Speech On The Dangers Of Bullying - 867 Words

There are a number of steps that need to be considered in order for this solution to take action. The first of which is to find someone to speak up to all the people in the school districts, a representative of some sorts. Someone who everyone in the school can trust such as a popular kid or teen, or maybe the student council president if the school has one. If not, maybe a group of people, a committee who are part of the community where the students attend. Said spokesman, or person(s) needs to have exceptional communication skills to grab everyone s attention. That way, they can make the issue not sound plain and generic as bullying solutions have been discussed multiple times. Next step is to gather all people into one place such as a stadium or gymnasium and so on to accommodate all the students, teachers, administrators, and parents. After that, the presentation/speech will then begin to inform everyone on the dangers bullying can have on one or more individuals. In addition, we will be taking additional suggestions from the crowd depending if it is doable or not. After taking all the suggestions into consideration, the most viable will be chosen and then implemented into the school policies and cemented into the people s heads. Hopefully, when this works, the number of bullying related events should be declining as reports of bullying activities are being submitted. Though, if this were to succeed and bullying reports at schools start to decline, it is a hugeShow MoreRelatedBullying : A Land Of The Free1160 Words   |  5 Pagesis called, â€Å"Bullying.† Bullying takes many forms including face to face (physical and verbal harassment), written forms (mails/letters), and currently, the most widespread form of bullying apparent in students is cyberbullying (bullying with the use of electronics such as social media, texting/messages, and etc). As the Supreme Court ruled, students have limitations on their speech. These limitations apply to students’ online speech as well. Online speech means any posted or typed speech on onlineRead MoreCyber-Bullying Has Been A Problem For A Very Long Period.1152 Words   |  5 PagesCyber-bullying has been a problem for a very long period. Due to the growth o f our recent technology, cyber-bullying has become one of the most challenging issues in our society. Since cyber-bullying problems are more likely to happen at social gathering, schools, and even mobile phones; Professors, principals, teachers and parents are accountable to observe, reprove and possibly avoid cyber-bullying. The anticipations of most parents of the school, is security. Meanwhile, many employees feel reluctantRead MoreSpeech On The Bill Of Rights1153 Words   |  5 Pagesof speech, or of the press† (Alderman and Kennedy, pg.21). Because of the First Amendment, hate speech, â€Å"no matter how offensive its content†, was â€Å"protected† under the laws (ACLZ). However, people are still demanding more. They want hate-related speech to be allowed on campuses –without knowing the effects and the damage it could do. Hate speech could bring people down, lower their confidences and their school performance, and in some case, school avoidance. Th e audiences of offensive speech onRead MoreInformative Speech : Bullying Is Everybody s Problem888 Words   |  4 PagesInformative Speech Outline â€Å"Bullying is Everybody s Problem† Introduction I. What do we know about bullying? It turns out that with our busy lives, bullying is mostly imperceptible. Have you ever asked yourself why your son, your nephew or a close relative, refuses to go to school? Why the child is always complaining of stomachaches or other diseases in the mornings? II. If so, your child is likely to be a victim of bullying. However, you may not realize that bullying is a real issue that unfortunatelyRead More Cyber Bullying Essay1447 Words   |  6 Pageswhen â€Å"13-year-old Ryan Patrick Halligan kill[ed] himself after months of harassment, including instant messages calling him gay† (Billitteri.) Cyber bullying is much more dangerous than traditional bullying, and should be punished with much stricter guide lines, not just within schools but within criminal courts as well. Traditional bullying was done on school grounds, at the bus stop, or walking home, but today cyber bullies leave teens vulnerable to the abuse with no place to seek refugeRead MoreCyberbullying And Its Effects On Society899 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout high school, we have all witnessed bullying. Some cases more severe than others. One well known way is through social network. This is called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying occurs when a minor is targeted in some form-- threatened humiliated, harassed-- by another, and it is not to be confused with cyber-stalking or cyber-harassment, which involves an adult. Not limited to the internet cyberbullying can spread by cell phones or other digital devices (Surdin, 2009). Cyberbullying has causedRead MoreDescribe That Possible Signs, Symptoms, Indicators and Behaviours That May Cause Concern in the Context of Safeguarding.1486 Words   |  6 Pagesinteraction. It may also involve seeing or hearing a person being ill-treated and you d o not do anything to stop the abuse. With the development of the internet the so called cyber-bullying is another matter that has become prevalent over the past few years; which in turn causes children to frequently feel scared or in danger. 2.2 Signs of possible emotional abuse †¢ Depression, aggression, extreme anxiety, changes or regression in mood or behaviour, particularly where a child withdraws or becomesRead MoreCyberbullying Is A Big Concern For Society Today920 Words   |  4 Pagesgo. Cyberbullying greatly affects the victim’s mental and emotional health as well as their ability to do well in class, so schools should have the power to punish cyberbullies even if it was done off of school grounds. Cyberbullying is defined as bullying that takes place using electronic technology such as cell phones, computers, and tablets and is often done using communication tools like social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites. It can happen anytime during the day or at night, andRead MoreWhat Causes People From The Others?957 Words   |  4 Pagesothers? Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Myspace. YouTube. Flickr. These are all social networking sites and they’re all part of what is at present known as social media. Ever since the creation of social media had occurred there have been another type of bullying that’s in our everyday life. The study from the cyberbullying research center, shows 20.4 percent of females of middle school reported to be the victim pf cyberbullying at least once at the age of 11-18, compared to 14 percent of male children, inRead MoreCyber Socializing Has Effects Essay1715 Words   |  7 Pagesfor people. While cyber socializing gives people around the world the ability to interact with loved ones who are both close and far, these sites can have negative effects on others. The negative sides of cyber socializing, better known as cyber bullying, has several statistics to go along with it, as well as different types. The first type of cyber bully is called â€Å"The Vengeful Angel† which is someone who doesn’t understand that they are the person causing the harm. The next is considered â€Å"The Power

Van Gogh Free Essays

Power of Art: Vincent Van Gogh Vincent Van Gogh was a unique and unusual man, yet one would surely not believe that he was a self-taught painter. Vincent was born in 1853 in Grotto-Sunders, a village located in the south of Netherlands. Van Gogh did not pick up painting until the age of 27 which is somewhat late for the average painter of his time. We will write a custom essay sample on Van Gogh or any similar topic only for you Order Now He also did not Jump straight to being an artist, but attempted to be a minister, a missionary, an art dealer, and a teacher. We will see what shaped Van Sago’s art whether it was through his perception of the world or through his quest to keep his sanity. We can observe most of Van Sago’s life through the connection he and his brother made by the writing of each other’s letters. His younger brother, Thee helped Vincent emotionally and financially as he started his new found passion for creating art. Since his attempt of being a preacher did not go as planned, Vincent in a way turned to painting because of familiarity and to express his religious faith. Despite his motives, Van Gogh fell short of capturing an audience through his art work. For a while he shared an apartment with a prostitute name Seen. Seen was said to be his muse, his source of inspiration in the creation of artwork. When Vincent father caught wind of this relationship that had trouble written all over it, he demanded that Vincent immediately rid himself of her and continue on his way. He finally gave in and abandoned Seen, leaving her alone where she once again turned to prostitution for her source of income. Van Gogh did not have much luck at first when it came to attracting buyers for his artwork, but the creation of his painting â€Å"The Potato Eaters† was one of his first works to gain some recognition. It was a painting of poor peasants eating potatoes around a inner table. Vincent purposely chose to depict them in their natural environment where it can easily be seen that these hard working peasants labor tirelessly to earn their small rations of food. The painting further complements the idea of â€Å"poor and unfortunate† through the use of dark, thick, and dusty looking colors. Van Gogh was very heavy on his brush when it came to painting portraits like this because he did not Just want to paint something, but he wanted to create philosophical connection with his audience which most likely were the middle and upper class of society. After moving to Paris, Van Gogh finally found impressionism and began creating paintings with the use of lighter and more brilliant colors. Thee had informed Vincent that it was a very difficult endeavor to sell his paintings to art collectors who disliked his type of dark art style. It was at that point that Vincent embraced his light side and embraced nature as a source of beauty that could only be captured through the use of richly draped yellows, and other lavish colors. One of Van Sago’s painting called â€Å"the Sorer† incorporates complementary colors to bring a sort of immersed intensity to the picture. This painting is a recreation of an earlier painting, but Van Sago’s has a glow of brilliance to it through the use of a variety of colors that is sure the audience’s eyes in ecstasy. Vincent was always a little skittish growing up, but now it was evident that he was beginning to go mad. It is quite unsure how it came about, but it was said that Van Gogh, in a moment of immense tension, cut his own ear off because of an argument between Gauguin and himself. From there on it was all downhill for the upcoming artist. Vincent eventually admitted himself to a mental hospital where he painted for while in an effort to keep himself from becoming a lunatic Later, he moved with a doctor who specialized with artists who suffered from mental illnesses. Van Gogh seemed to have recovered enough to have left the care of the doctor and returned to painting soon after. One of his last and one his notable works is called â€Å"Wheat Field with Crows†. It is painting that depicts a dramatic landscape set in a wheat field with a great sea of blue as the sky. The single road and flock of crows direct you in an unsure direction, It brings about a sense of loneliness. With thick and heavy strokes, the setting is set or a wind-swept field of golden wheat. This painting is one amongst his unique and haunting works created. A man who may have been mentally ill or Just a man mad at the world for not understanding his views through his art? No one will ever know for sure because his story came to an end when it was said that he shot himself in the stomach later dying due to infection from the wound. It is not clear what type of mental illness Van Gogh suffered from if he did at all suffer from one, but it is fact that he had a way of creating art through the power of his mind and emotion. How to cite Van Gogh, Papers Van Gogh Free Essays It seems when one closes their bedroom door all mundane thoughts are gone and you are left with your imagination. One who agrees with this interpretation is Jane Flanders. Jane Flanders is a highly educated woman, as she attended Mar College and Columbia University, she has three books of poems published and has won many awards. We will write a custom essay sample on Van Gogh or any similar topic only for you Order Now A person whose mind is always running and always working such as hers can agree that rest for the imagination is the best way to strengthen it. One simple painting of his bed and petite, creaky room and one simple four stanza poem shows how materialistic possessions can never reflect the human soul, simplicity in life heightens creativity ND how solitude doesn’t have to be a negative aspect in life. â€Å"l can tell you that for my part I will try to keep a straight course, and will paint the most simple, the most common things† (Van Gogh, 545). This was written in a letter to Vincent brother Thee, Van Gogh is declaring how he now wants to live his life: straight forward and simple. As one can see in the painting he did not accumulate many riches in his life. He never kept heirlooms or anything of wealthy status. His bedroom as described in the poem is â€Å"is narrow†¦ Clumsy but friendly†¦ Empty’ (Flanders, Van Sago’s Bed). The pictures on the wall are crooked, it’s a tiny room for one with a narrow window, filled with a table where he works and chairs to sit on. Flanders describes it Just as it is, these adjectives can be not be clearer. To me this proves that materialistic objects in life can never reflect the soul off person. Van Gogh had a talent that millions of apprentices striver for. It was typical for only the rich to be educated and/or learn an artist’s trade. It’s common for the wealthy to obtain more opportunities in life than he poor, yet a man with many personal struggles in his life is known as a man today that is hard to measure up to. Many people believe your status, or what you own is who you are, this is not true. One can see how his bedrooms looks like one of a peasants, yet this status or preconception does not diminish nor prove that he is not gifted or have a remarkable soul. It’s like today how homeless people are looked down upon like uneducated, untalented scum but in reality they could be Just as gifted as a privileged person. Just because they struggle in different ways than we do goes not mean their soul is any less valuable. The value of what we own does not determine the value of our souls and being. What creates this value is our imagination, spirit, morals, personality, creativity and expression. These aspects in life help us find our purpose, our materialistic success can never fulfill such a destiny. Without imagination what would life be like? The only word I can think of is lifeless. No child’s smile would light up the room, no painting would be filled with color, no Joke would ever hear a laugh, no purpose would there be in life. Just as cells re the building blocks of physical life, imaginations are the building blocks of our purposes in life, whatever they may be. When looking at his painting I take from the simplicity, rest. Rest of the mind, body and spirit, when these three are at rest they grow a unique, metal potential kinetic energy. When one locks themselves away from the world in their bedroom, a safe place where no one can disturb them, their mind is now at ease. There are no worries that can bother them, whatever is out of sight is now out of mind and the mind now becomes clearer. When the mind is clear and jack to its simplistic ways all that is left is imagination and creativity that is free to roam. This is why Van Sago’s bed is right next to his work desk where his mind can freely express itself. It’s common for all humans to lay in bed and because the complexities of our day is over we no longer have to think about what is next until the morning. Nothing left is on our lists for us to be preoccupied with. Life complexity cripples creativity, if we’re constantly thinking about our mundane world, we never have a chance to think about our inner selves. This can also be proven in the color Van Gogh uses. The brilliant, vibrant colors such as orange, yellow, blue and green come to life via simple form. His use of these colors bring his bedroom to life, it proves that even though it’s a simple picture, its one little thing in life that makes the difference of it Just existing or it living, that’s creativity that sparks from imagination. All in all, rest lets our minds breathe and gives us a greater creative potential, and anything else more than simple can deprive us from this. Looking at his painting, one might feel sadness by observing how there are two pillows for one head and two hairs for one body. Being alone is mostly deemed as a negative aspect in life, and it is natural to think that due to humans instinctual being social creatures. Though it is lovely having loved ones in life, solitude is not always negative, you can be alone without feeling lonely. Flanders describes his bedroom as, â€Å"is empty, morning light pours in like wine, melody, fragrance, the memory of happiness† (Flanders, 545). She perfectly shows how emptiness isn’t always a hollow pain, but rather a nostalgic memory. Memories were created in that bedroom, paintings with inexplicable expressions of the Joy in life and the sad confusion. Van Gogh wasn’t alone, he had himself, he had his artwork, and his imagination alone kept him company. Solitude is one of the many paths to figure out our niche in life, something that he longed for. Learning to be happy alone brings a life time of happiness, you never have to depend on someone or something else to bring you happiness in life. You are always with yourself and loving and enjoying your own company is a stable way to ensure your happiness. Even though Van Gogh is seen historically as an unstable man, solitude ay have given him stability. He didn’t seem to â€Å"fit into† the world around him, but the world he understood was his own through art. One can also see in this stanza how Flanders compares the morning light pouring in like wine, a melody or a fragrance, all very simple things that can spark a memory. These may have been things one experienced by themselves resting, reflecting upon them alone, how a memory of an experience learning about themselves can bring self-happiness. This is why solitude is not always a such a bad thing, we are our greatest teachers in life, only we can fulfill our destinies and we can only move to the next step by knowing who we are and we do this through solitude. A painting so simple yet packed with so much. Van Gogh succeeded in showing the viewer what he wanted to portray, how our materialistic life can never reflect the life we live on the inside of ourselves, how when we rest our minds they finally begin to work the way they were destined to and how solitude enables us to progress in our personal purposes in life. Van Gogh states, â€Å"It’s Just simply my bedroom, only here color is to do everything, and giving by TTS simplification a grander style to things, is to be suggestive here of rest or of sleep in general. In a word, to look at the picture ought to rest the brain or rather the imagination† (545). Van Gogh shows all he intends to through color, life could not exist in black in white, and nothing would be unique. He uses these bright colors in his unique signature pattern to portray how different ones imagination can change something so simple. It’s still simple, Just more valuable, it’s customized. This shows how materials can never prove who we are, imagination sparks from rest and prospers from ourselves. How to cite Van Gogh, Papers

