Assessment 2, M1, D1 Nature Nurture - 1400 Words

Nature Nurture. The nature versus nurture debate is about the relative importance of an individuals innate qualities. What is Nature? In the nature vs nurture debate, nature refers to an individuals innate qualities (nativism). Nature is your genes. The physical and personality traits determined by your genes stay the same irrespective of where you were born and raised. Nature factors that trigger an individual to commit crime are influences by biological and family factors. The nature method suggests that individuals are born with qualities, abilities and characteristics that determine the kind of person that individual will become. An example of a Nature cause is ‘Cystic Fibrosis’ this is one of the worlds most†¦show more content†¦In 1977 Michael made his first film entrance when he starred in the musical The Wiz playing Scarecrow with Diana Ross in the lead role of Dorothy. It was at this time Michael met Quincy Jones who was doing the score rating for the film. Michael teamed up with Quincey Jones as his producer for his first solo album with ‘Epic Records’, this however could have been nature as Michael met Quincy Jones

Thorn Queen Chapter Three Free Essays

string(94) " at his dark looks and her golden ones, I suddenly had a vivid image of them in bed together\." Once I stopped hyperventilating from all the attention on me, I immediately realized Nia had been right about the dress. Like always, the gentry dressed like that they were going to a Renaissance Faire that served ecstasy. Satin, velvet, silk. We will write a custom essay sample on Thorn Queen Chapter Three or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even a little leather here and there. Lots of jewelry, lots of skin. The glittering array dazzled the eye, the colors shining, rich, and vivid. I wore a sundress meant to have sort of a vintage look. Made of tan gauze scattered with a design of tiny yellow flowers, it had an empire waist and a clingy little skirt that went to my knees. The straps tied behind my neck, and most of my back stayed bare, all the better to show off my tattoos: a woman’s face within a full moon on my neck and a line of violets on my lower back. The dress’s color looked great with the dusky, light auburn of my hair. Unfortunately, while the shabby-chic peasant look might be expensive and very much in vogue in the human world, dressing like a peasant in a place resembling the set from an epic medieval movie made you look like, well, a peasant. â€Å"Oh my God,† I hissed to Shaya as we walked through the room. â€Å"I look completely out of place.† â€Å"Be quiet,† she snapped, in a rare display of the consternation she probably actually always held around me. â€Å"You are queen of the Thorn Land. You destroyed one of the shining ones’ most powerful kings. You have the right to wear whatever you want, so act like it.† I swallowed my retort and hoped she and her tough love were right. As it was, I had to resist the urge to cling to her hand like a child. That inept social upbringing of mine made navigating this kind of attention painful. Shaya had promised to stay by my side and ensure my etiquette, though that had allayed my fears only marginally. With a great force of will, I tried to follow her advice and look haughty and unconcerned by my appearance. â€Å"You must go to Maiwenn first,† she murmured, â€Å"and then most of them will come to you for introductions. You’ve been a great source of curiosity, and this is your first public appearance since taking the crown.† â€Å"Got it. Maiwenn first.† The Willow Queen appeared to be surrounded by a throng of people. We headed toward them. On the way, I received an assortment of nods, curtsies, and bows. The room held a handful of monarchs, my peers, but every other noble held a rank lower than mine. A few of those we passed offered greeting. I suspected I might have met them at a ball I’d attended last spring. Most simply gave me polite murmurings of â€Å"Your majesty.† We reached Maiwenn’s circle of admirers. I meant to hover on the edges, but the people parted for us, soon giving Shaya and me a front-row view. Maiwenn sat in an ornately carved wooden throne, its whirling designs accented here and there with gold. She herself was golden, with lustrous, tanned skin and long hair that looked like spilled sunshine. A gown of teal velvet-the same color as her eyes-showed her maternal curves to great advantage. Yet, her greatest ornamentation, in my opinion, was the striking figure of Kiyo standing nearby, one hand resting on the back of her chair. He wore gentry clothing tonight, simple black slacks and a long-sleeved white silk tunic that he probably could have worn among humans without question. His eyes, warm and dark, met mine briefly before turning back to the person addressing Maiwenn. Heat flared between him and me in that moment, and electricity coursed through my body as I remembered last night. â€Å"-best wishes for you and your child, your majesty,† the man was saying. â€Å"Truly this is a joyous occasion, and we pray to the gods for good fortune and good health.† I pondered his words, recalling Kiyo telling me this was less of a baby shower and more of a luck ceremony. The gentry did not conceive often, nor did they bear children easily. Infant mortality was high. Old superstition held that a party like this, with so many well-wishers, would imbue the child with luck and ensure prosperity. The man finished his spiel and gestured to a servant to bring his gift. The servant handed over a small golden chest, about the size of a shoebox, which his master opened with a flourish. A few oohs sounded from those gathered, and I craned my head to see what it held. A glitter of red met my eyes. â€Å"This is my gift to your son or daughter: the finest rubies from my land, polished and cut to perfection.† I blinked and glanced around, wondering if I was the only one who found that gift ridiculous. What the hell was an infant going to do with a crate of rubies? Choke on them? Those things definitely needed a Not For Children Under 3 warning on them. No one else shared my view, and the group seemed to be in agreement on the gift’s value. Kiyo, however, caught my eye, and I saw the faintest of smiles play over his face as he guessed what I was thinking. The man left, and all eyes swiveled to me. We hadn’t arrived first, but apparently my rank bought me cutting rights. Following Shaya’s earlier instructions, I stepped forward and kissed Maiwenn’s cheek. She kissed mine in return. â€Å"Eugenie, I’m so happy to see you again.† She looked it, too. I don’t know if it was faked or not, but she was one of those people who could always look happy and make you think she really cared about you. I suspected most of her kindness was sincere, but she had to have the same uneasiness around me as I did with her, given our respective relationships with Kiyo. Glancing at his dark looks and her golden ones, I suddenly had a vivid image of them in bed together. You read "Thorn Queen Chapter Three" in category "Essay examples" I wondered if he’d been as wild with her as with me. I wondered if she’d liked it. Pushing that picture out of my head, I attempted a return smile. â€Å"Thank you for inviting me. Sorry I’m late.† She waved a dismissive hand. â€Å"You didn’t have to come at all. I’m just glad you’re here.† I didn’t have any elegant speeches, so I kept my words simple. â€Å"I’m†¦very happy for you. I hope things go great with you and the baby.† I glanced over at Shaya, who’d been holding my backpack. She handed it to me, and I noticed then that the number of watchers had increased, eyes curious as to what the half-human queen would give. The Kiyo Love Triangle was no secret; gentry gossip spread around the Otherworld faster than any human tabloid could have kept up with. Producing a teddy bear, I handed it over to her. She took it, eyes surprised as her hands ran over its smooth, sable-brown fur. I’d paid a lot of money for it. It was some kind of designer brand I’d been told was much coveted among upper-class suburban moms. â€Å"It’s, um, a toy,† I explained, immediately feeling idiotic. The gentry weren’t technologically advanced, but even they could figure that one out. â€Å"It’s lovely,† she said, touching the seams. â€Å"We can’t match this kind of workmanship. Thank you.† â€Å"Oh, and well†¦I honestly didn’t think there was anything else I could give that the baby wouldn’t already have. So, instead, I made a donation in its name to a children’s charity. Or rather, once we know its name, I’ll finalize the donation.† Forgetting the teddy bear, she looked up at me, clearly perplexed. â€Å"I don’t understand.† Those gathered apparently didn’t either, judging from the curious expressions. â€Å"I, um, well, gave money to a group that helps sick kids. They’ll use that money to take care of them, and it’ll be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I grasped for something gentry-friendly. â€Å"†¦it’ll be done in your baby’s honor.† A supreme look of delight flooded her gorgeous face, and I knew without a doubt she wasn’t faking it. She understood, and she liked the gift. â€Å"It’s very generous,† Kiyo explained to her. The smoldering message his eyes gave me indicated he had a few ideas of how to express his gratitude for the present. She put her arms around the teddy bear, holding it to her ample chest while her eyes gazed off with thought. â€Å"Acts of such kindness†¦done in the baby’s name†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She turned that radiance back to me. â€Å"Acts like that cannot help but generate good will from the gods. Thank you, Eugenie.† A murmur of considering whispers stirred behind us. She and I exchanged a few more remarks, and then I yielded the floor to the next well-wisher. â€Å"Was that okay?† I asked Shaya as we walked away. â€Å"Extremely.† A wry note hung in her voice. â€Å"I doubted your gift, but now I think you understand this custom better than we do.† She switched to a lower tone. â€Å"Ah, this is Katrice, the Rowan Queen, coming toward us.† I looked up with interest, having passed through the Rowan Land so many times during my Otherworldly journey. Katrice looked about fifty or so in human years, which meant she could boast a few centuries. Only a little silver laced her thick black hair, and her dark eyes glittered with a keen intellect. A dress of red and white satin covered her stout figure. â€Å"Oh, oh, oh! This is her at last! The Thorn Queen. My dear child, you have been too absent from our gatherings.† She put her arms around me and kissed my cheek. It was a bit more slobbery than Maiwenn’s kiss. A little overwhelmed by her presence, I returned the gesture. She smelled like roses. â€Å"It†¦it’s nice to meet you.† â€Å"You are so lovely! Look at her, Marlin. Isn’t she lovely?† She grabbed the arm of a man who looked about twice her age, his wispy gray hair barely covering his head. His eyes indicated he wasn’t really at the party right now. â€Å"What?† he asked. Katrice raised her voice. â€Å"Lovely. Isn’t she LOVELY?† â€Å"Loverly,† he muttered, staring off to my left. â€Å"Duke Marlin, the queen’s consort,† Shaya whispered. â€Å"Look at you, look at you!† Katrice continued, still bubbling over. â€Å"How could a little thing like you have killed Aeson? Hmm? Old Tirigan Storm King would be so proud.† I jerked with surprise, taken aback by the callous reference to both my slaying of Aeson and my father’s name. Not noticing my reaction, she gestured frantically to a young man passing nearby. He had slim good looks and raven-black hair tied back in a ponytail. He too wore red and white, and I remembered once seeing the Rowan Land’s flag, a rowan tree bordered in red and white. Apparently, they were a patriotic group. â€Å"Darling, darling! Come meet the Thorn Queen.† Smiling, he hastened to her side and gave me a courteous nod. â€Å"This is my son, Leith. Leith, Queen Eugenie.† He took my hand and kissed it very properly, as was the custom. â€Å"A pleasure, your majesty.† â€Å"Likewise.† I studied him, curious at seeing a gentry prince. With all the gentry reproductive issues, none of the other monarchs I’d met-aside from Maiwenn-had any children. They tended to be solitary rulers. He looked so nice and friendly-and like he wasn’t currently make plans to get in my pants-that I wanted to make conversation, but I was never very good at initiating that kind of thing. Katrice took the dilemma out of my hands. â€Å"Isn’t she beautiful, Leith? I was just saying how I can scarce believe she killed old Aeson. Can you believe that? What was it that I heard, my dear? That you drowned him?† I cleared my throat uncomfortably. â€Å"Um, no, not exactly. I sort of summoned all the water out of his body and blew him apart.† â€Å"Oh!† She clapped her hands together as though it were the most wonderful thing she’d ever heard. â€Å"Oh! Oh! Isn’t that fascinating? And so clever!† Apparently noting my discomfort, Leith hastily said, â€Å"Mother, I’m sure the Thorn Queen would prefer to discuss more pleasant topics. This is hardly the place to talk about death.† I flashed him a grateful smile. We did indeed move to more mundane topics, and I found he managed a conversation far more effectively than his mother did. â€Å"I saw your expression over the rubies,† he teased. â€Å"You don’t think the baby will appreciate those?† I made a face. â€Å"Maybe if they can decorate a crib with them. Or maybe make a mobile. Are those kinds of gifts normal?† â€Å"I’m afraid so,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"As I heard you say, there isn’t much this baby won’t get from Maiwenn. Most of these nobles are more interested in making the queen happy, not the baby-hence all the useless gifts.† â€Å"Why, Leith,† scolded his mother. â€Å"That’s ridiculous. I’m sure Maiwenn’s child will absolutely love the crystal dinnerware we brought.† When I finally excused us, Leith kissed my hand again and spoke in a voice too low for Katrice to hear. â€Å"I’m sorry about her. She doesn’t always think before she speaks.† I laughed. â€Å"It’s okay,† I murmured back. â€Å"She’s a queen. That’s her job.† More loudly and properly, he said, â€Å"I hope you’ll come visit us. Mother’s been dying to receive you at our court.† â€Å"Sure,† I agreed. â€Å"One of these days.† I tried to reciprocate the politeness. â€Å"You should come visit us too. I’m not around much, but you’re welcome whenever.† He brightened, as did Katrice who actually stayed silent for a change. â€Å"Thank you, your majesty. I’d love to. I’ve heard amazing things about your land. They say it’s very fierce. Fierce, but beautiful.† Shaya laughed softly as we departed. â€Å"Oh, you don’t know what you’ve done.† I stared at her. â€Å"What do you mean? I think I handled that well, considering that woman’s endless chattering.† â€Å"Don’t let her surface fool you. She’s shrewder than you think. And powerful. Unfortunately, her son is not.† â€Å"Leith? What do you mean? Magically?† She nodded. â€Å"His magic is almost nonexistent. He won’t be able to inherit her kingdom.† â€Å"Whoa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Considering how long gentry lived, I’d never thought much about inheritance issues. â€Å"But he seemed pretty competent. Very intelligent.† â€Å"He is. Extremely so. He’s an inventor of sorts. He’s created things that have revolutionized their kingdom-and the others, slowly. He most recently created tools to print text in books the way your people do. It’ll save a fortune in scribes.† â€Å"Like a printing press? Wow.† Who knew? Leith was like a fairy version of Gutenberg. Cool. Maybe the Otherworld was well on its way to the Industrial Revolution. â€Å"And that doesn’t count for anything with ruling?† â€Å"No.† Shaya didn’t sound sympathetic in the least. Magical strength was the greatest measure of a gentry’s worth, which is why my bastard father had been held in such high regard. Those who believed I would match him one day regarded me similarly. â€Å"Ingenuity alone is not enough to inherit the throne or bind the land. However, his odds might improve if he had a powerful consort.† I suddenly tripped on my own feet when I caught her meaning. â€Å"What, you mean me?† â€Å"By their estimation, you’re a good match. Powerful, already ruling a kingdom. Your human blood and ability to conceive makes you extremely attractive, your role in the prophecy doubly so.† â€Å"Christ. You people are nuts.† She seemed to be enjoying my dismay. â€Å"Like I said, Katrice is shrewd. She wasn’t lying when she said she wanted to meet you. She’s probably planned this for a while. You inviting Leith to visit fulfilled her dreams. Just wait, he’ll come soon.