Free Will vs. Determinism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Free Will vs. Determinism - Essay Example The other argument for determinism is causation, or causes and effects. This argument depends on relationships that should happen with the same results every time, such as a baseball breaking a window, breaking the window. Basing on this, everything in the universe has a cause. And if all the causes and the events were known, then it would be possible to easily predict the future. If everything can be foreseen, then this proves that nothing that anyone does can change the courses ÃŽ ¿f the future. This, ÃŽ ¿f course, is not possible. If determinism were true, no person would be able to change his actions, therefore no one could ever be held morally responsible for his own actions. Common sense says that we can change our actions by our own choice. (Slife 80-107) Everyone in this world has common sense. In this argument determinism is definitely not true. One can want to do something, but from past experiences, can stop and not do the actions he had planned. A thief, who finally got caught and suffered two awful years in prison, can decide to not steal after seeing a desirable pair ÃŽ ¿f pants lying openly on a rack. He can restrain himself from doing wrong, after realizing from past consequences. This leads to the next argument. We can and have overcome our desires and inclinations. Both common sense and fact show that we can actively change our behavior. Yet a determinist would say that we only perceive that we can change our actions and behavior. But, that too, is false. Before, I wanted an expensive shirt tha t I really, really liked, but I, then, remembered the last time I bought a shirt that expensive, begging on my knees to my mom to buy it for me, and I rarely wore it. That made my mom really mad. This would leave me to not buy that desirable shirt, changing my actions (I really have not bought an expensive shirt, after that incident ). Free will states that we do not feel forced to act. At the time ÃŽ ¿f a

Richard IIIs Battle speech Essay Example for Free

Richard IIIs Battle speech Essay Question a) Examine the literary elements such as diction, symbolism, rhythm, and tone in this extract, and analyze their significance. b) Then, examine how this extract is translated onto film, paying close attention to the ways in which the film adaptations by Laurence Olivier and Al Pacino enhance/ modify your understanding of the play text. Answer a) The extract passage from Shakespeares Richard III depicts how King Richard gives his battle speech to his army, focusing on the raggedness of Richmonds army and their opposition to him as a King. The extract passage is right after King Richard had a dream where the ghosts of all the people he had killed spoke and condemns him. I will be analyzing extract passage from the play, commenting on theme, settings, diction, symbolism, rhythm and tone. In part (b), I will be analyzing the film adaptations of Olivier and Al Pacino on this particular extract, commenting on how each director interpret the extract passage, particularly on the Mise-en-scene of each film adaptation. As Richard was giving his oration to the army, there is structural irony in his speech. It is an irony that he tells his army they having lands, and blest with beauteous wives, Richmonds army will restrain the one, distain the other because in the first place, Richard and the other Yorkists were the ones who killed Henry IV and overthrew the Lancasters who were ruling then. Another irony is that he was the one who uses the power of language to manipulate and seduce Lady Anne, stealing the beauteous wife of Henry IV first. Such irony is engaged by Shakespeare to emphasize one of the themes of the play which is the allure of evil. Richard III does not explore the cause of evil in the human mind so much as it explores its operation, depicting the workings of Richards mind and the methods he uses to manipulate, control, and injure others for his own gain. Another literary device Shakespeare used in this play is the rhyming couplet: March on, join bravely, let us tot pell-mell/ If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell. In Shakespeares poem, the rhyming couplet has an important significant. We see Richard, after this extract passage, obsessed with his own self-preservation, as indicated by his cry of [a] horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!. Richard clearly reveals his priorities. He would trade everything for a horse on which to improve his chances of surviving the battle rather than die honorably for his cause and this is contradicting his prior speech to the army. Richard III is written in blank verse. Blank verse is unrhymed lines made up of ten syllables in which every second syllable is stressed (study unit 1 pg 26). The rhythms of the verses are caused by these unrhymed iambic pentameters Shakespeare uses. Iambic pentameter is a line made up of five pairs of short/long, or unstressed/stressed, syllables. For example: de-VISED at-FIRST to-KEEP the-STRONG in-AWE. This gives the verses rhythm and makes the verses interesting to read. The tone of the extract passage is strong. There are uses of exclamation marks, for example: Off with his son Georges head! to show the wrath of Richard. Richard also poses questions. For example: Shall these enjoy our lands? Lie with our wives?. Questions can engage the viewers, making the viewers enter his thinking. The lines are also kept within ten syllabus and the words are short so that it will produce a more punchy effect as it is being read out. The short words and rhythmic tone in turns make the diction of the extract clear too. b) In Pacinos film adaptation of extract passage of Richard III, Richard was filmed giving the oration to his army. When examining the cinematic space of the film, the camera shot from a very low angle as Richard was giving the oration. Richard is in the foreground and this makes him look very much bigger. Since it is shot from a low angle up to Richard, Richard seems to be looking down on everyone as he is speaking, emphasizing his power and authority. His oration is quite long and this emphasizes the power of language in achieving political powers, which is one of the central themes to Richard III. Language may not always be a necessary instrument of power, but for Richard, it is a crucial weapon. His extraordinary skill with words enables him to manipulate, confuse, and control those around him. In this case, Pacino is trying to show us that Richards words are powerful and he uses them to control his army. Also, as they shot from the low angle, it depicts the round, bird-like silhouette of Richard, emphasizing on his deformity even more. His deformed body is a symbol of corrupted nature and Pacino make the viewers see that. Richard was the only one being filmed when he was giving the oration. He is in power, but he is alone: his brothers, nephews, and even his own wife are all dead at his hand, his mother has cursed and abandoned him, and even the person who was once his closest friend-Buckingham-has been sent to execution. His army was also not in the frame. Pacino probably wants to emphasize the fact that his army is not actually with him. His army served him not out of respect and loyalty but because they were afraid of him since he constantly beheads anyone who comes into his path. In this film of the extract passage, it vividly dramatizes the contrast between Richards character and Richmonds character, shifting the scene back and forth between them a few times. The leaders, in their respective camps, make almost identical preparations as they ready for the next days battle, but the difference between them can be seen in the way they go about their business. Richard speaks brusquely to his lords, and, as we can see, essentially is isolated from all human contact. Pacino made Richmond appeared gracious. The pre-battle preparation of the two leaders clearly shows their different styles: Richmond was filmed praying to God. In contrast, Richard simply mocks the enemy soldiers, calling them a scum of Bretons and base lackey peasants Looking for Richard is a documentary film and for this scene, Richard is actually not dressed in the medieval costume. It is more like a rehearsal. This suggests Pacinos search for the most effective way to bring the world of King Richard to life for a contemporary audience. It also points to their conviction that Shakespeares characters and themes are timeless: Everyone can look for Richard, and find him, in the world around them. In Oliviers film adaptation of the extract passage Richard III, Richard was not filmed giving the long oration to his army. Instead, the viewers were treated to a battle to watch. The film adaptation was very much close to Shakespeares play. Olivier spoke with rhythm as Richard addresses his army. As he spoke March on, the army shouted a hail as a reply. After he spoke the rhyming couplet: pell-mell and to hell, he leads his army forward on his horse. It was dramatic as he was about to go to the battle. The film was in technicolour and this probably appeals to the viewers at that time. With the technicolour used, the viewers were able to see vividly the colour of their medieval costumes and this makes the whole film real and engaging. The scene of the film was a long shot. There was not much editing done. Spatially, it was shot from afar so that both the army and Richard can be seen. There was not much close up shot except for when Richard has fallen off the horse and his crown rolled away. This foreshadows Richards dethroning. In conclusion, the literary elements such as rhythm, diction, tone, settings, symbolism and themes compliments each other, making Shakespeares play a classic read all time. Both Pacinos and Oliviers film adaptation of Richard III provides viewers with different interpretation of the play, widening the viewers perspective of the play. Bibliography ELT370 Shakespeare on film study guide. SIM University. 2011 Looking For Richard. Dir. Al Pacino. Perf. Al Pacino, Vincent Angell, Harris Yulin, Alec Baldwin. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 1996. Film.

Gymnastics Essay -- Sports, Oldest Sports

Gymnastics is a sport that requires strength, flexibility, dedication, and determination. However, gymnastics also requires the ability to be graceful and delicate. For many years people have been dedicating themselves to this sport, training for either artistic or rhythmic gymnastics. The sport of gymnastics has been around for many years. Originating around 2,500 years ago makes it one of the oldest sports. People believe that the first "apparatus" used was actually a bull. Men would grab onto the bull's horns and when they were thrown in the air they would try to perform the best stunt before landing (Gutman, 1). Gymnastics originated in Greece where they believed that physical fitness was very important, but only to men. It was so important that there was an open-air gymnasium in every city. The gymnasiums were also used as schools where philosophy, literature, and music were taught. The athletes, who were only men eighteen and older, trained all day every day. When they would compete they threw the javelin, climbed ropes, ran races, wrestled, and lifted weights. The athletes would perform without clothes on, and all women were forbidden to watch. Unlike Greece the Emperor of Rome closed all the gymnasiums in A.D. 393 (Gutman, 2-3, 5). Years later around 1800 a German man named Johann Frederich Guts Muths developed a system of exercises that were based off the exercises that the Greeks used. He also added climbing, balance movements, and military drills. Muths also wrote the first real book on gymnastics (Gutman, 6). According to Gutman the true father of gymnastics was a German professor named Frederich Ludwig Jahn. He opened the first modern gymnasium around Berlin in 1811 and modeled it after the ancie... ...ragg, 22). The sixth and last event is the horizontal bar. It is eight feet long and hangs eight feet above the floor. Gymnasts perform skills similar to the skills that women perform on the uneven bars (Bragg, 23). The second and less known type of gymnastics is rhythmic gymnastics. It is performed on same floor as artistic gymnastics and gymnasts show body movement and dance moves long with music. At the same time, they have to handle a small apparatus such as a rope, hoop, ball, clubs, or ribbon. The routines can also be performed in groups of five people performing simultaneously (World, 2). The sport of gymnastics is known to be demanding and it requires a great deal of determination and dedication. However, it is becoming an increasingly popular sport. For thousands of years people have dedicated their lives to artistic and rhythmic gymnastics.

