Gender, Resistance, and Violence Essay Example for Free

Sex, Resistance, and Violence Essay The vast majority in the industrialist west assume that what they allude to as the Muslim world is perceived most for minimization and abuse of ladies and young ladies (Arebi, 99). This conviction runs so profound that a few westerners are stunned at seeing Muslim ladies voyaging alone or unreservedly dressed (El-Ghobashy, 110). While the justification for this conviction may have been less temperamental hundreds of years prior, ladies in the Arab world have been taking progressively dynamic initiative at all levels, ascending to become national pioneers in such nations as Pakistan, Turkey and the previous Yugoslavia (Caprioli Boyer, 506). The West, and the moderately youthful Israel, have assaulted the Arab world on various events and as anyone might expect, their officers are presently possessing Iraq and Afghanistan. The involving fighters have been accused for forcing curfews, rape, beating and embarrassing local people, shooting and harming guardians and their youngsters, and shutting outskirt intersections freely (Dubinsky, Krull, Lord, Mills Rutherford, 16; Mbembe, 39). It isn't astonishing that an enormous level of Americans are dubious of Muslims (Asad, 97). Typically, men in the Middle East have commanded the counter-ambush on involving powers, utilizing such strategies as guerilla assaults, landmines, bombs and self destruction assaults. Be that as it may, ladies have not assumed the lower priority they would have been relied upon to take a century back (Massad, 469). In protection from occupation powers and the ensuing ambush on their way of life, a large number of Muslim ladies have invited radical enemy of West thoughts and continued to assault the involving officers (Crossette, 39). Allowed that ladies pull in less doubt, they settle on decision self destruction planes. As per Asad (94), the life of an Arab is far less expensive than an Israeli’s, as per the Israelis. It isn't odd that the last slaughters Arabs in their hundreds for each one Israeli executed. Middle Easterner ladies have been immediate and roundabout survivors of these assaults. It is to shield their kin against Israeli-and Western-enlivened assaults that an ever increasing number of ladies have joined the battle positions of fanatic associations. Middle Easterner ladies have additionally driven forceful opposition political crusades to advocate their causes with fluctuating degrees of progress (Hasso, 90). A great many Arab ladies have looked for elevated level training in the west and have started crusades of opposition against the assaults focused on the Arabs. Catalog Arebi, S. Sex Anthropology in the Middle East: The Politics of Muslim Women’s Misrepresentation. The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1991: pp 91-108. Asad, T. Talal Asad on Suicide Bombing. Caprioli, M. Boyer, M. Sex Violence, and International Crisis. Diary of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 45, No. 4, August 2001: pp 503-518. Crossette, B. Militancy: Living in a World Without Women. The New York Times, November 4, 2001. Dubinsky, K. , Krull, C. , Lord, S. , Mills, S. Rutherford, S. (Eds). New World Coming: The Sixties and the Shaping of Global Consciousness. Toronto: Between the Lines, 2009. El-Ghobashy. Pickles of Representation. Hasso, F. Obstruction, Repression, and Gender Politics in Occupied Palestine and Jordan. Massad, J. Considering the Masculine: Gender and Palestinian Nationalism. Center East Journal, Vol. 49, No. 3 (1995): pp 467-483. Mbembe, A. Necropolitics. Open Culture 15(1), 2003. Pp 11-40.

Arranged Marriages Essay Example for Free

Masterminded Marriages Essay Love is a numerous splendored thing: great that is the thing that Ive heard. Eyes meet, feathered creatures sing, hearts beat and the world flips around; except if you are in an organized marriage. Just the guardians are upbeat, and obviously we need our folks to be glad however to whose detriment? For a considerable length of time organized relationships were a convention and in certain societies they despite everything are. There might be a valid justification why masterminded relationships are useful for the individuals in the east. Anyway today, orchestrated relationships are as yet progressing in light of the fact that its customary, I dont think that is a decent convention. I mean observing New Years Eve in Times Square New York is a decent convention. Its a decent custom since I feel and realize that nobody ever gets injured observing New Years Eve. Masterminded relationships can hurt and deny a people certain social liberties. There are a lot of societies where there are no such things as common or human rights yet it still doesnt make it right. Orchestrated relationships are a custom from a past time, I accept that organized relationships are a method of controlling individuals, particularly ladies. Around the globe there has been a custom or convention of oppressing ladies. Eastern societies or religions accept that it is their entitlement to make ladies second class residents. To me it implies considerably more, such as controlling an actual existence. In the event that you want to control ladies and to control their lives start with the marriage. In the western social orders they will in general disapprove of that sort of control caused upon ladies. Im sure that ladies will in general dislike that too, any command over anybody is disapproved of. There must be a sure absence of regard for both the lady of the hour and husband to be in orchestrated relationships, these marriage thoughts may be old yet who said that theyre a smart thought? A few conventions ought to be obliterated quicker than a Scotsman can clear out a free bar at a wedding gathering. Orchestrated relationships are one of those customs. Romeo and Juliet is a great case of why masterminded relationships are obsolete and finishes in catastrophe. Those occasions required most young ladies and men to go into a relationship, that werent voluntarily, yet their folks. You would not believe that in todays society that orchestrated relationships despite everything existed, anyway the guardians are as yet arranging their childrens life; but, the kids are grown-ups. The reason for this is to keep up the riches for the two families. On the off chance that the case was that a little youngster was being made to wed a grown-up male, that is being marked as pedophilia. However in India or in the east it is as yet continuous and it doesnt have any kind of effect, here in England its an alternate story so far as that is concerned and is unlawful. These kids are programmed into accepting this is typical and that adoration or some other feeling isn't their privilege yet to indiscriminately permit the desires of their folks. We have not ventured forward in time yet have fallen into scriptural extents. That may have sounded excessively spellbinding (scriptural extents), however we need to understand that in scriptural occasions youngsters were offered to other relatives for the motivation behind proceeding with their precursors and that was a huge number of years back but then its despite everything occurring in todays society. One should seriously mull over that organized relationships are more similar to a business bargain than a genuine marriage, frequently with the drew in couple being utilized as pawns on a chess game. Marriage ought not be just a business recommendation. Call me a sad sentimental yet I dont accept that two individuals can be genuinely glad except if it was themselves who saw important characteristics in their accomplice, what is more is that it totally resists the law of nature. All the more critically a marriage ought to be founded on regular trust and love, just as shared objectives. Anything short of that and all you end up with is an aloof, bogus association. Orchestrated relationships are a joke or the genuine idea of marriage, a useless report to be recorded into our court frameworks. What is love? That is supposed to be probably the hardest inquiry to be replied the same number of individuals dont realize what it is. In all fact I dont think anybody realizes the appropriate response except if they are infatuated and even so its an unexplainable inclination that somebody cannot depict to another. You can possibly realize what it is the point at which you are in it. In a masterminded marriage I feel that you cannot find that adoration feeling between the two individuals in the relationship. As I said before we would like to make our folks glad and yes theyre the ones that know whats best for us and just need us to settle on the correct choices. However, I dont think they know or comprehend that despite the fact that they may think the man/ladies would wed may not be the correct decision, were enamored with them. Whatever adoration is. We care about them and at the time you realize that you need to be with them for a mind-blowing remainder and in particular theyre yours eternity and youre theirs. What's more, it doesnt matter what individuals state and in the event that they can't help contradicting your decision. Since you comprehend what you need and that is him/her. Be that as it may, this isn't what you get in an orchestrated marriage. In a masterminded marriage I would envision that the lady would feel some way or another caught, that is the manner by which Id feel on the off chance that I was in the circumstance. Id be so cooped up on attempting to keep my folks glad and not having the option to communicate how I felt to anybody and would feel as though it were my obligation. In the event that more couples were coordinated up through class, training, family foundation, life objectives and income Thats cited from a ladies called Aneela Rahman. She was on BBCs 2 program Arrange Me a Marriage. The program was tied in with finding an accomplice for every challenger she had, she had one month to coordinate somebody with another. Conventions are one thing yet obsolete, silly, new age subjection is something else, I understand that whether you wed for affection or not, it can either end up being fortunate or unfortunate, yet there ought to be the chance of decision not required principle. All in all I am against orchestrated relationships. I believe that it isn't expected to please guardians and not the genuine lady of the hour and husband to be. On the off chance that you need your youngsters to get hitched and begin to look all starry eyed at, at that point let them do it time permitting. Its not something that can be raced into and discovered straight away or first time round. Love ought to be experienced and not simply felt.