Institution Affiliation Entrepreneurship

Question: Discuss about the case study Institution Affiliation for Entrepreneurship. Answer: Introduction: The technology incubation and developments of entrepreneurs has been the key in the transformation of the industry. It takes quite a long time before a business can really stand on its feet and have substantial revenue annually (Boyer et al , 2012). In terms of selling the appliances most entrepreneurs are turning to online marketing though they maintain their shops. Online marketing being the trending marketing strategy the electronics industry has not been left behind. Sites such as Amazon E-bay play a vital role in ensuring the goods are sold and supplied to their clients. The aim of this paper is to comprehensively address the significant issues facing entrepreneurs in this electronic industry and consequently look at the issue faced by the entrepreneurs. Brief description of Electronic Industry This is the business which involves the creation and designing in addition to producing as well as selling electronic appliances such as radio, computers stereos, television semiconductors integrated circuits and transistors .The sales of electronics grew fremendaisly well in USA more so especially in 2000. The industry has played a major role in the transformation of factories homes, offices and its significant in enlarging the economic sector as well. Consumer electronics are usually the sole distributors of electronic appliances. It is estimated that in 2005 close to $75 billion was spent in purchasing electronics compared to 2004. The consumers have growing needs which the producers addresses adequately in order to ensure that the demand curve is congruent to that of supply. This enables companies such as Apple, Dell, and HP to stay on top of their game. There are also emerging trends such as the growing of 3D home theatre systems as compared to the old ones (Latif, 2014). This m eans that innovations being created by companies such as HP, Dell will be able to remain maintained even for a long period of time. Maintenance of flexibility in the market is important factor that keeps influencing new venture in The paper will also discuss the level of entrepreneurial activity in the sector and finally, the factors which influence the probability of new ventures into the industry. Significantly issues facing entrepreneurs in the sector Apparently technology is the industry of choice for many aspiring entrepreneurs. The industry is broad and at the moment it is the fast- growing fields which is highly attracting investors and venture capitalist .For those who are able to succeed in the industry enjoy an enormous payout. Its alluring so the capability of launching a new technology start-up because it is easy. However there are so many unique risks that are involved and most entrepreneurs fail to consider them. The risks enable one to stay a flout on the competitive business. Below the significant issues (Yang et al, 2012). Constant Change There are so many rapid changes being experienced in the electronic industry. If one is not careful the probability being thrown away as a startup of kilter is definitely high. Most of the business persons in the venture do acknowledge that the pressure to more radically in order to beat the competition is immense. Andrew Van Noy who is the CEO of E-commerce solutions provider once e said, if a company isnt nimble enough or cannot execute an idea, the window of opportunity for your product or service may very well close before is ready to the market. He also insisted that, if you feel you have a solution for the problem addressed yet on the market, dont be fooled. It wont be long before someone else does it too (Business Daily, 2013). Therein, it is imperative that the entrepreneurs in this sector move swiftly so that they are not overlapped (Kamuff, 2012). The inability to achieve your initial goal As noted of technology changes as fast as lightening. Therefore there exists a high probability that one may not be able to complete the initial objective as stated in the startup. The challenge that is associated with this point is that many founders fail to accept the failure and change the direction of business but let the operation to lie there stagnant. Shawn Livermore describes the solution as Zombie States. The founder and the CEO of an outsourcing platform from Ziptauk additionally says the founders do what to give up , and are embarrassed to concede defeat. So they keep the dream alive but never really complete what they originally set out to do. Large companies are not worried if one of their projects never gets Completed but in a startup, not completing something means you leave the door open in your life and thats worse than failing. Decisions on partnering As a new entrepreneurs in the industry making decisions pertaining the possibility of amalgamating with another company. In the same field is the best way to grow however the stakes involved are much higher for tech startups. The operations can easily be ruined thanks to the hitching of the wagons to the passing fads. While choosing a partnering company it is important to have clear policies so that they help you grow up easily (Cao et al 2012). Hiring Every business faces this as a major drawback. To find the right employees for your business is quite a walk on thorns. Nevertheless if one can find talent and allow or rather water it germinates the better. Electronics require talents more than the knowledge of books. Most innovators are referred to as gurus or geeks having special interest (Heap, 2008). Having addressed the fair key issues facing entrepreneurs in the industry the discussion that follow will look at the activities of entrepreneurs in the sector. Through departments such as electronics and information technology, many governments are able to implement the schemes. The main aim of the multi-pronged departments is to help the higher institutions of learning in strengthening the technological incubation center and provide a platform for young entrepreneurs in the sector. He also plays an important role in helping them come up with startup companies for the commercialization and the exploitation of the technological development. Other activities also include annual workshops organized to share ideas on new innovations of electronic appliances. The objectives being the promotional of products in an oriented research and their development. They also encourage the acceleration and the development of the indigenous products and packages. They also conduct activities that will bridge up the gap of advancement and that of commercialization. An additional entrepreneur training is facilitated. There is also a high urge being encouraged to promote high interaction between the industry and that of education. This will play a major role in ensuring that the employees challenges are addressed accordingly. In addition the education is aligned to the demands of the market that keep on growing day in day out (Nersesian, 2008). The entrepreneurs also practice the electronic marketing strategies. They come up with individual or organizational activities that enable them to facilitate in addition to expedite the satisfaction of exchange relationships in a dynamic surrounding. Thus is through the promotion after creation and distribution of the eventual pricing of the goods, ideas as well as the services. Factors influencing the probability of new venture success in the electronic industry There is comprehensive analysis that ascertain the correction and qualitative measures of success in the e-business firms .Computer and office equipment .As days go by the is need for innovation .The main question being is the new business venture a new idea or an improvement of business I dear that has been existing ( Cornelisen, 2013). Another factor influencing the probability of a new venture is the question of value .If there is substantial demand for the product, and then the business should be able to came up with ways to meet and maintain the demand that will help the profit margin The reliance of steering the business because there will be always the demand of new electronic appliances .Therefore the source should be significant enough to meet the high demand most importantly for future generations that will demand more sophisticated appliances thus Need to preserve the scarcity in the economy. Conclusion Conclusively, the electronic business is one venture that one will never go wrong if the steps are taken and maintained overtime. Each day everyone is improving their homes thus many will try to add more electronic goods. From entertainment units to lighting systems that can be sold. Companies are trying to come up with new ideas of how systems can be implemented not only taka a small space but be more powerful than its predecessors. Thus consumers will be on the forefront of providing information on how certain product has to be designed thus making changes on the demand across the market. Recommendation Having mentioned that the entrepreneurs in the business can earn legitimate revenue, if the focus is high, they also need marketing strategy that analyzes the situation in this case where the business is set. They also need to look into their objective and how they would want to achieve the set objectives. Tactics to maneuver the strong waves of competition (Lizmayer, 2013) References Boyer, Kenneth Karel, and RohitVerma.Operations Supply Chain Management for the 21st Century. Mason, OH: South-Western, 2010. Cao, M., Zhang, Q.Supply chain collaboration: Roles of inter organizational systems, trust, and collaborative culture. London: Springer, 2013. Cornelissen, J. Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. Sage,2014 .Cousins, P. D., Lawson, B., Squire, B.Supply chain management theory and practice: The emergence of an academic discipline?. Bradford, England: Emerald Group Pub 2012. Heap, P. C. Globalization and summit reform: An experiment in international governance. New York: Springer,2008. Kamauff, J. W.Managers Guide to Operations Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010Lashinsky, A..Inside Apple: How Americas most admired-and secretive-company really works. New York: Business Plus, 2012. Latif, M., Jaskani, J. H., Ilyas, T., Babar, Z. K., Gulzar, H. Issues faced by Apple Inc in smart phones industry.International Journal of Accounting and Financial Reporting,4(2), Pages-50,2014. Linzmayer, O. W. Apple Confidential 2.0: The definitive history of the worlds most colorful company. San Francisco, Calif: No Starch Press, 2014. Nersesian, R. L.Trends and tools for operations management: An updated guide for executives and managers. Westport, Conn: Quorum Books, 2008. Yang, Hailan, and Stephen L. Morgan. Business Strategy and Corporate Governance in the Chinese Consumer Electronics Sector. Oxford: Chandos Pub., 2011. Print.

