Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Exploration of Nazi captivity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investigation of Nazi bondage - Essay Example It is without a doubt genuine that Adolf Hitler and slave proprietors abused the unfortunates, utilizing shocking obtuse strategies. Before Hitler’s demise he articulated, â€Å"Brutal power has not won anything durable.† Nazi servitude, or American asset subjection were elective thumps of the equivalent evil heart, against the races that were at a profoundly disadvantageous position. Were the prisoners taken by the Nazi’s slaves? To the extent history can retell the stories of these camps that were set up to keep a great many Jews in jail, one finds terrible stories of individuals who were fiercely murdered and the slaughters; on the off chance that we may utilize the term; to dispense with them. What occurred in those camps will be examined in the accompanying content as we move bit by bit through articles discovered identified with this subject. Among these articles are stories of onlookers just as som endurance stories which shed light on the exercises that went on in those jail camps. Before we set on to find what and how the individuals or detainees were dealt with and mortified in the German camps set up under Hitler’s order, let’s go not far off of history to the time that Romans governed one can perceive how they rewarded their slaves. Watching the slaves being tormented and executed was a game that the leaders of the Roman Empire delighted in the most. (Femi Akomolafe, 1994) A survey of a book on the endurance of a hostage from the Auschwitz in 1945 depicts how the slaves were being dealt with. It front tells how the slaves entered the doors where the signâ read â€Å"Arbeit Macht Frei†. They were made to remain in chilly spaces for a considerable length of time, while the rooms were loaded up with freezing water that arrived at the lower legs. Totally stripped and requested to stay bare even the shoes were not permitted. While in that condition the stylists were sent in to shave the leaders of the considerable number of hostages. The men were saved for a considerable length of time in a similar condition and they continued contemplating their families and what was befalling the females

Saturday, August 22, 2020

MBA sem 1 Essay

Portions of vision articulation 1. The basic beliefs are those things exceptionally near your heart that you won't surrender at any expense. It very well may be trustworthiness (for instance, I will never undermine the duties I need to pay) or quality (I will never utilize a lower quality wood), and so on. Normally we state that you ought to have just 4 to 6 fundamental beliefs. Obviously, individual qualities and business esteems may vary. For instance, love might be a significant individual worth however it may not be so applicable in your business of furniture however it tends to be important in the event that you were having a home for the matured. 2. Center reason for existing is the motivation behind the association, for instance, to make furniture. This is something that you need to accomplish inside the system of our fundamental beliefs. It gives the accomplishment direction to the business and consequently the core interest. Whenever we get a chance to grow or auction and on the off chance that we are in a choice problem, this goes about as another beacon. we can give u Fall 2013 completely comprehended task in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 portion of 100-100 rupees ¦ that is confirmation we are not phony. what's more, we have diverse arrangement of task for some understudy so. smu mba task Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in just 500/sem ( 6 sub) or 100/question paper. we give one of a kind task. our task give you great imprints. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web-www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in (b) Differentiate among Ëœprocess and Ëœtasks (Parts of vision explanation, Difference among procedure and errands) Answer: Processes Process is a lot of legitimate exercises that lead to some last or break yield. For instance, taking bits of wood, making it smooth, cutting it, making grooves, associating them, completing them, and finishing them are procedures to make a table. These must be done in some consistent arrangement. This is the thing that a procedure is. Let us presently see we can give u Fall 2013 completely unraveled task in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 portion of 100-100 rupees ¦ that is confirmation we are not phony. furthermore, we have diverse arrangement of task for some understudy so. smu mba task Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in just 500/sem ( 6 sub) or 100/question paper. we give exceptional task. our task give you great imprints. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web-www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q2. Arranging is called as the foundation of the board. Characterize arranging and portray the significance of arranging. Clarify the sorts of arranging. (Meaning of arranging, Importance of arranging, Types of arranging) 2,3,5 Answer: Definition and Importance of Planning can be characterized as an essential administration work which empowers one to choose the reason for the business, and how the assets ought to be assembled to accomplish that reason to incorporate utilizing the accessible assets ideally to do that. Arranging suggests objective setting for the association remembering the imperatives, openings, and dangers as much as what the individual or business which is arranging needs to do. Along these lines, an arrangement is a plan for objective accomplishment, a blue print that determines the important asset designations, timetables, errands, and different activities to accomplish the reason. An objective is an ideal future express that the association endeavors to reach. Objectives are significant in light of the fact that an association exists for a reason, and objectives characterize and express that reason. Objectives indicate future finishes; plans we can give u Fall 2013 completely understood task in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 portion of 100-100 rupees ¦ that is evidence we are not phony. what's more, we have diverse arrangement of task for some understudy so. smu mba task Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in just 500/sem ( 6 sub) or 100/question paper. we give special task. our task give you great imprints. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web-www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q3. What is implied by Ëœspan of control? Separate between limited range of control and wide range of control. What are the components that impact the range of control? (Which means of Ëœspan of control ,Difference between tight range of control and wide range of control, Factors that impact the range of control) 2,3,5 Answer: Length of control The quantity of subordinates that a chief or administrator can straightforwardly control. This number changes with the kind of work: mind boggling, variable work lessens it to six, though normal, fixed work builds it to at least twenty. we can give u Fall 2013 completely tackled task in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 portion of 100-100 rupees ¦ that is verification we are not phony. what's more, we have distinctive arrangement of task for some understudy so. smu mba task Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in just 500/sem ( 6 sub) or 100/question paper. we give one of a kind task. our task give you great imprints. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com web-www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q4 Define Organizational conduct. What are the different ways to deal with Organizational conduct? (Meaning of OB, Approaches to OB) 2, 8 Answer: Definition of OB: OB can be characterized as a precise report that explores the effect of people, gatherings and hierarchical factors on profitability to incorporate adequacy and productivity, non-attendant, turnover, authoritative citizenship conduct and employment fulfillment. ? By methodical examination we mean taking a gander at connections and endeavoring to quality circumstances and end results, and making determinations dependent on logical proof. ? By profitability we mean a presentation measure that incorporates both adequacy (accomplishment of objectives) and proficiency (proportion on yield versus input required to accomplish it). ? By non-attendance we mean inability to answer to work particularly without advising. ? we can give u Fall 2013 completely settled task in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 portion of 100-100 rupees ¦ that is confirmation we are not phony. what's more, we have distinctive arrangement of task for some understudy so. smu mba task Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in just 500/sem ( 6 sub) or 100/question paper. we give special task. our task give you great imprints. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or ? mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com ? web-www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in ? www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in an entire is to work viably. Q5. Recognition is the manner in which we see and decipher things. Clarify the significance of such Ëœperception. What are the variables influencing recognition? (Significance of observation, Factors influencing recognition) 4,6 Answer: Significance of recognition Perception is maybe the most significant part of OB that we use in our day by day life and in the executives. The significance of observation is: ? While making vision for an association, our impression of things to come and the manner in which things ought to be is a central factor. ? While making procedure, out impression of the chances and dangers make us see a similar circumstance in an unexpected way. ? Recognition gives the catalyst to look for more data to settle on increasingly discerning choices e.g., the view of Rakhi on the circumstance of the pastry kitchen in a tough situation, made her movement and converse with the representatives to acquire data. In the event that she had seen what the administrator did was correct or that it is too little a thing to intercede, she would not have put forth the attempt to discover more data. ? we can give u Fall 2013 completely comprehended task in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 portion of 100-100 rupees ¦ that is confirmation we are not phony. what's more, we have diverse arrangement of task for some understudy so. smu mba task Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in just 500/sem ( 6 sub) or 100/question paper. we give exceptional task. our task give you great imprints. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or ? mail us on computeroperator4@gmail.com ? web-www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in ? www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q6. Give the definition and significance of Ëœmotivation. Depict Maslows order of necessities hypothesis. (Meaning of inspiration, Importance of inspiration, Maslows progressive system of requirements hypothesis) 2,3,5 Answer: Definition and Importance of Motivation is Å"the process that represent a people power, heading, and tirelessness of exertion toward achieving a goal.  (Robbins, 2003) Intensity is worried about how enthusiastically an individual attempts. This is the component the vast majority of us center around when we talk about inspiration. Directionis the direction that benefits the association. What's more, constancy is a proportion of to what extent an individual can look after his/her exertion. Propelled people remain with an errand sufficiently long to accomplish their objective. Inspiration is critical to an individual in light of the fact that: ? Inspiration assists with accomplishing individual objectives. ? Inspiration gives work fulfillment. ? Inspiration helps in self-improvement of person. ? An individual would consistently pick up by working with a unique group. Collins, James C. what's more, Jerry I. Porras. Worked to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. First Paperback Edition. New York: Harper-Collins, 1997. 219-239.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

