Due to the position of wealth his father had risen to, it seems the tribe expected much from him. Welch does not go into great detail concerning the views of the tribes people on White Man’s Dog, but Yellow Kidney describes him on page 7 as having â€Å"much heart but (being) unlucky†[1]. It is true, being eight-teen without a wife and having only three horses, none of which being block horn runners; White Man’s Dog does in fact appear unlucky. However, Yellow Kidney plays a major role in the reversal of this luck. White Man’s Dog has a complete turn in tribal status, earning a wife and horses as well as a new identity with in the tribe. Dreams are a constant theme in Fools Crow. Many different characters have dreams, and each responds differently to them. During the journey to the Crow Raid, White Man’s Dog has a dream about naked women desiring him, but fears danger if he goes. He wants to inform Yellow Kidney of this dream put hesitates due to advice he had received from his father. In the end this was a costly decision, as the dream comes to fruition during the raid, not White Man’s Dog, but for Yellow Kidney. Turns-out the alarm for risk was valid, as Yellow Kidney gets very sick from his encounter with the Crow Women. When news of White Mans Dog feels responsible[2] for this outcome. During this same raid, Fast Horse also has a dream. Fast Horse is prideful and boasts of his dream, which turned out to not come true. Fast Horse was greatly humiliated by this and seemed to have his future driven by it. The most consequential dream was had by Mik-api. In this dream, Mik-api spoke to Raven about Wolverine who was trapped, and needed White Man’s Dog to help him. This dream did in fact come to realization and resulted in White Man’s Dog gaining confidence and his ‘medicine’. As a result of White Man’s Dog realizing his new inner strength, he was able to take part in war against the Crows. This battle would prove life changing for White Man’s Dog as it would be where he earned his new name; Fools Crow. His great modesty made acceptance of his new name very difficult. The meaning behind it had been stretched greatly out of its real context. During battle, White Man’s Dog played dead, fooling the Crow Chief, Bull Shield. Because Bull Shield assumed White Man’s Dog was indeed dead, it was possible for him to spring up and kill the chief. This account was, as I said, greatly inflated and reported that, with use of medicine, White Man’s Dog was able to fool all the crows, thus earning his new name Fools Crow. As I have read through all the tales and recounts contained in the many great pieces of Native American Literature, one theme has stood out to me more than anything else. Maybe it is due to my admiration for nature, but it seems all tribes made great attempts to both explain natural events and create an association of these events with human life. Welch clearly depicts the Blackfoot people as being of this same mind frame. The names and life given to the wind, the sun and various animals’ reports on their own view of the world they live in. The relationship a male Blackfoot has with â€Å"his animal† shows this relationship between humans and nature. This disposition, of a human and nature link, shows the worldview of this tribe clearly as an all-encompassing outlook. They undoubtedly see the world as one big union, everything being linked to one another. The walk I took with White Man’s Dog, growing and changing into Fools Crow was an intense one to say the least. James Welch has the uncanny ability to connect reader to character and I feel as if Fools Crow and I have a bond, as if he and his story have been made alive with in the many nights I’ve spent with him.

The Different Types of Business School Degrees

The Different Types of Business School Degrees Business degrees can greatly increase your job opportunities and earning potential. You can earn a general business degree or specialize in one of the  many different disciplines that can be pursued and combined. The options shown below are some the most common and popular  business school  degrees and specializations. Most of these degrees can be earned at the undergraduate and graduate level. Accounting Degree With the enactment of new corporate accounting laws in the U.S., accounting degrees are in demand. There are three different classes of accountants: Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and the degree requirements vary for each. Students who earn degrees in accounting will study the aspects of managerial accounting, budgeting, financial analysis, auditing, taxation, and more.   Business Administration Students who major in business administration study the  management, performance and administrative functions of business operations. Administration can encompass everything from finance and economics to marketing and operations management. A business administration degree is very similar to a general business degree; sometimes the terms are used interchangeably.   Business Management Degree Degrees in business management can be pursued singularly or it can be combined with specialized studies. Students who earn business management degrees are prepared for managing positions in a wide range of companies. Advanced degrees can lead to high-paying positions such as CEO and Senior Administrator.   Entrepreneurship Degree Entrepreneurship degrees often include training that encompasses aspects of accounting, ethics, economics, finance, strategy, operations management, and marketing. Students who acquire a degree in entrepreneurship will be equipped with the knowledge needed to organize and operate a new business venture.   Finance Degree Finance degrees can lead to a variety of jobs in public and private organizations. Job opportunities include investment banker, budget analyst, loan officer, real estate professional, financial advisor, and money market manager. Because this profession is expected to grow at a very fast rate within the next ten years, students who achieve a degree in finance will most likely be in demand.   Human Resources Degree A degree in human resources is almost a necessity to work in the human resources field. This fast growing area of business is always in need of people with superior interpersonal skills who are well-versed in areas of recruitment, training, compensation and benefits administration, and human resources law.    Marketing Degree A degree is marketing is often combined with business management. Students who pursue marketing degrees will learn about advertising, strategy, product development, pricing, promotion, and consumer behavior.   Project Management Degree The field of project management really exploded on the business scene a couple of decades ago, and many business schools are still working to offer this degree option to business majors. Most of the people who earn a project management degree go on to work as a project manager. The average project manager has at least a bachelors degree, but masters degrees are not uncommon in the field and may be needed for more advanced positions.