German Government Protection of Kurdish Women :: essays research papers

Tearing Down the New Berlin Wall Throughout modern times, Islam has received the blame for other Sects practices and ideas. In the article â€Å"When Rapists Walk Free,† Mukhtaran Bibi received a raping because of a village dispute. Because Bibi lives in Pakistan, Nicholas Kristoff, the article’s author, was led to believe that Hatun’s village was Muslim although in the second sentence of the article, He clearly writes that she lives in the Punjab area of Pakistan. The Punjab region hosts a number of religions aside from Islam. So, by reading the sentence that Bibi received, I clearly know that her village is not Muslim, because nowhere in Islam it says to gang rape a girl because of a village dispute. â€Å"The New Berlin Wall,† by Peter Schneider, does the same mistake in confusing another religion with Islam. Hatun Surucu was murdered by her 3 brothers because she started to live like a German. Because this happened in Turkey, the author assumed they were Muslim. Although in the first sentence of the second paragraph, Schneider informed the reader that Surucu’s family was Kurdish. Kurdism is a far branch of Islam that practices many different actions than Muslims and is not to be confused with Islam. So, in response to the prompt, I believe that no, the German government should not interfere with the status of women in their Muslim communities, but they should act out and address the status of women in Germany’s Kurdish communities. The reasons why I believe Germany should address the status of Kurdish women is because the German Kurds are now living in a different nation than their own and if they cant adjust, they should get penalized for it. Also, the government should push nationwide freedom and if Germany doesn’t feel that the Kurdish women in their country are getting the liberty they deserve, it is their duty as a nation to change that. When an immigrant comes into a country and decides to keep his past culture with him, fighting and deaths are the end result as shown with the Hatun Surucu case. Her brothers kept their Kurdish practices of honor deaths and ended up killing their sister. An example ritual is â€Å"Generally choosing the youngest to carry out such murders.† If the Surucu family adapted their Kurdish traditions and accepted Hatun as becoming German, she might not have been brutally murdered. Also, the reason the Surucus immigrated was to find a better life.

Alaotra Grebe

Many of our wetlands today house our animals so they may mate and accommodate our resources so we may survive. We treat this land carelessly; polluting it and not becoming aware of our damages until it is too late.This is notably true by the recent acknowledges extinction of the Alaotra grebe. The Birdlife International announced its extinction in May and how the introduction of alien fish to the wetlands killed off the species. We must learn from the extinction of the Alaotra grebe and prevent other species from this destiny of life.Alaotra GrebeThe Alaotra grebe, scientifically known as Tachybaptus rufolavatus of the Madagascan wetlands joins the list of the Five Great Extinctions in the history of the planet Earth. The bird species was last spotted in 1985 and it has now been confirmed to be extinct (Walker, 2010).Scientists claim that the Alaotra Grebe is the first extinction that has been caused by man and therefore becomes the sixth great extinction to be recorded in the histor y of the earth (Wu, 2010). The other five earlier extinctions include the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction that swept the dinosaurs from the face of the Earth (McCarthy, 2010). This extinction was characterized by 75 percent of the species being wiped out in the last 65 million years (McCarthy, 2010).A meteorite that hit the earth is suggested to have resulted to this great catastrophe. Another example of extinctions was the Triassic-Jurassic extinction which occurred in about 205 million years ago and a number of non-dinosaur species got wiped (McCarthy, 2010). The dinosaurs were then left with minimal terrestrial competition. The last 251 million years also saw the vanishing of 96 percent of marine species and an additional 70 percent of land species (McCarthy, 2010).This extinction was known as the Permina-Triassic or The Great Dying. Another prolonged extinction, the late Devonian took over 2 decades from 360 to 375 million years ago (McCarthy, 2010). The fifth extinction, the Ord ovidician-Silurian was recorded as the second worst of all extinctions and it happened between 440 and 450 million years ago (McCarthy, 2010).Alaotra grebe was a medium sized rusty-colored bird which inhabited Lake Alaotra and areas surrounding Madagascar. The bird was thought of having problems flying for long distances perhaps because of having tiny wings. The bird lived sedentary mainly inhabiting the lakes and the surrounding ponds. The Alaotra grebes started vanishing in 1980s when only 12 birds were spotted at Lake Alaotra in December 1982. In September 1985, two birds were spotted in Lake Alaotra near Andreba.Afterwards in 1985, 1986 and 1988, some of the birds sharing same characteristics with Alaotra grebe were spotted although these birds were just thought to be hybrids of grebe and another species. Experts made surveys and visits to Lake Alaotra in 1999 and 2000 but never found any species of grebe or any of the birds of the genus Tachybaptus. This was an indication of fu ll extinction since there have not been any direct observations that have been made on the species.Chances of having the birds surviving at present are negligible since recent visits to Lake Amparihinandriamabavy which is near Lake Alaotra have shown no evidence of the grebe species surviving. As a result, officials of BirdLife International announced that the bird was extinct and declared that the species be included in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of the Five Great Extinction (McCarthy, 2010).This extinction is yet another whip to environmental economics as scarce resources such as biodiversity keep vanishing from our wetlands. In the future, these resources will no more be seen by our children as more extinction continues to take place. Birds form an important part of our environments in sustaining the food web and acting as tourist attractions thus earning income. The vanishing of Alaotra grebe means that these benefits are no more going to be realized in the future.Madagascar and Environmental EconomicsThe Madagascar wetlands form an essential site for birds as well as other biodiversity. The wetlands are a source of food and water to the Madagascan populations and to millions of people globally. However, these wetlands are very fragile environments and can be polluted and disturbed easily as in the case of Madagascar (Wu, 2010).Madagascar has been an example so that the world can learn that human actions on biodiversity can have grave consequences to the environment and the world economy (Wu, 2010). Elsewhere in Cuba, people introduced alien species and the Zapata rail is feared of extinction (Patt, 2010).   The introduction of exotic fish and mongooses has had serious impacts on the Zapata rail and joins the Madagascan case of Alaotra grebe extinction (McCarthy, 2010).Fishermen in Madagascar are blamed to have caused the serious environmental damage by covering much of the lake with nylon nets. The monofilamen t nylon nets have the potential of killing diving waterbirds. While the fishermen in Madagascar introduced the nets after significant extinction of Alaotra grebe had occurred, this action is blamed to have led to further extinction of the remaining grebe species.The goal of the government in Madagascar as well as in the entire world in the protection of biodiversity has been missed. According to policy makers and scientists, the vanishing of the rusty-colored bird, Tachybaptus rufolavatus was due to the failure of the government of Madagascar to prioritize an important aspect of conservation of the delicate and sensitive biodiversity.The extinction of the grebe species has significant effect to the country’s economy. It can be said that the plan for the people of Madagascar to have more fish by killing the grebe species was a missed target.While it is a common practice for governments to check for solutions that will mitigate pests and diseases affecting the fish industry, th e introduction of carnivorous fish was a missed target according to Gross and Williams (2010). The economists may agree that the action was reasonable as the fish pests were eliminated but the same argument must be exposed to political and ethical criticism.It however seems that nothing makes people persuaded other than financial gain and the people of Madagascar were easily lured with financial benefits. As a consequence, the helpless grebe species continued to be decreased to extinction level for the sake of money obtained from fish trading.Environmental economists in deed differ from other financial economists in one aspect: the valuing of biodiversity among all other benefits. While the actions to kill the birds using nylon gillnets and drowning them could result to more fish as the competition pressure would be reduced, environmental economists would view this as a loss to the entire biodiversity.The importance of wild nature for societies and industries is frequently mentioned as a political argument and an additional interest to protect our biodiversity. It was necessary for the government of Madagascar to have this approach of environmental economists to save the dear bird species Alaotra grebe.

Math Homework Help For You Without Delay

Math Homework Help For You Without Delay Are you good at calculations? Do you remember all important formulas? Do you find Mathematics an interesting subject? If your answer to all questions is no, then you definitely need help with Math homework. Here are some benefits of such assistance. First of all, you don’t have to complete the task by yourself. You will get desired free time or get more spare time on some other assignments. It’s up to you what you would like to spend it on. Secondly, you can be sure of good results. By getting our Math homework help, you don’t have to worry at all. We assure you of the grade you want. Thirdly, we complete any order within a set time frame. It’s convenient if you have some urgent projects. Professional help with Math We would like to say some words about our team. Many specialists have a PhD degree. It means they are able to cope with any types of tasks and offer professional Math homework help. There is no task they can’t complete. Many assignments have been completed and students got their excellent marks. Our editors are always ready when a paper should be perfect. It concerns grammar and punctuation, margins and other formatting aspects. They will do their best so that you get Math homework online and pass it right away without opening or checking. Our managers are always online to get your order, process it, and then find the best writer in your field of study. They will always assist you with any issue arisen. How to place an order for Math homework online? It’s as easy as a pie. All you have to do is to contact our manager. They will answer within 10 minutes and ask to send all requirements you have. Think them over in advance, especially if your order is urgent. It will save time for both of us. Then you will have to pay for Math homework so that we can start writing. At the end you will get your paper to e-mail. To get help with Math homework is simple and convenient. Prices and discounts We respect our clients and thus would like to offer the best online Math assignment help affordable for everyone. Moreover, we offer some discounts for our new and regular customers from time to time. For instance, when you pay for Math homework, you may count on a discount 5 to 10%. The more papers you order, the bigger the discount is.

