Social Inequality essayEssay Writing Service

Social Inequality essayEssay Writing Service Social Inequality essay Social Inequality essayAffirmative action policies and programs are measures taken to create equal opportunities within employment and education. They are intended to prevent or decrease discrimination based on the applicants’ origin, gender, religion, race etc. Among the measures of affirmative action there are outreach campaigns, employee support programs, targeted recruitment policies and so on. All of them are meant to guarantee that public institutions provide equal opportunities for equally qualified people. However, affirmative actions is a subject of controversy because racial and gender quotas often create a counter effect of reverse discrimination.No society can be free from discrimination because despite constitutional rights and freedoms people are born with different abilities and talents. Another thing is that there can be a biased approach to people of other skin color or ethnicity. Discrimination is now more often treated as a historical fact, but inequality is not an easy thing to abolish. However, affirmative action is sometimes considered to be an inadequate medicine that treats symptoms instead of the disease.In one of the affirmative action cases, Strauder v. West Virginia, the Supreme Court explained that the Equal Protection Clause guaranteed the civil rights for all races . The Supreme Court stated that the rights enjoyed by the white were equally given to the color races. It was stated that the general government provided the protection of the civil rights in that way, whenever they should be violated. The Supreme Court underlined that according to the Equal Protection Clause similar situations were to be treated in the same way.Today, there is a continuous search of effective alternatives for affirmative action to reduce inequality in the society. Experts say, the main thing to do is to find and solve the root causes of the social problem under consideration. Still, it has been found out that at the moment there is no substitute policy to work more properly or at least as well as affirmative actio.

Carpenter Bees and How to Get Rid of Them

Carpenter Bees and How to Get Rid of Them Carpenter bees can be a real nuisance. They resemble large bumblebees and can be found buzzing around dwellings and other structures where they like to build their nests. Every year, they cause millions of dollars in  damage to dwellings by tunneling into decks, porches, and other wood structures. They can also be aggressive, especially during mating season, and will fly very close to human beings and even bump into them. Fortunately, they rarely if ever sting people and their nests can be removed. Carpenter Bee Basics There are several species of carpenter bee in the United States, but the most common one is the Virginia carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica). These bugs are found throughout the Southeast but range as far as Connecticut to the north and Texas in the west. Carpenter bees range in size from about 5/8 of an inch to 1 inch and look very similar to bumblebees, but theyre not the same.   Bumblebees (genus Bombus) nest in the ground, usually in abandoned rodent nests, and live in social communities. Carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa) are solitary bees that burrow into wood. You can differentiate the two by examining the dorsal (upper) side of the abdomen. If its shiny and hairless, its a carpenter bee. A bumblebee, by contrast, has a hairy abdomen. Both are considered beneficial insects because they are  excellent plant  pollinators. Therefore, you should avoid eliminating these insects unless absolutely necessary. Carpenter bees usually live for about one year. Each new generation is hatched in the late summer, emerging from nests in August and September to grow and feed, pollinating flowers as they go  before  settling in for the winter and hibernating. Survivors emerge in April and May to mate. The female carpenter bee excavates a tunnel for her offspring. In each brood chamber, she stores food and lays an egg. Having reproduced, adult carpenter bees die off in July, leaving the new generation to continue the cycle when they emerge a month or so later. Most people encounter carpenter bees during April and May when theyve just emerged to mate. During this time, male carpenter bees tend to hover around nest openings, looking for receptive females. It can be rather unnerving being around them, as the males will also hover aggressively around people who approach the nests. They may even fly right into you. Despite this tough act, male carpenter bees cannot sting. Female carpenter bees can sting, but almost never do. How to Identify Nests If you see a bee emerging from a hole in the ground or within a structure, thats a good indication that youre looking at a carpenter bee nest. To be certain,  look at the entrance holes. A carpenter bee makes an entrance hole slightly bigger than her body, or just about  ½ inch in diameter. The first inch or two of the tunnel is usually made against the wood grain. The bee will then make a right turn and extend the tunnel another 4 to 6 inches in the direction of the wood grain. Carpenter bees will often eliminate their waste before entering their nest, so you might see yellow stains on the surface of the wood, just below the entrance hole. Stavros Markopoulos / Getty Images Though they burrow into wood, carpenter bees dont eat wood like termites do. Since their nest tunnels are limited in size, they rarely do serious structural damage. However, because such excavation requires a lot of energy on her part, a female carpenter bee will often prefer to refurbish an old tunnel to digging a new one. If carpenter bees are allowed to tunnel in the same structure year after year, however, the cumulative damage can be significant.   How to Control Carpenter Bees Your best defense is a good offense. Carpenter bees prefer to excavate untreated, unfinished wood. You can prevent carpenter bees from nesting in the first place by painting or varnishing your homes exterior. If an infestation has occurred, you will need to use an insecticide to eliminate the carpenter bees. Many professionals recommend sprays or dust, which can reach the interior surface of the entrance holes. Apply the pesticide at dusk, when carpenter bees are less active.   For the insecticide to work, the bees much come in contact with it as they crawl through the entrance hole of the nest. Apply the appropriate insecticidal dust in the spring, just before adults emerge to mate. Once you see the bees emerge, wait a few days before filling in the nest holes with wood putty or filler. If you didnt apply the insecticide before the spring adults emerged, you will need to treat the nests in the spring, and again in late summer, when the next generation of adults is foraging. In the fall, seal the nest holes with steel wool, then close off the hole with putty, wood filler, fiberglass, or asphalt.   A professional pest control service is your best choice, especially if you have a large infestation because theyll have specialized tools that can reach deep into crevices. However, if you want to do it yourself, any name-brand insecticide formulated to kill flying insects should work. If youd prefer to use a natural remedy, there are several, including boric acid,  Diatomaceous earth, and citrus spray. You can also contact  your local extension office  to find out which insecticides are effective and legal for use on carpenter bees in your area. Sources Bamabara, Stephen and  Waldvogel, Michael. Residential, Structural, and Community Pests. North Carolina State University. July 2009.Houseman, Richard. Carpenter Bees. The University of Missouri Extension.  Jacobs Sr., Steve. Carpenter Bees. Pennsylvania State University. January 2014UC Davis staff. Carpenter Bees Management Guidelines. The University of California. June 2014.13 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees. HomeRemedyHacks.com. 27 January 2015.

