Is the Uk political system democratic? Essay

â€Å"A government of the people, by the people, for the people.† The word democracy comes from the Greek words â€Å"demos† which means the people and â€Å"kratos† which means authority, or power. A democratic political system is one in which the ultimate political authority is vested in the people this means that all eligible citizens are able to participate equally either directly or through elected representatives in the proposal, development, and creation of laws that will change and shape everyday life. A democratic country aims to have an accountable government that serve the best interests of the people it is governing. The UK is a liberal democracy which ensures that citizens should be able to influence governmental decisions made. The UK’s governmental system contains no written constitution. This means that theoretically the government are free to pass any legislation as long as they have the majority in parliament which could be easily achieved if the party has a large majority of seats. This means there is no safeguard for laws that can be altered or new ones that could be created. This is very undemocratic as the government therefore have too much power. The government is also in possession of other powers such as the royal prerogative that allows the prime minister to go to war without consent from parliament. An example of where this was used was the Iraq war in 2003 which was heavily resented by a large majority of the public. The most important thing is that true democracy is participatory democracy, where members of the public are effectively members of the government by voting directly on policies. However this is difficult to administer and as a result most modern democracies are representative. The public chooses who they wish to possess power and trust that person to devise policies that will benefit them. A representative democracy can easily become an elected dictatorship if the population’s views are not heard. Considering it from a purely political stance, democracy is power to the people, which establishes itself through the vote. We vote on members of the Commons but not on the Lords. We vote on local representatives but not party leaders. We vote on people but not policies. We vote people into Parliament but not out of it. We vote for a particular party but our second choices are not considered. We vote on only that which we are asked to vote on. We cannot ensure policies are maintained throughout a ministerial term by our vote. Evidently our democracy is far from flawless, and this is not even considering the social aspects of its meaning, i.e. the extent to which we are free police barraging of public protesters and Rupert Murdoch’s mass media control showed us that we are not quite as free as the democratic terminology seems to suggest. You could say that the UK can be made more democratic through a proportional electoral system, compulsory voting, a removal of unelected members of Parliament and more referendums. But it seems in these examples, more democratic is inversely proportional to more efficient. Proportional electoral systems may confuse voters and will result in less strong government, compulsory voting would cumber us with the careless votes of those uninterested in politics and therefore would not be an accurate representation of what the population wants a removal of unelected members of Parliament may increase political bias and reduce the expert value of the Lords. Referendums may be subject to people who do not know what is best for the country, and even then only those who set the agenda of democracy can be understood as a process of people governing their state and managing community affairs all together, based on consensus. The UK is in many ways not democratic. Firstly, the UK amongst many other countries claims to be a democracy. This would suggest that UK citizens have effective influence over government and over decisions that affect them. However there has been much controversy over this claim some arguing that power lies in the hands of just a few and others standing by the allegation that power in the UK is widely distributed. Secondly, First Past The Post has had a big impact on UK democracy. The system we use to elect our MPs has a real impact on how politics works in The UK. It has a direct effect on whether politicians truly represent us and whether we can hold them to account if they let us down. The defeat of the 2011 Alternative Vote (AV) referendum means it is now more important than ever to discredit our failed system and we are continuing to build the case for change at Westminster. This in turn means any of our votes just don’t count. Millions of people have no chance of deciding who their MP will be. And our votes are wasted by the system. Additionally, parties continue to focus all their time, money and effort on a handful of ‘marginal seats’, so just a few thousand voters can decide who runs Britain. As Jean-Jacques Rousseau highlighted in The Social Contract democracy in its political sense can only be efficient when the general will of the people is the same as each and every individual will. Here he argues that this can only be achieved through a classless society with censorship and civil religion. As democracy in modern society is now taken to be equal to freedom its efficiency as a political system is halted by its connotative meaning. This means Rousseau’s method of effective and true democracy would be considered undemocratic in the modern world. Britain may not be truly democratic but it is as democratic as it can be whilst maintaining the constancy and competency of its political workings.