8 Essay Collections to Look Out For This Fall

8 Essay Collections to Look Out For This Fall 2018, for me, has been the Year of the Essay. I dont usually read a lot of essays, but after reading a few fantastic collections early this year, Ive become completely hooked. There are so many great essay collections out there! Whether youre looking for something serious or funny, a collection that will shatter you or one that will comfort you, whether youre interested in politics or cooking or pop culture or fashionâ€"essay collections are a great way to dip into a whole lot of subjects, or one subject in-depth. Luckily for me (and you!) theres a slew of exciting essay collections coming out this fall. These are books Ive read and loved, and books from beloved authors I cant wait to get my hands on. The end of the summer is always bittersweet, but with such a great lineup of essays coming out in September and October, theres a lot to get excited about this fall. Call Them By Their True Names by Rebecca Solnit (September 4) In her latest collection, Rebecca Solnit, with her typical grace and thoughtfulness, tackles some big and ugly issues, including gun violence and toxic masculinity. Her writing always reminds me that the world holds both beauty and terror equally, and she manages to weave essays that are angry, tender, heartbroken, and hopeful all at once. Everything’s Trash, But Its Okay  by Phoebe Robinson (September 16) Robinsons first essay collection had me laughing out loud one minute and fiercely nodding my head the next. She expertly blends humor with real, biting insight on race, gender, pop culture, and politics. Shes a talented comedian, and it comes through in her writing. Her work is funny truth-talking at its best, and I cant wait to read what shes got to say about feminism (and Bono) in her newest book. Out of the Woods  by julia corbett (September 17) In this collection of non-traditional nature essays, Corbett reexamines what we mean when we say  nature. Delving into the differences between wild and tame, human-made and natural, she explores all the ways that nature plays a role in our everyday lives. Whether ruminating on garbage, noise, or language, Corbetts fresh take on the natural world shines through in these delightful and insightful essays. Daemon Voices by Philip Pullman (September 18) Philip Pullmans His Dark Materials was one of the first series I fell in love with as a teenager. I cant wait to read what he has to say about storytelling, both in his own process and in the wider world. I always love getting a glimpse into the mind of fiction writers I love, and Im sure this collection will be as smart and creative as Pullmans fictional worlds. American Like Me: reflections on life between cultures edited by america ferrera (September 25) In this anthology about life between and among cultures, thirty-one writers, actors, artists, and others reflect on their experiences as Americans who are also immigrants or the children or grandchildren of immigrants, indigenous, or grew up with strong connections to more than just one culture. Wide-ranging and heartfelt, this timely collections is quintessentially American. Its about the complex relationships that exist between home and country, family and culture, language, and belonging. What If This Were Enough?  by heather havrilesky (October 2) In her newest collection, Havrilesky tackles the vast array of misleading and dangerous messages that the world tosses at us every day. From our various cultural delusions about romance and success to the allure of the shiny and new (things, technologies, diets, lifestyles), she deconstructs the various ways these messages harm us, and then offers her thoughts on living another kind of life. Thoughtful, direct, and often funny, these essays are a lovely blend of personal reflection and cultural critique. The Reckonings  by lacy m. johnson (October 9) The Reckonings is a beautiful and complicated collection of essays. In essence, these essays are an exploration of violenceâ€"sexual violence, environmental violence, racial violence, economic violence. It can be bleak, because Johnson writes about rape and mass shootings and nuclear waste. But its also intellectually rigorous, big-hearted, and nuanced. A gorgeous combination of personal narrative and investigative journalism, these essays ask more questions than they answerâ€"in the best possible way. Well-Read Black Girl: finding our stories, discovering ourselves edited by glory edim (October 30)   Ive been following Glory Edim (Well-Read Black Girl) on Instagram for a while, so when I saw she was edited an essay anthology I squealed with excitement. This collection contains essays from a slew of incredible black female writers, including Jesmyn Ward, Morgan Jerkins, Tayari Jones, Jacqueline Woodson, and many more. From a variety of angles, these women explore the importance of stories and storytelling, and the importance of finding belongingâ€"especially for those from marginalized communitiesâ€"in the pages of books. Looking for some essay collections that you can read right now? Check out 50 Must-Read Contemporary Essay Collections, 20 Great Essay Collections from 2017 and 25 Great Essay Collections from 2016. Sign up for True Story to receive nonfiction news, new releases, and must-read forthcoming titles. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Counselor s Assessment - 1137 Words

In the lives of counselor’s assessment plays a great role. Assessments are what shows the counselor what it is that their client is in need of help in. Like our book states, assessment is a complex, problem solving process that allows us to collect information in order to better serve our client (Drummond, Sheperis, Jones, 2016). I was not aware of how involved counselors are in the testing process until I began this class. I now see that assessments also helps the client understand their own problems as well, it is just up to us to help them interpret the assessment. When using various assessments in counseling, we have to be aware of our clientele and culture we are working in. As counselors, we are to be conscious of controversies in assessments such as privacy invasions, bias test, and even the pressure of the assessment of the children. We are there to help alleviate and to insure these problems do not come to rise. Statistics in assessment is important because it enables us to keep track of how well or below average a student or group of students are doing. Statistics is the number report that we are able to visually see. Culturally, we would need to be aware of the customs, traditions, and values. We need to be mindful of each student or client’s uniqueness and be sure we are equipped with the knowledge to help them through the assessment. Through the code of ethics and the legal issues we are able to follow certain standards to prevent insulting or malpractice.Show MoreRelatedMy Career As A School Counselor769 Words   |  4 Pages will be useful in my career as a school counselor. However I have to say that chapters 8,9,10 seemed to stick out to me the most. Being able to assess educational ability will be very important as a school counselor. My target population his high school age students, I think that learning as much as I can about cognitive ability test will be very important. For example I have a strong interest in helping students transition in college. Certain assessments such as the SAT and ACT are very usefulRead MoreObservation Reaction On Mental Health Counseling1289 Words   |  6 Pagespurpose of the assessment was to collect data on how this young boy behaviors at home and to gain knowledge about his family medical history. In the beginning of the assessment, one was expressed by the way the counselor started the conversation. The counselor was very clear about the message that she was going to deliver to the parent. The counselor made sure to share confidential section. One learned that it is crucial to have all the paperwork handy prior to the assessment. The counselor communicatedRead MoreEssay about Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning652 Words   |  3 PagesAssessment Case conceptualization explains the nature of a client’s problem and how they develop such problem ( Hersen, Porzelius, p.3, 2002) In counseling, assessment is viewed as a systematic gathering of information to address a client’s presenting concerns effectively. The assessment practice provides diagnostic formulation and counseling plans, and aids to identify assets that could help the client cope better with concern that they are current. Assessment is present as a guide for treatmentRead MoreComponents Of The Asca National Model860 Words   |  4 PagesThe ASCA National Model is used by school counselors to show devotion to student success (ASCA, n.d.-c, p. 1). The four components of the ASCA National Model are foundation, delivery, management, and accountability (ASCA, n.d.-c, p. 1). Four Components of the ASCA National Model Foundation The foundation component is the basis of a school counseling program which assists students to achieve academic success (Oberman Studer, 2011, p. 2). School counselors form school counseling programs that focusRead MoreAssessment Of Mental Health Counseling838 Words   |  4 Pages Assessment in Mental Health Counseling Starting from the day that we come into the world, we begin to develop personal â€Å"pieces† of a puzzle and as we grow we try as we might to â€Å"fit† these pieces into our own individual and unique puzzle. As this time progresses, we sometimes find that some of the pieces will â€Å"fit,† but we also find at times that no matter how hard we try, some pieces never â€Å"fit,†, even when we try to force them in place. In fact, some people say that when we try to force theseRead MoreAssessment and Diagnosis Essay examples915 Words   |  4 PagesAssessment and Diagnosis The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of the importance of assessment and diagnosis in the counseling process. In the first two sections, the roles of assessment and diagnosis as they relate to case conceptualization and treatment planning will be explored. The potential implications of misdiagnosis will be the focus of the final section. Assessment Becoming acquainted with a potential client’s history, personality and present concerns is necessary in formingRead MoreLegal And Ethical Issues Of The National Career Development Association1105 Words   |  5 Pageseffective and multicultural career counseling requires the counselor to adopt a holistic approach to the counseling process. Section A.1.d of the NCDA states, â€Å"career professionals and their clients work jointly in devising integrated career services plans (in writing or orally) that offer reasonable promise of success and are consistent with the abilities and circumstances of clients† (NCDA, 2015, p. 3); therefore, Naomi, along with her counselor, must develop as well as regularly maintain a pertinentRead MorePsychological First Aid ( Pfa )758 Words   |  4 Pagesconnection with social supports; information on coping; and linkage with collaborative services (Forbes, et al., 2011). Through these possible steps, the counselor can assist the client in feeling safe, calm, connected, empowered, and hopeful (Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, n.d.). In order to calm and establish rapport with Mary, the counselor would use contact and engagement and safety and comfort to be helpful, compassionate, and to provide immediate and ongoing safety and emotional comfortRead MoreThe Diagnosis Of Addiction Clients1576 Words   |  7 Pagesdo not feel that they were helpful. He also states that he is very worried and fearful that his employer will find out about his treatment since it is being covered by his HMO, and that his co-workers will learn about his second DUI. Tests and Assessments: Addiction Severity Index (Version 5) Michigan Alcohol Screening Test Behaviors Attitudes Drinking Driving Scale Clinical Interview DSM-5 Diagnosis Axis I: 303.90 Alcohol Use Disorder, Severe Axis II: No diagnosis, histrionic featuresRead MoreCareer Goals : My Career Essay1393 Words   |  6 PagesAs a student of psychology, my career assessments test showed me many options for my career goal path. For starters, my career interest profile results are broken into six main categories which are: social, artistic, investigative, enterprising, realistic, and conventional. According to my results, my career matches are as followed: preschool, primary, secondary, and special education teacher. I am 28% social, 22% artistic, 17% investigative, 11% enterprising, 10% realistic, and 9% realistic. According

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Abolish The Death Penalty Should Not Be Abolished