Whitney Ottos How to Make an American Quilt and Norman Macleans A River Runs Through It :: American Quilt Otto River Runs Through Essays

Whitney Otto's How to Make an American Quilt and Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It Commonly when I compose it is hard to find a general subject, or even an unmistakable and exact point. Over and over again, my papers appear to stray from the deliberate reason expressed in the presentation. The theme and essential thought should be successfully presented toward the start with the goal that the peruser recognizes what to search for and what's in store. Commonly, my composing comprises of a strong presentation with a smart thought, yet it melts away as it approaches the completion and the end isn't viable to stay steady with the correct arrangement of the sentence (2-3-1). The peruser of my work must recognize the most significant purpose of the work, understanding the general topic, while staying enthralled by a reliably fascinating paper. On the off chance that an essential point exists, it should be extended, accentuated, or bolstered. The work needs to stay intriguing and enrapturing all through. For the peruser to derive my conclusion on the topic, I should show endorsement or dissatisfaction with it here and there. The consequences of this individual study connect to 101 Dalmatians, seventh Heaven, How to Make an American Quilt composed by Whitney Otto, and A River Runs Through It composed by Norman Maclean. Every one of these works contains a central matter, a subject, and this is extended, stressed, or upheld all through the plot. The peruser is suddenly acquainted with the four writings toward the start. In A River Runs Through It, Maclean presents the setting and foundation of the story all the more viably, however he despite everything hops into the plot by starting with In our family, there was no reasonable line among religion and fly angling (1). That first sentence fills in as a presentation, yet it's anything but a run of the mill starting point. Otto, moreover, starts her novel with guidelines; You need a huge wooden edge and enough space to suit it (7). Despite the fact that these creators start their accounts by hopping into the plot, the creators do give adequate foundation serving to evacuate a significant part of the suddenness. The preambles and presentations found in the books clarify what is coming down the road in the plot; similarly sees and advertisements clarify the course of the plot in the TV program and film. The peruser and watcher can foresee the plot and its bearing, making the prima ry line an important extension into the story ahead.

How to Write About Yourself - All the Tools You Need to Write About Yourself

How to Write About Yourself - All the Tools You Need to Write About YourselfMany have said that it's impossible to write about myself and that's far from the truth. It is, however, true that there are things that you can do in order to put yourself into the middle of the story, make it the way you would like it to be. There are many tools that you can use to help you write about yourself.You can write about yourself in the third person or first person. You can even get creative and write about yourself using terms and ideas that you wouldn't normally associate with yourself.You can write about yourself using the past tense. Perhaps this will help you understand that you can use many ways to write about yourself. If you can do this, you can put yourself into the picture and put yourself into the story.You can also use humor to help you write about yourself. Humor is a good way to make yourself part of the story. It can also help you make people laugh as you are describing something. I t's like helping people to remember a silly experience.You can use adjectives to put yourself into the picture. Adjectives can help you put yourself into the story and in many ways to make your character or event sound more interesting. You can also use them to describe your emotions.You can also use metaphors. Metaphors are metaphors that can help you describe what you have been through or what you will be through. Using metaphors is a way to help you make your character seem much more interesting.You can also use double negatives to help you write about yourself. You can use negatives to describe your character or situation. You can use negatives to suggest that your character is good or bad.

The Dangers of Road Life - 1421 Words

People think teenagers are the only horrid drivers. What they don’t think about is that there’s an age group of drivers who are far worse than teenagers. Statistics show that people over the age of seventy cause more accidents and are in more accidents than teenage drivers. In 2008, more than 5,500 elders were killed in car accidents, and more than 183,00 were injured in car accidents(Older Adult Drivers). There are many reasons why elderly drivers are more likely to get into accidents that teenagers. Physical and mental changes are just some the causes of car accidents among elders. These include slowing down fast enough, the loss of clear vision and hearing, the loss of muscle strength and flexiblity, and drowsiness which cause†¦show more content†¦Many elders have vision and hearing problems. It’s hard for them to see and hear clearly, while on the road is a dangerous thing. Many elders also have cataracts, macular degeneration and/or glaucoma. All of these diseases affect the eyes, making them cloudy and limiting the eye sight. Some elders also take medicine for depression or any other mental health problem. Taking some medication can cause the driver to become drowsy, making them a danger on the road. A good percentage of elders in the US are drivers, and many of these drivers have either Parkinson’s, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, or have had a stroke. All of these diseases have an effect on the driver and the vehicle. People with Parkinson’s tend to shake a lot. A driver with Parkinson’s may have difficulty reacting fast enough to turn the wheel or stop when necessary. Diabetes can cause sleepiness or dizziness in the driver, it could also cause seizures. Strokes can affect either one side of the body, or the whole body. Stroke makes the drivers to impaired to drive motor vehicles, but some elders still drive after having a stroke. Alzheimer’s cause just about complete mind loss. Having this while driving could cause them to get lost, not remember where they live or where they’re going(â€Å"Old Adult†). There are still many accounts of elders hitting and killing pedestrians or people in motor vehicles. A vote was taken on Debate. org asking if people believed elders should have to retake the driving test orShow MoreRelatedThe Dangers Of Texting While Driving1561 Words   |  7 Pages015 18 September 2014 â€Å"Almost Home† With the society we live in today, a cell phone almost becomes a necessity. Although cell phones come in handy and even make life a little easier, our cell phone usage is becoming a threat to us. There are several ways in which this powerful object can be dangerous. Texting while driving is one danger many do not realize until something drastic happens. Texting while driving is not only a threat to us, but as well as other drivers, passengers, and pedestriansRead MoreRoad Construction Accidents Causes Accidents1160 Words   |  5 Pages Road construction is an overwhelming situation every driver faces. The first sight of orange barrels and construction workers leaves any driver frustrated. Closed roads and detours are everything drivers want to avoid during their daily commutes. The reality of the situation is that road construction is something that we all have to deal with because it affects a large population of individuals. Beyond all the frustration, road work is very serious and causes many problems. Road constructionRead MoreRoad Rage And Aggressive Driving1228 Words   |  5 PagesNate Finck Mrs. Waller English I February 18, 2015 Road Rage and Aggressive Driving Imagine you are in a road jam. Ahead of you, you can see miles of cars. Radio is on and you’re very, very frustrated. You need to get home to your family and you still have miles to go, inch by inch. At this point in time you’re very distraught. The car is a medium of transportation. Where once you could walk from two to six miles per hour, now you can go up to speeds of seventy-five miles per hour, and get to yourRead MoreTexting And Driving Is A Good Thing Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesWe have all seen them, the people that come barreling down the road not knowing what’s happening because they are too busy looking at their phone. Texting and driving is one of the most daring things people can do on the road now a days. It is a tragic practice in the United States that needs to be stopped. It’s taking many lives of peoples family and friends around the United States today. This phenomenon of texting and driving exists and it isn t a good thing. Although many people would agreeRead MoreThe Cons of Texting and Driving918 Words   |  4 Pageseyes have to be open while looking at the road ahead of you. 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One could only imagine the tremendousRead MoreRoad Construction Accidents Caused By Drivers1591 Words   |  7 PagesRoad construction is an overwhelming issue that every driver has experienced throughout their driving years. Roads are designed and built for vehicle use, however that gets complicated with road work zones. Road construction is such a common part of driving, it appears many motorists forget the dangers associated with work zones. Patience is not something most drivers have, and most drivers do not slow down to wait for cons truction. The lack of patience puts the construction workers and other driversRead MoreJohn Kinsella: the Crest1555 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the safety and security of town, traveling too fast, going up the rise and approaching the crest of the hill over which unknown danger waits. Like the truck, humankind is overloaded and travelling too fast to avoid disaster. The words, â€Å"high speed† establish tension and apprehensiveness, and also illustrate mankind’s inability or unwillingness to slow down. The danger of driving an overloaded truck too fast over a blind crest is paralleled with the way in which man is moving. The phrase, â€Å"theRead MoreRoad Accidents: Reasons and Responsibilities657 Words   |  3 Pagesones include our small children, our parents, or spouses. Road accidents are one of the main causes of deaths in the United States and the authorities need to be more vigilant in trying to reduce them through every means possible. At the same time, it is also a civic responsibility of the community to make constant pressures on the public authorities to ensure that measures are taken to keep the roads safe through every means possible. Road accidents do not make particular choices and often we findRead MoreDistractions Behind the Wheel619 Words   |  3 PagesTraffic Fatalities in 2010 were 608† (Jones Para 1). The total number of traffic fatalities exceeds the total number of gun deaths. There are several distractions on the road today such as, using electronic devices while driving, drinking, and being an aggressive driver. Traffic safety is one the most important thing on the roads today. Cell phones are just one of the many distractions in everyday lives of all Americans. Many people know that texting while driving can be a very dangerous thing to