Consumerism and Environment Essays

Consumerism and Environment Essays Consumerism and Environment Paper Consumerism and Environment Paper Consumerism is a phenomenon that was always immanent in the relatively plopped societies, where people purchased goods and consumed resources excessive to their needs. However, there was a major change after the Industrial Revolution, when the scarcity of resources was overcome and a huge variety Of goods in unlimited amounts became available to a wide range of people. The Industrial Revolution and several other factors created capitalism ; a new type of economy that resulted in a rapid growth of a middle class in developed countries. Middle class started to have money not only to cover their basic needs but also more. In 1899 Thorniest Blend called t the leisure class Billions of people worldwide now belong to the consumer class. Items that at one point in time were considered luxuries- televisions, mobile phones, computers, air conditioning- are now viewed as necessities. We are essentially basing our happiness around material possessions and demanding the best and biggest items (like houses, cars Money can buy, and our lifestyles are devoted to the accumulation of non- essential goods. As we are constantly exposed to mass media and popular culture in our modern society, consumerism has penetrated into every aspect f our lives, dictating our own beliefs, values and wants. Regarding pros and cons: On the one hand, we can state that rising consumption has helped meet basic needs and create jobs. There is no doubt whatever about this: more consumption involves more production, sales, jobs. Which are good and positi ve aspects in a capitalist system. In fact, some people argue that consumerism not only cannot delete or destroy our society, but also it is something essential for the society and it strongly benefits the economy. On the other hand, there is another view that establishes that the huge and mutinously increasing consumer demand has been getting the planet out of balance for many years. We are facing a problem of over-consuming that is undermining the natural systems that we all depend on, and making it even harder for the poorest or developing countries to meet their basic needs. . This trend Of over consuming and throwing out what we don t want is having devastating / destructive effects on the environment (the exhaustion of Earth s resources, uncontrolled air, water and soil pollution and a threat to human rights; sweatshops with ridiculous wages and horrible working notations with huge injury rates. These are the costs of consumerism. There are many ways that consumerism can affect the environment. Consumerism can c ause air and water pollution, land contamination, and forest degradation. Consumption itself, plus the production and waste of products used in consumption is related to pollution. Industrial waste (especially when just dumped into the rivers and oceans), waste from the tourist industry (including cruise liners, air travel, etc. ), waste from industrial agriculture, and automobile emissions are examples of air and water pollutions caused by consumerism. Tobacco production, for example, can lead to soil degradation and land contamination. Plastic bags are good example of how consumerism can affect our environment. Plastic bags effect our environment because when they are thrown out they can get washed into our water ways . When they reach the rivers and oceans, animals can get caught up in the plastic bag and suffocate. The buying and selling of fuels is also a major issue because the machines it goes into turns it into a poisonous gas (carbon monoxide) which is omitted into the worlds atmosphere. 3. So what is the solution? Can we do anything to change the consumerist society? Yes, we can and more than that we have to. What the anti- consumerists propose is to own less and to enjoy what you own more. Basically, many things we buy we dont need. As it goes in an anonymous quote We buy things we dont need to impress people we dont know. And therefore, thoughtful consuming will finally get us to the point of rational usage of natural resources. In order to change, we will have to get rid of a throw-away mentality. Reduce, reuse, recycle is a simple anti-consumerist mantra. And it does work, even if you think that you alone will hardly make any difference.

Explaining Different Case Studies Types - Paperell.com

Explaining Different Case Studies Types Explaining Different Case Studies Types The programs of education in colleges and universities are so diversified and complex today that modern students face a bigger number of challenges and assignments with every new semester. Today, obtaining a higher education means challenging yourself, pushing it to the limits, and, of course, dealing with various written tasks. Often, exactly these written assignments cause the biggest stress to students. Not only such assignments are quite boring, they also take too much time and require a person to possess a huge number of skills including researching, writing, analyzing, and critical thinking. Not mentioning that you have to understand the topic well.Among all other academic papers, a case study is one of the most complex ones. Although students are assigned to complete such projects much rarely than, for example, an essay, when this time comes, there is no way you can avoid confusion and various problems. What are the key issues that you can face? Pretty much any, but the bigges t one is lack of experience with such papers.Types Of Case StudiesBeing one of the biggest and most time-consuming projects that a student can be assigned to complete while studying at college or university, a case study often frightens young researchers by its volume and a big number of requirements. What makes things even harder is that there are several different types of this paper that you have to be aware of. Every type has a different purpose. In addition, case studies may vary by subjects and objects of the investigation.To maintain good academic performance, a student should be able to handle various types of case studies, understand how they differ, and know what structure or purpose each should have. Below you can find a list of this paper’s kinds with a detailed description of each that should help you understand how to complete any of them.InstrumentalThe purpose of writing an instrumental paper is to use a particular case in order to understand a specific phenom enon. What does it mean? Unlike some other kinds of this assignment, an instrumental study does not aim at exploring a subject, instead, it focuses on the relationship between the chosen subject and a related phenomenon.ExploratoryThis type is especially popular in various social sciences. The goal of such work is to prove that there is a necessity to continue the investigation of a particular problem and prepare the theoretical base for it, and that is why it is often used as a smaller research conducted before a larger formal work. For example, a psychologist wants to find an alternative way of treating schizophrenia, then an exploratory case study is the best way to detect the prospects of his theory. After such an investigation, he can realize the uselessness or potential of the initial idea.IntristicUnlike the instrumental, the main interest of the intristic paper is the object of the investigation itself and thus, if you receive this kind of task you should focus on the chosen or given subject, its experiences, feelings, characteristics, etc.ExplanatoryThis is the most widely-used kind of work that can be assigned to students of various faculties and, as you can understand from its name, the only goal you have here is to explain a phenomenon, problem or question to the reader. As a rule, the subject of such investigation can be any except people or groups of people; otherwise, it can be an event, theory, issue, phenomenon, etc. This is also the easiest format of such work. Since the purpose of the task is to give a definition to something, there are no results that have to be interpreted, so the only thing you will have to do is to choose your subject, explore it and give a clear explanation.Collective or Multiple-CaseThe main distinctive feature of such works is that the cases for them are formulated based on the data borrowed from different studies prepared by other researchers. This type of case study exists simply because it allows a researcher to ob tain all the necessary materials for his scientific work without wasting efforts, money or time on conducting an individual investigation.ConclusionThese were the five different types of case studies. With this information you should have a better idea of how to deal with each of them, what method of investigation to use, and what focus to make in your work. It is important to note that although these papers have different subjects or purposes, the structure of each will usually be the same, which makes it a bit easier, especially if you didn’t have a chance to gain much experience with such assignments yet.Without a doubt, it is a tedious work regardless of the type. Such projects require being attentive to details, applying all your efforts to conduct an in-depth research, approaching the task seriously, devoting enough time for its implementation, and following the given guidelines. Not mentioning that it requires being well-versed in your field of science. Therefore, comp leting such assignment can be quite difficult for some students, while others can be able to handle it but likely will waste too much time on it. Luckily, you can enlist effective case study writing help from the writers whose experience and professionalism will allow you to get the highest assessment with ease and without wasting too much of your precious time!

Data mining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Data mining - Essay Example Automated prospective analysis provided by the data mining techniques, as will be discussed below, go beyond the simple analysis of past records as availed by the retrospective tools used in decision support systems (DSS). These techniques of data mining were fundamentally as a result of the predominant long processes of research and product developments, with the first pressing need as to help in business data collection, storage and retrieval. Considering every aspects of data mining, the commonly used techniques are: Artificial neural networks Biclustering PageRank Genetic algorithms Nearest neighbor methods Rule indications. A) Data Mining Classification over large database 1. The kNN: k-nearest neighbor classification This algorithm is works by memorizing the entire training data and performing classification on conditions that the attributes of the test object matches either of the training samples accurately. The kNN seeks a collection of k objects within the training set whic h closely associates with test object, and based the assignment of an indication on the predominance of any particular class in its neighborhood. The key factors in this algorithms include the distance or similarity metric to compute distance that exist between objects; a set of the labeled objects; and the number of nearest neighbor (value of k). Advantages It is simple and easy to understand It is easy to implement its classification techniques. It can also perform so well in varied situations, hence its maximum usability. It is known for its suitability for multi-modal classes and applications in which an object is able to have a number of class labels. Disadvantages The choice of k is a limiting factor. If it (k) is too small, the result would be very sensitive to noise points. While if k is too large, the neighborhood is likely to comprise of a large number of points even from other classes. This test limits the numbers of tests records to be classified since it is true that su ch test records will not in most instances match any of the training records to the latter as recommended. The approach of combining the class labels is also considered as very complicated. 2. Page Rank This is classified as a search ranking algorithm that uses hyperlinks on the World Wide Web. Page Rank techniques produce static rankings of the Web pages in a manner that Page Rank value is accurately computed for each and every page that is off-line without depending on the search queries; but rather on the democratic nature of the World Wide Web through the use of its wide link architecture as an indicator of any individual page quality. It is worth noting that these features have helped in the success of the famous Google search engine. Advantages It is quite dependable as its outputs are always accurate and precise. It is simple and efficient to use once one has the knowledge and skills of its usability principle. Disadvantages Database search outcomes are based on literal (keyw ords, Meta data, and tags) items rather than on their actual meanings. Poor ranking of Web pages in different topological Web structures. I.e. in Google’s ranking algorithm. Less page ranks and too much time taken to list and gain high ranks for the new pages. Subsequent quotation of inaccurate information on different web pages may lead to indexing of such inaccurate pages, hence resulting to a mess of fiction. 3. Naive Bayes Advantages It is

Outline how private banks and wealth management firms segment their Essay

Outline how private banks and wealth management firms segment their clients and outline the new approaches to client segmentation - Essay Example Attempts at segmenting the large number of clientele for institutions like Banks are bound to be laborious and costly. However, the rewards for such efforts are attractive enough to justify these efforts. Very often the segmentation exercises would throw up results that may be surprising and upsetting to the previous assumptions, (Maude, 2006). Segmentation, like a mirror, will show that the actual cost of servicing the highly valuable customers is far less in comparison to the rewards generated, and it will also show the behavioral patterns of those customers, which, in turn, will help to plan and implement balancing strategies that can optimize the results. The recent Global Financial Crisis has brought in its wake a few upheavals in the Banking and Financial Service Industries. The most significant of these is a total re-thinking on Customer service, particularly in the sector of Asset/Wealth Management Advice, where European Banks were, till recently, enjoying an advantage, (Reinartz, Krafft, and Hoyer, 2004). The entry of several new Financial Services Companies into this sector has caused the re-thinking on strategies even though the actual number of Asset Management Clients has expanded recently. In the competition for customers, the existing Client Segmentation has been side stepped and the admission threshold for Asser Management Service has been lowered. The emergence of new High Net Worth Individuals all across Asia and Latin America has added to the stress. The burgeoning new clientele has spurred the creation of many new innovative investment products and services targeting them. European Banks, reluctant to lose the strategic advantage they had enjoyed in the sector, are gearing up to face the competition from new entrants, including Retail Bankers and International Providers, (Landberg, 2001). Consolidation of some European Banks is a distinct possibility in the prevailing conditions. Small Boutique Banks with limited number of High Net