Wiggins Amanda Professor Laudani Composition 1 09 July 2015 Abolish the Death Penalty Since the state has no power to give life, it should not exercise its power to take a life either. After all, the judicial system is not a fool-proof system. The risk of putting an innocent human being to death by capital punishment, cannot be ruled out. The only purpose it serves is retribution or revenge. Therefore, the death penalty must be abolished. The death penalty is prone to errors that may have led to the execution of wrongfully convicted people. There have been 330 post-conviction DNA exonerations here in the U.S (Innocence Project). The Supreme Court should bring the United States in line with the rest of the world and hold that death is a cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. The death penalty process consumes tremendous amounts of money and resources and fails to deter murders. The average cost to put someone to death is 1.1 million dollars that Americans are paying for (Huddar, Buzzle). That money can be used for a lot more things, such as, helping homeless veterans, who served our country, or children who live in poverty right here in America. It is used in an often arbitrary and racist manner. In a study commissioned by the governor of Maryland, defendants who kill white victims were more likely to be sentenced to death than those who killed a black (McElwee, Huffington Post) Not only does the death penaltyShow MoreRelated The Ethics of Capital Punishment Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesof philosophy dealing with moral conduct, duty and judgement.[1] Capital Punishment is the death penalty for a crime.[2] The word capital in capital punishment refers to a persons head as in the past; people were often executed by severing their head from their body. Since the early 1800s, most executions have resulted from convictions for murder. The death penalty has also been imposed for such crimes as armed robbery, kidnapping, rape and treason. Some peopleRead MoreThe United States Should Abolish The Death Penalty1020 Words   |  5 Pagespersuasive, and winning argument against a death penalty.† Although the Death Penalty is meant to kill the ones that have murdered, many innocent people have been executed due to the ignorance of facts during trial. Since this has come to me and my partner’s attention, we are resolved that The United States should change its penal code to abolish the death penalty. The Death Penalty is execution following someone’s conviction of murder or any other serious crime. Abolish is to end the observance or effectRead MoreTaking a Look at the Death Penalty918 Words   |  4 PagesThe death penalty is one of the oldest punishments in the world. It has many kinds and always appeared with blood and fright in the history. As the world developing, we got stuck in a problem, that whether we should abolish the death penalty. We have man y arguments about the death penalty at present. There are more than 140 countries abolished it. Also the 58 nations with 65 percent population still used it, like China, America, Japan. Many lawyers, judges, politics and scholars also have their ownRead MoreDeath Penalty: Time for Change Essay570 Words   |  3 PagesOnce a popular punishment for crime has now become one of the most controversial forms of punishment. The death penalty has been abolished in most civilized nations around the world and states in America are now reanalyzing this method of punishment. There are many critics of the death penalty that find this practice of punishment barbaric and uncivilized. There are however, many that still hold that the biblical verse of Exodus 21:23-24 â€Å"But if there is serious injury, you are to take life forRead More The Death Penalty is Cruel and Unusual Punishment Essay examples1331 Words   |  6 PagesThe death penalty does not punish people for killing but for murderi ng someone. Murder is the unlawful, malicious, or permitted killing of one human being by another (Carmical 1). The slogan should be ?We execute people to show people that murder is wrong.? The death penalty is racist, it punishes the poor, it causes the innocent to die, it is not a deterrent against violent crime, and it is cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is wrong and it should be abolished. The death penaltyRead More Death Penalty Essay1146 Words   |  5 Pagesutilize the death penalty than to abolish it. The death penalty should not be abolished because (1) it deters people from committing murder and (2) because the death penalty gives peace of mind to the victims and their families and puts an end to the crime.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Arguments for the thesis (1) The death penalty should not be abolished because the fear of the highest form of punishment will keep potential victims alive. (2) The death penalty should not be abolished because theRead MoreEssay on Capital Punishment in America1180 Words   |  5 Pagessociety. The basic issue is whether capital punishment should be allowed as it is today, or abolished in part or in whole. My argument is that: 1) Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent for heinous crimes. 2) Life imprisonment can be worse of a punishment than death, not as costly as execution, and better for rehabilitation. 3) The innocent can be wrongly put to death. Conclusion: Capital punishment should be abolished. Though capital punishment might seem like the onlyRead More The Death Penalty As a Form of Justice Around the World Essay1473 Words   |  6 PagesThe Death Penalty As a Form of Justice Around the World Introduction: The death penalty is a subject that has become very big in the 21st century. Many centuries ago the death penalty is something that was widely practiced in almost all cultures. This revenge sort of action was the only way some old civilizations felt could really prevent criminals from breaking the law. The USA today is almost left alone among nations when it comes to the death penalty and the U.S. government does not haveRead MoreCapital Punishment1186 Words   |  5 Pagessociety. The basic issue is whether capital punishment should be allowed as it is today, or abolished in part or in whole. My argument is that: 1) Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent for heinous crimes. 2) Life imprisonment can be worse of a punishment than death, not as costly as execution, and better for rehabilitation. 3) The innocent can be wrongly put to death. Conclusion: Capital punishment should be abolished. Though capital punishment might seem like the only wayRead MoreKilling The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1329 Words   |  6 Pages19 May 2017 Killing the Death Penalty In 2016, there were only 20 people executed in the United States (Death Penalty Info). Every year, many people are sentenced with the death penalty. As a result, the debate between whether or not the death penalty should be abolished has been argued throughout the year. Many advocates argue to keep the death penalty because of new science advances, retribution, cost, and the amount of cruelty. However, getting rid of the death penalty is necessary because there

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Golden Lily Chapter 21 Free Essays