† â€Å"How come you guys have no concept of ‘just friends’ around here? Why is every guy I meet a potential mate? Leith was nice enough and cute, but I mean†¦come on.† I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. The gentry had much looser sexual mores than humans-as a few couples in the room’s corners were currently demonstrating-so they probably treated everything as a possible romantic encounter. Considering the wights’ less-than-romantic bid for my affections earlier, I should have been grateful for Leith’s more civilized courtship. Still, I found it all wearying. Shaya introduced me to a number of other nobles that afternoon. Most blurred together. I simply smiled and nodded a lot, fantasizing about being home in bed with Kiyo. Near the end of the party, one new person actually caught my attention. The first interesting thing was just how dark his skin was-a rarity in the otherwise Caucasian gentry of this portion of the Otherworld. His black hair hung around his face in a shower of tiny braids, perfectly setting off the burgundy satin cloak around him. He bowed low over my hand, sweeping his cloak away with a flourish. â€Å"Your majesty,† he said with a faint French accent. â€Å"It is an honor and a privilege. The stories of your beauty do not do you justice. I am Girard de la Colline.† I accepted his hand kiss with astonishment. â€Å"You must be from very far away.† The Otherworld mirrored my own world in geography. The residents here, near Arizona, spoke variations of American English. I wondered idly if those who ruled now had supplanted an American Indian version of the gentry. â€Å"Such a journey is well worth it to be in your presence, but sometime, if you like, I would be honored to tell you stories of my homeland. Its beauty is enough to make a man weep, though I’m given to understand that the terrible beauty of your own kingdom can make men weep as well-for different reasons.† I laughed. â€Å"I suppose so. Those who respect it can survive it; those who don’t†¦well, don’t.† â€Å"It sounds just like its queen.† He inclined his head. â€Å"I also have a small talent with metalwork, if you would ever like anything crafted. I live in the Rowan Land now but would happily take a commission if you require one.† I thanked him for the offer and said I’d think about it. When we left him, I turned to Shaya. â€Å"I liked him. But let me guess-he wants to woo me and father my child, too?† â€Å"Oh, he wouldn’t be opposed to it, but that’s not his short-term goal. He really is quite a gifted artisan-he’s even got a little human blood in his ancestry, which lets him somewhat touch iron. But a man like him†¦well, he’s a courtier. He hangs around nobility and tries to find connections that might help him rule a kingdom of his own one day.† â€Å"Which, my dear Shaya, is a very kind way of saying he is a schmoozing bottom-feeder who will do anything to further his own political aspirations. I will agree with you on his artistic talents, however. Why, we should have him make our good friend the Thorn Queen here a proper crown and solidify her title.† That smooth, laconic voice sliced my heart in two, and I froze. Turning around slowly, I met a pair of long-lashed green eyes flecked with gold and hazel, all framed by a sweep of long, fiery hair that rivaled the trees of autumn in his kingdom. Dorian, King of the Oak Land. â€Å"Your majesty,† exclaimed Shaya happily, giving him a low curtsey. â€Å"How are you? How is your domain?† Dorian smiled and lightly chucked her chin. â€Å"Are you afraid my household has fallen apart without you? I confess, it does run a bit less smoothly than before, but we endure what we must. I have no doubts your new mistress has more need of your services than I, so I shall suffer longer for her sake.† He gave me a pointed look. I said nothing. Shaya glanced between the two of us, her happy mien turning nervous. â€Å"If you’ll excuse me, your majesties, I’m going to find some refreshment. I’ll return momentarily.† I sincerely doubted that, but she departed too quickly for me to protest. I wanted to follow her but was now trapped. A bit of his showmanship dimmed, but the wit and lazy amusement that constantly cloaked Dorian remained. He always behaved as though he were on a stage, both in his mannerisms and his melodramatic-and often wry-commentary. I guess as a king he kind of was on stage during his life. â€Å"Well, Eugenie, here we are.† Dorian carelessly smoothed down the black velvet of his robe. Gold and red patterns danced around the hems. â€Å"You are a vision of sublime beauty, as always.† â€Å"Oh come on,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Not from you, of all people. I’m the most shoddily dressed person in this room.† â€Å"No. I saw a scullery maid dressed nearly as badly. A crown really would go a long way to establish your standing. But, barring that, your dress is actually lovely and well-made, even if plain. Wait and watch: you’ll see women wearing copies of it soon. The fact that you can still draw eyes while wearing it is a testament to your beauty and presence. You achieve what most of these trumped-up, painted women cannot, no matter how many layers of heavy, rich fabric cover them up.† I gestured toward his robe. â€Å"You’re covered up in a fair amount of heavy, rich fabric yourself.† The edges of his lips curled up. â€Å"If they bother you, I can remove as many of these layers as you like.† I rolled my eyes, but the damage was done. With those few words, I once again saw his naked body, smooth and perfect in the moonlight, hovering over mine as I lay bound to his bed. It had been one night, one night only, but it was a night I’d had little luck in forgetting for the last three months. Seeing Dorian stirred it all up again, filling me with confusion over the way my body had responded to such domination. Long before that night, Dorian had been one of my first allies in the Otherworld. He’d supported Storm King-and would have loved to knock me up-but had stood firm against any notion of rape. He’d wanted me of my own free will. In the end, he’d helped me defeat Aeson and had shown me the fundamentals of using magic. â€Å"Did you give Maiwenn something?† I asked abruptly, steering us elsewhere. He scrutinized me a moment before answering. â€Å"Yes, of course. What was it? Ah. Yes. Bolts of lovely cloth that I’m sure she can do†¦something†¦lovely with. My steward picked it out. A paltry present compared to yours, or so I hear.† His eyes tracked across the room to where Maiwenn and Kiyo laughed with some woman I didn’t recognize. â€Å"Look at them. Their child will be something to see, don’t you think? They make a very striking couple. I should commission a painter to do a family portrait once the baby arrives. Something they can all treasure for years to come.† I stiffened. â€Å"That’s why you wanted to talk to me, huh? You haven’t changed, Dorian, and I’m not going to stay here and play if you’re just going to try to bait me. I didn’t want to talk to you anyway.† Dorian gave a long-suffering sigh. â€Å"You always think so little of me, Eugenie. I wished to speak with you because I wanted to know how you’ve been. I’ve missed you. How do you like being a queen? Your land hasn’t perished†¦yet†¦so I’m taking that as a good sign.† Still irked by the Kiyo jibe, I fixed him with a glare. â€Å"I didn’t want to be a queen at all. It’s your fault I’ve gotten into this. If you hadn’t tricked me into claiming the land, I’d be in Tucson right now and away from all of this.† The sting of what he’d done, binding me to the Thorn Land, still itched within me. I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive him for that. â€Å"Not true. You’d still be here, moping around while your lover receives gifts for his child, just as you are right now. And men like the young Rowan prince would still solicit you because whatever other titles come and go, you will always be Storm King’s daughter.† â€Å"I don’t really want to be that either.† He spread his hands out, palms up, in a gesture of helplessness. â€Å"That I cannot change. All I can do with that is help you to develop the powers you inherited, but you’ve already refused my aid there.† I looked away. â€Å"I don’t need your help.† Aside from the grudge I held against him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that more of his â€Å"help† would result in me in his bed again. He took a step toward me. â€Å"Have you been teaching yourself?† I didn’t answer. â€Å"You have been, haven’t you? Or trying to, at least. Odd, considering I distinctly recall you saying you were satisfied with the level of magic you’d reached through my training.† He smiled. â€Å"How is that going? Perhaps you’d like my help again?† I jerked my head back toward him. Too much at this party had ground me down already, and his serpent’s tongue was the point that threatened to break me. â€Å"No. I don’t need your help. I don’t need anyone’s help, okay? I’m happy with what I’m teaching myself. If I advance, fine. If I don’t, fine. It doesn’t matter to me.† He laughed, a soft and deadly sound that poured over me like honey. â€Å"Eugenie, Eugenie. You may lie to other people, you may lie to your kitsune, and you may even lie to yourself. But do not lie to me. I was the one who first taught you to control your magic. I’ve seen how you crave it, how you glow with the rush of that power. I know how it makes you feel because I’ve felt it too. I can see in those lovely violet eyes of yours how passionately you want to tap more of that magic. It’s consuming you.† â€Å"As usual,† I said in a low voice that matched his own, â€Å"you’re imagining more than is actually there.† â€Å"And you, as usual, are denying what is there, not to mention your own nature. You are what you are, Eugenie, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can begin doing great things.† â€Å"This conversation is done,† I snapped, turning away. Dorian’s hand closed around my wrist, and he pulled me toward him with an unexpected harshness. I don’t think he’d meant to do it quite so hard. I let out a small gasp as those fingers tightened against my skin. I wasn’t trapped by any stretch of the imagination, but for half a moment, I could believe I was. The painful restraint on my wrist sent shockwaves of heat through my body, and the scent of cinnamon drifted around me, standing this close to him. My breathing had grown heavy, and I willed it to slow down. He hadn’t expected that reaction. A slight widening of his eyes showed rarely expressed surprise. Leaning his face toward mine, his thumb stroked the skin on my arm while the rest of the fingers maintained their hold. â€Å"Just like old times, hmm? It seems you haven’t entirely lost your taste for restraint. Yet, like everything else, I’m sure you deny yourself that as well.† â€Å"You think so?† I asked nastily. â€Å"You should try fucking Kiyo. Lots of restraint there.† Amusement lit his face, contrasting with the dark desire in his eyes. â€Å"Since I’m presuming you don’t mean you finally bought him a leash, let me say simply that there is a big difference between allowing an animal to ravage you and allowing yourself to be ravaged. One is common. The other is art. It is planned. Crafted, even. Only capable of being done by a master.† His next words came out so conversationally, we might as well have been discussing the weather. â€Å"As it is, I’ve been planning out what I’d like to do the next time we make love. I think I want you to lie on your stomach, with your hands bound to the front of the bed. We’ll have to shift your hips up a bit, put you on your knees just a little, but otherwise you’ll stay prostrate, almost like you’re bowing in humble obeisance as I kneel behind you and take you.† He paused. â€Å"Unless you have other suggestions?† I broke from his grasp and backed up, surprised to find I was shaking. This was Dorian. The same dangerous, presumptuous, and scheming Dorian I’d first met months ago, no matter the sweetness and charm that poured off of him. He had no right to speak to me like that, not after I’d parted ways over his trick with the Thorn Land, not after I’d told him I wanted to stay with Kiyo. And yet, he had once been my friend and my teacher and my ally in battle†¦and my lover. And as I stood there staring at him, I could imagine everything he’d just described. I could feel it. And, God help me, I wanted it. My whole body tingled with the arousal his words wrought. â€Å"I have to go,† I said. It took two tries for my dry mouth to get the words out. â€Å"I have to find Shaya.† He inclined his head politely. â€Å"Of course.† I turned and walked away, but not before I heard him call after me. â€Å"Eugenie? Don’t forget, if you change your mind, my offer still stands. For all things.† I bit my lip so as not to retort and was so focused on maintaining control that I nearly ran into a woman heading in the direction I’d just come from. She was gorgeous, with red hair that stood out like bright flames against her fair skin. She wore a puff-sleeved dress that matched the sky blue of her long-lashed eyes and reminded me a little of Cinderella’s ball gown. Of course, Disney would have never allowed that much cleavage. The woman stepped gracefully aside, just barely avoiding a collision. And then, to my complete and total shock, she sidled up to Dorian and wrapped herself around him, pressing her lips to his cheeks. â€Å"Ah, there you are,† he said happily. He returned the kiss-except, well, it was on her lips. And lasted awhile. With tongue. I stood there, frozen, urging myself to ignore them and keep moving. Yet, I couldn’t. Dorian, seeing me still there, gave me one of his grander smiles. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, a moment. Have you met my charming young friend yet?† That, of course, was one of Dorian’s more annoying habits. He knew perfectly well I’d never met her but enjoyed playing the innocent. â€Å"I haven’t,† I said stiffly, crossing my arms over my chest. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, may I present Ysabel, one of my subjects in the Oak Land. She’s been spending some time†¦in the castle.† I took the subtext to mean that said time was specifically being spent in his bed. Ysabel bowed, giving me a polite â€Å"Your majesty.† Yet, when she straightened up, I saw the look in her eyes was anything but polite. There was a distinct hostility there, and it was directed at me. I was a bit taken aback until I realized what it was. Jealousy. This woman was insanely, adamantly jealous of me. She pressed herself closer to Dorian, almost possessively, her hands roaming over his body in the way that was so commonplace among their kind. â€Å"A pleasure,† I replied. I turned around to leave again, having no desire to watch Ysabel grope Dorian. If she wanted to make me jealous, she was wasting her efforts. Dorian and I were finished. There was nothing more between us, nor would there ever be again. â€Å"Dorian’s latest lover,† Shaya explained later. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of figured that out.† â€Å"My understanding is that he went an astonishingly long time without a consort ever since†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She didn’t finish. She was referring to when Dorian and I had been involved. â€Å"How long is a long time?† I asked. â€Å"Mmm†¦a couple of weeks.† â€Å"A couple of weeks after we broke up? That’s a long time?† â€Å"For King Dorian? Yes. I believe she’s his fourth since then, but she bears a distinct resemblance to all the others.† Shaya looked at me meaningfully. â€Å"So?† I asked, not getting the point. â€Å"Always fair skinned. Always redheads. Violet eyes are harder to find, though, so he’s settled on blue.† It took me a few moments more to catch on. â€Å"Wait. Are you saying Dorian’s been taking lovers that look like me?† â€Å"It could just be a coincidence,† she said diplomatically. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† I said, suddenly freaked out. Had I really made that big of an impression on him? Shaya paused a moment, face thoughtful. â€Å"I don’t think Ysabel likes you very much.† â€Å"I kind of figured that out too. She was trying to make me jealous.† Then, in case there was any question, I added, â€Å"But I’m not.† â€Å"As you say,† replied Shaya, voice and face perfectly pleasant. I couldn’t tell if she believed me or not, but it didn’t matter. I knew the truth. I really wasn’t jealous of Ysabel and Dorian. Well, not much, anyway. How to cite Thorn Queen Chapter Three, Essay examples