Interesting Facts About Maya Angelou

Interesting Facts About Maya Angelou Thanks to her award-winning writing, Maya Angelou was internationally known decades before her death at age 86 in 2014. Despite her fame and her many memoirs, many interesting details about her life remain widely unknown to the public. Familiarize yourself with the life and work of Maya Angelou with this list of interesting facts about her life. Family Life She may have risen to fame as â€Å"Maya Angelou,† but she was not born with that first name or with that surname. Instead, Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis. â€Å"Maya† derives from a childhood nickname and Angelou is a shortened version of Angelopulos, the surname of a Greek sailor the writer married in 1952.It’s uncertain how many times Angelou married, the New York Times reported in her obituary. â€Å"Throughout her life, she was cagey about the number of times she married- it appears to have been at least three- for fear, she said, of appearing frivolous,† the Times noted.Although Angelou married a number of times, she bore just one child, a son named Guy Johnson. She gave birth to him at the age of 16. He was the product of a brief romance Angelou had with a neighborhood boy in Northern California. Career During her young adulthood, Angelou became the first black woman to work as a streetcar conductor in San Francisco, according to the Times.Although Angelou stood 6 feet tall, she managed to carve out a career as a dancer as a young woman. She even danced with the likes of Alvin Ailey.Angelou appeared in a number of theatrical productions, earning a Tony nomination for her role in 1973’s â€Å"Look Away,† a play about Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress. Friendship With Prominent African Americans Angelou stopped celebrating her birthday because the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a friend of hers, was assassinated on that day. Instead of celebrating her birthday, Angelou sent flowers to King’s widow, Coretta, according to Biography.com. In addition to King, Angelou was friends with a number of other prominent African Americans, including James Baldwin and Malcolm X, the New York Times reported. Literary Career Angelou rose to fame after the publication of her 1969 memoir, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. That book made history, as it marked the first time an autobiography by an African-American woman became a best-seller in the United States.Caged Bird was far from Angelou’s only memoir. The writer followed that effort up with Gather Together in My Name (1974), Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas (1976), The Heart of a Woman (1981), All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986) and A Song Flung Up to Heaven (2002). Moreover, in 2013, Angelou’s memoir about her relationship with her mother, Mom Me Mom, debuted.Despite the fact that she excelled as a writer above all else, Angelou said that the craft did not come easily to her. In 1990, she told the Paris Review, â€Å"I try to pull the language into such a sharpness that it jumps off the page. It must look easy, but it takes me forever to get it to look so easy. Of course, ther e are those critics- New York critics as a rule- who say, Well, Maya Angelou has a new book out and of course it’s good but then she’s a natural writer. Those are the ones I want to grab by the throat and wrestle to the floor because it takes me forever to get it to sing. I work  at the language.†Ã‚   More About Maya Angelou A globetrotter, Angelou spoke a number of languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, and the West African language Fanti, according to her website.Angelou had a seafood allergy. Apparently, it was so severe that she requested people not to eat seafood prior to meeting with her.

What factors contributed in the stuggle against the Mafia in Sicily Essay

What factors contributed in the stuggle against the Mafia in Sicily - Essay Example Cosa Nostra (Mafia) criminal syndicate emerged in mid 19th century and all cosca aimed at controlling a particular territory (Blok 2001). In 1870s, Romans officials invited Sicilian Mafia clans to help in fighting dangerous independent criminal organisations and protect the land owners (Blok 2001). The Mafia and state had entered in to partnership that allowed the Cosa Nostra to perform the functions that state could inefficiently perform. Factors that contributed to struggle against Sicilian Mafia The mafia and state enjoyed cordial relationships with the Mafia without any disruptions for several years. However, the relationships started tumbling in 1960s after Mafia acquired wealth and threatened the balance of power between the state and Mafia (Blok 2001). Accordingly, the methods of Mafia in acquiring power changed to threatening, extortion and criminal activities thus threatening the State power (Blok 2001). Mafia acquired considerable financial resources through ensuring close working ties with Christian Democratic Party and obtaining guarantees on construction contracts (Allum and Renate2003). In recognition of Mafia’s growing influence, the state decided to withdraw from the relationship with Cosa Nostra (Seindal 1998). Again, Mafia criminal empire expanded in 1970s to become a key network in inter-continent crimes such as money laundering and drug-trafficking. Mafia was initially used to define Sicilian phenomenon, but it is currently used to define any organised criminal organisation especially in Italia (Seindal 1998). In the recent past, Sicilian mafia has expanded to European and international level and has committed other crimes such as money laundering and drug trafficking in countries like Middle East, Latin-America and Switzerland. According to Italian anti-Mafia law of 1982, mafia organisations use intimidation powers and have organised criminal structure that plan its criminal activities. Sicilian mafia has a long history of corruption , murder and extortion (Blok 2001). In early 1980s, Mafia violence was directed at assassination of judges, prosecutors and political authorities. Corleonesi assisted in instigating the Second Mafia war and led a brutal Luciana Leggio against the state authorities in the ‘First Mafia War’. After the Mafia Trials of 1960s, few individuals were convicted of criminal activities and Mafia resumed back to illicit business activities. Control for family dominance within the Mafia organisation resulted to the Second Mafia wars since Corleonesi believed that some families had benefited more from the illicit drug profits and desired to dominate the Mafia through use of violence. Several Mafia families regrouped and started killing specific state figures such as Colonel Giuseppe Russo and several police chiefs (Seindal 1998). Organisations that struggled against the Sicilian Mafia Magistrates Giovanni and Paolo Borsellino The climax of Mafia brutality highlighted the need of the state to curb the organisations criminal activities and several individuals within the state started fighting against the impunity of Mafia (Scheider and Peter1998). In late 1980s and early 1990s, Sicilian prosecutors like Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone work unearthed the hierarchical structure of Sicilian Mafia organisations. The two prosecutors asserted that they would