Obesity Is The Type Of Disease That Is Infectious

Obesity may not be the type of disease that is infectious. However, it has reached heights of epidemic proportions and poses a public health challenge, not only in Australia but globally. This disease has attained substantial awareness as a major health hazard and can be defined as an unhealthy excess of body fat at which can lead to an increased risk of medical illnesses and also may result in mortality, (Kitzinger Karle, 2013). Since the 1980’s the prevalence of obesity has almost tripled and since 1998 the World Health Organisation has recognised the state of obesity as a situation on prevalent quantities. Predictions have been made that if the increase of obesity continues, a vast majority of the world’s population will be overweight†¦show more content†¦However, in the late 1970’s only 32 percent of adults, between the ages of 27 and 74 years were overweight and 15 percent were obese, (Office of the Surgeon General (U.S), 2001). In the United State s, of the year 2000, obesity caused the death of over 400,000 adults, a 33 percent increase since 1999. Overweight and obesity can lead to unpleasant metabolic effects with blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance and triglycerides. There is also risk of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke. An increased body mass index (BMI), (a measure of weight relative to height†, (WHO, 2015)) can escalate the risk of cancer of the breast, prostate, kidney, gall bladder, prostate or colon, (WHO, 2015). Obesity is a huge factor that is adding to the worldwide crisis of disability and chronic disease and although obesity-associated morbidities occur most frequently in adults this disease occurs also in childhood and adolescents. Children that are have severe weight issues, (i.e. overweight or obesity) is a major concern to their health, (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Obesity is difficult to address within society as most habits are formed during childhood and recent studies have shown that those who suffer from obesity during their childhood show tendencies of staying obese through their adolescence and in their adulthood, (Office of the Surgeon

Christophe Mae On Trace La Route free essay sample

You dont need to understand what French singer/songwriter Christophe Mae is saying to fall in love with his songs. And if youre into international music, Mae is a must. His music is similar to that of Jason Mraz. He is, in my opinion, just as capable at writing catchy, feel-good pop songs, and both have beautiful falsettos. But both artists cant simply be thrown into the â€Å"pop† category; its a dangerous black hole for artists. Mae has the same sweetness and authenticity that Mraz is praised for. Every song is heartfelt, from â€Å"Dingue, Dingue, Dingue† (Crazy, Crazy, Crazy), a playful love song that has the power to get stuck in the heads of French-speakers and xenophobes alike, to ballads like â€Å"La Rumeur† and â€Å"JAi Laisse.† His lyrics illustrate his appreciation for everything beautiful and he sings with soul. Mae credits Ben Harper, Tracy Chapman, Jack Johnson, Francis Cabrel, Gerald De Palmas, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley as his inspirations, and his work does feature the optimism of Marleys music. We will write a custom essay sample on Christophe Mae On Trace La Route or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mae has already won over France. If you crave good pop songs but are tired of the overused lyrics and melodies, do yourself a favor and give Christophe Mae a try.

