Healthy Grief

Grief is an emotional suffering that someone is feeling when someone or something is taking away. (Wikipedia) Elizabeth Kubler-Ross introduced the five stages of grief based on patients facing terminal illness. These steps are typical, but everyone doesn’t go through each stage. You don’t go through the stages in order and they should know that it is normal. The mindset of the individual will depend on the severity of grief they may go through. Grief can last from days to years and the person isn’t aware of this. They may restart their grieving process on holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries or when a special day arrives.Some people take’s the loss as a remembrance, but others take it as sorrow because their loved ones are gone which I think makes a person to go through the grieving process again. Coping with loss has been called† a spiritual process that includes locating our loved ones in time, place and transporting our recreated experiences to the here and now† (Angell Dennis & Dumain, 1998) Kubler- Ross grief process in the book of Job when God let Satan afflict Job to prove Job’s loyal to him. God presented Job as a virtue. Kubler-Ross stages are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.Job’s family, cattle and property was taken away from him. When Job didn’t succumb to these tragedies â€Å"The HEALTHY GRIEF Lord gave and the Lord has taken away†. God let Satan afflict Job again, this time Satan afflicted Job’s health. He started to have sores on his entire body that was very painful. With this tragedy Job started to go through the Kubler-Ross grieving process. Job prays and stated he doesn’t know why this is happening to him and why is god persecuting him. Job friends blamed him for the suffering because he had sinned and god. Job started questioning and challenging god.Job became depressed because his condition was deteriorating. Job wanted someone to talk for him to relieve him of his suffering. Job’s grieving went back and forth with God. When God confronts God and cross examines him, Job realized that he had misconceptions regarding God’s ability. Job does believe in God and had to go through the suffering to understand how great God is. God restored all that he had taken from Job plus some. God gave him double for the trouble. Grief of the Chinese religion is different because they don’t talk about their grief to anyone because it is considered to be unhealthy.Touching the loved one’s body is a sign of goodwill. The eldest grandson has to deliver the message to the other family members of the passing loved one in person out of respect. They are not allowed to speak about the death or the funeral. The Eldest son is the only one that is able to mourn and this has to be done for 72 days and not allowed to wear red or get married for 6 months. The eldest son has to take responsibility of caring for the fami ly and has to mourn by crying out and solemn in front of people, which is expected of him.The son has to live close to the grave site for 3 years. In the Chinese culture if a person dies by suicide the family will not touch the body because it is considered bad luck. They burn paper as a sign of providing material goods for that person. They place the deceased name on the paper so that person will receive the items. The Chinese feels eternity is passed through the sons in their family. Joy and grief goes hand in hand when it pertains to a person’s loss. When people grieve, they go through the grief stages, but when they remember the good times about that person there is joy.Through my research Nancy Bern a sociology professor spoke with a gentleman named Tim and explained that grief is like if you had your heart ripped out, it will hurt and hurt a lot and it will scab over and the pain will feel less. But if you knock off the scab it will hurt as it did the first time. It wil l hurt on those special moments or milestones HEALTHY GRIEF , but we still love them even as we bring new milestones in our life. Gratefulness and joy can be found in grief. My research hasn’t changed my views on grief.I still feel that it is the mindset of the individual and the relationship that person had with their loved ones. When we (Baptist/Christians) we celebrate the person that has passed as a â€Å"homegoing†. We sing, dance, eat and reminisce the life of that person. We are not afraid to talk about that person. As I discussed previously, When my brother (39) passed in 2005 it was difficult at first, when we had his homegoing it accepted it because my brother was very ill at that time. I don’t know how I would feel if a loved one passes unexpectedly, but my family and I would celebrate it the same way.A popular song of the African American that is sung at most homegoings is Boys to Men â€Å"It so hard to say good bye to yesterday†, But it is s uch a fitting song for the occasion. My other brother (his twin) sang this song at his homegoing. It was hard to say goodbye because we were very close. There were 5 of us, 3 girls and 2 boys but my twin brothers and me and my twin sister were the closest. To this day we still talk and remember our brother Bookie (nickname) like he never passed and still with us. I don’t feel like it is grieving, it is remembering a good soul and an awesome, awesome brother. Healthy Grief Grief is an emotional suffering that someone is feeling when someone or something is taking away. (Wikipedia) Elizabeth Kubler-Ross introduced the five stages of grief based on patients facing terminal illness. These steps are typical, but everyone doesn’t go through each stage. You don’t go through the stages in order and they should know that it is normal. The mindset of the individual will depend on the severity of grief they may go through. Grief can last from days to years and the person isn’t aware of this. They may restart their grieving process on holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries or when a special day arrives.Some people take’s the loss as a remembrance, but others take it as sorrow because their loved ones are gone which I think makes a person to go through the grieving process again. Coping with loss has been called† a spiritual process that includes locating our loved ones in time, place and transporting our recreated experiences to the here and now† (Angell Dennis & Dumain, 1998) Kubler- Ross grief process in the book of Job when God let Satan afflict Job to prove Job’s loyal to him. God presented Job as a virtue. Kubler-Ross stages are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.Job’s family, cattle and property was taken away from him. When Job didn’t succumb to these tragedies â€Å"The HEALTHY GRIEF Lord gave and the Lord has taken away†. God let Satan afflict Job again, this time Satan afflicted Job’s health. He started to have sores on his entire body that was very painful. With this tragedy Job started to go through the Kubler-Ross grieving process. Job prays and stated he doesn’t know why this is happening to him and why is god persecuting him. Job friends blamed him for the suffering because he had sinned and god. Job started questioning and challenging god.Job became depressed because his condition was deteriorating. Job wanted someone to talk for him to relieve him of his suffering. Job’s grieving went back and forth with God. When God confronts God and cross examines him, Job realized that he had misconceptions regarding God’s ability. Job does believe in God and had to go through the suffering to understand how great God is. God restored all that he had taken from Job plus some. God gave him double for the trouble. Grief of the Chinese religion is different because they don’t talk about their grief to anyone because it is considered to be unhealthy.Touching the loved one’s body is a sign of goodwill. The eldest grandson has to deliver the message to the other family members of the passing loved one in person out of respect. They are not allowed to speak about the death or the funeral. The Eldest son is the only one that is able to mourn and this has to be done for 72 days and not allowed to wear red or get married for 6 months. The eldest son has to take responsibility of caring for the fami ly and has to mourn by crying out and solemn in front of people, which is expected of him.The son has to live close to the grave site for 3 years. In the Chinese culture if a person dies by suicide the family will not touch the body because it is considered bad luck. They burn paper as a sign of providing material goods for that person. They place the deceased name on the paper so that person will receive the items. The Chinese feels eternity is passed through the sons in their family. Joy and grief goes hand in hand when it pertains to a person’s loss. When people grieve, they go through the grief stages, but when they remember the good times about that person there is joy.Through my research Nancy Bern a sociology professor spoke with a gentleman named Tim and explained that grief is like if you had your heart ripped out, it will hurt and hurt a lot and it will scab over and the pain will feel less. But if you knock off the scab it will hurt as it did the first time. It wil l hurt on those special moments or milestones HEALTHY GRIEF , but we still love them even as we bring new milestones in our life. Gratefulness and joy can be found in grief. My research hasn’t changed my views on grief.I still feel that it is the mindset of the individual and the relationship that person had with their loved ones. When we (Baptist/Christians) we celebrate the person that has passed as a â€Å"homegoing†. We sing, dance, eat and reminisce the life of that person. We are not afraid to talk about that person. As I discussed previously, When my brother (39) passed in 2005 it was difficult at first, when we had his homegoing it accepted it because my brother was very ill at that time. I don’t know how I would feel if a loved one passes unexpectedly, but my family and I would celebrate it the same way.A popular song of the African American that is sung at most homegoings is Boys to Men â€Å"It so hard to say good bye to yesterday†, But it is s uch a fitting song for the occasion. My other brother (his twin) sang this song at his homegoing. It was hard to say goodbye because we were very close. There were 5 of us, 3 girls and 2 boys but my twin brothers and me and my twin sister were the closest. To this day we still talk and remember our brother Bookie (nickname) like he never passed and still with us. I don’t feel like it is grieving, it is remembering a good soul and an awesome, awesome brother.