Religious Practices of the Masses During the Renaissance Essay

Religious Practices of the Masses During the Renaissance - Essay Example Some significant advances that are famous that time are in the elements of paintings through the introduction of linear perspective painting and the reformation of education which was gradual and widespread. This intellectual revolution period was said to be the connection between Middle Ages and Modern Era. Their influences were seen in science, literature, politics, art, philosophy, religion, and other intellectual inquests. Some of the noblest works of religious art, like the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, Madonnas by Raphael and those of Fra Angelico and Grunewald were products of the Italian renaissance. Participants studied the great civilizations of ancient Rome and Greece, and realized that their art and civilization were related to those of the distant past. Their thinking was also persuaded by the importance on human thoughts and worth as an individual or it is simply called humanism; and one's intellectual growth relies on classic education. These said teachings depended on various disciplines including poetry, history, rules on writing, and moral philosophy. The Renaissance is also the age where there are conflicts between the Church and other religious sects such as the Reformists and Humanists, with regards to their beliefs, practices, and dogmas. The English word religion has been used since the 13th century which means "reverence for God or the gods, careful pondering of divine things, piety, the res divinae (for the service of God)." (Wikipedia, Religion) It is also said that it is a way of life or signifying the attitude towards life. With that, religion covers the various human behaviors on beliefs, practices, moral codes, values, tradition, institution, and rituals that have the function of addressing the basic questions of human identity, ethics, death and the existence of a Divine being. Religion's definition has an immensely great extent that it is sometimes hard to perceive that medieval people are part of a religion. However, the Church became the "source of education entertainment, most social occasions, and of course, faith." (Louis Dudley 3) Although the southern humanists were preoccupied redefining the relationship between God and humans, the Northern Europeans still took the Church's practices seriously. Ther e transpired various religious practices that the Church performed during the ancient times that were sources of "re-categorization" and reformation to some amount. These are usually in the form of the Sacraments, which are visible to the paintings and architectural designs of artists among them are famous painters Michelangelo, Leonardo. One of the religious practices is the rituals. Rituals are said to be set of actions that are performed either on a regular basis or on certain occasions. These acts, suggested to have symbolic implications, are the performances of which is prescribed by a certain religion or culture. Baptism is one form of practice of the Church, in which a person is briefly submerged in water with the implication of cleansing him of the original sin. Simply stated, this is a purification rite. During the 16th century, while various Reformers challenged most of the Church beliefs, they re-categorized the sacraments except baptism and the Eucharist. This religious rite was portrayed in a fresco painting on the catacomb of Saints Marcellinus and Peter at Via Labicana in Rome, Italy. As time progresses, minor changes of the ritual took place especially on the setting to which the immersion transpired. Before, several adults are immersed together in a Baptismal pool which is usually a pond or a lake, until the said pool was reduced to a smaller basin-like vessel and