A Weeping Mother, A Sickly Child And A Husband Near-death Are The Imag

A weeping mother, a sickly child and a husband near-death are the images evoked in Jonathan Harr's A Civil Action. Two huge multinational corporations, represented by a corps of well learned and well supplied lawyers are put to bear against the pitiful victims of the companies' supposed negligence and these victim's lawyer, an energetic, if untested, attorney. Every fiber of my being was rooting for the plaintiffs to win the case and walk away with just recompense; to see the corporations clean up their act and become less behemoth than they are would have been suitable punishment. However, the judicial system let me down. Did all the actors fulfill their obligations? Did the case go by the book? I find that, despite my misgivings about certain events, justice was seemingly carried out. Harr's book has a wide array of actors. Most of the actors, however, play just a minor role in the eventual outcome of the case. The largest players, however, influenced the outcome a great deal, far more than any of the smaller characters. The most prominent actors are the prosecuting attorney, Jan Schlichtmann, and the judge, Walter Skinner. Schlichtmann carried the entire case on his back, taking control of all events that he could possibly have a part in. He made most of the important decisions throughout the case, sometimes disregarding advice from trusted associates. Judge Skinner, too, was a powerful force. It was through his decisions that the case was shaped. If Schlichtmann was a loaf of bread baking in an oven, Skinner was the bread pan, holding back Schlichtmann's growth. Another major player was one Jerome Facher. As defense attorney for one of the companies (Beatrice), his role was adversarial to Schlichtmann's. He continually tried to slow down the case, to wear away a t the plaintiffs' and their attorney's resolves. Anne Anderson, the mother of a youngster, plays a smaller role afflicted with leukemia. Her willpower and forceful personality helped to keep the case going in its infant stages. Kevin Conway was a semi-important character. His role was as confidante to Schlichtmann. Many times, his cautious attitude may have served the case better than Jan's aggressive demeanor. James Gordon kept the suit going on a financial level. His genius with numbers allowed the Schlichtmann firm to stay afloat for a good part of the case, despite being broke or owing hundreds of thousands of dollars. William Cheeseman (attorney for W. R. Grace) played a large role during the discovery phase of the trial, but a very minor one after that. His work involved trying to stop the case in its earlier stages. There were numerous other actors, but none had as much of an effect on the case as these. Having such a wide array of very different people set the stage for much conflict. Because of adversarial roles like that of Facher and Schlichtmann, or "motherly" roles like that of Skinner, many confrontations crucial to the case took place. The most prominent, in my (and perhaps Schlichtmann's) eye is what was known as the "Woodshed Conference." Schlichtmann worried about the relationship between Facher and Skinner, and this engagement proved to him that he wouldn't get a fair shake. Harr indicates that after being taken to the Woodshed, Schlichtmann knew he couldn't compete with Facher for Skinner's respect (232). Another conflict resulted when Cheeseman tried to use Rule 11 to get the case thrown out. Harr says that Skinner believed "lawyers should be encouraged to use Rule 11 much more often" (107). Such acts like that of Cheeseman's slowed Schlichtmann down and had the potential to bring the case to a halt. One of the most important interactions was between Facher, Skinner and Schlichtmann. Skinner's decision to divide the case up into separate phases was probably the most important decision made. The jury had to decide on facts. Without the presence of weeping mothers and sickly youngsters, the jury would be far less sympathetic. Facher says that Schlichtmann thinks that families will break the jury's heart, but, "those families will never see the light of day" (231). This civil case, in general, is like most other civil cases. The stages of a civil case are followed as set

Essay Sample on Philosophy of the Good Life

Essay Sample on Philosophy of the Good Life Philosophy had been studied for countless centuries by great people, wise men, and common people. It is not because they have to construct what philosophy is and its importance to humanity and the world as a whole, but to make its existence concrete and become usable to where it is ought to be used. The concept of philosophy is abstract and even before the existence of the humanity and the world, it was already there. Its idea was laid down in words through time to be used by people for the coming ages. But its usefulness and significance still depends how we absorb and utilize them. The word Philosophy itself means love of wisdom (Thomas). It came from Greek words Philo (love) and Sophia (wisdom). Therefore, it means devotion to know. Philosophy deals with different aspects and some of these significant concerns are metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and aesthetics (Thomas; Thomas). Metaphysics studies the theory of reality, epistemology studies the theory of knowledge, and ethics studies the theory of moral values (Thomas). Moreover, politics addresses the theory of legal rights and government, and aesthetics deals with the theory of the nature of art (Thomas). As a human being, what is there that we passionately wanted to know, or more appropriately, we passionately needed to know? This begins with our quest to seek our nature as a human, the world we live in, and our part to this world. There is the hunger and thirst to create a guiding scheme to know the course we are taking and that is what philosophy for. Philosophy, for that reason, becomes the guiding system of our morality, our being, and our sense of living. Each one of us has its own philosophy in every act we do, every place we go, and every decision we make. It is within us, in our instinct, in our beliefs, in our feelings†¦it is natural in each of us. The concretion of philosophy was made to formalize certain highlights in our daily life like government, politics, law, economy, and sciences. It is for that reason that philosophy plays an important role in the life we are taking and that is towards good life. Man always seeks the truth and philosophy opens the gates to the truth. If you need custom essays, research papers, thesis, dissertation or term papers on English, Philosophy, Education or other discipline feel free to contact our professional custom writing service.

SHORT STORY QUESTIONS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

SHORT STORY QUESTIONS - Assignment Example In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† there are lines that show how the narrator (Jane) inconsistently describes her perception of the wallpaper in the room. This makes obvious her slow and continuous descent into madness. Jane, through the wallpaper, realizes that it is impossible for her to accept living life locked up in some room. In â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers,† the men take in the detail of the messy housekeeping abilities of Mrs. Wright, seeing it as laziness, while the women see it as Mrs. Wright being unhappy in the marriage. There was also a parallelism between the murders of Mr. Wright to the murder of their pet bird, as both were strangled to death. This is somewhat a common concept in marriage during that era, as men usually view women as clueless creatures who are merely capable of doing housework. In all three stories, the endings were usually death or horrible separation from the spouse. This is symbolical of the way marriages were viewed during that era. It was like there is always one partner who is unhappy, while the other is

Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example According to the discussion  Schmidt is in the practice of listing down his best employees and communicate with them in a personal manner to encourage them to perform better. There are also numerous systems in the organization to reward top performing employees such as stock option, financial incentives, etc. He makes his employees feel that they are the owners of their work and to facilitate such an environment he provided a broad definition of the goals of the company.This paper outlines that  Schmidt leaves the implementation part of achieving the goals of the organization entirely to his employees. He doesn’t prefer to interfere in this regard. Schmidt reinforced the entire system of his organization such that the hierarchies of the organization do not get in the way of employees with regard to their performance. Google Inc is in the practice of following a â€Å"distributed leadership† culture for its employees. Distributed leadership culture states that people living in the environment are primarily responsible and also accountable for group and personal development. Team work is the best alternative to find the path that is best suited for an organization. It is concerned about the fact that each member of an organization must take a different role and that there must be demonstration of collective responsibility in this regard.  Google Inc expects its employees to share their expertise and ideas in this ever changing environment to achieve constant growth.

Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” Essay Example for Free

Tchaikovsky’s â€Å"1812 Overture† Essay The concert that I chose to review was an online performance of Tchaikovsky’s â€Å"1812 Overture†. This overture is the finale to his Symphony No. 5. The piece that I chose was performed by the Berlin Philharmonic on October 9, 2008 and conducted by Seiji Ozawa. Ozawa has conducted orchestras in Germany, Austria, France and many other countries. He holds the distinction of being, â€Å"the first recipient of Japan’s Inouye Sho†¦recognizing lifetime achievement in the arts† (â€Å"Seiji Ozawa: Conductor). The â€Å"1812 Overture† has movements that have become famous and have been used in movies and on television, but the sections of it that have been used in these places don’t convey the whole feeling of the overture. The â€Å"1812 Overture† as a whole is a moving piece because it combines elements of music to uniquely convey emotion. The overture begins adagio, with the strings playing in a very legato style. The notes are smoothly combined with a slight tremolo to them to evoke emotion. The woodwinds enter next, with the flutes featured legato in accompaniment to the strings. Ozawa conducts with his whole body and his arms seem to move in the same way that he wants to listener to feel the music. The tone of the piece changes when the percussion enters espressivo and joins the wind instruments and the strings. The piece begins to accelerate when the percussion instruments begin to play. An oboe solo contrasts with the percussion’s vibrato. The introduction of the percussion makes the whole orchestra play faster and more allegro. As the brass and percussion instruments increase in speed and volume the entire orchestra plays forte and with force. At about four minutes into the overture as the overture becomes more and more allegro there is a section that echoes the drum section of the overture that has become so famous that will be played later. This opens up a section of grandioso style with all instruments playing forte and allegro, giving the overture an overall lively and quickly moving feeling. There is an interlude that follows this quick movement of the overture. The strings are featured in this movement and the whole movement is played softer, more adagio and with several glissando sections from the stringed and wind instruments to calm the overture down. Here an oboist and flautist each perform a cavatina, a short solo that is part of the larger piece the orchestra is playing. Their solo parts echo the orchestra but also compliment it. From here the overture returns to a vivace tone and all sections play briskly, lively and fast. The timpani accompanies this fast pace with several forte, brisk notes. Ozawa moves the orchestra easily through the overture’s theme and the adagio sections seem to blend easily with the vivace movements and make the overture feel whole and vibrant. There is a wind instrument section shortly after the timpani that leads into the forte, grande finale of the overture that has become so popular. This section features the flutes and clarinets playing a very fast and repetitive section. When I listened to this section I felt that the whole energy of the overture was accelerating. This was accompanied by timpani and percussion making the movement more forceful and forte. The overture continues to build and accelerate in volume and pace as it reaches its finale. As the strings speed up the brass section joins them to make the movement more forceful. The percussion joins in with bells that seem almost dissonant to the other instruments. This feeling of semi-dissonance is because the other sections are all playing fast, repetitive fifth note tremolo progressions while the bells seem to be playing almost at random. The bells didn’t quite seem to fit with the rhythm of the other instruments at this point to me, but as the movement progressed towards the finale I understood how the bells fit in to the whole piece. The bells play in a similar tone as the other instruments, so even though they are playing in a completely different time signature they don’t seem completely out of place. I enjoyed watching the bells being played during this section also because the bells used are so large they were almost the size of the man playing them. This somehow made them seem even more powerful and forceful when they were being played. As the movement progresses it slows down briefly once more, becoming slightly more adagio but the bells don’t stop. The bells continue to play and act as a bridge to bring the othe r sections into the grande finale section. In the final moments of the overture the percussion and brass sections seem to take over. The whole finale is played very grande, with all of the instrumental sections combining to give the overture a very big, encompassing feel. In the performance notes for a performance by the Burgess Hill Symphony Orchestra, Sonia Hill describes the overture as, â€Å"a festive and patriotic piece to immortalize Napoleon’s defeat and celebrate the liberation of the Russians† (Hill) and this final movement illustrates that inspiration. Ozawa’s body language changes during this final movement also, and he begins to move as quickly and forcefully as he wants the orchestra to play. If the other instrumental sections were not playing as forte as they are, the percussion section would probably drown them out. The end is punctuated by many staccato sections from the brass instruments that echo the forte notes by the percussion section. This is then contrasted right afterwards by longer, smoother notes from the woodwind section. The reason the end of the overture is so memorable and powerful is because of that contrast between the forte percussion playing huge, booming notes, the brass playing staccato and vivace, and the wind sections providing tremolo sections that accompany them. The final moments and notes of the finale feature rolling sequences by the timpani. These rolls seem to signal that the overture is ending, but they also contribute to the grande tone that is meant to leave a lasting impression on the listener. The pace of the orchestra slows down from the frantic pace a few seconds ago and here the strings play forte but smoothly, bringing all the sections of the orchestra together and also signalling the end of the overture. The overture ends with each listener remembering the power of that final movement. Works Cited â€Å"Overture 1812†. YouTube. May 29 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blroZTvCOMQfeature=related â€Å"Repertoire: 1812 Overture†. The Burgess Hill Symphony Orchestra. May 2004. May 28 2010. http://www.bhso.org.uk/repert-173-Tchaikovsky-1812-Overture-Op-49.htm â€Å"Seiji Ozawa: Conductor†. Welcome to the World of the Bach Cantatas. 12 January 2010. May 28 2010. http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Ozawa-Seiji.htm

I Am Not a Lesbian (for now) :: Personal Narrative Writing

My mother is not a lesbian. Her fraternal twin, Marty, was a lesbian. Marty died of lung cancer when I was seven; she and my mother were thirty-four. My mother’s twin is a martyr in my family, the perfect child, the perfect person. She loved people; she was smart, athletic, active in the fight for women's rights. She taught me how to jump rope on Sanibel Island in Florida. It was windy, but that's all I remember. We went to Philadelphia for the memorial service. Suede, one of Marty's former lovers, played "From a Distance" on her synthesizer. Marty's body was cremated, but we never saw the ashes scattered because a huge snowstorm covered Pennsylvania the day after the service. We ate dinner in Marty's old house, which she shared with Bonnie, her lover at the time. My mother says my father cooked chicken, and Suede played the piano and guitar for us. She played "House at Pooh Corner" and "Peanut Butter and Jelly" for me and my little sister. The August after Marty died, I taught myself how to play "Happy Birthday" on the piano, for my mother. Mom's birthday always created of a huge amount of stress for every member of my family. My father, my younger sister, Cricket, and I, we labored. To make it perfect. On our birthdays, my mother pined and agonized to ensure that every detail went correctly, so the birthday person would be happy. The reservations at the restaurant, the number of party favors, the order of giving presents and playing games, all must be in line. And when something did not go as planned, she would be devastated; we would spend the whole day assuring her that the birthday had gone well, that it had not been ruined by a burnt cake. So when August eleventh rolled around, it was imperative that not a single thing upset her, that we not ruin her birthday. Cricket led Mom by the hand into the living room as I began to play. I only got to the part where it goes high with "happy birthday dear Jody" before I messed up. Pressed the wrong key; the interval was off. I burst into tears. Sobbing on the piano bench, bent over the tainted keys, I realized my mother had also begun to cry, with Cricket in her lap. The only other time I'd ever seen my mother shed a single tear was months before, at Marty's memorial service.