Miller v. Alabama (2012) Supreme Court Case Essay

Introduction The Supreme Court reviewed the constitutionality of mandatory life sentences without parole enforced upon persons aged fourteen and younger found guilty of homicide. The court declared unconstitutional a compulsory sentence of life without parole for children. The states have been barred from routinely imposing sentences based on the crime committed. There is a requirement for individual consideration of the child life circumstance or the defendant status as a child. The court rejected the definite ban on life sentences without parole. This is because in some cases the instances may be uncommon, but jurors can find irreparably corrupted children. The Supreme Court declined to decide the subject whether there is age below which children with life sentences without parole is unconstitutional. Background of the case The judgment of the court is mainly based on consolidation of two cases. In Jackson vs. Hobbs, Jackson was at the age of fourteen when he and other two youth went to a store in Arkansas planning to steal from it. In this case, Jackson got charged as an adult and given a life term with no parole. In Miller v. Alabama, Miller was a fourteen year of age. Jackson and another boy set fire to a trailer where they had purchased drugs. Miller was convicted of murder and given a mandatory life sentence with no parole. The decision was reversed by the Supreme Court. The review of the above cases was approved by the Supreme Court presenting the subject of constitutionality of a life sentence without parole for fourteen year olds who committed murder crimes. The two cases follow two previous cases before the Supreme Court. In the case of Roper v. Simmons, it was held that imposition of death penalty on defendants below the age of eighteen violated the eighth amendment. In the case of Graham v Florida, it was held sentencing defendants below the age of eighteen to life without parole violated the eighth amendment. It was held juveniles are less liable in light of changeability, vulnerability and immaturity. Facts of the case In each of the cases above, a fourteen year old was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a mandatory life imprisonment with no parole. In the case of Jackson, the petitioner had accompanied two other boys went to a video store to commit robbery. Jackson learned that one of the boys was having a shot gun. He was on the lookout, once he entered the store one of the boys shot the store clerk. Therefore, Jackson was charged by Arkansas as an adult with aggravated robbery and capital felony murder. He was convicted by the jury of both crimes. A statutory sentence of life imprisonment was issued by the court with no parole. Jackson argued life imprisonment without parole for a fourteen year old violated the eighth amendment. In Miller case, after an evening of drug use and drinking the petitioner and a friend beat Millers neighbor and set fire to his trailer. The neighbor died in the process. At first, Miller was charged as a juvenile. The case was removed and moved to an adult court where he was charged with murder in course of arson. Miller was found guilty by the jury and a statutory life sentence without parole was imposed. The court of criminal appeal of Alabama stated that Millers sentence was not harsh compared to his crime. The mandatory nature was allowed under the eighth amendment. TheDecision The Supreme Court held that the eighth amendment outlaw sentencing system that direct life imprisonment with no parole for juvenile murder offender. The eighth amendment prohibits unusual and cruel punishment and provides assurance of individual right not to be put under extreme sanctions. In Roper v. Simons, it was established that the right stems from perception of justice, therefore punishment should be proportionate to the offence and the offender. There were two precedents that reflected on fair punishment. There was one that adopted definite ban on sentencing system based on differences in severity of penalty and culpability of the offenders. That is why in Roper v. Simons, capital punishment for children was prohibited by the eighth amendment. In Graham v. Florida the eighth amendment also prohibited life sentence without parole for juvenile found guilty of non-homicide cases. This case further associated life sentence without parole for juvenile to death sentence. This suggested the second line of precedent that the court requires sentencing system to consider the details of the offence and characteristics of the defendant before sentencing him or her to death. The two line of precedents guide the court to conclude that life sentence without parole for juveniles in fringeon theeighthamendment. The court decision was influenced by Graham and Roper cases that established for sentencing reasons children are different from adults under the constitution. Children lack maturity and have no developed sense of responsibility. This leads them to be impulsive and reckless. In Roper it was held children are exposed to outside pressure and negative influences from friends. Therefore, they have less control of their environment because the child’s nature is not2 well informed. Graham and Roper emphasized distinguishing traits of children weakening justification for inflicting harsh sentences to juveniles even when they commit outrageous crimes. The court held in 5-4 majority that the eighth amendment forbids unusual and cruel punishment. Justice Kagan reversed Alabama and Arkansas Supreme court decisions. It was held under the constitutionally children are different from adults when it comes to sentencing. Justice Breyer had a concurring opinion arguing there is need for further determination if the offender intended to kill or killed the victim during the robbery. Justice Sotomayor supported the argument. However, Justice Roberts had a dissenting opinion. He argued that the court duty is to apply the law accordingly and not answer questions of social policy and morality. He argued the majority did not prove the punishment to be unusual. In his opinion, he did not find the punishment infringing on the eighth amendment. The dissent was joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Samuel A, and Clarence Thomas. My Opinion of the Case I personally think the ruling by the Supreme Court on Miller v. Alabama is a welcome decision. I concur with Justice Kagan that mandatory life imprisonment for juvenile is like a sentence children to die in prison. Mandatory life sentence also infringes on the eighth amendment. It is true youths lack maturity and have no sense of responsibility. They are exposed to outside pressure and negative influences from friends and therefore their reasoning is not the same as adults. In wake of my support for Miller v. Alabama decision, I am sensitive to family victims who want retribution. However, I must reiterate that sentencing juveniles for life is not the way3 to go. There is need to think about this juveniles who have been given life without parole as our children. They need to be given an opportunity to come out and prove themselves as better people in society. Friend and families of victims would ask me why they deserve a second chance. It is true they may be mourning but no matter how painful the mourning can be, that cannot change the reality that children are different from adults in society. Children have a great potential for growth, understanding and change. Our sentencing system should not be characterized with vengeance. There may be a need recognize the potential for change. The opportunity should be given to juveniles to experience joy, life, and find meaning. The ban on mandatory life sentence without parole will ensure juveniles become educated, be creative and impact on the society positively.