A paper proposal on the the Rhetoric of Sugar Sweetened Beverages Assignment

A paper proposal on the the Rhetoric of Sugar Sweetened Beverages - Assignment Example In this literature review, I intend to analytically review a variety of literature on Sugar Sweetened Beverages. Thus, I will put emphasis on a wide range of SSBs. These include, but not limited to soft drinks (soda), flavoured waters, sweetened teas, ready to drink coffees, sports drinks, and juices. Babey, Wolstein & Goldstein(2013) contend that the increase in consumption if drink that have added caloric sweeteners is attributed to less healthy diets as well as health concerns such as overweight and obesity. What is the problem addressed in the literature review? The problem addressed is that there is the increased consummation of SSBs and consequently increased rates of obesity and overweight. Overwhelming research as presented in a wide range of literature has specifically cited increased consumption of SSBs as the main cause of the increased rates of obesity. Over the last four decades for instance, the rates of obesity and weight gains have tripled. Statistics of study carried out by Ogden & Carrrol (2010) between 2007 and 2008 established that one in every six children and adolescents aged between 2 and 9 is obese. These statistics are worrying. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (1998), obesity increases the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, various cancers, and many other chronic diseases. As such, the increased rates of consuming SSBs have the risk of escalating the already increased cases of obesity. This will consequently case a major strain to the public health care system. Currently, the U.S government spends more than $174 billion annually in treating obesity. It also spends more than $147 billion annually in treating health problems related to obesity and overweight. According to Wang et al. (2012), this accounts for more than 9.1 percent of the government’s health care expenditure. This has led to widespread concerns over the need to control the major causes of diabetes and ove rweight. What are the questions addressed in the literature review? The questions addressed in my literature review are: 1. What can be done to reduce the rate of SSBs consumption? 2. What role can the media play in reducing the rate of SSBs consumption? What gaps have you discovered in the literature? An analytical review of the literature on SSBs consumption reveals that there exists a large gap between the increasing rate of SSBs consumption and the measures that can be used to reduce these rates. There is also a large gap in regard to the role played by the media and the increased rates of SSBs consumption. There also exists a gap on the approaches to be used on reducing SSBs consumption. Generally, the approaches to reducing intake have varied. Some literature proposes a tax on sugar sweetened beverages, while other literature advocates an extreme tax on SSBs. On the other hand, some literature argues that a tax will not suffice at all. Most literature argues that there is stro ng link between the high levels of consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and obesity and adverse effects on the public health care system. Babey ,Wolstein & Goldstein H (2013) claim that soda and other SSBs, such as energy and sports drinks, are the largest source of added sugar in the diets of both children and adults in the U.S. It is argued that liquid calories do not satisfy as well as solids, and SSBs add calories instead of replacing them. It is suggested

Unit 5 Science Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 5 Science Individual Project - Essay Example It is a well known and reported fact that the current population of the world is more than six billion and a half billion and it is only increasing on a daily basis (CIA, 2007). This increase is certainly putting a strain on our food resources, availability of fresh water, distribution of energy resources, health services, education services and many other problems that are being faced by developing nations (BBC, 1999). Sadly, the situation is also worst in developing nations while many developed nations may have to face the problem of falling population rates, a growing number of elderly and not enough people in the workforce (King & Elliott, 1996). Of course there must be something that can be done about it and the United Nations itself has made many different recommendations to developing countries to help them achieve some level of control over their growing populations. However, it does appear that we are fighting a losing battle since the population of the world is still increasing and it is showing little signs of stabilization. In fact, at our present rate of expansion the population of the world has been estimated to rise to eleven billion humans by the end of this century (BBC, 1999). This is clearly unacceptable since we do not have the present technology nor the availability of resources to feed even the present population and a rise of almost hundred percent could only reduce our ability to handle the situation. If we do not control population increases and also do not drastically work towards providing an acceptable standard of life for the rest of the world we are simply heading towards disaster and conflict between the haves and the have-nots. The highest recommendation which can be made is to create awareness and educate people about the population situation. The UN is already working towards establishing programs for

Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Compare and contrast - Essay Example The story takes the help of a simple dream or illusionary craze of the young boy to show him the stark reality of Dublin’s life that is very different from the world of is own making. This describes the boy’s experience, emphasizing more on the character portrayal than anything else. The narrator describes how the city and the surroundings had eaten into the health of the young boy’s life and contributed towards creating the person that he was. The protagonist of the story is the matured boy who had once been the innocent boy depicted in the story. The story opens with the lines â€Å"North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers School set the boys free† (Joyce). Ironically, even though they were free from school, even their play did not give them the desired pleasure, for it was an equally dull world, where not even play brought any refreshment for the children. All these descriptions of dullness actually creates the backdrop against which the boy took resort of imagination larger than life and hence encounters a surprising disillusionment The antagonist in the story is the culture and life of Dublin, which has a significant role in shaping the boy’s mind along with the other inhabitants in the city. Joyce refers to Dublin as â€Å"indeed sterile†. This coaxes the innocent mind to seek shelter to a world of his own making or imagination where the boy seeks peace and happiness that the reality could not give him. The narrator himself is the young boy in the story who brings out the stark reality and the disillusionment undergone by the innocent soul. In his allegorical piece of work, Joyce intends to make the reader realize the harsh life that people were compelled to face in Dublin. And creates a platform for disillusionment which was a combination of wisdom and

Unit 5 Science Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 5 Science Individual Project - Essay Example It is a well known and reported fact that the current population of the world is more than six billion and a half billion and it is only increasing on a daily basis (CIA, 2007). This increase is certainly putting a strain on our food resources, availability of fresh water, distribution of energy resources, health services, education services and many other problems that are being faced by developing nations (BBC, 1999). Sadly, the situation is also worst in developing nations while many developed nations may have to face the problem of falling population rates, a growing number of elderly and not enough people in the workforce (King & Elliott, 1996). Of course there must be something that can be done about it and the United Nations itself has made many different recommendations to developing countries to help them achieve some level of control over their growing populations. However, it does appear that we are fighting a losing battle since the population of the world is still increasing and it is showing little signs of stabilization. In fact, at our present rate of expansion the population of the world has been estimated to rise to eleven billion humans by the end of this century (BBC, 1999). This is clearly unacceptable since we do not have the present technology nor the availability of resources to feed even the present population and a rise of almost hundred percent could only reduce our ability to handle the situation. If we do not control population increases and also do not drastically work towards providing an acceptable standard of life for the rest of the world we are simply heading towards disaster and conflict between the haves and the have-nots. The highest recommendation which can be made is to create awareness and educate people about the population situation. The UN is already working towards establishing programs for

Philosophy of mind (Cognition) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy of mind (Cognition) - Essay Example oduction of the mind/body problem, philosophers have resorted to changing entire metaphysical schemes in order to fit the newest levels of discourse relating to mind and consciousness. What the discourse has left philosophers in the current times are a variety of possibilities—each inherently saddled with inadequacies and pitfalls, and supported by arguments and logic. Even though, as is often the case, philosophy has not provided a solution to the mind/body problem, looking outside the philosophy of mind to the realm of the neurosciences has not provided anyone with a sufficient answer either. Thus, the very thing which makes the philosophy of mind unattractive makes it irresistible: the very paradoxical nature of the mind/body problem, even while it repels people with irreducible and irresolvable intricacy, remains a completely necessary component of the entire philosophical enterprise. The solution to the problem will solidify any and all work in metaphysics and epistemolog y, and grant theorists of different fields an opportunity to proceed. But to find this solution, one first needs a survey of the field in order to grasp the context of its potential existence. To understand the philosophy of mind, one needs a firm grasp of the problem upon which the entire discipline was constructed. The mind/body problem is often presented actually as a series of problems—some of which are epistemological, some metaphysical, some linguistic, and some pragmatic in nature (Goody, 1962, p. 362). In certain respects, this characterization is favorable insofar as it recognizes the very complex nature of the problem; attempts to reduce the problem to matters of causes, or matters of ontologies, or matters of concepts, are fundamentally mistaken. What one can abstract from these various puzzles, however, is one recurring theme: how does a non-physical something relate to a material something? This question involves many separate sub-inquiries into the natures of mental states,

Resposibilities and Relationships in the Lifelong Learning Sector Essay Example for Free

