Saturday, December 28, 2019

Mothers Who Kill Their Children

The nation is always shocked by criminal cases such as that of Andrea Yates, a Texas mother of five who in June 2001 methodically drowned her children in a bathtub and then calmly called the police to report it, but mothers killing their children is a more common crime than you might think. According to the American Anthropological Association, more than 200 women kill their children in the United States each year. Three to five children a day are killed by their parents. Homicide is one of the leading causes of death of children under age 4, yet we continue to persist with the unrealistic view that this is rare behavior, said Jill Korbin, an expert on child abuse who has studied at length the stories of mothers who killed their children. Nancy Scheper-Hughes, a medical anthropologist, said society should understand that all women arent natural mothers: We should detach from the idea of universal motherhood as natural and see it as a social response. Theres a collective denial even when mothers come right out and say, I really shouldnt be trusted with my kids. Three major factors often play a role when mothers kill their children: postpartum psychosis, psychotic breakdowns brought on by factors such as jealousy and abandonment, and domestic violence. Postpartum Depression and Psychosis Postpartum depression is a common problem that can occur within four weeks of the birth of a baby. It can affect both mothers and fathers, although only a small percentage of fathers experience it. Common symptoms include depression, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, fear, guilt, the inability to bond with the new baby, and a feeling of worthlessness. If left untreated, it can lead to postpartum psychosis, which is much more severe and dangerous. Symptoms include extreme insomnia, obsessive behavior, and auditory hallucinations where voices instruct the mother to commit suicide or to mutilate and/or murder her child or children. Often the mother believes such acts will save the child from a life of misery. Yates was suffering from extreme postpartum depression and was found not guilty of murder by reason of  insanity. She was sent to Kerrville State Hospital in Kerrville, Texas, for an indefinite stay. Psychotic Breakdowns In some cases, children are murdered as a result of the mother experiencing a psychotic breakdown brought on by intense feelings of abandonment and jealousy in cases where the father of the children has left the home. In some cases, the need to seek revenge overtakes reason. Diane Downs, convicted of murder after shooting her three children, one of whom died, in May 1983, was diagnosed as psychotic but was sentenced to life in prison. Other Women Who Killed Their Children A look at 11 other women convicted of murdering their children shows that such acts are not as rare as we would like to believe. Here are their names, crimes, and locations where they are serving as of October 2019 unless otherwise noted: Kenisha Berry at age 20 covered her 4-day-old son with duct tape, resulting in his death in Jefferson County, Texas, in November 1998. She is serving in Murray state prison in Gatesville, Texas.Patricia Blackmon was 29 when she killed her 2-year-old adopted daughter in Dothan, Alabama, in May 1999. The cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt-force injuries. She is on death row in Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, Alabama.Dora Luz Buenrostro stabbed to death her two daughters, ages 4 and 9, and her son, age 8, when she was 34 years old in San Jacinto, California, in October 1994. She is being held in the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla.Socorro Caro was 42 when she fatally shot her three sons, ages 5, 8, and 11, in Santa Rosa Valley, California, in November 1999. She is on death row in the Central California Women’s Facility.Susan Eubanks fatally shot her four sons, ages 4, 6, 7, and 14, in San Marcos, California, in October 1997, when she was 33 . She is on death row in the Central California Women’s Facility.Teresa Michelle Lewis killed her 51-year-old husband and 26-year-old stepson in Keeling, Virginia, in a murder-for-hire plot in October 2002, when she was 33. She was executed in September 2010 at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Virginia.Frances Elaine Newton was 21 when she fatally shot her husband, 7-year-old son, and 2-year-old daughter in Houston, Texas, in April 1987. She was executed in September 2005.Darlie Lynn Routier was 26 when she was convicted of fatally stabbing her 5-year-old son in June 1996 in Rowlett, Texas. She is on death row in Mountain View state prison in Gatesville, Texas.Robin Lee Row was 35 when she asphyxiated her husband, 10-year-old son, and 8-year-old daughter in Boise, Idaho, in February 1992. She is on death row in the Pocatello Womans Correctional Center in Pocatello, Idaho.Michelle Sue Tharp was 29 and lived in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, when she starved her 7-year- old daughter to death in April 1998. She is in the Muncy state prison in Muncy, Pennsylvania.Caroline Young was 49 when she killed her 4-year-old granddaughter and 6-year-old grandson, for whom she had been granted custody, in Haywood, California, in June 1993. She died of kidney failure at the Central California Womens Facility in September 2005. Korbin said that people who know parents who end up killing their children usually see clues that something is wrong with the parents but dont know how to deal with the information: Prior to a homicide, lots of laypeople know these men and women are having difficulty parenting. The public has to be better educated in recognizing how to intervene and how to support child abuse prevention.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Is Music Beneficial Society - 1081 Words

Is music really beneficial to society? Do its pros outweigh its cons? The famous Greek philosopher, Protagoras, once said, â€Å"There are two sides to every question, one opposed to the other.† This quote implies that although there can be many perspectives of a situation; no person’s belief is incorrect. It simply opposes other’s beliefs. Similarly, even though music is said to have many positive effects, like being therapeutic, it also negatively influences many social, political, and economic issues in the United States today, such as: poverty, unemployment, gun control, police brutality, bullying, and fear of acceptance. As children, we all wanted nothing more than to make our parents happy and proud of us. We hated disappointing them, even it was something small like a bad grade or chore we didn’t do. An important issue plaguing the world today is fear of acceptance. In Angel Haze’s song, Same Love, her lyrics, â€Å"At age thirteen, my mom knew I wasn’t straight. She didn’t understand, but she had so much to say,† portrays the common belief that even if you be yourself, you’ll be judged anyway. This song negatively influences people, both young and old, to fear â€Å"coming out† because they won’t be accepted. Fear of acceptance is an important social issue because it might make a person so scared of what other people may think it may lead to self-isolation, self-neglect, depression, or even ultimately death by suicide. Fear of acceptance may also lead to both health and mentalShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Speech : Music Programs Should Be Kept P ublic Schools939 Words   |  4 Pagesthat music programs should be kept in public schools. Central Idea: The government should not cut music programs in public schools because they are beneficial to children, not only to their education, but also helps express themselves. Introduction I. Plato, a Greek philosopher once said â€Å"I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.† A. These words by Plato are what makes music programsRead MoreBenefits Of Hip Hop784 Words   |  4 PagesMusic is human’s universal language no matter where people are from it has some type of effect on them. One genre of music that effects some people is Hip hop; it allows others to express themselves and to feel more confident. 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To begin with the genre rock only seems right. When most people hear the word rock, without even listening to the music they think of loud, crude and obscene. People thought that liking this music made you take on a rebellious persona. But they were describing the image not the actual music. Just because the tv’s were black and white didnt mean the music had to be. Hitting full swing in the early 1950â€⠄¢s, rock wasRead MoreThe Importance Of Using Authentic Letters, Diaries, And Journals Of The Social Studies Classroom Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant and are required for everyone on a daily basis. â€Å"Social studies offer many opportunities for reading, writing, and discussing skills that good citizens need to develop to their fullest. 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Autism is not just one disorder, butRead MoreContent Of Pop Culture : What Should Be Censored?910 Words   |  4 Pagescensorship. When it comes to the subject of music I do not, or try not, to listen to music nor watch music videos that insinuates secular or sexual content. I have thought about the messages that TV and music send to its viewers and whether or not these messages are beneficial or harmful. My two favorite (secular) songs are Lauryn Hill’s â€Å"Doo-Wop (that thing)† and American Authors’ â€Å"Best Day of My Life†. I have never watched either of these song’s music videos. Lauryn Hill’s â€Å"Doo-Wop† song,Read MoreThe Effects Of Music Education On Mainstream Education Essay1619 Words   |  7 Pageson answering if music education has enough crossover benefit to include it into our mainstream education. Two scholarly articles, a blog, a personal story and an online article were selected and consulted to find the answer to this question. Many authors in many articles had minimal criticism of music education and most were in favor of music education. Findings were that yes, music education does in fact have enough crossover benefit to include it into mainstream education. Music education may beRead MoreEffects Of Stress On College Students1498 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s society, there are an outrageous number of problems people deal with in their day to day lives. While some of these issues do not seem to have a possible solution, some of them do. A problem faced by many college students in society is an overwhelming amou nt of unnecessary stress being placed on their shoulders. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to their high stress levels. Solving some sources of stress and helping students to cope with the immeasurable stress would helpRead MoreThe more you expose yourself to diversity, the less ignorant you become. Diversity is beneficial,700 Words   |  3 PagesThe more you expose yourself to diversity, the less ignorant you become. Diversity is beneficial, because it combines new ideas and cultures into a society. It provides people with visions to develop, grow, and change. From the early 1900’s to current times, it is shown that diversity has been widely accepted and has beneficial to today’s society. In businesses, by bringing people together from different environments and qualifications, businesses can more effectively sell to customers from different