Rich Brother – Loyal to a Fault

Pete: Loyal to a Fault â€Å"The Rich Brother,† by Tobias Wolff is the story of two brothers that from all accounts couldn’t be more different. Pete, the elder brother, is the epitome of the American Dream. He has worked hard and become an entrepreneur, has a wife and kids, and even brags about an ocean view from his home. Donald is completely opposite. He is for the most part unemployed, and although he is a spiritual person, he has been unable to find the right fit for his spirituality and bounced from religion to religion. The Rich Brother,† begins at the end of Donald’s most recent search for spirituality when he must call his brother, Pete, knowing that Pete cannot deny his brother’s need for help yet again, and asks to be picked up from the communal farm where he had been living. Throughout the story the reader sees numerous examples of Pete’s sense of responsibility toward his brother, his love and his dedication for family; however, Pe te’s dominant characteristic is that he is loyal to a fault, making him an enabler of his brother’s childish ways at the same time allowing himself to be taken advantage of.The first evidence the reader has of Pete’s loyalty to his family and Donald occurs within the first few paragraphs when the reader finds out that after Donald fails to find his way living in an Ashram as a Hindu, Pete paid his extensive medical bills from an undiagnosed case of hepatitis. As adults in the â€Å"real world,† we are expect to take responsibility for our own actions by both learning from a less than ideal life experience and paying back a debt, whether through finances or with a change in future behavior.Donald doesn’t see it that way though, and appears to have no sense of the value of money and how tough it was for Pete to earn it. He also lacks the physical capability to pay his brother back because before Pete is even finished paying off Donald’s bills he has found Christianity and joined a pentecostal community and begun to speak his new truth in tongues. Donald knows that Pete will again bail him out the next time as he had done before.It is just a bit further into the story that we see Pete allow his loyalty to open himself up again to be taken advantage of when Donald demonstrates his lack of life skills, affecting the quality of life for others on the farm. This results in his being asked to leave the farm. Rather than work things out for himself, Donald calls Pete, knowing he can count on his brother for assistance to out of Paso Robles. It is no surprise that Pete’s immediate response is to state that his brother will come live with his wife and family while Donald gets on his feet.Additionally, Pete ends up driving a number of hours from Santa Cruz to physically pick his brother up because past experiences in loaning money to Donald and that of the Ashram in Berkeley, have taught Pete that simply giving Donald money is a no win situation. Donald’s non-existent life skills combined with Pete’s inability to create boundaries with his brother by saying, â€Å"no† is just another occurrence of Pete believing he is helping even though, it may not be the right thing to do for Donald in the long term.Again and again Pete’s unrelenting loyalty removes any need for Donald to fully act like an adult. Upon arriving at the gas station, Donald immediately requests money for food he has purchased, food he has consumed knowing he is unable to pay for it. Without a second thought Pete opens his wallet and produces $100, far more money than is actually owed. When Donald tries to give some of it back to his brother, Pete says, â€Å"I can’t keep track of all these nickels and dimes. Just pay me back when your ship comes in.Go