Bloodlines Chapter Eight

â€Å"ARE YOU GOING TO EAT THAT?† asked Eddie. Eddie might not have known about all the shenanigans that went down with Jill on the first day of school, but not seeing her all day had unnerved him. So, when she and I came downstairs for the second day, we found him waiting in our dorm lobby, ready to go with us to breakfast. I pushed my plate and its half a bagel across the table. He'd already polished off a bagel of his own, as well as pancakes and bacon, but was quick to accept my offering. Maybe he was an unnatural hybrid creature, but from what I could tell, his appetite was the same as any human teenage guy. â€Å"How are you feeling?† he asked Jill, once he'd swallowed a mouthful of bagel. Since he'd eventually hear she hadn't been in class, we'd simply told Eddie that Jill had been sick from nerves yesterday. The hangover allegations still infuriated me, but Jill insisted on letting them go. â€Å"Fine,† she said. â€Å"A lot better.† I didn't comment on that but secretly had my doubts. Jill did look better this morning, but she'd hardly had a solid night's sleep. In fact, she'd woken in the middle of the night, screaming. I'd leapt out of my bed, expecting no less than a hundred Strigoi or Moroi assassins to come bursting through our window. But when I'd looked over, there'd only been Jill, thrashing and screaming in her sleep. I'd hurried over and finally woken her up with some difficulty. She'd sat up gasping, drenched in sweat, and clutching her chest. Once she'd calmed down, she'd told me it was only a nightmare, but there'd been something in her eyes†¦ the echo of something real. I knew because it reminded me of the many times I'd woken up thinking the Alchemists were coming to take me to the re-education centers. She'd insisted she was fine, and when morning came, the only acknowledgment she gave of her nightmare was to insist that we not mention it to Eddie. â€Å"It's only going to worry him,† she said. â€Å"And besides, it's not a big deal.† I conceded that point, but when I tried to ask what had happened, she brushed me off and wouldn't talk about it. Now, at breakfast, there was a definite edge to her, but for all I knew, it had more to do with finally facing her first day in a human school. â€Å"I still can't get over how different I am from everyone,† she said in a low voice. â€Å"I mean, for one thing, I'm taller than almost every girl here!† It was true. It wasn't uncommon for Moroi women to push six feet in height. Jill wasn't quite there, but her long, slim build gave the illusion of being taller than she was. â€Å"And I'm really bony.† â€Å"You are not,† I said. â€Å"I'm too skinny – compared to them,† Jill argued. â€Å"Everyone's got something,† countered Eddie. â€Å"That girl over there has a ton of freckles. That guy shaved his head. There's no such thing as ‘normal.'† Jill still looked dubious but doggedly went off to class when the first warning bell rang, promising to meet Eddie for lunch and me in PE. I made it to my history class a few minutes early. Ms. Terwilliger stood at her desk, shuffling some papers around, and I hesitantly approached. â€Å"Ma'am?† She glanced up at me, pushing her glasses up her nose as she did. â€Å"Hmm? Oh, I remember you. Miss Melbourne.† â€Å"Melrose,† I corrected. â€Å"Are you sure? I could've sworn you were named after someplace in Australia.† â€Å"Well, my first name is Sydney,† I said, not sure if I should be encouraging her. â€Å"Ah. Then I'm not crazy. Not yet, at least. What can I do for you, Miss Melrose?† â€Å"I wanted to ask you†¦ well, you see, I have a gap in my schedule because I passed out of the language requirement. I wondered if maybe you needed another teacher aide†¦ like Trey.† The aforementioned Trey was already there, sitting at a desk allotted to him and collating papers. He glanced up at the mention of his name and eyed me warily. â€Å"It's last period, ma'am. So, if there was any extra work you needed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her eyes studied me for several moments before she answered. I'd made sure to cover up my tattoo today, but it felt like she was staring right through to it. â€Å"I don't need another teacher aide,† she said bluntly. Trey smirked. â€Å"Mr. Juarez, despite his many limitations, is more than capable of sorting all my stacks of paper.† His smirk disappeared at the backhanded compliment. I nodded and started to turn away, disappointed. â€Å"Okay. I understand.† â€Å"No, no. I don't think you do. You see, I'm writing a book.† She paused, and I realized she was waiting for me to look impressed. â€Å"On heretical religion and magic in the Greco-Roman world. I've lectured on it at Carlton College before. Fascinating subject.† Trey stifled a cough. â€Å"Now, I could really use a research assistant to help me track down certain information, run errands for me, that sort of thing. Would you be interested in that?† I gaped. â€Å"Yes, ma'am. I would be.† â€Å"For you to get credit for an independent study, you'd have to do some project alongside it†¦ research and a paper of your own. Not nearly the length of my book, of course. Is there anything from that era that interests you?† â€Å"Er, yes.† I could hardly believe it. â€Å"Classical art and architecture. I'd love to study it more.† Now she looked impressed. â€Å"Really? Then it seems we're a perfect match. Or, well, nearly. Pity you don't know Latin.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I averted my eyes. â€Å"I, um, actually†¦ I can read Latin.† I dared a glance back at her. Rather than impressed, she mostly looked stunned. â€Å"Well, then. How about that.† She gave a rueful head shake. â€Å"I'm afraid to ask about Greek.† The bell rang. â€Å"Go ahead and take your seat, then come find me at the end of the day. Last period is also my planning period, so we'll have plenty of time to talk and fill out the appropriate paperwork.† I returned to my desk and received an approving fist bump from Eddie. â€Å"Nice work. You don't have to take a real class. Of course, if she's got you reading Latin, maybe it'll be worse than a real class.† â€Å"I like Latin,† I said with absolute seriousness. â€Å"It's fun.† Eddie shook his head and said in a very, very low voice: â€Å"I can't believe you think we're the strange ones.† Trey's comments for me in my next class were less complimentary. â€Å"Wow, you sure have Terwilliger wrapped around your finger.† He nodded toward our chemistry instructor. â€Å"Are you going to go tell her that you split atoms in your free time? Do you have a reactor back in your room?† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with – † I cut myself off, unsure what to say. I'd nearly said â€Å"being smart,† but that sounded egotistical. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with knowing things,† I said at last. â€Å"Sure,† he agreed. â€Å"When it's legitimate knowledge.† I remembered the crazy conversation with Kristin and Julia yesterday. Because I'd had to take Jill to Adrian, I'd missed the study session and couldn't follow up on my tattoo questions. Still, I at least now knew where Trey's disdain was coming from – even though it seemed absurd. No one else at school had specifically mentioned my tattoo being special, but a number of people had approached me already, asking where I'd gotten it. They'd been disappointed when I said South Dakota. â€Å"Look, I don't know where this idea's coming from about my tattoo making me smart, but if that's what you think, well†¦ don't. It's just a tattoo.† â€Å"It's gold,† he argued. â€Å"So?† I asked. â€Å"It's just special ink. I don't get why people would believe it has some mystical properties. Who believes in that stuff?† He snorted. â€Å"Half this school does. How are you so smart, then?† Was I really that much of a freak when it came to academics that people had to turn to supernatural explanations? I went with my stock answer. â€Å"I was homeschooled.† â€Å"Oh,† said Trey thoughtfully. â€Å"That would explain it.† I sighed. â€Å"I bet your homeschooling didn't do much in the way of PE, though,† he added. â€Å"What are you going to do about your sport requirement?† â€Å"I don't know; I hadn't thought about it,† I said, feeling a little uneasy. I could handle Amberwood's academics in my sleep. But its athletics? Unclear. â€Å"Well, you better decide soon; the deadline's coming up. Don't look so worried,† he added. â€Å"Maybe they'll let you start a Latin club instead.† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† I asked, not liking the tone. â€Å"I've played sports.† He shrugged. â€Å"If you say so. You don't seem like the athletic type. You seem too†¦ neat.† I wasn't entirely sure if that was a compliment or not. â€Å"What's your sport?† Trey held his chin up, looking very pleased with himself. â€Å"Football. A real man's sport.† A guy sitting nearby overheard him and glanced back. â€Å"Too bad you won't make quarterback, Juarez. You came so close last year. Looks like you're going to graduate without fulfilling yet another dream.† I'd thought Trey didn't like me – but as he turned his attention to the other guy, it was like the temperature dropped ten degrees. I realized in that moment that Trey just liked giving me a hard time. But this other guy? Trey completely despised him. â€Å"I don't remember you even being in the running, Slade,† returned Trey, eyes hard. â€Å"What makes you think you're going to take it this year?† Slade – it wasn't clear to me if that was his first or last name – exchanged knowing glances with a couple friends. â€Å"Just a feeling.† They turned away, and Trey scowled. â€Å"Great,† he muttered. â€Å"Slade finally got the money for one. You want to know about tattoos? Go talk to him.† My thirty-second impression told me Slade was no one I wanted to talk to, but Trey provided no additional explanation. Class soon started, but as I tried to focus on the lesson, all I could think about was Amberwood's apparent obsession with tattoos. What did it mean? When PE came, I was relieved to see Jill in the locker room. The Moroi girl gave me a weary smile as we walked outside. â€Å"How's your day been?† I asked. â€Å"Fine,† Jill said. â€Å"Not great. Not terrible. I haven't really gotten to know many people.† She didn't say it, but Jill's tone implied, â€Å"See? I told you I would stand out.† Yet as the class started, I realized that the problem was that Jill didn't stand out. She avoided eye contact, letting her nerves get the best of her, and made no effort to talk to people. No one openly shunned her, but with the vibes she gave off, no one went out of their way to talk to her either. I certainly wasn't the most social person in the world, but I still smiled and tried to chat with my classmates as we did more volleyball drills. It was enough to foster the sparks of friendship. I also soon noticed another problem. The class had been divided into four teams, playing two concurrent matches. Jill was in the other game, but I still occasionally caught sight of her. She looked miserable and tired within ten minutes, without even having done much in the game. Her reaction time was bad too. A number of balls went past her, and those she did notice were met with clumsy maneuvers. Some of her teammates exchanged frustrated looks behind her back. I returned to my own game, worried for her, just as the opposing team spiked the ball into a zone that wasn't well guarded by my team. I didn't have the reaction time that, say, a dhampir had, but in that split second, my brain knew I could block the ball if I made a hard and fast move. Doing so went against my natural instincts, the ones that said, Don't do anything that will hurt or get you dirty. I'd always carefully reasoned through my actions, never acting on impulse. Not this time. I was going to stop that ball. I dove for it, hitting it into range of another teammate who was able to then spike it back over the net and out of danger. The volley pushed me to a hard landing on my knees. It was ungraceful and jarred my teeth, but I'd stopped the opposition from scoring. My teammates cheered, and I was surprised to find myself laughing. I'd always been trained that everything I did had to have a greater, practical purpose. Sports were sort of antithetical to the Alchemist way of li fe, because they were just for fun. But maybe fun wasn't so bad once in a while. â€Å"Nice, Melrose,† said Miss Carson, strolling by. â€Å"If you want to defer your sport until winter and be on the volleyball team, come talk to me later.