life is a journy Essay Example

life is a journy Essay Life is like a Journey, the longer you travel the more experience you will gain, some of those experience will be very memorable and will become hard to forget. That memorable moment will pierce into your heart, attached to your brain like a new born attached to his mother. My life Journey Just began, but IVe already made some un forgettable experiences that taught me so much about life and the people around me, shaping me to the person that Im today. One of those moments began when my father a poor lementary school teacher decided that it was time for a change in our familys life. He was tired of seeing other families in luxury while he couldnt afford to buy his family dinner. That day came when my father decided to move to the United States of America in search of a better life or perhaps to chase his American dream. My father left us with my mother, and promised us he will come back to get us after two months. He took 200 dollars in his pocket leaving us with 50 dollars to get by for the next 2 months. We will write a custom essay sample on life is a journy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on life is a journy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on life is a journy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Trying to get on 50 dollars for two months isnt easy especially if you have to buy gas every day to sustain heat inside your house. My mother tried her best to use those 50 dollars but failed, it seemed as if the price of very thing has doubled. The money didnt last us 20 days after that I knew we were going to go broke for the next 40 days which seemed as if they were 40 years. I felt useless when I saw my mothers tears drop because she couldnt provide food for us, she could provide anything during dinner time except for some bread and water. We were latterly that broke even our fridge started making growling noises because it was empty with out a single thing in it except for its plastics parts, I guess it was Just like our stomachs empty and shallow. After a couple of days I couldnt stand the situation we were in, it was time for me to man up and become the man of the house I dint want to see my mother cry or my sisters hungry. Many ideas started coming up to my head such as stealing or asking other family members for money, but I couldnt do any of those I felt like I had too uch pride in my self to commit some thing as pitiful as that. I decide to do something else which seem to me as lame as can be, but I didnt have any other choice. I decided to go to the farmers market that was held every Saturday and pick all the unwanted things the farmers threw away. It wasnt a pleasant thing to do and most of the thing I got would disgust an animal if he saw them but again I ahs no choice and I didnt want to relay on anyone else. We want on like that for a life is a journy By Yama-Merrouche

How Knowledge and Learning Survived in the Middle Ages

How Knowledge and Learning Survived in the Middle Ages They began as men alone, solitary ascetics in wattle huts in the desert, living off berries and nuts, contemplating the nature of God, and praying for their own salvation. It wasnt long before others joined them, living nearby for comfort and safety, if not for conviviality. Individuals of wisdom and experience like Saint Anthony taught the way to spiritual harmony to the monks who sat at their feet. Rules were then established by holy men like  Saint Pachomius  and Saint Benedict to govern what had become, in spite of their first intentions, a community. Monasteries, abbeys, priories- all were built to house men or women (or, in the case of double monasteries, both) who sought spiritual peace. For the sake of their souls people came there to live a life of strict religious observance, self-sacrifice, and work that would help their fellow human beings. Towns and sometimes even cities grew up around them, and the brothers or sisters would serve the secular community in a variety of ways- growing grain, making wine, raising sheep- usually remaining separate and apart. Monks and nuns played many roles, but perhaps the most significant and far-reaching role was that of the keepers of knowledge. It was very early in its collective history that the monastery of Western Europe became the repository for manuscripts. Part of the Rule of Saint Benedict charged its followers to read holy writings every day. While knights underwent special education that prepared them for the battlefield and the court, and artisans learned their craft from their masters, the contemplative life of a monk provided the perfect setting in which to learn to read and write, and to acquire and copy manuscripts whenever the opportunity arose. A reverence for books and for the knowledge they contained was not surprising in monastics, who turned their creative energies not only into writing books of their own but into making the manuscripts they created beautiful works of art. Books may have been acquired, but they were not necessarily hoarded. Monasteries could make money charging by the page to copy out manuscripts for sale. A  book of hours  would be made expressly for the layman; one penny per page would be considered a fair price. It was not unknown for a monastery to simply sell part of its library for operating funds. Yet books were prized among the most precious of treasures. Whenever a monastic community would come under attack- usually from raiders like the Danes or Magyars but sometimes from their very own secular rulers- the monks would, if they had time, take what treasures they could carry into hiding in the forest or other remote area until the danger had passed. Always, manuscripts would be among such treasures. Although theology and spirituality dominated a monastics life, by no means were all of the books collected in the library religious. Histories and biographies, epic poetry, science and mathematics- all of them were collected, and studied, in the monastery. One might be more likely to find a bible, hymnals and graduals, a lectionary or a missal; but a secular history was also important to the seeker of knowledge. And thus was the monastery not only a repository of knowledge, but a distributor of it, as well. Until the twelfth century, when Viking raids ceased to be an expected part of everyday life, almost all scholarship took place inside the monastery. Occasionally a high-born lord would learn letters from his mother, but mostly it was the monks who taught the oblates monks-to-be in the tradition of the classics. Using first a stylus on wax and later, when their command of their letters had improved, a quill and ink on parchment, young boys learned grammar, rhetoric and logic. When they had mastered these subjects they moved on to arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. Latin was the only language used during instruction. Discipline was strict, but not necessarily severe. Teachers did not always confine themselves to the knowledge taught and retaught for centuries past. There were definite improvements in mathematics and astronomy from several sources, including the occasional Muslim influence. And methods of teaching were not as dry as one might expect: in the tenth century a renowned monastic by the name of Gerbert used practical demonstrations whenever possible, including the creation of a forerunner of the telescope to observe heavenly bodies and the use of an organistrum (a kind of hurdy-gurdy) to teach and practice music. Not all young men were suited to the monastic life, and though at first most were forced into the mold, eventually some of the monasteries maintained a school outside their cloisters for young men not destined for the cloth. As time passed these secular schools grew larger and more common and evolved into universities. Though still supported by the Church, they were no longer part of the monastic world. With the advent of the printing press, monks were no longer needed to transcribe manuscripts. Slowly, monastics relinquished this part of their world, as well, and returned to the purpose for which they had originally congregated: the quest for spiritual peace. But their role as the keepers of knowledge lasted a thousand years, making the Renaissance movements and the birth of the modern age possible. And scholars will forever be in their debt. Sources and Suggested Reading The links below will take you to an online bookstore, where you can find more information about the book to help you get it from your local library. This is provided as a convenience to you; neither Melissa Snell nor About is responsible for any purchases you make through these links. Life in Medieval Times by Marjorie Rowling Sun Dancing: A Medieval  Vision  by Geoffrey Moorhouse The text of this document is copyright  ©1998-2016   Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is   not  granted to reproduce this document on another website. For publication permission,  please   contact  Melissa Snell. The URL for this document is:http://historymedren.about.com/cs/monasticism/a/keepers.htm