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Journal Of Emerging Technology Engineering -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Journal Of Emerging Technology Engineering? Answer: Introduction The project Telehealth is introduced to improve the quality of the healthcare services of the patients in the rural areas. In rural areas, the professionals are separated by long distance making it tough for them to deliver health related process. The project Telehealth aims at linking the emergency departments of the nearby hospitals to deliver healthcare services via videoconferencing. The project is decided to be implemented in a cloud-based solution. The report discusses the non-functional requirements of the system, the use of hybrid cloud environment and the chosen SDLC approach for the implementation of the Telehealth project is discussed in the following paragraphs (AlZain, et al., 2012). Non-Functional Requirements The non-functional requirements of the system are necessary to consider for proper implementation of the project as it helps in enhancing the system performance. The non functional requirement of the Telehealth project is evaluated on basis of FURPS+ acronym and is described in the following section. Functionality The Telehealth project is to be developed for linking the emergency departments of the hospital and providing the healthcare services through videoconferencing. The major non-functional requirement of the project associated with the functionality of the system is real time data availability. Another major non-functional requirement of the system is considering the throughput of the system that is to be developed (Jain Nandakumar, 2012). This is essential as the system is being developed for providing emergency healthcare services to the patients in the rural areas. Usability The system to be developed should be easy accessible to the people of the rural areas as it aims to serve the patients in the emergency. The major non-functional requirement of the system is easy accessibility of the system. For this, the user interface should be simple. Therefore, designing an easy user interface should be a major non-functional requirement of the system. Reliability The system should be reliable enough to provide management services to the patients of the rural areas. Therefore, incorporating a report option in the system is a major non-functional requirement of the project (Steele Lo, 2013). This will help in identifying and eliminating the bugs from the system. Performance Since the project is to be implemented for providing emergency services to the patients, it is essential for the system to have a high performance rate. Therefore, the system should have a minimum response time for reducing the time for information flow. Therefore, this can be considered as another major non-functional requirement of the system. Supportability The major non functional requirements of the system associated with the supportability of the system is the presence of certain features in the system, such as scalability, testability and configurability. These features are essential to consider as a major non-functional requirement of the system as it will help in modifying or upgrading the system in future (Krupinski Bernard, 2014). Along with these significant non-functional requirements, there are certain secondary non-functional requirements of the project as well. These include a proper design of the system, identifying the physical and software requirements for project. Functional Vs Non Functional Requirements The functional requirements of a system mainly describe the essential functionality of the system, while the non-functional requirements specify the overall characteristics of the system. These characteristics of the system can in enhancing the function or performance of the system. The functional requirement of the system is essential to consider as without these features the system will fail to perform (Chung et al., 2012). Without the non-functional requirements, the system will fail to perform at the optimum level. This is therefore, a major difference between the functional and non-functional requirement of the system. The functional requirement of the Telehealth project includes the developing a secure system for saving the confidential data of the hospitals and the patients. This is associated with enforcement of proper authorization levels and authentication. This requirement is therefore essential to include in the project or else the project will fail. The non-functional requirement of the system on the other hand deals with the different characteristics of the system that is capable of enhancing the system performance. These features include presence of an easy user interface, report button and so on. Absence of these features may decrease the performance level of the system. Therefore, it can be said that both functional and non-functional requirement of the system is essential to consider in this project. Cloud Solution: Use of hybrid Cloud The project has been decided to be deployed in a cloud environment for easier storage and access of the data stored in the system. It is therefore essential to evaluate which cloud environment would be appropriate for deployment of the system. There are three basic cloud environments on which the project can be implemented, which are public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. Out of which, the hybrid cloud environment has been chosen for implementation of the Telehealth project (Li et al., 2013). This is because the hybrid cloud environment has a numerous advantage over the public and private cloud. Public cloud is a cost effective solution and is easy to implement. However, there are number of issues associated with the public cloud environment. One of the major issues with the public cloud environment is that it is vulnerable to attacks (Chen Zhao, 2012). This is because the public cloud can be accessed by anyone, which increases its vulnerability level. This project cannot be implemented in the public cloud environment, as it is associated with the storage of the confidential data of the customers and hospitals. The private cloud environment although eliminates the privacy and the security risk associated with the data storage, it cannot be consider for the project implementation. This is because the private cloud environment limits the accessibility of the data (Galibus Vissia, 2015). Only the specified people are able to access the network of private cloud. Furthermore, the implementation of the system in private cloud is costly as it includes use of a dedicated network. Furthermore, the use of private cloud environment will constrict the reach of the Telehealth system to the people of rural areas. Therefore, it is recommended for the Telehealth project to implement the system in hybrid cloud environment. This is because the hybrid cloud incorporates the features of both public and private cloud environment. The public cloud is furthermore secure enough to store the confidential data of the patients and hospital. The public zone of the hybrid cloud environment helps in easier access of data from the system (Li et al., 2015). The strength and weakness of the hybrid cloud environment are discussed in the following section. Strength of Hybrid Cloud The strength of hybrid cloud and implementing the system in hybrid cloud environment are as follows- The cost of implementation of the system in hybrid cloud environment is comparatively low as the public zone of this cloud environment can be leveraged from a third party vendor. The hybrid cloud environment provides secure data storage and data access thus helping in maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of the data stored (Kulkarni et al., 2012). Organization agility is another major strength of the hybrid cloud environment. The leveraging of the public cloud environment helps an organization in reducing the cost of implementation of the system. The use of hybrid cloud increases the accessibility of the data stored in the system and therefore it will be easier for the patients in the rural areas to use the system. Weakness of Hybrid Cloud The different weakness or disadvantages of implementing the Telehealth project in a hybrid cloud solution are as follows- The hybrid cloud environment has features of both public and private cloud environment. However, the movement of data in and out of the public and private cloud environment is vulnerable to the attacks. This is a major disadvantage of implementing a system in a hybrid cloud environment. Designing the network of the hybrid cloud environment is complex. SDLC Approach The software development life cycle (SDLC) helps in identifying the methodologies a project will be using for its successful implementation (Balaji Murugaiyan, 2012). The SDLC approach systematically describes the planning, process and the testing phase of development of software. The following section discusses the two broad SDLC approaches, predictive SDLC and Adaptive SDLC. Predictive SDLC The predictive SDLC approach is a process of software development in which all the phases of the project implementation is pre determined. The project follows a planned approach in predictive SDLC. In predictive SDLC, the entire project is divided into number of phases. Successful execution of one phase leads to the commencement of another (Rittinghouse Ransome, 2016). An example of predictive SDLC approach is waterfall methodology that deals with systemic development of a software. The strength and weakness of predictive SDLC are as follows. Strength/Pros The project scope remains clear and fixed throughout the project implementation phase. The project is completed within a schedule time in predictive SDLC. The resource estimation is done before the implementation of the project and therefore, there is a very less chance of budget revision in projects implemented by the predictive SDLC. Weakness/Cons The major weakness of using predictive SDLC is that the project cannot be modified after the start of the implementation phase. Furthermore, since the testing phase is executed at the end of the project, project improvising becomes impossible (Mahalakshmi Sundararajan, 2013). Adaptive SDLC Adaptive SDLC is completely different from the predictive SDLC approach. In adaptive SDLC, the project phases are not pre planned and does not follow a set approach. In this approach, the project is implemented according to the project requirements. Strength/Pros The major strength of implementing the project with adaptive SDLC is that the project can be improvised even in the implementation phase. Furthermore, proper and regular testing helps in fixing the bugs before the project release (Tuteja Dubey, 2012). Weakness/Cons There is no fixed schedule of project completion. Possibilities of change in scope may alter the entire project plan and budget allocated for the project. The Approach Chosen: Predictive Since the scope of the project, Tehealth is clear, it is recommended to implement the project in a predictive SDLC approach. This will ensure timely delivery of the project within the approved budget. Furthermore, the size of the project is not very large and therefore, it is better to implement the project using predictive approach. Conclusion Therefore, it is deduced that idea of implementation of the project Telehealth in a cloud environment is an effective idea, as it will increase the accessibility of the data stored in the system. The report gives an overview of the non-functional requirements of the system. The report discusses the different cloud environments and recommends the usage of hybrid cloud for project management. The report further recommends the use of predictive SDLC approach for ensuring project completion within the scheduled time. References AlZain, M. A., Pardede, E., Soh, B., Thom, J. A. (2012, January). Cloud computing security: from single to multi-clouds. In System Science (HICSS), 2012 45th Hawaii International Conference on (pp. 5490-5499). IEEE. Balaji, S., Murugaiyan, M. S. (2012). Waterfall vs. V-Model vs. Agile: A comparative study on SDLC. International Journal of Information Technology and Business Management, 2(1), 26-30. Chen, D., Zhao, H. (2012, March). Data security and privacy protection issues in cloud computing. In Computer Science and Electronics Engineering (ICCSEE), 2012 International Conference on (Vol. 1, pp. 647-651). IEEE. Chung, L., Nixon, B. A., Yu, E., Mylopoulos, J. (2012). Non-functional requirements in software engineering (Vol. 5). Springer Science Business Media. Galibus, T., Vissia, H. E. R. M. (2015). Cloud storage security. Proc NSCE, 2014, 123-127. Jain, A. K., Nandakumar, K. (2012). Biometric Authentication: System Security and User Privacy. IEEE Computer, 45(11), 87-92. Krupinski, E. A., Bernard, J. (2014, February). Standards and guidelines in telemedicine and telehealth. InHealthcare(Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 74-93). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Kulkarni, G., Gambhir, J., Patil, T., Dongare, A. (2012, June). A security aspects in cloud computing. In Software Engineering and Service Science (ICSESS), 2012 IEEE 3rd International Conference on (pp. 547-550). IEEE. Li, J., Li, Y. K., Chen, X., Lee, P. P., Lou, W. (2015). A hybrid cloud approach for secure authorized deduplication. IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, 26(5), 1206-1216. Li, Q., Wang, Z. Y., Li, W. H., Li, J., Wang, C., Du, R. Y. (2013). Applications integration in a hybrid cloud computing environment: Modelling and platform. Enterprise Information Systems, 7(3), 237-271. Mahalakshmi, M., Sundararajan, M. (2013). Traditional SDLC Vs Scrum psychologyA Comparative Study.International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering,3(6), 192-196. Rittinghouse, J. W., Ransome, J. F. (2016). Cloud computing: implementation, management, and security. CRC press. Steele, R., Lo, A. (2013). Telehealth and ubiquitous computing for bandwidth-constrained rural and remote areas.Personal and ubiquitous computing,17(3), 533-543. Tuteja, M., Dubey, G. (2012). A research study on importance of testing and quality assurance in software development life cycle (SDLC) models. International Journal of Soft Computing and Engineering (IJSCE), 2(3), 251-257

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Carleton E Watkins free essay sample

Life career of pioneering 19th cent. photographer of American West. Carleton E, Watkins was a true pioneer. He was one of the leaders in photographing hard-to-reach parts of the American West and his pictures played a major role in the development of the federal parks system. Despite the rigors of travel Watkins also made advances in photographic processes and camera design. Most significantly Watkins was a leader in elevating landscape photography to an art and his influence was felt for generations. Like many pioneers Watkins was engaged in sending back reports that encouraged others to follow. In his case the popular photographs helped shape the prevailing view of the West as a place to find freedom and to escape the constraint and congestion of urban living. In one respect, however, Watkins was not a pioneer. Sadly, after decades of hard work and international acclaim, Watkins, like too many artists before him. We will write a custom essay sample on Carleton E Watkins or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page .