Tapping Into The Content Community You Never Knew You Had

Coming up with a steady stream of engaging, high-quality content is essential for success. But there are times when your well starts to run dry. Research by the Content Marketing Institute shows that over half of marketers say their greatest challenge is creating enough content. So, when your flood of content ideas starts to become a trickle, the good news is that you can always turn to a broader content community for help. 1. Accept Guest Posts If your website has relatively high domain authority (DA), it shouldn’t be hard to find writers who are willing to write a guest post for you. Guest posting benefits both your website and the guest writer: you get quality content and the guest writer gains valuable exposure. Defining a set of guidelines up front that explain what you’re looking for and how the content will be used is essential to ensure everyone is happy with the outcome. 2. Conduct an Expert Interview Interviews with experts in your industry are another great way to come up with new content in a hurry. Respected experts have knowledge that your audience would love to soak up and they also help you make valuable connections. Be respectful of the interviewee’s time – do your research in advance so you’ll be armed with good questions and be flexible to do the interview in whatever format they prefer whether it’s via phone, Skype or email. 3. Curate Content Sharing great content by others can help you fill gaps in between your own content. Plenty of content marketers are taking advantage of this tactic with about a third saying they share curated content daily. When you share industry news or other relevant information with your audience, add your own comments or highlight critical points as these help boost your credibility and thought leadership. Customers are an often overlooked source of content. But if you can get your most enthusiastic customers to write a post for you or even write a review, it can carry a lot of weight with readers. Research shows that about 70% of shoppers consult customer reviews before they make a purchase. Consumers trust their peers, so what better way to add fresh content to your website than to share the words of a satisfied customer? If you want to take this idea to the next level, you can even put together a group of brand ambassadors who are in charge of posting social media updates and stories about your products. 5. Run a Contest Not all content is written: images and videos are equally valuable. Hosting a photo or video contest on your website can result in huge amounts of quality user-generated content that’s great for generating social-media buzz. Content is a Team Sport Well-performing, well-written content marketing doesn’t have to be a solo task. While your own content may be the foundation of your overall content strategy, sometimes involving others can go a long way to broadening your reach and diversifying your content mix.

Mad About the Insanity Defense essays

Mad About the Insanity Defense essays Today in our legal system, there are many questionable defense tactics. They are designed to protect the rights of the charged, and further the cause of justice. However, in many cases this betterment of justice has been taken too far, and thus pleas such as Temporary insanity are born. Indeed, as will be proven, the insanity defense in itself has been stretched nearly to its breaking point. The insanity defense will be critically examined, here, and proven in some cases necessary while others have no right using the plea. The history of the insanity defense goes back as far as government. Yet as Thomas Maeder stated in his book Crime and Madness, the Origins and Evolutions of the Insanity Defense, surprisingly enough, Throughout most of history there have been no specific criteria for exculpatory insanity(3). In ancient Hebrew times, as Maeder notes, the law simply states that idiots, lunatics, and children below a given age are not to be held criminally responsible (3). Indeed, in Ancient Greek and Roman cultures, nothing has survived to show any adaption to this exception, save a part of Platos Laws (3). Platos Laws says that if a defendant is senile, a child or proven insane he should be responsible for no more than the payment of civil damages, Except that if he has killed someone and his hands are polluted by murder he must depart to a place in another country and live there in exile for a year (Maeder 3). Furthermore, there are scarce traces of early insanity cases, thus it is difficult to make generalizations about the defense, yet there have been some noted cases where the defendant was sentenced to life in prison (Maeder 4). By the fifteenth century...If the defendant had committed the act, they had to convict; if he was insane, or a minor, or had killed in self-defense, they could recommend mercy... (Maeder 5)....

10 Interesting Sulfur Facts

10 Interesting Sulfur Facts Sulfur is element number 16 on the periodic table, with element symbol S and an atomic weight of 32.066. This common nonmetal occurs in food, many household products, and even your own body. Here are 10 interesting facts about sulfur. Sulfur is an essential element for life. Its found in amino acids (cysteine and methionine) and proteins. Sulfur compounds are why onions make you cry, why asparagus gives urine a weird odor, why garlic has a distinctive aroma, and why rotten eggs smell so horrible.Although many sulfur compounds have a strong smell, the pure element is actually odorless. Sulfur compounds also affect your sense of smell. For example, hydrogen sulfide (H2S, the culprit behind the rotten egg odor) actually deadens the sense of smell, so the odor is very strong at first and then vanishes. This is unfortunate, because hydrogen sulfide is a toxic and potentially deadly gas! Elemental sulfur is considered non-toxic.Mankind has known about sulfur since ancient times. The element, also known as brimstone, primarily comes from volcanoes. While most chemical elements only occur in compounds, sulfur is one of relatively few elements that occurs in pure form.At room temperature and pressure, sulfur is a yellow so lid. Its usually seen as a powder, but it forms crystals, too. One interesting feature of the crystals is that they spontaneously change shape according to temperature. All you need to do to observe the transition is melt sulfur, allow it to cool until it crystallizes, and observe the crystal shape over time. Were you surprised you could crystallize sulfur simply by cooling the melted powder? This is a common method of growing metal crystals. While sulfur is a nonmetal, like metals, it wont readily dissolve in water or other solvents (although it will dissolve in carbon disulfide). If you tried the crystal project, another surprise might have been the color of sulfur liquid when you heated the powder. Liquid sulfur can appear blood-red. Volcanoes that spew molten sulfur display another interesting feature of the element. It burns with a blue flame from the sulfur dioxide that is produced. Volcanoes with sulfur appear to run with blue lava.How you spell the name of element number 16 likely depends where and when you grew up. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) adopted the sulfur spelling in 1990, as did the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1992. Up to this point, the spelling was sulphur in Britain and in countries using the Roman languages. The original spelling was actually the Latin word sulfur, which was Hellenized to sulphur. Sulfur has many uses. Its a component of gunpowder and believed to have been used in the ancient flamethrower weapon called Greek Fire. Its a key component of sulfuric acid, which is used in labs and to make other chemicals. Its found in the antibiotic penicillin and is used for fumigation against diseases and pests. Sulfur is a component of fertilizers and also pharmaceuticals.Sulfur is created as part of the alpha process in massive stars. It is the 10th most abundant element in the universe. Its found in meteorites and on Earth mainly near volcanoes and hot springs. The abundance of the element is higher in the core than in the Earths crust. Its estimated there is enough sulfur on Earth to make two bodies the size of the Moon. Common minerals that contain sulfur include pyrite or fools gold (iron sulfide), cinnabar (mercury sulfide), galena (lead sulfide), and gypsum (calcium sulfate).Some organisms are able to use sulfur compounds as an energy source. An example are cave bacteria , which produce special stalactites called snottites that drip sulfuric acid. The acid is sufficiently concentrated that it can burn skin and eat holes through clothes if you stand beneath the minerals. Natural dissolution of minerals by the acid carves out new caves. Although people always knew about sulfur, it wasnt recognized as an element (except by alchemists, who also considered fire and earth elements). It was 1777 when Antoine Lavoisier provided convincing evidence the substance was indeed its own unique element, worthy of a place on the periodic table. The element has oxidation states ranging from -2 to 6, allowing it to form compounds with all of the other elements except the noble gases.

Strategic Marketing-Forecast and Budget Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Marketing-Forecast and Budget - Essay Example The portable button will reduce cases of insecurity but the current challenge is to design. Product Development and Testing Hire expertise to develop product 45 Prototype development costs: 140 Labour 240 Materials 130 Subcontracting 210 Special Purpose Equipment 300 Miscellaneous 230 Fees for lab testing 212 Field Trial costs 125 Patent Application Fees 43 Legal Fees re IP 233 Additional marketing research activity 50 Development of technical manuals 65 Development of User training manuals 210 Packaging Design 65 Travel Costs 120 Staffing Costs 230 Update business plan 50 Search for Venture Capital 210 Other related costs: 250 The product marketing and promotion programs are not captured in the product development because they are under the marketing budget. These components are not part of the development process. The development of a gadget connecting security organization with the people demands that the bodies must understand how the system operates. The role of security organ i s to develop the necessary security structure support workability of the product. The success of the whole process depends on the ability to address pertinent issues affecting the product. The trial costs must be monitored because trials are very expensive to address or handle leading to serious challenge for the product development process. ... The product is an IT related programs that must be addressed in issues of communication and the issues of security of the communication practice Market Research & Technical Feasibility costs Product Management Training $100 Other HR training costs $100 Focus Group Costs $100 Brochure Development $145 Costs gathering market intelligence $350 Product mock-up costs $230 Staffing Costs $340 Consulting Costs (idea evaluation, marketing assistance) 210 Technical Review of Product Concept 120 Legal/Professional fees 120 End-user visits 230 Other related costs: 300 New product launch support services New product development and completion do not guarantee success of the product, unless the implementation process is undertaken in a way that will encourage the target market to try out the product. Several launching programs exist, but the company needs to engage in tactical launch of new products. During the process of planning of new product launch, support is required from the top management on the dates of launch, and the facilitation required, in the process to achieve success (Sandhusen, 2000, p. 34). In order to support the tactical and the strategic launch of products, market research must be conducted so as to determine the efficiency of the method chosen for the product launch. Market testing is vital throughout the new product development process. Market testing will allow the organization to finalize the planning process of the product launch. Additionally, the feedback collection process will be efficient if the customers are allowed to give their opinion during the product launch leading to the ease of product improvement in the process

Cloud Computing Service Models Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cloud Computing Service Models - Assignment Example Likewise, the services provided over the Internet are referred as (Software as a Service) ‘SaaS’. There are few sellers who use the term (Infrastructure as a service) ‘IaaS’ and (Platform as a service) ‘PaaS’ in order to demonstrate their products and services. However, these terms are avoided and not accepted globally, due to variation. The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have illustrated some helpful definitions that focus on three concepts (Reese 2009): Cloud infrastructure as a service ‘IaaS’ consists of provisioning elementary computing resources. Cloud software as a service ‘SaaS’ access software application that operates on a cloud infrastructure. Cloud platform as a service (PaaS) provides the accessibility to users for implementing and developing applications with programming language and tools supported by the providers. The core components of a cloud consist of the data center hardware and software. When these resources are publicly available, they are referred as public clouds and the service provided by the cloud is called as utility computing. Moreover, private clouds are only available to private organizations and are not accessible by the public. Accordingly, cloud computing is the combination of ‘SaaS’ and utility computing (ARMBRUST, FOX et al. 2010). There are three service models for cloud computing i.e. infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software as a service (Wilshusen 2011). Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is comprised of three components i.e. software, platform and infrastructure. Organizations only provide software and platform and infrastructure is provided by a third party cloud computing vendor. The second service models i.e. platform as a service (PaaS) also comprises of three components i.e. software, platform and infrastructure. Organizations only provide a software or application that will be executed on the third party or the vendor’s platform and infrastructure. The third service model also includes the similar three components as mentioned before and called as software as a service (SaaS). Organizations only utilize the services provided by the vendors in terms of applications that can be accessed by the Internet. All the three components i.e. software, platform and infrastructure are the property of the vendor (Wilshusen 2011). In figure 1.1, cloud deployment models are demonstrated Figure 1.1 (Retreived from :Wilshusen, G. C. (2011). INFORMATION SECURITY: Additional guidance needed to address cloud computing concerns. GAO Reports, , 1.) Cloud computing four service models are shown in Fig 1.2 Figure 1.2 (Retreived from :Wilshusen, G. C. (2011). INFORMATION SECURITY: Additional guidance needed to address cloud computing concerns. GAO Reports, , 1.) ‘Business Cloud’ must choose the relevant client model, as it will be proportional to t he business or customer requirements and may differ from organization to organization and business types. The first service model is called as the ‘Private Cloud’. A private cloud is solely a property of the organization i.e. software, platform and infrastructure is the property of the organization (Wilshusen 2011). The second service model is called as the community cloud that is accessible to several organizations that may be