Inside the Criminal Justice System

Inside the Criminal Justice System There are many facets to the Criminal Justice System. Each facet plays an important role in the evolution of Criminal Justice System. The Criminal Justice system starts with local police officers moves all the way up to the prosecution and judges that see the cases. Each individual within the Criminal Justice System plays an important role in moving potential offenders through the system in a very effective manner. This process is important, so the system works smoothly. If one part of the system does not understand another’s job, it can cause conflict within the system. Knowing one another’s job exempts some factors of causing hiccups in processing an individual through the Criminal Justice System. According to (Bureau of Labor and Statistics), â€Å"Police officers and detectives protect lives and property. Law enforcement officer’s duties depend on the size and type of their organizations . Police and detectives pursue and apprehend individuals who break the law and then issue citations or give warnings. A large proportion of their time is spent writing reports and maintaining records of incidents they encounter. Most police officers patrol their jurisdictions and investigate any suspicious activity they notice. They also respond to calls from individuals. † (Bureau of Labor and Statistics) Detectives on the other hand perform some duties an officer would, but also a whole lot more. As stated by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, â€Å"Detectives perform investigative duties such as gathering facts and collecting evidence. The daily activities of police and detectives vary with their occupational specialty—such as police officer, or detective—and whether they are working for a local, State, or Federal agency. Duties also differ substantially among various Federal agencies, which enforce different aspects of the law. Regardless of job duties or location, police officers and detectives at all levels must write reports and maintain meticulous records that will be needed if they testify in court. † (Bureau of Labor and Statistics) The police are the first people to interact with the criminal defendant by arresting that person after they have committed a crime. As indicated ( The Offices of the United States Attorneys) â€Å"The U. S. Attorneys are the chief federal law enforcement officers in their districts, responsible for federal criminal prosecutions and civil cases involving the United States Government. The Executive Office for U. S. Attorneys provides support and oversight for the 94 offices across the country. (The Lancaster County, PA Office of the District Attorney ), states that â€Å"The District Attorney's Office assists police departments in criminal investigations, and prosecutes criminal charges for the Commonwealth against those who are accused of breaking the law. Upon receipt of a reported crime the District Attorney reviews the facts and evidence and decides whether or not to approve the charges and proceed with prosecution. After the District Attorney's Office approves the charges, the case will go to one of two kinds of courts: District Justice Preliminary Hearing, whereby a District Justice hears â€Å"court cases† and determines if there is prima facie merit to the case. If a prima facie determination is made the case is referred to the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, whereby a Judge or Jury has final authority to decide misdemeanor and felony cases, and attends to summary appeals. Above the County Courts are the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, each a successive step in the appellate process. They are courts of appeals, not trial courts as is the County Court Of Common Pleas. Most cases involving crimes committed by people less than 18 years of age go to Juvenile Court. (The Lancaster County, PA Office of the District Attorney ) The criminal defendant usually talks with or hears from the district attorney after charges are filed. They are the second people that interact with the criminal. They also state what they want the charge to be. The role of defense attorney, according to (Our Criminal Courts: The role of the Defense Counsel)â€Å"Defense lawyers are called upon by our system of justice for a variety of tasks. They explain to their clients what is happening, and make sure that each defendant knows his rights, and is fully aware of what is happening. As defense counsel, the lawyer is charged with protecting those rights, and ensuring that the client receives the protections afforded to every citizen by our laws. The lawyer will take over dealing with the prosecution, call and examine any witnesses in court, and do everything the law allows to keep his client from harm–or, at the least, to minimize the damage. This means challenging the prosecution's case, its conduct, and on occasion, the very laws that govern the case. We often take these protections for granted, or scoff at them as mere â€Å"technicalities† that do little but allow criminals to escape justice. It is easy, and often tempting, to dismiss defense lawyers (and, for that matter, all lawyers) as professional hacks, whose only function is to confuse juries and confound courts. And sometimes, when defending people who are clearly guilty, it may seem that defense lawyers are a needless extravagance, who only gets in the way of protecting people from the worst elements of society. But just as crimes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, criminals are often indistinguishable from the ordinary citizen, a fact that some of us only come to realize when we find ourselves seated at the defendant's table, with fingers pointing at us. It is then that we realize just how critical a vigorous and independent defense bar is to a free society–allowing ordinary citizens to challenge the actions of their own government. Viewed in this light, the bedrock of American liberty is our right to use the rules we have all agreed to live by to defend ourselves in a public setting, where the actions of the same government that seeks to condemn us must prove that we have broken the law. † (Our Criminal Courts: The role of the Defense Counsel) Even though some people may feel that defense lawyers exist only to make everyone else’s life difficult is not the case. They are very important to the criminal justice system. They are really there to help make sure people aren’t taken advantage of. The defense attorneys can also be the second person that they criminal interacts with. If the suspect doesn’t want to answer questioning they can use their right to an attorney and the questioning has to cease until the attorney gets there. The judge is a very important last step in the justice system. According to ( The role of the Judge )â€Å"They interpret the law, assess the evidence presented, and control how hearings and trials unfold in their courtrooms. Most important of all, judges are impartial decision-makers in the pursuit of justice. We have what is known as an adversarial system of justice – legal cases are contests between opposing sides, which ensures that evidence and legal arguments will be fully and forcefully presented. The judge, however, remains above the fray, providing an independent and impartial assessment of the facts and how the law applies to those facts. Many criminal cases – and almost all civil ones – are heard by a judge sitting without a jury. The judge is the â€Å"trier of fact,† deciding whether the evidence is credible and which witnesses are telling the truth. Then the judge applies the law to these facts to determine whether a civil claim has been established on a balance of probabilities or whether there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt, in criminal cases, that the suspect is guilty. Anyone who faces five years or more in prison if convicted of a crime has the right, under the Charter, to request a jury trial, and many defendants facing serious offences such as murder opt to have a jury hear their case. If the defendant is convicted of a crime, the judge passes sentence, imposing a penalty that can range from a fine to a prison term depending on the severity of the offence. In civil cases the judge decides whether a claim is valid and assesses damages, grants an injunction or orders some other form of redress to the plaintiff, unless a jury has been empanelled to make these decisions. † ( The role of the Judge ) The judge is usually the last part of the criminal justice system that the defendant will see. The judge does the sentencing and then you are sent off to jail, or prison, or your case is dismissed. I believe that the prosecutor’s office should be involved in post arrest because the police don’t have a criminal until after that person is arrested, then the prosecutor’s office can come in after the police prove with evidence that this person could have done the crime, then the prosecutor can come in and charge the person, and it can go into court. It’s good to have the prosecutor in the original stages, to see what kind of action needs to be taken, if the officer has grounds to make an arrest, he may do so without consulting the state. If there are no grounds for the officer to make the arrest on the spot, he then files a report with the prosecutor who determines if there is probable cause. By having a criminal defense attorney right away, you greatly improve the possibility of better results. The longer you wait to get an attorney, the more you stand to risk. If you are under investigation for a crime, your attorney should be present during questioning†¦ It is good to have a defense attorney from the beginning, but it’s not required to have one even before you ever commit a crime. The justice process can begin after an arrest at the first appearance where bail is decided; it can begin with the state presenting an information or indictment and then determine whether or not to issue a warrant for an arrest. References Bureau of labor and statistics. (n. d. ). Retrieved October 8, 2011. http://www. ls. gov/oco/ocos160. htm Caminsky, J (n. d. ). Our Criminal Courts: The role of the Defense counsel. Retrieved October 9, 2011. http://EzineArticles. com/487513 The Lancaster County, PA Office of the district attorney. (n. d. ). Retrieved October 7, 2011. http://www. co. lancaster. pa. us/da/cwp/view. asp? A=15&Q=464187 The Offices of the United States Attorneys. (n. d. ). Retrieved October 8, 2011. http://www. justice. gov/usao The ro le of the Judge. (n. d. ). Retrieved October 4, 2011. http://www. cscja-acjcs. ca/role_of_judge-en. asp.

CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTARY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTARY - Essay Example Numerous naturalists and every living creatures common sense entitlement activists acknowledge Disney for raising their sympathy toward the earth (Van Riper 181). Anyhow, this gratefulness has not been conveyed in a quality free bundle. From the beginning, Disneys tendency movies have upheld the idea that the characteristic worlds boss quality lies in the benefit that modern culture can remove from it. At first, this backing took the type of straightforward paeans to the honorability of logging, mining and urban improvement. Presently, in the midst of the expanding commodification of everything from tribal myth to basmati rice, the worth removed from nature is the privilege to characterize nature. Disney desires that privilege and will pick up it at our hazard. Very little other than insight into the past recognizes the organizations initial work from its ancestors and rivals. Where nature showed up, it was in its customary part of the destructive danger, or as humanoid cartoon creatures (Van Riper 148). It was not until Bambi (1942) that Disney discovered the structure on which his later nature works would hang. Instead of living clearly human lives, wearing garments, managing a furrow or in charge of a steamboat, the creatures in Bambi were far closer to the genuine article. They were not people; that part was saved for the films scalawag. They were, notwithstanding, individuals. So that the passing of Bambis mom because of the Hunter is plainly killed. Bambi was the model for Disneys later nature work, most outstandingly the Genuine Life Adventures, a progression of what were inexactly alluded to as documentaries, set in environments from the Sonoran Desert to the Canadian tundra (Van Riper 166) Winged Migration (2001) is an outwardly staggering "narrative enterprise" that takes a few groups of feathered creatures on their occasional transitory excursions. Despite the fact that the

Methods for mitigating challenges encountered in the classroom Coursework

Methods for mitigating challenges encountered in the classroom - Coursework Example One observes direct instruction where the teacher calls a student to demonstrate the date to the other students. Children at this tender age tend to forget terribly and hence the teacher emphasizes on repetition. The teacher keeps on explaining and clarifying rules to multicultural students. The class employs Cooperative Learn Groups where a student learns rules via demonstration and practice from other students. Students observe the behavior of the others who already know the rules. The desks are next to one another to support discussion among students (Salvin, 2006, p. 207). The students take time before they adjust to the instructions that the teacher provides. Some students find themselves unconsciously speaking in other languages. The teacher has to make sure that they cover all the rules in different languages to ensure that all the students understand. The students learn the rules best by practice and demonstration from other students who already understand the rules (Salvin, 2006, p. 101). The multicultural students find compliance with the rules hard. When Monica tells Jeanette to get the glue out, she uses Spanish. This makes her not to understand the instructions. This pedagogical strategy is this video is effective since it mitigates the challenges that the students encounter in a classroom with English language learners. The strategy that this video employs is demonstration. The teacher encourages students to demonstrate their answers to the other students in class. It mitigates the challenges that ELL students face by demonstrating instructions. This enables students to acquire skills that are necessary in the process of learning English. The student engagement with instruction is medium. This is because students come from different multicultural backgrounds and thus making it difficult follow instruction. The teacher corrects them appropriately and encourages learning among students themselves through

English as Global Langauge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English as Global Langauge - Essay Example Before examining these pros and cons, it might be useful to examine how English came to be one of the most commonly used languages in the world. Historically, this language came into Britain from northern Europe during the fifth century and moved to the Asian, African and American continents with the expeditions and colonizations that followed in the last three centuries. English was left behind as a legacy in the colonized countries as they became independent nations, and was often made the official language of communication. With the rise of technology, especially the media in the form of the radio, television and the internet, the dissemination of English became reinforced. Not only the media but trade became truly globalized with the rise of off-shoring and outsourcing made possible with better technology . The rise of multinational companies and corporations and international organizations like UNESCO enhanced the need of a global language. English was there to readily fill in the gap, with its already existing spread and flexibility. Since English was already present in various places like India and Africa as a result of former colonization, it was easier for the language to spread further. English has been touted time and again as a language that could successfully eliminate the need for translation during communication in business, political, and cultural contexts. It has a huge vocabulary of more than 80,000 words which makes it very expressive, and the written script is similar to that of many European languages because of a common origin in Latin. But the increasing use of English in countries with different native languages has an effect of diminishing the status of these indigenous languages. This is even more significant given the history of the English language which was earlier seen as a symbol of colonial oppression in many countries, and is seen today in many countries as a demonstration of the superiority of the West. In some quarters it is felt that the use of English as an official language instead of a native tongue is detrimental to a country's national and cultural identity. Due to its global nature in an increasingly shrinking world, English is fast becoming the language of commercial and formal communications . This makes it an economically viable language to learn in many developing countries where knowing fluent English can actually lead to increased earning opportunities. This strong economic incentive behind learning English could lead to the relinquishment of native tongues, leading to entire languages dying out. Another factor that could cause a language to decline is a decline in its literature. There is a growing trend of non-native authors writing in English: Indian or African writers writing in English are becoming quite common. It is a well-documented fact that all authors with very few exceptions have their best literary output in one language alone. If most literature begins to be produced in English, even by authors who have a different mother tongue, it would be a great loss to their original languages. When languages decline, they take with them rare and precious cultural traditions. This raises fears of loss of cultural diversity which is so vital to the evolution of mankind. Experts think that a uniform world where all cultures and literatures would be similar could become a future scenario