Will Hourly Rounds Decrease Patient Falls Research Paper

Will Hourly Rounds Decrease Patient Falls - Research Paper Example It has attempted to over all the key elements of the assignment in a substantive way with accuracy and persuasiveness. The paper has used Lewin Theory as an implementation guide. Plan for implementing the proposed solution: The main focus of the plan is to incorporate a system of regular hourly rounds by nurses, as a solution to decrease patient falls in the hospital. For this, the first step is careful planning for which it is necessary to ascertain the following: 1. The number of patients visiting the hospital on an average. 2. The number of nurses in the hospital. 3. The number of physicians in a hospital. 4. The number of nurses as assistant to the physicians. 5. The average period a patient visits the hospital. Developing a plan involves careful evaluation and organizing. Appropriate staffing procedures also need to be adopted for getting the plan executed. Such a plan is highly crucial in implementing the proposed solution. The main aim of a nurse is to decrease patient falls i n the hospital and to provide proper assistance and care to them for their recovery from illness. The goals of nurses also include helping individuals â€Å"to maintain their health so they can function in their roles† (Imogene King’s Theory of Goal Attainment, 2011, para. 13). ... 10 nurses should be able to handle 25 patients. The plan is to implement a rotation basis system so that 20 nurses cater to 50 patients and administer them on the basis of the guidance and supported provided by physicians. Plan for monitoring the implementation of the solution: In order to implement the solution of a rotational arrangement of nurses so as to extend each patient the advantage of the hourly round system it is very important to monitor the situation that exists in the hospital and to plan the visits accordingly. â€Å"An important part of plan implementation is monitoring, which is taking periodic looks at â€Å"how it's going† in Implementing the plan† (Training Course on Decentralized Education Planning in the Context Public Sector Reform, 2007, p. 2). Proper staffing pattern activities are essential to develop productive human asset in the hospital so that the hospital can provide utmost care and security to its patients. Each nurse’s on job comm itment is assessed through the number of patient falls under her tenure. Month-wise assessment should be made in order to assess the efficiency of nurses. In the months where both the fall prevalence and the nursing hours are the same, it implies that the nursing care in these months is not enough. In the months where occurrence of falls is more than average these needs to be balanced with appropriate nursing care hours. When there is a wide difference between the falls prevalence and the nursing hours per day and there is less falls it implies that nursing care hours are higher than the prevalence of falls. Such a plan needs to be implemented for the purpose of monitoring of the

The Ramayana and Trade Case Essay Example for Free

The Ramayana and Trade Case Essay When we talk about Ramayana, we look at it as an epic story of powerful people, of gods and goddesses intervening with the people’s affairs, and of other-worldly creatures which one could never imagine. Truly, it is a wonderful, fictional story. But it is not only about legendary battles and imaginary characters. We can also associate it with real-life activities which are being conducted in a day-to-day basis. A good example of such activity is trade, which is evident in the epic story Ramayana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One evident example of Trade in Ramayana is the existence of different races and classes of people. It is inevitable that they would interact with each other in exchange of goods coming from one kingdom to another. The people coexisted with other races like the demons and the monkeys by establishing connections with each other through exchanges of merchandise, goods, and even services. Weapons were also evidently traded in the story of Ramayana, since there are a lot of wars going on in the kingdom. Another manifestation of trade in the story is the flow of people in different kingdoms. People come and go to different places by trading their goods with other groups of people. Being exiled or being overthrown from a kingdom could have resulted from wrong trading practices which attracted disapproval from the people (Narayan, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite being an epic story, The Ramayana still has several attributes wherein we could associate it with our real day-to-day activities. Trade is one of these activities, and it is well depicted throughout the epic story. Works Cited: Narayan, R. K. (1993). Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. USA: Penguin Group.

Educationally Driven Assimilation Essay -- Education, Politics

The United States educational system has existed nearly unchanged for hundreds of years. As the system itself remains the same, the content in courses has not. The discussion of what courses should and should not be required or even offered has shifted into a question of politics. As the movement towards becoming more politically correct has expanded, so has its influence upon the educational system. Education on racial issues, which was once deemed as necessary, are now being removed out. A university that feeds on fear-driven proposals offered by the politically correct movement ultimately decides to remove courses that may be falsely perceived as discriminatory. There is a single question that must be asked due to this new trend. Is political correctness being used to target and remove racial issues from the classroom in an attempt to assimilate all cultures? Using three arguments, this paper will seek to support the idea that forcing political correctness into a classroom removes racial issues, and attempts to assimilate minorities. First, political correctness demands modification of both the educational structure, and of the student. Second, political correctness assimilates both the language and actions of individuals. Third, a discussion of white dominance is required to stop a forced assimilation and create a mutual respect of differences instead. Although being politically correct appears to be good on face, the concept can be weaponized in an attempt to halt unwanted discussion. A highly regarded professor from Harvard was ultimately forced to stop offering his class â€Å"Peopling of America† due to its focus on racial issues. (Taylor, 198). Although the Harvard professor was teaching the same course that ... ...the ideals of political correctness target and assimilate cultural differences. The ideals of being PC require followers to think alike, act alike, discuss things alike, and avoid all of the same questions. Uniformity is not the answer to solving cultural differences. When uniformity is preferred it creates a binary that allows individuals to be considered part of the group or different. It is this categorization of individuals that allows the elite to manipulate and oppress against individuals in the United States. The elites can target a group and the majority will find it justified as that group is not part of the unified. The alternative, however, is to allow discussions of difference to occur. If our society can grow to respect differences instead of try to assimilate them, then we will ultimately have a whole group that can include any form of minority.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-four