Resposibilities and Relationships in the Lifelong Learning Sector Essay It is the responsibility of the teacher to make the teaching area a safe and fair environment to learn in and teachers should be aware of, and keep up to date with key legislation relating to this. The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) covers a number of duties relating to teaching and learning. Risk assessments should be carried out and risks properly controlled to ensure a safe working environment. Besides the Health and Safety at Work Act itself there are important pieces of legislation that would apply to a sewing workroom environment. 1. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. 1998: require that equipment provided for use at work, including machinery is safe. 2. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992: cover the moving of objects by hand or bodily force. 3. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989: require people in control of electrical systems to ensure they are safe to use and in a safe condition. The Equality Act (2010) aims to eliminate discrimination based on age, disability, race, religion, belief, gender and sexual orientation. It places a duty on teachers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. It also provides protection against discrimination relating to pregnancy and maternity. Teachers must also adhere to the Children Act (2004) that places a statutory duty on them to make arrangements to safeguard the welfare of children. The Act gives responsibility to local authorities to make enquiries when anyone contacts them with concerns about child abuse. The aim is for every child, whatever there background or circumstances, to have the support to: Be healthy Stay safe Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic well-being ii) Following the Further Education Workforce Reforms 2007 New Regulatory Requirements state that all new teachers are to hold or acquire within a specified period of time: A ‘Preparing to teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector’ (PTLLS) award or its equivalent as a minimum license to teach for all who have an element of teaching in their role irrespective of job title; and either A diploma in teaching Level 5 status for those in a teaching role; or A Certificate in Teaching in the lifelong learning sector at Level 3 or 4 All new teachers must demonstrate through professional practice that they meet the standards and can use effectively the skills and knowledge acquired in teacher training. iii)The Institute for Learning (IFL) is an independent professional body for teachers, trainers, tutors and trainee teachers across the FE and skills sector. It has a code of conduct which outlines the behavior expected of its members. Briefly it states that members shall: Behave with Professional Integrity Respect the rights of learners and colleagues Take reasonable care to ensure the safety and welfare of learners Provide evidence of CPD according to IFL policy and Professional Practice guidelines Ensure disclosure of any cautioning or conviction of a criminal offence Be responsible for acting in accordance with the conditions of membership and assisting the Institute with any investigation. b) Boundaries The Teaching or Training Cycle consists of five processes namely: Identifying Needs The purpose is to identify if the students face any barriers which may affect their learning or if they have any additional needs. There are many ways to do this and could involve; looking at their initial application if one is completed before the course starts, an informal discussion, observation during a class activity or by an initial test or assessment. It is also important to ensure that the student is on the correct course and to offer any advice perhaps with funding or travel referring them if necessary. The process will also help with the planning of the course as it will help the Tutor design a course suitable for the skills and experience of individual class members. Plan and Design Learning – This stage involves the planning of the content of the course. A scheme of work will be designed to plan the content of each session and lesson plans devised to organize them in more detail. When possible agreeing individual learning plans can be agreed with students and contingency plans made to take into account different needs of the learners. This would also be the opportunity to prepare learning resources and activities. Risk assessments need to be carried out and all attempts made to create a safe, positive and accessible learning environment. Deliver – A Teacher should be well organized, well prepared and enthusiastic when delivering a lesson. They should be able to communicate appropriately and effectively and act and speak appropriately. It is essential to promote equality, value diversity and teach in an inclusive and engaging way with a good sense of humour. Assess Work needs to be assessed within a reasonable time to check that the students have gained the necessary skills and knowledge. Use a variety of assessment methods and keep a record of achievements. Feedback should always be constructive and given within a reasonable time. Evaluate – A programme should always be evaluated in order to improve the teaching and learning process. To evaluate how well the programme was planned and delivered feedback should be encouraged, accepted and acted upon. The teacher should encourage student development and progression as well as maintaining their own teacher development and professional currency. (GRAVELLS 2012) There are boundaries within which a teacher must work and it is important not to overstep these by becoming too personal with the students. It is also important to know where the role of teacher stops and to work within the limits of that role. Some examples are: If a teacher identified that a student was struggling to attend classes because they couldn’t afford the bus fare it would be inappropriate to lend them money. In this instance the student should be referred to the student support staff or the financial support staff. If a teacher was planning a class but found the room had insufficient access to equipment or resource’s it would be unacceptable to voice their concerns to the students. This would be unprofessional, they should address it to the organization, or change the lesson plan to accommodate the resource’s available. Students may choose to confide in their teacher about personal issues and, although a teacher should be understanding and sympathetic, it is important that they maintain a professional role. The student could be referred to a councillor, pastoral staff or support staff depending on the issue concerned. They should avoid getting involved in the personal lives of their students. When assessing students it is important that teachers are fair in their judgments. They should not bebiased towards or against any one student. When evaluating the teaching and learning programme the teacher should be able to listen to and react to feedback in order to improve. If in doubt about the boundaries of their role a teacher should seek advice. This could be from another teacher, a colleague, their line manager or their mentor. c. Points of Referral A teacher may encounter learners with varying degrees of needs. They may be able to deal with some of these needs but some may need the support of other professionals. A Support Worker will help a learner with additional needs. They will have had special training in the particular field required by that learner which the teacher won’t have had and will be able to support them in or outside the classroom setting. There may be a student whose first language isn’t English and has trouble understanding the lesson so there may be a need to work with an interpreter A teacher may also need to work alongside external agencies like the Job Centre. The students may be leaving the learning environment and looking for work and the Job Centre will have the advice and information that they need. d)Promoting Appropriate Behavior i) Having a preventative strategy is a good way to promote appropriate behavior in a lesson. Be prepared and waiting for the learners in the classroom so you can take control of the space and organize it as you wish. Getting the student’s attention with an interesting starter activity shows that you are in control of the class. Present the aims and objectives and share the session plan explaining the purpose and reason for studying it. When planning a lesson ensure there is plenty of variety as students are more likely to behave well if they are stimulated and are not bored. You should have realistic expectations of your class for example, don’t expect a room full of teenagers to sit still through an hour-long power point presentation quietly. ii) Decide for yourself what rules and procedures would create a good atmosphere in your class and will maximize learning. Explain that you want an effective, fair and happy classroom and discuss the rules with the class. There will be rules that are non negotiable for example regarding safety or turning up on time but be prepared to negotiate and compromise to get commitment on others. Encourage the learners to contribute to the rules and procedures. Students are more likely to adhere to rules they have been instrumental in creating. Consider asking the class to devise their own rules and if you reject a popular suggestion be prepared to explain why to justify your decision. The aim is to get the students onboard with the rules and procedures and see them as their own; they will then see them as worth keeping and enforcing. iii) It is important to develop a good rapport with the students as this creates a more positive attitude towards the teacher and to learning. It will also turn the classroom into a co-operative team and reduce antagonism. Get to know the students on a personal level, learn their names and use them. Learn something about each student like what they like to do in their spare time, their hobbies, interests or work and refer to it in conversation. These small details will make the students feel noticed, valued and liked by the teacher and therefore more co-operative. (PETTY 2006)

Elitism Or Pluralism Depiction Of Political Power Politics Essay

Elitism Or Pluralism Depiction Of Political Power Politics Essay The United States of America, the biggest democracy in the world, was born as such in 1787, when 55 representatives of each state gathered in Philadelphia in order to achieve a compromise, a union within states. When we talk about America, what crosses our mind is the idea of greatness, strength and power, an enormous power of an enormous country, and its distribution is one of the major issues in American politics, whether it is an elitist or a pluralist distribution of power. Nevertheless, it is worth first of all turning ones attention to the history of the United States and this will perhaps allow us better to understand and analyse the American power. Lets go back to the eighteenth century, when Americans were unfairly treated by the English Crown, they contributed to the metropolis and they were torn apart in every decision that concerned them so that by the middle of the eighteenth century, a negative atmosphere against Great Britain was starting to flourish. As a consequence, the War of Independence broke out in 1775; it was a revolution, a desire of freedom, and the American people, all together, achieved their independence. On 4th of July of 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock, Jon Adams and Thomas Jefferson, to name just a few; and the new states formed a Republic made up by a president and a congress or assembly, this is when a democratic regime is set up in the United States. A good example of this political transformation is this quote of John Adams: Let it be known, that the so called elitists liberties are not the grants of princes or parliaments. That many of our rights are inherent and essential. Agreed on as maxims and established as preliminaries even before government existed. We have a right to them, derived from our maker. Our forefathers have earned liberty at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasures, and their blood. Liberty is not built on the doctrine that a few nobles have the right to inherit the earth. It stands on this principal that the meanest and the lowest of people are by the unalterable, indefeasible laws of God and nature as well entitled to the benefit of the air to breath, light to see, food to eat, or clothes to wear as the nobles, or even a king. That is liberty, and liberty will reign in America! (Speech by John Adams, HBOs John Adams Series) Moreover, the Constitution of 1787 reflects for the first time the principles of political liberalism, inspired by ideals of freedom and equality against the elitist political power of Great Britain at the time. Therefore, a federal government was created, formed by a president of the Republic, the Congress with two legislatives chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the Supreme Court. However, each state had its own government with competences in internal policy. Nevertheless, this separation of power first came from Montesquieu who suggested three different functions for the government: legislative, executive and judicial. He finds liberty in the distribution of power into several hands; if two functions were held in the same person, it could lead to tyranny. That being said, it is worth now analysing briefly the three branches of the American government. As for the Legislature (Congress) split into House of Representatives and the Senate, its main feature is to make law. According to the Founding Fathers, the Congress was supposed to be the centre of the governmental power; just to name a few competences, the Congress can declare war, confirm treaties or impeach the president. Today, because it is considerate as the symbol of the nation, the centre of government lies in the Executive (President) who represents the enforcement of law, having the power of veto, the grant of pardons or the nomination of judges to the Supreme Court. And finally, the Judiciary (Supreme Court) whose main feature is the interpretation of law. In the Federalist No.51, the fourth president of the United States and the Father of the Constitution, James Madison, wrote about the American power and its distribution. He said: If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. Therefore, a government is needed to maintain freedom and equality in the Hobbes state of nature in which the stronger oppresses the weaker and as a result, the interests of the individuals are reduced. But James Madison designed a federalist government in order to get privet rights and public happiness. He planned a double security, that way, the power surrendered by the people would be first divided between two distinct governments. These two governments are the State and the Federal government; then, the civil rights of the people will be preserved. Madison made sure of that by establishing a system of checks and balances in order to keep any institution from becoming more powerful. Some of these checks and balances are the nomination of judged to the Supreme Court made by the President which are confirmed by the Congress or the judiciary reviews made by the Supreme Court. That fear of power is also reflected in the Bill of Rights, which controlled the federal power by providing each state with federal representation. So, going back to the question proposed, is the American distribution of power elitist or pluralist? As I may have mentioned briefly at the beginning of this essay, and referring again to the past, American people wanted freedom and equality, but where these ideas came from? The European ideals and values of the eighteenth century got to the American society, lets remember that some years after the War of Independence, in 1789 the French Revolution shook the French Crown and also European governments; in 1802, the Spanish War of Independence and the posterior European Revolutions in 1820, 1830 and 1840. With the purpose of suggesting America as a pluralist country let me analyse the political thought of the most influential authors of the time who were Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, the figures who brought new values to the New World. In Hobbes State of Nature, all that reigned was chaos, anarchy and insecurity. Men were dangerous to themselves. The only way to get through that situation of insecurity was by given up peoples authority in order to lay their power on the government, so there could be order and peoples rights could be preserved. Here, is when the Lockes Social Contract comes, people devote their power to governors who have the duty to protect their rights, nevertheless, if governors stopped doing this, people would have the right to rise up against the power. As we have seen in the last few years, the American society power has forced some presidents to resign; the Watergate case in which the republican president Richard Nixon got involved, led him to his resignation. With the Social Contract, the government is created and its legitimacy is based on the protection of the rights of the people, who form the government, and it takes decision in a democratic manner, being the popular sovereignty one of the main principles of the State. Locke considered that the human being had some rights derived from the Maker, derived from God, and those were survival, liberty and the right of property. This can be reflected on the previous quote of John Adams. In short, American society has been forged in those values, the Constitutional principles, its individualism and natural liberty characterize it, because each person is the owner of oneself and every citizen makes the decision of participating and collaborating in the political life, because he or she is free to do it. In the end, the smallest state in political terms that we could think of is the individual, who is mobilized and organized by political parties; they play a very important role in American political life as well. Basically, political parties take part in the puzzle of the American policy in a complex manner. That is to say that, for instance, when there are presidential elections in the United States, the political parties get involve a lot more than in the Congress elections. The President, as I may have mention before, has become the nations sense of identity (Carl N. Degler, History Counts: The Burden of American Politics), people see in him the role of the leader who can only be Democratic or Republican. On the other hand, in Congress, there could be two parties, the Democratic and Republican leading the legislation together, in a higher or lower percentage of members but still, that is another argument for the pluralism of the United States. All in all, the United States of America conform the biggest democracy in the world, and as such, people have an important role in American political life, therefore, I would add a new branch in the American distribution of power: The Congress, the President, the Supreme Court and the people, because after all, the American Constitution of 1787 says We the People; and if Congress plays the legislative role, the President the executive and the Supreme Court the judicial, people are responsible of supporting them, because they are the base of the American political system. Even though it is not possible for them to reach the elite that leads the Congress, the Presidential figure or the Supreme Court, by accepting their authority and leadership, they make every political mechanism work. One example of what I have said before is the speech of the President Harry S. Truman in 1947 directed to Congress: At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. Our way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world -and we shall surely endanger the welfare of this Nation. Great responsibilities have been placed upon us of this Nation by the swift movement of events. (Quote taken from the R. J. Johnstons The American Ce ntury) Also, the John Kennedys quote Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country or the Obamas Yes, we can show that, as Pablo Gonzà ¡lez Casanova asserts, America is made of many Americans; and if in the past, the government could be of the people and for the people, now, despite of the enormous influence of the minority upon the majority, the majoritys interest still prevails. In conclusion, after this brief analysis of the American distribution of power through the history of the United States in which the War of Independence, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were incredibly important and also the influence of some philosophers of that time like Hobbes, Locke or Montesquieu who brought new values and principles to the American society, it would be possible to consider the United States distribution of power as pluralist. Indeed, the facts that characterize Western democracies, according to Darryl Baskin in his critique about American Pluralist Democracy are: social diversity and balance, subsystem autonomy and separation of powers. I would like to finish off this essay with another quote, this time of Carl N. Degler (History Counts: the Burden of American Politics): What I am talking about here are not politicians and parties but the character, the historical nature, if you will, of the American people. For it is they who have created and sustained the politics of this country from the beginning right down to the present.