Marks by Linda Pastan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marks by Linda Pastan - Assignment Example The speaker’s days and nights are all devoted to her family and she passes her life in getting different kinds of marks for all her doings by her family. She seems like an average housewife whose duty is to take care of all her family members. It seems that she has no personality of her own but only that, which is assigned to her by her family. She talks about her family as to what they think about her. The dramatic situation in the poem is categorizing of the woman according to educational marking schemes by her family members who are not mature at their own places. The central metaphor in the poem is the marking of the women according to different criteria of the family members. The poem is given the title ‘Marks’ and the poem talks about educational marks all over. The poem’s theme is about the life of a housewife who has to do her duties in order to get more marks by her family members.

Communication Styles in Different Cultures Essay

Communication Styles in Different Cultures - Essay Example One major difference between our cultures is knowing when handshaking is appropriate. In Australian culture, this is an acceptable way of greeting both males and females. However, in Saudi culture, there are many restrictions in greeting with regards to gender. Lewis noted this in his interactions with people in the Arab world and concluded that being respectful at all times towards male and female Arabs is the best form of communication ( 2001). Personally, I have been in many uncomfortable situations when I was offered a hand by a female friend and I was not completely certain what I was expected to do. In these situations, I was afraid to offend my close friends but was hesitant to do something that is so taboo in my native land. In Australia, handshaking seems to be appropriate between men and women but in Saudi culture, handshaking between different genders is prohibited from due to religious belief. My Australian friend advised me that if shaking a females hand makes me uncomfo rtable, then I should be open and honest about it. I was assured that this would be acceptable and would not be offensive to most Australians. One of the new things that I learned is how to make refusal in a suitable way. I didn't want to be rude with Jonathan but our cultures differ greatly in this respect. In Australian culture, disagreement can be done in a very direct way and can be confrontational. This is not considered rude. However, in Saudi culture, it is best done in an indirect way avoiding any confrontation because the concept of friendship in Arabic culture is different.

Fraud Cases Essay Example for Free

Fraud Cases Essay Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock or commonly known as Eric Chia is a millionaire in Malaysia ad is a former chairmain of Perwaja Steel. In June 2007, Chia discharge committing criminal breach of trust 13 years ago when embezzling money from the company of Perwaja Rolling Mail and Development Sdn Bhd of RM $76. 4 million at 19 February 1994 when was the Managing Director. In his cases, Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur instructed American Express Bank Limited to transfer and credit 2,890,130,210 yen (RM76. million) into Frilsham Enterprise Incorporateds account. Yvonne Lam Yuen Shan, an operations support and control manager of the bank, said she also corrected Frilsham Enterprises account number from 953601855 to 9530018552. Lam, has agreed that the amount stated was actually credited into another bank account (account number 547003027) of Frilsham Enterprise. The 2,890,130,210 yen was the specific sum of payment under the technical assistance agreement, minus the bank charges. The original payment amounted to 2,891,580,000 yen. Asked why the money was transferred to the second account instead of the earlier account, Lam said: We got confirmation from the customer that they would like the amount to be transferred into the second account. We executed the clients request to credit into the account. Chia is accused of dishonestly authorising payment for the amount to the account of Frilsham Enterprise Incorporated with American Express Bank Ltd, Hongkong, for technical assistance from NKK Corporation, when no such payment was due to the latter. Alternatively, he is charged with dishonestly disposing of the funds by entering into an agreement with NKK Corporation and authorising payment for the amount without the approval of the board of directors or the tender committee of Perwaja Rolling Mill Development Sdn Bhd. He is alleged to have committed both offences as managing director of Perwaja Rolling Mill Development Sdn Bhd at its office at Menara UBN on Jalan P Ramlee here, between Nov 4, 1993, and Feb 22, 1994. Another witness, Jesse Leung Ngai Chow, said he signed a letter on behalf of Apex Corporate Services Limited, directed to American Express Bank, on an application to open a bank account for Frilsham Enterprise Incorporated. Leung, who worked part-time at Apex as the managing director between 1993 and 1994, said the letter needed the signatures of four authorized signatories T. O. Yip, Robert Kong, H. Y Tan and himself. Asked to name the person who gave the instruction to open the account, Leung said it was Yuji Maeda. Apex Corporate Services Limited provides incorporation of companies, company secretarial services, setting up of trusts and trustee, corporation nominee director and operation of bank accounts. Leung agreed that the two signature cards referring to two Frilsham Enterprise bank accounts were dated Feb 2, 1994, and both indicated closure of account on July 7, 1994. Another letter by Yuji Maeda instructed American Express Bank Limited to transfer the amount of 2,890,130,210 yen to Waterfront International Limited through a bank account 9547003126, he said. On the search conducted by Michael Burley, acting chief investigating officer of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Leung said: Although the clients (Frilsham Enterprise) current status report which, was kept by Apex, was struck off, the Hongkong ICAC could still detect and reactivate that data. Leung said he did not know how the ICAC officers, who conducted the search on July 15 this year, could detect the data and added that it was suprising as Frilsham Enterprise was not functioning anymore and its data have been deleted completely. Under cross-examination by lead defence counsel Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Leung said the Anti-Corruption Agency in Malaysian made two visits to Apex Corporate Services Ltd for investigations. The first visit was on June 19, 1996, to check some details without any seizure, while the second visit was in April this year. Leung confirmed that Yuji Maeda was the only one who gave any instructions to Apex pertaining to Frilsham Enterprise. Asked how many companies Yuji Maeda had asked Apex to maintain for him, he said: A couple more, such as Sakyo Consultancy Inc. Ltd, Borneo Enterprise. However, when asked whether Sita Investment Ltd was included in the list, Leung replied in the negative. The prosecution led by Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail kept its promise to wrap up on Thursday its recording of evidence here on the alleged money trail pertaining to the RM76. 4 million when it called its sixth and last witness to the stand Cheng Tai Foon, a nominee director of Borneo Enterprise in January 1994. Cheng, who is currently a director in a security firm, said he signed an application to open a bank account in Banque Indosuez on the instruction of Leung, who was his former boss when they were working at an accounting firm, John Byrn and Co. Asked how he got involved in signing as a nominee director, Cheng said Leung often referred cases to him and he admitted that he was also a nominee director of other companies such as Borneo Enterprise.

