Puritanism And The Native People Example

Puritanism And The Native People Example Puritanism And The Native People – Coursework Example Puritanism and the Native People William Bradford sees Indians as noble savages who should be punished for treating other people in bad ways. Though William Bradford is portrayed as a very pious man, his Christian values are not portrayed in his behavior towards the Indians and less fortunate people. On one hand he praises God for His care during the journey while on the other hand, he comments that it pleased God to smite a young man with a terrible illness, which seems to imply that he had a revengeful heart contrary to his Christian belief where we should not rejoice during other peoples misery, though they have wronged us. The man in the story had been offending and speaking in an evil manner to the people on the ship but this did not mean he died for revenge.Mary Rowlandson sees native Indians as bad Indians and this is because they burnt her home, killed her friends and family and took her into captivity, and this could have been a cause for her to create bitterness in her hear t towards them. She does not seem to have been treated with the cruelty that her other prisoners are given probably due to the fact that she complies with what she is told to do. She acknowledges that it is God who has made every positive thing to happen. She notes that the Indians had been preserved by God to facilitate the punishment of her backslidden members of her family and people due to the evil things they have done. She acknowledges that God is ready to save always and gives an example of her spiritual reawakening after such a harrowing experience in the hands of the Indians. She also portrays anti Christian attitude by asserting that her race was superior to the Indians. She does not show Christian character when she does not empathize with the death of an Indian woman’s child. John Smith attitude towards the Indians had a mixture of negative and positive aspects. He liked the Indians because they fed him and because they were gifted in the expansion of trade with Europe and especially King Powhatan who wanted to expand His Kingdom. He had a internal dislike for the Indians because he considered them to be smarter than he was and depended on their help to survive in an era that was full of violence. His attitude towards the native people expresses the truest description because it expresses their negative and positive sides, which is right because people cannot be perfect and they have their good and bad sides.Work CitedRowlandson, Mary. Puritanism, Indians and Witchcraft, 2011. A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

8 Amateur Mistakes You Must Avoid at Work

8 Amateur Mistakes You Must Avoid at Work Sometimes getting jobs, changing jobs, and dreaming about dream jobs takes up so much of our career energy that we forget to focus on the job we’re in now. Take care not to make careless mistakes or get too complacent. Make sure you’re not guilty of any of the following blundersand then go back to daydreaming.1. Playing politicsIt never pays to be cutthroat, backstab, or even to go in the other direction and be sickeningly nice to everyone. People can read a phony from miles away. Don’t be one.Rather than constantly posturing, stick to your own personality, smoothed over a bit to maintain your professionalism, of course. Be genuine.2. Over-taskingMulti-tasking is one thing- and a very valuable skill, but it can be overdone. When you have too much on your plate, some projects will get lost in the shuffle. Keep your head, choose your priorities, and stay focused on one thing at a time whenever possible. That means not answering emails or texts during meetings, and actually listening when your colleagues speak.3. WhiningNobody likes all aspects of their job. But everyone appreciates a positive attitude. Keep quiet about what makes you most disgruntled, even if you really wish you could blast it on Twitter for sheer catharsis. Focus on what you can change, and stay quiet about the rest. If things are really all that bad, start looking for another job.4. Promising too muchWe all want to be the hero and say â€Å"yes† whenever called upon. But it’s important to make sure you can deliver on the promises you make. Don’t overextend yourself and end up disappointing people. Help whenever you can, and push yourself to greater heights, but stay honest and don’t let expectations get away from you.5. StruttingKnow your place. If you’ve just started in a company, don’t walk around like the C.E.O. You have to earn your coworkers’ (and boss’s) respect over time. That way, when you run the place, everyo ne will still like you, as well as fear you.6.  Being antisocialDon’t just mainline a salad at your desk, or grab lunch with only your team every day as if nothing else- not even the rest of the company- exists. Don’t forget to make friends that aren’t necessarily working with you on a day-to-day basis. It will help you maintain a work-life balance, even at the office. And it helps you make more connections and develop a more diverse profile at your company and in your field.7. Not answering opportunity’s knockEven if you like your job, you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to new opportunities. You never know when a better position or more exciting opportunity will come your way. It pays to be prepared.8.  Letting small failures keep you downWe all make mistakes. What we should all do is learn from them. It keeps us from making even more mistakes, keeps us humble, and keeps us improving ourselves in hopes of greater and greater success.

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Ethics - Essay Example that there is only one right or better way to think about moral problems; â€Å"for example, the same figure can be seen as a square or a diamond, depending on its orientation in relation to a surrounding frame†¦a bird-watcher and a rabbit-keeper are likely to see the duck-rabbit figure in different ways, yet this difference does not imply that one way is better or a higher form of perceptual organization.† (p.229). Gilligan is imperative on the thinking that the conception of the moral domain is comprised of at least two moral orientations, and that these orientations raise new questions about observed differences in moral judgment and the disappointments to which they give rise. Factors such as the necessary distinction between differences in developmental stage and differences in orientation are strong issues in her discussion, and it is stated pronouncedly that her research on moral orientation derives from an observation which was made in the course of studying the relationship between moral judgment and action. Gilligan also speaks strongly about the issue of abortion, explaining that the language of the public abortion debate reveals a specific and significant justice perspective. â€Å"Whether the abortion dilemma is cast as a conflict of rights or in terms of respect for human life, the claims of the fetus and of the pregnant woman are balanced or placed in opposition.† (p.233) Gilligan uses various studies in her research and writing, in order to show the relation between the ethics of care and the issue of justice. One study of particular importance in this case is the one which two medical students were cast to each report a decision not to turn in someone who has violated the school rules against drinking, and who â€Å"cast their decision in different terms. One student constructs the decision as a net of mercy, a decision to override justice in light of the fact that the violator has shown ‘the proper degrees of contrition.’† (p.234). This study