My Philosophy of Education :: Educational Teaching Teachers Essays

My Philosophy of Education A few years ago I happened to witness a teacher touching the life a student. The teacher gave him praise and self-confidence; in return the student began to work harder towards his goals in life. He realized the meaning of inspiration and strived towards his goals, the teacher had turned around a student’s life. That student’s life happened to be mine. One of the main reasons why I want to become a teacher is to touch the lives of students. I will use my philosophical view to tell you why I chose to become a teacher. I will discuss the nature of students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of public education, teaching method, and my curriculum to state my philosophy. First, I will discuss the nature of students. Most students are basically similar. Students are motivated to gain an education, to pass; they want to gain certification weather as a high school diploma or a college degree. Unfortunately there are students who stray from this path because of no inspiration to better themselves. A student must be motivated to succeed into today’s society and most students want to succeed in life, therefore they should have learned the basic morals and skills to survive. However, most students who are motivated are basically good morally. For instance, good student that misbehave do so because they want to gain attention. If each student is paid attention to then the majority of the students will turn out as inspired decision makers. Let’s move on to a different point. Secondly, I will discuss the nature of knowledge. I believe that the nature of knowledge is absolute and it is discovered. In my education 210 class my teacher ask us Questions. Therefore to gain the answer to these questions we must either look the questions up or she will give us hints to discover them. This type of learning is called discovery learning. All through out history knowledge has been discovered, take for example archaeologist. Archaeologists discover new things everyday dealing from ancient civilizations to dinosaur bones.

Ghengis Khan Essay -- Chinese History Mongol Genghis Essays

Ghengis Khan Genghis Khan, or Ghengis Khan as he is more widely known, was born about the year 1162 to a Mongol chieftain, Yesugei, and his wife. He was born with the name of Temujin, which means ’iron worker’ in his native language. When Temujin was born his fist was clutching a blood clot which was declared an omen that he was destined to become a heroic warrior.Very little is known of Temujin until he was around age 13 when his father declared that his son was to find a fiancà ©e and get married. After several days of travel Temujin and Yesugei came across a tribe of Mongols that were very hospitable and welcoming. Temujin was not there long when he noticed a certain girl, Borte the daughter of the chieftain. She was destined to become his wife. Temujin’s father died when Temà ¼jin was still young, poisoned by a group of Tatars. The Tatars were the chief power on the eastern Mongolia at the time, and long- time rivals of the Mongols. When Temujin heard how his father had died, vowed one day to avenge the death. Temujin left Borte, returned to his tribe, with the intention to declare himself leader. At this time he was 13 years of age. Senior members of the tribe ridiculed his plans; rejected him as chief, and abandoned the youngster and his family to the Mongolian plains. While there were noble lineages among the Mongols, such as Temujin's, they did not enjoy the automatic loyalty of others. Nor did seniority guarantee a position of influence or power. Leadership seems to have often been a more informal institution, open to those with the right to contest for it. As a result of this rejection, Temujin extended his vengeful intentions to his own clan members. Life was very hard for the family. It is related that when Temujin discovered his own brother stealing food from the group had no hesitation in killing him. News that he was a stern leader that would kill his own brother to keep order became widely known. On a hunting trip he was ambushed by an enemy tribe and taken prisoner. While pris oner he killed his guard and escaped. The enemy searched, but excellent survival skills kept him alive until he could meet up with his own tribe. This act of courage spread his name to all parts of the Mongolian plains. Shortly after, another raid by strangers left the family with one horse and very little food. Temujin took chase but could not catch them. During hi... ...y populations were put into action as siege experts, and even the cavalry was a mixture of Mongol and other nomadic groups. The success of the Mongol conquests should also be attributed at least in part to two other factors. One was military intelligence. The Mongols had an extensive network of spies and usually had extensive information of an enemy before they engaged them in battle. The other was their use of psychological warfare. Much is made of the total destruction of cities in Central Asia by the Mongols. What is normally overlooked, however, is that this was more of an exception than a rule. If a city capitulated, Ghengis Khan was usually content to let them be, once their defenses had been pulled down. Only those who resisted faced the sword. This not only wiped out resistance, but more importantly, word quickly spread of the wrath of Ghengis Khan, and many peoples found it easier to submit than to resist. In short, although the Mongol successes may appear astounding, they are explainable by ordinary means. One need not look for some mystical explanation. Indeed, to do so does a disservice to the true talents of Ghengis Khan and the Mongols of the thirteenth century.

Banning Catcher in the Rye Essay

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger should not be banned in schools based solely on the fact that it is a controversial book that uses harsh language and sexual references. This book is J. D. Salinger’s freedom of speech, and it is a violation of the first amendment for schools to ban this book. This book is only offering an inside look into what teenagers go through in some point of their lives. According to the Los Angeles Times, The Catcher in the Rye’s, â€Å"†¦ profanity and sexual references drew scandalized reactions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Rotella 18). Although this book has many sexual references, it is not in any way as explicit and as bad as what teenagers see and hear nowadays on television and in the world. Holden occasionally thinks and talks about sex: â€Å"Most guys at Pencey talked about having sexual intercourse with girls all the time. † (Salinger 48). The average teenager often thinks and talks about sex. It is not unusual for teenagers to do this. The profanity in this book is also not as bad as it may seem. Patty Salazar, a concerned mother and religious activist, claims that, â€Å"‘It uses the Lord’s name in vain 200 times’† (Rotella 17), but the curse words used in The Catcher in the Rye are nothing that teenagers have not heard before in their everyday lives. Banning The Catcher in the Rye in school is not acceptable. It is a violation of the first amendment, and it is nothing far from what teenagers encounter everyday. This book gives teenagers someone in literature that they are able to relate to in one way or another. The Catcher in the Rye is not a book that will corrupt young readers. The underlying theme of this book is loss of innocence. This loss occurs when a teenager makes the change to adulthood where he or she is obscured by phoniness. By banning this book from schools, the only thing that teenagers would be sheltered from is reality.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 16