Animals Shouldnt Be Kept in Zoos Essay Example for Free

Animals Shouldn’t Be Kept in Zoos Essay The social network, Facebook is unnecessary worldwide for people under the age of 18 because there many people who are being exposed to atrocities through Facebook. If you are under the age of 18 you also have high risk of becoming prevalent to cyber bulling and many people under this age are not taking action when they are being bullied or when they view it; and a large percentage of people that use Facebook are under the legal age. Facebook is the worst social networking site for internet trolling, and bullying is now more prevalent online than anywhere else. Research has stated (daily mail. com, Damien Gayle, 2013) that 87 per cent of teenagers who reported cyber abuse said they were targeted on Facebook. Facebook is the worst social networking site for internet trolling, and bullying is now more online than anywhere else. Bullying on-line continues to be a serious problem for a huge number of teenagers and we cannot ignore its often devastating and tragic effects. When teenagers are bullied many of them try to hide it and decide not to tell anyone. Research states that this is mainly because they scared, nervous, don’t want to be teased or don’t want to act as if it is a problem. Emma-Jane Cross, CEO and founder of the charity BeatBullying, said many young people were suffering because of cyber bulling in silence. However, hundreds of young people are being cyber-bullied or trolled so badly that it can lead to depression, truancy, self-harm, or even force them to contemplate or attempt suicide. This is a real problem Around 7. 5 million (out of the 20 million on Facebook) are under the legal age of 13. Even more troubling, more than five million Facebook users were 10 years old or younger, and they were allowed to use Facebook largely without parental supervision leaving them vulnerable to threats ranging from malware to sexual predators. It is absolutely inconceivable that a pre-teen would have the ability or patience to go through the existing maze of settings to be able to make their Facebook account private enough to ensure protection from unwanted approaches, spam and exploitation of their personal pictures and content. In saying this, so many people are using Facebook and are posting private picture, addresses and birth date. A study shows Schools, teachers and cyber safety experts, are trying very hard to educate teens about their longer term digital identity and online behaviour. But again, as my previous post suggests, it appears that many parents are simply not taking responsibility for their children’s online behaviour. Some seem unaware of the potential online dangers that their children can face daily. This can be partly due to schools not publicizing the constant stream of incidents. Or maybe it’s because their own children are keeping quiet even when harassed for fear of being banned and ostracised by their peers. Animals Shouldn’t Be Kept in Zoos. (2016, Dec 12).

Create a Title Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Create a Title - Essay Example ive of business the commercialization of education as entertainment might seem a step towards improvement, the same picture might not be so beautiful while considering the total benefit from the human point of view. Neil Postman in his essay, Learning in the Age of Television, speaks about how the toddlers are targeted and how from the tender age they are made to understand and feel the importance of entertainment. He stresses on the steps that the television serials takes to capture the attention of the children and teaches them to abhor the regular classroom learning. From the very beginning, the television instills in the child’s mind the colorful world of entertainment and commercializes education. Edmundson in his essay On the Uses of a Liberal Education too continues this same fact. While Postman concentrates on the childhood potion of this generation, Edmundson concentrates on the teenage and pre adulthood portion or segments, which includes his observations of his own students. Neil Postman and Edmundson both stresses on the use of guilt that is stressed by the television and how it inculcates the need for entertainment into the minds of the children of this generation from their very birth. Postman argues that the shows like Sesame Street offers the parents guilt free pass this is because in most cases both the parents who are busy in their career cannot give time to their children. This is the reason that their children spend long hours watching TV (Postman). By allowing, their children to watch Sesame Street the parent feel that their children are learning something. This reduces their guilt considerably. Further, it also allows them time away from their children. It helps them to keep their children busy while they work. What they do not understand is the effect that TV has on their children in the later age. Edmundson traces the effect of this childhood TV watching and need for entertainment in his own classroom when he would