The Controversy Behind Child Spanking Essay -- Child Abuse Parenting E

The Controversy Behind Child Spanking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spanking a child is a controversial issue. On one side of the debate are people who believe spanking is a necessary component of parenting. On the contrary are people who think spanking a child is destructive. Somewhere in the middle are people who believe spanking is legitimate only when used correctly. Part of the reason for the debate is that some parents and experts define spanking differently. To some, spanking means slapping a child on the rear-end, while others believe it is a form of corporal punishment that does not cause injury. By showing how each perspective of spanking supports their claim and defining spanking, one will be able to form an opinion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to conclude an argument, it is first necessary to define any vague or ambiguous terms. Spanking is an unclear term in need of explanation. To some spanking means to slap a child on the buttocks, while others believe it is a mild form of corporal punishment which does not cause harm to the child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) defines spanking as ?one or two flat-handed swats on a child?s wrist or rear end? (Rosellini 52). The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary also agrees with the AAP when defining spanking as ?[to] strike with an open hand.? Spanking does not infer a sustained whipping from Dads belt, but a mild form of corporal punishment that does not cause injury.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spanking is alive and well today despite the antispanking prohibition. In a poll sponsored by Working Mother and the Epcot Center at Walt Disney World in Florida, 7,225 adults and 2,599 kids were surveyed (Hickey 48). When asked ?When should parents spank their children,? 51 percent replied ?When they think it?s necessary,? 30 percent said ?Only in extreme circumstances,? and only ten percent answered ?Never?(Hickey 48). Twelve percent of young adults, ages 18 to 34, which responded to the poll, said spanking should not occur; in comparison with the seven percent of both the 35-49 and 50-64 age groups which responded ?Never? (Hickey 48). The poll asked ?Which of these is (or was) most often used in your family to control children?s behavior As the prevalent choice, 37 percent responded ?Taking away privileges,? 23 percent said ?spanking,? 18 percent replied ?reasoning with the child,? four percent said ?bribes? and three percent answered ?ass... ...imate act of communication, not a savage form of child abuse. The question of whether to spank or not has been the most controversial child-rearing issue of the past three decades. Though no end in sight, after analyzing my research of the extremes of spanking, I conclude in the gray area. John Rosemond proved the most logical approach to spanking. He has studied both sides of the issues and points out the inconsistencies of each side. Rosemond supports his point of view with grounds of disagreement and agreement and fills gaps the gap of the gray area connecting the opposing sides. WORKS CITED Hickey, Mary C.. To Spank Or Not To Spank. Working-Mother. v. 14 Jan. ?91, p. 48-9. Nelson, Gerald E., Lewak Richard W.. Who?s the Boss?: Love, Authority, and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parenting. Boston: Shambhala Publications, INC. Ramsberg, Dawn. The Debate Over Spanking. ERIC Digest. Mar. ?97. Rosellini, Lynn. When To Spank. U.S. News and World Report. v. 124 no14 Apr. 13   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ?98, p. 52-3+. Rosemond, John. To Spank or Not to Spank. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, 1994. Socolar, Rebecca. Survey Says Some Mothers Still Believe That Spanking Is Good   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Discipline, Jet. 30 Jan, ?95.