Internet for Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Internet for Business - Essay Example The client needs the site to reflect the activities of the company. The company provides a list of services and has executed projects across the world in various locations. They expect to put in the following points on the website of the company. All these need to be represented and any inconsistencies in the pages need to be cleared. Ideally try to adopt to the web standards as much as possible and make a usable and user friendly site. The client wants all these to be represented in his website organized in an appropriate manner so that it is impressive. Based on the requirements, functionalities listed down and on the contents briefed earlier, the site needs to be revised. The structuring of the site will be as follows in order to fulfill the requirements of the client: 1. The home page will have a top level menu and a secondary menu. Top level menu will outline Solutions offered by the company, About Us and Contact Us while the secondary menu will list the services offered. Security level of the site need to be at the normal level and a higher security is not needed since there is no confidential data maintained in the site. The data that is available for the general consumption is displayed. However, hacking of the site by any third party should be adequately protected. To this extent, the site has to be protected by the administrator. 2.6 Time Line In order to make these changes

Business law assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business law assignment - Essay Example e marijuana will still be an illegal drug in other states, businesses are more likely to restrict their operations with Colorado and Washington where it is legal. When it comes to the American legal system, federal law is regarded as a higher authority than state laws as they may not prevail consistently throughout the whole nation, unlike federal law. At many instances, state law comes into conflict with federal law, in which case, a federal preemption is enacted where the state law is invalidated in the light of their inconsistencies (O’Reilly, 72). The legal aspect revolving any business is an important determinant of its activities and operations, as they occur in compliance or in conflict with the state order or law. The legalization of pot opened way for new business and ventures as investments poured into the relatively infant area of legalized business activity. One aspect of marijuana legalization is the end of illegal criminal activity associated with underground marijuana sale. With the new development, businesses are hopeful of generating high profits with new business ideas revolving around marijuana. Apart from its use as a recreational drug, marijuana is also known for its helpful medicinal properties. Due to this purpose, marijuana research centers could be established to carry out further research as to its use for curing diseases and healing some form of cancers. According to the White House, a number of states possess laws regarding medical usage of marijuana with Colorado and Washington completely legalizing its usage (n.pag.). A factor to consider is the dual status which implies that states other than Colorado and Washington still treat marijuana as an illegal drug, whose sale and trade is a criminal act. With its legalization in Colorado and Washington, it is evident that the marijuana related business is thriving. However, the nature of such businesses should be restricted within due to the legalities. This means that any marijuana

Quality management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quality management - Essay Example It is a privilege to be able to spend time at health institutions being exposed at first hand to the practice and day-to-day work that takes place there. Among the many areas I was able to visit were chemistry, hematology, and microbiology specialist laboratories. In most of these, the experience I had was both interesting and valuable on a learning level. The training, the information shared with me, the interactions I was able to have with staff, and the environment all contributed to my being able to learn and experience more. I was generally assigned a specific mentor – a member of the staff of the institution who guided me and instructed me as we observed the happenings together. I was also assisted by numerous staff members when able to â€Å"try things out† such as working with the resources available. The â€Å"hands-on† nature of much of the learning was very valuable, as I was able to see how instruments worked and experience the way in which the theoretical knowledge that was being shared with me, was used practically in the real-life situations I observed. Mentors or guides also communicated much of their experience with me. Again, their experience, shared with me, was very valuable as it gave me perspective on how their everyday work relates to the theoretical knowledge I am learning. It was also important for me to be able to share my opinions and thoughts. With most staff at the institutions, this was encouraged. The conversations I had, and the questions I asked, were enjoyable, interesting, and mutually respectful. I did not feel as if I was imposing on their time, or that I had nothing to offer. Instead, the majority of people listened to me with interest, and debated with me, even when I was wrong. I felt that I was able to speak openly, and ask questions, and give opinions without embarrassment or fear, since I would receive positive, thoughtful, and meaningful responses. Perhaps of most value to me, and

Community College vs. Universities Essay Example for Free

Community College vs. Universities Essay Have you ever wondered which is better, community colleges or universities? Making the big choice on furthering your education is a big decision, but making the choice between community college and a university is even harder. Well let me give you some ideas. The cost, location, environment, and how long it takes for someone to finish are a couple of things to take into consideration. When looking at colleges you have Community college prices and University prices. Neither have a pretty price tag, but when compared side-by-side there is a big difference. Tuition prices for Mitchell Community College vary between instate and out of state. The price for an in state student is seventy two dollars per credit hour, and for out of state students you are looking at two hundred and seventy two dollars per credit hour. The tuition cost for a university like UNC is alone eight thousand, three hundred and seventy four dollars for an instate student. An out of state student is facing a tuition cost of thirty three thousand, six hundred and seventy four dollars!! So ,you can see that there is a pretty big difference in cost. The cost for education can vary between individuals, and not everyone is in the same financial status. Some people have the honor to be granted scholarships, and some students may have to take out loans, and not every can apply for financial aid , so every individual situation varies when it comes to education cost and their form of payment. Something else to consider is the location of the college. Do you prefer to move away and pay for dorm room cost at a big university? Or does staying at home, and being closer to family sound something like you would do? Moving to a university dorm can be drastically different, you won’t be at home in your own bed. Instead you will find yourself in a tiny room with a small bed and no privacy; because, let’s not forget you will have that beloved roommate. Moving into a dorm can be challenging too because of limited space and it’s pretty costly too. Staying back home will save money on living costs and there won’t be as many long trips to take when it’s time to go home. So,this varies on a person’s form of lifestyle that they are looking for. If they  want the whole â€Å"College experienceâ€Å", then they should go for the dorm facilities. But many people are just trying to get an education and the last thing they have on their mind is paying for a dorm room. Community college and universities environments are very different! A community college is usually located in small towns and a lower number of students who are from the surrounding areas. In community colleges you will find more familiar faces and longtime friends etc. Once you step into a university you can find yourself in a whirlwind of strange faces and different people. That could be very difficult for anybody. It’s like starting all over again, having to meet new people and make new friends just to get by. In universities you will also find the famous Sororities, and we cannot forget the fraternities, and to be part of community like that you must fit in with that life style or all be the same, so I hear. In community colleges you can find a much more settled environment, there are no sororities or frat parties. You can find interesting clubs or study groups. In universities you see big college sport teams, and community colleges you can’t find any. Either, way if it’s a community college based environment or university, anybody can create awesome, long lasting bonds, relationships, and friendships.

Evolution Lab Essay Example for Free

Evolution Lab Essay The finches on Darwin and Wallace Islands feed on seeds produced by plants growing on these islands. There are three categories of seeds: soft seeds, produced by plants that do well under wet conditions; seeds that are intermediate in hardness, produced by plants that do best under moderate precipitation; and hard seeds, produced by plants that dominate in drought conditions. The lab is based on a model for the evolution of quantitative traits-characteristics of an individual that are controlled by large numbers of genes. These traits are studied by looking at the statistical distribution of the trait in populations and investigating how the distribution changes from one generation to the next. For the finches in Evolution Lab, the depth of the beak is the quantitative trait. I investigated how this trait changes under different biological and environmental conditions. I manipulated various biological parameters (initial mean beak size, heritability of beak size, variation in beak size, fitness, and clutch size) and one environmental parameter (precipitation) of the system, and observed changes in the distributions of beak size and population numbers over time. Assignment 2: The Influence of Precipitation on Beak Size and Population Number The first experiment is designed to study the influence of beak size on finch population numbers. For finches, deep beaks are strong beaks, ideally suited for cracking hard seeds, and shallow beaks are better suited for cracking soft seeds. I experimented first with the finches’ adaptation and evolution of their population over 300 years, and changed the Wallace birds beak size to 28mm, and Darwin’s birds stayed at the default of 12mm. I hypothesize a since there are more hard seeds (64%) on the islands than soft seeds (4%). The birds with the smaller beak (Darwin) will not be able to get enough food which may cause some of the birds to die, resulting in a decrease in the smaller beak bird’s population and an increase in the larger beak (Wallace) birds population because of the larger beak size better able to eat hard seeds. Darwin: Red Wallace: Blue I observed that the Darwin birds (smaller beak) actually grew up to about 25mm, as well as the Darwin bird’s population grew over time. The Wallace bird’s beak stayed the same as well as the population stayed steady but grew. The data actually refutes my hypothesis because I didn’t expect the smaller beak sized birds to grow to adapt to the seeds, I expected them to die off. This next experiment is designed to explore the effect of precipitation on finch beak size and population numbers. The experiment was to see how a decrease in precipitation on Darwin Island might affect beak size and how a decrease in precipitation might influence population numbers for these finches over time. I hypothesize a decrease in rain will produce more hard seeds because the hard seeds favor drought conditions, while the other seeds will not increase. And the decrease in rain may only slightly cause the finch population to decrease at first, but then will increase and stay steady as the birds have time to adapt to the drought conditions and their beaks will evolve. I observed that the beak sized for Darwin’s birds supported my hypothesis in that the birds beak sized increased with time. And the population did what I thought too, in that it decreased at first and then increased steadily. I then ran another experiment for 200 and 300 years separately. I observed that the 200 years population and beaks did about the same as the 100 year experiment. Which still confirm my hypothesis. But the 300 years, the bird’s populations and beaks sizes on both islands increased, but that the Darwin birds eventually passed Wallace’s birds in population and beak sized. I then performed the same experiment for both Wallace Island and Darwin Island simultaneously. I noticed that the 100 and 200 years beak size and population both increased and, but Darwin’s birds were still behind Wallace island birds. But then at the 300 year both beaks and populations were almost the same increase. My hypothesis on how an increase in precipitation on Darwin will influence beak size is that the beak sizes should become smaller and more shallow because the increase in rain will make softer seeds and smaller, shallow beaks are better for soft seeds. And the bird’s population will increase.. I observed just what I hypothesized – the beaks grew smaller and their populations grew huge. When I reran the experiment I observed that Wallace island birds also followed the similar growth for beaks and population as the Darwin birds. When I ran the experiment by increasing precipitation on Wallace Island to 50 cm/year and increasing beak size to 28 mm, for 300 years, I observed the beak sized actually decreased slightly and the population stayed steady and in line with the Darwin birds. Next experiment I decreased beak size on both of the islands to an intermediate value. I decreased rainfall on one island to a value close to zero. On the other island, I increase rainfall close to the maximum value and ran the experiment for 300 years. I observed different effects on each island. On the Darwin island with a medium beak size and almost no rain had increase in beak size and population. The Wallace birds with a medium beak size and lots of rain had a decrease in beak size and a steady increase in population. Assignment 4: Effect of Island Size My hypothesis for what effect an increase in island size will have on beak size and finch populations is that the beak size will have an increase and population will increase. I began my experiment by leaving all other parameters at their default values. Then changed the island size of Darwin to the highest it could go to 1km. The beak sized increased as predicted and so did the population increased. When I decreased island size, the beak size grew and the population dropped off first in the beginning but then increased with time. Based on previous experiments if I decrease the clutch size the birds populations will decrease a great deal. Also if I decrease the heritability parameter, and decrease clutch size the populations decrease – which looked like to the point of extinction.