IMPROVING JOB SATISFACTION AND MORAL THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Essay

IMPROVING JOB SATISFACTION AND MORAL THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - Essay Example Extrinsic motivators don’t do much in this regard that is why intrinsic motivators like satisfaction. Employees rate pleasant working conditions like a gift from the firm (Organ, 1988). In a study conducted by Burke and Wilcox (1969) it was found that a clear effect was attributable to openness in communication between superior and a subordinate; the greater openness of either superior or subordinate (or even both), the greater satisfaction of subordinate regarding five variables that directly depend on satisfaction. These comprise of â€Å"(1) Satisfaction with the Company, (2) Satisfaction with the Job, (3) Satisfaction with Performance Appraisal and Development Interview (climate for growth), (4) presence of a "Helping Relationship," and (5) Satisfaction with Supervisor† (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). This openness is more effective when initiated by the superior. When a superior initiates openness in conversation and behavior, the subordinate responds accordingly. The open ness doesn’t respond to any causal relationship (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). Communication is inevitable and absolutely essential for healthy functioning of an organization (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). Degree of openness in communication process is the key element that decides its effectiveness (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). An organization can cash in dividends by fostering effective communication and overcoming barriers to it (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). Summary Various studies have been conducted on recognizing patterns regarding job satisfaction. Obvious factors like personal preferences and the nature of job also play their part for an employee, but that is solely on employee’s discretion.... The author concludes that effective communication doesn’t need to be rigid and formal, in fact researches emphasize on the openness of communication and how it generates comfort level between superior and subordinate. Gone are the days of threatening an employee with firing unless certain benchmarks are met. These days the nature of work has changed dramatically, it is not possible anymore to impose rigid measuring frames to ‘qualify/quantify’ and employee’s performance. So under this added complexity at work, how employers cope with job frustration and boredom from employees? They bring in the motivational language. Job satisfaction increases productivity, the more the workforce considers themselves a part of the corporate the more they contribute. Now the question remains as what qualifies as a positive motivator and what constitutes as a failure. Incentives and perks has their importance as well as effective communication. Moreover, communication needs t o be effective in order to fulfill its purpose. The level openness in a talk between superiors and subordinates can achieve this effectiveness. This openness needs to be initiated by the superiors, as subordinates respond to this openness in a desired way. Such rapport creates comfort level at job. The easier the work environment becomes the low the job turnover will be. Job satisfaction is also related with employee participation in corporate dynamics. The more the employees involve in work place affairs, the greater is job satisfaction as well as performance.