† â€Å"Well done,† said Micah, and offered me his hand. I shook my head and stood up on my own. I was dismayed to see a scrape on one of my legs but was still grinning from ear to ear. If anyone had told me two weeks ago that I'd be so happy about rolling around in the dirt, I wouldn't have believed it. â€Å"She doesn't give out compliments very often.† It was true. Miss Carson had already been on Jill a number of times and was now halting our game to correct a teammate's sloppy form. I took advantage of the break to watch Jill, whose game was still in action. Micah followed my gaze. â€Å"Doesn't run in the family, huh?† he asked sympathetically. â€Å"No,† I murmured. My smile faded. I felt a pang of guilt in my chest over exalting so much in my own triumph when Jill was obviously struggling. It didn't seem fair. Jill still looked exhausted, and her curly hair was drenched in sweat. Pink spots had appeared on her cheeks, giving her a feverish look, and it seemed to take all her effort to remain upright. It was strange that Jill would have so much difficulty. I'd overheard a brief conversation in which she and Eddie had discussed combat and defensive moves, giving me the impression that Jill was fairly athletic. She and Eddie had even talked about practicing later that night and – â€Å"The sun,† I groaned. â€Å"Huh?† asked Micah. I'd mentioned my concerns about the sun to Stanton, but she'd dismissed them. She'd just advised that Jill be careful to stay inside – which Jill did. Except, of course, when school requirements made her take a class that kept her outside. Forcing her to play sports out in the full blaze of the Palm Springs sun was cruel. It was a wonder she was still standing. I sighed, making a mental note to call the Alchemists later. â€Å"We're going to have to get her a doctor's note.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† asked Micah. The game was back on, and he shifted into position beside me. â€Å"Oh. Jill. She's†¦ she's sensitive to the sun. Kind of like an allergic thing.† As though on cue, we heard Miss Carson exclaim from the other court: â€Å"Melrose Junior! Are you blind? Did you not see that coming right toward you?† Jill swayed on her feet but took the criticism meekly. Micah watched them with a frown, and as soon as Miss Carson was off picking on someone else, he darted out of formation and ran over to Jill's game. I hastily tried to cover both his and my own positions. Micah ran up to a guy beside Jill, whispered something, and pointed back at me. A moment later, the guy ran over to my team and Micah took the spot beside Jill. As class continued, I realized what was happening. Micah was good at volleyball – very good. So much so that he was able to defend his spot and Jill's. Without seeing any blatant blunders, Miss Carson kept her attention elsewhere, and Jill's team grew a little less hostile toward her. When the game ended, Micah caught hold of Jill's arm and quickly walked her over to a shaded spot. From the way she staggered, he seemed to be all that was holding her upright. I was about to join them when I heard loud voices beside me. â€Å"I'm getting it tonight. The guy I talked to swears it's gonna be badass.† It was Slade, the guy who'd sparred with Trey earlier. I hadn't realized it out in the sun in the middle of the game, but he was the player Micah had swapped places with. â€Å"It better be,† continued Slade, â€Å"for how much he's charging me.† Two of Slade's friends joined him as they began heading toward the locker room. â€Å"When are tryouts, Slade?† one of his friends asked. In chemistry, I'd learned Slade's first name was Greg, but everyone seemed to refer to him by his last name, even teachers. â€Å"Friday,† Slade said. â€Å"I'm going to kill. Like totally destroy them. I'm gonna rip Juarez's spine out and make him eat it.† Charming, I thought, watching them go. My initial assessment of Slade had been correct. I turned toward Jill and Micah and saw that he'd gotten ahold of a water bottle for her. They seemed okay for the moment, so I caught Miss Carson's attention as she walked by. â€Å"My sister gets sick in the sun,† I said. â€Å"This is really hard on her.† â€Å"Lots of kids have trouble in the heat at first,† said Miss Carson knowingly. â€Å"They just need to toughen up. You handled yourself okay.† â€Å"Yeah, well, she and I are pretty different,† I said dryly. If only she knew. â€Å"I don't think she's going to ‘toughen up.'† â€Å"Nothing I can do,† said Miss Carson. â€Å"If I let her sit out, do you have any idea how many other kids would suddenly ‘feel tired in the sun'? Unless she's got a doctor's note, she's got to stick it out.† I thanked her and went to join Jill and Micah. As I approached, I heard Micah saying, â€Å"Get cleaned up, and I'll walk you to your next class. We can't have you fainting in the halls.† He paused and considered. â€Å"Of course, I'm totally happy to catch you if you do faint.† Jill was understandably dazed but was with it enough to thank him. She told him she'd meet him soon and walked to the girls' locker room with me. I eyed the grin on Micah's face, and a troubling thought occurred to me. Jill seemed stressed enough so I decided not to say anything, but my concern grew when we left for last period. Micah walked with Jill, as promised, and told her that later, when evening came, he'd tutor her in volleyball if she wanted. As we stood outside the classroom, a girl with long red hair and a haughty attitude walked by, trailed by an entourage of other girls. She paused when she saw Micah and tossed her hair over one shoulder, flashing him a big smile. â€Å"Hey, Micah.† Micah was engrossed with Jill and barely glanced in the other girl's direction. â€Å"Oh, hey, Laurel.† He walked away, and Laurel watched him go, her expression turning dark. She shot a dangerous look at Jill, whipped her long hair over her shoulder, and stormed off. Uh-oh, I thought as I watched her stalk down the hall. Is that going to come back and haunt us? It was one of those moments when I could have used a lesson in social cues. I went to Ms. Terwilliger's classroom afterward and spent most of that initial meeting setting up the semester's goals and outlining what I'd be doing for her. I was in store for a lot of reading and translation, which suited me just fine. It also appeared as though half of my job would be keeping her organized – something else I excelled at. The time flew by, and as soon as I was free, I hurried off to find Eddie. He was waiting with a group of other boys at the shuttle stop to go back to their dorm. When he saw me, his response was the usual: â€Å"Is Jill okay?† â€Å"Fine†¦ well, kind of. Can we talk somewhere?† Eddie's face darkened, no doubt thinking there was a legion of Strigoi on their way to hunt Jill. We stepped back inside one of the academic buildings, finding chairs in a private corner that enjoyed the full force of air conditioning. I gave him a quick update on Jill and her sunny PE misadventures. â€Å"I didn't think it would be this bad,† said Eddie grimly, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"Thank God Micah was there. Is there anything you can do?† â€Å"Yeah, we should be able to get something from our ‘parents' or a doctor.† As much as I hated to, I added, â€Å"Keith might be able to expedite it.† â€Å"Good,† said Eddie fiercely. â€Å"We can't have her getting beat up out there. I'll go talk to that teacher myself, if that's what it takes.† I hid a smile. â€Å"Well, hopefully it won't come to that. But there is something else†¦ nothing dangerous,† I amended quickly, seeing that warrior look cross his face again. â€Å"Just something†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried not to say the words that were popping into my mind. Horrifying. Wrong. â€Å"Concerning. I think†¦ I think Micah likes Jill.† Eddie's face went very still. â€Å"Of course he likes her. She's nice. He's nice. He likes everyone.† â€Å"That's not what I mean, and you know it. He likes her. In the more-than-friends way. What are we going to do about that?† Eddie stared off across the hall for a few moments before turning back to me. â€Å"Why do we have to do anything?† â€Å"How can you ask that?† I exclaimed, shocked by the response. â€Å"You know why. Humans and vampires can't be together! It's disgusting and wrong.† The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. â€Å"Even a dhampir like you should know that.† He smiled ruefully. ‘†Even a dhampir like me?'† I supposed I'd been a little insulting, but it couldn't be helped. Alchemists – myself included – never believed dhampirs and Moroi worried enough about the same problems we did. They might acknowledge a taboo like this, but years of training said that only we humans really took it seriously. That was why the Alchemist job was so important. If we didn't look after these matters, who would? â€Å"I mean it,† I told him. â€Å"This is something all of us agree on.† His smile faded. â€Å"Yeah, it is.† Even Rose and Dimitri, who had a high tolerance for craziness, had been shocked at meeting the Keepers, rogue Moroi who intermingled freely with dhampirs and humans. It was a taboo the three of us shared, and we'd worked hard to tolerate the custom while with the Keepers. They lived hidden in the Appalachian Mountains and had provided excellent refuge when Rose was on the run. Ignoring their savage ways had been an acceptable price for the security they'd offered us. â€Å"Can you talk to him?† I asked. â€Å"I don't think Jill has any strong feelings. She's got too many other things going on. She probably knows better anyway†¦ but it'd still be best if you could discourage him. We can stop this before she gets involved.† â€Å"What do you expect me to say?† Eddie asked. He sounded at a loss, which struck me as funny, considering he'd been ready to go make all sorts of demands to Miss Carson on Jill's behalf. â€Å"I don't know. Play the big brother card. Act protective. Say she's too young.† I expected Eddie to agree, but he once more averted his eyes. â€Å"I don't know if we should say anything.† â€Å"What? Are you insane? Do you think it's okay to – â€Å" â€Å"No, no.† He sighed. â€Å"I'm not advocating it. But look at it this way. Jill's stuck in a school full of humans. It's not fair that she be banned from hanging out with any guys.† â€Å"I think Micah wants to do more than hang out.† â€Å"Well, why shouldn't she get to go on a date now and then? Or go to a dance? She should get to do all the normal things a girl her age does. She's already had her life radically changed. We shouldn't make it any harder.† I eyed him in disbelief, trying to figure out why he was so laid back about this. Admittedly, he didn't face the same consequences I did. If my superiors found out I was â€Å"encouraging† human and vampire dating, it'd be more evidence against me and my alleged bias. After all, my reputation wasn't yet restored with the Alchemists. Still, I knew Eddie's people didn't like the idea of dating, either. So what was the problem? A strange answer suddenly came to me. â€Å"I feel like you just don't want to confront Micah.† Eddie looked right at me. â€Å"It's complicated,† he said. Something in his face told me I'd hit the mark. â€Å"Why don't you talk to Jill? She knows the rules. She'll understand that she can be with him without getting serious.† â€Å"I think it's a bad idea,† I said, still unable to believe he was taking this stance. â€Å"We're creating a gray area here that's eventually going to cause confusion. We should keep it black and white and ban her from dating while she's here.† That wry smile returned. â€Å"Everything's black and white with you Alchemists, isn't it? Do you think you can really stop her from doing anything? You should know better. Even your childhood couldn't have been that abnormal.† With that slap in the face, Eddie stalked off, leaving me aghast. What had just happened? How could Eddie – who was so adamant about doing the right thing for Jill – be okay with her casually dating Micah? There was something weird going on here, something connected to Micah, though I couldn't figure out what. Well, I refused to let this matter go. It was too important. I'd talk to Jill and make sure she knew right from wrong. If necessary, I'd also talk to Micah – though I still felt that conversation would be better coming from Eddie. And, I realized, thinking of how I had to go hunt down a doctor's note, there was one more source I could appeal to, one that had a lot of influence over Jill.Adrian. Looked like I'd be paying him another visit.