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Effects of Pressure on Students to get Good Grades free essay sample

Living in a society like the one we are living today, can be very challenging for students. As the world gets more competitive, students are getting more pressured to achieve their goals in life. Pressure have become one of the known factors to affect a student’s life. Anyone who passed through this stage has felt the same way. Getting good grades has become one of the goals students today are aspiring for. It has been perceived that a good mark from school can place someone to a decent job and make that person stand out from others especially when it comes to interviews and conversations. With such belief, students neglect on the negative effects of the pressure they are encountering because they want to maintain high grades. There are few effects of pressure on students to get good grades such as, extreme stress, cheating during exam, and changing of the attitude. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Pressure on Students to get Good Grades or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Main point 1: Extreme stress All the stress experienced by a student from either parent or peer is considered one of the effects of pressure handed to them because of their want to have good grades. Normally, parents apply pressure upon the student in order to keep up in school and not allow the student to fall behind. However, a problem arises when the parent apply excessive pressure on the student. The effect of such pressure can lead to negative health of students. Students tend to have lack of sleep – without having enough of sleep will cause the students’ body to become sick. Main point 2: Cheating during exam Students tend to cheat during exam when they become mentally and physically exhausted. We have been aware of plagiarism being the cause of many violations done by students. (Ex: can either be for their research paper, thesis paper, or just a simple hw) There are also incidents of cheating in examinations through copying other’s answers and putting them on the test paper, recognizing them as one’s own. These sinful acts are the effects of the belief that good grades can send you off to better jobs and a more secured future. Main point 3: Changing of the attitude This particular outcome is definitely disturbing because values and morals become affected. According to an interview conducted by Palmer (2005) to Ms. Denise Clark Pope, students as she said, â€Å"know that cheating is wrong; they tell me they wish they did not do it†. As the statement goes, honesty, respect, and integrity have all been violated for the sake of possessing a good grade. Conclusion In a nutshell, dealing with all the effects of pressure on maintaining an excellent grade comes with a price. It results in extreme stress, cheating and the worst of all, changing of the attitude. All these made a clear understanding of what learning really is about. It is not a matter of only getting a good grade but rather learning with understanding and receiving the grades that one truly deserves. As for this, students must realize that education is in fact teaching people not only academically, but morally.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Are You On a Career Ladder, or Just Job Hopping

Are You On a Career Ladder, or Just Job Hopping It used to be that you’d take a job at a company and rise from young up-and-comer to wise lifer, logging 10 years or more in the same place. It’s not that changing jobs was unheard of, but rather people built their career paths  differently. These days, changing jobs is the norm: the average Joe or Jane changes jobs 10-15 times throughout their careers. Much of this is a cultural change, and an economic one- companies are much more likely to reorganize or adapt to changing technology and economic factors these days. And part of it is a personal change, as well. Millennials, especially, are seen as mercenary sharks, ready to grab the next opportunity that swims by. Gallup reports that  Millennials are far more likely to change jobs frequently. In fact, in 2015, 21% of  Millennials  surveyed by Gallup had changed jobs within the last year. And on top of that, 60% of them were open to changing jobs in the near future if the opportunity came up.This speaks to a shif t in thinking, where upward progress is more important than the stability of creating a career path in one place. The latter is the â€Å"career ladder† approach, where your plan is to meet particular job title milestones, typically within a company or organization. The alternative approach, one increasingly embraced by the newer generations of job seekers, is moving from job to job to cobble together experience and move up in salary and job title. The phrase â€Å"job hopping† has been used to describe this phenomenon, and although it’s taken on some negative connotations, it can also be a career booster.Career Ladder: Pros and ConsWhen you think of a career ladder, think of the stereotypical Hollywood story of the mailroom worker who works diligently upward from the bottom rung of the company, making it all the way to the corner office. It makes a great story (look at what Anyman/Anywoman can achieve!), but that story leaves out a lot: namely, all the steps in the middle, and all the skills sets that have to be built along the way. Creating a career ladder requires a strong commitment, and a strong set of goals.The Pros:Career ladders are based on stability. If you feel most comfortable plotting out a career course where you don’t have to make a lot of changes, where you can put down roots, this mightYou’re not necessarily tied to one place. Many companies have offices or opportunities throughout the country (or even the world). Just because you’re committing to one company for a long time doesn’t mean you’re saying you’ll stay in one place forever.It doesn’t have to be your entire career plan. A career ladder could be just a portion of your career (say, the next 10 years), where you want to get from Job A to Job Z. That doesn’t mean you have to spend the rest of your life in Job Z.It shows upward mobility, while also showing you’re a good investment. A company that has promo ted you numerous times is one that thinks you’re a worthy investment, and that can be appealing once you are ready to make the change to another company, or if there’s an unforeseen job loss.Companies like to promote from within. Hiring from outside can add new dynamics and diversify your employee pool, but it can also be expensive, time consuming, and a big gamble. Developing talent has significant advantages for companies, including developing a strong, committed employee base. It’s less of a risk because they know you, and know what you’re capable of doing. If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of wanting a job, only to find out someone was hired internally, that could be you!The Cons:Career ladders are less common these days. With unpredictable economics, and technology changing virtually every industry very fast. It can be harder to create a long-term plan if you can’t account for things like reorganizations (which often come on qu ickly for those affected).Companies don’t always have the resources to devote to leadership and skill training that would best benefit employees. If you’re not growing and improving in your job,There’s a risk of stagnation. Sometimes a change of scenery is beneficial, and can jump-start your career by exposing you to new people, new ideas, and new ways of doing your job. Merely changing and expanding roles may not provide as much career stimulation, depending on your comfort zone and your career goals.You might be seen as less-than-ambitious. If you seem too comfortable in your role, it may be tough for the powers that be to see you in a new role that requires change and more responsibility.Job Hopping: Pros and Consâ€Å"Job hopping† sounds like a social activity, but really it just means that a person switches jobs frequently (every year or two), without putting down long roots in one place. It’s becoming a more popular career path strategy for p eople, especially Millennials, who are looking for more aggressive career development.The Pros:Change is good! Working at different companies, in different environments (even if the roles are similar) is a good way to build experience quickly. Job hopping offers you more chances to try new things and take on new projects, ensuring that you grow consistently.It’s becoming more accepted. Job hopping used to be considered â€Å"career suicide,† because it raised red flags. Why has this person held so many different jobs over a short period of time? The economics of American jobs have shifted so substantially, however, that now it’s becoming more accepted, especially when people are younger and just starting out in their careers. An unstable economy can upset even the most carefully planned career trajectory, and hiring managers are increasingly understanding of that.It’s can be a fast track to higher salary. If you jump on opportunities for advancement at ot her companies, you have the opportunity to negotiate higher and move into higher paying positions, faster than you might if you were going through a standard promotions process at a single company.It’s a network builder. New company = new colleagues, and an ever-growing stable of work acquaintances, mentors, and friends in your field.It shows you’re adaptable. Starting over somewhere else requires a lot of thinking on your feet, and being able to adapt to new environments and ways of doing things. You can emphasize that in your resume and in interviews, and use specific examples of how your range of jobs have made you a more nimble employee.The Cons:Some hiring managers still see it as a red flag. They might think you’re a flight risk, after the company invests training time and resources into you as an employee. Unfairly or not, you may be seen as less-than-loyal, or disinterested in committing to the role or to the company.Short-term focus comes at the expense of long-term progress. It can be tough to see where you are, career-wise, if you’ve been moving so much that you don’t see how your efforts pan out. If you’re out the door before positive results roll in for your hard work, you can’t really quantify that and use it on your resume in the future.Your job may not be as secure. In a reorganization or layoff situation, if it comes down to a Sophie’s Choice-style decision between the new-ish employee who started less than a year ago, or the longer-term employee with a long history of institutional knowledge and achievement, you might be the easier one to let go.As you can see, there are good points and bad for each career choice- and in fact, job hopping may not be a choice at all, but rather a response to a chaotic industry, or economic changes well beyond your control. The most important decision to make, whether you want to plant a career ladder in one place, or make chess-like moves through your fie ld to reach your ultimate career goals, is what works best for you.If you’ve always had a dream company in mind, then maybe the ladder is the way to go: start humble, and rise through the ranks like that mythical mail room employee. If you want to make big changes and steadily build your job title and salary over a shorter period of time, then job hopping might be your best option. It might also work best if your goals are very multidisciplinary- if you want to be the best darn salesperson of widgets, then by all means put down roots at Widget Co. and start building your empire.If you want to be experienced and knowledgeable about widget sales and production, then your best strategy might be to start in sales at Widget Co., then move over to Widgets ‘R Us with your sales background. The bottom line here is that your career goals are yours and yours alone, and you should pursue them as you see fit.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Evaluation of a Wellness Centre in the Community Essay