Conquerors or Jinas Essay Example for Free

Conquerors or Jinas Essay Jainism originated in ancient East India by the birth and ultimate liberation of twenty four conquerors or Jinas. People of the Jain faith believe that Jinas are human beings who become divine by subduing their sensual desires and overcoming karma, which is the accumulation of good and bad deeds. Good deeds allow living beings to be reincarnated into superior forms, while bad deeds force them to accept inferior forms after death (â€Å"Jainism†). The Jains believe that the first Jina or conqueror was a giant living on earth 8. 4 million years ago. The last Jina was Mahavira or The Great Hero, born in 550 BC. Mahavira is known as the founder of Jainism, seeing that he was able to attract a large number of followers to his faith (â€Å"Jain Dharma†). Like Siddharta Buddha, Mahavira had belonged to the warrior caste and â€Å"renounced the world† at the age of thirty (â€Å"History of Jainism†). Also like the Buddha, Mahavira had sought spiritual reality in the solitude of asceticism. Ultimately he had found enlightenment, although it had taken him thirteen long years to get there. He had converted eleven Brahmans to his faith soon after. By the time of his death, he had founded a community of ascetics with fourteen thousand monks and thirty six thousand nuns. Mahavira is further known to have starved himself to death – a practice referred to as salekhana (â€Å"History of Jainism†). According to the Jains, Mahavira is one of the fortunate ones, as he has â€Å"conquered love and hate, pleasure and pain, attachment and aversion, and has thereby freed ‘his’ soul from the karmas obscuring knowledge, perception, truth, and ability (â€Å"Jain Dharma†). † The first and foremost principle of living taught by Jainism is called Ahimsa or non-violence toward all living beings. Thus, the followers of Jainism have never encountered a problem of violence in their history. The only issue that the people of the Jain faith have had to confront is disunity. Two hundred years after the attainment of nirvana on the part of Mahavira, the Jain faith was divided into two sects: the Digambar and the Svetambar. Both sects hold different views or beliefs about a number of issues. For example, Digambar monks of the Jain faith do not wear anything because of their belief that clothes serve as reminders of the world. Svetambar monks, on the other hand, are known to wear seamless clothes that are usually colored white. Moreover, the Digambars are of the opinion that women are unable to attain liberation while they are living as women on earth. Svetambars, on the contrary, believe that women may indeed achieve liberation seeing that one of the Jinas was a woman. Likewise, the Digambars and Svetambars have varied views about the prayers that are traditionally recited by the Jains (â€Å"Jainism†). The Jains do not believe in a creator of the universe. According to them, the world is without beginning or end. Furthermore, there is no single god of the universe (Sivananda). The following is a prayer of the Jains describing their unique concept of divinity, following by a brief introduction of the same: I bow to the Arahants, the perfected human beings, Godmen. I bow to the Siddhas, liberated bodiless souls, God. I bow to the Acharyas, the masters and heads of congregations. I bow to the Upadhyayas, the spiritual teachers. I bow to the spiritual practitioners in the universe, Sadhus. This fivefold obeisance mantra destroys all sins and obstacles, and of all auspicious repetitions, is the first and foremost (Welcome to Jainism. org). Jains believe that all living beings are the same essential soul, but those human beings that perfect or liberate themselves are turned into gods. These souls – part of the single soul of all living beings, albeit separate – are worshipped by the Jains. Furthermore, these souls are the only ones that do not have to deal with karma any longer. They have achieved salvation through enlightenment, abandonment of worldly attachments, and asceticism. By controlling their selfish desires, they have followed their spiritual teachers to the core. For them, Jainism is the only true religion. Additionally, by attaining the divine status, they have become omnipotent and omnipresent (Sivananda). Before becoming gods, the liberated souls were able to achieve death at will. On the other hand are souls that are so attached to life that they do not wish to end their lives on earth. Such souls die nevertheless. Their death is Akama Marana, the death of helplessness, leading the soul to return to earth in an inferior form (â€Å"Death in Jainism†). There are seventeen kinds of deaths in the Jain faith: â€Å"Avici-marana; Avadhimarana; Atyantika-marana; Vasarta-marana; Valana-marana; Antahsalya-marana; Tadhava-marana; Akama marana; Pandita-marana; Balpandita-marana; Chadmastha-marana; Kevali-marana; Vaihayasa-marana; Guddhapristha-marana; Bhaktapratyakhyana-marana; Inginta-marana; and Padopagamana-marana (â€Å"Death in Jainism†). † Unsurprisingly, all of these separate types of deaths lead to a different kind of life after death. Jains are believers in the reincarnation of all living beings. Thus, the soul that dies the Pandita-marana death is said to have left the earth in peace and with satisfaction (â€Å"Death in Jainism†). The best kind of death is, of course, the very last one, that is, the end that leads to ultimate liberation from the process of rebirth (â€Å"Jainism†). Besides Ahimsa or non-violence, which forbids actions that cause verbal, emotional or physical harm to living beings; the principles of human behavior that the Jains must adhere to include the principle of Satya or the command to speak the truth and avoid falsehood; Asteya, or the command not to steal; Brahmacharya, or the principle demanding all Jains to remain monogamous in their sexual relationships; and Aparigraha, which is the principle of detaching oneself from the world by a reduction of worldly desires and abstinence from hoarding of material wealth (â€Å"Jain Dharma†). The Jains do not convert people to their faith. Hence, anybody who is willing to follow the faith of Jainism must believe in these moral principles and follow them without compulsion (â€Å"Jainism†). Jains additionally believe that every living being has the potential to attain ultimate liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The perfect and liberated souls serve as models on the path of attaining liberation. However, all living beings are responsible for their individual good or bad actions (â€Å"Jainism†). In order to attain ultimate salvation, souls must also believe in the triple jewels, that is, â€Å"[r]ight faith, right knowledge and right conduct (Sivananda). † Right faith constitutes belief in the perfect and liberated souls as real gods, the Jaina Sastras (written by spiritual teachers) as the scriptures of the Jain faith, and the saints of Jainism as the real teachers. Right knowledge provides the follower of Jainism with an eye of certainty that sheds all doubts. Right conduct, of course, constitutes the five moral principles that all Jains must adhere to, including Ahimsa, which compels all Jains to live as vegetarians (Sivananda). Lastly, Jains believe in overcoming all biases and prejudices, and gathering the viewpoints of others, despite the fact that the followers of the faith are divided into sects (â€Å"Jainism†). Works Cited â€Å"Death in Jainism. † Answers. 2007. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. answers. com/death%20in%20jainism. â€Å"History of Jainism. † Religion Facts. 2007. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. religionfacts. com/jainism/history. htm. â€Å"Jain Dharma. † Religious Tolerance. 15 Aug 2005. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. religioustolerance. org/jainism. htm. â€Å"Jainism. † Answers. 2007. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. answers. com/topic/jainism. Sivananda, Sri Swami. Jainism. 17 Oct 2004. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. dlshq. org/religions/jainism. htm. Welcome to Jainism. org. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. jainism. org/.

The Great Depression :: essays research papers

Introduction It should be noted that all of the cures have been tried and while we seem to be free of Depressions, it's not clear that business cycles have been eliminated. Causes The Stock Market Crash The Stock Market Crash in October of 1929 is often cited as the beginning of the Great Depression, but did it actually cause it? The answer is no. First, the stock price for a particular company merely reflects current information about the future income stream of that company. Thus, it is a change in available information that changes the stock price. When the Fed began to raise interest rates in early 1929, this began the tumble. However, a stock market crash could cause people to increase their liquidity preference which might lead them to hoard money. In the August 1990 issue of The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Christine D. Romer writes that "the negative effect of stock market variability is more than strong enough to account for the entire decline in real consumer spending on durables that occurred in late 1929 and 1930." Hoarding Money People hoard money because they have a liquidity preference. I.e., people want to have their assets in a readily convertible form, such as money. There are several misconceptions about hoarding money. First hoarding is not the same thing as saving. If I put my money into a savings account, that money is lent out to someone else who then spends it. Second, hoarding, by itself, cannot cause a recession or depression. As long as prices and wages drop instantly to reflect the lower amount of money in the economy, then hoarding causes no problems. Indeed, hoarding can even be seen as beneficial to those who don't hoard, since their money will be able to buy more goods as a result of the lower prices. If a country has a gold standard, then hoarding money can make the money supply drop dramatically since a gold standard makes the quantity of money difficult for the government to control. The Gold Standard At the time of the Great Depression,America had a 100% gold standard for its money. This meant that all cash was backed by a government promise to redeem it in a specific amount of gold (at the time, one ounce of gold was redeemable for twenty dollars). Because the amount of money circulating in the economy is wholly dependent on the amount of gold available, the money supply is very rigid.