French Indian War Essay Example For Students

French Indian War Essay The French and Indian War The French and Indian war raged from 1754 to 1763. Its roots began long before the first shot was fired, about 100 years before between the French and the English. The French and Indian War was not fought between the French and the Indians, but the two allied with the Canadians against the English. It was the catalyst for the Seven Years War, from 1756-1763, which was brought over into Europe, the Carnatic Wars, and it eventually lead to the American Revolution. By the late 1600s to the beginning of the 1700s, the colonization of the Americas by the English had been reaping great rewards. The English controlled much of the eastern seaboard, and were highly interested into further expansionism. The English often moved into the French territory and claimed the land as theirs. The French had established a vast area from Louisiana to the south to Canada to the north bordering the Spaniards to the left and the English to the right. The French had small frontier villages with ample land for the English to take. The French used their land for the same purposes the English used theirs, for trade and manifest destiny. However the French were frontier trappers who moved and settled in small numbers and not farmers, as the English were. Because of this the French made a good repor with the Indians, which seemed to be all around and the neighboring frontiersmen in Canada to the north. It was almost customary for a Frenchman to wed an Indian woman to strengthen trade agreements and the use of land as well as an interpreter/guide. As the English colonizers began to expand into and around the French territory much quarreling arose and disputes over whose land it really was just added to the fire. The French started to build forts up and down their territorys boarder. The French along with the Indians lead attacks against the English until they moved out of their territory. They French established a fort called Fort Le Boeuf just down river from Fort Duquesne next to lake Erie; this was already claimed as English territory. England sent Major George Washington to the region of Fort Duquesne to thwart the French from further expansion and to expel the from the area. While on a patrol for the French, Major Washington came upon a small group of Frenchmen, which he took for scouts. Major Washington ordered his men to fire killing many and further pursued the rest. In the end 10 men lay dead and 22 were captured. This was soon to be an act of war since England and France were at peace. The French tricked Major Washington into signing a letter written in French, which stated that Major Washington assassinated the 10 Frenchmen and attacked the rest. The always present Indian problem added to Englands decision to send two regiments of troops to protect the colonizers. When the French heard word of this they too sent several regiments of troops to protect the frontiersmen and settlers in their territory in New France. Peace talks in England soon began between the French. The commander of Frances troops was Baron de Dieskau who was under orders to defend New France and not to instigate any attack. The English sent General Braddock with a larger force than Major Washington to make war with the French on the frontier. The French being well aware of their surroundings, made good use of it while ambushing the English as they marched in columns toward the French to attack Fort Duqesne. Frees: The Gothic Motif of Mary Shelley's Fr Essay While the French sent troops over to the Americas, the English had 11 war ships waiting for the French to arrive. Not knowing if the French and the English were at war or not, the French pulled along side of the English Dunkirk and asked. The English Dunkirk fired into the French wiping out most of their men. The French had two ships