on – take it! † (615). These are perhaps words parents might use with their college age child to ensure their child has enough to get them through a tough time, maybe a week during school exams or something. A parent knows that the money is not going to be paid back, just as Pete knows Donald will never pay the money back to him. This situation reinforces the idea that Pete enables Donald to take advantage of him. Just as history repeats itself, so does the cycle that is Pete and Donald.Donald once again takes advantage of his brother’s loyalty when on the drive home from the farm the brothers pick up Webster, a hitchhiker and conman. Webster spins a tale too good to be true but Donald can’t see anything other than dollar signs when Webster offers him a share in his gold mine in Peru. Pete, as most adults would have, can see the scam through Webster’s tale immediately and tries to help Donald see the truth by offering up multiple snarky comments and direct questions for Webster to answer. It’s just not enough though as Donald gives away Pete’s $100 to Webster in good faith for a share in the mine.This is a much larger issue than the fact that Donald just gave away Pete’s money and feels justified and blameless. The other issue is Pete’s – past experience should have taught Pete that Donald is incapable of understanding the value of other people’s money or material items, which is part of the reason he was asked to leave the farm. Throughout â€Å"The Rich Brother† there are so many examples of Pete being loyal to a fault, but none are as telling as when Pete and Donald argue over the money Donald has given away.The brothers fight until they can’t come to any option other than that Donald needs to get out of the car immediately at night in the middle of no where, effectively ending their co-dependent sibling relationship. By this point in life Pete should have realized that leaving Donald figure things out for himself may be the better alternative, but he just can’t. He is too loyal. Pete can’t even bear the idea of telling his wife that he left his brother along the side of the road with no where to turn.He can’t even kid himself – Pete knows that he is going to turn around and once again pick up the pieces of Donald’s mess, which will enable the cycle to repeat endlessly. All of these events lead one to wonder if Pete is a man driven by guilt. Is there any other reason that Pete, a reasonably successful man would allow himself to be taken advantage of and manipulated so often by Donald? The reader sees this manipulation when Donald questions Pete about why he has a new Mercedes, and why he chooses to skydive, all very expensive things, leaving Pete guiltily defending his choices to enjoy his success.Pete may also suffer from guilt for mistreating Donald after he underwent some sort of surgery as a child, a story that Donald adamantly recounts to Pete even though many years have passed and Pete isn’t even sure the events ever happened. Additionally, Pete av oids incurring any additional guilt on behalf of Donald by taking care of all of his needs as their mother did before she passed; a similar thought process for Pete as he doesn’t want to imagine the shame he will feel when he tells his wife why Donald is not with him.By the end of the story the reader can confidently assume that not only will Pete pick up Donald’s pieces but that he will once again put them back together for Donald, even though the best thing Pete could do for Donald would be to step back and allow Donald to take adult responsibility and find a way to put his own pieces back together, but, because absolute loyalty it is part of Pete’s nature it is also his biggest fault when dealing with his brother.