Really, when you thought about it, what I was going through wasn't that much different from dying after all. They always said you saw your life flash before your eyes, and that's how it was for me. Dream after dream. I relived the most painful moments of my life, true dreams where I'd done terrible things and seen terrible things done to those I loved. More â€Å"realities† that had never happened were shown to me as well. In one, Roman's recent display of affection turned out to be a scam. It was a front to punish me for my role in the death of his sister. Only, he didn't go after me directly. He went after all my friends, mortal and immortal. I watched him kill them one by one as he ignored my pleas to just finish me off instead. The Oneroi latched onto how I was bothered more by the suffering of those I loved than of myself. They mocked me, claiming that Roman's rampage was a vision of the future that had come through the gate of horn. I didn't believe it†¦at least, I didn't think I did. Nyx could see the future. Could they? Or were they maybe in contact with her, despite her imprisonment? My higher reasoning was giving way to paranoia as I was stripped further and further of my essence. I even began to dread the true dreams from the mortal world, the ones that showed me my friends. They were no longer a comfort; they only plunged me further into darkness. Because as the Oneroi had predicted, there seemed to be no hope of rescue in sight. Still, I kept dreaming†¦. Roman, Hugh, and the vampires were in a van. Peter was driving, and the clock on the dashboard read two o'clock in the morning. No one spoke in the small space, giving me no clue as to what was transpiring. Their headlights illuminated a sign along the freeway that indicated an exit for Idaho State Route 41. Idaho? â€Å"Can you change the station?† asked Hugh. â€Å"I hate talk radio.† â€Å"Because you might learn something?† asked Peter. â€Å"Because I'm trying to stay awake.† â€Å"It's a rule of the road: driver controls the radio.† â€Å"What rule book says that?† â€Å"Enough,† said Roman. His voice was weary, his face more so. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping much, but considering the time of night, that wasn't a surprise. He unfolded a map and then checked a piece of paper with some notes scrawled on it. â€Å"It should be the next exit.† â€Å"How'd Carter even find this guy?† asked Cody. â€Å"Because Carter moves in mysterious ways,† said Hugh. â€Å"Hard-drinking, hard-smoking mysterious ways.† â€Å"Yeah, but if he knew, why didn't he tell Jerome?† â€Å"Because Jerome would go into blasting mode if he found out. I guess Carter was keeping it on the down-low as some sort of compassionate act. He's an angel and all.† â€Å"Oh, right.† Cody seemed to have forgotten about that. It was an easy mistake. â€Å"Jerome'll blast us too if he knows what we're doing,† warned Peter. â€Å"He's too distracted. He thinks we're just following a vampire lead.† â€Å"That's the point,† said Peter. â€Å"If he finds out we lied to him – â€Å" â€Å"He won't,† interrupted Roman impatiently. â€Å"Not if we just get what we need from this guy and get out of here. This is it – take that exit.† Hugh veered off onto what hardly seemed like a road at all. It had no businesses and only one streetlight to illuminate an intersection, just before darkness swallowed everything. Roman continued giving directions, steering them farther and farther into the countryside. â€Å"You can't do anything to him,† said Hugh, craning his head to look at Roman in the backseat. â€Å"Show any flare of power in another demon's territory, and you're dead – probably along with the rest of us.† â€Å"Do you think I'm stupid?† demanded Roman. â€Å"Not exactly. But I do think you're short-tempered, have poor impulse control, and would do anything for Georgina.† I expected Roman to deny all of that – or at least the last part – but he said nothing. Silence fell again until Roman at last pointed to a narrow gravel driveway. It was so hard to see that Peter drove past it, squealed the brakes, and backed up. They parked near the driveway's end and began walking up it. I saw then that the back of the van had blacked-out windows, and it was a safe bet that the vampires' coffins were likely back there in case daytime travel was required. Out here in the middle of nowhere, stars clustered the sky, and night insects rained down a symphony of chatter. The faint outline of a house appeared. No lights were on within. â€Å"Can we do it SWAT team style?† asked Cody eagerly. â€Å"Surround the house and swoop in?† â€Å"I don't think that's necessary,† said Roman. He gave the door a sharp kick. It shuddered but didn't come close to breaking apart action-movie style. Keeping his nephilim powers in check meant he had the same abilities as a human. Peter sighed. â€Å"Let me.† He took Roman's place, repeated the kick, and this time the door did burst in and break apart. With their goofy attitudes, it was easy to forget sometimes that both Cody and Peter had super fast reflexes and enhanced strength. Peter stepped back, brushing splinters off his pants. The foursome entered, and a light turned on in the back of the house. â€Å"What the hell?† a voice demanded. What the hell, indeed. Dante entered the room. He took one look at my friends and said, â€Å"Oh, shit.† Then he bolted back toward the room he'd come from, no doubt heading for a window. He was too slow, though. In a flash, Cody had Dante by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him back to the living room, shoving my ex-boyfriend into a chair. Dante immediately started to rise, noticed how my friends had closed rank around him, and then thought better of it. Dante sighed. â€Å"Well, I knew this had to happen some day. Why didn't your boss come himself?† He peered at Roman. â€Å"And haven't I seen you somewhere?† Dante had seen Roman on a beach when we rescued Jerome from the summoning. There'd been a fair amount of chaos, so I wasn't surprised Dante's memory was sketchy – especially since he'd been beaten up by a demon. â€Å"We're not here because of Jerome,† snapped Hugh. Then, he reconsidered. â€Å"Well, we are, but not for the reasons you think.† â€Å"Answer our questions, and you might live another day,† said Peter. Apparently, the action-movie theme was still going strong. â€Å"Where's Georgina?† demanded Roman. It was interesting that every time my immortal posse interrogated someone, they phrased the question that way first, instead of, â€Å"Do you know where Georgina is?† When you worked for Hell, everyone was guilty until proven innocent. Dante's face lost some of its fear and took on its usual cynical look. He tossed messy black hair out of his face. â€Å"In Seattle, sleeping with that fucking writer.† â€Å"No,† said Roman. â€Å"She's not.† â€Å"She's not what? In Seattle or sleeping with the writer?† Dante arched an eyebrow. â€Å"And who are you exactly?† â€Å"The muscle,† said Hugh dryly. â€Å"Georgina's gone. Vanished. And if anyone's got reason to make her disappear† – he paused and glanced uneasily at Roman – â€Å"it's you.† â€Å"I'm not the kind of magician that pulls rabbits out of my hat. Or makes them disappear.† Dante was growing more and more confident, now that he knew Jerome wasn't going to send him to the torture pits of Hell. â€Å"If you can't find her, ask your archdemon. Unless he's been summoned again, he'll know.† â€Å"He doesn't,† said Cody. â€Å"But maybe you already knew that.† Dante rolled his eyes. â€Å"You think I'm going to go anywhere near Seattle when there's a price on my head? Do you think I'm hiding out in the fucking sticks because I want to? The best I can do is sell charms and fake fortunes to tourists in Coeur d'Alene.† â€Å"Carter should have come with us,† said Hugh in exasperation. â€Å"He should have known that too after sending us here.† Dante stiffened, his arrogance faltering. â€Å"That angel knows where I am? Then Jerome has to know.† â€Å"He's keeping it from Jerome. For now.† Peter was still using that melodramatic voice. â€Å"That can change if you don't help us.† â€Å"I don't know where she fucking is, okay? I told you: I can't make a succubus disappear.† Roman's hand closed around Dante's neck in a fair approximation of Jerome. Even without supernatural abilities, Roman was still strong. â€Å"You've worked with immortals before. You could do it again and have them do the dirty work.† â€Å"I show my face to any immortal, and I'm a dead man,† choked Dante. Roman fixed Dante with a dark glare that reminded me of the time Roman had tried to kill me. And when he had killed me in a recent Oneroi dream. At last, Roman let go. Rubbing his neck, a puzzled Dante asked again, â€Å"Who are you?† Cody glanced at the others. â€Å"Do you think he's lying?† â€Å"Wouldn't surprise me,† said Hugh. He crossed his arms across his broad chest. â€Å"But maybe you can be useful. What could make a succubus disappear?† â€Å"What'll you give me for helping you?† asked Dante slyly. Yes, that was my ex. Always looking for an advantage. â€Å"We won't call Jerome,† growled Peter. This time, the anger in his voice was not faux movie style. It was real, again a reminder that at the end of the day, he really was a vampire who could break necks easily. This sobered Dante up. â€Å"Fine. Not that I care what the fuck happens to her. How did she disappear?† Again, the story was recounted, something that was beginning to depress me – largely because everyone seemed to emphasize just how depressed and miserable my life was. â€Å"It's a lure,† said Dante with certainty. â€Å"We know that,† said Roman. â€Å"Erik told us.† Dante scowled at the mention of his nemesis. â€Å"Of course he did. It's a wonder you need me with his almighty wisdom at your disposal.† â€Å"What would lure her?† said Peter, no doubt interrupting Dante from asking again who Roman was. â€Å"All sorts of things,† said Dante. â€Å"Anything could create a lure, but visions like that would most likely be tied to dreams. Did you guys lose Nyx again?† â€Å"No,† said Hugh. Dante shrugged. â€Å"Then look for something else that can control dreams, maybe try a – â€Å" I stood in the village I'd grown up in. The transition was so abrupt that I was dizzy for a moment. There hadn't been a transition, no fragmenting of the image or a fade to black. It had been a quick movie cut. A bad editing job. I stared around, seeing again the place that had caused me so much torment. I wondered what else the Oneroi had to show me here and why I'd come here so suddenly. I'd already relived the false wedding accusations. At one point, they'd even had me dream the true story of how my infidelity had led to me selling my soul. I was probably now in store for some new contrived horror. The world spun around me, the buildings and people moving around in rough-spun clothes dizzying me. â€Å"Are you all right?† a voice asked. Turning around, the scenery settled a bit and I found myself looking into the face of an ancient man. Bushy eyebrows stretched across a heavily lined brow, nearly obscuring dark brown eyes. â€Å"Yes†¦I'm fine.† I frowned and did a double take. â€Å"Gaius?† Those eyebrows rose. â€Å"Have we met?† I stared, unable to speak for a moment. I'd known Gaius since the time I could walk. He was a blacksmith, the brawniness of his arms proving as much. But he'd been young the last time I'd seen him, a man in his prime. With no control, words spilled off my lips, words I'd spoken before when I'd lived this event the first time. This was a true memory. So far. â€Å"We met a very long time ago,† I said. He chuckled. â€Å"Girl, I'd remember you. And ‘a very long time ago' could only have been a few years for you.