The poem February 17th Essay Example For Students

The poem February 17th Essay The poem February 17th written by Ted Hughes describes a premature lamb being born dead. It is extremely graphic and its vivid imagery is extremely grotesque, gripping the reader completely. The tone is tense and the poem induces a reaction of disgust and fear from the reader. It also shows a shockingly real image of what birth can be like. The poet uses various literary devices throughout the poem to bring out the graphic images and construct a feeling of dread in the readers mind. The poet explores the theme of the harsh side of nature and birth, and how new beginnings can go wrong with fatal consequences. We will write a custom essay on The poem February 17th specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The pain of the mother is described vividly. For instance, in the line So I kneeled wrestling with her groans he shows us how painful her labour is with a very auditory sense. The last line The body lay born, beside the hacked-off head is the end of her physical labour and pain, but the beginning of her mental pain. The fruit of her labour is a mutilated body of her child. Only two lines earlier he talks about the Parcel of life, and the juxtaposition of the two highlight the contrast between natures wonders and her cruelty. The short line lays emphasis on the phrase, increasing the impact of the last line. The poet also explores the relationship between nature and man. Most of his poems focus on the insignificance of man compared to nature, however, in this one we see a slightly different approach to this. We see man more as being part of nature, helping with its natural processes, as the narrator helps the mother give birth to her stillborn, saving her life. For instance, in the lines timing my effort // To her birth-push groans I pulled against // The corpse that would not come, the poets coordination with the mother to help her end this ordeal. Both of them are united at this time in their lives, in trying to help the mother give birth. The poem is set on a muddy slope, on a rainy, dreary morning. The morning seems to signify birth and new beginnings. However, this morning starts with a downpour, dishclout sunrise. The alliterative phrase brings out the sense of a wrong beginning; the morning isnt right. Its raining as well; a harsh ice wind is blowing. The stillbirth takes place on the hills, nearly two miles from human inhabitation as we know from the line I went// Two miles for an injection and a razor. The remoteness of the place seems to emphasize that the poet is the only one who can help the mother. The terrain seems to be a hilly, undulated area, as seen in the lines laid her, head uphill and mudded slope. This seems to reiterate the theme of natures cruelty and reminds the reader that there is no other help he can get. The poet uses graphic and vivid imagery to portray the mothers situation and the pain she is experiencing. For example, poet describes the lambs head as a blackish lump and a blood-ball swollen tight it its black felt. The alliterative phrase blood-ball swollen brings out the horror of the image of the blood-clogged swollen head. The image of the lump is repeated in the line Lump head of the lamb looking out. The alliteration highlights the fact that the lump is actually the head of the lamb. These images are disturbing and increase the disgust the reader feels. The poet also uses violent, aural verbs to make each image more raw and visceral. For instance, in the lines Sliced the lambs throat-strings brought the head off // To stare at its mother, the verb sliced makes the reader cringe because of the violence of the action. Other verbs used are hacked and hauled. .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 , .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .postImageUrl , .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 , .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:hover , .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:visited , .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:active { border:0!important; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:active , .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067 .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0438c7c2a99ad9a16dd8bcac9c6b5067:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Hero Diary Entry EssayThe image of the lambs head staring back at the mother, with the throat-strings trailing behind it, is not just grotesque but also emotional as it moves the readers by presenting them with the mothers emotional pain of seeing her childs head in front of her. At the end when the lamb comes out, behind him trails yolk-yellow, // Parcel of life // In a smoking slither of oils, soups and syrups. This metaphorically indicates a broken egg, something that could have been a new life and is now a mess of oils, soups and syrups. The alliteration of the last line tends to cause a sense of nausea in the reader. The tone of this poem is harsh and brutal. It portrays brilliantly the emotional and physical pain of stillbirth. The poet only ever refers to the sheep as a mother, which makes our relationship with the sheep more intimate. The author describes the effort and pain of the mother in great detail and uses many auditory verbs. For instance, in the line, She pushed crying and I pushed gasping, we see the effort both the narrator and the mother are putting into this. The repetition of pushed and the sounds of both of them create sympathy and disgust in the reader. The line I roped that baby head and hauled till she cried out uses active, violent verbs like hauled to emphasize the pain the mother is experiencing. Labour is painful even in normal circumstances but the birth of a corpse that would not come is much worse. This is seen even in the tricolonic phrase After some hard galloping, some manoeuvering, much flapping of the backward lump head of the lamb looking out, I caught her with a rope. The harshness of nature is also brought out in the line tongue stuck out, black-purple, // Strangled by its mother. I felt inside, // Past the noose of mother-flesh This phrase is shocking and brutal, and it conveys the ruthlessness of nature as it creates situations where a mother unintentionally kills her child. The narrator is closely connected and involved in the poem. He helps the mother give birth to her stillborn lamb. He is disgusted by the bloody job he has to do as is seen in the description of the lamb as squashed and crooked. His descriptions are blunt and real, and he is not squeamish about assisting the mother. He is very concerned about her welfare as seen when he went two miles for the injection and the razor. He seems to be trying not to be emotionally attached to the lamb, as he uses it to refer to the lamb. However, in the lines He should have // Felt his way, tip-toe, his toes // Tucked up under his nose // For a safe landing he shows his regret at the fact that the lamb was born in this harsh, violent way. The rhyming couplet adds a melodic quality to the two lines, which create the image of how a beautiful lamb would have been born if it had been a normal birth. The use of the pronoun he also conveys the narrators sadness at the lambs death. He then however switches back to using it as seen in the monosyllabic line Till it came. The short sentence conveys the shock that the poet feels. It seems to have given way suddenly and now it is the end of his and the mothers labour. The narrators close relationship with the mother is seen in the phrase the birth push and the push of my thumb. The juxtaposition and repetition of the different pushes highlight the closeness of the two creatures. It also shows the narrator is doing all in his capacity to save the mothers life. The poem is a visceral, sometimes disgusting, poem that successfully captures the readers interest and grips their imaginations. .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 , .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .postImageUrl , .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 , .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:hover , .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:visited , .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:active { border:0!important; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:active , .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0 .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u95aeca626536bb5efd53f0d0087b7aa0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Essay on A View from a Bridge by MillerHughes is blunt and describes his experience just as he experienced it, without any beating about the bush. This is similar to the style he uses in Pike and Birth of a Rainbow. The poem explores themes such as natures cruelty and human involvement in natures processes and presents the poets view on each one. The imagery is dense, graphic and detailed and the themes are clearly visible throughout the poem. Also the narrators personal involvement further captures the reader. It is a brilliant poem, which embodies Hughes writing style and manner of expression.

3 Erroneous Uses of Scare Quotes

3 Erroneous Uses of Scare Quotes 3 Erroneous Uses of Scare Quotes 3 Erroneous Uses of Scare Quotes By Mark Nichol Rules are made to be broken, but more often they are made to be followed, because violation of those rules, in writing as in any other human endeavor, often leads to unintended consequences. One case is the careless use of quotation marks for emphasis. Scare quotes, as quotation marks employed for this purpose are called, are often used to call out nonstandard or unusual terms, or merely to introduce a word or phrase. However, although this strategy used to be common, scare quotes have taken on a new role that has largely, at least among careful writers, supplanted the old technique: Now, they are better employed to convey derision, irony, or skepticism. For example, a writer who describes how â€Å"the institute offers workshops in ‘self-awareness therapy’† is widely presumed not to be gently preparing the reader for the appearance of an unfamiliar phrase; more likely, they are calling attention to what they feel is preciously New Age-y terminology. Meanwhile, the statement â€Å"The Pentagon’s strategy of ‘pacification’ certainly did make things quieter in the neighborhood† comments on the evasive military euphemism, while â€Å"The ‘new’ model strikes me as less sophisticated than the old one† calls attention to an unjustified adjective. Here are three types of superfluous usage of scare quotes: 1. The astronomers reported Tuesday that they had combined more than 6,000 observations from three telescopes to detect the system of exoplanets. Exoplanets is a term that has only recently entered the general vocabulary, but neologism is not a criterion for use of scare quotes; simply introduce the word, define it, and move on: â€Å"The astronomers reported Tuesday that they had combined more than 6,000 observations from three telescopes to detect the system of exoplanets.† (In the article from which this sentence is taken, a definition of exoplanet follows the statement.) 2. They engaged in listening exercises and musical analysis so as to better understand the musical DNA of their favorite songs. If you use an established term in an unfamiliar but analogous sense, trust readers to make the connection; don’t bracket the term in scare quotes: â€Å"They engaged in listening exercises and musical analysis so as to better understand the musical DNA of their favorite songs.† 3. So-called â€Å"notification laws† require businesses to notify customers when certain unencrypted customer data is improperly accessed. Never employ scare quotes around a term introduced by the phrase so-called. Yes, you may want to signal to readers your dissatisfaction with the term, but so-called performs that function, so scare quotes are redundant: â€Å"So-called notification laws require businesses to notify customers when certain unencrypted customer data is improperly accessed.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should Know20 Pairs of One-Word and Two-Word FormsNarrative, Plot, and Story

Writing a Research Paper MLA

Writing a Research Paper MLA Writing a Research Paper MLA Writing a Research Paper MLA: Things to Remember While writing a research paper you should pay attention to all the aspects, among other things to the design as well. Moreover, the proper design of your paper gives you additional points. So, lets consider some information concerning writing a research paper MLA style that will be helpful for you. It should be mentioned that MLA style is used in writing research papers in arts and humanities. Writing a research paper MLA format supposes the number of requirements that must be fulfilled while dealing with it. Lets name the main of them12-point Times New Roman font 1-inch margins at all sides half an inch-indented paragraphs double-spaced text As for page numbers they should be typed in the upper right-hand corner of each page, half an inch from the top and an inch from the right-hand edge (the first page should be numbered as well). Remember: your last name should be stated before each page number! Writing a research paper MLA: the first page A peculiar feature of writing a research paper MLA is the absence of the title page. The point is that you should type your name, your tutors name, the course and the date in four lines in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Do not forget that the text should double-space. Put the title of your research paper in the centre of the next line. It should not be italicized, underlined or put in quotation marks. Use the standard capitalization (do not write the title in all capital letters). The title should not end with a period; but you may use a question mark or an exclamation mark if it is necessary. Then start typing the text of your research paper from the next line of the same page (do not forget about double space!). Writing a research paper MLA: the system of headlines Writing a research paper MLA means also the usage of headings of several levels. They are 5 in the MLA style:Left-aligned, boldface headings Left-aligned, italicized headings Centered, bold face headings Centered, italicized headings Left-aligned, underlined headings First of all, you should use the first level headings. For example, if you have some classification of several levels, you should use the first level headlines for the first one, the second level headlines for the second one and so on. Pay attention: these are the general requirements of writing a research paper MLA but you should also consult your tutor concerning the format of your paper.