Character Analyses of Thomas More and the Common Man in A Man For All Essay

Character Analyses of Thomas More and the Common Man in A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt - Essay Example 94, 1960). This also defines the play's title in its true meaning; that More was a man "suited to all hours, times, occasions." (miller, 2005, from Whittinton's translation from the Latin) Using the play as primary source, this essay will first examine the character of Thomas More, then show how the Common Man can be seen to represent us all, across the divides of time, societies and history. Thomas More contended that a person's conscience, which tells him what he believes to be right, and that the individual must be true to himself; issues worth giving up everything for. By refusing to accept the premise, put by Rich, "But every man has his price!" and giving him a silver goblet, "It's a bribe Richard....Well, I'm not going to keep it and you need it." (Act 1 p.11 2), More declared that his conscience and honesty would over-ride any need for riches and status. No matter what pressures are brought to bear, he cannot compromise his beliefs. His refusal to agree with the King on the matter of his marriage, made Alice, his wife see the danger and beg him "Thomas, stay friends with him." (Act 1 p. 143) and his simple response stated his views clearly "But there's a little area...where I must rule myself." (p.143) In discussing the King's actions with Norfolk, regarding the Pope, he tried to make Norfolk understand his antipathy. "The Apostolic Succession...But what matters to me is...that I believe it to be true, or rather not that I believe it, but that I believe it." (Act 2 p 161). It was then that he gave up his office as Chancellor, and the money and status this entailed. He believed that secular law would protect him, and that sacred law was not to be abused. Alice was angry, worried about how they would survive, with no income and no career for what Thomas. She thought him a "poor silly man" if he thought he would be left alone to get on with life, and still did not understand his reasons. Already they could not aff ord good food and Matthew and the servants had to be found new positions, they could not pay their wages. Other signs of poverty were apparent when, during Chapuy's visit, Meg and Roper arrived with bracken to burn on the fire. More could have 4000 from the bishops, for his writing, even Meg wanted him to take it. Once more, he tried to make his family understand the dangers of his position, and ultimately theirs. He was concerned for their safety, as well as what his conscience dictated. "If the King takes this matter any further, with me or with the Church, it will be very bad if I even appear to have been in the pay of the Church." (Act 2 p. 173) Cromwell's arrival alerted Alice to the real danger, though she remained angry with her husband, mostly driven by fear for his welfare. Trumped up charges, allegations of bribery and treason, the force of the "Universities, the Bishops and the Parliament of the Realm" (Act 2 p. 67), and finally the threat from Henry himself "never could be so villainous a servant nor so traitorous a subject as yourself!" (Act 2 p. 177), none of these could sway him. In prison and finally facing death, Margaret tried to persuade him

Organic vs. Conventional Grown Food Flavor Essay Example for Free

Organic vs. Conventional Grown Food Flavor Essay Ever wonder what truly goes in to the food that is produced and sold in our grocery stores. You would be surprised as to what is used to grow the food we eat. Conventionally grown foods can use trace amount of nicotine and arsenic to keep food pest free. Conventionally grown food can be pumped with hormones that allow the crops and animals to grow larger or produce more fruit and vegetables. By using all of the artificial products in conventionally grown food we change the flavor, size and color of fruit, vegetables and animals, including their byproducts. People may not realize what is used to grow these huge vegetables and chicken breasts. Organically grown food is not only tastier but also has more health benefits when compared to conventionally grown food. We will discover the benefits and disadvantages to both organic and conventionally grown food. This will provide the reader with tools to make a decision on to whether to use organic or conventionally grown food. In order for food to be called organic, it must be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Although organic foods carry very minute levels of toxin naturally present in them, they are not harmful to us at these levels. By not using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, organic foods can naturally develop the nutrients and vitamins that a person needs to maintain a healthy, well balanced diet. Keeping these foods the way they naturally grown allows them to develop larger and more full of these valuable items that would be reduced because of the many chemicals and pesticides used to grow the convention foods. As to whether organic food is tastier, is up to the individual. Many professional chefs and home cooks prefer to use organic food when possible because they feel the flavors are stronger and taste more natural. Organic food is richer in color; therefore making the dishes not only taste better but help also to create a more appealing presentation. To them organic food has a fresher taste and a more natural flavor because the food is allowed to grow naturally and develop the way it would occur as nature intended it to. Organic food does cost more because of the time it takes to prepare the soil and let the food grow as nature intended. This cost more in labor and time so that the price for these can be inflated. When you take into consideration the health benefits of not putting in harmful chemicals and better taste of the food, they outweigh the cost of purchasing these products Conventionally grown foods are grown with a large amount of chemicals and pesticides that can be harmful to consumers in the long wrong. Now there are arguments that the levels of these products are so small that they are not harmful to consumers; but there are plenty of signs to the contrary. Look at how rapidly and early boys and girls are maturing compare to those of the past. This can be accounted for or â€Å"blamed† on the amount of hormones fed to animals to grow them larger and enhance them, so that they produce more by products, such as eggs and milk. The chemicals used to grow larger crops and protect them from rotting and pest also has negative effects. It has caused a rise in allergies that was just not prominent twenty or thirty years ago. The shorten times of growth that conventionally grown foods have can stunt the development of vital nutrients that they would produce if they were to be grown in the normal periods they would have. This can really have a negative effect on having a balanced diet because consumers will have to add supplements, like synthetic vitamins, to get their daily nutrient levels. Again, as to whether conventionally grown food taste better or worse, is up to the individual but most professional chefs feel it does not taste as fresh or has natural flavors like those in organic food. The flavor in conventionally grown food is not as developed because it has shortened growth time. Fruit, vegetables and animals need time to naturally develop and grow as nature intended them to so they can develop all of the good stuff we love. Conventionally grown food does cost less because it is grown so fast and in mass quantities without care for the environment or any harmful effects to the consumers. The short-term side effects are not as bad to the long-term side effects that will be passed on to generations upon generation. Saving a dollar at the risk of a person’s health seems to me to be a very large risk that is not necessary. Organically grown food is a much better choice because more naturally nutrients, better developed flavors and appearance even if the cost of purchasing them is higher. Conventionally grown food is the exact opposite. The chemicals and hormones are resulting in early development in our children and an increase in the levels of people with allergies. Professional chefs prefer organic food to conventional food because it develops the flavor profiles of their dishes more and improves the appearance of it as well. Just because the cost of conventionally grown food is lower than that of organically grown food, the disadvantages of them are much higher. Risking the future of our children is simply not worth saving a few dollars. It is up to the individual as to where to choose organic food but choosing it will provide the tools for a brighter tomorrow and a healthier today. We need to teach our children healthier ways to eat and live, if we expect them to grown up and live productive lives.