Evaluation of a Wellness Centre in the Community - Essay Example The clinic is run by Anthony R. Di Francesco, Ph.D., who is the Director and Christopher T. Haley, Psy.D., the Co-Director; along with their highly qualified staff that include Clinical Psychologists Kate Strand, Ph.D.  Ã‚  Jason Epstein, Psy.D.  Ã‚  Matthew Broudy PhD, Ayonda L., PhD Alicia Batts, PhD, Fields, Ph.D. Also on the staff are Donna Price and  Sandra K. Molle, who are Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.’s) and Michael Schell-Smith and Sandy Mansfield, who are Licensed Clinical Social Workers (L.C.S.W.’s). Between them, the staff is trained in a plethora of therapeutic techniques ranging from the structured individual therapy sessions to the more dynamic training and group activity sessions that include alternate treatment disciplines like the use of Imagery, Tai Chi and Meditation. The services provided include Individual Psychotherapy for all ages, a variety of techniques under Play Therapy,  Family Psychotherapy and Couples Psychotherapy for a wide range of situations. The clinic also conducts group Psychotherapy sessions for Mind-Body co-ordination,   Bio-Feedback Training which is recommended for individuals suffering from stress related conditions,   Life Coaching,   Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as well as Psychological Testing for learning disabilities like Dyslexia, for ADHD, behavioral and clinical conditions like depression, anxiety and others.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Sales promotion portfolio Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sales promotion portfolio - Research Paper Example Currently there are around 700 restaurants of Pizza Hut in UK with more than 154 stores of Pizza Hut owned by the franchisees (PizzaHut, 2011). The sales promotion helps the organization to change the perception of the customers towards their buying decision by offering them different incentives, which they are able to get eventually. This is the reason why Pizza Hut uses different sales promotion techniques because the company understands the significance of sampling and making a product trial during the marketing campaigns. The sales promotion strategies help Pizza Hut to increase its market share because these promotions entice the customers to switch their brand loyalty towards Pizza Hut. Another advantage that Pizza Hut gets with these promotional tools is the immediate result, which other IMC tools are not able to produce for the company (Pride et al., 2006). Sales Promotion Sales promotion can be defined as the activities which are planned by the organizations in order to impr ove the quality of the products or services and build a positive attitude of the customers towards their products or services (Bose, 2004). ... Since sales promotion influence the behavior of the customers, therefore Pizza Hut can analyze this theory in order to understand and change the behavior of the customers towards the deals and offers it is offering to the customers (Bose, 2004). Tools of Sales Promotion In order to understand the dynamics of sales promotional tools, it is important for the organizations to understand that these tools are different from other marketing and promotional methods, because these tools provide precise advantages for encouraging the customers to buy the product or services (Sagar, 1998). As compared to the sales promotions tools, other promotional techniques are used to attract the customers with help of an event or a program and they are not always designed for the direct purchase. Some of the most commonly used sales promotion tools are: Discounts and Coupons Free Samples Direct Mail Rebates Demonstrations Exhibits Point of Purchase Display Money Back Offers Mystery Rewards Branded Magnets and Pen Contests Gifts (Sagar, 1998) Promotional Strategies Used by Pizza Hut UK Pizza Hut uses different promotional tools for the increase share in the market, increase frequent buying, increase volume of sales and convince the customers for buying the product. The promotional mix of Pizza Hut consists of â€Å"Personal Selling, Advertising and Sales Promotion†. Since Pizza Hut uses Pull Strategy to fulfill its global objective, therefore many promotional tools are needed to implement this strategy successfully. The ‘Healthy Eating’ campaign is used to increase the awareness level of the customers, change their attitude towards pizza, motivate them to get involved in the product, and reduce risk for the product.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Sustainable Tourism Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Sustainable Tourism Development - Essay Example 6 b)Evaluate the significance of interactive planning systems and processes in tourism development. 9 c)Evaluate different methods available to measure tourist impact. 9 There are certain financial tools and methods available to measure tourist impact on the economy, livelihood and financial prosperity and wellbeing of the region. 9 One such tool is the GDP or the Gross domestic Product. Per Capita income is another financial calculation that is capable of measuring the financial impact of tourism in a certain region. Foreign institutional investment is more when tourism industry is doing good in a particular region and key foreign investment can also be used as a parameter to measure tourism impact. 9 Understand the need for planning for sustainable tourism. 9 a)Justify the introduction of the concept of sustainable tourism development. 9 b)Analyse factors that may hinder or prevent sustainable tourism development. 10 c)Analyse the different stages in planning for sustainability 11 (Pineda, 2004, p.1) 11 Task 4 11 Understanding current issues related to tourism development planning. 11 a)Evaluate methods of resolving conflicts of interest to ensure to ensure the future well being of a developing tourism destination. 11 (Pineda, 2004, p.1) 11 b)Analyse the implication of balancing supply and demand 12 c)Evaluate the moral and ethical issues of enclave tourism 12 Task 5: 12 Understand the social, environmental and economic impacts of tourism in developing countries and destinations 12 a)Compare issues associated with tourism development in a developing country and an emerging destination where the impact of tourism is different 12 b)Evaluate the recommendations, future development of tourism in these destinations 13 References: 15 Task 1 Understand the rationale for planning in the travel and tourism industry. a) Explain briefly rational for planning tourism development. Tourism generates significant national and state income. Whether it is foreign or national t ourism the amount of income generated through tourist footfall is very high as compared to other government and private profit making enterprises. As a result planning tourism development, optimum utilisation of tourist hot spots, preservation and adequate maintenance of tourist sites becomes very important for sustainable and profitable tourism. Planning tourism development is the first and most important step towards building a strong and formidable foundation for a sustainable tourism industry that is capable of self funding, consistent profit generation, growth and development. The need for planning tourism development arises due to the following factors: 1. It is cooperative in nature due to the involvement of vast and diverse stakeholders a) Natives of the tourist place b) Local state government c) National government d) Transport Authority e) Foreign Exchange f) Law Enforcement g) Roads and Railway etc 2. It is dependent on the cooperation and efforts of multiple state author ities like a.) Ministry of Tourism b.) Ministry of Forests and Natural Reserves c.) Department of Rural Planning d.) Ministry of transport Tourism is a multifaceted department having interfaces interlinked with multiple industries and ministries like: Transport Department, Public Works Department, Forests Department, Environment Department, Foreign Exchange etc. (CPT MTM.,