Night World : Huntress Chapter 13

The kiss was warm and sweet. Not frightening. Jez felt herself relax in Morgead's arms before she knew what she was doing. His heart was beating so fast against hers. She felt dizzy, but safe, too; a wonderful feeling. But the approach of his mind was another thing. It was just like the first time: that terrible, irresistible pull trying to suck her soul out and mix it with Morgead's until they were both one person. Until he knew her every secret and she had no place to hide. And the worst thing Was that she knew it wasn't Morgead doing it. It was that outside force doing it to both of them, carrying them along helplessly. Whether we want it or not. And we don't want it, Jez told herself desperately. We both hate it. Neither of us wants to share our souls†¦. But then why was he still holding her, still kissing her? And why was she letting him? At that instant she felt his mind touch hers, reaching through the smoke-screen of protection she'd thrown around herself to brush her thoughts as lightly as a moth's wing. She recognized Morgead's essence in it; she could feel his soul, dark and bright and full of fierce emotion for her. He was opening himself to her; not trying to fight this or even holding back. He was going farther than the pull forced him to, giving himself to her freely†¦. It was a gift that sent her reeling. And she couldn't resist it. Her mind flowed out of its own accord to touch his, tendrils of thought wrapping around his gratefully. The shock of pleasure when she let it happen was frightening-except that she couldn't be frightened anymore, not now. And then she felt him respond, felt his happiness, felt his thoughts enfolding hers, holding her mind as gently as his arms held her body. And white light exploded behind her eyes†¦. Jez! Morgead! What's wrong with you two? The thought was foreign, cold, and unwanted. It broke into Jez's warm little world and rattled around annoyingly. Jez tried to push it away. Hey, look; I'm just trying to help. If you guys are alive, then, like give us a sign, okay? Morgead made a sound like a mental groan. It's Vol. I have to kill him. I'm going to help, Jez told him. Then something occurred to her. Oh-wait. Where are we†¦ ? It was a good question. A weird but necessary question. It took them a moment to untangle their thoughts from each other and rise back to the real world. Where they seemed to be sitting under the ruins of a redbud tree, arms around each other, Jez's head on Morgead's shoulder, Morgead's face pressed into Jez's hair. At least we weren't still kissing, Jez thought abstractedly. She could feel herself flushing scarlet. The rest of the gang was standing around them, looking down with worried expressions. â€Å"What do you guys want?† Morgead said brusquely. â€Å"What do we want?† Raven leaned forward, dark hair swinging. Jez actually saw both her midnight blue eyes underneath. â€Å"You three jumped off the roof just as the fire got out of control. We put it out and came down to see if you were still alive- and then we find you here hanging on to each other and totally out of it. And you want to know what we want? We want to know if you're okay.† â€Å"We're fine,† Morgead said. He didn't say anything more, and Jez understood. Neither of them had any desire to talk about it in front of other people. That could wait until they were alone, until it was the right time. They didn't need to express this to each other. Jez simply knew, and knew that he knew. â€Å"What about her?† Thistle pointed to Iona, still asleep on the sidewalk. Jez was already moving to the child. She checked the little body over, noted the even breathing and the peaceful expression. â€Å"She's fine, too,† she said, settling back. She held Thistle's gaze. â€Å"No thanks to you.† Thistle's cheeks were pink. She looked angry, embarrassed, and defensive. â€Å"She's just a human.† â€Å"She's a kid!† Morgead yelled, shooting up to his feet. He towered over Thistle, who suddenly looked very small. â€Å"Which you're not,† he went on unsym-pathetically. â€Å"You're just a-a sixteen-year-old Shirley Temple-wannabe.† â€Å"All right, both of you!† Jez said sharply. She waited until they shut up and looked at her before continuing. â€Å"You-be quiet and let me take care of things,† she said to Morgead. â€Å"And you-if you ever try to hurt a kid again, I'll knock your head off.† This to Thistle, who opened her mouth, but then shut it again without speaking. Jez nodded. â€Å"Okay, that's settled. Now we've got to get this girl home.† Val stared at her. â€Å"Home?† â€Å"Yeah, Val.† Jez picked the child up. â€Å"In case you missed something, she's not the Wild Power.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Val wriggled his broad shoulders uncomfortably and looked at Morgead. â€Å"You mean you were wrong?† â€Å"There's a first time for everything, right?† Morgead glared at him. â€Å"But, then-who is the Wild Power?† Raven put in quietly. â€Å"Who knows?† It was the first time Pierce had spoken, and his voice was low and distantly amused. Jez glanced at him. His blond hair glinted in the red light of the sunset, and his dark eyes were mocking. I really don't think I like you much, she thought. But of course he was right â€Å"If this kid isn't the one-well, I guess it could have been anybody at the scene,† she said slowly. â€Å"Anybody worried enough to want to save her. One of the firefighters, a neighbor-anybody.† â€Å"Assuming the blue flash on the tape really was evidence of a Wild Power,† Pierce said. â€Å"I think it was.† Jez glanced at Morgead. â€Å"It sure looked like blue fire. And it certainly was some kind of Power.† â€Å"And Grandma Harman dreamed about the Wild Power being in San Francisco,† Morgead added. ‘It all fits too well.† He looked at Jez slyly. â€Å"But it couldn't have been anybody at the scene, you know.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because of what you said about that line in the prophecy. ‘Born in the year of the blind Maiden's vision.' That means it has to be somebody born less than eighteen years ago. Before that, Aradia couldn't have visions because she wasn't alive.