A Look Back, A Spotlight on Education :: Free Essays Online

My Eighth grade English teacher walked around the classroom, in a daily ritual, glancing over pages of circled letters, occasionally muttering, "turn", in an exhausted, apathetic tone. Many of my classmates used the time she had allotted for "checking homework" to socialize, while others frantically fumbled for a pencil, asked for a neighbor’s workbook, circled, underlined, and copied while occasionally lifting their heads up to see how far down the rows she had gotten and how close she was getting to them. Needless to say, it wasn’t hard to copy another student’s homework. We had already been in this "orange vocabulary book" system for two years by the time we were in the eighth grade. The workbook called for no originality or unique thought, so all of our little workbooks were expected to look exactly alike, all the same a’s circled, the same words underlined. It was possible that on any given weeknight, ten out of the twenty-five students in class would actually bother to do the assigned vocabulary homework. A few of us would copy a friend’s answer a little before, or even during class. There were still a few students that wouldn’t even put in that much effort into the English class, and would readily take the "zero" in the grade-book for the day. After the all-important "homework checking ritual" was through with, we all reluctantly opened up the vocabulary books for the "checking the answer" ritual. Starting with the front right corner of the classroom, students began reading off answers, letters and words, and nothing else, one after another, being occasionally corrected, and fed the right answer. I can’t say I learned too much from this vocabulary practice. I sat in my desk, looking at the clock mounted on the wall, listening to a random letters and words, with no other connotation, explanation, or implication of them, occasionally checking to see how far along the line we had gotten so that I would be able to answer promptly when it was my turn. For my teacher, however, vocabulary practice time seemed like the best part of the school day, next to her lunch break. She really didn’t choose to put much effort into the practices at all. The students didn’t protest, of course. It was an easy part of the day for us too. The vocabulary quizzes, did make up a big part of our grade in the class, as the vocabulary practices did take up a great deal of class time.