string(34) " to be in someone’s garage\." I’D SEEN MOVIES where blindfolded people were able to tell where they were going, based on some innate talent to sense motion and direction. Not me. After a few turns, I couldn’t have told you where in Palm Spring we were – especially since I suspected Trey was taking a slightly roundabout way in order to make sure there wasn’t a tail. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 21 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The only thing I was certain of was when we got on I-10, simply because of the feel of the freeway. I didn’t know what direction we were headed and had no way to accurately time how long we traveled either. Trey didn’t offer much in the way of conversation, though he did give short answers whenever I asked questions. â€Å"When did you join the vampire hunters?† â€Å"Warriors of Light,† he corrected. â€Å"And I was born into it.† â€Å"That’s why you’re always talking about family pressure and why so much is expected of you, isn’t it? It’s why your dad is so concerned about your athletic performance.† I took Trey’s silence as an affirmative and pushed on, needing to get as much information as possible. â€Å"How often do you guys have your, um, meetings? Are you always having those brutal tests?† Until very recently, there had been nothing to suggest Trey’s life was much different from any other high school athlete who kept up with his grades, a job, and an active social life. In fact, thinking of all the things Trey usually did, it was hard to imagine him having any time at all for the Warriors. â€Å"We don’t have regular meetings,† he said. â€Å"Well, not someone at my level. We wait until we’re called, usually because a hunt’s under way. Or sometimes we conduct competitions, in order to test our strength. Our leaders travel around, and then Warriors gather from all different places in order to be ready.† â€Å"Ready for what?† â€Å"The day when we can end the vampire scourge altogether.† â€Å"And you really believe this hunt is the way to do it? That it’s the right thing to do?† â€Å"Have you ever seen them?† he asked. â€Å"The evil, undead vampires?† â€Å"I’ve seen quite a few of them.† â€Å"And you don’t think they should be destroyed?† â€Å"That’s not what I’ve been trying to tell you. I don’t have any love for Strigoi, believe me. My point is that Sonya’s not one of them.† More silence. Eventually, I felt us exit the freeway. We drove for a while longer until the car slowed again and turned, onto a gravel road. We soon came to a stop, and Trey rolled down the window. â€Å"This is her?† asked an unknown man. â€Å"Yes,† said Trey. â€Å"You turned off her cell phone?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Take her in then. They’ll do the rest of the search.† I heard a squeaking gate open, and then we continued on the gravel road until turning onto what felt like packed dirt. Trey stopped the car and turned it off. He opened his door at the same time someone on the outside opened mine. A hand on my shoulder nudged me forward. â€Å"Come on. Get out.† â€Å"Be careful with her,† warned Trey. I was led from the car into a building. It wasn’t until I heard a door shut and latch that my blindfold was finally taken off. I was in a stark room with unfinished drywall and bare bulb lights in the ceiling. Four other people stood around Trey and me, three men and one woman. All of them looked to be in their twenties, and two were the guys who had stopped me at the cafe. Also, all of them were armed. â€Å"Empty out your purse.† It was Jeff, the guy with buzzed dark hair, wearing a gold earring of the antique sun symbol. I complied, dumping my purse’s contents onto a makeshift table composed of plywood set on top of some cinderblocks. While they sifted through it, the woman patted me down for wires. She had hair with a bad bleach job and a perennial snarl on her face, but at least her frisk was professional and efficient. â€Å"What’s this?† Blond Hair from the cafe held up a small plastic bag filled with dried herbs and flowers. â€Å"You don’t look like the drug type.† â€Å"It’s potpourri,† I said promptly. â€Å"You keep potpourri in your purse?† he asked disbelievingly. I shrugged. â€Å"We keep all sorts of things around. I took out all the acids and chemicals before I came here, though.† He dismissed the potpourri as harmless and tossed it into a pile with other cleared items, like my wallet, hand sanitizer, and a plain wooden bracelet. I noticed then that the pile also included a pair of earrings. They were round gold discs, covered in intricate swirls and tiny gems. They were beautiful – but I’d never seen them before. I certainly wasn’t going to call attention to anything, however, particularly when the woman snatched up my cell phone. â€Å"We should destroy this.† â€Å"I turned it off,† said Trey. â€Å"She might turn it back on. It can be tracked.† â€Å"She wouldn’t,† argued Trey. â€Å"Besides, that’s a little paranoid, isn’t it? No one has that kind of technology in real life.† â€Å"You’d be surprised,† she said. He held out his hand. â€Å"Give it to me. I’ll keep it safe. She’s here on good faith.† The woman hesitated until Jeff nodded. Trey slipped the phone into his pocket, and I was grateful. There were a lot of saved numbers that would be a pain to replace. Once my purse was deemed safe, I was allowed to put it back together and take it with me. â€Å"Okay,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"Let’s go to the arena.† Arena? I had a hard time picturing what that would entail in a place like this. My vision in the silver plate hadn’t shown me much of the building, save that it was single-story and had a ratty, worn look to it. This room seemed to be keeping right along with that theme. If the antiquated brochures were further proof of the Warriors’ sense of style, I expected this â€Å"arena† to be in someone’s garage. You read "The Golden Lily Chapter 21" in category "Essay examples" I was wrong. Whatever the Warriors of Light had lacked in other areas of their operation, they’d sunk it into the arena – or, as I was told its official name was, The Arena of Divine Radiance of Holy Gold. The arena had been built upon a clearing surrounded by several buildings. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a courtyard. It was bigger, and the ground was more of that sandy packed dirt we’d driven in on. This setup was far from polished or high tech, yet as I took it all in, I couldn’t help but think of Trey saying the Warriors had come to town this week. Because for them to have put this together so quickly†¦ well, it was kind of impressive. And frightening. Two sets of rickety wooden bleachers had been erected on opposite sides of the space. One set held about fifty spectators, mostly men, of varying ages. Their eyes, suspicious and even hostile, were on me as I was led in. I could practically feel their gazes boring into my tattoo. Did they all know about the Alchemists and our history? They were all dressed in ordinary clothing, but here and there, I caught glimmers of gold. Many of them wore some kind of ornament – a pin, an earring, etc. – with either an ancient or modern sun symbol. The other bleachers were nearly empty. Three men – older, closer to my dad’s age – sat side by side. They were dressed in yellow robes covered in golden embroidery that glittered in the orange light of the setting sun. Golden helmets covered their heads and were engraved with the old sun symbol, the circle with the dot. They watched me as well, and I kept my head high, hoping I could hide the shaking of my hands. I couldn’t present a convincing case for Sonya if I seemed intimidated. Around the arena, draped on poles, were banners of all shapes and sizes. They were made of rich, heavy fabric that reminded me of medieval tapestries. Obviously, these weren’t that old, but they nonetheless gave the place a luxurious and ceremonial feel. The banners’ designs varied considerably. Some really did look straight out of history, showing stylized knights fighting against vampires. Looking at those gave me chills. I really had stepped back in time, into the fold of a group with a history as old as the Alchemists’. Other banners were more abstract, portraying the ancient alchemical symbols. Still others looked modern, depicting the sun on Trey’s back. I wondered if that newer sun interpretation was meant to appeal to today’s youth. All the while, I kept thinking, less than a week. They put all this together in less than a week. They travel around with all of this, ready to put it up at a moment’s notice in order to conduct these competitions or executions. Maybe they are primitive, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Although the large crowd of spectators had a rough-and-tumble look to them, like some sort of backwoods militia, it was a relief that they didn’t appear to be armed. Only my escort was. A dozen guns were still too many for my tastes, but I’d take what I could get – and hope that they mostly kept the guns for show. We reached the bottom of the empty stands, and Trey came to stand beside me. â€Å"This is the high council of the Warriors of Light,† said Trey. He pointed to each of them in turn. â€Å"Master Jameson, Master Angeletti, and Master Ortega. This is Sydney Sage.† â€Å"You are very welcome here, little sister,† said Master Angeletti in a grave voice. He had a long and messy beard. â€Å"The time for the healing of our two groups is long overdue. We will be much stronger once we put aside our differences and unite as one.† I gave him the politest smile I could and decided not to point out the Alchemists were unlikely to welcome gun-toting zealots into our ranks. â€Å"It’s a pleasure to meet you, sirs. Thank you for allowing me to come. I’d like to talk to you about – † Master Jameson held up a hand to stop me. His eyes looked too small for his face. â€Å"All in good time. First, we’d like to show you just how diligently we train our youth to fight in the great crusade. Just as you encourage excellence and discipline in the mind, so too do we encourage it in the body.† Through some unspoken cue, the door we’d just come through opened. A familiar face walked out to the center of the arena: Chris, Trey’s cousin. He was wearing workout pants and no shirt, giving a clear view of the radiating sun tattooed on his back. He had a ferocious look on his face and came to stand in the clearing’s center. â€Å"I believe you’ve met Chris Juarez,† said Master Jameson. â€Å"He’s one of the finalists in this last round of combat. The other, of course, you also know. Quite the irony that cousins should be facing off, but also fitting since both failed in the initial attack on the fiend.† I turned to Trey, my jaw dropping. â€Å"You? You’re one of the†¦ contenders to kill Sonya?† I could barely get the words out. I turned back to the council in alarm. â€Å"I was told I’d have a chance to plead Sonya’s case.† â€Å"You will,† said Master Ortega, in a tone that implied it would be a wasted effort. â€Å"But first, we must determine our champion. Contenders, take your places.† I noticed now that Trey was also in sweatpants, looking as though he could be going off to football practice. He stripped off his shirt as well and, for lack of anything else to do with it, handed it to me. I took it and kept staring at him, still unable to believe what was happening. He met my gaze briefly but couldn’t hold it. He walked off to join his cousin, and Master Jameson invited me to sit down. Trey and Chris faced each other. I felt a little embarrassed to be studying two shirtless guys, but it wasn’t like there was anything too sordid happening. My impressions of Chris since the first time I’d met him hadn’t changed. Both he and Trey were in excellent physical shape, muscled and strong with the kinds of bodies that constantly worked and trained. The only advantage Chris had, if it was one, was his height – which I’d also noticed before. His height. With a jolt, memories of the alley attack came back to me. There’d been little of our attackers to see, but the one wielding the sword had been tall. Chris must have been the one originally assigned to kill Sonya. Another robed man appeared from the door. His robes were cut slightly differently from the council’s and somehow sported even more gold embroidery. Rather than a helmet, he wore a headdress more in line with what a priest might have. Indeed, that’s what he seemed to be as Chris and Trey knelt before him. The priest marked their foreheads with oill and said some kind of blessing I couldn’t hear. Then, to my shock, he made the sign against evil on his shoulder – the Alchemist sign against evil. I think that, more so than any of the spiels about evil vampires or shared usage of ancient symbols, was what really drove home the fact that our two groups had once been related. The sign against evil was a small cross drawn on the shoulder with the right hand. It had survived among the Alchemists since ancient days. A chill ran through me. We really had been one and the same. When the priest was finished, another man came forward and handed each of the cousins a short, blunt wooden club – kind of like what police sometimes used in crowd control. Trey and Chris turned toward each other, locked in aggressive poses, holding the clubs in striking positions. A buzz of excitement ran through the crowd, as it grew eager for violence. Evening breezes stirred up dust devils around the cousins, but neither of them flinched. I turned to the council incredulously. â€Å"They’re going to attack each other with those clubs?† I asked. â€Å"They could be killed!† â€Å"Oh no,† said Master Ortega, far too calmly. â€Å"We haven’t had a death in these trials in years. They’ll take injury, sure, but that just toughens our warriors. All of our young men are taught to endure pain and keep on fighting.† â€Å"Young men,† I repeated. My gaze moved down to the bleach blonde girl who’d brought me in. She was standing near our bleachers, holding her gun at her side. â€Å"What about your women?† â€Å"Our women are tough, too,† said Master Ortega. â€Å"And certainly valued. But we’d never dream of letting them fight in the arenas or actively hunt vampires. Part of the reason we do what we do is to keep them safe. We’re fighting this evil for their good and our future children.† The man who’d handed out the clubs also announced the rules in a loud, ringing voice that filled the arena. To my relief, the Juarez cousins wouldn’t be beating each other senseless. There was a system to the combat they were about to enter into. They could only hit each other in certain places. Hitting elsewhere would result in penalties. A successful hit would yield a point. The first person to five points was the winner. As soon as it started, however, it was clear this wasn’t going to be as civilized as I’d hoped. Chris actually landed the first hit right away, nailing Trey so hard on the shoulder that I winced. Animalistic cheers and whoops rang out from the bloodthirsty crowd, echoed by hisses of dismay from Trey’s supporters. Trey didn’t even react and kept trying to hit Chris, but I could tell there’d be a nasty bruise there later. Both of them were pretty fast and alert, able to dodge a majority of the attempted blows. They danced around, trying to get through each other’s guards. More dirt was kicked up, clinging to their sweaty skin. I found myself leaning forward, fists clenched in nervousness. My mouth felt dry, and I couldn’t utter a sound. In a remote way, I was reminded a little of the way Eddie and Angeline trained. Certainly, they walked away with injury too. In their situation, however, they were playing guardian and Strigoi. There was a difference between that and two guys striving to inflict the most damage on other. Watching Chris and Trey, I felt my stomach twist. I disliked violence, particularly this barbaric display. It was like I’d been transported back to the days of the gladiators. The crowd’s fervor continued to increase. It was on its feet cheering wildly and urging the cousins on. Their voices rang out in the desert night. Despite being struck first, Trey could clearly hold his own. I watched as he made hit after hit on Chris and wasn’t sure which sickened me more: seeing my friend hurt or seeing him hurt someone else. â€Å"This is terrible,† I said, when I could finally find my voice. â€Å"This is excellence in action,† said Master Angeletti. â€Å"No surprise since their fathers are outstanding warriors as well. They sparred quite a bit in their youths, too. That’s them, down in the front row.