What Theological Or Ethical Principles Religion Essay

What Theological Or Ethical Principles Religion Essay As palliative care is specialized comfort care for people who are approaching the end of their lives, it is related to many ethical issues and concerns. Its framework is based on the moral values and principles of the professionals involved, patients concerned, their families and society as a whole. Palliative care is a very sensitive issue and it is important that it is administered in an appropriate manner. The main objective is to achieve the best possible quality of life, both for the person, and for their family. As such, palliative care is more than the provision of medical relief from pain and other distressing symptoms. It encompasses the psychological, social, emotional and spiritual aspects of end of life care. The palliative care philosophy affirms life and regards dying as a normal process. It neither aims to hasten nor postpone death. It endeavours to provide a team-based support system for the person, enabling them to live as fulfilled a life as possible for the time remaining; and to help their family cope during their loved ones illness and prepare for their bereavement. Care can be provided at home, in a hospital, an aged care facility or a palliative care unit. Above all, palliative care respects the dignity of the person who is dying, carefully honouring their story, wishes and needs. A discussion about palliative care doesnt necessarily mean that death is imminent, in fact, its far better to start thinking and talking about your palliative care options before you need them. Palliative care is sometimes required for a person whose death is very near a matter of hours or days while others will need care over a longer period of time, sometimes years. In this case their care needs will tend to be less intensive and more episodic. The need for palliative care does not depend on any particular medical diagnosis, but the combination of many factors assessed through the judgement of the person, their family, the palliative care team and other medical professionals, including the persons GP. Families and carers may also receive assistance from palliative care services in order to help them cope with emotional and social problems; wounded healers also need healing. To palliate is to cover with a cloak of care; to offer protection and provide relief in the last chapter of life. A palliative approach is a type of palliative care and recognizes that death is inevitable for all of us. For me writing, I am reminded of a comment Professor John Swinton made in response to a question at the recent CAPS conference: Wherever we are in life, there is a storm coming preparedness becomes about the solidity of our foundations. End of life questions of quality, planning and dignity are ethically and theologically grounded in solidifying our foundation. Clements (1990) wrote of this, explaining that as the person moving through life finds their roles stripped from them, and if they have no spiritual foundation, they may be found naked at the core. Residential Aged Care Facilities are often the place where people spend the final chapter of their life; people come into care because they are no longer able to look after themselves and most will have chronic illness alongside ageing. The focus of care in aged care facilities is to help people live well with their illness and frailty during their time spent there. This focus on living well is the essence of the palliative approach to care. Our goal is always to assess and treat pain and other symptoms thoroughly, in familiar surroundings and in the company of the persons loved ones. Theres a Japanese proverb of which I am particularly fond, A sunset can be just as beautiful as a sunrise. In my work Ive seen many beautiful sunsets in peoples lives. Sadly, Ive also witnessed some that arent so beautiful. With forward planning they may have been different. The sudden onset of illness has a way of turning our lives, and the lives of our family and friends, upside down at any age. Suddenly decisions can be very difficult to make; thats why planning ahead is important. If we know what a persons choices and wishes are, were able to respect them if something should happen and theyre unable to tell us themselves. Medical treatment to manage symptoms goes alongside comfort care and could include surgery or medications. The focus of a palliative approach is on living. That is why staff will want to set goals and to plan for how the person wants to live the rest of their life. The end-of-life stage is an extraordinarily profound and emotional time; and a person does not have to be religious to have spiritual considerations. Spirituality is about how we make meaning in our lives and feel connected to other things, people, communities and nature. Spiritual questions, beliefs and rituals are often central to people when they are in the final chapter of their lives. Ensuring that staff are informed about each residents unique spiritual considerations will allow them to be properly respected and addressed. Helping the person to tell their story can help them find meaning, affirmation and reassurance. To effectively palliate would mean that: family and staff communicate openly and with compassion with the person in care and with each other; that pain control and comfort is achieved as far as possible; that the resident has every opportunity to communicate with those who are important to them; and that their physical, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual needs are addressed and as far as possible met. One size cloak of care does not fit all (Hudson, 2012). When these elements are neglected the cloak becomes an empty cover up, leaving the resident exposed rather than protected. When the cloak does not fit it is uncomfortable to wear (Hudson 2012) but the vulnerable population of people in their fourth age may wear it anyway for fear of seeming ungrateful. An appropriate cloak of care must have a spiritual lining, and provide opportunities to reveal hidden hurt; forgive, reconcile; and find peace in loss through tasks of self-reflection and self-transcendence. Spiritual and pa storal care in this context aims for wholeness and spiritual growth. Palliative care should not palliate death itself denying the stark reality of death and dying with false platitudes and consolation can mask existential pain and real needs and further, make these taboo. From a Christian theology, death is recognized as inevitable and necessary. Ageing is an inescapable process that in part defines human existence and experience. From the moment we are born we age. Ageing only ends when we die. Experience of human life tells us that ageing and death are linked. The curse of Adam in Genesis 3 introduces this finitude to our lives. Our role as pastoral carers is one of empowerment, relationship and human presence. Care of people who are suffering means providing real spiritual care, where a closeness or intimacy is developed between the person who is suffering and the carer. This is often quite alien for health professionals, who, through the culture of residential aged care accreditation, are subscript to activity theory and a doing role that emphasizes action rather than being with (MacKinlay, 2006). This involves not a sense of competence, but a sense of humility in the awareness of our own inability to fix anything, beyond being with that person at their point of need. The vulnerability of being present to ageing and death constitutes a simple and costly demand to stay. Not to understand or explain just to stay; Or else to expire in terrible wilderness, lonely silence (Caldwell 1960). In MacKinlays (2006) observation that care of people who are suffering means to walk the journey of suffering with them, to be present with them and authentic in caring (p. 167) I am reminded of Jesus telling his disciples to watch and pray (Matthew 26:36-46)  to bear witness. We cannot cure the scriptural worst enemy of the fatal sting but we CAN care sincerely respecting that the cloak is not ours to fashion and that the chapter will always have an end (Hudson, 2012). Jesus, in becoming human and by his death and resurrection, defeats death and gives resurrection hope of a body free from ageing, decline and frailty, providing hope to all people, especially those in the fourth age. Terminal illnesses do not inhibit people the way they used to; a person burdened with such an illness can live a long and reasonably well life. Consequently terminal disease is tangled in an ethics web concerning limited health resources, contributing to funding and community tensions. These tensions intrinsically present ethical issue in the equity of service provision. Stemming from this is the sensitive nature of transitioning to palliative care, and further to end-of-life care. End of life can be defined as that part of life where a person is living with, and impaired by, an eventually fatal condition, even if the prognosis is ambiguous, or unknown. The World Health Organisation defines palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of individuals and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and management of pain and other needs, physical, psychological and spiritual. There is further tension surrounding communication and generational knowledge. As with Jefferys Mrs Davis there can be enormous gaps in generational perspective which may compromise informed decisions. The onus for decision making in a palliative care team lies with the resident themselves so, ethically, whose responsibility is it to be sure that a decision is well-informed? And further, who can be unbiased in providing information so as not to manipulate a decision? Contradictory beliefs, conflicting principles, and competing duties between the parties involved in end-of-life care can tear the cloak. Beauchamps primary principles of health care include: non-maleficence, confidentiality, autonomy, truth telling, informed consent, and justice. Empathy underpins each of the principles above, and in this lies the difficulty. We cannot understand (Okon, 2006 cited by Hudson 2012), we cannot try the cloak on for size but sometimes just looking as though you could understand (Saunders, 1987 cited by Hudson, 2012) makes a world of difference and goes some way to thwart loneliness. In end-of-life care, our presence as pastoral carers is strengthened in enabling spiritual growth through the sharing of connectedness and ritual. A palliative approach is built on an understanding of the uniqueness of individuals life histories and personalities, and implies commitment to an individuals developmental tasks of ageing and coming to peace. To be able to reach such goals as personal satisfaction, the individual must have means of expressing themselves. Our role in the care of older people is to support and enable each individuals sense of meaning and self-expression; to affirm each individual as a person of great value, and loved by God. Aged care is a delicate balancing act in that functional decline, infirmities and diseases are often inherent in ageing. Because of the nature of chronic illness in the fourth age, a caring response in the face of incurable illness is respect, and commitment to personal autonomy and integrity. That is, our role in promoting overall comfort and wellbeing through positively reinforcing and enabling those with such prognoses, to live to their best quality of life. The goal of palliative care is to provide comfort and care when cure is no longer possible. This paradigm shift entails a shift in the definition of autonomy. People at the end stage of life are not playing by the same rules as you or I who would oblige patient autonomy and nod to expert medical opinion. Health professionals in this context need to be enablers not decision makers. Gradual functional decline and loss of control in autonomy are inevitable with age. Loss of control is painful and scary. Perhaps this kind of persona is paralleled only in infancy leaving our elders feeling a sense of childhood being forced upon them (Jeffery, 2001). Unfortunately admission to aged care often does not help these older adults to feel less like children. The danger and ethical dilemma here is the assumption of impaired autonomy; in that decisions are made and autonomy declared lost even when this is unnecessary, because it is a simpler, easier course of action we know what is good for you (Jeffery, 2001). The basis of this kind of paternalism is beneficence its motivation is to act in a persons best interest so that no one gets harmed; making harm or burden the reason for intervention. Some loss of autonomy is inevitable in later life and steps have to be taken to act in the incompetent persons best interest, sometimes with their wishes recorded in living wills or advance care plans. Often autonomy presupposes someone, who acts in accordance with such a pre-conceived plan, and who is rational and independent; but autonomy may be better understood in terms of identity and self expression of values (Jeffery, 2001). A written advance care plan is about ensuring peace of mind. Effective advance care planning can avoid an unwanted transfer to a hospital. But even such counteractions as advance care planning can be problematic as these are based on todays situation and forecasted futures i.e. these cannot take into account tomorrows medical breakthrough. This being the case, there arise new ethical dilemmas e.g. do we have a right as people acting in someones best interests to tweak what they have proclaimed to want for themselves? Would they have wanted what they said they wanted were they deciding now? When autonomy is understood as a property of action or a capacity of persons (Reich, 1995); impaired autonomy, becomes a hopelessly limiting self fulfilling prophecy in that it diminishes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the opportunities of those who lack certain abilities or capacities (Caplan, 1992). Autonomy needs to be seen as a way of valuing the human person, respecting them and recognizing their right to make decisions as the master of themselves. Personhood is not compromised or incapacitated by end stage life we are who we remember one another to be an essential aspect of being human is to care and be cared for; interdependence is a non-accidental feature of the human condition. Being human, we are bearers of the image of God (Gen 1:26). This image demonstrates our capacity for relationship with God, and with the rest of humanity (Green, 197). This capacity for relationship does not diminish as we age. If autonomy is taken as valuing ones uniqueness and the capacity to give gifts, it is a search for meaning in life authenticity. That is: as Jeffery writes; authentic choice is the autonomy of action that requires meaningful choices to be offered and identified with which equates to ones values and essentially what they stand for. If this is how we understand autonomy then this sheds new light on impaired autonomy. In effect we lose the ability to stand for what we stand for. In this case, autonomy becomes less about incompetence and more about advocacy in helping the person to reconnect their essential values to their choices and allowing them to give meaning to their life. By honouring this form of authentic control rather than a control via acquiescent consent or accept it or leave it culture we enable fulfillment and empowerment of the persons dignity. Being a resident in a nursing home may conjure conceptions of a twisted and limited self, and is destructive of autonomy. This is partly because the environment is thick with congruity and thin with community (Jeffery 2001); and partly because decision making is made nearly obsolete. The desire to control is moderated by the self-realization of the possibility of not being able to process all the relevant information: as the person psychologically shrinks, so too does their autonomy and self faith. Further, someone faced with a life shock can find their autonomy impaired in that they find themselves in a dramatically different world where previous life plans have no meaning and even stable values disappear (Jeffery 2001). In such settings autonomy becomes about the ability to make meaningful choices. An older person may not be able to carry out what they decide, but they are able to recognize commitments and to be themselves (Jeffery, 2001). As partners in end-of-life care, aged care staff must take into account such ethical dilemmas as autonomy and intergenerational tension in the way physical care is given; by focusing on presence, meaningful experience, journeying together, listening, connecting, creating openings, and engaging in reciprocal sharing.  Affirmative relationships support residents, enabling them to respond to their spiritual needs. Barriers to appropriate palliative care include lack of time, personal, cultural or institutional factors, and professional educational needs.  By addressing these, we may make an important contribution to the improvement of patient care towards the end of life.