Radio Frequency Identification Technology Essay

Radio Frequency Identification Technology - Essay Example But there is a big difference in both the technologies; the bar code identification technology uses line of sight reading for scanning. Whereas, the RFID technology does not depend on this line of sight reading. RFID can read the tags that are some meters away and also can read the tags that are not in the line of sight of the reader. RFID has made significant improvements in the inventory tracking and management processes. The RFID is a technology that is needed and is being used in almost every field that needs a unique identification and tracking system. The RFID tags can hold any kind of information whether simple or complex one. The RFID tags can hold almost 2000 bytes of data. RFID technology has no doubt replaced the bar code detection system and is considered to be the enhanced technology. The RFID is capable of tracking and identifying a great number of items simultaneously. This feature definitely saves a great amount of time and money that is spent on monitoring individual items. Due to many enhancements this technology is being widely used in almost every field. (Discover RFID, 1, n.d) Generally, the technology of Radio Frequency Identification evolved from the roots of the radar systems which have now become one of the hottest supply chain technologies. Most of the Europeans were at that time using radar systems which came into existence in 1935 by a physicist from Scotland, Sir Robert Alexander Watson Watt, which helped them caution against planes which were approaching them even when they are miles away. The problem which the countries faced due to radar system was that they could not identify the planes approaching them, whether it was an enemy's plane or country's own pilot. At that time Germans invented a method following which the base could alert them which aircraft is a German one and which is the Allied aircraft, which was that the German pilots if roll their planes while returning to base that would enable the base and ground crew that the approaching aircraft is a German plane. We can say that this was crude method was the first RFID system. After this method the Scottish physicist helped British developed an IFF system, known as Identify Friend or Foe. The British installed a transmitter on each of their aircrafts, which when received signals from the radar systems from the ground would send the signal back enabling the base to identify their aircrafts. This concept then became the evolution of the RFID systems and was just the same as RFID, which sent signals to a transponder which then reflects the signal back to where it received the signals or even broadcast an active system back to its source. Different advancements were made in radar and RF systems through 1950's and 1960's. (The History of RFID Technology, 1, n.d) Functionality of RFID RFID works has three different parts of the system which includes a scanning antenna, a transceiver which is used to interpret the data by the help of a decoder and a transponder which has been programmed with all the information. Scanning antenna is used to transmit signals at a short range by sending radio frequency signals.

Gender Discrimination Problem in US Orchestra Company Research Paper

Gender Discrimination Problem in US Orchestra Company - Research Paper Example Any case on sexual harassment needs immediate action to be taken by the authority. They should be encouraged to undertake positions of leadership in order to instill equality of opportunity. The previous paper has already raised the instance of gender bias in the United States especially in the orchestra companies or the music industry. Several instances of discrimination take place especially with respect to promotion, hiring or even granting of leaves. Since compliance with local laws is a major requirement of corporate social responsibility sometimes corporate social responsibility (CSR) norms might be in a dilemma when local laws permit some form of discrimination. This is mainly the case with corporate houses having offices around the world. CSR norms look forward to avoiding or overrule any kind or expression of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, etc (Idowu, & Filho, 2009, p. 39). Women working in the male domain are often assumed to be overly ambitious. Problems might arise when the woman begins asking for maternity leaves. The Philadelphia case mentioned in the previous paper highlights one of the major outcomes of such gender bias – sexual harassment. The lawsuit in case of the Philadelphia Orchestra Company suggests that the issue of gender bias and rather sexual harassment has not been given adequate importance by the company. Instead of making an attempt to deal with the case the victim, Kathleen was compelled to resign the orchestra with a certain sum of money as compensation. The company was more worried about the unity about workforce rather than business ethical conduct. The equal work situation is a basic issue to be taken care of by a corporate house in order to maintain business ethics. After conducting a primary survey and some background research on the issue it is now time to analyze the problem and put forward some solutions to this problem.