I DIDN'T WAKE UP IN the world of the dead. I didn't even wake up in a hospital or some other type of medical center–which, believe me, I'd done plenty of times. No, I woke up in luxury, in a huge bedroom with gilded furniture. Heaven? Probably not with my behaviors. My canopied bed had a red- and-gold velvet comforter, thick enough to be a mattress itself. Candles flickered on a small table against the far wall and filled the room with the scent of jasmine. I had no clue where I was or how I'd gotten here, but as my last memories of pain and darkness played out in my mind, I decided the fact that I was actually breathing was good enough. â€Å"Sleeping Beauty awakens.' That voice †¦ that wonderful, honey-like voice with its soft accent. It enveloped me, and with it came the impossible truth and its full impact: I was alive. I was alive. And Dimitri was here. I couldn't see him but felt a smile come to my lips. â€Å"Are you my nurse?' I heard him get up from a chair and walk over. Seeing him stand over me like that reminded me of just how tall he truly was. He looked down at me with a smile of his own–one of those full and rare smiles. He had cleaned up since last I'd seen him, his brown hair tied neatly back behind his neck, though he hadn't shaved for a couple days. I tried to sit up, but he tsked me back. â€Å"No, no, you need to lie down.' Soreness in my chest told me he was right. My mind might be awake, but the rest of me was exhausted. I had no idea how much time had passed, but something told me my body had been fighting a battle–not with a Strigoi or anything like one, but with itself. A battle to stay alive. â€Å"Then come closer,' I told him. â€Å"I want to see you.' He considered this a moment and then kicked off his shoes. Turning on my side– which made me wince–I managed to wiggle over a little to make room near the bed's edge. He curled up beside me. Our faces rested on the same pillow, only a couple of inches apart as we gazed at each other. â€Å"Is this better?' he asked. â€Å"Much.' With his long, graceful fingers, he reached out and brushed hair from my face before tracing the edge of my cheekbone. â€Å"How are you?' â€Å"Hungry.' He laughed softly and cautiously slid his hand down to rest on my lower back, in a sort of half-embrace. â€Å"Of course you are. I think they've only managed to get broth into you so far. Well, that and IV fluids early on. You're probably in sugar withdrawal.' I cringed. I didn't like needles or tubes and was glad I hadn't been awake to see them. (Tattoo needles were a different matter.) â€Å"How long have I been out?' â€Å"A few days.' â€Å"A few days †¦' I shivered, and he tugged the covers higher on me, thinking I was cold. â€Å"I shouldn't be alive,' I whispered. Gunshots like that †¦ they were too fast, too close to my heart. Or in my heart? I put my hand to my chest. I didn't know precisely where I'd been hit. It all ached. â€Å"Oh Lord. Lissa healed me, didn't she?' It would have taken so much spirit. She shouldn't have done that. She couldn't afford to. Except †¦ why would I still feel pain? If she'd healed me, she would have gone all the way. â€Å"No, she didn't heal you.' â€Å"No?' I frowned, unable to process that. How else would I have survived? A surprising answer came to mind. â€Å"Then †¦ Adrian? He'd never †¦ after how I treated him †¦ no. He couldn't have †¦' â€Å"What, you think he'd let you die?' I didn't answer. The bullets might be long gone, but thinking of Adrian still made my heart–figuratively–ache. â€Å"No matter how he feels †¦' Dimitri hesitated. This was a delicate topic, after all. â€Å"Well, he wouldn't have let you die. He wanted to heal you. But he didn't either.' I felt bad for thinking so little of Adrian. Dimitri was right. Adrian never would have abandoned me out of spite, but I was rapidly running out of options here. â€Å"Then who? Sonya?' â€Å"No one,' he said simply. â€Å"Well, you, I suppose.' â€Å"I †¦ what?' â€Å"People can heal without magic now and then, Rose.' There was amusement in his voice, though his face stayed sober. â€Å"And your wounds †¦ they were bad. No one thought you'd survive. You went into surgery, and then we all just waited.' â€Å"But why †¦' I felt very arrogant, asking the next question. â€Å"Why didn't Adrian or Lissa heal me?' â€Å"Oh, they wanted to, believe me. But in the aftermath, in the chaos †¦ the Court went under lockdown. They were both taken away and put under heavy protection before they could act. No one would let them near you, not when they still thought you might be a murderer. They had to be certain about Tasha first, even though her own actions were pretty damning.' It took me a moment to get past the idea that modern medicine and my body's own stamina had healed me. I'd grown too used to spirit. This didn't seem possible. As I tried to wrap my mind around the concept, the rest of Dimitri's meaning hit me. â€Å"Is Tasha †¦ still alive?' His face fell even more. â€Å"Yes. They caught her right after she shot you–before anyone else got hurt. She's detained, and more evidence has been coming in.' â€Å"Calling her out was one of the hardest things I've ever done,' I said. â€Å"Fighting Strigoi was easier than that.' â€Å"I know. It was hard for me to see, hard for me to believe.' There was a far-off look in his eyes, reminding me that Dimitri had known her longer than he'd known me. â€Å"But she made her choices, and all the charges against you have been dropped. You're a free woman now. More than that. A hero. Abe's bragging that it's all his doing.' That