Crusader Castles: A Medieval Culmination :: miscellaneous

Crusader Castles: A Medieval Culmination King Edward I of England made a number of military campaigns during his reign, in two of which he captured modern-day Wales. In order to hold his gains he built a series of castles, which are said to still be some of the world’s greatest strongholds. But, over 3500 kilometres away a period of fascinating castle building took place prior to Edward’s as a result of the crusades. These constructions were designed by absorbing the constructive wisdom of the crusaders and those they came into contact with. The crusader castles were built faster, larger, and stronger, to create what are without a doubt, the world’s greatest strongholds. The crusaders designed their castles to provide the essentials needed for survival while developing design techniques capable of turning a castle into a stronghold that were mimicked throughout the medieval world. Once their castles were designed the crusaders displayed a construction ability and ingenuity that turned the designs into r eality, taking any material they could obtain and use it to create anything they needed. So successful was their construction that attacking forces of incredibly larger numbers were needed to capture only a select few of the castles over a hundred year period, and often the circumstances of capture were not a fault of design but an unfortunate twist of fate. Through design, construction, and history, a picture emerges of a pioneering period of military construction that was never matched. The design of a castle is most certainly the greatest factor in its defensive capabilities, and many of the innovations credited to the development of the castle finds itself in the history of the crusades. The most significant development is the concentric castle; this is the concept in which the inner walls are able to fire over the outer walls, either because of close proximity or size. In this manner the maximum amount of firepower can be directed at any one point. Belvoir (See Fig. 1 in appendix) is not only a perfect concentric castle but is also the first datable one (circa 1168). The outer wall was built with flanking towers and towers enforcing the centre of each wall span, with the exception of the gatehouse wall. This wall encloses an area of 130 x 100 meters1, making it one of the largest enclosure castles, it also encloses two further walls, the first of which has only one tower because of its close proximity to the outer wall, the inner wall is built with flanking towers to support the middle bailey.

Essay --

Lactic Acid had a pretty nasty reputation up until recently. It was thought to cause muscle fatigue and muscle cramps in not only ultra marathon runners and marathon runners, but in any sport. I had recently completed my first marathon and was worried about the lactic acid buildup more than anything. Around the sixteenth mile of the Atlantic City Marathon I felt the tiredness creeping up from my toes into my hips. Right away, I thought about lactic acid. Before doing the research for this paper, anything I knew about lactic acid was told to me by my high school cross country coach and my brother, who runs cross country and track for Lock Haven College. When my legs would get tired during training, I was told to lay on the floor with my legs up against the wall so the lactic acid would drain out of them. Who knew that everything I was told was a lie?! I know a lot of coaches that still believe that lactic acid is bad and refuse to give up on that fact, but without doing the research, they will never know the truth. When running long distances, the body uses two systems for energy: the aerobic and the anaerobic energy systems. The aerobic energy system uses oxygen in the process, while the anaerobic energy system does not use oxygen. According to the American Running Association, â€Å"ATP is a high-energy molecule and the main source of energy for muscle contractions. When we exercise aerobically, ATP is derived from the oxygen that we breathe in. Glucose and glycogen is nevertheless also required to convert this oxygen into energy. When the amount of ATP needed cannot be derived quickly enough with traditional oxygen intake and conversion to energy, the body then relies on the anaerobic energy system, which created as a byproduct, la... ...ned by the heart and the blood vessels. So if you carry on training a guy, you will not improve his aerobic capacity, but his performance will still improve because the lactate acid threshold is not limited by the cardiovascular system---it’s determined by the quality of the muscles. â€Å" This means that the more a runner’s muscles are adapted to this kind of running, the better they will be during a long run or ultra marathon (Cox). When I think about these men that have run ultra marathon after ultra marathon, it kind of inspires me to do one someday. After I think about it for a little bit though, I go back and remember what it felt like running 26.2 miles. I could never imagine what my legs and feet would feel like after running even 27 miles, let alone 50 or more. People like this are so inspirational and what ever they put their mind to, they can accomplish it.

The Three Character Traits of Macbeth

Macbeth bumped Into three witches after his battle. The three witches tell Macbeth he will become thaln of cawdor and glamls, and then king. He then becomes the thaln which opened up an opportunity for him to become king. He then writes a letter to his wife in which he wrote to her about everything that was going on and she decides they need to kill the king in order for him to seize the throne. Macbeth kills the king but his wife has to return the daggers to the guards, to frame them for the crime, because Macbeth did not.After all that the King Duncans' sons run away becuase they fear that they were gonna be put to blame. Macbeth then becomes king. Once he became king, he did not want anyone else to have the same power as him or to do the same thing to him, as he did to King Duncan. Also he remembers one of the prophecies of the witch where they told Banquo the his children will be king. So he then orders the murderers to kill his best friend, Banquo and his son, Fleance . Macbeth is then haunted by Banquos ghost at his party.After all that he goes back to the witches and he sees three things; a bloody baby saying â€Å"beware Macduff, a bloody helmet saying that he cant be killed by anyone born of a woman, nd a child with a crown and a tree branch saying that he does not need to worry till the Birnam woods moves to Dunsinane. Macbeth started to worry and demanded Macduff and all his family killed, but Macduff left already. Lady Macbeth starts getting crazy and comitts suicide. Macduff heads over to Macbeths' castle with the army to kill him. Macbeth is killed, and gets his head cut off by Macduff.Macuff was born by C-section which was not considered to be born of a woman. One of the aspects that Macbeth grasps to make him an antagonist Is greediness. The three witches that he met In the beginning told him his prophecy, which Is that he Is going to be the future king of Scotland, † All hall, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter† (l, l†, 53 ). At first he doesn't believe the prophecy at all and thought that they were being foolish. But then the predlctlon of the witches starts to come true after being persuaded by his wife, Lady Macbeth, that he had to take some steps to make It come true.Once the first prophecy came true, he wanted all the prophecies of the witches to come true. Once Macbeth Is king, he becomes one of the most owerful person in his land, yet he still demands for more respect and power and does not want anyone to nave any part In It. 10 make tnls nappen ne KIIls Banquo, nls best friend, so he wouldn't create a line of king as it was one of the witches prophecy and attempts to kill Banquo's son, Fleance, however he escapes. Macbeth was told by the witches that no human born from a women, that is everyone, could kill him. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn, The power of man, for none of woman born, Shall harm Macbeth† (‘V, i, 85). Macbeth believes this and gets greedy making im tru st that no one could kill him. Overall this proves that Macbeth is definitely a greedy person in this play. Another open feature that Macbeth is distinguished for is ambition. Macbeth wants to prove to his wife that he is the one that she desires for and to do that, he listens to whatever she has to say. He is so deeply in love with his wife and ambitious towards her that he starts committing dangerous and risky crimes.Macbeth is also very ambitious towards becoming king. In order to become king he had to kill King Duncan. † I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell; That summons thee to heaven, or to hell† ( II, i, 69). This quote indicates that it is time to kill King Duncan. He is also speaking to Duncan though he is not actually present. He tells the imaginary Duncan to not pay attention to the bell as it marks his death and therefore will send him to either hell or heaven. Again, Macbeth was very ambitious in becoming king but he is also ambitious to remain king.He kills Banquo so that no could take over his position as king. â€Å"It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight; If it finds heaven, must find it out tonight† ( Ill, i, 157). This quote is saying Macbeth has made all the arrangements of the murder Banquo's and that he is going to heaven or hell because he is dying tonight. After that he also finds out the one of Banquo's children would be king, so his ambition towards remaining king leads him to kill Banquo's son, Fleance, however Fleance escapes and is never heard after that incident.To sum it up, ambition is definitely a character trait in this play. Finally, the third character trait of Macbeth is bravery. It is barely noticeable in Macbeth but he is recognized for it. Macbeth at first seemed to be a courageous, rave and capable warrior who would risk anything for his country. At the beginning of the play Macbeth's skills and strength saved the day on the battlefield. † For brav e Macbeth -well he deserves that name-; Disdaining fortune with his brandish'd steel† ( l,ii, 18).The quote shows that Macbeth is brave and he is the one who helped defeat Sweno, the king of Norway. Macbeth also shows bravery because he goes after what he wants and accomplishes it. For instance, Macbeth wanted to become king, to do that he bravely killed King Duncan which is evil but it shows that he would do anything to full fill his desire. Macbeth is brave near the end because when all of his prophecies were finished, he still fought Macduff. † Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb; Untimely ripp'd† ( V, viii, 19).The witches said that no human born from a women could kill Macbeth and Macduff said that he was delivered prematurely. So according to the witches prophecies he is able to kill Macbeth. Thus bravery is definitely one of the character traits of Macbeth in this play. In conclusion Macbeth is a person who is consistently stuck in ugly situations. respectful towards the king by winning the important battle and the war but also rutal and cruel because after he killing Macdonwald by slicing him from his middle to his Jaws and placed his head on a stick.Macbeth was also everybody's hero for winning the war. He was also a good friend to Banquo, in fact they were best friends. But then Macbeth changed, he become greedy. He met these three witches who completely changed his life When he was not happy and satisfied with what he had, Macbeth felt that he had to move up a level and become king. Macbeth was confused at first and was not sure if he should kill the king or not, started to argue to himself if e should stay on the good side or move to the bad side.He told his wife, Lady Macbeth, everything and she started to convince him to kill King Duncan and seize the throne. After all of this, once he becomes king, he becomes crazy when he sees blood on his hand and started to think that he can not get rid of the blood on his hands af ter killing the king. After that he is heartless and started to kill every single person who dared to cross his path or anyone that he suspects is a threat. Macbeth is ambitious to be totally in control. Macbeth without a doubt was out of control and vil when he kills Macduffs' children and wife.He is also very self assured and brave because he refuses to run away when an army is attacking his castle. But after all that, he still shows some kindness towards Macduff by saying that he does not want to kill him before he is killed by him. Although Macbeth would have been a great and brave king, it was the manipulation of his wife and the three witches that led him to an evil path. He became a greedy and very ambitious king. After a while, because of his fearlessness, he died devastatingly. words: 1539