Communication and Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Communication and Media - Essay Example Wherever we look the availability of information bombards us with the need to accumulate. In a time where we are no longer bounded by only three forms of media, namely, television, radio and print, it would seem not viable to remain ignorant. It is clichà ©d to say that the world is now at our fingerprints but it is a clichà © because it is a reality that we experience regularly. The availability of information contributes to the power and the idea that knowledge is a commodity that can and should be availed of. When we look at how information is a product, we only need to look at the interaction between the people and the business of communication. Knowledge moves people and the possession of it can mean a difference between success and failure. The history of the marketability of news as a commodity has developed from mass communication’s evolution as a veritable business. The increase in the number of published magazines, journals, newspapers, books and other print materials is a manifestation of this. Radio stations have crossed over the airwaves to the cyber world and television now has a plethora of channels to choose from that can be grouped a number of ways. Society today depends highly on information to keep it on track for people to do daily activities from work to other aspects of everyday living. We base our decisions on facts and assumptions but mostly based on experience in reference to how we execute our work but in daily life it is our reliance on the media that is the basis of conformity in our decisions accordingly. From the current news to the facts, these are the things that we keep aware of for valid reason (Ravuso, par.4). The question of how we value information is one that remains vague but comprehensible. Peter Drucker notes that the cost of an automobile can be broken down between 25% for labor and 40% for material compared to 10% labor cost, 1% material and 70% information for a silicone chip. This ratio is an

The Role of Information Security Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Role of Information Security Policy - Essay Example Regardless of all these, the essence for a security policy on information systems is unquestionable. These security policies and standards are of use to inform employees of firm their duties for protecting and safeguarding information systems of their organization. The policies state the mechanisms under which organizations can carry out these responsibilities. They also give an organization the baseline to get, configure and appraisal information systems for compliance with the policy in operation. The tools of information security system without its policy, it limits its usefulness. Policies and standards are essential in distributed computing location as a means of putting up security discipline for a big and different population of users that is reachable through formal auditing and communications. This strategy is of great importance when dealing with temporal personnel or those under contracts. Policies must show the accepted ways of an organization but also take full advantage of all methods for effecting behavior and spreading of information within a distributed computing location (James et al, 2012). Policies are of more importance in distributed computing locations than a centralized one due to the increased problems of restraining activities coming from a remote location. These policies must therefore be complete and stated clearly to minimize the number of instructions and explanations that the organization requires to handle so that they can be sure there is understanding. Here, they should have identifiers and description generally for business functions and units so that they can surpass changes of the organization (James et al, 2012). Employees play a major role in maintaining information system security. Their main role here is to study and have a close relationship with the IT section so that they can indulge when there is security incident. It is the responsibility of every employee to

MOTHER TONGUE BY AMY TAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MOTHER TONGUE BY AMY TAN - Essay Example From the essay, we learn about the initial encounters of Amy as a young girl. Her life was widely dependant of her knowledge in different languages that constituted of English. In the first part of the book, there is a clear explanation about her learning and use of the language. We get a clear picture about her school life from the second part along with the liabilities she experienced as a due to her mother’s inability to speak correct English. English as a second lingo and a school subject to her made her life in school a living hell. Nonetheless, through the same problems and technicalities, she managed to grasp the language with immense vigor. In fact, her success in the latter, depicted by her writing capabilities, was a source of surprise both to her family and to friends. Her career in writing was geared by the unknown ability that she came to realize in herself years later. Her struggles in grasping correct English for communication with her peers synchronized with th e mastery of broken English for easier communication with her mother enabled the sharing and practice of many different cultures, which gave an ample source to writing materials. Amy came to discover how rich she was in mastering different languages. She was capable of communicating with very many different people: from the different types of English, to her mother tongue. This phenomenon came to her attention, when she inquired from her friends on their opinion about her mother’s mannerism of speaking English. The responses made her realize that it was not a mere normality, to grasp and use different languages effectively. From this perspective, it became easier for Amy to adapt to any changes; blending into different languages with a passion. She knew it was her secret; one that she achieved through struggling and could now interact normally with everyone years later; regards to her childhood efforts. With reference to the latter, she was always good in all other subjects o ther than English. She recalls how her professor discovered her degree in brightness and emphasized on concentration to the subjects she could deliver best. This was in the context of having a strong base in education with a promising future. Contrary to her instincts, Amy never wanted to foster on what she could do. She had zeal and a strong notion on trying what was considered impossible. She then reduced her concentration on latter subjects and focused on English, regardless of the pieces of advises from different entities. At one time, she almost gave up on the subject and even blamed her failure on the poor English her mother spoke. She never came to consensus with the fact behind, other children coming from strong English speaking families, while she came from a family characterized by pitiable English. As a child, English was an unexplained aspect of unfairness. Despite the fact that communication between her mum and the outside world was next to impossible, Amy never gave up . Instead, she listened and practiced quietly until she was sure of herself. In her mother’s case, she countered any problems by assisting different people in communicating with her. She even recalls the kind of difficulties she underwent in instances where they encountered influential people with a notion of taking advantage of her mother. Amy might have been an Asian American, but this aspect never countered her standing out in class. Through her efforts, she finally achieved her long-term quest, becoming a writer and a savior to her mother in the process. Apparently, the author uses hidden language to point out aspects of cultural racism without signifying anger or clearly mentioning out