brought my smile back. â€Å"Of course he is. I'll probably get a bill from him soon.' I felt dizzy with both joy and astonishment. A free woman. I'd been burdened with accusations and a death sentence for what felt like years, and now †¦ now it had all disappeared. Dimitri laughed, and I wanted to stay like this forever, just the two of us, sweet and unguarded. Well–maybe not exactly this. I could've done without the pain and thick bandages I felt on my chest. He and I had had so few times alone, moments when we could really relax and openly acknowledge being in love. Things had only begun to mend between us at the end there †¦ and it had almost been too late. It might still be. â€Å"So what now?' I asked. â€Å"I'm not sure.' He rested his cheek against my forehead. â€Å"I'm just so glad †¦ so glad you're alive. I've been so close to losing you so many times. When I saw you on the floor, and there was so much commotion and confusion †¦ I felt so helpless. I realized you were right. We waste our lives with guilt and self-loathing. When you looked at me there at the end †¦ I saw it. You did love me.' â€Å"You doubted?' I meant the words jokingly, but they came out sounding offended. Maybe I was, a little. I'd told him I loved him plenty of times. â€Å"No. I mean, I knew then that you didn't just love me. I realized you really had forgiven me.' â€Å"There was nothing to forgive, not really.' I'd told him that before too. â€Å"I've always believed there was.' He pulled back and looked at me again. â€Å"And that's what was holding me back. No matter what you said, I just couldn't believe it †¦ couldn't believe you would forgive all the things I did to you in Siberia and after Lissa healed me. I thought you were deluding yourself.' â€Å"Well. It wouldn't be the first time I've done that. But no, this time I wasn't.' â€Å"I know, and with that revelation †¦ in that split second that I knew you forgave me and that I really had your love, I was finally able to forgive myself too. All those burdens, those ties to the past †¦ they went away. It was like †¦' â€Å"Being free? Flying?' â€Å"Yes. Except †¦ it came too late. This sounds crazy, but while I was looking down at you, having all these thoughts coming together in my head, it was like †¦ like I could see death's hand reaching for you. And there was nothing I could do. I was powerless. I couldn't help.' â€Å"You did,' I told him. â€Å"The last things I saw before blacking out were you and Lissa.' Well, besides the skeletal faces, but mentioning that would have killed this romantic moment. â€Å"I don't know how I survived getting shot, how I beat the odds †¦ but I'm pretty sure your love–both of you–gave me the strength to fight through. I had to get back to you guys. God only knows what trouble you'd get into without me.' Dimitri had no words for that and answered instead by bringing his mouth to mine. We kissed, lightly at first, and the sweetness of the moment overpowered any pain I felt. The intensity had just barely picked up when he pulled away. â€Å"Hey, what gives?' I asked. â€Å"You're still recovering,' he chastised. â€Å"You might think you're back to normal, but you aren't.' â€Å"This is normal for me. And you know, I thought with all this freedom and self- discovery and expression of our love stuff that we could finally stop with the whole Zen master wisdom and practical advice crap.' This got me an outright grin. â€Å"Roza, that's not going to happen. Take it or leave it.' I pressed a kiss to his lips. â€Å"If it means getting you, I'll take it.' I wanted to kiss him again and prove who really did have greater self-control, but that damned thing called reality set in. â€Å"Dimitri †¦ for real, what happens to us?' â€Å"Life,' he said easily. â€Å"It goes on. We go on. We're guardians. We protect and maybe change our world.' â€Å"No pressure,' I remarked. â€Å"But what's the â€Å"we' and â€Å"guardians' part? I was pretty sure we were out of that career path.' â€Å"Mmm.' He cupped my face, and I thought he might try another kiss. I hoped he would. â€Å"Along with our pardons, we received our guardian status again.' â€Å"Even you? They believe you're not a Strigoi?' I exclaimed. He nodded. â€Å"Huh. Even if I got my name cleared, my ideal future was that we'd get filing jobs near each other.' Dimitri moved closer to me, his eyes sparkling with a secret. â€Å"It gets better: you're Lissa's guardian.' â€Å"What?' I almost pulled away. â€Å"That's impossible. They'd never †¦' â€Å"They did. She'll have others, so they probably figured it was okay to let you hang around if someone else could keep you in line,' he teased. â€Å"You're not †¦' A lump formed in my stomach, a reminder of a problem that had plagued us so long ago. â€Å"You're not one of her guardians too, are you?' It had constantly been a concern, that conflict of interest. I wanted him near me. Always. But how could we watch Lissa and put her safety first if we were worried about each other? The past was returning to torment us. â€Å"No, I have a different assignment.' â€Å"Oh.' For some reason, that made me a little sad too, even though I knew it was the smarter choice. â€Å"I'm Christian's guardian.' This time I did sit up, doctor's orders or no. Stitches tugged in my chest, but I ignored the sharp discomfort. â€Å"But that's †¦ that's practically the same thing!' Dimitri sat up too and seemed to be enjoying my shock, which was really kind of cruel, seeing as I'd almost died and everything. â€Å"A little. But they won't be together every moment, especially with her