Cebu Pacific Essay

A. Economic Forces Generating billions in revenues and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. In recent years, the global aviation industry has been through many ups and downs. From skyrocketing fuel prices to pandemics to recent financial crisis, aviation industry has confronted a very rough weather in last ten years or so. Consolidation in mature markets, higher ticket prices, modernization of airports, policies to reduce emissions and tremendous growth prospects in emerging economies have been some of the trends during the decade. According to recent industry reports, the global aviation industry is on the path of recovery and future looks optimistic and would present ample opportunities for the stakeholders. The airline industry is inextricably tied to the overall economy – even minor recessions result in reduced demand and increased sensitivity to prices for leisure as well as business travellers. Changes in the economy have a big affect on the airline industry. The elasticity of demand, externalities, wage inequality, and monetary, fiscal, and federal policies all have an impact on this industry. The airline industry is constantly changing due to today’s market and today we will be looking at the reasons behind it. By successfully managing opportunity cost, and adapting to an ever changing economic environment, airline industries can have economic success.However, the well-being of the nation’s economy will have a direct impact on the level of success experienced in the airline industry. During economic shortfalls in the nation’s economy, travellers will have fewer resources available to travel for pleasure. Contributing to the negative economic influences in the airline industry, future and existing policies targeting the airline industry will continue to hinder the industry’s ability to recover losses in periods of economic hardships. The launch of low cost airlines in Philippines has provided a boost for the  industry. Airlines that have been part of this trend are Asian Spirit and Southeast Asian Air, offering affordable fares to local and even international destinations. The public seems to have embraced this, as the rate of flying passengers has increased. This increased not only accounts for new fliers but also regular flying passengers who were on a budget and now have a choice to choosing budget over luxury. There are quite a few negative externalities in the airline industry. Another thing that the economy is affecting the airline industry is the competing airlines. The bigger airlines can afford lower fares which make it hard for the smaller airlines to compete. Different airlines have plans to expand but will not be able to until the cost of fuel is under control. For the low fare carriers who allow advanced booking, they will need to work on a plan to avoid bankruptcy. This will make the airline industry continue to boost prices due to the fact that oil prices are expected to continue rising due to the supply. B. Political Forces In 1973, from the Letters of Instruction (151 and 151A) the airline industry in the Philippines was monopolized by Philippine Airlines (PAL). The monopoly lasted for more than twenty years until the Executive Order 19 in 1995 which liberalized the airline industry establishing the domestic and international civil aviation liberalization policy in the country. The E.O 219 stipulates the removal of restrictions on routes and flight frequencies, as well as government control on fares and charges. Following the liberalization, the industry attracted new entrants such as Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Grand Air, and Mindanao Express. Unfortunately, Grand Air and Mindanao Express were unsuccessful, and then SEAir and Asian Spirit come to birth. Today, airline industry in the Philippines is under the regulations of Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) under the civil aviation sector. The Civil Aviation sector is composed of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Mactan Cebu International Airport  Authority (MCIAA), Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) (formerly known as ATO). The Department continuously upgrades and improves the international and domestic airport facilities to meet international standards and to provide better service to the commuters. On the other hand, our airline regulatory boards also recognize the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The ICAO has several regulations that the local boards are following. Last March 19, 2009, the ISO 9001:2000 Certificate for NAIA terminal 1 was awarded by Anglo Japanese American (AJA) Registrars, Inc. after passing the Phase 1 Audit of the Passenger Facilitation Processes. On May 21, 2009 MIAA was given the upgraded ISO 1991:2008 Certification making the Authority and the NAIA Terminal 1 one of the very few institutions in the country that have passed this upgraded level of certification. Today, airline industry in the Philippines is facing a big issue in international safety standard. Early this year, the European Union banned airlines from Angola and vowed to block carriers from Sudan and the Philippines from starting flights to the 27-country bloc. The European Transport Commissioner SiimKallas said that they cannot accept airlines fly into EU if they do not fully comply with international safety standards. The Philippine authorities and airlines mad efforts to resolve this issue but still Philippines would be banned from the EU precaution. C. Socio-Cultural Forces Obesity – One controversy surrounds the issue of airline companies tightening their seat restrictions for obese passengers. Some companies have gone as far as to charge an overweight individual the cost of two seats because of their size. This has created a stir, as it brings up the question of discrimination. As indelicate as this issue is, airline companies contend that it simply costs more to fly those more portly passengers. According to Newsweek, â€Å"A study concluded that the 10 pounds Americans gained on average during the 1990s required an additional 350 million gallons of fuel a year.†Ã‚  So it would seem that this issue has less to do with discrimination and more to do with simple arithmetic. Security – Airline companies have undergone a dramatic shift in the safety precautions they take, upping the ante in security measures due to recent terrorist attacks. And while the increase in security may, on some level, ease the mind of the pilots, passengers and their families, it also increases the anxiety and frustration with the amount of time and effort it takes to get from the airport ticket counter to the terminal gate. Because of the few successful breaches in security that have occurred over the past decade, airlines will never again have the luxury of being so lax in terms of their security. Ethnicity – Perception is a major factor in how we view the world. It is also one of the oldest studies in psychology. How we perceive ethnicity, as it relates to air travel, has much to do with September 11, 2001. Since then the eyes of the world have grown increasingly sensitive to the ethnicity of passengers travelling on airplanes. It has created something of a negative perception for particular races and religions. Bloomberg Business week reports, â€Å"Airline experts and executives say it’s important not to exaggerate the effects of terrorism fears.† However, because airline companies have had to exercise increased security measures because of terrorism, and because passengers have grown increasingly aware of possible threats, those perceptions are not easily dismissed. D. Technological Forces Internet as a way to book flights, check in, and check flight status – Before, ticketing offices were often jam-packed by people who wants to book flights, and most of the time, they are becoming irritated of the situation. Now, with the dawn of the Internet and Cebu Pacific Air’s entry to the world wide web, customers can now book flights without going to a ticketing office, pay their billings securely using Credit/Debit card, they can even change their flight details without bothering to go personally to CEB office, and check flight status that will be a much-used during storm  seasons and other obstacles that might hinder the the flight. Always new and improved software for airlines – Acquiring and continuously upgrading its software is a very big positive impact for the company. It is a way of telling your customers and prospective customers that your airline will not cause them any hassles and troubles in the near future. Aside from having it as an impression of promising greatness, generally, all will follow to the good lead. New technology for airline employees – Airline employees should be introduced with new technologies to avoid having problems in the future. The airline had purchased new equipments, machines to shorten the queue, but if they have no idea of how it operates, you will not obtain your objective. So every employee must be knowledgeable of technologies for we are now in the 21st century. New pilot training courses – Finishing a course to become a pilot is not enough. Even if you have become one of the airline’s pilot, you still have to go through series of training courses and seminars to keep on track. Learning does not stop. Therefore as Cebu Pacific Air’s vow to excellence and safety, they are launching several training courses to avoid a doubt, if there is, for a customer to think whether the pilot is competent enough. By this, passengers can seat safe and sound. New security technology – Website hacking is like an infectious virus that was troubling many people nowadays. But with the new security technology, customers will not have any bad thinking about paying securely using their Credit/Debit card. Cebu Pacific Air’s paying system was verified by Visa, MasterCard and VeriSign. It is a big sign that the airline has a very strong security technology that no hackers can destroy. E. Environmental Forces Contrails – short for â€Å"condensation trails† or vapour trails are artificial clouds that are the visible trails of condensed water vapour made by the  exhaust of aircraft engines. As the hot exhaust gases cool in the surrounding air they may precipitate a cloud of microscopic water droplets. If the air is cold enough, this trail will comprise tiny ice crystals. The wingtip vortices which trail from the wingtips and wing flaps of aircraft are sometimes partly visible due to condensation in the cores of the vortices. Each vortex is a mass of spinning air and the air pressure at the centre of the vortex is very low. These wingtip vortices are not the same as contrails. Depending on atmospheric conditions, contrails may be visible for only a few seconds or minutes, or may persist for many hours which may affect climate. The main by-products of hydrocarbon fuel combustion are carbon dioxide and water vapour. At high altitudes this water vapour emerges into a cold environment, and the local increase in water vapour can push the water content of the air past saturation point. The vapour then condenses into tiny water droplets and/or deposits into ice. These millions of tiny water droplets and/or ice crystals form the vapour trail or contrails. The vapour’s need to condense accounts for the contrail forming some way behind the aircraft’s engines. At high altitudes, super cooled water vapor requires a trigger to encourage deposition or condensation. The exhaust particles in the aircraft’s exhaust act as this trigger, causing the trapped vapour to rapidly turn to ice crystals. Exhaust vapour trails or contrails usually occur above 8000 metres (26,000 feet) and only if the temperature there is below −40  °C (−40  °F). Engine Emissions – Over the years, increasing attention has been paid to the sustainable development of the aviation sector. It is now widely recognised that the costs of these externalities must be internalised and paid for by the aviation industry and its users. Of all the externalities generated from commercial flights, aircraft engine emissions have extensive impacts on human health, vegetation, materials, ecosystem and the climate. Currently, only around 10 airports have applied engine emissions surcharges, which are in Switzerland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. However, the impacts of aircraft engine emissions are a world-wide issue and have drawn significant attention in the global community. This research aims to evaluate the impacts of aircraft engine emissions  charges, based on the estimation of social costs, on airlines operating costs. The paper firstly presents the methods of assessing the social costs of aircraft engine emissions. The environmental impacts of aircraft engine emissions include both aircraft landing and take-off and the cruise stage. The social costs of aircraft emissions vary by engine type and aircraft category, depending on the damages caused by different engine pollutants on the human health, vegetation, materials, aquatic ecosystem and climate. Nine Asian airlines, covering both network full service carriers and low cost airlines, are selected for empirical analysis. The implications of aircraft engine emissions charges on the selected airlines and the corresponding effects on operating costs were measured, involving five existing intra-Asian flight routes. It was found that the aircraft engine emission charges would range from 3-12% of the airlines ¡Ã‚ ¦ operating costs, depending on the route distance, aircraft types and the nature of airline operating characteristics. Airport noise – Aircraft noise is noise pollution produced by any aircraft or its components, during various phases of a flight: on the ground while parked such as auxiliary power units, while taxiing, on run-up from propeller and jet exhaust, during takeoff, underneath and lateral to departure and arrival paths, over-flying while en route, or during landing.Aerodynamic noise arises from the airflow around the aircraft fuselage and control surfaces. This type of noise increases with aircraft speed and also at low altitudes due to the density of the air. Jet-powered aircraft create intense noise from aerodynamics. Low-flying, high-speed military aircraft produce especially loud aerodynamic noise. The shape of the nose, windshield or canopy of an aircraft affects the sound produced. Much of the noise of a propeller aircraft is of aerodynamic origin due to the flow of air around the blades. The helicopter main and tail rotors also give rise to aerodynamic noise. This type of aerodynamic noise is mostly low frequency determined by the rotor speed. Much of the noise in propeller aircraft comes equally from the propellers and aerodynamics. Helicopter noise is aerodynamically induced noise from the main and tail rotors and mechanically induced noise from the main gearbox and various  transmission chains. The mechanical sources produce narrow band high intensity peaks relating to the rotational speed and movement of the moving parts. In computer modelling terms noise from a moving aircraft can be treated as a line source. Aircraft Gas Turbine engines (Jet Engines) are responsible for much of the aircraft noise during takeoff and climb. However, with advances in noise reduction technologies – the airframe is typically noisier during landing. The majority of engine noise is due to Jet Noise – although high bypass-ratio turbofans do have considerable Fan Noise. The high velocity jet leaving the back of the engine has inherent shear layer instability (if not thick enough) and rolls up into ring vortices. This of course later breaks down into turbulence. The SPL associated with engine noise is proportional to the jet speed (to a high power) therefore; even modest reductions in exhaust velocity will see a large reduction in Jet Noise.