The film Madagascar 2 Essay Example for Free

The film Madagascar 2 Essay The film Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa is an excellent film filled with beautiful animation and great humor. The theme of the movies is more on friendship and how the characters manage to deal with one another despite the troubles along their way and the differences of their personalities. The film is highly recommended for viewers of all ages. It also depicts simple lessons in life but has great impact in everyday lives. The production of the film is really splendid. The way characters dances and jokes around gives viewer the chance to laugh their hearts out. It teaches viewers how to be grateful for simple things. The colors used in the film are really enticing especially for the young viewers. Adults also enjoy the movie because of the script and the added humor. The film centers on the four main characters struggle to go back to the New York Zoo from Madagascar but they accidentally landed on their homeland Africa. Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman find their own pieces of memory right on the very island which they have landed. They were able to see their families and had adventures of their own. It also shows how New Yorker animals survived the African jungle. Madagascar 2 is really a family film. It shows how to find one’s sense of individuality and how to battle against the problems that life is giving you. The music embedded on the film makes viewers more stuck into their seats as they see characters dancing and singing on screen. This sequel to the first Madagascar is more beautiful and more worthy of time, money and effort. References Darnell, Eric McGrath, Tom (2008). Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa. USA: DreamWorks Distribution Paramount Pictures Schembri, Jim (20 December 2008). Madagascar 2 Movie Review. The Age Website. Retrieved 21 January 2008 from http://www. theage. com. au/news/entertainment/film/film-reviews/madagascar-escape-2-africa/2008/12/18/1229189771014. html

Great Ideas Project: Origin of Sex Essay -- DNA Biology Biological Pap

Great Ideas Project: Origin of Sex Sex, though usually used in terms of reproduction, is actually quite separate: it refers to the splitting and recombining of genetic material through the meiosis (fission) and fertilization (fusion) of genomes in such a way that, when they are reproduced, the new generation of cells contains a different set of genes than that of its parents. Sex is by no means necessary for reproduction. Asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, is actually about twice as efficient for population growth; there is thus a â€Å"two-fold cost† of sex in reproduction. There are many benefits to sex, however, that outweigh its inefficiency. Among these benefits are the opportunities for the repair of damaged DNA, the rapid recombination of genes to more readily adapt to changing environments, and the elimination of the accumulation of deleterious mutations from a population. It is easy to find benefits to sex; finding a theory for the origin of sex is not nearly as simple. There are many cont ested theories for what made organisms evolve in a pattern which is less efficient for population growth, but no sure-fire answers.[1] The predominant theory for the origin of sex has always been the benefits of DNA repair. In an asexual haploid cell, if both sides of a DNA strand were damaged—for instance, if the thymine and adenine erred and became unrecognizable—since the cell would have only one copy of the information, there would be no chance for the cell to repair the damage and the cell would either die or be able to pass on only grossly mutated genes. However, an asexual diploid cell and a sexual cell each contain an extra set of chromosomes providing the template to repair that damaged DNA strand. Using DNA r... ...rsity Press [2] Michod, Richard E. (1998). Origin of Sex for Error Repair. Theoretical Population Biology, 53, 60-74 [3] Mauro Santos, et. al. (2003) Origin of Sex Revisted. Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere, 32, 405-432 [4] Dacks, Joel and Roger, Andrew J. â€Å"The First Sexual Lineage and the Relevance of Facultative Sex.† Journal of Molecular Evolution (1999), Issue 48 pg 779-783. [5] Leboeuf, Adrian. â€Å"UCSB Researchers Study Advantages of Sexual Reproduction† Daily Nexus, volume 82, issue #28 [6] Crow JF. â€Å"Advantages of Sexual Reproduction† PMID: 8062455 [7] Rothschild, Lynn J. â€Å"The Influence of UV Radiation on Protistan Evolution.† Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology (1999), Issue 46 no. 5 pg. 548-555. [8] Sterrer, Wolfgang. â€Å"On the Origin of Sex as Vaccination.† Journal of Theoretical Biology (2002), Issue 216 pg. 387-396.

Internet Security Essay

The key techniques to the most affordable website security would be the casual features of the website for the purpose of safeguarding the website content and the transactions that are to be made for fulfilling the ecommerce objectives of the website. The following can be credited to the diverse ways to secure the website and customer information for the â€Å"Grandmas Treats† website: Web content security: It forms the greater part of the security as they are aimed at non-representation or illegal presentation of false content that a user is not expected to see. The term cross site scripting (or XSS) is often used in conjunction with the web content and links that are to be secured for a website. Acunetix (2007) own product Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner is easily downloadable and comes free. Using that one could scan their website for any such flaws. Directory traversal attacks: The directory traversal attacks are quite common where the links are traversed to a very different path where the information flows to the hackers. It is due to the malfunction of the codes at the client and server sides. The code efficiency and link path requires to be checked periodically so that one is able to redesign and test the system for any malfunction. SQL injection: It is another method where intruders are capable to draw information from one website using SQL languages to illegally fetch customer’s data for obtaining their financial information or to manipulate information for wrong use. The website must be checked periodically for such incidents and must also make sure that customer records are encrypted using 128 bit security layers at the database side. The database security must be checked for getting sure that no such activity is evident. The customer’s financial information would be encrypted to hide it from easy access from hackers. E-commerce transactions security: The use of SSL 3. 0 makes sure that all vulnerabilities regarding the tapping of information so that ones purchases are safe in all respects. The use of this protocol makes sure that a secured channel is followed for communication between the client communicating clients. The use of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is important and can be enabled for any website for securing the communication to the communicating clients. IETF (2007) explains that TLS composes of point to point authentication techniques and communications privacy over the internet strengthening the encryption. 1. Web server checks and database security checks: The periodic checks are done to put a check on performance of the website and database usage. All the relevant links and database security is checked for overall assurance. 2. Database backup: The database backup plans must be devised accordingly for keeping the records safe to protect against unforeseen disasters (Navathe, 2002). These simple tips would be helpful for the website to take care of the affordable needs for security and customer data protection so that one is able to safely carry out transactions over the internet. References Acunetix (2007). Web Site Security Center: Check & Implement Web Site Security. Retrieved 16, December 2007 from http://www.acunetix.com/websitesecurity/

Education Is Not Luxury

In † Education Is Not Luxury†, Stephen Joel Trachtenberg discussed about that people should take school seriously and in his opinion, † Topics like these may be putting a squeeze on the time spent on literacy and numeracy. † Years ago, most American worked in farming or in finishing agricultural crops. However, † Agrarian calendar continues to dominate one facet of American life–education. â€Å", even we are no longer agrarian.Schooling was a luxury and it is a long process of educating the young but â€Å"America will never take schools seriously as long as they operate on the ancient agrarian calendar† or â€Å"they are open from only nine to three o'clock or some equivalent. † So people thought that â€Å"this schooling business is a part-time occupation. † So the schools have to do the right thing to make them important to people by spending time on literacy and numeracy. So the schools should be able to teach both acade mic subjects and other things.This would at least show that schools are serious. It could also help teachers to find a job and getting paid. Students would learn what they should learn. † Universities are driven by their double missions of learning and service and the compelling. However young students do not take the class seriously and they do not desired to learn, even have the opportunities to learn. In † Expanding Offerings†, † many students come to school without any training in foreign languages, or that only couple of languages.And † many school districts must deal with immigrant children. † School calendar can help teachers to keep their teaching on track and teaching more. But there are some objections which against to achieve more cause they do not have money, most of learning do not take place at school and extending the school days and making the day longer. Response I strongly agree with Stephen's opinion cause these suggestions whic h he discussed about can really help students to understand why they have to study, what they have to study about and how to study more efficiently.Schools should make people to realize that they are important by spending time on literacy and numeracy. Schools also have to be responsible to the students like making sure they do not spend † additional time to teach what is already being taught. † They are also responding to what is available. † An atmosphere of learning without the first-rate instruction or the various tangibles and intangibles that make learning possible is nothing but a disappointment.† What's more, lengthening the school years can really help to convince † the rest of the world that schools are, at least, serious. † Secondly, â€Å"teachers working conventional hours and a typical work year, it would be possible to begin to pay teacher. † Finally, † it would accommodate all the things that teachers need to teach and young people need to learn. † In my opinion, these are good way to go through and making education more important and common.

Free Essays on The Fixer

The main character of The Fixer is Yakov Bok, whose name, appropriately, means "goat" in Yiddish. He is an impoverished, unfortunate and unhappy fix-it man from a small Jewish shtetl in the Russian countryside near Kiev. In six years of marriage, his wife bore him no children, so he stopped sleeping with her. She soon ran off with a goy she met in the local tavern. As the novel opens, the fixer gives voice to his disgust with his life as he explains to his father-in-law why he is leaving the shtetl to try his luck in the big city of Kiev: â€Å" I've had to dig with my fingernails for a living. What can anybody do without capital? What they can do I can do, but it's not much. I fix what's broken except in the heart. In this shtetl everything is falling apart...And who can pay to have it fixed let's say he wants it, which he doesn't. If he does, half the time I work for nothing. If I'm lucky, a dish of noodles. Opportunity here is born dead... I don't want people pitying me or wondering what I did to be so cursed. I did nothing. It was a gift.† This passage sums up much of Bok's self-understanding at the beginning of the novel. He is a poor man who has had bad luck all of his life, and who has done nothing to deserve either his poverty or his misfortune. Disgusted with the sorry state of the "chosen people," he has given up his belief in the God of his forefathers. Bored, and frustrated by the poverty of the shtetl, he has decided to try to change his luck by leaving in search of "a new life." Bok plans to shed his past in order to start anew. Before leaving the shtetl, he shaves his beard to change his appearance. His father-in-law, Shmuel, gives him a package with a prayer-shawl and tefillin, but Bok drops the package into the Dnieper on the way to Kiev, symbolically rejecting his own Jewishness. In order to take a job offered him by an anti-Semite, he assumes a false name. In these and other ways, Bok hopes to lea... Free Essays on The Fixer Free Essays on The Fixer The main character of The Fixer is Yakov Bok, whose name, appropriately, means "goat" in Yiddish. He is an impoverished, unfortunate and unhappy fix-it man from a small Jewish shtetl in the Russian countryside near Kiev. In six years of marriage, his wife bore him no children, so he stopped sleeping with her. She soon ran off with a goy she met in the local tavern. As the novel opens, the fixer gives voice to his disgust with his life as he explains to his father-in-law why he is leaving the shtetl to try his luck in the big city of Kiev: â€Å" I've had to dig with my fingernails for a living. What can anybody do without capital? What they can do I can do, but it's not much. I fix what's broken except in the heart. In this shtetl everything is falling apart...And who can pay to have it fixed let's say he wants it, which he doesn't. If he does, half the time I work for nothing. If I'm lucky, a dish of noodles. Opportunity here is born dead... I don't want people pitying me or wondering what I did to be so cursed. I did nothing. It was a gift.† This passage sums up much of Bok's self-understanding at the beginning of the novel. He is a poor man who has had bad luck all of his life, and who has done nothing to deserve either his poverty or his misfortune. Disgusted with the sorry state of the "chosen people," he has given up his belief in the God of his forefathers. Bored, and frustrated by the poverty of the shtetl, he has decided to try to change his luck by leaving in search of "a new life." Bok plans to shed his past in order to start anew. Before leaving the shtetl, he shaves his beard to change his appearance. His father-in-law, Shmuel, gives him a package with a prayer-shawl and tefillin, but Bok drops the package into the Dnieper on the way to Kiev, symbolically rejecting his own Jewishness. In order to take a job offered him by an anti-Semite, he assumes a false name. In these and other ways, Bok hopes to lea...