Friday, November 15, 2019

Geographic Impacts on Health | Reflection

Geographic Impacts on Health | Reflection Have you ever heard the phrase by Margaret Mead, â€Å"You are unique just like everyone else?† I believe everybody is unique but similar in their own way. It is because of this that I consider our perception of health, regardless if it is in the planning, implementation, and evaluation stage, varies tremendously yet remains the same in many ways. Our notion of health strongly depends on so many factors such as demography, ethnicity, religion, tradition, and values. Demographic distribution of populations has a very big impact on health with regards to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health interventions because the bigger the population in a certain area, the bigger the intervention. For example, a town of 1,000 people will require less planning, executing the plan will be drastically easier, and evaluating the success of the intervention can be done smoothly compared to a city of 100,000 people. Also, certain areas tend to have a higher prevalence of certain diseases. By studying this, health interventions can be tailored to target certain health concerns or illnesses from certain areas. Political values of a certain country can affect the different stages of health intervention because most health related projects, these days, needs the approval of the government. Depending on the government, some proposed health projects can take years to fruition while others might not take that long. Furthermore, if the politics of a country is shady, the chances of a proposed health project to be approved or implemented is slim to none. Religion can be one of the hardest things to deal with when it comes to the stages of healthcare intervention. As a nurse, I have experienced first-hand the impact of religion has on certain medical treatment. There are some religious beliefs that are not too hard to handle but there some religious beliefs that can take it to the extremes. One of the hardest things I have ever been through was when my beliefs and values contradicts a patient’s religious beliefs especially when it involves life and death. Ethnicity also plays an important role in determining the proper intervention. It is a known fact that there are certain illnesses that affect certain ethnic groups. For example, â€Å"the rate of dementia on admission to nursing homes is higher among black residents than among white residents.[1] Weintraub D, et al. (2000).† Even though dementia does not have a cure, people can tailor their healthcare interventions to fit the needs of different ethnic groups. But this is only the tip of an iceberg. There are many diseases and illnesses associated with ethnicity. By knowing such data, people can go out of their way to limit a certain disease or illness thereby, hopefully, preventing the disease or illness from ever happening. Having been lucky to travel to different countries, I can say that human values really does have an impact on health interventions. One very big example is how Filipinos value the elderly. I am not insinuating that other countries do not value their elderly or Filipinos are better at valuing their elderly. I am just implying that we have a different way of taking care of our elderly. Filipinos seem to get a sense of fulfilment when taking care of their parents. I believe in taking care of my parents when they get old because they took care of me when I was young. I will send them to a rest home not because there are not any rest homes in the Philippines, but because I want to keep them close and connected – they are and will always be a part of the family. Since my beliefs and values have been instilled in me and because I have seen how my parents took care of their parents, it has now become sort of a tradition in which I and my fellow Filipinos take pride of. This is one way on how tradition impacts healthcare intervention. But there are also other ways. In many countries, especially in remote areas, traditional medicine is still being practiced and people in these areas believe this is the only form of medicine out there. A strong push for knowledge would be the proper intervention here. Having mentioned all these, it is safe to say that determinants either have a direct or indirect impact on health interventions. Also, some determinants can either be a deterrent or an opportunity. By deterrent, I mean those rare ones where health interventions can’t be implemented because certain beliefs will not permit such mediation. However, determinants can also be an opportunity to come up with a better plan, a more effective implementation, and a more efficient evaluation system of a healthcare intervention. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Attitude is the way you think about someone or something. Since we are all unique in our own way, it is safe to say that we also have different attitudes towards someone or something. You may like the Miami Heat while I like the San Antonio Spurs. Having this in mind, it would not be a long shot to conclude that our individual attitude towards health can have a great impact, directly or indirectly, towards planning, implementation, and evaluation of healthcare interventions. The public’s concept of health and illness is different no matter where you go. The World Health Organization defines health as â€Å"physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.†[2] These days, we are more united in trusting medicine and research than resorting to traditional medicine. But, that does not mean traditional medicine did not have the same attitude towards health and illness. â€Å"Traditional medicine practice (TMP) within Aboriginal Australia encompasses a holistic worldview which reflects that of the World Health Organizations’ definition of health†[3] Oliver, Stefanie. (2013). However, the practice of traditional medicine is slowly becoming a lost trade primarily due to colonisation, medical advancement, research enhancement, and technological improvement. Nowadays, most of us rely on science rather than traditional medicine. Have you ever wondered what brought about the advent of medical advancement? Funny as this may sound, most drugs today are of herbal descent and it is very important to recognize the value traditional medicine had on today’s medicine. There are still places where traditional medicine is still accepted and is still being practiced. Even in a small country like the Philippines, indigenous areas still believe that illness is caused by â€Å"voodoo magic† and that a â€Å"witch doctor† and his/her methods serve as the cure for such illness. In Korea, roots of certain plants are mixed in a drink and is believed to improve and restore homeostasis. Acupuncture is a method of needle insertion at various points of the skin to stimulate circulation and improve overall balance. This is believed to originate from China. How health is accepted and practiced in an area will depend on how the public values the importance of health. With all the different diseases out there, I believe that most countries consider health as a big priority and it is very evident from all the research being done to find a cure for certain diseases such as cancer, diabetes, HIV, and many more. It is not only through research that indicates how much importance the public considers health. Diet programs, exercise programs, and even healthier TV shows are being shared and broadcasted in hopes to help gain and inspire a healthier wellbeing. The public’s attitude towards health and medical professionals is essential to healthcare interventions because if people were not concerned about their own health, they would not seek the aid of doctors, traditional healers, or medical professionals. If they do not need help from medical professionals then there would not be a need for any planning, implementation, and evaluation. However, most people value their lives. They, generally, value their own health and fear what could happen if they do not take care of themselves. That is why people are slowly learning to consult dieticians to help them eat healthier. People are seeking the aid from trainers to get them into shape. People are even considering the use of traditional medicine and traditional methods (e.g. acupuncture) to do whatever it takes to be healthier. In my own opinion, especially here in New Zealand, the public is very concern about their health and also their environment. They are starting to open up to a more â€Å"organic† way of being healthy. These days, people are slowly â€Å"going green† and this is why they are exploring different alternatives to common medicine all for the sake of being healthy. I believe the media plays a vital role for the immergence of the â€Å"going green† lifestyle that people all over the world are slowly following suit. The public’s attitude towards health, illness, and medical professionals is very important. Without the public’s support, nothing will get done. The first thing that comes to mind when people mention New Zealand is the natural beauty this country possesses. New Zealand is surrounded by beautiful coastlines waiting to be discovered and crystal clear pristine waters to be explored. Aside from the coastline, New Zealand boasts of majestic snow-capped peaks and breath-taking waterfalls. We all got to see a glimpse of its immense beauty through the Lord of the Rings movie series and the Hobbit movie series. But the beauty of New Zealand is not only evident looking form the outside-in but also from the inside-out. Here, beauty runs skin deep. New Zealand is a melting pot of multiple cultures ranging from Maori, European, Pacific Island and Asian descent – all of which are very proud of their ancestry. With all these different cultures, it is hard to imagine how people get along. However, people just make it work here. They respect each other’s variances. This, for me, is what makes New Zealand unique and special. This kind of respect towards one another is generated from New Zealand’s founding document – The Treaty of Waitangi. This treaty simply implies that Maori people have the same rights as British people. This attitude and way of thinking has been instilled on every resident that it has robbed off on other settlers. So people accept each other equally. More so, people are learning to adapt to each’s culture. This is even evident when it comes to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of healthcare interventions. For example, the Maori’s cultural influence has been socially accepted that the whole nation is working together to maintain and preserve such a culture. It is a fact that Maoris generally have an obesity problem, which is a potential for diabetes, so the whole community is working hand in hand to provide means to aid the Maoris in tackling this problem. Health leaders are assisting whanau to come up with ways to address such an issues through proper education, training, and other means. But the community is not only helping the Maoris because the Maoris are also helping the community by educating them on their ways of traditional medicine. Since New Zealand is a very diverse country, all cultures are being treated the same way. More and more acupuncture facilities are popping up all over major cities. People are learning different herbal remedies from Asia to treat numerous ailments. Yoga, which originated from India, is just as popular here. People are learning how to eat healthier and exercise regularly like most Asian countries do. The influence is great and the impact is clear. It is up to us to absorb all these new cultural insights and choose a healthier lifestyle. [1] Weintraub D, Raskin A, Ruskin PE, Gruber-Baldini AL, Zimmerman SI, Hebel JR, et al. Racial differences in the prevalence of dementia among patients admitted to nursing homes.Psychiatric Services.2000;51:1259–1264. [2] World Health Organization:Declaration of Alma-Ata. Alma-Ata: USSR; 1978. [Proceedings of the International Conference on Primary Health Care] 6–12 September [3] Oliver, Stefanie. (2013). The role of traditional medicine practice in primary health care within Aboriginal Australia: a review of the literature. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2013, 9:46. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-9-46

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Aristotle: His Messages of Virtue and Moderation in Politics :: essays papers

Aristotle: His Messages of Virtue and Moderation in Politics Aristotle (b. 384 - d. 322 BC), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. Aristotle was born in Stagira in northern Greece, and his father was a court physician to the king of Macedon. As a young man he studied in Plato's Academy in Athens. After Plato's death he left Athens to conduct philosophical and biological research in Asia Minor and Lesbos, and he was then invited by King Philip II of Macedon to tutor his young son, Alexander the Great. Soon after Alexander succeeded his father, consolidated the conquest of the Greek city-states, and launched the invasion of the Persian Empire. It was in this environment that Aristotle's' views and ideas of politics developed. As Alexander's teacher, Aristotle had a close tie to the political powers of Athens. Because of this tie Aristotle wrote Politics as a guide to rulers as to how to govern a country. In Politics Aristotle lays out his ideal form of Government. It contains thought provoking discussions on the role of human nature in politics, the relation of the individual to the state, the place of morality in politics, the theory of political justice, the rule of law, the analysis and evaluation of constitutions, the relevance of ideals to practical politics, the causes and cures of political change and revolution, and the importance of a morally educated citizenry. He stressed that the ideal citizen and ruler must possess certain virtues, such as wisdom, temperance and courage. And the work as a whole echoes Aristotle's dominant theme of moderation. Politics is an excellent historical source because of the close tie Aristotle had to the everyday business of government in Athens. It reflects the idealized values of the people and the influence of Aristotle's teacher Plato. The importance of wisdom and justice also directly parallel the classical Greek ideology. Aristotle believed that nature formed politics and the need for city-states (government) formed out of nature. Aristotle lays the foundations for his political theory in Politics by arguing that the city-state and political rule are "natural." The argument begins with a historical account of the development of the city-state out of simpler communities. Aristotle: His Messages of Virtue and Moderation in Politics :: essays papers Aristotle: His Messages of Virtue and Moderation in Politics Aristotle (b. 384 - d. 322 BC), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. Aristotle was born in Stagira in northern Greece, and his father was a court physician to the king of Macedon. As a young man he studied in Plato's Academy in Athens. After Plato's death he left Athens to conduct philosophical and biological research in Asia Minor and Lesbos, and he was then invited by King Philip II of Macedon to tutor his young son, Alexander the Great. Soon after Alexander succeeded his father, consolidated the conquest of the Greek city-states, and launched the invasion of the Persian Empire. It was in this environment that Aristotle's' views and ideas of politics developed. As Alexander's teacher, Aristotle had a close tie to the political powers of Athens. Because of this tie Aristotle wrote Politics as a guide to rulers as to how to govern a country. In Politics Aristotle lays out his ideal form of Government. It contains thought provoking discussions on the role of human nature in politics, the relation of the individual to the state, the place of morality in politics, the theory of political justice, the rule of law, the analysis and evaluation of constitutions, the relevance of ideals to practical politics, the causes and cures of political change and revolution, and the importance of a morally educated citizenry. He stressed that the ideal citizen and ruler must possess certain virtues, such as wisdom, temperance and courage. And the work as a whole echoes Aristotle's dominant theme of moderation. Politics is an excellent historical source because of the close tie Aristotle had to the everyday business of government in Athens. It reflects the idealized values of the people and the influence of Aristotle's teacher Plato. The importance of wisdom and justice also directly parallel the classical Greek ideology. Aristotle believed that nature formed politics and the need for city-states (government) formed out of nature. Aristotle lays the foundations for his political theory in Politics by arguing that the city-state and political rule are "natural." The argument begins with a historical account of the development of the city-state out of simpler communities.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Last Sacrifice Chapter Nine