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-one

THERE WAS LITTLE MORE MIKHAIL and I could say to each other after that. I didn't want him to get in trouble for what he'd done, and I let him lead us out of the guardians' building in silence. As we emerged outside, I could see the sky purpling in the east. The sun was nearly up, signaling the middle of our night. Briefly flipping into Lissa's mind, I read that the Death Watch had finally ended, and she was on her way back to her room–worried about me and still annoyed that Christian had shown up with Mia. I followed Lissa's example, wondering if sleep might ease the agony that Dimitri had left in my heart. Probably not. Still, I thanked Mikhail for his help and the risk he'd taken. He merely nodded, like there was nothing to thank him for. It was exactly what he would have wanted me to do for him if our roles had been reversed and Ms. Karp had been the one behind bars. I feel into a heavy sleep back in my bed, but my dreams were troubled. Over and over, I kept hearing Dimitri tell me he couldn't love me anymore. It beat into me over and over, smashing my heart into little pieces. At one point, it became more than a dreamlike beating. I heard real beating. Someone was pounding on my door, and slowly, I dragged myself out of my awful dreams. Bleary-eyed, I went to the door and found Adrian. The scene was almost a mirror of last night when he'd come to invite me to the Death Watch. Only this time, his face was much grimmer. For a second, I thought he'd heard about my visit to Dimitri. Or that maybe he'd gotten in a lot more trouble than we'd realized for sneaking half of his friends into a secret funeral. â€Å"Adrian†¦ this is early for you†¦.† I glanced over at a clock, discovering that I'd actually slept in pretty late. â€Å"Not early at all,† he confirmed, face still serious. â€Å"Lots of stuff going on. I had to come tell you the news before you heard it somewhere else.† â€Å"What news?† â€Å"The Council's verdict. They finally passed that big resolution they've been debating. The one you came in for.† â€Å"Wait. They're done?† I recalled what Mikhail had said, that a mystery issue had been keeping the Council busy. If it was finished, then they could move on to something else–say, like, officially declaring Dimitri a dhampir again. â€Å"That's great news.† And if this really was tied into when Tatiana had had me come describe my skills†¦ well, was there really a chance I might be named Lissa's guardian? Could the queen have really come through? She'd seemed friendly enough last night. Adrian regarded me with something I'd never seen from him: pity. â€Å"You have no idea, do you?† â€Å"No idea about what?† â€Å"Rose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He gently rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"The Council just passed a decree lowering the guardian age to sixteen. Dhampirs'll graduate when they're sophomores and then go out for assignments.† â€Å"What?† Surely I'd misheard. â€Å"You know how panicked they've been about protection and not having enough guardians, right?† He sighed. â€Å"This was their solution to increasing your numbers.† â€Å"But they're too young!† I cried. â€Å"How can anyone think sixteen-year-olds are ready to go out and fight?† â€Å"Well,† said Adrian, â€Å"because you testified that they were.† My mouth dropped, everything freezing around me. You testified that they were†¦ No. It couldn't be possible. Adrian gently nudged my arm, trying to shake me out of my stupor. â€Å"Come on, they're still wrapping up. They made the announcement in an open session, and some people are†¦ a little upset.† â€Å"Yeah, I'll say.† He didn't need to tell me twice. I immediately started to follow, then realized I was in my pajamas. I quickly changed and brushed my hair, still scarcely able to believe what he'd just said. My preparation only took five minutes, and then we were out the door. Adrian wasn't overly athletic, but he kept a pretty good pace as we headed toward the Council's hall. â€Å"How did this happen?† I asked. â€Å"You don't really mean that†¦ that what I said played a role?† I'd meant my words to be a demand, but they came out with more of a pleading note. He lit a cigarette without breaking stride, and I didn't bother chastising him for it. â€Å"It's apparently been a hot topic for a while. It was a pretty close vote. The people pushing for it knew they'd need to show a lot of evidence to win. You were their grand prize: a teen dhampir slaying Strigoi left and right, long before graduation.† â€Å"Not that long,† I muttered, my fury kindling. Sixteen? Were they serious? It was ludicrous. The fact that I had been unknowingly used to support this decree made me sick to my stomach. I'd been a fool, thinking they'd all ignored my rule breaking and had simply paraded me in to praise me. They'd used me. Tatiana had used me. When we reached it, the Council hall was in as much chaos as Adrian had implied. True, I hadn't spent a lot of time in these kinds of meetings, but I was pretty sure that people standing up in clusters and yelling at each other wasn't normal. The Council's herald probably didn't usually scream himself hoarse trying to bring order to the crowd either. The only spot of calm was Tatiana herself, sitting patiently in her seat at the center of the table, just as Council etiquette dictated. She looked very pleased with herself. The rest of her colleagues had lost all sense of propriety and were on their feet like the audience, arguing amongst themselves or anyone else ready to pick a fight. I stared in amazement, unsure what to do in all this disorder. â€Å"Who voted for what?† I asked. Adrian studied the Council members and ticked them off on his fingers. â€Å"Szelsky, Ozera, Badica, Dashkov, Conta, and Drozdov. They were against it.† â€Å"Ozera?† I asked in surprise. I didn't know the Ozera princess–Evette–very well, but she'd always seemed pretty stiff and unpleasant. I had new respect for her now. Adrian nodded over to where Tasha was furiously addressing a large group of people, eyes flashing and arms waving wildly. â€Å"Evette was persuaded by some of her family members.† That made me smile too, but only for a moment. It was good that Tasha and Christian were being acknowledged amongst their clan again, but the rest of our problem was still alive and kicking. I could deduce the rest of the names. â€Å"So†¦ Prince Ivashkov voted for it,† I said. Adrian shrugged by way of apology for his family. â€Å"Lazar, Zeklos, Tarus, and Voda.† That the Voda family would vote for extra protection wasn't entirely a surprise, considering the recent slaughter of one of their members. Priscilla wasn't even in her grave yet, and the new Voda prince, Alexander, seemed clearly unsure what to do with his sudden promotion. I gave Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"That's only five to six. Oh.† Realization dawned. â€Å"Shit. Royal tiebreaker.† The Moroi voting system had been set up with twelve members, one for each family, and then whoever the reigning king or queen was. True, it often meant one group got two votes, since the monarch rarely voted against his or her own family. It had been known to happen. Regardless, the system should have had thirteen votes, preventing ties. Except†¦ a recent problem had developed. There were no Dragomirs on the Council anymore, meaning ties could occur. In that rare event, Moroi law dictated that the monarch's vote carried extra weight. I'd heard that had always been controversial, and yet at the same time, there wasn't much to be done for it. Ties in the Council would mean nothing ever got settled, and since monarchs were elected, many took it on faith that they would act in the best interests of the Moroi. â€Å"Tatiana's was the sixth,† I said. â€Å"And hers swayed it.