Ancient Homosexuality Essay Example for Free

Ancient Homosexuality Essay The modern self is primarily built up of one’s history, body, religion, politics and entertainment – a Freudian composition of what identity is. And all of these things, the very factors that make the modern self the way it is, roots from the ancients. Cicero once thought that without the knowledge of the past, once shall remain a child, hence, Simon Goldhill’s Love, Sex and Tragedy: How the Ancient World Shapes Our Lives. With Cicero’s principle in mind, Goldhill wishes his readers to have a full understanding of who they are and how they came to be the way they are. Among the very controversial societal issues that Goldhill discussed pertained to homosexuality. Sexuality, in the time of the Greco-Romans, meant a love-affair with the phallus. They paraded it in the theatres, processions, public road, and even public memorials. The phallus was part of the classical man’s body, sexuality and sensuality – which, by the way, not only applies to men, but for females as well. The Greco-Romans had a profound relationship with sexual organs and acts, which, the modern man – apparently influenced by the rules of Christianity, might find obscene. A part of Simon Goldhill’s discussions on sexuality is the root of homosexuality. The Greeks had a particular fondness over a scenario where a bearded male desires a beardless lad. In today’s terms, this is the so-called pedophilia, as practiced through the inter-crural activity. This involves the placing of one’s penis between the partner’s thighs, may it be front or rear, followed by thrusting to attain sexual pleasure. Greeks from the seventh century, reinforced pederasty among men from the upper-class society, especially in their twenties, to acquire a young boy approximately aged 12 to love and nurture until he grows to marry at age 30, and later take a boy of his own. Practicing pederasty reinforced late marriage for these males, in the hopes of reducing the possibility of overpopulation, as well as to improve the education – initiation and instruction, of the ancient Greek youth. On Greek vases, one can find a picture of the bearded man – erastes, and the beardless youth – eromenos, as the erastes touches the eromenos’s genitals. The erastes takes the intiative as the eromenos remains passive. But, the ancient Greeks prohibited the relationship between a bearded man with yet another bearded man, and it was shameful that a bearded man becomes the passive one – or pathikos. The pedagogical pederasty is an illustration of a father-son relationship, where the erastes acts as a substitute father to help the young lad on his way to manhood, maturity, and to orient him to become a productive part of the society. The erastes demonstrates this affection by little presents ranging from a bottle of oil to money. The relationship was beneficial in both parties – the erastes provides education, protection, love and a role model for the eromenos – who offers beauty and admiration in turn. In modern theory, this is called sexual reciprocity. Gay does not necessarily mean one is less man or woman than a heterosexual. The ancient Greeks have never defined it in that way. Pedagogical pederasty and the sexual reciprocity that follows it are acts that only show the so-called love – in whichever form you wish to see it, may it be erotic or platonic. However, if we do know the origins of homosexuality, how does it actually affect us as individuals? We do obtain the full understanding of our identities in terms of our sexuality, and the understanding of others’ sexuality. This book simply implies the basic lesson of respect. Ancient Homosexuality. (2017, Mar 09).

Personal Engagement with the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Engagement with the Media - Essay Example Initially, I used to watch movies as a family norm. they were for entertainment puposes only. However, I have grown to understand movies better and learnt that there is so much to more that I can gain. Sometimes, watching a movie leaves me inspired. Other times, a movie becomes a revealing moment that leaves me feeling overwhelmed. This self-reflection essay will focus on my personal engagement with the media. People watch movies for various reasons. However, they do it on their own volition. Movies play a critical role in peoples lives. Sometimes I may feel unmotivated. I just look for an inspirational movies and watch it. therefore, I personally engage with media and highly associate my emotions with the power of movies to entertain, inspire, mystify, amaze, arouse, and inform. Some movies are highly criticized by people. At times, I have heard people argue that certain genre of movies is boring. However, I am not easily influenced by people’s opinion about a movie. This is because I find myself enjoying almost every movie I watch. Moreover, I believe that every movie is made with a purpose. Sometimes, the purpose is easily understood. In other times you have to watch a movies several times to understand the message relayed. Moreover, movies play a great role in satisfying my emotional needs. Movies continue to play an important role. I think that most people, I included, watch movies because they want to feel something. There is something that movies offer that cannot be obtained from the real world. I was amazed when one of my friends who had lost his mother in a car accident invited me to his house.He blamed himself for the accident since

Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Paper 2 - Essay Example In his graphic novel Maus (1991), Spiegelman records history from an interview he conducted with his father Vladek. Vladek was a holocaust survivor who lived in New York, and he related his experiences that Spiegelman translated into a graphic novel. In this graphic story, the holocaust is comically depicted with Jews as Mice, the Poles as Pigs, Germans as Cats, French as Frogs, and Americans as Dogs (Wood 83). Through illustrations, the reader is compelled to make an action in his mind and by doing this; the author touches on soft underbellies that most texts would not dare to through non pictorial means (Ewert 82). The author has given a fresh understanding of holocaust in this novel. In Palestine, Sacco gives a graphical representation of the consequences of the first intifada in the holy land of Israel/Palestine. In this graphic novel, the author takes the audience through various refugee camps and towns in Palestine in a bid to gather stories, pictures and other relevant informa tion. The book has interesting illustrations and written texts that convey various themes throughout the pictured pages. The two graphic novels have given an interesting revelation about the cultural and political state in their settings. For example, Maus (1991) was written with a cultural touch and especially when it masks the low cultural status of comical works in the English speaking world where the word ‘comic’ was not taken seriously. Moreover, the novel has been used as a cultural tool in most states. For example, the author of the novel went against the cultural expectations of fascism and accepted his book to be published in South Africa in opposition of apartheid regime (Wood 85). This is because the book is culturally revolutionary and advocates for human rights to be upheld by the ruling regimes. Likewise, Sacco’s Palestine is a work that centers on violence, brutality, and torture as forms of

Discussion Topic 2 Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Topic 2 - Personal Statement Example He pays attention, listening with keenness and with increased interest in the topic. Looking straight into his face, he exhibits the characteristics of a good listener, as his face is always to his communicating partner. By giving a person the opportunity to speak, he ensures that they talk in turns, making the communication process successful. Moreover, while talking to the audience, he maintains a steady eye contact, ensuring that all the people are paying attention. More interesting about him is his use of body language while communicating. Every action that indicates any emotional feeling, the pastor shows it out effectively, making his mode of communication understandable. Having mastered his reactions and gestures, his message is more understandable when compared to other speakers, as Leonard (78) points out that body language is part of communication, with increased influence on the understanding of a speaker’s message. He is always audible when talking to a person or t he congregation, and avoids too much information that is likely to be a hindrance to the understanding of his message. If there is one thing that I would borrow from the pastor is his use of body language. The manner in which he uses body language is captivating. The timing of his gestures and application of body language fascinates to me more, as it complements his speech