† I looked at where he indicated and saw two middle-aged men, side by side, with gleeful looks on their faces as they shouted encouragement at the cousins. I didn’t even need Master Angeletti’s guidance to guess that they were related. The Juarez family stamp was strong on these men and their sons. The fathers cheered just as avidly as the crowd, not even flinching when Trey or Chris got injured. It was just like my father and Keith’s. Nothing mattered except family pride and playing by the group rules. I’d lost track of the points until Master Jameson said, â€Å"Ah, this will be good. Next point determines the winner. It always makes me proud when the contenders are so evenly matched. Lets me know we’ve done the right thing.† There was nothing right about this. Tears stung my eyes, but whether it was from the dry, dusty air or simply my anxiety, I couldn’t say. Sweat was pouring off Trey and Chris now, their chests rising and falling with the exertion of battle. Both were covered in scrapes and bruises, adding onto old ones from days past. The tension in the arena was palpable as everyone waited to see who would land the final hit. The cousins paused slightly, sizing up each other as they realized this was the moment of truth. This was the blow that had to count. Chris, face excited and alight, acted first, lunging forward to land a hit on the side of Trey’s torso. I gasped, jumping to my feet in alarm with most of the crowd. The sound was deafening. It was clear from Chris’s expression that he could taste victory, and I wondered if he was already imagining the strike that would kill Sonya. Sunset bathed his face in bloody light. Maybe it was because I’d seen enough of Eddie to learn some of the basics, but I suddenly realized something. Chris’s movement was too rash and sloppy. Sure enough, Trey was able to evade the strike, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I sank back down to my seat. Those who had been certain he was about to be taken out roared in outrage. That left Trey with a beautiful opening to get in on Chris. My tension returned. Was this really any better? Trey â€Å"winning† the right to take a life? The point was moot. Trey didn’t take the shot. I frowned as I watched. He didn’t exactly fumble, but there was something that didn’t seem right. There’s a rhythm to fighting, where instinct and automatic responses take over. It was almost as though Trey had purposely fought against his next instinctive move, the one that said strike now! And in doing so, Trey left himself open. He took a hit from Chris, which knocked him to the ground. I rested a hand on my own chest, as though I’d also felt the blow. The crowd went crazy. Even the decorous masters jumped up from their seats, screaming approval and dismay. I had to forcibly stay seated. Every part of me wanted to run down there and make sure Trey was okay, but I had a feeling one of the armed members of my escort would shoot me or knock me out before I took two steps. My worry faded a tiny bit when I saw Trey stagger to his feet. Chris clapped Trey good naturedly on the back, grinning from ear to ear as those assembled shouted his name. Trey soon retreated to the crowded stands, yielding the victor’s spot. His father met him with a look of disapproval but said nothing. The man who’d given out the clubs approached Chris with the sword I’d returned. Chris held it over his head, earning more applause. Near me, Master Jameson stood up and bellowed, â€Å"Bring out the creature!† Creature was hardly how I’d describe Sonya Karp as four heavily armed Warriors dragged her out across the dusty arena. Her legs barely seemed to work, and even from this distance, I could tell she was drugged. That was why Adrian couldn’t reach her in dreams. It also explained why she wouldn’t have used any magic to attempt escape. Her hair was a mess, and she wore the same clothes I’d seen her in that last night at Adrian’s. They were bedraggled, but otherwise, she didn’t seem to have any signs of physical abuse on her. This time, I couldn’t stop myself from standing up. The blonde girl immediately put a hand on my shoulder, forcing me down. I stared at Sonya, wanting so desperately to help her, but knew I was powerless. Swallowing back fear and rage, I slowly sat back on the bleachers and turned toward the council. â€Å"You told me I’d have a chance to talk.† I remembered their sense of honor. â€Å"You gave your word. Doesn’t that mean anything?† â€Å"Our word means everything,† said Master Ortega, looking offended. â€Å"You’ll have your chance.† Behind Sonya’s guard came two more men hauling a huge block of wood with arm constraints on it. It looked like it had come straight out of a medieval movie set, and my stomach twisted when I realized it was for: decapitation. The shadows had increased, forcing the men to bring out torches that cast sinister, flickering light around the arena. It was impossible to believe I was in twenty-first-century California. I felt like I’d been transported to some barbarian castle. And really, these hunters were barbarians. One of Sonya’s guards pushed her to her knees from behind, forcing her head against the block’s surface while he bound her hands with the leather restraints. In her addled state, it didn’t require nearly the level of force the guy put into it. I couldn’t believe they could act so self-righteous when they were about to end the life of a woman who could offer no resistance, let alone even knew she was here. Everyone was screaming for her blood, and I felt like I was going to get sick. Master Angeletti rose, and a hush fell over the arena. â€Å"We have gathered here from all parts of the country for a great thing. It is a rare and blessed day when we actually have a Strigoi in captivity.† Because she’s not a Strigoi, I thought angrily. They’d never be able to capture a live one. â€Å"They plague decent humans like ourselves, but today we shall dispatch one back to Hell – one who’s particularly insidious because of her ability to hide her true nature and pretend to be one of the more benign fiends, the Moroi – whom we will deal with one day as well.† Murmurs of approval ran through the crowd. â€Å"Before we commence, however, one of our Alchemist brethren would like to speak out on behalf of this creature.† The approval vanished, replaced by angry mutterings and glaring. I wondered uneasily if the guards who kept their guns pointed at me would turn on one of their associates if I was attacked. Master Angeletti held up his hands and silenced them. â€Å"You will show our little sister respect,† he said. â€Å"The Alchemists are kin, and once, we were one. It would be a momentous event if we could once again join forces.† With that, he sat down and gestured to me. Nothing else was offered, and I assumed this meant the floor was mine. I wasn’t entirely sure how I was supposed to make my case or where. The council made the decisions, but this seemed like something everyone should hear. I stood up and waited for the girl with the gun to stop me from moving. She didn’t. Slowly, carefully, I made my way down the bleachers and stood in the arena, mindful not to go near Sonya. I didn’t think that would go over well. I kept my body angled toward the council but turned my head in a way that would hopefully carry to others. I’d given reports and presentations before but always in a conference room. I’d never addressed an angry mob, let alone spoken to such a large group about vampire affairs. Most of the faces out there were swallowed by shadows, but I could picture all those mad, bloodthirsty eyes fixed on me. My mouth felt dry, and, in what was a very rare occurrence, my mind blanked. A moment later, I was able to push through my fear (though it certainly didn’t go away), and remember what I’d wanted to say. â€Å"You’re making a mistake,† I began. My voice was small, and I cleared my throat, forcing myself to project and sound stronger. â€Å"Sonya Karp is not a Strigoi.† â€Å"We have records of her in Kentucky,† interrupted Master Jameson. â€Å"Eyewitnesses who saw her kill.† â€Å"That’s because she was a Strigoi back then. But she isn’t anymore.† I kept thinking the tattoo would stop me from talking, but this group was already well aware of the vampiric world. â€Å"In the last year, the Alchemists have learned a lot about vampires. You must know that the Moroi – your so-called ‘benign fiends’ – practice elemental magic. We’ve recently found out there’s a new, rare kind of magic out there, one that’s tied to psychic powers and healing. That power has the ability to restore Strigoi back to their original form, be it human, dhampir, or Moroi.† A few angry denials quickly rose to a frenzy. Mob mentality in action. It took Master Jameson to quiet them again. â€Å"That,† he said simply, â€Å"is impossible.† â€Å"We have documented cases of three – no, four – people this has happened to. Three Moroi and a dhampir who once were Strigoi and are now in possession of their original selves and souls.† Speaking about Lee in the present tense wasn’t entirely accurate, but there was no need to clarify. Besides, describing a former Strigoi who wanted to become Strigoi again probably wouldn’t help my case. â€Å"Look at her. Does she seem Strigoi? She’s out in the sun.† There wasn’t much of it left, but even these fleeting rays of sunset would kill a Strigoi. With the way I was sweating from fear, I might as well have been out under a blazing midafternoon sun. â€Å"You keep saying this is the work of some twisted magic, but have you ever, even once, seen her in Strigoi form here in Palm Springs?† No one acknowledged that right away. Finally, Master Angeletti said, â€Å"She defeated our forces in the street. Obviously, she turned ba ck into her true form.† I scoffed. â€Å"She didn’t do that. Dimitri Belikov did – one of the greatest dhampir warriors out there. No offense, but despite all the training, your soldiers were hopelessly outclassed.† I was met with more aggressive gazes. I realized that probably wasn’t the best thing I could’ve said. â€Å"You’ve been deceived,† said Master Angeletti. â€Å"No surprise since your people have long since become enmeshed behind the scenes with the Moroi. You aren’t like us, down in the trenches. You don’t come face-to-face with the Strigoi. They’re evil, bloodthirsty creatures who must be destroyed.† â€Å"I agree with that. But Sonya’s not one of them. Look at her.† I was gaining courage, my voice growing stronger and clearer in the desert night. â€Å"You keep bragging about capturing some terrible monster, but all I see is a drugged, restrained woman. Nice work. Truly a worthy enemy.† None of the council looked nearly as tolerant of me as they had before. â€Å"We simply subdued her,† said Master Ortega. â€Å"It’s a sign of our prowess that we were able to do so.† â€Å"You’ve subdued an innocent and defenseless woman.† I didn’t know if driving home that point would help, but I figured it couldn’t hurt if they had twisted, chivalrous views of women. â€Å"And I know you’ve made mistakes before. I know about Santa Cruz.† I had no idea if this had been the same group whose men had gone after Clarence, but I was gambling the council at least knew about it. â€Å"Some of your more zealous members went after an innocent Moroi. You saw the errors of your way then when Marcus Finch told you the truth. It’s not too late to correct this mistake either.† To my astonishment, Master Ortega actually smiled. â€Å"Marcus Finch? You’re holding him up as some kind of hero?† Not exactly, no. I didn’t even know the guy. But if he was a human that talked these crazy people down, then he must have some kind of integrity. â€Å"Why wouldn’t I?† I asked. â€Å"He was able to see right from wrong.† Even Master Angeletti chuckled now. â€Å"I would never have expected an Alchemist to praise his sense of ‘right and wrong.’ I thought your own views of that were immovable.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† I didn’t mean to get derailed, but these comments were too puzzling. â€Å"Marcus Finch betrayed the Alchemists,† explained Master Angeletti. â€Å"You didn’t know? I assumed a rogue Alchemist is the last person you’d use to make your case.† I was momentarily speechless. Was he saying†¦ was he saying that Marcus Finch used to be an Alchemist? No. He couldn’t be. If he had been, then Stanton would have known who he was. Unless she lied about not having any record of him, a voice in my head warned. Master Jameson had apparently heard enough from me. â€Å"We appreciate you coming out here and respect your attempt to stand up for what you believe is true. We’re also glad you were able to see just how strong we’ve become. I hope you’ll take this news back to your order. If anything, your attempts here have demonstrated what we’ve long known: our groups need each other. Clearly, the Alchemists have gleaned a lot of knowledge over the years that could be very useful to us – just as our strength could be useful to you. Nonetheless,† he glanced over toward Sonya and scowled, â€Å"the point remains now that whatever your intentions, you truly have been deceived. Even if there’s some tiny impossible chance that you’re right, that she truly is a Moroi†¦ we can’t take the chance that she’s still been corrupted. Even if she believes she’s been restored, she may still have been subconsciously influenced.† Again, I was speechless – but not because I appeared to have lost my case. Master Jameson’s words were nearly identical to what Keith’s father had said, when he’d told me Keith would be taken back to Re-education. Mr. Darnell had echoed the sentiment, that they co uldn’t take the risk of even a subtle bit of influence affecting Keith. Extreme actions had been required. We’re the same, I thought. The Alchemists and the Warriors. Years have divided us, but we came from the same place – in both our goals and blind attitudes. And then Master Jameson said the most shocking thing of all. â€Å"Even if she is just a Moroi, it’s no great loss. We’ll come for them eventually anyway, once we’ve defeated the Strigoi.† I froze at those words. The blonde girl came forward and again forced me to sit down on the first row of the bleachers. I offered no resistance, too shocked at what I’d just heard. What did they mean they’d come for the Moroi? Sonya could just be the beginning, then the rest of my friends, and then Adrian†¦ Master Angeletti snapped me back to the present. He made a grand gesture toward Chris as he spoke. â€Å"By the divine power we have been granted to bring light and purity into this world, you are authorized to destroy this creature. Commence.† Chris raised the sword, a fanatical gleam in his eyes. A happy gleam, even. He wanted to do this. He wanted to kill. Dimitri and Rose had killed many, many times, but both had told me there was no joy in it. They were glad to do what was right and defend others, but they didn’t take pleasure in bringing death. I’d been taught the existence of vampires was wrong and twisted, but what I was about to witness was the true atrocity. These were the monsters. I wanted to scream or cry or throw myself in front of Sonya. We were a heartbeat away from the death of a bright, caring person. Then, without warning, the silence of the arena was pierced with gunfire. Chris paused and lifted his head in surprise. I flinched and looked immediately toward the armed escort, wondering if they’d take it upon themselves to become a firing squad. They looked just as surprised as me – well, most of them. Two of them didn’t show much emotion at all – because they were crumpled on the ground. And that was when Dimitri and Eddie burst into the arena. How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 21, Essay examples