Latest technology in battery for electrical vehicles Research Paper

Latest technology in battery for electrical vehicles - Research Paper Example Moreover, these cells need to be frequently recharged. Since the discovery of electric cars, countless breakthroughs in technology have been made over the previous decade. These innovations are aimed at translating into commercial batteries that store energy and are cost effective. Improving the electric drive vehicle batteries, such as plug-in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles is critical enhancing the environmental, economic, and social sustainability (Czapnik et al., 2015). In essence, changing to light-duty hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles may reduce a country’s dependence on foreign oil by approximately 60% and also reduce emission of greenhouse gas by about 50% (Czapnik et al., 2015). However, these reductions are dependent on the particular mix of technologies employed. With the numerous electric vehicles that are being made available on the market, efforts to make further improvements in electric vehicle batteries would not only make these cars more affordable but also more convenient to consumers. The vehicle technologies office has come up with numerous initiatives that focus on reducing the weight, cost, and volume of the batteries, while concurrently improving the performance of the electric vehicle batteries in terms of durability, energy, and power (Harris, 2012). The ability of these cells to tolerate cruel conditions is also improved. Besides light duty vehicles, manufacturers of some heavy duty vehicles are emulating hybridization of heavy and medium duty vehicles to enhance fuel economy. Realizing the goals of these researchers in these areas as well as commercializing innovative energy storage technologies enables more individuals to buy and use these electric drive vehicles (Harris, 2012). Moreover, this latest technology in electric vehicle batteries helps the energy department to meet the electric vehicle needs. This makes the United States the first nation globally, to produce affordable plug-in

Construction development in China Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Construction development in China - Lab Report Example ith luxurious boutiques that appear to be housed in a traditional lane house is a re-imagination of Shanghai’s old streetscape and customer experience. It reminisces and elicits nostalgia in the historical preservation. Ever growing labyrinth of skyscrapers is the new face of Shanghai. The skyscrapers stretch further than the eye can see from an observation deck in Pudong, a relatively rural district from across the river from Shanghai’s original settlement. The area was just a farmland twenty years back. It has now experienced a viral growth of skyscrapers and symbolizes the urban future of China. Architectural development in Shanghai is so fast that it is estimated that five more satellite towns will be set up from scratch to house the growing population of the city. Pudong is part of the strategic places for development to support humanity in Shanghai. Close to 18 million people live in the greater Shanghai. The figure is expected to inflate by more than one third by the year 2020. The construction of the satellite towns is urgent. Experts are more impatient that policy implementers and they have the urge to build an entire town from scratch in two or three years. Shanghai is re-inventing itself as an urban megalopolis. Shanghai is a city with a long history. In the long-term development, it has formed its own unique city scene and varied cultures and arts. Up to now, a lot of cultural relics beginning in the Tang (618-917) and Song (960-1279) Dynasties, many museums and contemporary memorial halls are well preserved. There are a lot of tourist centers in urban districts and suburbs of Shanghai, which form many tourist areas, tourist lines and special-interest tourist items. (Shanghai National Information, 2013). Throughout the past century, Shanghai has had numerous name tags attached to it; like "Paris of the Orient" and "Pearl of China". Images of Shanghai more than any other Chinese city, are bountiful in the west. A visit here therefore, is naturally

Biochemistry Prac Report Essay Example for Free

Biochemistry Prac Report Essay Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) plays an important role in the anaerobic fermentation of yeast. This reports aims to analyse the kinetic parameters of ADH through spectrophotometry of ADH-catalysed reaction where ethanol is used as a substrate. The Lineweaver-Burk and the Eadie-Hofstee plots are used to linearly transform the hyperbolic form of the Michaelis-Menton equation and to calculate the accurate values of the kinetic parameters under consideration. This results obtained from these plots and equation help tp determine the importance of Km values of enzymes and various factors affecting it such as pH, temperature, presence of metalloenzymes. A brief discussion about the poor substrate specificity of ADH towards ethylene glycol and methods to prevent the occurrence of acidosis in human being due to the presence of ethylene glycol is also presented. INTRODUCTION Dehydrogenases enzymes oxidize a substrate by transferring hydrogen to an acceptor. (Branden et al. , 1975). Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH- EC 1. 1. 1. 1) belongs to this group and catalyses many enzyme reactions (Sund and Theorell, 1963). Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Yeast) has three isoenzymes of ADH namely YADH-1, YADH-2 and YADH-3. YADH-1, which is important for fermentation, consists of four identical subunits, each containing a co-enzyme binding site and a bound zinc atom (Leskovac et al. 2002). Anaerobic conversion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves conversion of pyruvate (formed during glycolysis) into ethanal (acetaldehyde) in the presence of enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase (first step) and then reduction of acetaldehyde in the presence of ADH using co-enzyme NADH into ethanol, carbon dioxide and NAD+ (second step). The second step is reversible and these post-glycolysis reactions take place in the cytosol (Petro, 2005). The above-mentioned reactions were the basis of this practical where the kinetics of ADH was closely monitored by spectrophotometric analysis. NADH has an absorption maximum at 340nm while the oxidized form has no absorption at this wavelength. A backwards reaction was carried out and an expected increase in absorbance of the solution was observed as at 340 nm as NADH was reformed (Suzuki et al. 2000). The role of kinetic parameters, maximal velocity (Vmax) and the Michaelis constant (Km) of ADH were also investigated. The isoezyme YADH-2, which differs from YADH 1 at position 294 (methionine inYADH-1, leucine in YADH-2) is responsible for promoting the backward reaction by oxidizing ethanol to acetaldehyde. The higher activity of YADH-2 can be attributed to tighter binding of the longer chain alcohols and more rapid hydrogen transfer (Gould and Plapp, 1990). This background helps to define a hypothesis for this practical.

Rwanda: Mamdamis Argument and Suggestion for Reform :: essays research papers

â€Å"Hegel once said that how humans are distinguished from animals is the fact that they are willing to give life for a reason higher than life. He should have added that humans, unlike animals, are also willing to take life for a reason they consider higher than life† (Mamdani, 2001, 196). Why was America under terrorist attack on 9/11? Why was Hitler obeyed? Why did hundreds of thousands of ordinary Hutu kill hundreds of thousands of ordinary Tutsi in an attempted genocide that lasted 100 days? To answer these questions it is important to distinguish between who are the subordinate and superordinate groups involved. In order for an oppressed group to have complete political freedom, the oppressor must be exterminated. Mamdami attempts to explain why the genocide of 1994 occurred by comparing people who identified as either Hutu or Tutsi and how historical, geographical, and political components made these identities. A colonial term for genocide is â€Å"ethnic cleansing†, making the world new again so change can occur (Mamdani 12). HISTORY: To understand the Rwandan genocide, it is crucial to look at the historical events that lead up to 1994. The Hutu and Twa were the original inhabitants till the 1300’s when Tutsis’ migrated into Rwanda. By the 1600’s the king of Rwanda was Tutsi. In 1916, Belgian forces occupied Rwanda and Tutsi kings become indirect rulers. By 1957, Hutus’ develop political parties and in 1959 the Hutu’s force the Tutsi king and thousands of other Tutsis out of the country. A Hutu president comes to power in 1962 and in 1963, about 20,000 Tutsis are killed. Tutsi forces invade Rwanda from Uganda in 1990. Hutu Rwandan president attempts a peace treaty signing monitored by the UN in 1993 to share the power. In 1994 the Hutu president is killed by an unknown group and the genocide begins against the Tutsi lasting 100 days. Eight-hundred thousand Tutsis are murdered. (BBC.com) Of course, this is only a brief historical breakdown written from a eurocentric standpoint, but it does help explain the political identities of the opposing groups within Rwanda. The main motivators that drove Hutu groups to kill their Tutsi neighbors were, a.) The Hutu who killed were entitled to that Tutsi person’s property and material goods.