FORTUNATELY, THEY WERE MOROI FACES. That didn't stop me from raising my stake and moving closer to Sydney. No one was attacking us, so I held my position–not that it probably mattered. As I took in more and more of the setting, I saw that we were completely surrounded by about ten people. We'd told Sydney we were good, and it was true: Dimitri and I could probably take out a group like this, though the poor fighting quarters would make it difficult. I also realized the group wasn't entirely Moroi. The ones closest to us were, but around them were dhampirs. And the light I'd thought had come from torches or flashlights was actually coming from a ball of flame held in one of the Moroi's hands. One Moroi man stepped forward, about Abe's age, with a bushy brown beard and a silver stake in his hand. Some part of me noted the stake was crudely made compared to mine, but the point held the same threat. The man's gaze passed over me and Dimitri, and the stake lowered. Sydney became the object of the guy's scrutiny, and he suddenly reached out for her. Dimitri and I moved to stop him, but other hands reached out to stop us. I could have fought them but froze when Sydney let out a strangled, â€Å"Wait.' The bearded Moroi gripped her chin and turned her head so that the light fell on her cheek, lighting up the golden tattoo. He released his hold and stepped back. â€Å"Lily-girl,' he grunted. The others relaxed very slightly, though they kept their stakes poised and still looked ready to attack if provoked. The Moroi leader turned his attention from Sydney to Dimitri and me. â€Å"You're here to join us?' he asked warily. â€Å"We need shelter,' said Sydney, lightly touching her throat. â€Å"They're being chased by–by the Tainted.' The woman holding the flame looked skeptical. â€Å"More like spies for the Tainted.' â€Å"The Tainted Queen is dead,' said Sydney. She nodded toward me. â€Å"They think she did it.' The inquisitive part of me started to speak but promptly shut up, wise enough to know this bizarre turn of events was best left in Sydney's hands. I didn't understand what she was saying. When she'd said Tainted were pursuing us, I thought she was trying to make this group think we had Strigoi after us. Now, after she'd mentioned the queen, I wasn't so sure. I also wasn't so sure identifying me as a potential murderer was that smart. For all I knew, Brown Beard would turn me in and try to score a reward. From the looks of his clothes, he could have used one. To my surprise, this brought a smile to his face. â€Å"And so, another usurper passes on. Is there a new one yet?' â€Å"No,' said Sydney. â€Å"They'll have elections soon and choose.' The group's smiles were replaced by looks of disdain and disapproving mutters about elections. I couldn't help myself. â€Å"How else would they choose a new king or queen?' â€Å"In the true way,' said a nearby dhampir. â€Å"The way it used to be, long ago. In a battle to the death.' I waited for the punch line, but the guy was clearly serious. I wanted to ask Sydney what she'd gotten us into, but by this point, we'd apparently passed inspection. Their leader turned and began walking down the path. The group followed, moving us along as they did. Listening to their conversation, I couldn't help a small frown–and not just because our lives might be on the line. I was intrigued by their accents. The motel's desk clerk had had a thick southern accent, exactly like you'd expect in this part of the country. These guys, while sounding similar, had a few other pronunciations mixed in. It almost reminded me a little of Dimitri's accent. I was so tense and anxious that I could hardly focus on how long we walked. Eventually, the path led us to what seemed like a well-hidden campground. A huge bonfire blazed in a clearing with people sitting around. Yet, there were structures scattered off to one side, stretching into the woods along the now widened path. It wasn't quite a road yet, but it gave the illusion of a town, or at least a village. The buildings were small and shabby but appeared permanent. On the other side of the fire, the land rose sharply into the Appalachians, blocking out the stars. In the flickering light, I could see a mountain's face that was textured with rough stone and scattered trees, dotted here and there with dark holes. My attention moved back to the living. The crowd gathered around the fire–a couple dozen or so–fell silent as our escort led us in. At first, all I saw were numbers. That was the warrior in me, counting opponents and planning for attack. Then, just like I had earlier, I truly took in the faces. More Moroi mixed with dhampirs. And–I was shocked to discover–humans. These weren't feeders either. Well, not in the sense that I knew feeders. Even in the dark, I could see glimpses of bite marks along some of the humans' necks, but judging by their curious expressions, I could tell these people didn't give blood regularly. They weren't high. They were mixed in among the Moroi and dhampirs, sitting, standing, talking, engaging–the whole group clearly unified in some kind of community. I wondered if these humans were like the Alchemists. Maybe they had some sort of a business relationship with my kind. The tight formation around us began to spread out, and I moved closer to Sydney. â€Å"What in God's name is all this?' â€Å"The Keepers,' she said in a low voice. â€Å"Keepers? What does that mean?' â€Å"It means,' said the bearded Moroi, â€Å"that unlike your people, we still keep the old ways, the way we truly should.' I eyed these â€Å"Keepers' in their worn clothes and the dirty, barefoot children. Reflecting upon how far we were from civilization–and based on how dark it was away from the fire–I was willing to bet they didn't have electricity. I was on the verge of saying that I didn't think this was how anyone should truly be living. Then, remembering the casual way these people had spoken about fights to the death, I decided to keep my views to myself. â€Å"Why are they here, Raymond?' asked a woman sitting by the fire. She was human but spoke to the bearded Moroi in a perfectly ordinary and familiar way. It wasn't the dreamy manner a feeder usually used with a Moroi. It wasn't even like the stilted conversations my kind had with the Alchemists. â€Å"Are they joining us?' Raymond shook his head. â€Å"No. The Tainted are after them for killing their queen.' Sydney elbowed me before I could deny the claim. I clenched my teeth, waiting to be mobbed. Instead, I was surprised to find the crowd looking at me with a mix of awe and admiration, just as our welcoming party had. â€Å"We're giving them refuge,' explained Raymond. He beamed at us, though I didn't know if his approval came from us being murderers or if he simply liked the attention he was getting. â€Å"Although, you are welcome to join us and live here. We have room in the caves.' Caves? I jerked my head toward the cliffs beyond the fire, realizing now what those black holes were. Even as I watched, a few people retiring for the night crawled off and disappeared into the dark depths of the mountain. Sydney answered while I worked to keep a look of horror off my face. â€Å"We only need to stay here †¦' She faltered, not surprising considering how sketchy our plans had become. â€Å"A couple days, probably.' â€Å"You can stay with my family,' said Raymond. â€Å"Even you.' That was directed toward Sydney, and he made it sound like quite the favor. â€Å"Thank you,' she said. â€Å"We'd be grateful to spend the night at your house.' The emphasis on the last word was for me, I realized. The wooden structures along the dusty path didn't look luxurious by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd take one over a cave any day. The village or commune or whatever was getting increasingly excited as our novelty sank in. They bombarded us with a flurry of questions, starting with ordinary things like our names but moving quickly on to specific details about how exactly I'd killed Tatiana. I was saved from having to answer when the human woman who had spoken to Raymond earlier jumped up and steered my threesome away. â€Å"Enough,' she said, chastising the others. â€Å"It's getting late, and I'm sure our guests are hungry.' I was starving, actually, but didn't know if I was in dire enough straits to eat opossum stew or whatever passed as food around here. The woman's proclamation was met with some disappointment, but she assured the others they could talk to us tomorrow. Glancing around, I saw a faint purpling of what must have been the eastern sky. Sunrise. A group of Moroi clinging to â€Å"traditional' ways would most certainly run on a nocturnal schedule, meaning these people probably only had a few more hours before bedtime. The woman said her name was Sarah and led us down the dusty path. Raymond called that he'd see us soon. As we walked, we saw other people wandering near scattered, ramshackle homes, on their way to bed or possibly woken up with all the commotion. Sarah glanced over at Sydney. â€Å"Did you bring us anything?' â€Å"No,' said Sydney. â€Å"I'm just here to escort them.' Sarah looked disappointed but nodded. â€Å"An important task.' Sydney frowned and appeared even more uneasy. â€Å"How long has it been since my people brought you anything?' â€Å"A few months,' said Sarah after a moment's thought. Sydney's expression darkened at this, but she said no more. Sarah finally took us inside one of the larger and nicer looking of the houses, though it was still plain and made of unpainted wooden boards. The inside was pitch black, and we waited as Sarah lit old-fashioned lanterns. I'd been right. No electricity. This suddenly made me wonder about plumbing. The floors were hardwood like the walls and covered in large, brightly patterned rugs. We appeared to be in some hybrid kitchen-living-dining room. There was a large fireplace in the center, a wooden table and chairs on one side, and large cushions on the other that I presumed served as sofas. Racks of drying herbs hung near the fireplace, filling the room with a spicy scent that mingled with the smell of burnt wood. There were three doors in the back wall, and Sarah nodded to one. â€Å"You can sleep in the girls' room,' she said. â€Å"Thanks,' I said, not sure I really wanted to see what our guest accommodations were like. I was already missing the MOTEL. I studied Sarah curiously. She looked to be about Raymond's age and wore a plain, knee-length blue dress. Her blond hair was pulled back and tied at her neck, and she seemed short to me the way all humans did. â€Å"Are you Raymond's housekeeper?' It was the only role I could deduce for her. She had a few bite marks but obviously wasn't a feeder. At least not a full-time one. Maybe around here, feeders doubled as household help. She smiled. â€Å"I'm his wife.' It was a mark of my self-control that I managed any sort of response. â€Å"Oh.' Sydney's sharp eyes fell on me, a warning in them: Let it go. I again clenched my jaw shut and gave her a brief nod to let her know I understood. Except, I didn't understand. Dhampirs and Moroi hooked up all the time. Dhampirs had to. More permanent liaisons were scandalous–but not completely out of the realm of possibility. But Moroi and humans? That was beyond comprehension. Those races hadn't gotten together in centuries. They'd produced dhampirs long ago, but as the modern world progressed, Moroi had completely withdrawn from intermingling (in an intimate way) with humans. We lived among them, sure. Moroi and dhampirs worked alongside humans out in the world, bought houses in their neighborhoods, and apparently had bizarre arrangements with secret societies like the Alchemists. And, of course, Moroi fed from humans–and that was the thing. If you kept a human close to you, it was because they were a feeder. That was your level of intimacy. Feeders were food, pure and simple. Well-treated food, yes, but not food you became friends with. A Moroi having sex with a dhampir? Racy. A Moroi having sex with a dhampir and drinking blood? Dirty and humiliating. A Moroi having sex with a human–with or without blood drinking? Incomprehensible. There were few things that shocked me or gave me offense. I was pretty liberal in my views when it came to romance, but the idea of human and Moroi marriage blew me away. It didn't matter if the human was a type of feeder–as Sarah appeared to be–or someone â€Å"above' that like Sydney. Humans and Moroi didn't get together. It was primitive and wrong, which was why it was no longer done. Well, at least not where I came from. Unlike your people, we still follow the old ways. The funny thing was that no matter how wrong I thought all this was, Sydney had to feel even more strongly about it with her vampire hang-ups. I supposed she'd been prepared, however, which is why she could manage that cool expression of hers. She hadn't been blindsided like Dimitri and me, because I felt with some certainty that he shared my feelings. He was just better at hiding surprise. A commotion at the door startled me out of my shock. Raymond had arrived and wasn't alone. A dhampir boy of about eight or so sat on his shoulders, and a Moroi girl about the same age scurried alongside them. A pretty Moroi woman who looked to be in her twenties followed, and behind her was a cute dhampir guy who couldn't have been more than a couple years older than me, if not exactly my age. Introductions followed. The children were Phil and Molly, and the Moroi woman was named Paulette. They all appeared to live there, but I couldn't exactly figure out the relationships, except for the guy my age. He was Raymond and Sarah's son, Joshua. He had a ready smile for all of us–especially me and Sydney–and eyes that reminded me of the piercing, crystalline blue of the Ozeras. Only, whereas Christian's family tended to have dark hair, Joshua's was a sandy blond with lighter gold highlights. I had to admit, it was an attractive combination, but that stunned part of my brain reminded me again that he'd been born from a human-Moroi hookup, not a dhampir and Moroi like me. The end product was the same, but the means were bizarre. â€Å"I'm putting them in your room,' Sarah told Paulette. â€Å"The rest of you can share the loft.' It took me a moment to realize â€Å"the rest of you' meant Paulette, Joshua, Molly, and Phil. Glancing up, I saw there was indeed what looked like a loft space covering half the house's width. It didn't look big enough for four people. â€Å"We don't want to inconvenience you,' said Dimitri, sharing my thoughts. He'd been silent for almost all of this wood-land adventure, saving his energy for actions, not words. â€Å"We'll be fine out here.' â€Å"Don't worry about it,' said Joshua, again giving me that pretty smile. â€Å"We don't mind. Angeline won't either.' â€Å"Who?' I asked. â€Å"My sister.' I repressed a grimace. Five of them crammed up there so that we could have a room. â€Å"Thank you,' said Sydney. â€Å"We appreciate it. And we really won't be staying long.' Their dislike of the vampire world aside, Alchemists could be polite and charming when they chose. â€Å"Too bad,' said Joshua. â€Å"Stop flirting, Josh,' said Sarah. â€Å"Do you three want something to eat before bed? I could warm up some stew. We had it earlier with some of Paulette's bread.' At the word stew, all my opossum fears came racing back. â€Å"No need,' I said hastily. â€Å"I'd just be fine with bread.' â€Å"Me too,' said Dimitri. I wondered if he was trying to reduce their work or if he shared my food fears. Probably not the latter. Dimitri seemed like the kind of guy you could throw into the wilderness and he would survive off anything. Paulette had apparently baked a lot of bread, and they let us have a picnic in our small little room with a full loaf and a bowl of butter that Sarah had probably churned herself. The room was about the size of my dorm room at St. Vladimir's, with two down stuffed mattresses on the floor. Quilts neatly covered them, quilts that probably hadn't been used in months with these temperatures. Munching on a piece of bread that was surprisingly good, I ran my hand over one of the quilts. â€Å"It reminds me of some of the designs I saw in Russia,' I said. Dimitri studied the pattern too. â€Å"Similar. But not quite the same.' â€Å"It's the evolution of the culture,' said Sydney. She was tired but not enough to abandon textbook mode. â€Å"Traditional Russian patterns brought over and eventually fused with a typical Americana patchwork quilt form.' Whoa. â€Å"Um, good to know.' The family had left us alone while they got ready for bed, and I eyed our cracked door warily. With the noise and activity out there, it seemed unlikely we'd be overheard, but I lowered my voice anyway. â€Å"Are you ready to explain who the hell these people are?' She shrugged. â€Å"The Keepers.' â€Å"Yeah, I got that. And we're the Tainted. Sounds like a better name for Strigoi.' â€Å"No.' Sydney leaned back against the wooden wall. â€Å"Strigoi are the Lost. You're Tainted because you joined the modern world and left behind their backward ways for your own messed up customs.' â€Å"Hey,' I retorted. â€Å"We're not the ones with overalls and banjos.' â€Å"Rose,' chastised Dimitri, with a pointed look at the door. â€Å"Be careful. And besides, we only saw one person in overalls.' â€Å"If it makes you feel better,' said Sydney, â€Å"I think your ways are better. Seeing humans mixing with all this †¦' The pleasant and professional face she had shown to the Keepers was gone. Her blunt nature was back. â€Å"It's disgusting. No offense.' â€Å"None taken,' I said with a shiver. â€Å"Trust me, I feel the same way. I can't believe †¦ I can't believe they live like that.' She nodded, seeming grateful I shared her view. â€Å"I like you guys sticking with your own kind better. Except †¦' â€Å"Except what?' I prodded. She looked sheepish. â€Å"Even if the people you come from don't marry humans, you do still interact with them and live in their cities. These guys don't.' â€Å"Which Alchemists prefer,' guessed Dimitri. â€Å"You don't approve of this group's customs, but you do like having them conveniently stashed out of mainstream society.' Sydney nodded. â€Å"The more vampires who stay off on their own in the woods, the better–even if their lifestyle is crazy. These guys keep to themselves–and keep others out.' â€Å"Through hostile means?' I asked. We'd been met by a war party, and she'd expected it. All of them had been ready to fight: Moroi, dhampir, and human. â€Å"Hopefully not too hostile,' she said evasively. â€Å"They let you through,' said Dimitri. â€Å"They know the Alchemists. Why did Sarah ask about you bringing them things?' â€Å"Because that's what we do,' she said. â€Å"Every so often for groups like these, we drop off supplies–food for everyone, medicine for the humans.' Again, I heard that derision in her voice, but then she turned uneasy. â€Å"The thing is, if Sarah's right, they could be due for an Alchemist visit. That would just be our luck to be here when that happens.' I was going to reassure her that we only needed to lie low a couple days when an earlier phrase tugged at me. â€Å"Wait. You said â€Å"groups like these.' How many of these commune things are out there?' I turned to Dimitri. â€Å"This isn't like the Alchemists, is it? Something only some of you know about that you're keeping from the rest of us?' He shook his head. â€Å"I'm as astonished by all of this as you are.' â€Å"Some of your leaders probably know about the Keepers in a vague way,' said Sydney. â€Å"But no details. No locations. These guys hide themselves pretty well and can move on a moment's notice. They stay away from your people. They don't like your people.' I sighed. â€Å"Which is why they won't turn us in. And why they're so excited I might have killed Tatiana. Thanks for that, by the way.' Sydney wasn't apologetic in the least. â€Å"It gets us protection. Such as it is.' She stifled a yawn. â€Å"But for now? I'm exhausted. I'm not going to be able to follow anyone's crazy plans–yours or Abe's–if I don't get some sleep.' I'd known she was tired, but only now did the extent of it hit me. Sydney wasn't like us. We needed sleep but had the endurance to put it off if needed. She'd been up all night and forced into some situations that were definitely outside of her comfort zone. She looked like she could fall asleep against the wall then and there. I turned to Dimitri. He was already looking at me. â€Å"Shifts?' I asked. I knew neither one of us would allow our group to stay unguarded in this place, even if we were allegedly queen-killing heroes. He nodded. â€Å"You go first, and I'll–‘ The door was flung open, and both Dimitri and I nearly leapt up to attack. A dhampir girl stood there, glaring at all of us. She was a couple years younger than me, about the age of my friend Jill Mastrano, a student back at St. Vladimir's who wanted to be a Moroi fighter. This girl looked like she did too, just by her stance alone. She possessed the strong, lean build most dhampirs had, her whole body braced like it might tackle any one of us. Her hair was stick-straight to her waist, a dark auburn that had picked up gold and copper highlights from the sun. She had the same blue eyes as Joshua. â€Å"So,' she said. â€Å"You're the big heroes taking my room.' â€Å"Angeline?' I guessed, remembering Joshua mentioning his sister. She narrowed her eyes, not liking that I knew who she was. â€Å"Yes.' She studied me unflinchingly and didn't seem to approve of what she found. That sharp gaze flicked to Dimitri next. I expected a softening, expected her to fall prey to his good looks the way most women did. But, no. He received suspicion as well. Her attention turned back to me. â€Å"I don't believe it,' she declared. â€Å"You're too soft. Too prim.' Prim? Really? I didn't feel that way, not in my battle-scarred jeans and T-shirt. Looking at her attire, I could maybe understand the attitude, though. Her clothes were clean, but her jeans had been around a while, both knees worn to threads. The shirt was a plain, off-white tank top that had a homemade feel. I didn't know if it had originally been white. Maybe I was prim by comparison. Of course, if anyone deserved the title of prim, it would be Sydney. Her clothes would've passed at a business meeting, and she hadn't been in any fights or jail-breaks recently. Angeline hadn't even given her a second glance, though. I was getting the feeling Alchemists were in a strange category around here, a different type of human from the ones who intermarried with the Keepers. Alchemists brought supplies and left. They were almost a type of feeder to these people, really, which boggled the mind. The Keepers had more respect for the types of humans my culture looked down on. Regardless, I didn't know what to say to Angeline. I didn't like being called soft or having my battle prowess called into question. A spark of my temper flared, but I refused to cause trouble by getting in a fight with our host's daughter, nor was I going to start making up details about Tatiana's murder. I simply shrugged. â€Å"Looks are deceiving,' I said. â€Å"Yes,' Angeline said coolly. â€Å"They are.' She stalked over to a small chest in the corner and pulled out what looked like a nightgown. â€Å"You better not mess up my bed,' she warned me. She glanced over at Sydney, sitting on the other mattress. â€Å"I don't care what you do to Paulette's.' â€Å"Is Paulette your sister?' I asked, still trying to put this family together. There didn't seem to be anything I could say that wouldn't offend this girl. â€Å"Of course not,' Angeline snapped, slamming the door as she left. I stared at it in astonishment. Sydney yawned and stretched out on her bed. â€Å"Paulette is probably Raymond's †¦ eh, I don't know. Mistress. Concubine.' â€Å"What?' I exclaimed. A Moroi married to a human and having an affair with a Moroi. I wasn't sure how much more I could take. â€Å"Living with his family?' â€Å"Don't ask me to explain it. I don't want to know any more about your twisted ways than I have to.' â€Å"It's not my way,' I retorted. Sarah came shortly thereafter to apologize for Angeline and see if we needed anything else. We assured her we were fine and thanked her profusely for her hospitality. Once she was gone, Dimitri and I set up sleeping shifts. I would have rather we both stayed on alert, particularly since I felt pretty sure Angeline would slit someone's throat in their sleep. But, we needed rest and knew we'd both react promptly if anyone came busting down our door. So, I let Dimitri take the first watch while I snuggled into Angeline's bed and tried not to â€Å"mess it up.' It was surprisingly comfortable. Or, maybe I was just that tired. I was able to let go of my worries about execution, lost siblings, and vampire hillbillies. Deep sleep wrapped around me, and I began to dream †¦ but not just any dream. It was a shifting of my inner world, the sense of being both in and out of reality. I was being pulled into a spirit-induced dream. Adrian! The thought excited me. I'd missed him and was eager to talk to someone directly after all that had happened at Court. There hadn't been much time to talk during my escape, and after this bizarre backwoods world I'd stumbled into, I really needed some piece of normality and civilization around me. The dream's world began to form around me, growing clearer and clearer. It was a location I'd never seen, a formal parlor with chairs and couches covered in lavender paisley cushions. Oil paintings lined the walls, and there was a large harp in the corner. I'd learned long ago that there was no predicting where Adrian would send me–or what he'd make me wear. Fortunately, I was in jeans and a T-shirt, my blue nazar hanging around my neck. I turned around anxiously, looking for him so that I could give him a giant hug. Yet, as my eyes searched the room, it wasn't Adrian's face I suddenly found myself looking into. It was Robert Doru's. And Victor Dashkov was with him.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Reality of the Breakfast Club essays