Monday, May 4, 2020

Competitive Intelligence System in SMEs †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Competitive Intelligence System in SMEs. Answer: Introduction: This essay discusses the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility. Along with this, this essay analyzes and critically discusses the benefits of implementing the initiatives of the CSR for bottom line of company using the information from Journal Articles on Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing well by doing good and The Business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility: A Review of Concepts, Research and Practice. Corporate social responsibility is the economical, social, ethical, legal, and environmental responsibility of the corporate houses. The fair and effective execution of the strategies, activities, policies in corporate social responsibility by the firms improves the bottom line of the organizations (Lund-Thomsen and Lindgreen, 2014). The bottom line is the net earnings of any company after deducting all the cost and expenses. The specific benefit of the implementing the corporate social responsibility policies is improvement in the economic and financial performance or bottom line of the company. The benefits of implementing CSR initiatives sometime may be seen clearly (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). The benefits from the CSR initiatives for bottom line of the company can be categorized into four categories such as reduction in the risk and cost of the company, competitive advantage to company, reputation and legitimacy and win-win outcomes. The effective execution of CSR initiatives by the companies helps in reducing their cost and risk associated with their operation. The demand by the stakeholders poses challenges and threats to the organization, which the organization can reduce by performing its social and environmental responsibility (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). This serves economical benefit to the company by reducing the cost and increasing the revenue. Apart from this, the equal employment opportunity and equal treatment with employees improve the productivity of employees that reduce the overall cost and risk to organizations. Attaining competitive advantage: Every company wants to experience competitive advantage over their competitors. The execution of the CSR initiatives develop strong relation of the company with customers that provides competitive advantage edge to company. Werther and Chandler (2005) argued that organizations undertake actions that are socially desirable, can improve their reputation and establish strong relationship with customers. The philanthropy provides companies with the competitive advantage to through aligning the market or external demand with the competence of companies. The match between the demand and competency of the companies provides them with the competitive edge over their competitors. Along with this, companies improve their competitiveness by improving the relation with government and nonprofit organizations (Islam et al, 2011). For instance, McDonalds provides support to Ronald McDonald House Charity. Along with this, organizations may align their core competencies and capabilities with their ph ilanthropy activities. For example, McKinsey and Co. provides consulting services to nonprofit organization free of cost in the field of education, social, cultural and environmental field (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). At the same time, Home Depot Inc. is providing service to the communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Developing reputation and Legitimacy: Firms may maintain and improve their reputation and legitimacy by showing their engagement in the CSR activities. Smith argued that activities and policies of the corporate social responsibility of companies attract skilled and talented employees, investors, and consumers. Companies are using cause marketing for meeting the profit goal of company as well as meeting the needs of stakeholders in society (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). For example, General Mills Inc. donated 1.5 million USD to the customers purchased Yoplait Yoghurt. The company donated only to the customers sent Pink Lid to company. The company ran this policy for helping people having breast cancer by its Breast Cancer Initiatives. Chen et al (2008) argues that corporate social responsibility initiatives may be tools of the legitimization. They argued that the firms having negative performance in the field of environmental responsibility and product safety rely on the charity for maintaining and building their legitimacy . By developing trust and managing their dependency, firms may make strong legitimacy for them. The CSR initiatives of organizations streamlined towards meeting the desires of society improve the reputation and image of the company, which in turn may contribute in the competitive advantage to company. Win-win outcome through creating synergetic value: Synergetic value can be created by reconciling the differing demands of stakeholders. Porter and Kramer (2002) argued that corporate philanthropy improves the competitiveness of the companies but at the same time it meets the needs of the stakeholders. For example, charitable contribution for education may improve the quality and skills of the human resources for firms. Wheeler et al (2003) said that a Novo Group adopted win-win perspective that helped in pursuing its business of genetic modification and yet it has effective relation with stakeholders. Apart from this, it provides and publishes environmental and social reports at high rate. At the same time, in contrast, Monsanto experienced various issues in operation of its business as it neglected the demands and desires of the stakeholders. The win-win perspective was developed with an aim to meet the demand of stakeholders but at the same time to make the firms able to effective operation of their businesses. The policies and in vestment of the companies in CSR initiatives depends on the economic, social, and environmental policies of the country (Spence, 2011). The stakeholders are divided into three categories, which are minor stakeholders, emerging stakeholders, and key stakeholders. The management has to consider which stakeholders have to be put in which category and which category must be provided with more importance (Falck and Heblich, 2007). Conclusion: From the above analysis, it can be concluded that the corporate social responsibility is the legal, social, economical, and environmental responsibility of the organization, which helps the organization in achieving sustainable development. The implementation of initiatives and activities of corporate social responsibility is beneficial for the bottom line of businesses. The implantation of the CSR initiatives provides competitive advantage to the firms, as every organization wants to be competitive in the market. The CSR initiatives also help the companies in improving their reputation and legitimacy. Furthermore, the CSR implementation provides economical benefit to the companies by increasing their profitability and sales revenue and reducing the cost and risk to the company. References: Werther, W., Chandler, D. (2005) Strategic corporate social responsibility as global brand insurance. Business Horizons, 48(4), 317324. Porter, M., Kramer, M. (2002) The competitive advantage of corporate philanthropy. Harvard Business Review, 80(9), 4858. Chen, J.C., Patten, D.M. and Roberts, R. (2008) Corporatecharitable contributions: a corporate social performance or legitimacy strategy? Journal of Business Ethics, 82, pp. 131144. Wheeler, C., Colbert, B. and Freeman, R.E. (2003) Focusing on value: reconciling corporate social responsibility, sustainability and a stakeholder approach in a network world. Journal of General Management, 28(3), pp. 128. Lund-Thomsen, P., Lindgreen, A. (2014) Corporate social responsibility in global value chains: Where are we now and where are we going?.Journal of Business Ethics,123(1), 11-22. Carroll, A. B., Shabana, K. M. (2010) The business case for corporate social responsibility: A review of concepts, research and practice.International journal of management reviews,12(1), 85-105. Islam, M. T., Rahman, M. M., Ali, M. I. (2011) Competitive Intelligence System in SMEs of Bangladesh: A sense making approach.Journal of Business Economics,3(2), 180. Spence, D. B. (2011) Corporate social responsibility in the oil and gas industry: The importance of reputational risk.Chi.-Kent L. Rev.,86, 59. Falck, O., Heblich, S. (2007). Corporate social responsibility: Doing well by doing good.Business Horizons,50(3), 247-254.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Social Perception, and Attribution, and Individual Decision Making Essay Example

Social Perception, and Attribution, and Individual Decision Making Essay Social Perception, and Attribution, and Individual Decision Making Perception is the process of receiving information about and making sense of world around us. It involves deciding which information notice, how to categorize this information and how to interpret it within the framework of existing knowledge. Another definition of perception is â€Å"A process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment†. We can summarize the perception with this sentence â€Å"We don’t see the things as they are, we see things as we are†. Why is perception important in the study of Organizational Behaviour? Simply because people’s behaviour is based on their perception of what reality is, not on reality itself. Virtually all management activities rely on perception. In appraising performance, managers use their perceptions of an employee’s behaviour as a basis for evaluation. Factors that influence perception are categorized to three groups; 1)Factors in the perceiver: Attitudes, Motives, Interests, Experience, Expectations 2)Factors in the situation: Time, Work Setting, Social Setting 3)Factors in the target: Novelty, Motion, Sounds, Size, Background, Proximity, Similarity Shortcuts used in judging others; )Selective Perception: a characteristic that make someone stand out in our mind will increase the probability that it will be perceived 2)Halo Effect: drawing a general impression based on a single characteristic 3)Contrast Effects: our reaction is influenced by others we have recently encountered 4)Projection: the tendency to attribute our own characteristics to other people 5)Stereotyping: judging someone on the basis of our perception of the group to which they belong Attribution in Organizations We will write a custom essay sample on Social Perception, and Attribution, and Individual Decision Making specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Perception, and Attribution, and Individual Decision Making specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Perception, and Attribution, and Individual Decision Making specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Attribution simply refers to how a person explains the cause of another’s or his or her own behaviour. Attribution thus is the most relevant application of perception concepts of organizational behaviour-the issue of person perception. The attributions or inferred causes we provide for behaviour have important implications in organizations. In explaining the causes of employee performance, good or bad, we are asked to explain the behaviour that was the basis for the performance. Attribution Theory suggests that when we observe an individual’s behaviour, we attempt to determine whether it was internally or externally caused: Internally; believed to be under the personal control of the individual Externally; resulting from outside causes. Determinants of Attribution Distinctiveness; whether an individual displays different behaviors in different situations. Consensus; if everyone who faces a similar situation responds in the same way. Consistency; does the person respond the same way over time. Individual Decision Making Individuals in organizations make decisions. That is, they make choices from among two or more alternatives. Decision-making is almost universally defined as choosing between alternatives. Decision-making is a critical activity in the lives of managers. The decisions a manager faces can range from very simple, routine matters for which the manager has an established decision rule(programmed decisions) to new and complex decisions that require creative solutions(non-programmed decisions). Decision-Making Process Managers have to make decisions whether they are simple or extremely complex. Making a good decision is a difficult exercise. It is the product of deliberation, evaluation and thought. To make good decisions, managers should invariably follow a sequential set of steps. 1)recognize the problem and need for a decision 2)identify the objective of the decision 3)gather and evaluate data and diagnose the situation 4)list and evaluate alternatives 5)select the best course of action 6)implement the decision 7)gather feedback 8)follow up