† I became aware of my body, knowing what I looked like even without a mirror. I had shape-shifted just before entering the village, taking on a form I had sworn I would never, ever wear again. And, in fact, after this day, I never would wear it again. I was in my original body: fifteen-year-old Letha, too tall with thick, tangled black hair. I'd come here to find out something. Something I had to know. I gave Gaius a weak nod. My old self had been as shocked as my current self at what time had done to him. How long since I'd become a succubus and left my village? Thirty years ago? â€Å"Can you tell me†¦is there a man here – a fisherman – named Marthanes? Does his family still live here?† â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Same house they've always been in, out past the – â€Å" â€Å"I know where it is,† I said quickly. He shrugged, not minding my interruption. â€Å"He's probably down at the bay, though. He's too old to still be working but swears his sons-in-law can't get by without him.† Sons-in-law. Of course. My sisters would have gotten married long ago. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. I began to walk away. â€Å"It was nice seeing you again.† He gave me a puzzled look but said nothing more. I walked toward the bay, where the water glowed with such a vivid, teal-tinged blue that it seemed to be some Technicolor vision. Surely nothing in nature could produce such beauty. Longing and nostalgia welled up within my watching self. The town was busy at midday, and I recognized more faces than I expected. Children I'd known grown to adulthood, adults I'd known now in their golden years. The waterfront was just as busy, with ships loading and unloading goods that made commerce in the Mediterranean boom. It took me a while to find my father, and here, I earned more looks than I had in the village. Women were rare in this district, choosing to avoid the rough sailors and workers. I located my father largely because of his voice, shouting orders just as he had in my youth. â€Å"Are you trying to cost me a fortune? What do you do out there all day? My granddaughter could catch this many fish wading by the beach!† He was yelling at a man I didn't know, his face sheepish and cowed as he displayed what must have been today's meager catch. I wondered if this was one of my sisters' husbands. The man promised to do better and then scurried away. â€Å"Fa – Marthanes?† My father turned at my approach, and I tried not to gasp. Like Gaius, the years had carved away Marthanes the fisherman as well. How old would he be now? Sixties? Seventies? Time had grown blurred since I became immortal. â€Å"What do you want?† he snapped. â€Å"I've got no use for prostitutes anymore. Go down to Claudius if you're looking for business. He hasn't slept with his own wife in ten years. Not that I blame him. That woman's a harpy.† Age might have grayed and thinned out his hair, lines might have creased his face†¦but my father's tongue was still the same. â€Å"N-no. That's not why I'm here. I met you†¦a few years ago.† He frowned, looking me up and down. â€Å"Never seen you in my life. Pretty sure I'd remember someone as tall as you.† As a succubus, I could change into any man's fantasy, taking on the shape of a woman whose beauty transcended words. Yet, even with that ability, the old remarks about my height still stung. â€Å"Well, I remember you.† Seeing his eyes shift impatiently to his workers, I asked, â€Å"Do you know a musician named Kyriakos? He'd be my age – er, about thirty years older than me. He used to live south of town.† My father snorted. â€Å"That Kyriakos? He's no musician. He took over his father's business when he died. Does okay with it, even though the rates he demands for my fish are ridiculous.† â€Å"Does he still live in his same house?† â€Å"You mean his father's house? Yes. Like you said, in the south.† My father's restlessness was palpable now. He didn't know me. He had no use for me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. I was about to tell him it was nice to see him, as I had Gaius, but my father was gone before I could. With a heavy heart, I walked back through town but instead of heading south, I took a detour to my old home, wondering what I'd discover. What I found was my mother, hanging clothing outside, humming as she did. Off to the house's side a middle-aged woman dug herbs out of the ground. It took me a few moments to recognize her as my younger sister. My mother's face was different, but her kind eyes were still the same as she gave me directions to a place I already knew. My sister glanced up and watched a moment, then returned to her work. Neither recognized me. Just like with my father, I was a brief interruption to their day. I'd known this would happen. It was what I'd sold my soul for. My contract with Hell had erased all memories of me from everyone who had ever known me. The Oneroi had shown me a lie on my wedding day. I'd been a virgin, faithful to Kyriakos. But a couple years later, weakness had struck me. I'd betrayed him, and it had devastated him more than anyone could have imagined. He'd wanted to kill himself over the heartache, and only my bargain had saved him. That was the truth. Still†¦some part of me had thought maybe, just maybe someone might recognize me. Just the faintest spark of remembrance. Kyriakos could have been down near my father, overseeing his fleet, but something told me he'd be doing administrative tasks, not manual labor. My hunch was correct. Before I'd become a succubus, Kyriakos and I had had our own house. He must have moved back to his family's home after Hell erased his memories. I braced myself to meet the lady of the house, the woman Kyriakos must have undoubtedly married. But when he came out to see who was visiting him, I found him alone. Seeing him made my heart stop. He too had been touched by age, but he was still young enough that the lines were few. Only the faintest of gray graced his hair, and like my mother, his eyes were the same. Dark and wonderful and full of goodness. â€Å"Do you need help?† he asked, voice friendly and curious. For a moment, I couldn't speak. I was drunk from seeing him, filled with a mix of love and pain. I wished so badly that I had stayed with him, that I had never committed such sins. I wished I didn't wear this youthful face. I should have grown old with him. My ability to conceive children had seemed sketchy at the time, but maybe we would have eventually had a family. Just like with everyone else, I claimed to need directions, stammering out the first random place I could think of. He described the way in detail, though I already knew it. â€Å"Do you want me to escort you there? This is a safe area†¦but you never know.† I smiled but felt no joy. The same Kyriakos. Infinitely kind to others, even a stranger. â€Å"I'll be fine. I don't want to take you from your work.† I hesitated. â€Å"We met†¦a few years ago.† â€Å"Did we?† He studied me, apparently searching for the memory. His eyes remained blank, though. No trace of recognition. I was a stranger. I had never existed for him. I wondered if he'd even remember me when I left here. He shook his head, sounding sincerely apologetic. â€Å"I'm sorry. I don't recall it†¦.† He was waiting for my name. â€Å"Letha.† The word burned on my lips. Like this shape, the name was dead to me. Only Hell ever used it. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said again. â€Å"It's okay. Maybe I'm wrong. I thought†¦I thought you were a musician.† When we'd been married, he worked for his father but had hopes of giving that up and playing music full-time. Kyriakos chuckled. â€Å"Only as a hobby. Most of my days are hunched over numbers.† The loss of his ambition made me almost as sad as his lack of memory. â€Å"Well†¦your wife must be glad to have you home.† â€Å"Not married, I'm afraid.† He was still smiling. â€Å"My sister keeps house for me when she's around.† â€Å"Not married?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"But why? At your age†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I blushed, realizing how rude I sounded. â€Å"I'm sorry.† He wasn't offended. â€Å"At your age, marriage is all girls think about, huh? You probably have a dozen suitors with as pretty as you are.† Typical. Few had found me pretty while mortal; he had always believed me beautiful. â€Å"I just never found the right woman. I'd rather be alone than spend my life with the wrong person.† A dreamy, sad look filled his features, and then he shook his head and laughed. It was an uneasy laugh. â€Å"Anyway, you don't want to hear some old man babbling about romantic nonsense. Are you sure you don't want me to show you the way?† â€Å"No, no†¦I think I know where it's at now. Thank you.† I started to turn away and then paused. â€Å"Kyriakos†¦are you†¦are you happy?† This question from someone less than half his age caught him by surprise. And I was surprised he answered. â€Å"Happy? Well†¦content, I guess. I have a good life. Better than most. A very good life, really. Sometimes I wonder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My breath caught. â€Å"Wonder what?† â€Å"Nothing,† he said, giving me another good-natured smile. â€Å"More nonsense. Yes, Letha. I'm happy. Why do you want to know?† â€Å"Nonsense of my own,† I murmured. â€Å"And you're sure you don't remember me?† I had my answer before I spoke. No. Those eyes had never laid sight on me before. I was just an odd, passing girl. I was no one. â€Å"I'm sorry, I don't.† He winked. â€Å"But I'll remember you now.† Somehow, I doubted it. Leaving him, I felt my heart break. Really, my heart was breaking all the time. You'd think it could only happen once. This was what I'd wanted. What I'd gambled eternity for. Kyriakos was happy. I'd saved him and should be happy in return. Yet, I felt unhappier than I had since becoming a succubus. I decided at that moment I'd never use Letha's shape or name again. I wanted to wipe her from my mind too†¦. â€Å"It's so easy with you,† hissed the Oneroi. It was Two, I thought. I was back in the box. â€Å"We don't even need the ivory gate.† I was so scarred from that memory of Kyriakos, by the truth of what it really meant to be erased from someone's life, that I was inclined to agree with Two. Then, a tiny spark within me glimmered just a bit. I studied the two Oneroi carefully. â€Å"What was the other dream?† I asked. â€Å"Before the one about my husband? Why didn't you let it finish?† â€Å"It did finish,† said One. Their blue, blue eyes were the same, revealing nothing. â€Å"It didn't,† I argued. â€Å"You cut it off. It didn't go the way you planned, did it? My friends found out something from Dante – something you didn't want them to know.† â€Å"They found nothing,† Two replied. â€Å"It was a lie. We gave you false hope, hope that will turn to ashes when you find yourself spending the rest of eternity here.† â€Å"You're the lie,† I said. The spark within my ragged, worn body flared just a little more. â€Å"The dream was true.† One continued the denial. â€Å"The only truth is that you can't tell the difference. And that there is no hope.† â€Å"You're lying,† I said, but as those cold sets of eyes surveyed me, my spark wavered. Uncertainty spread within me. I'd been through so much, a mental rape of sorts, that I questioned once more if I trusted myself. My words were bold, but I no longer knew if I could believe them. Two smiled, able to see into my mind. â€Å"Dream,† he said.