Psychopathy Essay

There have been many studies linking conduct disorder to antisocial personality disorder and sometimes to psychopathy as well. Conduct disorder appears in children and adolescents and involves behavior that violates rights of others and/or societal norms or rules. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the individual’s behavior must include actions such as aggression to people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness or theft, serious violations of rules, as well as a clinically significant impairment in the adolescent’s social, academic, or occupational functioning. The DSM-IV states that in order for a child or adolescent to be found to be presenting Conduct Disorder he or she must present with three or more of the above listed behaviors in the past twelve months, including at least one in the past six months (McCaullum, pp. 6-12, 2001). Those who present with antisocial personality disorder may or may not present with psychopathy. There are two main assessment devices used to evaluate the level of psychopathy that a person exhibits. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was developed by Robert Hare in 1980 and revised in 1991 (Blair et al, 2005). The Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) is another device used to assess psychopathy in adults (Frick & Hare, 2001a). Both of these assessments consist of twenty behavioral items, scored from zero to two, that are used to measure whether or not a person possesses certain traits that, when combined, are common to those of people diagnosed with psychopathy. There have been many research studies conducted over the years concerning the validity and effectiveness of the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised. One such study was aimed at assessing whether or not the level of psychopathy of an individual, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised, was correlated to that individual’s probability of violent recidivism (Tengstrom, Grann, Langstrom, & Kullgren, 2000). The study had a sample size of 202 male violent offenders presenting with schizophrenia that ranged in ages from 16 to 67. The base rate for each individual’s Psychopathy Checklist- Revised score was 26 and the base rate for reconvictions during follow-up was 21% (Tengstrom, Grann, Langstrom, & Kullgren, 2000). Overall, his study showed a positive relationship between score on the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised and the level of violent recidivism. The implications of this research study show that the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised can be used as a tool to gauge the likelihood of reconvictions concerning violent crimes, at least when discussing male violent offenders that present with schizophrenia. Another study, conducted by Walters and colleagues (2003), strived to determine whether the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised or the Lifestyle Criminality Screening Form (LCSF) compared to each other when assessing levels of disciplinary adjustment and recidivism. Although the results of the study showed that the two tests were similar in results, the Lifestyle Criminality Screening Form only took about ten minutes to complete while the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised takes between two and three hours (Walters et al, 2003). Therefore, it was concluded in the study that if there was a high risk of offender recidivism or disciplinary maladjustment, the Lifestyle Criminality Screening Form would possibly be a better choice due to the cost-effectiveness of the inventory. Due to the abundance of characteristics tested for in the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised, there have been many studies to assess which of those have a greater effect than others when discussing propensity to commit violent offenses. According to Blair and associates (2002), one of the specific symptoms presented in individuals with psychopathy is a reduced level of empathic response. There has been a positive relationship found between high levels of antisocial behavior and low levels of empathetic response. This supports the reason that both the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Antisocial Process Screening Device for children include the lower levels of empathetic response to victims in their criteria of psychopathy (Blair et al, 2005). One of the most common methods in which this theory has been tested is by measuring the level of skin conductance in individuals while presenting them with images of people in distress. Both children with psychopathic tendencies and adults with psychopathy present reduced autonomic responsiveness (Blair et al, 1997). This study shows that while those not presenting with psychopathy show high levels of autonomic responsiveness through sweating due to empathy felt by viewing the disturbing images, those that present with psychopathy or psychopathic tendencies do not. According to a study conducted by Blair and Coles (2000), individuals presenting with psychopathic tendencies or psychopathy tend to have a reduced ability to name both fearful facial expressions and fearful vocal affect (Stevens et al, 2001). An interesting fact coinciding with this finding is that while both children with psychopathic tendencies as well as adults with psychopathy present with this lowered empathetic response to fear and sadness, they do not show impairment in responding to expressions of happiness, anger, or surprise (Blair et al, 2005). Another factor associated with psychopathic tendencies or psychopathy is a partially inhibited ability to make the distinction between moral and conventional transgressions. A moral transgression is explained by Turiel (1983) as one that is defined by its consequences pertaining to the rights and well-being of individuals, such as hurting a person. A conventional transgression is assessed by its consequences for the social order (Turiel, 1983). A person that is not presenting with psychopathy will not present with an inability to distinguish between moral and conventional transgressions. They tend to reference the victim in a moral or conventional transgression situation more frequently when explaining their reason as to why they believed the transgression to be wrong. In the case of those presenting with psychopathic tendencies, psychopathy, as well as some other antisocial disorders, individuals make less references to the victims included in the situation and also seem to have a more difficult time distinguishing between moral and conventional transgressions discussed in the situation (Blair et al 1995a). The second of the two previously mentioned deficiencies in the ability to distinguish between moral and conventional transgressions is even more prevalent when the rules banning the specific transgressions are removed from the scenario. Thus, if there is no law or rule prohibiting the act or transgression, children with psychopathic tendencies, adults with psychopathy, as well as other antisocial populations will show a decreased ability to distinguish between the two types of transgressions (Nucci & Herman, 1982). Another area that is studied in order to search for differences in populations that present with psychopathy is that of gender and ethnicity. In a study by McCoy and Edens (2006), researchers looked to test the theory that stated that individuals of African descent are more likely to present with psychopathy. The study included 945 Black and White youths who were assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist- Youth Version. There was a lack of results showing any significant difference between Caucasians and those of African descent. However, there was an unexplained heterogeneity among the individual races. The researchers from this study advised that more research should be conducted in this area of study in order to attempt to discover the reason for this similarity within the individual races. Another study, this one conducted by Kosson, Smith, and Newman (1990), used a combination of three separate research projects in order to come to a conclusion. The first study was aimed at examining the internal structure of the Psychopathy Checklist and and its scores in relation to several constructs relevant to psychopathy. This first study found that there were differences between Whites and Blacks in the distribution of psychopathy scores. It also noted a difference between the two groups in the relation of psychopathy to measures of impulsivity. The second study was focused on assessing patterns of passive avoidance manifestations as compared to the results in a study conducted by Newman and Kosson (1986). It found that the levels of passive avoidance manifestations were similar, but not identical, in the two groups. The third and final study consisted of assessing the levels of criminal charges received by both psychopaths and non-psychopaths. This portion of the study was particularly interesting in that it found that psychopaths do, in fact, receive more criminal charges than do non-psychopaths (Kosson, Smith, & Newman, 1990).

Manufacturing Industry and Fair Trade in Australia

The question that is being studied here is of unemployment, and this is clearly not being lost because of imports. The calculations have been made by the Australian Center for Industrial Relations Research and Teaching, and they say facts about the net changes in the rate of employment between 1988 and 1998 in a number of industrial sectors. It can be seen that there is a clear decline in employment in eight sectors of industry during this decade. There was a net loss of about 250,000 jobs and more than sixty percent of the loss was in areas where there was no competition. This concerned employers like Commonwealth Bank, SECV, State Rail NSW, AMP, and the federal public services. (Do imports cost jobs: What's wrong with fair trade? ) Compared to this, the total number of people employed in sector of textiles, clothing and footwear manufacture in Australia has been 80. 2 thousand as per the figures available for 1998. (Manufacturing employment) The important areas of job loss have been in the manufacture of different products with low import threats, and where the imports come from high wage countries. The exception is in the case of textile, clothing and footwear — TCF. In the case of these products, the imports are from medium wage countries and that import is 36. 0 percent of the total market for these goods in Australia. The largest import is from China, and they are now selling 20 percent of all TCF goods in Australia. (Do imports cost jobs: What's wrong with fair trade? ) This has been confirmed at meetings of the productivity commission regarding the future of industry in the city of Melbourne and the state of Victoria. In the public hearing, they have also confirmed that if the recommendations of the commission are implemented then there would be another loss of 30,000 jobs. An industrialist, Brian Rush had this to say about the textile industry – â€Å"Commodity sewing, as such, in Australia has a real struggle in front of it. Our all-up labor rates in Bendigo, with all the add-ons, are about $28 an hour. You go to China and it's less than 50 cents an hour†. (Textile jobs under threat. 2003) It is not that the government is not aware of the situation in the country and has already allocated $575 million for the textile, clothing and footwear sector under the Strategic Investment Program as stated by the minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. His statement said â€Å"Australia's $9 billion textile, clothing and footwear manufacturing industries can now apply for investment and R&D assistance under the package which has been closely and extensively negotiated with industry players†. (Australia: Textile, clothing & footwear sector investments worth AU $575mn approved, 2005) But this does not seem to have helped the workers as in one case, the workers sacked by National Textiles on January 21st are still on a 24 hour picket outside their factory and that is located about 170 kilometers north of Sydney. There are 342 workers and the claimed dues are on account of entitlements which are not paid consisting of leave on a yearly basis, sick leave, long service, redundancy payments and superannuation. (Sacked Australian textile workers picket for $11 million in unpaid entitlements) Regarding TCF, the economists at Reserve Bank have stated that about one third of the jobs lost in clothing are due to low wages and that is a total of 28,000 jobs. For footwear this amounts to 6,000 jobs lost. Well this seems to support that fair trade is the main reason for the lost jobs but they have also stated â€Å"Despite this large import effect, productivity improvements accounted for about two-thirds of the fall in employment in this sector† (Do imports cost jobs: What's wrong with fair trade? ) This can be seen from a comparison of the figures of 1994 and 1999 where in the case of machinery and equipment the productivity has risen by 23. 2 percent and the job losses have been only 3. 9 percent reduction. In the TCF sector, the increase in productivity has been 15. 1 percent and the job losses are 15. 3 percent. (Do imports cost jobs: What's wrong with fair trade? ) When one looks at the total employment figures the picture becomes even clearer with a reduction between 1974 and 1999 with a total reduction in textiles clothing and footwear by 53 percent, whereas in transport equipment and machinery the reduction was by 39 percent and in metallic products by 29 percent. Thus it is clear that employment is on the way down with a total reduction by 22 percent. This is hurting the workers as 24 percent of the total workers were employed in manufacturing in 1974, but this came down to just 12 percent in 1999. This does not mean that this section of industry has started producing less, and the production has increased, but the gains have not been passed on in terms of additional workers. This is reflected in the fact that the major portion of Australia's workers is now engaged in the service sector – 82 percent of them. (Productivity Commission: Move to scrap tariffs sooner rather than later) To some extent the mismatching of the Australian government timing of cutting the protection of the textile, clothing and footwear sector with the change of the global TCF industry to get into a new form of organization, the commodity chain is also responsible. Due to this change, some Australian TCF manufacturers could not continue business any longer, while the others followed a number of strategies to remain in business, and these including a change of the labor required. This has led to losses in jobs determined by age, gender and ethnicity in the skilled and semi-skilled levels of production. This has been replaced by jobs in design, marketing and management. The jobs in the factories of Australia have to the Pacific Rim. (Trade and inequality: Australia's textile, clothing, and footwear industries, 1986-1996) As an example one can see that in December, there was a reduction by the Sara Lee clothing factory of 200 workers in the factories of Sydney, Wollongong and Kempsey. The number was half of the total employees of workers in the organization. This company now plans to get most of the production for the company done at Fiji, where the labor is cheaper. A similar decision was also taken by Levi Strauss, the famous jeans manufacturer. They are now planning to cut down about 60 percent of the workers in Elizabeth, near Adelaide. They amount to 100 workers. (Australian Job Losses) For many of the workers this means social changes and increases unemployment rates in many areas leading to losses in consumer demand for products. For the people there are long term effects on health due to the loss of jobs and finding a job when one is over 50 is not easy. For the company also it is a loss of manufacturing capacity. Productivity Commission: Move to scrap tariffs sooner rather than later) In the meantime, a new breed of employers has come up and these are the employment agencies. They offer high efficiency when placing the employees in a firm. They claim to offer economies of scale due to their being a specialist third party managing the aspects of personnel management like recruitment. This is normally the function of the personnel department. They also lead to lower transaction costs and thus increase efficiencies due to the matching involved. Yet it is not very popular as in 2003 a survey showed that organizations are using hired employees for the purpose of getting workers for immediate requirements. Yet, a survey showed that 42 percent of the firms believe that there are good benefits for the firms using hired employees. The perceived benefits are the reduction of administrative costs, being able to go through a thorough process of recruitment and getting skilled workers. A very small portion of the firms gave their reason as reduction of employee cost due to lower payments. Temporary employment agencies as labor market intermediaries – new ways of working in an open economy) According to a study done by ABS in June 2002, there were 290, 000 employees hired through the employment agencies at that time. This is a 3. 1 percent share of the total employment market. According to them the organizations which had a union with a closed shop had the least chance of using a labor hire agency. This is thus a limiting factor on labor hire agencies. The positive factor for a labor hire agency is an organization with an employee relations manager. These managers are knowledgeable about the different sources from where they can get labor, as also the different types of labor with them. They are more likely to use the agencies when appropriate. Yet organizations hire labor sparingly and along with other flexible forms of labor like part-time labor and casual labor. (The Growth of Labor Hire Employment in Australia) It is wrong to expect the free traders or the fair traders to really have the interests of the workers at heart. One has to realize that the problem in part arises from the present chase for productivity and international competition.