Class student dicussions answers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Class student dicussions answers - Assignment Example Pavitor, you could have added a definition and elaborated a bit more of asymmetric cryptography in order to make it easier to differentiate the two concepts. I agree with you Jusin G that symmetric key distribution can pose to bring lots of insecure communication or message interception between the involved organizations. Asymmetric cryptography is also known as public key cryptography. It makes use of two keys, a private key to decrypt messages and a public key to encrypt messages. I agree with you Jusin G that the asymmetric cryptography can be adopted by two organizations which want to send sensitive messages more securely. This is because; the asymmetric cryptography avoids the drawback of exchanging the key by distribution of the public key in a non-secure mechanism while at the same time, the private key is not transmitted. Thanks Pavitor For the good analysis of the different technologies. But I rather disagree with you that WEP is secure. Let me say that WEP is an older technology in wireless networks. This makes it easily hacked and cannot guarantee security within one’s business premise. You gave the advantage that users shun the network ones it prompts for wireless security key, this is not always the case but depends on an individual’s motif. User may be determined to think of more other ways of getting into the network. I agree with you about interoperability, it is a great feature provided by the WEP. WPA and WPA2 form part of the recommended solutions to WEP security issues. I agree with you that the stronger encryption and the use of Temporary Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) which changes dynamically offers more secure means of passing data across a wireless network than WEP. Also to note is that WPA2 was as a result of implementation of 802.11i. Good analysis of the encryption for wireless networks you Pavitor. I disagree with you Jusin G

Home to Home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Home to Home - Essay Example The patient’s journey describes how a person experiences a disease from the initial realisation of the symptoms through the stages of presentation, diagnosis, treatment and adherence to the medication leading to cure, remission or death. Coronary heart disease results from the build-up in the arteries that blocks the blood flow and increases the risk for heart attack and stroke. Its main cause is the development of the heart complications that prevent it from receiving sufficient oxygen as well as nutrient rich blood. The most devastating symptom of the coronary heart disease is the development of abrupt cardiac arrest. Others include chest pain, short breath upon exertion, palpitations and dissiness. Some of the treatment measures administered to the patients suffering from coronary heart disease include aspirin, Beta-blockers and nitro-glycerine. Some of the preventive measures include adoption of a healthy lifestyle during childhood as well as reducing the risk factors. Cri tically analyse the sociological and psychological drivers that impact upon the patient’s journey through any health care setting. Sociological and psychological drivers share common interests in the management of the coronary heart disease. ... This procures the health care providers with an uphill task of undertaking primary research on these patients to ascertain these factors. One of the prominent factors affecting the psychological drive is the occurrence of stress (Ogden, 2009). High levels of stress delays the recovery rate of the patients suffering from the coronary heart disease. Patients under stress cannot strictly follow the treatment or the preventive guidelines. Patients suffering from coronary heart failure may also experience trans-generational and cumulative trauma. Most of them are normally resigned to the fact that they will acquire the disease genetically, making them ignore the keenness measures required for undertaking effective medication (Helman, 2007; Ayers, 2007). Most of the patients may also experience discrimination or racism that may lead to stigma. This slows down the recovery rates, with most of them succumbing to the ailments in severe cases. Sociological Drivers The prominent sociological fa ctor that negatively affects the patient’s journey for those suffering from coronary heart disease in a primary health care setting is the rise in the social media listening programmes (Gray, Degeling and Colebath, 2008; Barrett, Sellman and Thomas, 2005). The social media platform has provided patients with an electronic avenue for sharing the health information through utilisation of the speed of the Internet. Patients are able to become the members of the online family that connects them to the fellow patients and share information related to their conditions. The health care institutions can also tap on the information extracted from the online conversations to enhance