Iron Crowned Chapter 5

â€Å"Damn it,† I muttered to Dorian. He simply squeezed my hand tighter, his smile growing bigger. I wasn't afraid of Ysabel, not at all. I didn't think for an instant she could hook Dorian back in, and magic-wise, she was no match for me. She'd actually helped teach me control of air and wind – her specialty – and I'd quickly surpassed her. Nonetheless, she was sharp-tongued; I was certain dinner with her would be an onslaught of snide and passive-aggressive remarks. Rurik's blunt nature made him good at throwing out barbs of his own, so I was hoping he might assist me. Once we sat down, though, I soon learned Ysabel wasn't the only one I had to worry about. Other nobles of no consequence were there, but a new face took precedence. Her name was Edria – and she was Ysabel's mother. She had an attractive, matronly look about her, though her hair and eyes were dark. Ysabel was blue-eyed with rich auburn hair that made her stunning. Ysabel's body went a long way to contribute to her allure as well. What the two women definitely had in common was a crafty, sly demeanor that told me both had few scruples when it came to furthering their own interests. And it was clear that my being with Dorian was not in their interests. In public, gentry etiquette dominated, and Edria was the picture of politeness. â€Å"Your Majesty, it is an honor.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said, settling next to Dorian on a very cozy and ornate love seat. It squeezed us together, something I knew he didn't mind as his eyes continued to rake over my body. Our legs were so near each other's that I made the concession of letting mine drape slightly over his. Our seat was pulled up close to the table, so the long, heavy tablecloth hid this boldness on my part – as well as the hand he rested on my thigh. â€Å"I'm surprised to see you here, Your Majesty,† said Ysabel demurely. With the way her breasts practically spilled out of her dress, I wondered how I could have felt self-conscious about my tight bodice. â€Å"I thought you were busy managing your land and your †¦ human matters.† â€Å"It's not surprising at all,† remarked Rurik, just before reaching for a giant drumstick. He took a huge, savage bite, but waited until he swallowed before continuing with the next remark. It was an improvement on past manners. â€Å"She and my lord can hardly stay away from each other.† I smiled at the use of â€Å"my lord.† Even after Dorian had sent Rurik to serve me, the soldier still thought of Dorian as his master. â€Å"Of course,† said Edria, rushing in when Ysabel's expression turned frosty. â€Å"It's just, from what we've heard, you aren't interested in these types of functions. Indeed, I hadn't expected to meet you in such †¦ lovely attire.† â€Å"Very lovely,† said Dorian. He'd dragged his eyes from me at last and gestured for a refill on his wine. I didn't necessarily like having my appearance discussed – even if the discussion was positive – but praising me gave me a boost in status. â€Å"I'm surprised you were surprised,† said Rurik, this time speaking with his mouth full. Well, we could only expect so much progress. â€Å"Everyone's heard how beautiful my lady is. Men far and wide want her, but of course, she would only accept the best for her consort. As would my lord.† From Rurik, this was almost charming, but not to the mother and daughter duo. â€Å"My understanding,† said Edria delicately, â€Å"is that more than your, eh, looks add to your appeal. You and your lady sister are both valued for your future children. I can already see she has a number of suitors.† I glanced across the room at Jasmine, sitting by Shaya. Jasmine had a genuine smile on her face, but whether it was from being out and about or because of the men who had gathered and seemed to be paying her compliments, I couldn't say. I forced away a frown. â€Å"My sister and I have no intention of having children,† I said, turning back to my companions. â€Å"How unfortunate,† said Edria. Her eyes darted ever so slightly toward Dorian. â€Å"How unfortunate for everyone.† â€Å"Your Majesty,† said Ysabel, â€Å"have you met my children?† I flinched in surprise. I'd forgotten she had kids. Mother and daughter might insinuate that the prophecy was half of my attractiveness, but I knew that Ysabel, after losing her husband, had come to Dorian's court seeking a powerful man through the use of both her beauty and her fertility. I followed her gaze toward a small table by the fireplace. Most of its occupants were young. It was like a kids' table at Thanksgiving. I hadn't seen many gentry children and could make a good guess at Ysabel's progeny based on their red hair. She confirmed as much. â€Å"That's my daughter, Ansonia.† In human years, I would have pegged Ansonia to be about ten or eleven. Her brilliant hair was piled in braids on her head, and she was giggling at a puppy that kept nudging her feet, undoubtedly seeking handouts. â€Å"Beside her is my son, Pagiel.† He was a serious-looking young man, contrasting sharply with his laughing sister. Relatively speaking, he looked a little older than Jasmine. His red hair was darker than Ansonia's, more like Ysabel's, and his blue-gray eyes regarded the puppy's antics critically, as though deciding if he approved. At last, a tiny smile appeared on his face, transforming him and making a couple of nearby girls his age sigh adoringly. Ysabel had clearly pointed her children out as a slam against me, yet I caught sincere affection in her eyes as she regarded the two. I'd always thought her coming to court to push herself off on some guy was bordering on prostitution, but there was more to the story. Her husband had died, leaving her family in financial trouble. It made her actions more understandable, though I still thought she was a bitch. â€Å"Children are such a joy,† said Edria, looking at Dorian again. I looked at him too as he gazed at Ansonia and Pagiel. Long study had taught me that his eyes held the secrets to his true feelings whenever he wore that lazy, mysterious expression of his. And now, hidden in those green depths, I could see the glint of admiration and longing. A strange feeling welled up in my stomach, and for the first time, I could honestly believe Dorian wanted kids with me just for the sake of parenthood and no other agenda. I felt unexpected guilt over this. As though reading my thoughts, he turned his attention on me. His smile warmed me, and whatever wistfulness his eyes had betrayed was replaced now with love – love quickly mingling with lust as he took in my appearance again. In fact, his desire seemed even stronger than it had been when I first entered, and I suddenly wondered if he'd make a serious attempt at exhibitionism after all. But no, with a deep breath that seemed to summon his control, he respectfully looked back at his guests. Yet, under the table, I felt the hand on my thigh tighten, his fingers sliding over the smooth silk of the dress. Chills ran over my flesh, but I also politely kept my attention on the others. â€Å"It was amazing how easily Ysabel conceived her children,† Edria continued. â€Å"If poor Mareth had lived, I have no doubt they'd have a dozen by now.† I considered pointing out that if Ysabel was so fertile, then she would have surely gotten pregnant when she and Dorian were lovers. It seemed in bad taste to me, so I said nothing. Such topics weren't out of line for gentry, however, and Rurik again jumped in to defend my honor and point out exactly what I'd been thinking. â€Å"But you've been with others since then,† he said. â€Å"And you haven't had any more children.† Dorian's hand began skillfully gathering the fabric of my dress's skirt so that it rose up my leg, soon bunching up and exposing my thigh altogether so that his fingers now touched bare skin. I had a feeling he wasn't paying much attention to the conversation anymore, despite a very convincing look of interest as he kept his eyes on everyone except me. Ysabel glared at Rurik. â€Å"I haven't had that many lovers.† Promiscuity wasn't an insult among gentry, but in this case, playing down her sex life was intended to explain why she had no other children. Meanwhile, Dorian's hand had moved to my inner thigh, slowly and carefully moving up so that he betrayed nothing to the others. When he reached my underwear, his fingers stopped, as though pondering this obstacle. I'd picked something thin and lacy, mostly to be alluring for later bedroom activities, but it apparently proved convenient now. He gripped the edges, braced a moment, and then jerked so hard that the fabric ripped. In the noisy room, no one heard, and I just barely swallowed a gasp. I gave him a small glare that he either ignored or didn't see. I suspected the former. â€Å"Sometimes the gods simply wait for the right opportunity – or rather, the right man.† Edria's eyes darted to Dorian who smiled at her winningly. His chin rested in the hand not under the table, his elbow propped up. â€Å"Clearly, Mareth was the right union then, and I'm sure the gods will smile approvingly on Ysabel's next husband.† Her tone and look left no question about who that would be. Rurik snorted in disgust. â€Å"I believe the gods have their hands in our affairs, but they're not interested in every detail – certainly not what goes on between the sheets.† Or under the table, apparently. Dorian's fingers, now with free access, slid all the way up between my legs. Whatever disapproval I wanted to convey was contradicted by how wet he found me. The inane smile he was giving Edria changed to something a bit more smug. With well-practiced skill, one of his fingers began stroking me, immediately finding the spot that ignited me and burned with pleasure. My heart rate sped up, both from arousal and from anxiety that someone would notice. Then, as though wanting to flaunt his audacity, he actually managed perfect conversation while still working to get me off. â€Å"Well, if Ysabel wants a new husband, we can certainly arrange that. I have a number of nobles who'd be happy to take her as a wife – or even a consort if she didn't wish to be tied down yet.† The teasing fingers between my legs had now set the rest of my body on fire. I felt my nipples hardening and regretted the thin silk of the dress. Fortunately, no one seemed to be paying attention to me, though that might change, seeing how quickly I was building to orgasm. Dorian's suggestion wasn't what Edria had wanted to hear, and the grateful expression she put on was clearly forced. â€Å"You're too kind, Your Majesty. But it would be so wasteful to give such a fertile woman to some minor lord. Surely a gift like Ysabel's deserves †¦ royalty.