† Glancing around, I saw a bit of anger on the faces of those from the families who had voted against the decree. Apparently, not everyone believed Tatiana had acted in the best interest of the Moroi. Lissa's presence sang to me through the bond, so her arrival a few moments later was no surprise. News had spread fast, though she didn't yet know the fine details. Adrian and I waved her over. She was as dumbfounded as we were. â€Å"How could they do that?† she asked. â€Å"Because they're too afraid that someone might make them learn to defend themselves. Tasha's group was getting too loud.† Lissa shook her head. â€Å"No, not just that. I mean, why were they even in session? We should be in mourning after what happened the other day–publicly. The whole Court, not just some secret part of it. One of the Council members even died! Couldn't they wait for the funeral?† In her mind's eye, I could see the images from that grisly night, where Priscilla had died right before Lissa's eyes. â€Å"But was easily replaceable,† a new voice said. Christian had joined us. Lissa took a few steps away from him, still annoyed about Mia. â€Å"And actually, it's the perfect time. The people who wanted this had to jump at their chance. Every time there's a big Strigoi fight, everyone panics. Fear'll make a lot of people get on board with this. And if any Council members were undecided before this, that battle probably pushed them over.† That was pretty wise reasoning for Christian, and Lissa was impressed, despite her troubled feelings for him right now. The Council's herald finally managed to make his voice heard over the shouts of the audience. I wondered if the group would have quieted down if Tatiana herself had started yelling at them to shut up. But no. That was probably beneath her dignity. She was still sitting there calmly, like nothing unusual was going on. Nonetheless, it took several moments for everyone to settle down and take their seats. My friends and I hurriedly grabbed the first ones we could find. With peace and quiet achieved at last, the weary-looking herald yielded the floor to the queen. Smiling grandly at the assembly, she addressed them in her most imperious voice. â€Å"We'd like to thank everyone for coming today and expressing your†¦ opinions. I know some are still unsure about this decision, but Moroi law has been followed here–laws that have been in place for centuries. We will have another session soon to listen to what you have to say in an orderly fashion.† Something told me that was an empty gesture. People could talk all they wanted; she wouldn't listen. â€Å"This decision–this verdict–will benefit the Moroi. Our guardians are already so excellent.† She gave a condescending nod toward the ceremonial guardians standing along the room's walls. They wore typically neutral faces, but I was guessing that, like me, they probably wanted to punch half the Council. â€Å"They are so excellent, in fact, that they train their students to be ready to defend us at an early age. We will all be safer from tragedies like that whi ch recently occurred.† She lowered her head a moment in what must have been a show of grieving. I recalled last night when she'd choked up over Priscilla. Had that been an act? Was her best friend's death a convenient way for Tatiana to push forward with her own agenda. Surely†¦ surely, she wasn't that cold. The queen lifted her head and continued. â€Å"And again, we're happy to listen to you register your opinions, although by our own laws, this matter is settled. Further sessions will have to wait until an adequate period of mourning has passed for the unfortunate departed.† Her tone and body language implied that this was indeed the end of the discussion. Then, an impertinent voice suddenly broke the room's silence. My voice. â€Å"Well, I'd kind of like to register my opinion now.† Inside my head, Lissa was shouting: Sit down, sit down! But I was already on my feet, moving toward the Council's table. I stopped at a respectful distance, one that would let them notice me but not get me tackled by guardians. And oh, they noticed me. The herald flushed bright red at my rule breaking. â€Å"You are out of line and in violation of all Council protocol! Sit down right now before you are removed.† He glanced over at the guardians, like he expected them to come charging forward right then. None of them moved. Either they didn't perceive me as a threat, or they were wondering what I was going to do. I was also wondering this. With a small, delicate hand gesture, Tatiana waved the herald back. â€Å"I daresay there's been so much breach of protocol today that one more incident won't make a difference.† She fixed me with a kind smile, one that was apparently intended to make us look like friends. â€Å"Besides, Guardian Hathaway is one of our most valuable assets. I'm always interested in what she has to say.† Was she really? Time to find out. I addressed my words to the Council. â€Å"This thing you've just passed is utterly and totally insane.† I considered it a great feat on my part that I didn't use any swear words there because I had some adjectives in mind that were much more fitting. Who said I didn't understand Council etiquette? â€Å"How can any of you sit there and think it's okay to send sixteen-year-olds out to risk their lives?† â€Å"It's only two years' difference,† said the Tarus prince. â€Å"It's not like we're sending ten-year-olds.† â€Å"Two years is a lot.† I thought for a moment about when I'd been sixteen. What had happened in those two years? I'd run off with Lissa, watched friends die, traveled around the world, fallen in love†¦. â€Å"You can live a lifetime in two years. And if you want us to keep being on the front lines–which most of us willingly do when we graduate–then you owe us those two years.† This time, I glanced back at the audience. The reactions were mixed. Some clearly agreed with me, nodding along. Some looked as though nothing in the world would change their minds about the decree being just. Others wouldn't meet my eyes†¦. Had I swayed them? Were they undecided? Embarrassed at their own selfishness? They might be the keys. â€Å"Believe me, I would love to see your people enjoy their youth.† This was Nathan Ivashkov speaking. â€Å"But right now, that's not an option we have. The Strigoi are closing in. We're losing more Moroi and guardians every day. Getting more fighters out there will stop this, and really, we're just letting those dhampirs' skills go to waste by waiting a couple years. This plan will protect both our races.† â€Å"It'll kill mine off faster!† I said. Realizing I might start shouting if I lost control, I took a deep breath before going on. â€Å"They won't be ready. They won't have all the training they need.† And that was where Tatiana herself made her master play. â€Å"Yet, by your own admission, you were certainly prepared at a young age. You killed more Strigoi before you were eighteen than some guardians kill their entire lives.† I fixed her with a narrow-eyed look. â€Å"I,† I said coldly, â€Å"had an excellent instructor. One that you currently have locked up. If you want to talk about skills going to waste, then go look in your own jail.† There was a slight stirring in the audience, and Tatiana's we're pals face grew a little cold. â€Å"That is not an issue we are addressing today. Increasing our protection is. I believe you have even commented in the past that the guardian ranks are lacking in numbers.† My own words, thrown back at me from last night. â€Å"They need to be filled. You–and many of your companions–have proven you're able to defend us.† â€Å"We were exceptions!† It was egotistical, but it was the truth. â€Å"Not all novices have reached that level.