Night World : Huntress Chapter 5

The boy's light hair was longish, falling over his forehead in disarray. He had a nice face, serious, but with an unexpected dimple in his chin that gave him a slightly mischievous look. His body was nicely muscled but compact; standing, Jez knew, he'd be no taller than she. There was a large bump coming up on his forehead, just under the falling hair. The ghoul had probably slammed him against something. Jez jumped up and got a blue plastic cup full of water from her nightstand. She grabbed a clean T-shirt from the floor and dipped it into the water, then she gently brushed back the hair from the boy's forehead. It was silky under her fingers. Even softer than she would have thought. Jez kept her face expressionless and began to wipe his face with the damp cloth. He didn't stir. Jez's heart, which was already thumping distinctly, speeded up. She took a deep breath and kept wiping. Finally, although it probably didn't have anything to do with the water, the boy's dark eyelashes moved. He coughed, breathed, blinked, and looked at her. Relief spread through Jez. â€Å"Don't try to sit up yet.† â€Å"That's what they all say,† he agreed, and sat up. He put a hand to his head and groaned. Jez steadied him. â€Å"I'm fine,† he said. â€Å"Just tell the room to stop moving.† He looked around the room, bunked again and suddenly seemed to focus. He grabbed her arm, his eyes wide. â€Å"Something followed me-â€Å" â€Å"A ghoul. It's dead.† He let out his breath. Then he smiled wryly. â€Å"You saved my life.† â€Å"And I don't even charge,† Jez said, embarrassed. â€Å"No, I mean it.† His smile faded and he looked straight at her. â€Å"Thank you.† Jez could feel heat trying to rise to her face, and she had a hard time holding his gaze. His eyes were gray and so intense-fathomless. Her skin was tingling. She looked away and said evenly, â€Å"We should get you to a hospital. You might have a concussion.† â€Å"No. I'm okay. Let me just see if I can stand up.† When she opened her mouth to protest, he added, â€Å"Jez, you don't know why I'm here. It can't wait.† He was right; Jez had been so intent on getting him conscious that she hadn't even wondered what he was doing here. She looked at him for a moment, then nodded. She helped him up, and let go of his arm when she saw he could stand without falling over. â€Å"See, I'm fine.† He took a few steps, then made a circuit of the room, loosening his muscles. Jez watched him narrowly, ready to grab him if he fell. But he walked steadily except for a slight limp. And that wasn't from his encounter with the ghoul tonight, Jez knew. He'd had the limp from childhood, from when the werewolves took his family. How he'd been able to get over that and join Circle Daybreak, Jez would never know. He'd lost his parents almost as young as she had. He'd lost his two sisters and his brother, too. His entire family had been on a camping trip atLake Tahoe , when in the middle of the night they'd been attacked by a pack of werewolves. Renegade ‘wolves, hunting illegally because Night World law wouldn't let them kill as often as they liked. Just like Jez's old gang. The ‘wolves had ripped through theDavis family's tents and killed the humans, one, two, three. Easy as that. The only one they left alive was seven-year-old Hugh, because he was too little to have much meat on his body. They had just settled down to eat the hearts and livers of their victims, when suddenly the one too little to be worth eating was dashing at them with a homemade torch constructed of kerosene-soaked underwear wrapped around a stick. He was also waving a silver cross on a chain the werewolves had torn from his sister's neck. Two things werewolves don't like: silver and fire. The little boy was attacking with both. The ‘wolves decided to kill him. Slowly. They almost did it. They managed to chew one of his legs almost off before a park ranger arrived, attracted by the spreading fire from the dropped torch. The ranger had a gun, and the fire was getting out of control. The ‘wolves left. Hugh almost died of blood loss on the way to the hospital. But he was a tough kid. And a very smart one. He didn't even try to explain to anybody what he'd been doing with the silver necklace. He knew they would never believe him if he said he'd suddenly remembered a bunch of past lives, including one where he'd seen a werewolf killed. Hugh Davis was an Old Soul. And a wakened Old Soul, which was even more rare. It scared Jez a little. He was human and she was from the Night World, but she didn't pretend to understand the magic that brought some humans back again and again, reincarnating them in new bodies. Letting them remember all their past lifetimes, making them smarter and more clearheaded every time they were born. In Hugh's case, also gentler every time. In spite of the attack on his family, when he got out of the hospital the first thing he did was try to find some Night People. He knew they weren't all bad. He knew some of them would help him stop the werewolves from hurting anyone else. Fortunately, the first people he found were from Circle Daybreak. Circles were witch organizations, but Circle Daybreak was for humans and vampires and shapeshifters and werewolves, too. It was an underground society, as secret within the Night World as the Night World was secret within the human world. It went against the most basic tenets of Night World law: that humans were not to be told about the Night World, and that Night People shouldn't fall in love with humans. Circle Daybreak was fighting to unite everybody, to stop the killings, and to bring peace between the races. Jez wished them luck. She suddenly realized that Hugh had stopped walking and was looking at her. She blinked and focused, furious with herself for her slip in concentration. As a huntress-of vampires or anything else-you stayed alert all the time, or you were dead. â€Å"You were miles away,† Hugh said softly. His gray eyes were calm but intense as always. That look Old Souls get when they're reading you, Jez thought. She said, â€Å"Sorry. Um, do you want some ice for that bump?† â€Å"No, I like it. I'm thinking of getting one on the other side, to match.† He sat on the bed, serious again. â€Å"Really, I've got some stuff to explain to you, and it's going to take a while.† Jez didn't sit. â€Å"Hugh, I think you need it. And I need to take a shower or my aunt will get suspicious about what I'm doing in here for so long. Besides, the smell is driving me crazy.† Although she couldn't use her vampire powers without bringing on the bloodlust, her senses were still much more acute than a human's. â€Å"Eau de Ghoul? And I was just starting to enjoy it.† Hugh nodded at her, switching from gentle humor to gentle gravity as always. â€Å"You need to do what will keep your cover here. I shouldn't be so impatient.† Jez took the fastest shower of her life, then dressed in clean clothes she'd brought to the bathroom. As she returned carrying a glassful of ice from the kitchen and a washcloth, she saw that Claire's bedroom door was ajar and Claire was watching her narrowly. Jez raised the glass in a mock toast, and slipped into her own bedroom. â€Å"Here.† She made an ice pack and handed it to Hugh. He accepted it docilely. â€Å"Now, what is it that's so urgent? And how come you're so popular with ghouls all of a sudden?† Instead of answering, Hugh looked into a middle distance. He was bracing himself for something. Finally he lowered the ice pack and looked straight at her. â€Å"You know I care about you. If anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. And if anything happened because of me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. Jez told her heart to get down where it belonged. It was pounding in her throat, choking her. She kept her voice flat as she said, â€Å"Thanks.