† Goddess, I'm slow today, Jez thought. I should have thought of that. She gave him a wry nod of respect and he returned it with a grin. Not maliciously. â€Å"It's still not much to go on,† Raven said in her pragmatic way. â€Å"But don't you think we should go back inside to discuss it? Somebody's going to come along eventually and see us with an unconscious kid.† â€Å"Good point,† Jez said. â€Å"But I'm not going up with you. I'm taking the kid home.† â€Å"Me, too,† Morgead said. Jez glanced at him; he had his stubborn expression on. â€Å"Okay, but just us. Two motorcycles are going to be conspicuous enough.† She turned to Raven. â€Å"The rest of you can do what you want tonight; try to figure out who the Wild Power is or whatever. Well meet again tomorrow and see what we've come up with.† â€Å"Why wait?† Val said. â€Å"It's only dusk. We could meet tonight-â€Å" Tm tired,† Jez cut in. ‘It's enough for the day.† And Goddess knows how I'm going to explain being gone this long to Aunt Nan, she thought wearily. Not to mention missing school. Pierce was watching her with an odd expression. â€Å"So you'll have to report to Hunter that we failed,† he said, and there was a probing tone in his voice that Jez didn't like. â€Å"Yeah, I'll tell him you screwed up,† she said heavily. â€Å"But that we still have some options. Unless you'd rather I just tell him that you're all idiots and not worth giving a second chance.† She kept looking at Pierce until he looked away. When she turned to Morgead he was scowling, but he didn't say anything. He silently started toward their bikes. They couldn't talk while they were riding. Jez was too full of her own thoughts anyway. She was finally free to consider those last minutes with Morgead. It had been†¦ amazing. Electrifying. But also enlightening. She knew now what had happened to them, what was happening. He had been right. It was the soul-mate principle. So we're soulmates. Morgead and I. After all our fighting and challenging each other and everything. It's so strange, but in a way it makes sense, too†¦. And it's really a pity that even if we both survive the next week or so, we're never going to see each other again. The thought came from some deep part of her that was utterly heartless and practical and saw everything in the cold light of truth. Because unfortunately the universe had picked the wrong person for Jez to be soulmates with. It had picked one that would hate her and want to kill her once he realized what she really was. Bad mistake, universe, Jez thought, biting down on a laugh. She realized, dimly, that she was verging on being hysterical. It had been such a long day, and she was so tired, and so hurt, and she'd failed in her mission, and now Morgead was in love with her, but there was just no hope. Small wonder she was punchy and an emotional wreck. She was lucky not to be railing off her bike. There really was no hope. Even in that last encounter, even when Morgead had been revealing his soul to her, Jez had managed to keep her own secrets buried. He didn't know. He had no idea that the girl he was in love with was vermin. Was working with Circle Daybreak. Was lying to him to steal the Wild Power out from under his nose and end the hopes of the vampires for a world without humans. He was ambitious, she had always known that. All he'd ever cared about was climbing higher and getting more power. She'd promised him a position in the new world order-while all the time she was working as hard as she could to make sure that the new world order never came. He would never forgive that deception. He would never even be able to understand why she had done it. So you have to forget about him, the cold-and-practical part of her mind said quietly. And there was nothing inside Jez that even tried to argue. It was dark by the time they reached the Marina district. As they approached the housing project, Jez saw flashing lights ahead. Police car lights. Well, that wasn't unexpected. Iona's mother would have notified them by now. Jez just hoped she wasn't too worried†¦. Idiot! her mind said sarcastically. How worried do you expect her to be, with it getting dark and her eight-year-old missing? She turned into an alley and Morgead followed her. â€Å"Well have to do a drive-by,† she said over the thrum of the engines. â€Å"Drop her by the police cars and then shoot out of there. They'll probably chase us. Are you up for it?† He nodded. â€Å"We should go separate ways. That'll make it harder for them to catch us.† â€Å"Right. You go on home once you lose them. So will I.† She couldn't see his features clearly in the dark alley, but she knew he was looking at her. â€Å"So will you? Go home?† â€Å"I mean I'll go to the place where I'm staying.† She expected him to ask about that, try to find out where it was, what she was doing. He didn't Instead he said, â€Å"Do you have to?† She bunked at him, startled. Then she frowned. â€Å"Yes, I have to. I want to. I'm tired, Morgead, and anyway I'm not ready to be spending the night with a guy.† â€Å"I didn't mean that-â€Å" Jez waved a hand. â€Å"I know. I'm sorry. But I'm still tired, and-† And I've got other responsibilities that you don't understand. And if I stick around you any longer, while I'm this tired, I'm afraid that you're going to find out what they are. â€Å"And you're still mad,† he said bleakly. Tm not mad-â€Å" â€Å"Or disgusted or whatever.† What was he talking about? Tm just tired,† she said firmly. â€Å"Now let's drop the kid off, and I'll see you tomorrow.† â€Å"I-† He let out his breath violently. â€Å"All right.† Jez didn't waste any more time. She unzipped her jacket, which had been holding Iona firmly against her. Then she sped out into the street. One block, two blocks. And now she was right beside the dark and deserted playground, and now she was almost level with the police cars. There were several officers standing around talking, and several other bystanders who might be neighbors. Jez targeted one of the neighbors. She swooped in toward the woman, who was on the outside edge of the sidewalk. She came up fast, then hit the brakes. â€Å"Hey,† she said. â€Å"Here.