Stereotyping in Nursing Care | Reflection

Stereotyping in Nursing Care | Reflection PLACEMENT REFLECTION Introduction Reflection has been defined within healthcare as the active process of reviewing, analysing and evaluating experiences, drawing upon theoretical concepts or previous learning, in order to inform future actions (Reid, 1993). A reflective practitioner often reflects on experience and is capable of reflecting-in-action, continually learning from experience to the benefit of future actions (Schon, 1983). This essay is a reflective account based on the recurrence of an incident that took place during my placements in a forensic and an acute ward as part of my mental health nursing training. This reflection is based on Gibbs (1988) definition of reflection which is shown in his reflective cycle in the diagram below. The model will be used to describe the incident, my feelings following the incident and an evaluation of my experience. An analysis of what sense can be made of the situation and thoughts of what else could have been done under the circumstances. The final stage is an action pl an for what has to be done if the incident eventuates in future during practice (NHS, 2006). In accordance with the NMC code of conduct (2008) on confidentiality, the names used for the patients are pseudonyms. Reflection in nursing is important as it generates practice knowledge, enhances the ability to adapt to new situations, develops self-esteem, leads to satisfaction and improves professional practice (Baird and Winter, 2005, p.156). Similarly, Siviter (2004, p.165) explain that reflection is about gaining self-confidence, identifying when to improve, learning from own mistakes and behaviour, looking at other people’s perspectives, being self-aware and improving the future by learning from the past. Description of the incident During my first week of placement at a forensic ward, I was cautioned to be careful of some patients whom the nurses had labelled as ‘difficult’. This was a perception I carried with me till the end of my placement, unfortunately. At one instance I was with a nurse in the office when Yosef, one of the ‘so-called’ difficult patients came to request for the patients phone to make a call. The nurse appeared to be very busy and ignored the patient. As the patient kept knocking at the window, I asked the nurse if I could facilitate the request, but I was told the patient had to wait because he has a habit of always making requests. Yosef walked away after waiting for a few more minutes without help. He was fuming and very upset. I looked at the nurse in despair as I really could not understand what he had to wait for in the first place since in my view, the request could have easily been facilitated. I felt a sense of guilt because at that moment I felt we had le t down a service user as facilitators of service. I carried this guilt with me to my second placement which was a female acute admissions ward. I found that here too, the labelling of some patients as ‘difficult’ existed. Bridget, a 59 year old patient who presented as isolative, interacting minimally with peers and staff was also labelled as such. During a ‘plan of the day’ meeting which all patients and staff are expected to attend, Bridget was surprisingly very forthright. She spoke about staff negative attitudes towards patients during the ‘any other business session’. After lunch that day, I decided to have a conversation with her. I started by introducing myself and congratulated her for being outspoken at the meeting, empathising with her on some of the concerns she raised at the meeting. This was meant to make the prospect of engaging her more appealing to her. The conversation took off slowly, but I had to adopt emphatic listening whic h according to Wold (2004, p.73) is about the willingness to understand the other person and not just judging the person’s facts. During the conversation, I maintained eye contact in order to express a sense of interest in what she was saying (Caris-Verhallen et al, 1999). To my surprise, Bridget was participative, and very pleasant throughout the conversation, dispelling the earlier impression I had been given about her. At the meeting that morning, she had mentioned nurses’ insensitivity which I wanted her to elaborate on. In her response, she said ‘Nurses must know that mental illness is invisible unlike physical illness. The therapy is not all about medication, but it is also about relationships that show warmth towards us as patients. But some nurses feel so important and insensitive; their attitude sometimes makes me feel slighted and frustrated. This can easily lead me on to kick off and explode when I shouldn’t’. She was very thankful and said she felt ‘lifted’ after the conversation. My feelings I had mixed feelings after this conversation; a feeling of disappointment and regret. The disappointment was associated with the fact that there appeared to be a thread of a culture of neglect instead of support at the two wards towards patients. My regret was borne out of the fact that I had allowed some nurses to colour my perceptions of some of the patients. It was clear after this conversation that some nurses have failed to understand and respond to the needs of some patients because they failed to form sound therapeutic alliances with patients which is an essential component of all therapeutic interventions through effective communication Stevenson (2008, p.109). It is important in a mental health setting that nurses promote a therapeutic rapport with patients that is underpinned by a sense of trust, respect and mutual understanding. According to Harkreader and Hogan (2004, p. 245) these are ingredients that would raise the patient’s self-esteem and personal growth. Even more important, according to Arnold and Boggs (2007, p.200) is the need for effective therapeutic communication which can improve the patient’s ability to function. In order to establish therapeutic nurse-patient interaction, a nurse must demonstrate caring, empathy and trustworthiness (Kathol, 2003, p.33). These involve the implementation of interpersonal skills which Johnson (2008) defines as the total ability to communicate effectively with patients and all those involved in their care. Communication is the exchange of information, and effective communication must involve both verbal and non-verbal communication through the use of gestures, postures, facial e xpressions, tone and level of volume. I had a feeling that this intervention was a good starting point to develop my communication and interpersonal skills in future. Evaluation I realised that through communication, I got to know how some patients feel about nurses and the kind of interaction that they expect would contribute to their therapy. At least, my intervention had helped to alleviate her stress to some extent, calmed her frustration and anger through the use of effective communication skills which underpins the promotion of therapeutic relationships necessary to handle aggression more effectively (Duxbury 2002). Analysis Caring which consists among other things of the provision of comfort, concern and support, the development of trust and the alleviation of stress (Leninger, 1994) is a primary duty of nurses. But arguably, caring can only be demonstrated when people interact with each other and get to understand their needs. My interaction with Bridget was part of my duty to provide nursing care, and this was achieved by putting her at the centre of the conversation by way of making her: feel listened to; feel that her concerns are being validated and not trivialised; feel emotionally supported; feel understood. A conducive atmosphere for effective communication was created which enabled her to express her feelings. The Department of Health (DH) (2004) and the National Health Service (NHS) Modernisation Agency (2003) lay emphasis on the importance of patient-focused communication between health professionals and patients. This is seen as vital to achieving patient satisfaction, inclusive decision making in caregiving and an efficient health service. Nursing literature also promotes these concepts as indicative of best practice. For example, McCabe and Timmins (2006) and Charlton et al. (2008) found that, by using a person-centred approach in the interaction between nurses and patients, care outcomes were improved in: patient satisfaction; adherence to treatment options; patient health. Effective communication is also essential to practice and improving interpersonal relationships in the workplace between professional groups and peers (Grover, 2005) Conclusion The nurse is seen as the therapeutic agent in the nurse-patient relationship. This involves the application of effective communication and interpersonal skills which can lead to a sense of safety and protection, improved levels of patient satisfaction and greater adherence to treatment options and increased recovery rates. Furthermore, a successful communication through a patient-centred approach also serves to reassure relatives that their loved ones are receiving the necessary treatment. Action Plan My action plan for future clinical practice is to avoid stereotyping of some patients, but to try to understand them as individuals and treat them with the care that ensures recovery. This can only be done by forming therapeutic alliances with them through effective communication and interpersonal skills. REFERENCES Arnold, E. C. and Boggs, K. (2007) Interpersonal Relationship: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses, Copyright  © 2006, Elsevier, London. Baird, M. and Winter, J. (2005) Reflection, practice and clinical education in Philadelphia: ElsevierChurchill Livingstone. Caris-Verhallen, W. M. C. M., Kerkstra, A. and Bensing, J. M. (1999) Non-verbalbehaviour in nurse-elderly patient communication. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29 (4), 808-818. Charlton, CR, Dearing, KS, Berry, JA and Johnson, MJ (2008) Nurse practitioners’ communication styles and their impact on patient outcomes: an integrated literature review. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 20: 382–8. Duxbury J.A. (2002) An evaluation of staff and patients’ views of and strategies employed to manage patient aggression and violence on one mental health unit. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 9, 325–337. Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Grover, S. M. (2005). Shaping Effective Communication Skills and Therapeutic Relationships at Work, The foundation of Collaboration. AAOHN Journal, 53(4), 177-182. Harkreader, H. and Hogan, M. A. (2004) Fundamental of Nursing: Caring andClinical Judgment. Johnson, D. (2008) Interpersonal skills [onlinehttp://www.mtsu.edu/~jsanborn/iskills/interpersonal.htm[Accessed on 21 March 2014] Kathol, D. D. (2003) Communication in Kockrow, E. O. and Christen, B. L. (eds) Foundation of Nursing, Missouri: Mosby. Leninger, M. (1994). Evaluation criteria and critique of qualitative evaluation studies. (Ed.), Critical issues in qualitative research methods (pp. 95-115). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. McCabe C, Timmins F. (2006) Communication Skills for Nursing Practice, Palgrave MacMillan NHS Modernisation Agency (2003) Available at: http://www.institute.nhs.uk/index.php?option=com_joomcartmain_page=document_product_infoproducts_id=230cPath=67 Accessed on April 2014 Nursing and Midwifery Council. (NMC). (2008). The Code Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives. London: NMC Reid, B. (1993) But we’re already doing it! Exploring a response to the concept of reflective practice in order to improve it’s facilitation. Nurse Education Today. 13 pp. 305-309. Schon, D.A. (1983) The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic Books. Siviter, B. (2004) The Student Nurse Handbook. USA: Baillere Tindall. Stevenson (2008, p.109). Unit, Oxford Polytechnic. Wold, G. H. (2004, p.73) Basic Geriatric Nursing 3rd ed. USA: Mosby https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/amending-the-national-health-service-act-2006

Sarcasm and Irony in Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal :: A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift

Sarcasm and Irony in Swift's A Modest Proposal In his lengthy literary career, Jonathan Swift wrote many stories that used a broad range of voices that were used to make some compelling personal statements. For example, Swifts, A Modest Proposal, is often heralded as his best use of both sarcasm and irony. Yet taking into account the persona of Swift, as well as the period in which it was written, one can prove that through that same use of sarcasm and irony, this proposal is actually written to entertain the upper-class. Therefore the true irony in this story lies not in the analyzation of minute details in the story, but rather in the context of the story as it is written. One of the voices that is present throughout the story is that of irony. The story itself is ironic since no one can take Swifts proposal seriously. This irony is clearly demonstrated at the end of the story; Swift makes it clear that this proposal would not affect him since his children were grown and his wife unable to have any more children. It would be rather absurd to think that a rational man would want to both propose this and partake in the eating of another human being. Therefore, before an analyzation can continue, one has to make the assumption that this is strictly a fictional work and Swift had no intention of pursuing his proposal any further. One of the other voices that is present throughout the entire story is that of sarcasm. In order to understand this further, a reader has to comprehend that Swift, becoming infamous after Gullivers Travels, was a member of the upper-class. Right from the first paragraph Swift attempts to fool his readers by the sarcasm of the dreary scene that Swift presents. For example, he mentions that it is a melancholy sight to see beggars and their children on the street. The sarcastic paradox in this statement is whether it is a melancholy object for him, having to see homeless people every day, or for the beggars lifestyle? Upon first reading this one may be led to believe that Swift is a compassionate writer attempting to feel the pain of the beggars. But as the story continues, a reader can look back and note that he is using a sarcastic tone and the only sad sight that he sees is the fact that people of his status have to deal with commoners.