Saturday, March 7, 2020

I woke up one day essays

I woke up one day essays When I woke up I had my family next to me. My memories were faded but I started recollecting all that had happened up to the accident. Soon after my gaining consciousness the doctors told me that I had not sustained any major injuries during the accident and that I was very lucky. They also told me that due to a blow to my head some part of my brain had stopped functioning and at the time of the accident there was no medical treatment that could wake me up from my comatose condition. But recently a new treatment was introduced and with my familys approval this treatment was tried on me and it was successful. They told me that the treatment involved using nanotechnology to release nanobots into the brain that repaired damage to my brain at the nanometer level. A nanobot is a nanotechnological robot, that is, a robot whose operating components are molecular and whose size is comparable to biological cells. All of this didnt make any sense to me at that time but after further explanatio n and questioning I found out that Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices, and systems through control of matter on the nanometer (1 to 100+ nm) length scale and the exploitation of properties and phenomena developed at that scale. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter (10-9 m). This is roughly ten times the size of an individual atom. A cube 2.5 NM on a side would contain about a thousand atoms. I had heard of this technology before I went into comma, and I was very surprised to find out that this technology had grown so fast. I also found out that nanotechnology was being used to cure certain cancers. Nanobots are released into the body that search and destroy cancerous cells and only those cells. A typical blood borne medical nanobot would be around three micrometres in size, because that is the maximum size possible due to capillary passage requirement. Carbon would be the element used to build these nanobots due t...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Law - Essay Example In this paper, laws are discussed as far as their determinations of the levels of freedom people enjoy are concerned (Locke 15). In America, there is a law governing each activity. From handling children to the amount of sugar in a Coke bottle, everything in America follows given guidelines. Operating without these guidelines often lands people in trouble ending in jail terms and fines. While the breaking of laws occurs in every country, the United States is often ridiculed for having laws on subjects that could be easily resolved using other methods. Being the most elaborate constitutions on earth, the United States constitution has a profound effect on the way people handle other people and live life in general (Locke 24). First, having some rules in place limits people’s freedom of movement. For example, moving from one state to the next requires that one informs their original state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and then updates their driver license to that effect. Failure to do these often results in one’s license being suspended. It is actually illogical that a nation with a single currency, president, and national flag should have different laws on the same issue. Secondly, having too many laws limits people’s imagination since it scares them into believing whatever they are up to could land them behind bars. In this sense, many people fear entering businesses such as the trading of commodities since one just does not know to differentiate between legal and the illegal. In essence, being without laws has its advantages and disadvantages. While not clouding people’s judgment, it gives people freedom to carry out evil deeds unchecked. As Hobbes once said, the existence of such a â€Å"dissolute condition of master less men, without subjection to Laws, and a coercive Power to their hands from rapine, and revenge† would be a breeding grounds for all vices bent on curtailing civilization and comfort. Laws shall thus remain

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Should Whaling be Banned Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Should Whaling be Banned - Term Paper Example It is believed that these are areas had little capacity to support agriculture and therefore, people had to look for an alternative source of livelihood and whaling turned out to be the most sufficient. During this time, whales were in plenty and though it is still thought to have been cruel, this activity did not pose any significant threat to the whale population as it was only conducted at the subsistence level. Furthermore, there were no sophisticated equipments to facilitate large scale whaling. Instead, fishermen used crude methods and equipment such as canoes, which exposed them to dangers associated with this activity such as drowning as a result of the canoes capsizing while struggling to catch the whales or even suffering attacks from the mammoth oceanic creatures. The whalers used the canoes to surround the target whale in order to force it to change its course and swim to the shore, where it would end up on the beach and helpless thus making it easy to catch (James et al 36). Between the years 1700 and 1900, it is believed that this activity had consumed a significantly high number i.e. more than 50000 whales of the bowhead species leading to their near extinction, not withstanding the fact that this was only in the eastern coast of Greenland. However, the endangerment of these species begun in the early 1900s, when technological advancements facilitated the building of large ships and cannons, whose success rate enhanced large scale whaling and in turn, the growth of industries specializing in whale processing (Healy 38) . According to statistics, in the period between 1910 and 1969, more than 2 million whales of different species were killed and worse still, current studies indicate that the population of blue whales in the whole world is approximately 3500, which is significantly low considering the fact that in the year 1931 alone, approximately 29000 blue whales were caught and slaughtered (Freeman 148). In fact, the remaining population of blu e whales is considered to be less or equals to 1% of their original population. This shows that there is a major and real threat to whales, which must be sorted out before other species are affected in the same manner. Other statistics show that between 1986 and 2001, more than 27000 whales were killed despite the fact that there was a moratorium which was introduced in 1986 to protect the whales from commercial whaling companies. However, it may be notable that this moratorium did not restrict whaling for scientific purposes and this has been used by countries, such as Japan, as an excuse to continue participating in commercial whaling in the pretext of conducting scientific research (Gillespie 67). The magnitude of this threat to the whales may be subject to contradiction meaning that it could even be higher than the figures and data available. This is due to the fact that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) sometimes relies on figures, which have been disputed on some occa sions by independent researchers. For example, the IWC once produced figures, which showed that the original number of Humpback whales was approximately 100000. On the contrary, data produced through DNA sampling in 2003 showed that the original number of Humpback whales was approximately 1.5 million i.e. before commercial whaling was introduced (Gillespie 73). With less than 20000 humpback whales remaining, the level of damage caused may be overestimated or underestimated depending on the data one decides to rely on. Similarly, the original estimates of Minke whales in the Antarctic has never been established since the IWC disowned its estimate of 760000 whales after resurveying and coming up with a new conclusion that they

Monday, January 27, 2020

Policy and Prejudice in Canada

Policy and Prejudice in Canada While today Canada would be viewed as one of the countries with the most kind and inclusive community, it too had its dark times. It is hard to believe that there was a time where Canada had policies based on discrimination and bias towards certain ethnicities when today our culture is so heavily reliant on the diversity if our population. While Canada has made many changes to its policies throughout the years to better accommodate those who live here, it is important to remember the impact and significance of these past policies, as they were the cause of suffering for many people within Canadian history. One of the most prejudiced policies within Canadian history would be the Chinese Exclusion Act. Due to the influx of Chinese immigrants coming into Canada within the years of 1881 to 1884, prejudiced politicians believed that this increase in immigration was detrimental to Canada. They believed that Chinese people were stealing the jobs of Canadians as they were willing to work for less than the host population (Part 3: Why Were The Chine, n.d.). This policy led to early Chinese works not being allowed to bring their families to Canada. This meant that workers would spend a long portion of their lives separated from their family and loved ones. This led to the Chinese Canadian community to be seen as a bachelor community. During this time, many Chinese wives were left in China to raise their children alone while their husbands struggled to survive in Canada. This lead to many Chinese families facing starvation and economic hardships (CCNC : Chinese Head T, n.d). In addition to this, there were multiple instances of racism that perpetuated by this law. Chinese citizens were deni ed their right to vote, to practice medicine or law, to seek employment on public works or to own land. All of these restrictions led to the Chinese community remaining at a low social and economic position (Chan, n.d). The policy has since been removed as of 1947, however, the final elements of this act where not completely eliminated until 1967 (Susan Munroe Can.., 2017). This occurred after the end of WW2, when Canada signed the United Nations Charter of Human Rights. Due to the fact that the Chinese Immigration Act was inconsistent with the charter which made the Canadian Parliament decide to repeal the act. (The Unive). The legacy left by this act is the five million dollar fund that was allocated to projects that addressed Chinese immigration restrictions in 2008. This lead to 33 artistic projects being created to bring to light the injustice that occurred during this time period. However, despite Chinese citizens now having the right to vote and being treated with equal immigration policies as other countries, there are still issues to this day regarding the large amount of money the Canadian government had taken from the Chinese community. Organizations such as the Chinese Canadian National Council and the National Congress of Chinese Canadians pressured the government to acknowledge the discrimination that took place and to provide financial redress to the head-tax payers. The need for redress led to multiple protests and events rallied by Chinese Canadians. After a submission filed by these organizations, the UN special rapporteur that focuses on issues like this, suggested that Canada redress the head tax (Chan, n.d). During the years, while multiple apologies have gone out to those who suffered from this Exclusion Act, there were fewer than 50 head tax payers out of 785 people that received payments from the federal government in 2009. The sons and daughters of the family members that were excluded from the 2006 continue to the redress campaign today. (Chan, n.d). In my personal opinion, I do not believe there has been something that is good enough to consider this issue of a thing of the past. I believe that the discrimination is still prevalent due to the government not providing an apology and compensation for all head tax payers and their descendants. Works Cited Part 3: Why Were The Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Laws Enacted? (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://immigrationwatchcanada.org/2006/03/22/part-3-why-were-the- chinese-head-tax-and-chinese-exclusion-laws-enacted/ CCNC : Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.ccnc.ca/redress/history.html Chan, A. (n.d.). Chinese Head Tax in Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/chinese-head-tax-in-canada/#h3_jump_2 Susan Munroe Canada News Expert. (2017, February 05). What was Canadas Chinese Exclusion Act and Head Tax? Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://canadaonline.about.com/od/historyofimmigration/a/chineseheadtax.htm The University of British Columbia. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.library.ubc.ca/chineseinbc/exclusion.html