going to Lehigh. He's not going †¦ but they'll keep coming back to each other. And when they do, so will we. It's a good mix. Besides †¦' He grew serious again. â€Å"I think you've proved to everyone that you're willing to put her life first.' I shook my head. â€Å"Yeah, but no one was shooting at you. Only her.' I said it lightly, but it did make me wonder: what would I do if they were both in trouble?Trust him, a voice in my head said. Trust him to take care of himself. He'll do the same for you. I eyed Dimitri, recalling a shadow in my periphery back in the ballroom. â€Å"You followed when I jumped in front of Lissa, didn't you? Who were you going for? Me or her?' He studied me for several long seconds. He could have lied. He could have given the easy answer by saying he'd intended to push both of us out of the way–if that was even possible, which I didn't recall. But Dimitri didn't lie. â€Å"I don't know, Roza. I don't know.' I sighed. â€Å"This isn't going to be easy.' â€Å"It never is,' he said, pulling me into his arms. I leaned against his chest and closed my eyes. No, it wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it. As long as we were together, it would be worth it. We sat like that for a long time, until a discrete knock at the half-open door broke us apart. Lissa stood in the doorway. â€Å"Sorry,' she said, her face shining with joy when she saw me. â€Å"Should have put a sock on the door. Didn't realize things were getting hot and heavy.' â€Å"No avoiding it,' I said lightly, clasping Dimitri's hand. â€Å"Things are always hot with him around.' Dimitri looked scandalized. He'd never held back when we were in bed together, but his private nature wouldn't let him even hint about such matters to others. It was mean, but I laughed and kissed his cheek. â€Å"Oh, this is going to be fun,' I said. â€Å"Now that everything's out in the open.' â€Å"Yeah,' he said. â€Å"I got a pretty â€Å"fun' look from your father the other day.' He gave Lissa a quick, knowing glance and then stood up. Leaning down, he kissed the top of my head. â€Å"I should go and let you two talk.' â€Å"Will you be back?' I asked as he moved to the door. He paused and smiled at me, and those dark eyes answered my questions and so much more. â€Å"Of course.' Lissa took his spot, sitting on the bed's edge. She hugged me gingerly, no doubt worried about my injuries. She then scolded me for sitting up, but I didn't care. Happiness surged through me. I was so glad she was okay, so relieved, and– And I had no idea how she felt. The bond was gone. And not like during the jail escape, when she'd put the wall up. There was simply nothing there between us. I was with myself, completely and utterly alone, just as I had been years ago. My eyes widened, and she laughed. â€Å"I wondered when you'd notice,' she said. â€Å"How †¦ how is this possible?' I was frozen and numb. The bond. The bond was gone. I felt like my arm had been amputated. â€Å"And how do you know?' She frowned. â€Å"Part of it's instinct †¦ but Adrian saw it. That our auras aren't connected anymore.' â€Å"But how? How could that happen?' I sounded crazy and desperate. The bond couldn't be gone. It couldn't. â€Å"I'm not entirely sure,' she admitted, her frown deepening. â€Å"I talked about it a lot with Sonya and, uh, Adrian. We think when I brought you back the first time, it was spirit alone that held you back from the land of the dead and that kept you tied to me. This time †¦ you nearly died again. Or maybe you did for a moment. Only, you and your body fought your way back. It was you who got out, with no help from spirit. And once that happened †¦' She shrugged. â€Å"Like I said, we're only guessing. But Sonya thinks once your own strength broke you away, you didn't need any help being pulled back from death. You did it on your own. And when you freed yourself of spirit, you freed yourself from me. You didn't need a bond to keep you with the living.' It was crazy. Impossible. â€Å"But if †¦ if you're saying I escaped the land of the dead, I'm not, like, immortal or anything, am I?' Lissa laughed again. â€Å"No, we're certain of that. Sonya explained it, saying anything alive can die, and as long as you've got an aura, you're alive. Strigoi are immortal but not alive, so they don't have auras and–‘ The world spun. â€Å"I'll take your word for it. I think maybe I do need to lie down.' â€Å"That's probably a good idea.' I gently eased myself onto my back. Desperately needing distraction from what I'd just learned–because it was still too surreal, still impossible to process–I eyed my surroundings. The lush room was bigger than I'd previously realized. It kept going and going, branching into other rooms. It was a suite. Maybe an apartment. I could just make out a living room with leather furniture and a flat screen TV. â€Å"Where are we are?' â€Å"In palace housing,' she replied. â€Å"Palace housing? How'd we end up here?' â€Å"How do you think?' she asked dryly. â€Å"I †¦' I couldn't work my mouth for a moment. I needed no bond to realize what had happened. Another impossibility had occurred while I'd been out of it. â€Å"Crap. They had the election, didn't they? They elected you queen, once Jill was there to stand in for your family.' She shook her head and almost laughed. â€Å"My reaction was a little stronger than â€Å"crap,' Rose. Do you have any idea what you've done?' She looked anxious, stressed, and totally overwhelmed. I wanted to be serious and comforting for her sake †¦ but I could feel a goofy grin spreading over my face. She