Thorn Queen Chapter Three

Once I stopped hyperventilating from all the attention on me, I immediately realized Nia had been right about the dress. Like always, the gentry dressed like that they were going to a Renaissance Faire that served ecstasy. Satin, velvet, silk. Even a little leather here and there. Lots of jewelry, lots of skin. The glittering array dazzled the eye, the colors shining, rich, and vivid. I wore a sundress meant to have sort of a vintage look. Made of tan gauze scattered with a design of tiny yellow flowers, it had an empire waist and a clingy little skirt that went to my knees. The straps tied behind my neck, and most of my back stayed bare, all the better to show off my tattoos: a woman's face within a full moon on my neck and a line of violets on my lower back. The dress's color looked great with the dusky, light auburn of my hair. Unfortunately, while the shabby-chic peasant look might be expensive and very much in vogue in the human world, dressing like a peasant in a place resembling the set from an epic medieval movie made you look like, well, a peasant. â€Å"Oh my God,† I hissed to Shaya as we walked through the room. â€Å"I look completely out of place.† â€Å"Be quiet,† she snapped, in a rare display of the consternation she probably actually always held around me. â€Å"You are queen of the Thorn Land. You destroyed one of the shining ones' most powerful kings. You have the right to wear whatever you want, so act like it.† I swallowed my retort and hoped she and her tough love were right. As it was, I had to resist the urge to cling to her hand like a child. That inept social upbringing of mine made navigating this kind of attention painful. Shaya had promised to stay by my side and ensure my etiquette, though that had allayed my fears only marginally. With a great force of will, I tried to follow her advice and look haughty and unconcerned by my appearance. â€Å"You must go to Maiwenn first,† she murmured, â€Å"and then most of them will come to you for introductions. You've been a great source of curiosity, and this is your first public appearance since taking the crown.† â€Å"Got it. Maiwenn first.† The Willow Queen appeared to be surrounded by a throng of people. We headed toward them. On the way, I received an assortment of nods, curtsies, and bows. The room held a handful of monarchs, my peers, but every other noble held a rank lower than mine. A few of those we passed offered greeting. I suspected I might have met them at a ball I'd attended last spring. Most simply gave me polite murmurings of â€Å"Your majesty.† We reached Maiwenn's circle of admirers. I meant to hover on the edges, but the people parted for us, soon giving Shaya and me a front-row view. Maiwenn sat in an ornately carved wooden throne, its whirling designs accented here and there with gold. She herself was golden, with lustrous, tanned skin and long hair that looked like spilled sunshine. A gown of teal velvet-the same color as her eyes-showed her maternal curves to great advantage. Yet, her greatest ornamentation, in my opinion, was the striking figure of Kiyo standing nearby, one hand resting on the back of her chair. He wore gentry clothing tonight, simple black slacks and a long-sleeved white silk tunic that he probably could have worn among humans without question. His eyes, warm and dark, met mine briefly before turning back to the person addressing Maiwenn. Heat flared between him and me in that moment, and electricity coursed through my body as I remembered last night. â€Å"-best wishes for you and your child, your majesty,† the man was saying. â€Å"Truly this is a joyous occasion, and we pray to the gods for good fortune and good health.† I pondered his words, recalling Kiyo telling me this was less of a baby shower and more of a luck ceremony. The gentry did not conceive often, nor did they bear children easily. Infant mortality was high. Old superstition held that a party like this, with so many well-wishers, would imbue the child with luck and ensure prosperity. The man finished his spiel and gestured to a servant to bring his gift. The servant handed over a small golden chest, about the size of a shoebox, which his master opened with a flourish. A few oohs sounded from those gathered, and I craned my head to see what it held. A glitter of red met my eyes. â€Å"This is my gift to your son or daughter: the finest rubies from my land, polished and cut to perfection.† I blinked and glanced around, wondering if I was the only one who found that gift ridiculous. What the hell was an infant going to do with a crate of rubies? Choke on them? Those things definitely needed a Not For Children Under 3 warning on them. No one else shared my view, and the group seemed to be in agreement on the gift's value. Kiyo, however, caught my eye, and I saw the faintest of smiles play over his face as he guessed what I was thinking. The man left, and all eyes swiveled to me. We hadn't arrived first, but apparently my rank bought me cutting rights. Following Shaya's earlier instructions, I stepped forward and kissed Maiwenn's cheek. She kissed mine in return. â€Å"Eugenie, I'm so happy to see you again.† She looked it, too. I don't know if it was faked or not, but she was one of those people who could always look happy and make you think she really cared about you. I suspected most of her kindness was sincere, but she had to have the same uneasiness around me as I did with her, given our respective relationships with Kiyo. Glancing at his dark looks and her golden ones, I suddenly had a vivid image of them in bed together. I wondered if he'd been as wild with her as with me. I wondered if she'd liked it. Pushing that picture out of my head, I attempted a return smile. â€Å"Thank you for inviting me. Sorry I'm late.† She waved a dismissive hand. â€Å"You didn't have to come at all. I'm just glad you're here.† I didn't have any elegant speeches, so I kept my words simple. â€Å"I'm†¦very happy for you. I hope things go great with you and the baby.† I glanced over at Shaya, who'd been holding my backpack. She handed it to me, and I noticed then that the number of watchers had increased, eyes curious as to what the half-human queen would give. The Kiyo Love Triangle was no secret; gentry gossip spread around the Otherworld faster than any human tabloid could have kept up with. Producing a teddy bear, I handed it over to her. She took it, eyes surprised as her hands ran over its smooth, sable-brown fur. I'd paid a lot of money for it. It was some kind of designer brand I'd been told was much coveted among upper-class suburban moms. â€Å"It's, um, a toy,† I explained, immediately feeling idiotic. The gentry weren't technologically advanced, but even they could figure that one out. â€Å"It's lovely,† she said, touching the seams. â€Å"We can't match this kind of workmanship. Thank you.† â€Å"Oh, and well†¦I honestly didn't think there was anything else I could give that the baby wouldn't already have. So, instead, I made a donation in its name to a children's charity. Or rather, once we know its name, I'll finalize the donation.† Forgetting the teddy bear, she looked up at me, clearly perplexed. â€Å"I don't understand.† Those gathered apparently didn't either, judging from the curious expressions. â€Å"I, um, well, gave money to a group that helps sick kids. They'll use that money to take care of them, and it'll be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I grasped for something gentry-friendly. â€Å"†¦it'll be done in your baby's honor.† A supreme look of delight flooded her gorgeous face, and I knew without a doubt she wasn't faking it. She understood, and she liked the gift. â€Å"It's very generous,† Kiyo explained to her. The smoldering message his eyes gave me indicated he had a few ideas of how to express his gratitude for the present. She put her arms around the teddy bear, holding it to her ample chest while her eyes gazed off with thought. â€Å"Acts of such kindness†¦done in the baby's name†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She turned that radiance back to me. â€Å"Acts like that cannot help but generate good will from the gods. Thank you, Eugenie.† A murmur of considering whispers stirred behind us. She and I exchanged a few more remarks, and then I yielded the floor to the next well-wisher. â€Å"Was that okay?† I asked Shaya as we walked away. â€Å"Extremely.† A wry note hung in her voice. â€Å"I doubted your gift, but now I think you understand this custom better than we do.† She switched to a lower tone. â€Å"Ah, this is Katrice, the Rowan Queen, coming toward us.† I looked up with interest, having passed through the Rowan Land so many times during my Otherworldly journey. Katrice looked about fifty or so in human years, which meant she could boast a few centuries. Only a little silver laced her thick black hair, and her dark eyes glittered with a keen intellect. A dress of red and white satin covered her stout figure. â€Å"Oh, oh, oh! This is her at last! The Thorn Queen. My dear child, you have been too absent from our gatherings.† She put her arms around me and kissed my cheek. It was a bit more slobbery than Maiwenn's kiss. A little overwhelmed by her presence, I returned the gesture. She smelled like roses. â€Å"It†¦it's nice to meet you.† â€Å"You are so lovely! Look at her, Marlin. Isn't she lovely?† She grabbed the arm of a man who looked about twice her age, his wispy gray hair barely covering his head. His eyes indicated he wasn't really at the party right now. â€Å"What?† he asked. Katrice raised her voice. â€Å"Lovely. Isn't she LOVELY?† â€Å"Loverly,† he muttered, staring off to my left. â€Å"Duke Marlin, the queen's consort,† Shaya whispered. â€Å"Look at you, look at you!† Katrice continued, still bubbling over. â€Å"How could a little thing like you have killed Aeson? Hmm? Old Tirigan Storm King would be so proud.† I jerked with surprise, taken aback by the callous reference to both my slaying of Aeson and my father's name. Not noticing my reaction, she gestured frantically to a young man passing nearby. He had slim good looks and raven-black hair tied back in a ponytail. He too wore red and white, and I remembered once seeing the Rowan Land's flag, a rowan tree bordered in red and white. Apparently, they were a patriotic group. â€Å"Darling, darling! Come meet the Thorn Queen.† Smiling, he hastened to her side and gave me a courteous nod. â€Å"This is my son, Leith. Leith, Queen Eugenie.† He took my hand and kissed it very properly, as was the custom. â€Å"A pleasure, your majesty.† â€Å"Likewise.† I studied him, curious at seeing a gentry prince. With all the gentry reproductive issues, none of the other monarchs I'd met-aside from Maiwenn-had any children. They tended to be solitary rulers. He looked so nice and friendly-and like he wasn't currently make plans to get in my pants-that I wanted to make conversation, but I was never very good at initiating that kind of thing. Katrice took the dilemma out of my hands. â€Å"Isn't she beautiful, Leith? I was just saying how I can scarce believe she killed old Aeson. Can you believe that? What was it that I heard, my dear? That you drowned him?† I cleared my throat uncomfortably. â€Å"Um, no, not exactly. I sort of summoned all the water out of his body and blew him apart.† â€Å"Oh!† She clapped her hands together as though it were the most wonderful thing she'd ever heard. â€Å"Oh! Oh! Isn't that fascinating? And so clever!† Apparently noting my discomfort, Leith hastily said, â€Å"Mother, I'm sure the Thorn Queen would prefer to discuss more pleasant topics. This is hardly the place to talk about death.† I flashed him a grateful smile. We did indeed move to more mundane topics, and I found he managed a conversation far more effectively than his mother did. â€Å"I saw your expression over the rubies,† he teased. â€Å"You don't think the baby will appreciate those?† I made a face. â€Å"Maybe if they can decorate a crib with them. Or maybe make a mobile. Are those kinds of gifts normal?† â€Å"I'm afraid so,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"As I heard you say, there isn't much this baby won't get from Maiwenn. Most of these nobles are more interested in making the queen happy, not the baby-hence all the useless gifts.† â€Å"Why, Leith,† scolded his mother. â€Å"That's ridiculous. I'm sure Maiwenn's child will absolutely love the crystal dinnerware we brought.† When I finally excused us, Leith kissed my hand again and spoke in a voice too low for Katrice to hear. â€Å"I'm sorry about her. She doesn't always think before she speaks.† I laughed. â€Å"It's okay,† I murmured back. â€Å"She's a queen. That's her job.† More loudly and properly, he said, â€Å"I hope you'll come visit us. Mother's been dying to receive you at our court.† â€Å"Sure,† I agreed. â€Å"One of these days.† I tried to reciprocate the politeness. â€Å"You should come visit us too. I'm not around much, but you're welcome whenever.† He brightened, as did Katrice who actually stayed silent for a change. â€Å"Thank you, your majesty. I'd love to. I've heard amazing things about your land. They say it's very fierce. Fierce, but beautiful.† Shaya laughed softly as we departed. â€Å"Oh, you don't know what you've done.† I stared at her. â€Å"What do you mean? I think I handled that well, considering that woman's endless chattering.† â€Å"Don't let her surface fool you. She's shrewder than you think. And powerful. Unfortunately, her son is not.† â€Å"Leith? What do you mean? Magically?† She nodded. â€Å"His magic is almost nonexistent. He won't be able to inherit her kingdom.† â€Å"Whoa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Considering how long gentry lived, I'd never thought much about inheritance issues. â€Å"But he seemed pretty competent. Very intelligent.† â€Å"He is. Extremely so. He's an inventor of sorts. He's created things that have revolutionized their kingdom-and the others, slowly. He most recently created tools to print text in books the way your people do. It'll save a fortune in scribes.† â€Å"Like a printing press? Wow.† Who knew? Leith was like a fairy version of Gutenberg. Cool. Maybe the Otherworld was well on its way to the Industrial Revolution. â€Å"And that doesn't count for anything with ruling?† â€Å"No.† Shaya didn't sound sympathetic in the least. Magical strength was the greatest measure of a gentry's worth, which is why my bastard father had been held in such high regard. Those who believed I would match him one day regarded me similarly. â€Å"Ingenuity alone is not enough to inherit the throne or bind the land. However, his odds might improve if he had a powerful consort.† I suddenly tripped on my own feet when I caught her meaning. â€Å"What, you mean me?† â€Å"By their estimation, you're a good match. Powerful, already ruling a kingdom. Your human blood and ability to conceive makes you extremely attractive, your role in the prophecy doubly so.† â€Å"Christ. You people are nuts.† She seemed to be enjoying my dismay. â€Å"Like I said, Katrice is shrewd. She wasn't lying when she said she wanted to meet you. She's probably planned this for a while. You inviting Leith to visit fulfilled her dreams. Just wait, he'll come soon.† â€Å"How come you guys have no concept of ‘just friends' around here? Why is every guy I meet a potential mate? Leith was nice enough and cute, but I mean†¦come on.