Alice in Wonderland essays

Alice in Wonderland essays Lewis Carrolls works Alices Adventures in Wonderland s is shown a childs ability to survive in a hostile world. By this last statement I am referring to Cohens comment that Wonderland (published in1865) captures the disappointments, fears, and bewilderment that all children encounter in their dealings with authoritarian, pompous and mystifying adults which Wonderland seems to have no deficiency of. Throughout the story Carroll portrays his views on the education of the times. He makes morals and tales of obedience(Brown,May Lee) seem nonsensical by the character of the Duchess and Alices preoccupation with her lessons. The Duchess keeps insisting to Alice that Everythings got a moral, if only you can find it(Wonderland, 70), but with morals like mustard and dogs both bite(Wonderland, 70) you can see this rule is not quite right. The absurdity of such a character(Brown,May Lee) trying to teach Alice anything is a parody of what Carroll thought about the lessons children were being taught. Also Alice refers to her lessons and her education, usually very proud of the learning that she has acquired. It seems, however, that the information that she remembers from her lessons is usually either wrong or completely useless.(Brown, May Lee) All...

Great Quotations About College

Great Quotations About College College quotations can address everything from life as a starving student to the value of an education. Below are some of the most on-the-spot, pithy, and overall great quotations about college. (For full citation information, please see details at the end of the article.) College Quotations A University should be a place of light, of liberty, and of learning. Benjamin Disraeli, speech, House of Commons, March 11, 1873 (Oxford)Men may be born free; they cannot be born otherwise, and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise. Adlai Stevenson (Esar)The true University of these days is a collection of books. Thomas Carlyle, On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic (Oxford)Our colleges ought to have lit up in us a lasting relish for he better kind of man, a loss of appetite for mediocrities. William James, The Social Value of the College-Bred (Bartlett)A college education doesnt make fools; it merely develops them. (Esar)Universities incline wits to sophistry and affectation. Francis Bacon, Valerius Terminus of the Interpretation of Nature (Oxford)An education is a wonderful thing; no college should be without one. (Esar)College is a refuge from hasty judgment. Robert Frost, quote, July 9, 1961 (Oxford)My whaleship was my Yale College and my Harvard. Herma n Melville, Moby Dick (Bartlett) The use of the university is to make young men as unlike their fathers as possible. Woodrow Wilson (Esar)A Harvard education consists of what you learn at Harvard while you are not studying. James B. Conant, Time (September 29, 1986) (Oxford)Dont join too many gangs. Join few if any. Join the United States and join the family But not much in between unless a college. Robert Frost, Build Soil (Bartlett)Many a man spends the happiest years of his life as a freshman at college. (Esar)D ye think th colledges has much to do with th progress iv th wurruld? asked Mr. Hennesy. D ye think, said Mr. Dooley, tis th mill that makes th wather run? Finley Peter Dunne, On Wall Street (Bartlett)To live for a time close to great minds is the best kind of education. John Buchan, Memory Hold-the-Door (Oxford)Life isnt all beer and skittles, but beer and skittles, or something better of the same sort, must form a good part of every Englishmans education. Thomas Hughes, Tom Browns Schooldays (Bartl ett) Some students go to college to learn to think, but most go to learn what the professors think. (Esar)He who enters a university walks on hallowed ground. James Bryant Conant, Notes on the Harvard Tercentenary (Bartlett)Education begins when your father sends you to college, and is completed when you send your son there. (Esar) Sources: Bartlett, John. Bartletts Familiar Quotations, Fifteenth Edition. Little, Brown, Company. 1980. Esar, Evan. 20,000 Quips Quotes. Barnes Noble, Inc. 1995. The Oxford Essentials Quotations Dictionary, American Edition. Oxford University Press, Inc. 1998.

Market Analysis for Children's Parties Services in the UK Essay

Market Analysis for Children's Parties Services in the UK - Essay Example Daisy enter aments is music based association of services which integrates organizing, recording and creation, publishing music and record label. A family business works with creating children parties making it stress free for her parents. At these parties, everything that the client feel is necessary is provided. These include party suppliers, cakes, children’s costumes, and entertainers. Daisy entertainments market is wide and deals with all kinds of organization ad communities dealing with children. Whether it is a large corporate or community with special needs, daisy entertainment crew is capable of adapting its services to suit the clients needs of he children. The team, which forms Daisy Entertainers, is energetic, in-house talented fun loving, loves children hence reliable and enthusiastic. Daisys entertainment has a unique and simple party planning known as party in a box. Party in a box includes everything the client requires for their child’s party as suggest ed by Daisy entertainments (2005). These include filed party bags, napkins, invitations, table covers foil, cups, plates, banners, party hats and latex balloons. However, all these facilities depend on customer’s choice and are delivered to the door anywhere in the UK. There are also various children themes from which entertainment programs are chosen. They include Disney princess, Hannah Montana, Spiderman, and the night Garden. Daisy’s entertainers provide wide scope of entertainment activities such as puppets, face painting, balloon modeling, magic, plate spinning among other. This organization can over variety of things ranging from fun and lively children entertainers to catering services, birthday cakes, decorations, themed goody bags and set up services. The party is usually planned within the client’s requirements and budget. Daisy entertainment market size is large with wide range of facilities: Children character entertainer; all types of children char acter entertainers are available at daisys entertainment and it is upon the client to make choice. They include games, magic, music, and puppets. The charges for character entertainers are ?195 fro every two hours of fun. Venue setup, decorations, and design: daisys entertainments will set up the venue and design it for only ?200 with decorations included. Catering services: their caterers can deliver fresh party food or the children and present it on party platters. All these are provided for ? 10 per child. They an also provide menu for adults guests at only ?7 per person according to Harbpor, Benton (n.d). Cup cake and other cakes: fabulous cakes for ? 115 only, are provided together with cup cakes, which match your party for only ?2. Bespoke extras: daisy entertainments provide guidance for unique but stressful children party planning and this can be done by conducing them through their contacts. Themed decorations, pinata, tableware, and party bags: all these are available at d aisy entertainments at an affordable amount. Daisy entertainments website provides everything that their customers need in order to make the children parties extremely special. At their website, the customers can also find extras, which make their children’s party more memorable such as, consumes and accessories according to ages.Due to the increasing demand for entertainment in children parties, there has been raising number of entertainment organizations. As a result, daisy entertainme

Anna Pavlova Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Anna Pavlova - Research Paper Example On graduation, she began to perform at the Maryinksy Theatre, debuting on September 19, 1899. 1In early 20th century, Pavlova was a transnational celebrity. She had her first tour to Moscow in 1907 and by 1910; she made an appearance at the Metropolitan Opera House in America. In 1912, she settled in England. Her ties to Russia were broken in 1914 when she was travelling through Germany to Russia, when Germany declared war on Russia. Based in London, she toured the world with the help of her manager, Victor Dandre who may have been her husband. She kept her private life highly confidential. Her final tour was between 1928-29 and her final performance in England took place in 19302. It is not what she did that brought her to the limelight, it is how she did it that made her phenomenal. She expressed her thoughts through dance, which was complemented by her remarkable body that added flavor to her dance. She played a big role as the pioneer of dance theatre and that role has helped shape what modern ballet is. She was almost entirely committed to the classic style based on ballet tradition. Her fame was mostly credited to her wittiness, frailness, daintiness and lightness. She enabled the world realize the influence of dance in society. Driven by the desire to achieve recognition for her talent, she was able to influence her community. She became a spokesman for her art, attracting audiences to her and to ballet. Her willingness to perform across the globe popularized ballet and helped shape what it is today. Her tours established ballet as a highly popular art that brings people together. Her stage performances were exceptional. She made unique entrances and exits on stage such that no one could predict where she was emerging from or where she would disappear to. She was an embodiment of choreography. Her image left the audience wanting more and her art in dancing remained a mystery. She

How americans negotiate and how europeans negotiate Research Paper

How americans negotiate and how europeans negotiate - Research Paper Example Negotiations can be also considered from another point of view. There are many opinions concerning the issue how cultural differences influence the process of negotiations. Some scholars state that there are common rules for behavior during the negotiations, special frames, which dictate how people should act (Foster, 1992). Thus, according to such point of view there are should be no connections between the negotiations and cultural backgrounds as everybody should follow common rules no matter what country he/she may be from. At the same time other researchers insist on the important role of cultural differences, because in different countries there are different rules of behavior, which influence negotiations. In order to reveal how the cultural peculiarities affect the negotiations, it is essential to compare the peculiarities of conducting negotiations in two different countries and investigate the distinctive features of the both. The cross-cultural studies can help resolve the issue connected with the controversy. In such a way you will be able to see and analyze the nation’s strong and weak sides and predict negotiations’ perspectives of this or that side. The main mission of cross-cultural studies lies in the comparison of likenesses and differences of the countries or nations. This research is very useful and can bring beneficial results. By means of cross-cultural studies we can compare and understand different values, patterns, attitudes and methods of the negotiations, which belong to different cultures. In order to create the hypothesis that refers to the influences and interferences of negotiations, it is necessary to consider and compare different cross-cultural studies. It is proved that every culture has its own unique method of negotiating. Some use direct or simple method of communication, and others apply typical indirect and complex way. It is important to take into account that every nation is unique and every nation has its own outlook. The same things and concepts can be understood differently by the representatives of different countries and this aspect should be taken into account. â€Å"the methods of negotiation vary with culture. Some people may adopt a more direct or simple method of communication, whereas others may adopt a method that is more indirect or complex. Each culture has its own standards, and one behavior that has a certain meaning in a certain culture could be interpreted differently in another† (Chang 2006: 135). For example, people may address each other differently. To call person by the family name can be considered rude in such countries as France, Japan, Egypt while in the U.S. and Australia it is pretty acceptable form of communication. One should remember that if you are going have to negotiate with a person or a group of people from different states you have to learn about their culture and traditions beforehand not to spoil the impression at once. If the impression is spoiled because of cultural differences, the results of negotiations may not be positive and desirable. Every culture has its principles and beliefs and they play an important role in the process of negotiating. If cultural differences influence or even program the behavioral peculiarities, it is clear that there is a barrier in communication process of people with different cultural backgrounds. There are a number of factors that suffer from communicative difficulties such as attitude,