† A dangerous glint appeared in her eye, and her voice grew silky smooth again. â€Å"Well, then, perhaps we need more excellent training. Perhaps we should send you to St. Vladimir's or some other academy so that you can improve your young colleagues' education. My understanding is that your upcoming assignment will be a permanent administrative one here at Court. If you wanted to help make this new decree successful, we could change that assignment and make you an instructor instead. It might speed up your return to a bodyguard assignment.† I gave her a dangerous smile of my own. â€Å"Do not,† I warned, â€Å"try to threaten, bribe, or blackmail me. Ever. You won't like the consequences.† That might have been going too far. People in the audience exchanged startled looks. Some of their expressions were disgusted, as though they could expect nothing better of me. I recognized a few of those Moroi. They were ones I'd overheard talking about my relationship with Adrian and how the queen hated it. I also suspected a number of royals from last night's ceremony were here too. They'd seen Tatiana lead me out and no doubt thought my outburst and disrespect today were a type of revenge. The Moroi weren't the only ones who reacted. Regardless of whether they shared my opinions, a few guardians stepped forward. I made sure to stay exactly where I was, and that, along with Tatiana's lack of fear, kept them in place. â€Å"We're getting weary of this conversation,† Tatiana said, switching to the royal we. â€Å"You can speak more–and do so in the proper manner–when we have our next meeting and open the floor to comments. For now, whether you like it or not, this resolution has been passed. It's law.† She's letting you off! Lissa's voice was back in my head. Back away from this before you do something that'll get you in real trouble. Argue later. It was ironic because I'd been on the verge of exploding and letting my full rage out. Lissa's words stopped me–but not because of their content. It was Lissa herself. When Adrian and I had discussed the results earlier, I'd noted one piece of faulty logic. â€Å"It wasn't a fair vote,† I declared. â€Å"It wasn't legal.† â€Å"Are you a lawyer now, Miss Hathaway?† The queen was amused, and her dropping of my guardian title now was a blatant lack of respect. â€Å"If you're referring to the monarch's vote carrying more weight than others on the Council, then we can assure you that that has been Moroi law for centuries in such situations.† She glanced at her fellow Council members, none of whom raised a protest. Even those who'd voted against her couldn't find fault with her point. â€Å"Yeah, but the entire Council didn't vote,† I said. â€Å"You've had an empty spot in the Council for the last few years–but not anymore.† I turned and pointed at where my friends were sitting. â€Å"Vasilisa Dragomir is eighteen now and can fill her family's spot.† In all of this chaos, her birthday had been overlooked, even by me. The eyes in the room turned on Lissa–something she did not like. However, Lissa was used to being in the public eye. She knew what was expected of a royal, how to look and carry herself. So, rather than cringing, she sat up straight and stared ahead with a cool, regal look that said she could walk up to that table right now and demand her birthright. Whether it was that magnificent attitude alone or maybe a little spirit charisma, she was almost impossible to look away from. Her beauty had its usual luminous quality, and around the room, a lot of the faces held the same awe for her that I'd observed around Court. Dimitri's transformation was still an enigma, but those who believed in it were indeed regarding her as some kind of saint. She was becoming larger than life in so many people's eyes, both with her family name and mysterious powers–and now the alleged ability to restore Strigoi. Smug, I looked back at Tatiana. â€Å"Isn't eighteen the legal voting age?† Checkmate, bitch. â€Å"Yes,† she said cheerfully. â€Å"If the Dragomirs had a quorum.† I wouldn't say my stunning victory exactly shattered at that point, but it certainly lost a little of its luster. â€Å"A what?† â€Å"A quorum. By law, for a Moroi family to have a Council vote, they must have a family. She does not. She's the only one.† I stared in disbelief. â€Å"What, you're saying she needs to go have a kid to get a vote?† Tatiana grimaced. â€Å"Not now, of course. Someday, I'm sure. For a family to have a vote, they must have at least two members, one of whom must be over eighteen. It's Moroi law–again, a law that's been in the books for centuries.† A few people were exchanging confused and surprised looks. This was clearly not a law many were familiar with. Of course, this situation–a royal line reduced to one person–wasn't one that had occurred in recent history, if it had ever occurred at all. â€Å"It's true,† said Ariana Szelsky reluctantly. â€Å"I've read it.† Okay, that was when my stunning victory shattered. The Szelsky family was one I trusted, and Ariana was the older sister of the guy my mom protected. Ariana was a pretty bookish kind of person, and seeing as she'd voted against the guardian age change, it seemed unlikely she'd offer this piece of evidence if it weren't true. With no more ammunition, I resorted to old standbys. â€Å"That,† I told Tatiana, â€Å"is the most fucked-up law I have ever heard.† That did it. The audience broke into shocked chatter, and Tatiana gave up on whatever pretense of friendliness she'd been clinging to. She beat the herald to any orders he might have given. â€Å"Remove her!† shouted Tatiana. Even with the rapidly growing noise, her voice rang clearly through the room. â€Å"We will not tolerate this sort of vulgar behavior!† I had guardians on me in a flash. Honestly, with how often I'd been dragged away from places lately, there was almost something comfortably familiar about it. I didn't fight the guardians as they led me to the door, but I also didn't let them take me without a few parting words. â€Å"You could change the quorum law if you wanted, you sanctimonious bitch!† I yelled back. â€Å"You're twisting the law because you're selfish and afraid! You're making the worst mistake of your life. You'll regret it! Wait and see–you'll wish you'd never done it!† I don't know if anyone heard my tirade because by then, the hall was back to the chaos it had been in when I entered. The guardians–three of them–didn't let go of me until we were outside. Once they released me, we all stood around awkwardly for a moment. â€Å"What now?† I asked. I tried to keep the anger out of my voice. I was still furious and worked up, but it wasn't these guys' fault. â€Å"Are you going to lock me up?† Seeing as it would bring me back to Dimitri, it would almost be a reward. â€Å"They only said to remove you,† one of the guardians pointed out. â€Å"No one said what to do with you after that.† Another guardian, old and grizzled but still fierce looking, gave me a wry look. â€Å"I'd take off while you can, before they really have a chance to punish you.† â€Å"Not that they won't find you if they really want to,† added the first guardian. With that, the three of them headed back inside, leaving me confused and upset. My body was still revved for a fight, and I was filled with the frustration I always experienced whenever I was faced with a situation I felt powerless in. All that yelling for nothing. I'd accomplished nothing. â€Å"Rose?† I shifted from my churning emotions and looked up at the building. The older guardian hadn't gone inside and still stood in the doorway. His face was stoic, but I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye. â€Å"For what it's worth,† he told me, â€Å"I thought you were fantastic in there.† I didn't feel much like smiling, but my lips betrayed me. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. Well, maybe I'd accomplished one thing.