† I supposed I shouldn't have been surprised, really. The gentry had much looser sexual mores than humans-as a few couples in the room's corners were currently demonstrating-so they probably treated everything as a possible romantic encounter. Considering the wights' less-than-romantic bid for my affections earlier, I should have been grateful for Leith's more civilized courtship. Still, I found it all wearying. Shaya introduced me to a number of other nobles that afternoon. Most blurred together. I simply smiled and nodded a lot, fantasizing about being home in bed with Kiyo. Near the end of the party, one new person actually caught my attention. The first interesting thing was just how dark his skin was-a rarity in the otherwise Caucasian gentry of this portion of the Otherworld. His black hair hung around his face in a shower of tiny braids, perfectly setting off the burgundy satin cloak around him. He bowed low over my hand, sweeping his cloak away with a flourish. â€Å"Your majesty,† he said with a faint French accent. â€Å"It is an honor and a privilege. The stories of your beauty do not do you justice. I am Girard de la Colline.† I accepted his hand kiss with astonishment. â€Å"You must be from very far away.† The Otherworld mirrored my own world in geography. The residents here, near Arizona, spoke variations of American English. I wondered idly if those who ruled now had supplanted an American Indian version of the gentry. â€Å"Such a journey is well worth it to be in your presence, but sometime, if you like, I would be honored to tell you stories of my homeland. Its beauty is enough to make a man weep, though I'm given to understand that the terrible beauty of your own kingdom can make men weep as well-for different reasons.† I laughed. â€Å"I suppose so. Those who respect it can survive it; those who don't†¦well, don't.† â€Å"It sounds just like its queen.† He inclined his head. â€Å"I also have a small talent with metalwork, if you would ever like anything crafted. I live in the Rowan Land now but would happily take a commission if you require one.† I thanked him for the offer and said I'd think about it. When we left him, I turned to Shaya. â€Å"I liked him. But let me guess-he wants to woo me and father my child, too?† â€Å"Oh, he wouldn't be opposed to it, but that's not his short-term goal. He really is quite a gifted artisan-he's even got a little human blood in his ancestry, which lets him somewhat touch iron. But a man like him†¦well, he's a courtier. He hangs around nobility and tries to find connections that might help him rule a kingdom of his own one day.† â€Å"Which, my dear Shaya, is a very kind way of saying he is a schmoozing bottom-feeder who will do anything to further his own political aspirations. I will agree with you on his artistic talents, however. Why, we should have him make our good friend the Thorn Queen here a proper crown and solidify her title.† That smooth, laconic voice sliced my heart in two, and I froze. Turning around slowly, I met a pair of long-lashed green eyes flecked with gold and hazel, all framed by a sweep of long, fiery hair that rivaled the trees of autumn in his kingdom. Dorian, King of the Oak Land. â€Å"Your majesty,† exclaimed Shaya happily, giving him a low curtsey. â€Å"How are you? How is your domain?† Dorian smiled and lightly chucked her chin. â€Å"Are you afraid my household has fallen apart without you? I confess, it does run a bit less smoothly than before, but we endure what we must. I have no doubts your new mistress has more need of your services than I, so I shall suffer longer for her sake.† He gave me a pointed look. I said nothing. Shaya glanced between the two of us, her happy mien turning nervous. â€Å"If you'll excuse me, your majesties, I'm going to find some refreshment. I'll return momentarily.† I sincerely doubted that, but she departed too quickly for me to protest. I wanted to follow her but was now trapped. A bit of his showmanship dimmed, but the wit and lazy amusement that constantly cloaked Dorian remained. He always behaved as though he were on a stage, both in his mannerisms and his melodramatic-and often wry-commentary. I guess as a king he kind of was on stage during his life. â€Å"Well, Eugenie, here we are.† Dorian carelessly smoothed down the black velvet of his robe. Gold and red patterns danced around the hems. â€Å"You are a vision of sublime beauty, as always.† â€Å"Oh come on,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Not from you, of all people. I'm the most shoddily dressed person in this room.† â€Å"No. I saw a scullery maid dressed nearly as badly. A crown really would go a long way to establish your standing. But, barring that, your dress is actually lovely and well-made, even if plain. Wait and watch: you'll see women wearing copies of it soon. The fact that you can still draw eyes while wearing it is a testament to your beauty and presence. You achieve what most of these trumped-up, painted women cannot, no matter how many layers of heavy, rich fabric cover them up.† I gestured toward his robe. â€Å"You're covered up in a fair amount of heavy, rich fabric yourself.† The edges of his lips curled up. â€Å"If they bother you, I can remove as many of these layers as you like.† I rolled my eyes, but the damage was done. With those few words, I once again saw his naked body, smooth and perfect in the moonlight, hovering over mine as I lay bound to his bed. It had been one night, one night only, but it was a night I'd had little luck in forgetting for the last three months. Seeing Dorian stirred it all up again, filling me with confusion over the way my body had responded to such domination. Long before that night, Dorian had been one of my first allies in the Otherworld. He'd supported Storm King-and would have loved to knock me up-but had stood firm against any notion of rape. He'd wanted me of my own free will. In the end, he'd helped me defeat Aeson and had shown me the fundamentals of using magic. â€Å"Did you give Maiwenn something?† I asked abruptly, steering us elsewhere. He scrutinized me a moment before answering. â€Å"Yes, of course. What was it? Ah. Yes. Bolts of lovely cloth that I'm sure she can do†¦something†¦lovely with. My steward picked it out. A paltry present compared to yours, or so I hear.† His eyes tracked across the room to where Maiwenn and Kiyo laughed with some woman I didn't recognize. â€Å"Look at them. Their child will be something to see, don't you think? They make a very striking couple. I should commission a painter to do a family portrait once the baby arrives. Something they can all treasure for years to come.† I stiffened. â€Å"That's why you wanted to talk to me, huh? You haven't changed, Dorian, and I'm not going to stay here and play if you're just going to try to bait me. I didn't want to talk to you anyway.† Dorian gave a long-suffering sigh. â€Å"You always think so little of me, Eugenie. I wished to speak with you because I wanted to know how you've been. I've missed you. How do you like being a queen? Your land hasn't perished†¦yet†¦so I'm taking that as a good sign.† Still irked by the Kiyo jibe, I fixed him with a glare. â€Å"I didn't want to be a queen at all. It's your fault I've gotten into this. If you hadn't tricked me into claiming the land, I'd be in Tucson right now and away from all of this.† The sting of what he'd done, binding me to the Thorn Land, still itched within me. I wasn't sure if I could ever forgive him for that. â€Å"Not true. You'd still be here, moping around while your lover receives gifts for his child, just as you are right now. And men like the young Rowan prince would still solicit you because whatever other titles come and go, you will always be Storm King's daughter.† â€Å"I don't really want to be that either.† He spread his hands out, palms up, in a gesture of helplessness. â€Å"That I cannot change. All I can do with that is help you to develop the powers you inherited, but you've already refused my aid there.† I looked away. â€Å"I don't need your help.† Aside from the grudge I held against him, I couldn't shake the feeling that more of his â€Å"help† would result in me in his bed again. He took a step toward me. â€Å"Have you been teaching yourself?† I didn't answer. â€Å"You have been, haven't you? Or trying to, at least. Odd, considering I distinctly recall you saying you were satisfied with the level of magic you'd reached through my training.† He smiled. â€Å"How is that going? Perhaps you'd like my help again?† I jerked my head back toward him. Too much at this party had ground me down already, and his serpent's tongue was the point that threatened to break me. â€Å"No. I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help, okay? I'm happy with what I'm teaching myself. If I advance, fine. If I don't, fine. It doesn't matter to me.† He laughed, a soft and deadly sound that poured over me like honey. â€Å"Eugenie, Eugenie. You may lie to other people, you may lie to your kitsune, and you may even lie to yourself. But do not lie to me. I was the one who first taught you to control your magic. I've seen how you crave it, how you glow with the rush of that power. I know how it makes you feel because I've felt it too. I can see in those lovely violet eyes of yours how passionately you want to tap more of that magic. It's consuming you.† â€Å"As usual,† I said in a low voice that matched his own, â€Å"you're imagining more than is actually there.† â€Å"And you, as usual, are denying what is there, not to mention your own nature. You are what you are, Eugenie, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can begin doing great things.† â€Å"This conversation is done,† I snapped, turning away. Dorian's hand closed around my wrist, and he pulled me toward him with an unexpected harshness. I don't think he'd meant to do it quite so hard. I let out a small gasp as those fingers tightened against my skin. I wasn't trapped by any stretch of the imagination, but for half a moment, I could believe I was. The painful restraint on my wrist sent shockwaves of heat through my body, and the scent of cinnamon drifted around me, standing this close to him. My breathing had grown heavy, and I willed it to slow down. He hadn't expected that reaction. A slight widening of his eyes showed rarely expressed surprise. Leaning his face toward mine, his thumb stroked the skin on my arm while the rest of the fingers maintained their hold. â€Å"Just like old times, hmm? It seems you haven't entirely lost your taste for restraint. Yet, like everything else, I'm sure you deny yourself that as well.† â€Å"You think so?† I asked nastily. â€Å"You should try fucking Kiyo. Lots of restraint there.† Amusement lit his face, contrasting with the dark desire in his eyes. â€Å"Since I'm presuming you don't mean you finally bought him a leash, let me say simply that there is a big difference between allowing an animal to ravage you and allowing yourself to be ravaged. One is common. The other is art. It is planned. Crafted, even. Only capable of being done by a master.† His next words came out so conversationally, we might as well have been discussing the weather. â€Å"As it is, I've been planning out what I'd like to do the next time we make love. I think I want you to lie on your stomach, with your hands bound to the front of the bed. We'll have to shift your hips up a bit, put you on your knees just a little, but otherwise you'll stay prostrate, almost like you're bowing in humble obeisance as I kneel behind you and take you.† He paused. â€Å"Unless you have other suggestions?† I broke from his grasp and backed up, surprised to find I was shaking. This was Dorian. The same dangerous, presumptuous, and scheming Dorian I'd first met months ago, no matter the sweetness and charm that poured off of him. He had no right to speak to me like that, not after I'd parted ways over his trick with the Thorn Land, not after I'd told him I wanted to stay with Kiyo. And yet, he had once been my friend and my teacher and my ally in battle†¦and my lover. And as I stood there staring at him, I could imagine everything he'd just described. I could feel it. And, God help me, I wanted it. My whole body tingled with the arousal his words wrought. â€Å"I have to go,† I said. It took two tries for my dry mouth to get the words out. â€Å"I have to find Shaya.† He inclined his head politely. â€Å"Of course.† I turned and walked away, but not before I heard him call after me. â€Å"Eugenie? Don't forget, if you change your mind, my offer still stands. For all things.† I bit my lip so as not to retort and was so focused on maintaining control that I nearly ran into a woman heading in the direction I'd just come from. She was gorgeous, with red hair that stood out like bright flames against her fair skin. She wore a puff-sleeved dress that matched the sky blue of her long-lashed eyes and reminded me a little of Cinderella's ball gown. Of course, Disney would have never allowed that much cleavage. The woman stepped gracefully aside, just barely avoiding a collision. And then, to my complete and total shock, she sidled up to Dorian and wrapped herself around him, pressing her lips to his cheeks. â€Å"Ah, there you are,† he said happily. He returned the kiss-except, well, it was on her lips. And lasted awhile. With tongue. I stood there, frozen, urging myself to ignore them and keep moving. Yet, I couldn't. Dorian, seeing me still there, gave me one of his grander smiles. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, a moment. Have you met my charming young friend yet?† That, of course, was one of Dorian's more annoying habits. He knew perfectly well I'd never met her but enjoyed playing the innocent. â€Å"I haven't,† I said stiffly, crossing my arms over my chest. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, may I present Ysabel, one of my subjects in the Oak Land. She's been spending some time†¦in the castle.† I took the subtext to mean that said time was specifically being spent in his bed. Ysabel bowed, giving me a polite â€Å"Your majesty.† Yet, when she straightened up, I saw the look in her eyes was anything but polite. There was a distinct hostility there, and it was directed at me. I was a bit taken aback until I realized what it was. Jealousy. This woman was insanely, adamantly jealous of me. She pressed herself closer to Dorian, almost possessively, her hands roaming over his body in the way that was so commonplace among their kind. â€Å"A pleasure,† I replied. I turned around to leave again, having no desire to watch Ysabel grope Dorian. If she wanted to make me jealous, she was wasting her efforts. Dorian and I were finished. There was nothing more between us, nor would there ever be again. â€Å"Dorian's latest lover,† Shaya explained later. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of figured that out.† â€Å"My understanding is that he went an astonishingly long time without a consort ever since†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She didn't finish. She was referring to when Dorian and I had been involved. â€Å"How long is a long time?† I asked. â€Å"Mmm†¦a couple of weeks.† â€Å"A couple of weeks after we broke up? That's a long time?† â€Å"For King Dorian? Yes. I believe she's his fourth since then, but she bears a distinct resemblance to all the others.† Shaya looked at me meaningfully. â€Å"So?† I asked, not getting the point. â€Å"Always fair skinned. Always redheads. Violet eyes are harder to find, though, so he's settled on blue.† It took me a few moments more to catch on. â€Å"Wait. Are you saying Dorian's been taking lovers that look like me?† â€Å"It could just be a coincidence,† she said diplomatically. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† I said, suddenly freaked out. Had I really made that big of an impression on him? Shaya paused a moment, face thoughtful. â€Å"I don't think Ysabel likes you very much.† â€Å"I kind of figured that out too. She was trying to make me jealous.† Then, in case there was any question, I added, â€Å"But I'm not.† â€Å"As you say,† replied Shaya, voice and face perfectly pleasant. I couldn't tell if she believed me or not, but it didn't matter. I knew the truth. I really wasn't jealous of Ysabel and Dorian. Well, not much, anyway.