† Something like hurt flashed in his eyes and was gone instantly. â€Å"You don't think I mean it.† Jez still spoke flatly, in a clipped, hurried voice. She wasn't good at talking about emotional stuff. â€Å"Hugh, look. You were my first human friend. When I came to live here, nobody at Circle Daybreak would have anything to do with me. I don't blame them-not after the things my gang did to humans. But it was hard because they wouldn't even talk to me, much less trust me, and they wouldn't believe I wanted to help them. And then you showed up that day after school. And you did talk to me-â€Å" â€Å"And I did trust you,† Hugh said. â€Å"And I still do.† He looked distant again. â€Å"I thought you were the saddest person I'd ever seen, and the most beautiful-and the bravest. I knew you wouldn't betray Circle Daybreak.† And that's why I love you, Jez thought before she could stop herself. It was easier to live with if she didn't put it into words. Because it was hopeless, of course. You couldn't hang on to an Old Soul. Nobody could-not unless they were one of those tiny fraction of people who were soulmates. Wakened Old Souls were too†¦ old. They knew too much, had seen too much to get attached to any one person. Much less a person who was tainted with vampire blood. So all she said was â€Å"I know. That's why I work with Circle Daybreak. Because you convinced them I wasn't some kind of spy for the Night World. I owe you, Hugh. And-I believe you care about me.† Because you care about everybody, she added silently. Hugh nodded, but he didn't look any happier. â€Å"It's about something dangerous. Something I don't want to ask you to do.† He dug into his jeans pocket and came up with a thick packet of what looked like folded newspaper articles. He held it out to her. Jez took it, frowned, then paged through the first few articles. Headlines jumped out at her. â€Å"‘Four-year old dies in coyote attack.' ‘Record heatwave in Midwest; hundreds hospitalized.' ‘Mother confesses: I killed my babies.' ‘Mystery virus erupts in eastern U.S.: Scientists baffled.'† There were lots more, but she didn't look at them. She looked at Hugh, her eyebrows drawn together. â€Å"Thanks for sharing this. Am I supposed to fight the coyote or the virus?† His lips smiled, but his eyes were bottomless and frighteningly sad. â€Å"Nobody can fight what's happening-at least not in the ordinary way. And all that's just the beginning.† â€Å"Of what?† She loved Hugh, but sometimes she wanted to strangle him. Old Souls loved being mysterious. â€Å"Have you noticed the weather lately? It's either floods or droughts. Record cold days in winter, record heat in the summer. Record number of hurricanes and tornadoes. Record snowfall and hail. It just gets weirder and weirder every year.† â€Å"Well-sure.† Jez shrugged. â€Å"They talk about it on TV all the time. But it doesn't mean any-â€Å" â€Å"And the earth's being disturbed, too. Earthquakes. Volcanoes. Last year four dormant volcanoes erupted and there were dozens of major quakes.† Jez narrowed her eyes. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"And there's another weird thing, even though it's not as obvious. You have to kind of dig a little to get to the statistics. There's been an increase in animal attacks all over the world. All kinds of animals.† He tapped the pile of newspaper articles. â€Å"This coyote attack-a couple of years ago you never heard about coyotes killing kids. Just like you never heard of mountain lions attacking adults. But now it's happening, and it's happening everywhere.† Prickles of unease were going up Jez's arms. It was true, what Hugh was saying. Not that she'd paid much attention to the human news when she was a vampire-but it did seem as if animal attacks were getting more frequent. â€Å"A bunch of elephants stomped their trainers last year,† she said slowly. â€Å"Dog attacks are up four hundred percent,† Hugh said. â€Å"According to the California state police. In New Mexico there's an epidemic of rabid bats. In Florida they've had seven tourists killed by alligators since last January-and believe me, that information was hard to find. Nobody wanted to report it† â€Å"I bet.† â€Å"Then there are the insects. We're seeing more and more people get attacked by them. Killer bees. Fire ants. Tiger mosquitoes-and, no, I'm not joking. They're for real, and they carry dengue fever, a really nasty disease.† â€Å"Hugh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Which brings me to diseases. You have to have noticed that. There are new diseases popping up all over. Ebola. Mad cow disease. That flesh-eating bacteria. Hanta viruses. Lassa. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. You bleed from your ears and nose and mouth and into the whites of your eyes-â€Å" Jez opened her mouth to say â€Å"Hugh† again, but he was racing on, his chest rising and falling quickly, his gray eyes almost feverish. â€Å"And they're resistant to antibiotics the same way that the insects are resistant to pesticides. They're all mutating. Changing. Getting stronger and more deadly. And-â€Å" â€Å"Hugh.† She got it in while he took a breath. â€Å"-there's a hole in the ozone.† He looked at her. â€Å"What?† â€Å"What does it all mean?† It means that things are changing. Spiraling out of control. Heading for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stopped and looked at her. â€Å"Jez, it's not those things themselves that are the problem. It's what's behind them.† â€Å"And what is behind them?† Hugh said simply, â€Å"The Old Powers are rising.† Chills swept over Jez. The Old Powers. The Ancient Magic that had controlled the universe in the old days of the Night World. No one could see or know the Old Powers; they were forces of nature, not people. And they had been sleeping like giant dragons for thousands of years ever since humans had gained control of the world. If they were waking up again now†¦ If magic was coming back again, everything would change. â€Å"It shows in different weird ways,† Hugh went on. â€Å"Night People are getting more powerful. Lots of them have noticed it. And they say the soulmate principle is back.† The soulmate principle. The idea that for every person there was one destined soulmate, one true love, and that the two souls were bound for eternity. Jez lifted her shoulders and dropped them without meeting Hugh's eyes. â€Å"Yeah, I heard. Don't believe it, though.† â€Å"I've seen it,† Hugh said, and for a moment Jez's heart stopped. Then it started again as he continued, â€Å"In other people, I mean. I've seen people our age who found their soulmate, and it's really true; you can see it in their eyes. The Old Powers really are rising, Jez†¦ for good and for evil. That's what's behind all these other changes.† Jez sat very still. â€Å"And so what happens if they keep rising?† â€Å"What happens is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh paused and then looked at her. â€Å"It means a time of darkness is coming,† he said simply. â€Å"A time-?† â€Å"Of serious darkness. The worst. We're talking the end of the world, here.† Jez could feel gooseflesh on the back of her neck, where her wet hair touched her skin. She might have been tempted to laugh if it were anybody else telling her this. But it was Hugh, and he wasn't joking. She had no desire to laugh. â€Å"But then it's all over,† she said. â€Å"There's nothing we can do. How can anybody stop the end of the world?† â€Å"Well.† He ran a quick hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead. â€Å"That's why I'm here. Because I'm hoping you can.†