Education Essay

The current, test based, American Educational system fails to instill in student a desire for life- long learning and does not prepare them to be well rounded and successful adults. A change in educational philosophy needs to be made in this country before it is to late. Educations is what defines a person life and without a proper education, people wont be able to go anywhere in life. Students usually study for their test and forget what they studied the next day. After school all students want to do is get away from their work and not have to do it anymore. There is not necessarily a perfect educational system, but it could be better than what we have now. People are not going where they are supposed to after schooling. There is a book, That Used To Be Us by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum, which can prove this. I recently read That Used To Be Us. This book explains how America used to lead the world in technology, education, economy, research and creativity. Now we are falling way behind many other countries. The authors explain that we are failing to meet major challenges that we face and if we don’t find a way to rise past this it will effect future generations. One major flaw in America right now is the educational system. If our future generations lack the education, especially in math and science, they will not have the skills to navigate through the new economic turn. If we can’t access new talent and develop new markets then other countries will beat us to it. This is definitely something to think about. The current test based system is a joke to the students who only care about what they receive on the exam. Especially in High school, everyone’s trying to get into the best college they could. Grades are all that matters to colleges and kids will do what they need to do to get them. Once they have them, they no longer care about the material they needed to achieve those grades. Now with all this studying and homework the student are given, they are from then on turned off from learning anything new. Once a student graduates college and can try and get a job, he no longer wants to further his education. Without the further education it gets harder to find jobs and support ones family. The last part of the educational system, that most tend to skip, is the most important part. This is the part where one becomes exceptionally knowledgeable in a certain field. With these degrees it makes it much easier to find work and make enough income for what you have. The current system has to be changed for all these reasons. A student should leave each grade with all the information he learnt, stuck in his head. He should leave each grade excitedly knowing he has another year coming, to further his education. Right now that is no possible.

Future Trend in Healthcare Essay

Future Trend in Healthcare Essay Future Trend in Healthcare Essay Running Head: Future Trends in Health Care Future Trends in Health Care The face to face method of interaction will always be the basis of physician-patient relationship. The effect of technology within the field of healthcare has impacted the healthcare delivery system in a revolutionary manner. A health care delivery system is that combination of insurance companies, employer groups, providers of care and government agencies that work together to provide health. The advancement rate of technology in this day and age in the United States is so swift it is being observed by patients and providers from a far and as it emerges. The evolution of communication through the use of electronics has taken the healthcare industry by storm. E-Mail, telephone use, and the internet have pushed communication between patient and physician to re-imagine and alter their thinking in regards to making healthcare provisions. Home monitoring systems, personal health records, and on-line support groups is making it possible for society to take charge of their health (Cen ter for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). Forms of communicating through electronics, former and recent, will be reviewed as a delivery method for patient information. The ramifications of distance, technology systems used to transport files, and future and present use of these systems will be analyzed. Telephones, for a long time, have been the main source of communication between facilities, physicians, practices and patients. The telephone has been the dominant force for conveying important information and at times still holds that title. Its uses stretch from confirming appointments to the discussion of the findings from physical exams. It has even been considered the lifeline of pharmacy and physician communication. The telephone is also one of the key communication devices for employees to communicate internally and with insurance companies. With patients who are chronically ill and have established a relationship with the physician, the telephone can serve as an off ice visit (Center for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). In other words, patients who do not possess the ability to walk into an office for a routine visit due to illness (chronic) have the ability to now visit their physician by phone contact. Patient care though electronic means amplify effectiveness, production and keeps operational costs low. The increase in the aspiration and readiness to make use of technological advancements by physicians is the inspiration and necessity for more patients to acquire such communication devices. The use of online communicating, such as e-mail or internet, produces results of lower administrative costs, less usage of landlines, and attracts new patients. Online communicating gives a patient the advantage to review information as much as needed to obtain a better understanding of the documents. E-mailing transcripts in comparison to taking them by phone, is considered far less distracting, pricey, practically documents itself and can be completed in the physician’s spare time. The use of internet communication results in patient retention and patient satisfaction (Center for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). These two results add significance to the quality of care of a patient and opens doors to the receipt of new patients to the facility or practice. The use of a secured messaging system is by far the safest and most reliable method for the communication of sensitive or rather secretive information. A secured site for medical information is to protect unauthorized users from access. The most common protection for electronic information is installing an encryption system (Center for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). It also allows the practice, facility or physician to remain in compliance with HIPAA regulations. The Acronym for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA provides national standards to