The Reality of the Breakfast Club essays Was the teen flick actually a publicized story of our high school Prairie Ridge High School? Some think so, and some not, while others are in between. Obviously the fashion style, music, and slang are out-of-date but the students interacting might be another story. Groups still exist among the crowds, but are those important today in our society? A good deal of the movie is consisted in the social genres of high school. From the jocks and the prissy girls to the goths and nerds, we all in reality deal with the same difficulties of life. Some not as extreme as other, but we all have our own experiences. I dont believe in having social groups since many people are judged by that, but if everyone was the same, life would be simply boring. Boundaries need to be broken in order to experience life to the fullest. Luck fully for the teens in the movie thats just what happened. I believe though at Prairie Ridge social genres are stricter more among certain genres then other schools in our district. Our school boundaries lie mostly in the rich community, so money definitely plays a role here. The preppies are your friends if you have the style and the right social status. While others are rebellious towards them since they believe money doesnt define a person, its the person that defines the person. But not everyone is rebellious, so I nicknamed them as in-betweeners. To me they dont care about the rumors or how much the persons father makes a year, just the person, or even perhaps their moral standards. Our interests draw us to each other, not by how we are supposed to belong with certain people. In the movie, the students put aside all their differences and decided to become friends and some even more. At Prairie Ridge some boundaries between people have been broken as well and became friendships, but nothing more then that. In our school society that is taboo. ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Grammar Tips What Is a Sentence Fragment - Get Proofed!