Its Improving Home Energy Efficiency Construction Essay

Its Improving Home Energy Efficiency Construction Essay Introduction The typical home today has an unquenchable thirst for energy and there are many steps homeowners can take to help lower their demand for energy. The main source for todays energy is fossil fuels. The burning of these fossil fuels releases CO2 and CO2 is a major contributor to global warming. It is important that we take a more sustainable approach towards our energy usage. Sustainable energy usage benefits the environment and results in lower energy costs to the consumer. Building Shell The exterior surfaces of a building are called the building shell; this may include the roof, walls, doors, and windows. It is the effectiveness or ineffectiveness rather, of this shell that determines the level of energy demand a building will have. It is the heat exchange through the buildings shell that places the largest demands on energy consumption of the home. Lets take a minute to focus on the walls and structure with respects towards the building shell. A common trend in architecture today is to have many extrusions and intrusions in the walls of a home. This is more aesthetically pleasing to todays homeowner. However, these extrusions require extra framing which results in decreased insulation in corners and potential air leakage. Most single family residential homes are wood framed and any irregularities in the building shell are weak points when it comes to heat loss. Mobile homes are framed with metal studs, generally speaking. The increased metal presence combined with thinner walls and joints between modular sections all create potential weak spots that allow greater thermal conductivity. Multi-family housing units suffer from some of the same design flaws; much of their structural support comes from metal components, larger air handling units, and elevator shafts create weak points, thermally speaking. However from an energy usage point it is better to have an apartment that is surrounded by other apartments, the temperature change from one side of your wall/ceiling will be almost zero, this equates to lower heating and cooling costs. Later I will discuss air leakage and insulation more in-depth, for now just knows that when it comes to the exterior design of a building, simpler is better. Air Leakage What represents 5-40% of building conditioning costs also known as energy consumption, air leakage does. Air leakage is the exchange of air from the exterior to interior, or vice versa, of a building. Air leakage control can increase comfort, reduce damage to intra-wall components, prevent pest infestation, and save energy. While ventilation is needed for the building and human health, the goal is to control that ventilation and have it happen when we deem it necessary. Ultimately this exchange in air is a result of pressure difference from the inside to outside of a structure. The pressure difference is caused by the density difference in warm and cold air. This concept is also known as the second law of thermodynamics that is that warm will always move to cooler areas (when unassisted) until equilibrium is met. Unchecked airflow will seek equilibrium inside and outside by the most direct path. Examples of this process at work during winter months would be warm air exiting the struc ture through leaks in the upper regions of the building and cool air entering through the lower regions, thus creating a cycle that seeks equilibrium. Residents can prevent/reduce air leakage by ensuring that the building shell is properly sealed, air tight. This task can be accomplished by using spray foam around window and door frames as well as checking that the weather-stripping is in proper condition, not worn out. Also, windows and doors must be latched in order to be air tight, it is not uncommon for a window to closed but not latched. Other building practices that should be avoided include duct work, electrical fixtures, and plumbing components being placed in exterior surfaces. This could cause air leakage as well as reduced insulation where these components are present. Insulation Insulation prevents heat transmission through the building shell. In some winter months heat transmission poses a greater threat than air leakage. Insulation is placed in voids/cavities in the building structure to reduce heat transmission. Insulation accomplishes this goal by two means. It forces heat to transfer in the form of a gas, gasses are naturally poor conductors. Second its presence reduces heat convection and radiation. Insulation comes in many forms; it could be foam, fiberglass, wool, cellulose (shredded newspapers), and even straw bales in some construction. Every type of insulation has its own pros and cons. Foam is by far the most effective, it has very high R-values and if sprayed will expand to fill air leaks, on the down side it can be expensive, is not very fire resistant, and does not break down quickly in a land fill (eventually this is where it will end up). Fiber glass is probably the most prevalent form of insulation; it has good R-values, but until the wall is sealed can release particles into the air that are harmful if consumed. Wool/cotton is probably a more sustainable way to insulate a structure, generally it is made out of recycled jeans, can achieve comparable R-values, but due to its unpopularity can be significantly more expensive than more common insulations. Cellulose ranks about the same as wool, it is recycled content, but is blown in place and often will settle over time; this leaves a small section of the cavity insulated once it settles. Straw-bale insulation is a controversial issue, its density makes it a good insulator, and however there is much debate about how long it will last. Each insulation is designated a specific R-value and is labeled as such. The R-value is a measure of how well the material resists heat transmission. The important thing to know about R-values is the higher the better, less heat transfer equals less energy consumption. The inverse of the R-value is the U-value. U-values are used to rate win dows and doors for their efficiency. Windows Doors Windows and doors are the complete opposite of insulation. So much so, that we do not rate them by their ability to resist thermal conductivity, but by their ability to conduct thermal heat transfer. The way we identify windows and doors also known as fenestration is with a U-value. The National Fenestration Rating Council is the private/public group tasked with testing and assigning a U rating to fenestrations. Windows are made up of four basic parts; the glass, sash, frame, and the rough opening, all of these contribute to a windows inefficiency regarding energy. Windows can have several different types of glass including; Low-e, tinted bronze, reflective bronze, and clear glass. The best option for energy savings is to install an insulated, Low-e window. The insulative property is provided by a gas, usually co2 and argon. The gas is injected between the window panes and sealed in place; the use of a gas reduces the rate of convection between panes. The low-e is a coating placed on one pane of glass, usually inside the window, that reflects radiation. This coating is installed on the interior pane for cooler climates and on the exterior pane for warmer climates. The sash/frame is typically made of similar material, being; plastic, metal, or wood. With relation to energy consumption the plastic construction is the way to go. When made of plastic the sash/frame is extruded through a mold and often can be filled with foam insulation. The rough opening refers to the space between the window frame and the structural frame of the opening in the rough framing (the actual opening in the wall). The rough opening is often larger than the frame of the window to allow the builder to make adjustments during installation. Once installed, this space should be filled with insulation; the best to use for this situation is minimal expanding foam spray. Door construction is very similar. Doors can have glazing/fenestration within the door. They too, are given a U-value. When di scussing the U-value of doors/windows the most important for a consumer to know is that the lower the U-value, the better. Lower U-values result in greater energy savings when heating and cooling a building. Heating In North America the heating demands of our homes require a huge amount of energy. This energy comes from mostly from fossil fuels that have been refined, mined, and converted to meet our needs. The residential heating fuels that are used today can be broken down into four major categories; natural gas 53%, electricity 29%, oil 9%, and other types make up the remaining 9%. Huge natural gas reserves have been found in North America and it is considered to be the most environmentally friendly of the fossil fuels. It is the increased availability and societies concern for the environment that has led to exponential growth most recently in the natural gas industry. Electricity is considered to be 100% efficient once harvested. It is the methods by which we harvest electricity that cause environmental damage. The most environmentally degrading method of harvesting electricity is by coal power plants; however more sustainable methods such as harnessing wind and solar power production are b eing developed and implemented. Some electrical providers allow their customers to select the source/means of their power. Oil, once a major source of energy used to heat our homes is becoming quickly outdated as consumers become aware of more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to heat their homes. The other category refers to heat sources such as wood and coal, aside from the environmental impacts these sources are unpopular because they require more work by the consumer. A heating system should be designed to provide the home with heat at approximately the same rate that it is being lost in worst case scenarios. Each fuel type has a distribution system. These systems are given an efficiency rating. This rating measures how well the system operates and can be expressed as; Efficiency = Output Input. The resultant will be a percentage ranging from 35-95% efficient. The efficiency of a system is directly proportionate to the amount of fuel the system consumes. Therefore, the more efficient a system is, the less energy it will consume. High efficiency systems are considered to be any system with an 80-97% efficiency rating. Cooling Second to heating demands are the cooling demands, generally speaking, of a building. There are passive and active methods of cooling a structure. Depending on the designers knowledge and foresight of these methods energy required to cool the structure could vary greatly. Passive methods require no mechanical operations; the result is zero energy consumption. Active methods require the assistance of mechanical operations, although the level of energy consumption is defendant upon the system that is installed. Often it is a combination of these methods that provides the most comfort to the inhabitants of the home. One common passive method of cooling a structure is through the use of landscaping. The use of trees to shade a home is the most cost effective method of cooling. The trees must be deciduous so that they allow the sun to warm the building during winter months. Another passive method is ventilation through windows and other openings. A proper building design can create a chim ney affect, pulling cooler air in at lower portions of the home and releasing warm air in upper portions of the home. Often this chimney affect can be assisted by proper placement of ceiling fans, an example of a combination of passive and active systems. The use of fans to ventilate a home is the most energy efficient way to cool the building. Moving air is more comfortable to the inhabitants and can give the perception of a 4-8 degree temperature change. Window/Room air conditioners are the least energy efficient. The constant start up and shut down process consumes large amounts of energy. They are subject to significant accumulations of dirt, unchecked over time, this causes greater inefficiency and eventual failure of the unit. The use of central air conditioning is another active method to cool a residence. Central air conditioning can provide the most comfort; higher efficiency models reduce energy consumption. Central air conditioning systems are run by a thermostat and slow ly cool a building. This prevents the constant start up and shut down process that occurs with a window unit. Regardless of the system and methods used to cool a building the inhabitants have control over how much energy is used. The warmer the environment the residents can willingly tolerate the less energy will be consumed to cool the structure. Due to the fact that most people do are not present during the construction and design process of their home perhaps the most applicable way to save energy is to perform regular maintenance and select the proper lighting and appliances. Lighting Lighting has a huge effect on a homes energy consumption. There are many different light fixtures and bulbs a one could install in a home. Just as anything else thus far they vary in efficiency. The consumer must read labels to ensure they are actually purchasing the most sustainable, energy efficient light. Often more lighting than what is required is used, different activities require different levels of illumination, be sure to size fixtures adequately. Consumers must monitor their energy use by controlling when lights are on or off. If an area is not being utilized for a period of time the lights should be turned off to conserve energy. Also, residents should clean the globes or covers around the light bulbs, clean fixtures provide more optimal lighting. When purchasing new appliances consumers should purchase energy star rated appliances. Energy Star guidelines are set by the EPA and provide the consumer with a means of determining the efficiency of appliances such as dish washe rs, TVs, clothes washers, and dryers. To help with the cost of these more efficient options some state governments offer a tax rebate to those who purchase high efficiency appliances. Conclusion In conclusion, even with the unquenchable thirst for energy, the consumer has more power than they realize to reduce the energy consumption of the buildings they reside in. With reference to the buildings shell basic is better; irregularities tend to be thermal weak spots. Air leakage can happen anywhere the building shell is penetrated, stopping the unregulated air flow through a buildings shell will result in increased energy savings. The proper insulation is key, to providing comfort and energy efficiency. Windows and doors also known as fenestration create weak points in a buildings shell and must be sealed and properly installed to promote energy efficiency. Heating systems are produced by a wide variety of manufactures, it is crucial that the consumer is well informed with the potential energy consumption of the system before purchasing and installing. Cooling can be accomplished through passive and active means, often the most effective is a combination of both. Lighting fixtu res must be sized and installed properly to promote energy efficiency. Consumers should purchase high efficiency Energy Star appliances to conserve and reduce their homes energy consumption.