† The woman turned around and her jaw dropped. Jez didn't hesitate, just bundled Iona into her arms. The woman grabbed the child's weight automatically. â€Å"Give her to her mom, okay?† And then Jez was roaring out and away. She could hear Morgead behind her, and shouts from the housing project. Then a police siren. She glanced back. Morgead was just turning on a side street. He waved once at her, and then he was speeding off. Jez could hear more sirens now. She twisted the throttle and headed for the Bay Bridge. At least a pursuit was something she could enjoy. When she finally shook the police cars tailing her, she turned toward Clayton. She would have been worried about what her aunt and uncle were going to say if she hadn't already been too worried about Iona. She'll be all right, she told herself. She shouldn't remember anything, and her mom will take care of her. But Jez couldn't help but feel guilty†¦ and just plain sad. There was some sort of bond between her and the child. She felt-responsible for her, and not just because she'd kidnapped and terrorized her. Nobody should have to grow up in that kind of place. I may have run around on the streets when I was little, but at least I had Uncle Bracken, and a nice home to go to if I wanted. Iona-she doesn't even have a safe playground. I should do something for her, but what can I do that would matter? I don't know; maybe I can visit her sometime. Maybe I can buy her a plant†¦. There weren't any easy answers, and she was drawing up to a neat yellow frame house. Home. Time, Jez thought, to face the music. Uncle Jim and Aunt Nan and nasty little Claire. She just hoped they left enough of her alive so that she could call Hugh afterward. She pulled her motorcycle into the garage, climbed off, and went inside. â€Å"†¦ at all is bad enough, But to do it the day after you make us a promise-well, what are we supposed to think? How are we supposed to trust you again?† Jez was sitting on the blue floral couch in the living room. The Goddard living room didn't get used much, only for very formal occasions. This was one of them. It was a court martial. And there wasn't really a thing that Jez could say to the humans she lived with. She certainly couldn't give them any excuse that would make sense. â€Å"First, ditching Claire even though you swore to us that you'd let her drive you to school.† Aunt Nanami was ticking items off on her fingers. â€Å"Second, ditching school after you swore to us you weren't going to skip again. Third, going off some place you won't even tell us about. Fourth, not even calling to let us know you were still alive. Fifth, getting home at almost ten o'clock at night-â€Å" Uncle Jim cleared his throat. â€Å"Nan, I think we've been over this already.† A couple of times, Jez thought. Oh, well, at least Claire is enjoying it. Her cousin was standing at the entrance to the living room, openly listening. When she happened to catch Jez's eye she smiled brilliantly, her small face actually glowing with smug satisfaction. Aunt Nan was shaking her head. ‘I just want to make sure she understands, Jim. I thought she understood last night, but obviously†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She threw her hands up. â€Å"Well, the thing is-† Uncle Jim cleared his throat again and looked at Jez. He looked uncomfortable; he wasn't very good at discipline, but Jez could see that he'd reached his limit. â€Å"The thing is that we can't just keep yelling at you. We have to do something, Jez. So we've decided to lock up your motorcycle. You can't ride it anymore, not until you learn to be more responsible.† Jez sat stunned. Not her bike. They couldn't take her bike from her. How would she get anywhere? She had to be mobile. She had to get to Morgead tomorrow-she had to get to Hugh sometime. She had to be able to track down the Wild Power. And she couldn't do any of that without transportation. But she could see from Uncle Jim's face that he was serious. He'd finally decided to put his foot down, and Jez had gotten caught underneath it. She let out her breath. Part of her wanted to yell and storm and rage about this, to lose control and make a big noisy fuss. But it wouldn't do any good. Besides, she'd managed to keep her temper for almost a year with these people, to live her double life as a student and vampire hunter and make it all work. To blow that now would be stupid. And another part of her was scared that she was even verging on losing control. That was what even a day with Morgead did to her. It cut through all her careful discipline and changed her back into a raving barbarian. Morgead†¦ she couldn't think about him now. â€Å"Okay, Uncle Jim,† she said out loud. â€Å"I understand. You do what you have to.† â€Å"If you can just show us that you're learning to be responsible, then you can have the bike back. You have to learn to take life more seriously, Jez.† That forced a tired snort out of her. She was laughing before she knew it, and her aunt and uncle were looking shocked and displeased. I'm sorry,† she said. ‘I'll try harder.† And I'll just have to take public transportation tomorrow, she thought when the lecture was over and she was free to go to her room. Even though that's a lot more dangerous. I could get hunted down so easily. . . . â€Å"You messed with the wrong person, you know?† Claire said as Jez reached her door. â€Å"You shouldn't have dumped me like that. You shouldn't make me mad.† â€Å"Yeah, Claire; well, now I know better. I'm terrified.† â€Å"You're still not taking things seriously, are you?† â€Å"Claire-† Jez rounded on the smaller girl. Then she stopped dead. â€Å"I don't have time for this,† she muttered. â€Å"I have to make a call. You just run along and harass somebody else.† She shut the bedroom door in Claire's face. Which, she realized later, was a mistake. At the time, though, she was too tired to think about it. She was too tired to think properly at all. Tired and distraught, with the feeling that everything was closing in and happening too fast. And so when she picked up the phone to dial Hugh she hardly noticed the little click on the line, and she didn't stop for even a second to consider what it meant.