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein Essay

In Chapter 5, Frankenstein brings the monster to life. Shelly uses a typical gothic method of mimicking Frankenstein’s disgust for the creature with weather, â€Å"the dreary night of November. † Frankenstein is appalled at his creation despite that the monster’s â€Å"limbs were in proportion† and he â€Å"had selected his features as beautiful†. Frankenstein then describes the creature in such a way that the reader learns that although Frankenstein attempted to create beauty but is faced with the disgusting looks of the creature. â€Å"†¦ his hair was of lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his†¦ shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. † Shelly uses an ironic contrast of life and death in describing the monster, using elements like â€Å"yellow skin† which is relevant to a new – born baby with jaundice and â€Å"straight black lips†, which is relevant to a dead body. She also uses descriptions like â€Å"shrivelled complexion† which is relevant to both a baby and a corpse. The creature also reacts to life as a new – born baby does. â€Å"It breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs. This contrast is effective in showing the reader the irony in the fact that new life is given to parts of the dead. Shelly effectively describes the creature with enough detail to allow the reader to interpret the creature’s appearance individually and also empathise with Frankenstein. Frankenstein has been disillusioned whilst creating the monster, but when it becomes alive, he is faced with its ugliness and abandons him. This is not an example of unconditional love and links in with Elizabeth’s arrival into the Frankenstein family. â€Å"Oh! No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be more hideous as that wretch. † The memory of the shock of the monster’s looks is very powerful to Frankenstein and Shelly portrays this by using words like â€Å"Oh! † when Frankenstein is telling Walton his story. Frankenstein has a dream after creating his monster in which, as he kisses Elizabeth, she turns into the corpse of his dead mother. â€Å"I embraced her, but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death. I thought I held the corpse of my dead mother†. This dream shows that Frankenstein has subconscious fears of harm coming to his family, which does actually happen later on in the novel. The dream is an effective example of foreshadowing, another typical gothic technique effectively used by Shelly. The reader could also interpret that the dream foreshadows Frankenstein’s fears of creating the monster a â€Å"wife†. It presents the idea that although Frankenstein first thinks that building a companion for the monster will keep his family safe, the consequences could be much worse if he does as it is possible that the creatures will breed. The monster is not reunited with its creator until several months later, where he tells Frankenstein of the hardships of life he has endured as an abandoned and disfigured child. â€Å"Father† and â€Å"son† meet in the mountains; this location could be interpreted as an effort by Shelley to use the mountains symbolically, showing Frankenstein’s guilt for abandoning his â€Å"child† or as the towering glaciers threatening Frankenstein; telling him that nature is not to be toyed with by man. The creature learns that humans should have families by reading a book that he finds whilst living near the French family he grows to love. He meets a blind man from the family who treats him with kindness, but when the rest of the family see him, they drive him from their cottage with stones. This teaches the monster that people hate him for his ugliness and therefore develops a hatred for his creator for making him so ugly. Upon meeting Frankenstein, the creature makes a direct relationship between the bad parenting and upbringing he endures with his own desire to harm others when he claims â€Å"misery made me a fiend. † Shelley uses this line as a blatant point that bad parenting will result in evil.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Response to Don Marquis’ “Why Abortion Is Immoral”

Don Marquis' â€Å"Why Abortion is Immoral† In his essay â€Å"Why Abortion is Immoral,† Don Marquis argues against the morality of abortion on the premise that the value of a fetus' future is so great that it is immoral to take that potential future away from it. Essentially, he contends, abortion is tantamount to murder: killing an individual is prima facie wrong because the loss of the goods of one's future is the worst loss a human can suffer. He calls this potential future a â€Å"future-like-ours,† which is the basis for his contentions.In the next few pages I will delineate the general progression of his argument, and later, will evaluate the plausibility of said argument. Though Marquis makes both logical and compelling claims, there are several concerns and weaknesses that arise from his argument that must be considered. Marquis establishes his argument with the exploration of why killing humans is wrong, in any case. The clear answer, he says, is that k illing is wrong because of its â€Å"effect on the victim† (Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine, 558).Taking one's life deprives the victim of â€Å"all the experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments that would otherwise have constituted one's future,† and this is the greatest loss that any human can suffer (558). This theory of wrongness can account for why it is also wrong to kill infants and young children, whereas other theories that make narrower claims (e. g. â€Å"It is prima facie wrong to kill only rational agents) do not stand in such cases. There are obvious implications concerning the ethics of abortion with this theory in place.Marquis contends that â€Å"The future of a standard fetus includes a set of experiences, projects, activities, and such which are identical with the futures of adult human beings†¦ † (559). It follows then, that because it is wrong to kill humans, it is also wrong to kill potential humans, and so abortion is prima facie seriously wrong. Fetuses have a viable, valuable future, which Marquis calls a â€Å"future-like-ours. † So, he adds, whether one has â€Å"immediate past experiences or not† does not matter when it comes to killing, because it is the value of the potential future that must be taken into onsideration (561). Marquis goes on to refute other theories of wrongness of killing. One such example is that valuing one's future implies a valuer, but fetuses obviously cannot value their futures, and so their futures are not valuable to them. However, Marquis counters this notion by providing us with an example: one may think during a time of despair that his â€Å"future is of no worth whatsoever,† but he is wrong to think so because â€Å"others rightly see value†¦ in it† (561).So, just because a fetus cannot appreciate its own future, we are aware of the value of its potential future, so abortion is still wrong. Other claims put forth that to be an actu al victim, one requires mentation. However, we still recognize that it is wrong to kill those that are unconscious or in a coma (who have prospects of emerging out of their states), so it follows that mentation is not a necessary condition to be a victim. Marquis' refutations provide for his very strong and compelling argument against abortion.I will grant Marquis that his progression of logic is rational; if a fetus were allowed to fully develop, it would indeed become a sentient being with the capacity of enjoying a prosperous future. However, some ambiguities arise as a result of his claims and it is difficult to say how Marquis would respond. The first concern I would like to address regards the case of a fetus with a debilitating disease. With today's technology, it is quite easy to detect any abnormalities in a fetus very early on in the pregnancy.Say, for example, a couple finds out that their fetus has some sort of affliction that will make him terminally ill. They want to a bort the fetus because they cannot stand the notion of bringing a child into the world that, although sentient and rational, will have a markedly reduced life span and suffer greatly throughout whatever life he has. How would Marquis respond in this case? He might argue that though the child will suffer, he still has a potential future in which he formulate goals, and have experiences and projects.However, we must note that during his argument, Marquis says â€Å"If the patient's future is intolerable†¦ we want our account to allow killing the patient† and that â€Å"it is the value of the patient's future which is doing the work in rendering the morality of killing the patient intelligible† (561). Obviously, a quandary arises. Does the fetus in our example have a future that is less valuable than that of a normal one? Can we justify aborting this fetus, because although he will be rational and most likely capable of having experiences, the scope of his suffering will be exceedingly great?Are we in any sort of position to prescribe the value of someone else's future without knowing exactly how it will play out? So while it is plausible that Marquis would still argue from an anti-abortionist stance due to its potential future, this decision will very probably not sit well with the parents who have to watch their child suffer throughout his shortened life. This is one ambiguity that exists in Marquis' argument that has no easy answer, and is worth noting. We must recognize that cannot say with such conviction that we know what a future-like-ours entails.It seems presumptuous to assert that a future-like-ours is always a positive thing; how can we account for the fetus in the previous example, or an inner-city child essentially having to raise himself because his parents are absent? What about the child who is stuck in a situation with abusive parents, with no one to turn to for help? Though I grant Marquis the soundness of his general argument , and the premise that all fetuses have a potential future, we cannot infer from this claim that this future will necessarily be a positive one.It becomes a murky and essentially taboo dilemma to even ask if the lives of these children are worth living, and if they would have been better off being aborted in the womb. Marquis may still claim that every fetus has a right to life no matter what, but because he does not consider these cases in his argument, it is worth noting that the answers might not be so straightforward and that more complicated cases do exist. The main concern I would like to note regarding Marquis' argument is that he does not once consider the rights of the mother and the value of her future.Although Marquis treats the fetus as an independent being, we must at least recognize that the fetus' life depends on its mother's: it receives all of its nutrition from her and it develops in her womb. So, how would Marquis respond to a situation in which the mother will su rely (or even has the remote chance) of dying in childbirth, even if the fetus will not? Here, we have two potential futures contesting each other, because this is a one or the other situation – either the fetus must die or the mother will in delivering it.Similar to the example mentioned previously of the sick fetus, it is not easy to simply prescribe one of their futures with more value than the other one. An anti-abortionist could possibly make the argument that the fetus' life should be saved because it has a longer future to attain, since the mother has already lived a significant portion of her life. However, one could contend that because the mother is already a sentient, rational being and already has goals and projects set in place for her life, her right to life should take precedence over the fetus, who still has no capacity to value its future.To take away the future of the mother would be more cruel than to take it away from the unaware fetus. Furthermore, what a bout a situation in which the mother is a teenager, and adoption is out of the question? Say, for example, she has to drop out of school and get a low-paying job, and struggles greatly for a significant amount of time trying to provide for herself and her baby. What has happened to her future-like-ours? Both the mother and the child are in dire situations, and it is obvious that the mother would have been in a better current situation had the fetus been aborted, as uncomfortable as that contention may make us.The case of the child, however, is much more complex because again, it is difficult to weigh his suffering with his capacity for potentiating a future. I would not like to argue one way or another, but would simply like to note that it is unclear how Marquis would respond to these predicaments and should have noted such in the essay. As I conclude enumerating the ambiguities that arise from Marquis' contentions, I would like to consider the hypothetical case in which Marquis di d allow for an abortion, in, for example, the case of the fetus that has some sort of debilitating disease.He might contend that the inevitable suffering in the fetus' â€Å"future-like-ours† outweighs the positive value of his potential future, so an abortion in this case would be permissible. However, what does this do for the integrity of the future-like-ours argument? If we can begin to make exceptions like this, where can we draw the line of what constitutes a â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad† future-like-ours? If Marquis begins to allow for such xceptions, it seems to diminish the value of his theory as a whole, because it connotes that the futures of some fetuses are less valuable than others even if they are both capable of having potential experiences, dreams, projects, etc. On a broader and related scope, if an anti-abortionist who argues on the sanctity-of-life theory makes an exception for the abortion of a fetus who was the product of a rape or is in a situ ation where the mother cannot provide for it, it invalidates their entire premise. Both fetuses are innocent and have equal rights to their future.So, if Marquis did make an exception, it would compromise the integrity of his argument. Marquis makes very compelling and interesting claims in his essay, and takes a novel approach in the controversy over abortion. He uses a strong premise that is not too broad or too narrow in scope, as some anti-abortionists and pro-life activists end up doing in their reasoning. However, as mentioned above, ambiguities do arise from his argument, the most significant of which being the consideration of the mother's right to a future.With this considered, it becomes clear that a â€Å"future-like-ours† may not be as clear-cut of an idea as Marquis would like us to think. The essay would have been stronger and more lucid if Marquis considered â€Å"futures-like-ours† that are not exactly futures like ours. By virtue of the sheer breadth a nd variety of experiences that humans experience as a species, it is much more difficult to define a future-like-ours than Marquis delineates in his essay.