† The aching, tingling ecstasy created by his touch was ready to explode. And to my chagrin, I wanted it to. It was a need I had to have fulfilled. Completed. So, it was a shock when his finger moved down from my clit, sliding into me instead. It created a different kind of pleasure, but the move was frustrating, considering how close I'd been. I spread my legs slightly, giving permission for him to return, but he continued thrusting his finger into me. His motions grew harder and faster, but only the slightest movement of his body gave any sign of what he was doing, and no one seemed to pick up on it. There was something thrilling, something dangerously erotic about knowing he was doing this to me with so many potential witnesses. â€Å"You're right,† Dorian said, face turning serious, as though he was truly considering Edria's words. â€Å"And I know a couple of kings who might be interested. Rurik, do you remember †¦ does the Lotus King have a consort?† â€Å"I'm not sure,† said Rurik, clearly enjoying Dorian's game. â€Å"He's the one who has the gray streak down the middle of his beard, right? And the slightly pointed ears?† â€Å"That's the one,† replied Dorian. And then, without warning, Dorian's finger – so, so wet now – slid out and returned to my clit with such fierce rubbing that I came almost instantly. I'd been ready and aching, and that touch was all it took to push me over. My body twitched as waves of bliss radiated through me, and Dorian continued to stroke me, long after it was needed. At last, he pulled away and even went so far as to neatly pull my skirt back before returning his hand to his own lap. A very pleased smile tugged at his lips, though his attention was all on Ysabel. â€Å"Would you like me to make an introduction?† Her expression was cold, her response stiff. â€Å"You're too kind, Your Majesty. I'd hate to inconvenience you.† I hadn't paid much attention to her but realized now that she'd been paying attention to me. I was pretty sure she was the only one at the table who realized what had happened – and she wasn't happy about it. â€Å"No inconvenience at all,† he said. â€Å"I'll see what I can arrange.† Edria went out of her way to move conversation away from her daughter being hooked up with someone who wasn't Dorian. I barely heard any of it, and when dinner finally ended, I returned with Dorian to his room. My post-orgasm languor gave way to anger almost the moment he shut the door behind us. â€Å"What the hell do you think you were doing?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You had no right to do that!† Dorian made a scoffing noise as he carefully removed and folded his heavy cloak. â€Å"You didn't seem to mind. Besides, you're lucky that's all I did, what with you showing up without warning in that dress.† â€Å"Hey, I don't have to consult you on my fashion choices.† â€Å"No, but you should expect consequences.† He moved swiftly toward me, hands moving to my waist. â€Å"It was only out of respect for your silly human prudishness that I didn't just take you openly. Really, you should be grateful.† â€Å"Grateful?† I exclaimed. I sounded outraged, but in truth, the closeness of his body was arousing me again. Jesus. It was like I was always in heat. â€Å"Grateful,† he said, a glint of fierceness in his eyes. â€Å"Especially after the favor I did you. A favor you now need to repay.† The hold on my waist went tight, and he pushed me down onto the bed. I could easily have resisted – we both knew who'd win in a hand-to-hand fight – but I was more than willing to play this game, particularly when he swiftly pulled off his pants and showed the long, hard erection that had undoubtedly been ready to burst the moment he saw me in the dress. I was still wet from earlier and desperately wanted to feel him in me, thrusting as hard as he had with his finger. But to my surprise, it wasn't my legs he went for. Instead he came forward and knelt, one leg on each side of my head, and pushed himself between my lips. I made a sound of surprise at this, a sound muffled as he filled my mouth and began sliding in and out. He was so big, I could barely contain him. He knew and seemed to exalt in it, his eyes holding mine as he forced my mouth to pleasure him. â€Å"You can take it,† he said, pumping steadily. â€Å"You will take it. I told you: you owe me.† It was rough and fierce, but we both knew I didn't mind when Dorian played dominant. Besides, this change in our sex life was kind of a turn-on. Gentry, while not opposed to oral sex, almost always preferred intercourse because of their obsession with children. Somehow, the thought of him exploding in my mouth, on my lips, drove me wild. I could feel him swelling, see the lines of tension as his climax grew closer. His lips parted slightly, a small moan escaping. Then, just as I was certain he would come, he pulled out and shifted his body down and deftly pulled off my dress. With a tight grip on my legs, he pushed my thighs apart and thrust into me with a hardness that made me cry out and arch my body. It was only a few seconds, hard and fast, and then he came, his whole body spasming as he released himself into me, proving he still had the usual gentry urges. When he was finally spent, he collapsed beside me, sweating and panting. I found his hand, my own body exhausted for different reasons than his. I rolled against him, kissing his neck and tasting the salt of his skin. â€Å"I thought for sure you'd come in my mouth,† I murmured, letting my finger toy with his nipple. â€Å"Wasteful,† he murmured, running a hand over my hair. â€Å"Is it?† I pushed myself up, looking down into his eyes. I kept my voice low and dangerous. â€Å"Are you saying you wouldn't like that? Letting yourself come in my mouth, filling it up, forcing me to taste you †¦ swallow you? Or maybe you want to come on me? Spread yourself all over me?† There was a slight widening of his eyes, a rekindling of his desire. He gave me an enigmatic smile. â€Å"Maybe. Maybe next time.† I gave him a playful push. â€Å"Tease.† He yawned and took off his shirt. â€Å"It'll give you something to wonder about and look forward to, something more cheerful than the battle's outcome.† â€Å"What battle?† I asked. I'd been feeling tired too, but his words jolted me to alertness. â€Å"Tomorrow,† he said. He shifted me off of him so that he could pull the covers over us and then took me back into his arms. â€Å"I received word earlier about some Rowan movement tonight. I've sent an army to meet them, and I'll join them myself in the morning. It's near my villages at the river's bend. I think Katrice hoped to take them by surprise, but a spy tipped me off.† â€Å"Which army did you send?† We had them divided into units. â€Å"The first and third.† â€Å"Both?† I exclaimed. â€Å"That's huge.† He shrugged. â€Å"So is hers. We have to answer in kind. Besides, those villages are crucial. They supply a lot of food – to both of us.† I repressed a shiver. Those villages were full of civilians as well. Dorian's civilians, farmers and fishermen who could have been looted and killed if he hadn't gotten the warning. He and I were allies, but again, I couldn't shake the guilt of my own people being in danger over this dispute – let alone his. â€Å"I should go too,† I murmured. â€Å"I should help.† Dorian stroked my hair. â€Å"No need to put us both at risk. Besides, don't you have more mundane human tasks?† Yes, I'd promised Lara more jobs tomorrow. â€Å"They're not as important – not like this.† â€Å"Only one of us is needed,† he said firmly. â€Å"Honestly, probably not even that. We have good leaders, but the fact that one of us always shows up boosts our armies' confidence – and demoralizes hers. She won't set one dainty foot near the battlefield. So stop fretting. We'll take them. We have greater numbers.† He kissed the top of my head and took my silence as acquiescence. Soon, I felt him sleep, with that ease so many men possessed after sex. Not me. I was a longtime insomniac, and this was the kind of thing that could keep me up all night. I was tired of the armies endangering themselves. I was tired of Dorian endangering himself. I wanted the killing to stop. Kiyo had acted like it was so easy. If only that were true. After a while, I gave up on sleep altogether. I slid out of Dorian's arms and got up from the bed. Knowing my party would stay overnight, I'd packed casual clothes but nothing more. Searching through his wardrobe – twice the size of mine – I found a thick green satin robe. It was way too big but served fine as a cover-up. I left the room, needing to walk off my thoughts. The castle halls were silent now, all the revelers having gone to bed. I walked barefoot along the stone floor, trying not to trip over the too-long hem. A few stationed guards nodded as I passed, murmuring, â€Å"Your Majesty.† I'd long ago learned that while some of my human behaviors would always baffle the gentry, most of a monarch's actions – no matter how bizarre – weren't questioned. No one thought much of me wandering around in Dorian's robe. I reached a set of glass doors that led out to one of Dorian's exquisite courtyards. I knew it'd be chilly there, but sitting outside suddenly seemed like a good idea. Another guard stood there watchfully and opened the door at my approach. I knew this courtyard and knew where a gorgeously colored mosaic-tiled table stood in the corner. It was dull in the night, but as I sat in a chair, the spot gave me a good view of the garden and the thick stars above. Flickering torches set on poles were scattered around, just enough for guidance but not enough to ruin the night's charm. The beauty and peacefulness soothed me a little but couldn't shake away my worries about the war. I'd spent so much of my life fighting that I'd thought I was immune to blood and killing. I now knew there was a very big difference between an individual kill and death en masse. One – usually – had a point. An individual kill punished the guilty party. Armies dead on the battlefield punished no one except the innocent. â€Å"My lady Thorn Queen?† I jumped at the hissing voice that spoke to me from the darkness. At first I saw nothing and wondered if I had a ghost on hand. Then, a dark shape materialized from between some trees. It came closer, revealing a wizened gentry woman. She was small, shorter than Jasmine, but her white hair was thick and lustrous, her clothing rich. She came to a halt before me. â€Å"Who-who are you?† I asked. My words came out harsh, mostly because of my surprise. She took no offense. Again, a queen's behaviors weren't questioned. â€Å"My name is Masthera.† I shivered, not from the night's chill. There was something unsettling about her. â€Å"What are you doing out here?† â€Å"I've come to speak with you, Your Majesty. You're worried about the war. You want to end it.† â€Å"How do you know that?† She spread her hands out. â€Å"I am a seeress. I sense things that are, sometimes things to come. I also offer advice.† This chased a little of my fear away. â€Å"Seeress† was a fancy way of saying â€Å"psychic,† as far as I was concerned. When you dealt with the supernatural as often as I did, you ran into a lot of so-called psychics. Most were frauds, and I suspected that was as true among gentry as humans. â€Å"Have you come to offer me advice?† I asked wryly. Masthera nodded, face grave. â€Å"Yes, Your Majesty. I've come to tell you how to end your war – without any more bloodshed.†