Love Is All About Sacrifices Essay

Love encourages people to sacrifice important things in their lives for others. Love can destroy or improve ones’ life. It once happen to a little country girl in the early days. Love totally changed her life both destroying it and improving it. This girl’s name was Kat and she was the mayor’s daughter who was advised by her father to marry a guy named Bruce. Bruce was kind of a nice guy, really successful, but very serious and didn’t have no time to have fun. He was very well liked by the whole town and all the girls went crazy when they saw him. Everyone thought it was a great idea if they got married. Although, on the other hand, Kat was a girl very high spirited and she had fun all the time. One windy and cloudy afternoon, Bruce asked Kat’s hand in marriage while talking to her father. Kat’s father was very happy about the news that he announced the request to the whole town. Kat rather seemed â€Å"okay† about the whole situation instead of being excited. That night she had a dream about a dart in a board spinning over and over again but instead of the spinning making her dizzy she was happy. It was a really strange dream and it kept repeating three nights in a row. Contrary to her strange dream, she went to seek advice from her grandma who was probably about 94 years old. She was so excited to see her granddaughter and listen to her. â€Å"I had a dream grandma, a very strange dream and I need you to tell me what you think it means† she said. â€Å"I’m all ears† said grandma. â€Å"Let’s hear it†. She explained the whole dream to her grandma and said â€Å" so what do you think it means? † Asked Kat. Grandma said â€Å"pumpkin this dream means you should follow your heart and instinct because something important is about to happen in your life†. With excitement she said â€Å" oh grandma, I love you, you always have answers to every question†. â€Å"That’s what I do†. So Kat decided to head towards home. On her way home she noticed a conveyance truck or moving truck parked in front of an old house. Due to curiosity, she neared and watched what was happening there. To her amazement, she saw a handsome spirited young man who was admiring the building. She asked â€Å"are you new in the neighborhood? † â€Å"Yeah I am, anyway I am Jason†. She stared at him for a while before answering† oh, I am Kat the mayor’s daughter and it’s nice to meet you† she finally said. I have to go, so I guess I would be seeing you around† she said. â€Å"Yeah â€Å"he answered. She looked so happy and relaxed on her way home. At her arrival at home her dad wanted to talk to her about Bruce but she said she didn’t like Bruce and wouldn’t marry him. Her father tried to convince her but she didn’t want to talk about it. The next day she went spying on Jason, she would get up early, go hide behind the house hoping to see him. This continued for many days until her best friend Tatiana followed her one day and found out she was spying on the â€Å"new guy in town† as she referred Jason to. During one morning, Tatiana went over to Jason’s house and told him all about what Kat did every morning. So he hid behind the house waiting for Kat to come. She did and was caught by Jason. He explained to her how he knew and that he also likes her but doesn’t spy on her behind her house every morning. Surprisingly, they started to go out for months during which Kat’s dad kept haunting her to marry Bruce. Six months later, they both expressed their feelings and decided to tell Kat’s dad that they are getting married. To their dismay , Kat’s dad did not agree with their decision and refused to give them his blessings. Out of love for Jason, Kat decided to leave her dad and the town to go get married to Jason in a different town or country. Before leaving she thanked her best friend Tatiana for being there for her and helping her. Also she invited her to be the brides maid at her wedding. Without her father’s acknowledgement she left the town, got married and had kids. Then he realized how happy his daughter is and began to regret not being there for her. So life can be real hard or easy but it all depends on the decisions made in our lives. Sacrifices made in our lives can result in pain or happiness. We should be wise and always make the right sacrifices!

brassica rapa essays

brassica rapa essays The Effect of Exogenously Applied Gibberellic Acid on the Plant Type Brassica rapa in a Regulated Environment. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the exogenous application of the plant hormone Gibberellic Acid (GA) will increase the growth rate of a Rosette mutant Brassica rapa. A wild type plant was compared to six rosette mutant plants, which have a recessive mutation that prevents the production of Gibberellins, natural plant growth hormones. Gibberellic Acid was applied to six of the plant cells in concentrations of 0, 1, 100, 1000, 10,000, and unknown uM. We compared the height and growth of each plant cell to the control, the 0 uM mutant plant, which represented an unaffected Rosette mutant. Five different measurements of the growth in height of each of the plants were taken over the three week course of the experiment. The data and results analyzed from the experiment helped determine which concentration of Gibberellic Acid has the most effect in the growth response of the Rosette mutants and what the unknown concentration the  ¡unknown ¡ Rosette mutant pl ant was receiving. James Matthew Warner Dishuck and I had the alternate hypothesis that an increase in the concentration of Gibberellic Acid applied exogenously to the Rosettes would result in an increase in plant growth. Our results from our experiment showed that the 1,000 uM and 10,000 uM enhanced Rosette mutants had significant changes in their growth response and height increase through out the experiment, which disproved the null hypothesis that GA enhanced Rosette mutant plants would have a plant growth equal to a Rosette mutant plant unaffected by the plant growth hormone. Gibberellic Acid has a positive effect on the Gibberellins-lacking Rosette mutant Brassica rapa , but after a certain concentration of GA, the plant growth hormone would have a possible negative effect on the Brassica rapa. Brassica rapa is a diminutive plant dev...