Ethics -Radio Shack Ceo Sacandal Essay

Ethics is the consideration of how human actions can improve or deteriorate the environments in which we work and live. In the wake of recent corporate scandals like Enron and WorldCom leading to trials and imprisonment of previously powerful (Chief Executing Officer) CEO’s public trust in CEO’s has diminished. Therefore when the story about the forged academic credentials of Dave Edmondson, CEO of Radio Shack came it re-ignited the mistrust. This paper will provide a brief background of the scandal and detailed analysis of the ethical issues involved and whether the actions taken by RadioShack were ethical or not. Background: Dave Edmondson was on a fast career track and was named CEO of Radio Shack in May 2005. In February, 2006 Radio Shack announced that its CEO, David Edmonson has resigned over questions raised over his resume. The Fort Worth Star- Telegram discovered that he had not earned degrees in theology and psychology from Heartland Baptist College as claimed on his resume. Moreover Edmonson had only finished two semesters at the college and the college did not even offer a psychology major. Edmonson admitted to the errors calling them â€Å"misstatements† and resigned in the aftermath of the corporate scandal. Analysis: The main issue about this case is not just forging of the academic credentials but how Radio Shack handled the case that generated criticism from public and turned it into a media circus. The basic hypernorms of honesty and integrity were not met by RadioShack in handling the situation. Edmondson did not display fairness towards Radio Shack by trying to communicate the value of knowledge via false degrees. It was not just the disappointing fact that Edmondson lied on his resume but what was equally troubling was the individual and corporate response to the scandal. Radio Shack supported its CEO and failed to give public any substantial answers. The ethical question then becomes that what is the responsibility of board of directors? Should they oversee the personal ethics of a CEO as long as he is driving the shareholders maximum value and yielding higher profits for he firm or they should step up and take responsibility for their own short comings, take the required action and set an example of driving the company by ethical values and standards not just profits? Radio shack displayed lack of responsibility as a company when it came to take ownership of the issue and failed to address the public with compassion and was unable to provide clarification regarding the r esume issue. From philosophical approach- consequentialism view holds that whether an act is morally right depends only on the consequences of that act. Edmondson’s decision to lie on his resume turned out to bring good consequences only for him in terms of a career hike. Deontology brings up these questions: Was Edmondson’s decision legal, fair, just or right? No, it was not and transparency and information sharing regarding the falsified resume might have led to different outcomes both for Edmondson and RadioShack. Considering the virtue ethics, did Edmondson and RadioShack’s decision demonstrate expected virtues? The company had built its image and reputation over many years. This reputation entailed virtues of trustworthiness, compassion, integrity and responsibility. It did not seem that Edmondson’s decision to not come clean was based on any of these considerations. He bluntly violated the virtue ethics. The stakeholders involved were shareholders, board of directors, employees and common people. He could be cut slack for being an ambitious young individual at the start of his career but how can the ignorance be overseen that in the years of making towards a CEO he never came clean. Infact when the scandal was raised and he was confronted he did not even admit right away. This displays lack of character and credibility. A company’s leader should be transparent and trustworthy. From a modified moral standards approach I feel that there wasn’t any net benefit to the company from his falsified educational claims. It was also not fair to all the stakeholders involved as there could have been a better candidate who got rejected due to a truthful but less flashy resume. Also the distribution of benefits was enjoyed by the CEO whereas the burdens were shared by him and the company equally in terms of a bad reputation and loss of public trust. Also RadioShack was not consistent with the virtues expected by its employees as they did not bring them and other stakeholders in the loop during the media frenzy which led to a discontented employee atmosphere. This also leads to question the monitoring and compliance at RadioShack. They had a code of conduct and code of ethics in place detailing the responsibilities of the employees but how realistically this was being followed can be easily criticized based on Edmondson’s case. I believe that company’s code of ethics should be incorporated in its values and system actions. Corporate risk can be reduced and even mitigated if the organization can align values for ethical motivation and action. Edmondson did take accountability of his unethical actions later and RadioShack’s board of directors also learned the hard way that blind support of a CEO without any solid evidence is unwise and can tarnish the reputation of the company. If they had accepted and reacted to responsibility as soon as the scandal broke the company would have been able to save its reputation and maintained credibility.