Grammar Tips What Is a Sentence Fragment - Get Proofed! Grammar Tips: What Is a Sentence Fragment? Being proofreaders, we’re keen on keeping things grammatical. As such, we feel sad when we see a sentence that’s been left incomplete. It’s like the linguistic version of an abandoned puppy. But what is it that makes a sentence complete? And is an incomplete sentence always wrong? Our guide to sentence fragments can answer your questions and help you avoid errors in your work. The Sentence Fragment A sentence fragment is, quite simply, an incomplete sentence. At its most basic, a sentence needs a subject (i.e., something or someone to perform an action) and a verb (i.e., an action or state of being). Subject Verb Phrase The bird†¦ †¦flew away. If a sentence is missing a subject or a verb, it will be incomplete (i.e., a sentence fragment): Fragment (No Subject): Flew away. Fragment (No Verb): The bird. Neither of these is a complete sentence, so we don’t know what the author meant. In other cases, though, sentence fragments may have a subject and a verb while still being incomplete. For example: The bird pecked my. Here, we have the subject â€Å"bird† and verb â€Å"pecked,† but there is something missing after â€Å"my.† This is because â€Å"pecked† is a transitive verb, so it needs an object (i.e., something that is being acted on). The more complex a sentence gets, the easier it is to miss something like this. Are Sentence Fragments Always Wrong? No! Sentence fragments are common. In literature, for example, using a short sentence fragment can be a good way of changing the pace or tone of a piece of writing. Compare the following: No Fragment: The budgie was small, but loud. Fragment: The budgie was small. But loud. In the second, â€Å"But loud† is technically a sentence fragment. But by using a period instead of a comma, the author adds a dramatic pause before the fragment to emphasize how loud the budgie is. I am budgie. Hear me roar. More generally, we all use sentence fragments in our own lives. And you’ll find them used in advertising and pop culture all the time! As long as you can understand them, this isn’t a problem. How to Avoid â€Å"Bad† Fragments Sentence fragments become an issue when it is hard to tell what someone is saying. For example: The canary was singing because. Here, there’s obviously something missing from the sentence, since â€Å"because† is meant to introduce a reason. As such, this fragment would need completing before it makes sense. In other cases, we might understand what the author means by a sentence fragment, but unless there is a good reason for using one, it is still better to write in full sentences. For instance: The study examined several species. Including canaries, budgies and doves. Here, the clause that starts with â€Å"Including† is a fragment, though we can guess that it’s a list of birds included in the study. However, since there’s no reason to use a sentence fragment here, it would be better to remove the period and join the clauses with a comma: The study examined several species, including canaries, budgies and doves. The most important thing is that every sentence has a main clause including a subject and verb, but watch out for other sentences that seem unfinished or ambiguous throughout your work.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Compare and Contrast New Religious Movements Essay

Compare and Contrast New Religious Movements - Essay Example The main doctrines in Jehovah Witness are based on the Holy Scripture, the Bible rather than any ancillary creeds. On the other hand, the Neo-Paganism teaching, which is a continued cultural practice, is not based on the teachings of the holy books, but rather on nature. Neo-Paganism teachings, therefore, are passed through word of mouth from generation to generation (Fisher 12). Jehovah Witness is one of the religions of the world that believes in the existence of monotheistic God. Here, the Biblical God is regarded as the most powerful creator of all the existences. God of the Bible is portrayed as the most powerful and the giver of life. However, Neo-Paganism operates on a belief in polytheicism. For instance, contemporary believers in Neo-Paganism are seen to be operating on the old model of goddess of spirituality. Here, the current believers emulate the goddess of spirituality through construction of alters and other places of worship. Moreover, the different gods in Neo-Paganism serve various purposes, that is, the god of fertility, which is related to mothers, is meant for productivity as was in the ancient times. Unlike Jehovah Witness, Neo-Paganism is a religion without any proper structure. In many instances, scholars assert that it is based on nature, making it depend on various ethnic groups. On the other hand, Jehovah witness is seen to be a well-organized religion with operational structures and doctrines that their followers emulate to become full members. For instance, one of the universal ways of becoming an adherent of Jehovah Witness is through baptism and accepting the teachings of the Bible. This method of acquiring membership is different from Neo-Paganism, which depends on ethnic influence (Fisher 13). These two religions seem to be having some shared similarities. For instance, the congregation of Jehovah Witnesses worships in churches. Likewise, Neo-Paganism is also based in worshiping at