groaned. â€Å"You're happy.' â€Å"Liss, you were meant for this! You're better than any of the other candidates.' â€Å"Rose!' she cried. â€Å"Running for queen was supposed to be a diversion. I'm only eighteen.' â€Å"So was Alexandra.' Lissa shook her head in exasperation. â€Å"I'm so sick of hearing about her! She lived centuries ago, you know. I think people died when they were thirty back then. So she was practically middle-aged.' I caught hold of her hand. â€Å"You're going to be great. It doesn't matter how old you are. And it's not like you have to call meetings and analyze law books all on your own, you know. I mean, I'm sure not going to do any of that, but there are other smart people. Ariana Szelsky didn't make the last test, but you know she'll help if you ask her to. She's still on the Council, and there are others you can rely on. We just have to find them. I believe in you.' Lissa sighed and looked down, her hair hanging forward in a curtain. â€Å"I know. And part of me is excited, like this will restore my family's honor. I think that's what's saved me from a total breakdown. I didn't want to be queen, but if I have to †¦ then I'm going to do it right. I feel like †¦ like I have the world at my fingertips, like I can do so much good. But I'm so afraid of messing up too.' She looked up sharply. â€Å"And I'm not giving up on the rest of my life either. I guess I'm going to be the first queen in college.' â€Å"Cool,' I said. â€Å"You can IM with the Council from campus. Maybe you can command people to do your homework.' She apparently didn't think the joke was as funny as I did. â€Å"Going back to my family. Rose †¦ how long did you know about Jill?' Damn. I'd known this part of the conversation would eventually be coming. I averted my eyes. â€Å"Not really that long. We didn't want to stress you until we knew it was real,' I added hastily. â€Å"I can't believe †¦' She shook her head. â€Å"I just can't believe it.' I had to go on her tone, not the bond. It was so strange, like losing one of my key senses. Sight. Hearing. â€Å"Are you upset?' â€Å"Of course I am! How can you be surprised?' â€Å"I figured you'd be happy †¦' â€Å"Happy to find out my dad cheated on my mom? Happy to have a sister I hardly know? I've tried to talk to her, but †¦' Lissa sighed again. â€Å"It's so weird. Almost weirder than suddenly being queen. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think of my father. And I sure as hell don't know what to do with her.' â€Å"Love them both,' I said softly. â€Å"They're your family. Jill's great, you know. Get to know her. Be excited.' â€Å"I don't know if I can. I think you're more of a sister to me than she'll ever be.' Lissa stared off at nothing. â€Å"And of all people †¦ I was convinced for so long that there was something going on between her and Christian.' â€Å"Well, out of all the worries in your world, that's one you can let go because it's not true.' But within her comment was something dark and sad. â€Å"How isChristian?' She turned back to me, her eyes full of pain. â€Å"He's having a hard time. I am too. He visits her. Tasha. He hates what she did, but †¦ well, she's still his family. It hurts him, but he tries to hide it. You know how he is.' â€Å"Yeah.' Christian had spent a good portion of his life masking dark feelings with snark and sarcasm. He was a pro at fooling others about how he truly felt. â€Å"I know he'll be better in time †¦ I just hope I can be there for him enough. So much is happening. College, being queen †¦ and always, always, there's spirit there, pressing down on me. Smothering me.' Alarm shot through me. And panic. Panic over something far worse than not knowing what Lissa was feeling or where she was. Spirit. I was afraid of spirit–and the fact that I couldn't fight it for her. â€Å"The darkness †¦ I can't absorb it anymore. What will we do?' A twisted smile crossed her lips. â€Å"You mean, what will I do. It's my problem now, Rose. Like it always should have been.' â€Å"But, no †¦ you can't. St. Vladimir–‘ â€Å"Isn't me. And you can protect me from some things but not all.' I shook my head. â€Å"No, no. I can't let you face spirit alone.' â€Å"I'm not exactly alone. I talked to Sonya. She's really good at healing charms and thinks there's a way to keep myself in balance.' â€Å"Oksana said the same thing,' I recalled, feeling hardly reassured. â€Å"And †¦ there's always the antidepressants. I don't like them, but I'm queen now. I have responsibilities. I'll do what I have to. A queen gives up everything, right?' â€Å"I guess.' I couldn't help feeling frightened. Useless. â€Å"I'm just so worried about you, and I don't know how to help you anymore.' â€Å"I told you: you don't have to. I'll protect my mind. Your job's to protect my body, right? And Dimitri will be around too. It'll all be okay.' The conversation with Dimitri came back to me. Who were you going for? Me or her? I gave her the best smile I could. â€Å"Yeah. It'll all be okay.' Her hand squeezed mine. â€Å"I'm so glad you're back, Rose. You'll always be part of me, no matter what. And honestly †¦ I'm kind of glad you can't see my sex life anymore.' â€Å"That makes two of us.' I laughed. No bond. No magical attachment. It was going to be so strange, but really †¦ did I need it? In real life, people formed bonds of another nature. Bonds of love and loyalty. We would get through this. â€Å"I'll always be there for you, you know. Anything you need.' â€Å"I know,' she said. â€Å"And actually †¦ I need you for something now †¦' â€Å"Name it,' I said. She did.