buy custom Change Theory essay

buy custom Change Theory essay In the nursing profession, changes are often necessary in dealing with the recommended or necessary processes of particular evidence-based practices. It is very important to choose the best change theory in order to render a procedure because not all change theories correspond to every change process. The common change theory used in the nursing profession is that of Kurt Lewin. The main components of Lewins change theory imply the following stages: The unfreezing stage In this stage, the problem is recognized and the need for a solution is distinguished therefore, the recognition and development of a solution or a proposed change occurs. The moving stage In this stage, the proposed change or developed solution is adopted and carried out. The refreezing stage In this stage, the change or solution which started as an applied proposed change is recognized by the whole medical force as a permanent part of the medical proceedings. Kurt Lewins theory has two components. First is the driving force and second is the resistant force. The driving force is the one who facilitates the solution or change. It also includes the advocates of the proposed change. The advocates are the ones who promote the proposed change to others so that they will accept it. The second component is the resistant force. The resistant force consists of thenurses or health care personnel who stand in opposition of the developed solution or proposed change. For the competency of the theory, the driving force must control the resistant force. The facilitator and the advocates must ensure dominance over the opposing nurses and other health care personnel. Rationale Change theories are adapted to derive a modification in the occurring process and to help recognize the necessary method to be used for the development of the change. An example of this is the evaluation and diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia patients beforehand and the development of appropriate treatments for prevention. In this case, a comprehensive oral care intervention conforms to decrease the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients. Although no comprehensive standards in oral care performances may exists at the present time, the theory itself will direct the change process to develop and execute a standardized oral care protocol. Use of Theory to Proposed Solution In the nursing profession, change theories are used in the development of a designed or planned modification. Changes require both identification of the problem and development of a solution to the problem. In the example given above, patients receiving mechaniccal ventilation do not follow an oral care protocol. As a solution, health care professionals should create a standardized oral care protocol for these patients to encourage them to adopt an oral care routine needed for their medication. For the implementation of the necessary modification, Kurt Lewins change theory, with its three stages, may be used to guide the health care professionals to direct the change and make it happen. In this case, the unfreezing stage is the identification and development of an oral care protocol; the moving stage is its implementation and; the refreezing stage is the adoption of the protocol as a permanent method. Incorporation To internalize Lewins change theory in the proposal, the person should understand the theory and the three steps first. The theory should be adopted step by step since it comes in stages. The first stage, which is the unfreezing stage, requires the health care professional to identify the problem and develop a change proposal. Then in the moving stage, the proposed solution to the identified problem will be applied. And lastly, in the freezing stage, the new response will be assessed by all concerned individuals including the management and will be recognized as a permanent part of the medical systems policy and procedures. Buy custom Change Theory essay

Lesson Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lesson Plan - Assignment Example Proper addressing of these objectives enable learners be in a position to write short stories that are not only complete but also creative. Secondly, teaching students on proper editing skills will result to the learners applying them effectively on their writing. Finally, learners will be in a position to write brief contents that are of high quality, this is due to their comprehension of the difference between quality writings and quantity. Since writing an outstanding mini saga requires a lot of creativity, I will ensure that I psychologically prepare the students for the lesson. First, I will introduce the topic by writing the word â€Å"Saga† on the board before asking students if they have any prior knowledge of the term. After informing them that a Saga is a long story normally comprising of heroic events or something dramatic, I will proceed to state that the day’s lesson will not be on â€Å"saga† but â€Å"mini saga†, an implication that it will be brief. Once the class is aware of the day’s lesson, I will start by first defining the term Mini saga as a brief form of writing, normally has exactly fifty words excluding the title. The fifty word mini saga comprises of three sections, which are beginning, middle and end. I will then state a brief history of the mini saga by stating that Brian Aldiss is the man behind this form of writing. The main reason why Aldiss came up with the mini saga form of writing is that according to him, telling a story in a few words not only was it fun but also a challenging experience (â€Å"British Council†). After ensuring the class has full knowledge on the term mini saga, I will begin the lesson teaching them on how to come up with an appropriate and magnificent mini saga. Learners will participate in a classroom discussion where they will display their writing and editing skills.

Semiotic interpretation of an image Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Semiotic interpretation of an image - Essay Example With the signs in photos open for interpretation, an observer can be able to appreciate the denotative and connotative signification. The caption that has been provided is a photo of the Olympic event. It captures the moment where the participants involved are awarded with medals after victory in the sports they had participated. When awarding the Olympic participant, the protocol is that the winner is awarded with a gold medal then the first runner up is awarded with silver followed by brass for the second runner up. After receiving the medals, the next stage involved playing of the national anthem in front of everyone. Only the person who takes the gold is awarded the chance of having his or her country’s national anthem played. From the background of the picture provided, there is a possibility of stating that the event is not a recent one and may have taken place somewhere in the middle 1900s. An aspect that brings out the background of the photo is the ‘black power’ salute that the two of the participants posed. During the 1960’s, there were many instances where the black Americans fought against what they believed to be racism from the original citizens in the country. From this, it is clear to deduce that the time the Olympic event in the picture is taking place might be the 1968 summer Olympics. This aspect then is possible to award the photo with both the denotative and connotative values (Bathes, 35). There is a connotative value that the ‘black power salute’ poses awards the photo. This value is in the unity of the black Americans. The two Olympic participants can be said to be sending a message to the other black people. The message here is not only directed to the black Americans but to all the black people all over the world since Olympics is an international event. The first African country to participate in the Olympics was South Africa in the year 1904; this was under the