Why Should I Start Exercising - 1599 Words

Why Should I Start Exercising? By Ed Hanada | Submitted On February 05, 2013 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Are you new to exercising? Have you tried to exercise to lose weight or to get fit and then you stopped because of the barriers that you put up that sabotaged your well-intentioned efforts? I was once a newbie too, and I had a long list of excuses that I would go through, one by one, until I was convinced that the benefits of doing A, B,†¦show more content†¦You may have children with busy schedules too (soccer practice, music lessons, homework that needs your input), or you might do a lot of volunteer work, or it might be that you don t know how to start a type of activity that can give you a good enough workout in the little time that you have. You may also live in a building or area that doesn t have a gym or area to work out in. You might have some achiness in your joints or back that you are afraid might get worse if you start to exercise again. Most likely, you might have a combination of the above. Believe me, I know all of these barriers too well and I have used every one of them to hijack my own efforts in getting fit. However, there is no better time to start exercising to get fit than RIGHT NOW! The barriers might seem too numerous to count and often seem insurmountable, but the short-term and the long-term benefits are absolutely HUGE! Let me explain how exercise can change your life for the better. The Benefits! (with a capital B and an exclamation mark!) 1. Body With exercise, your body will thank you with a big Ahhhhhhhh! I needed that! You will look and feel younger with regular exercise, and this is largely due to all of the positive changes that regular activity will do for your body. You will have improved your heart function, and lowered your blood pressure and bad