Word Origin Influences Your Writing Voice

Word Origin Influences Your Writing Voice Word Origin Influences Your Writing Voice Word Origin Influences Your Writing Voice By Mark Nichol When it comes to writing, are you the Anglo-Saxon type, or do you go for French flair? You probably realize that Modern English derives from a wide variety of sources, and perhaps are aware that words derived from French are just as common in our language as those that are descended directly from Old English, otherwise known as Anglo-Saxon. But did you know that one of the features of English that make it such a rich language is a prevalence, unusual among the world’s languages, of synonyms, thanks to the fact that we have retained words from both Anglo-Saxon and French (and often other languages) that have the same meaning? And have you considered that whether you choose a word derived from Anglo-Saxon or one borrowed from French or one of its Latinate relatives has a significant bearing on your writing voice? Thanks to the Norman Conquest, for example, the Anglo-Saxon language became a second-class (or lower-class) tongue in England, supplanted in political and social contexts by Norman French, and therefore many cognates reflect the differences in relations to things between the two classes (who though their languages differed were closely related ethnically). For example, Anglo-Saxon words for animals raised for food often reflect the role of Anglo-Saxons as keepers of livestock (cow, calf, sheep, pig), whereas the words obtained from French describe the food itself as it appeared on the table after cultivation and preparation by Anglo-Saxon farmers and servants (beef, veal, mutton, pork). By the same token, many Anglo-Saxon words seem, by comparison with French, more plainspoken more earthy (or earthly, rather than terrestrial, just as Anglo-Saxon heaven is more basic than the French-based equivalent, celestial). Other cognates that point out the differing perspectives are pairs like the humble home and the magnificent mansion, though often, for every master (French) there is a lord (Anglo-Saxon). Of course, Anglo-Saxon acquired many words from Latin and its descendants before the Conquest, such as the introduction of many religious terms during the spread of Christianity and the expansion of the language due to trade with other European countries. Likewise, the Germanic tribes that coalesced into the people of Anglo-Saxon England adopted many Latin and Greek terms before their arrival in Britain. And even after the largely Norman aristocracy abandoned their form of French in favor of Middle English, the latter language acquired many words from the influence of the Renaissance, and early Modern English was likewise enriched by the Enlightenment. Notice, in your writing, whether you have an affinity with Anglo-Saxon or a French fetish, or whether you are bilingual: Do you give, or present? Do you describe someone as misleading, or deceptive? Do you refer to fatherly, motherly, or brotherly bonds or affection, or paternal, maternal, or fraternal feelings? Though the number of English words derived from each language is about the same, the ones most essential for basic communication are of Anglo-Saxon origin, and many people correlate heavy use of Latin-derived words with verbosity and overblown language. What’s your style? Do you worship words from Anglo-Saxon, or do you favor French forms? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†Sit vs. Set

Inclusion of Homosexuals in Government Service Essay

Inclusion of Homosexuals in Government Service - Essay Example It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures" (Lutz, 2004, 192). The male homosexuals are popularly known as gays and female homosexuals, lesbians. The subject of homosexuality has been phenomenally discussed and many thoughts have been developed over the past years. Experts such as psychologists and scholars have developed many insights on it, which became the basis for further analysis and critical thinking by doctors, psychiatrists, society and judiciary. This phenomenon has been legally intervened all over the world many times, but that attempt has been criticized by homosexuals on the plea that it is equal to the denial of human rights. Hence, there have been arguments both in favor of and against this phenomenon across courtiers in the world. Some feel that homosexuality is a criminal offence and homosexuals have to be trailed, charged and imprisoned for developing good behavior and lead a dignified life. A few think that it is the resul t of bad thinking / mental disorder and they can be corrected through counseling, personal repentance and believing to god. It is also believed by some people that it is a quite natural and normal phenomenon, which is genetically developed. The issue is getting more and more public support and it is evident from a recent public opinion poll in the US, which reveals that "the public is slowly shifting towards acceptance of a homosexual orientation as normal and natural for a minority of adults. Increasingly, Americans support equal rights for gays and lesbians, including the right to marry or enter into civil unions" (About Public Opinion). At this juncture, this paper attempts to explore the various thoughts on homosexuality and its repercussions on various walks of life. It also tries to assess the involvement of homosexuality in government sector in the US. The paper takes a narrative approach to describe the issue of homosexuality in the US in general and in the government sector in particular. The paper takes in detail the issue of homosexuality and its reasons with great emphasis on the much debated opinion that whether homosexuality is innate or chosen. As already stated one of the factors that influence man to become homosexual is genetics. The main contention of this argument is that men and women become gay and lesbian not because they do not intend to be straight, but they are influenced by the inborn and environmental factors. In this context, the present essay tries to explore the findings of various studies undertaken across the world on homosexuality and homosexual behavior with more emphasis on genetically motivated behavior rather than chosen behavior. The paper focuses on the genetically motivated homosexuality among men and women and the discussion, throughout the paper relies on the controversy that homosexuality is innate and there is nothing contrary to natural in it. Studies undertaken across the world are reviewed and analyzed critically to arrive at logical conclusions on homosexuality. Further, the paper tries to investigate into the involvement of homosexual practice among government employees in the United State s of America. The paper also throws lights on the implications of the inclusion of homosexuals in the government service of the Federal Government. Many instances of dismissal and