Cosmos Episode 9 Viewing Worksheet

Cosmos Episode 9 Viewing Worksheet Great educators know that in order for all students to learn, they need to adjust their teaching style to accommodate all types of learners. This means there needs to be an assortment of ways that content and topics are introduced and reinforced for the students. One way this can be accomplished is through videos. Luckily, Fox has come out with an amazingly entertaining and extremely accurate science series called Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,   hosted by the very likable Neil deGrasse Tyson. He makes learning science fun and accessible for all levels of learners. Whether the episodes are used to supplement a lesson, as a review for a topic or unit of study, or as a reward, teachers in all science subjects should be encouraging their students to watch the show. If you are looking for a way to assess understanding or what the students were paying attention to during Cosmos Episode 9, called The Lost Worlds of Earth, here is a worksheet you can use as a viewing guide, a note-taking worksheet, or even a post-video quiz. Just copy-and-paste the worksheet below and tweak as you feel is necessary. Cosmos Episode 9 Worksheet   Name:___________________    Directions: Answer the questions as you watch episode 9 of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.    1.   On what day of the â€Å"cosmic calendar† is 350 million years ago?    2. Why could insects grow to be so much larger 350 million years ago than they can today?    3. How do insects take in oxygen?    4. How big was most vegetation on land before trees evolved?    5. What happened to the trees in the Carboniferous Period after they died?    6. Where were the eruptions centered during the mass extinction in the Permian Period?    7. What had the buried trees in the Carboniferous Period turned into and why was this bad during the time of the eruptions in the Permian Period?    8. What is another name for the Permian mass extinction event?    9. New England was a neighbor to which geographical area 220 million years ago?    10. The lakes that broke apart the great supercontinent turned into what eventually?    11. What did Abraham Ortelius say ripped America away from Europe and Africa?    12. How did most scientists in the early 1900s explain that certain dinosaur fossils were found in both Africa and South America?    13. How did Alfred Wegener explain why there were the same mountains on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean?    14. What happened to Alfred Wegener the day after his 50th birthday?    15. What did Marie Tharp discover in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after drawing a map of the ocean floor?    16. How much of the Earth lies beneath 1000 feet of water?    17. What is the longest submarine mountain range in the world?    18. What is the name of the deepest canyon on Earth and how deep is it?    19. How do species get light at the bottom of the ocean?    20. What is the process bacteria use in the trenches in order to make food when sunlight doesn’t reach that far?    21. What created the Hawaiian Islands millions of years ago?    22. What is the core of the Earth made of?    23. What two things keep the mantle a molten liquid?    24. How long were dinosaurs on the Earth?    25. What did Neil deGrasse Tyson say the temperature of the Mediterranean basin was hot enough to do when it was still a desert?    26. How did tectonic forces bring North and South America together?    27. What two adaptations did early human ancestors develop in order to swing from trees and to travel short distances?    28. Why were human ancestors forced to adapt to living and traveling on the ground?    29. What caused the Earth to tilt on an axis?    30. How did the human ancestors get to North America?    31. How long is the current intermission in the Ice Age projected to last?    32. How long has the unbroken â€Å"string of life† been going?

Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Paraphrasing - Essay Example They include satellites, televisions, and phones. On the other hand, the ionizing radiations are rays that cannot be smelled, viewed, heard, and even felt. According to a view shared by Liou (2002), the major source of ionizing radiation is radioactive materials that emit beta, alpha, and gamma radiation. Therefore, the commonly known ionizing radiation consists of: beta particles, alpha particles, x-rays, and gamma rays. Up until the late 18th century, the ionizing radiation remained unexplored due to their invisibility, tastelessness, or odourlessness among others. However, there were numerous ordinary materials that emitted small quantities of the radiation. Studies have demonstrated that radiation has various affects on the living organisms by impacting on the cells that build up a living thing. Radiation randomly affects the cell. This implies that a similar amount as well as type of radiation can hit the same cell numerous times, but resulting in dissimilar effects, for instance, every time it strikes there is no effect. On the contrary, it is generally presumed that the more the radiation hits a cell, the higher the odds of an impact from happening. The resulting effect is that the organism may die if most cells are affected. Contrarily, Haffty and Wilson (2012) note that the exposure to penetrating radiation is known as irradiation and it usually occurs when the body is rendered available in part or whole from an unshielding source. An individual is not made radioactive from external radiation. In summary, exposure to the natural radiation by the people occurs daily. The natural radiation originates from various sources, such as over 60 radioactive materials that occur in nature including air, soil, and water. As an example, Radon is a naturally-existing gas that comes from soil and rock. It is the major source of natural radiation. On a daily basis, humans take in