Flowers for Algernon - Qualities That Surpass Intelligence Essay Example for Free

Flowers for Algernon Qualities That Surpass Intelligence Essay Flowers for Algernon, is a classic novel written by Daniel Keyes a young mentally challenged man named Charlie Gordon. This book chronicles, from a first person point of view, Charlie’s mental and physical struggles and achievements after undergoing a breakthrough procedure that is hoped to render him intelligent. Throughout the book, much of the focus is on Charlie’s academic progress while his emotional and personal development is not much of a concern. This becomes a problem because Charlie realizes that it is important to demonstrate qualities other than intelligence to lead a life that is oth happy and successful. Qualities shown to be more important than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon are: patience, kindness and respect. Throughout Flowers for Algernon, patience is often shown to be a more important quality in character than intelligence. Starting from the beginning when Charlie was still mentally challenged, people never seemed to be patient with him. If they had taken the time to get to know and understand him they would have seen that he had a good heart and genuine personality. This also applies to our everyday life. We must be patient and try to understand others before we begin to judge them. Charlie also demonstrated the negative consequences of a lack of patience when his intelligence began to surpass that of those around him, â€Å"I was afraid it would come to this, but I have no patience with her now. I’m jealous of every moment away from the work- impatient with anyone†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Keyes 295). You can clearly see that due to his lack of patience with anyone around him, he is in a state of upset and distress. That is how patience is shown to be more important than ntelligence in this novel. Kindness is another quality shown to surpass intelligence in order of importance in Flowers for Algernon. Simply being kind to others can get you far in life and change others views and opinions of you in a positive way. This is shown when Alice tells Charlie what made him such a great person before he had the operation, â€Å"There was something in you before. I don’t know†¦ a warmth, an openness, a kindness that made everyone like you and like to have you around. † (Keyes 122). Being kind makes both yourself and others feels good. While everyone may not be able to solve an algebraic equation or understand Shakespeare, we can all interpret, accept and appreciate kindness in all its forms. This is why kindness is shown to be a more valuable quality than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon. A third quality shown to be more important than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon is respect. Everyone wants to be valued and respected and when you behave in this way towards others, it is often reciprocated. Everyone should learn to respect each other for who they are and not try to change them. Each person is an individual with their own thoughts and feelings and we can not change them. In the novel, a bakery employee stresses the importance of respect when the other workers make fun of Charlie, â€Å"He can’t help what he is†¦ but for God’s sake, have some respect! He’s a human being! † (Keyes 199). Charlie also often feels that he is not being respected as a human being and that he is just being treated as an experiment. This has a negative impact on him and also demonstrates the importance of respect. Those are the ways that respect is shown to be a ore valuable quality than intelligence in this novel. If one looks between the lines in the novel Flowers for Algernon, they will interpret many messages and take away valuable lessons from it. One of which is that there are qualities that are much more valuable and important than intelligence. The qualities that are shown to be more important than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon are patience, kindness and respect. By possessing and utilizing these qualities a person can lead both a happy and successful life and better the lives of those around them.

Understanding the Importance of Education Essay Example for Free

Understanding the Importance of Education Essay â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.† ― Nelson Mandela Education is one of the important processes in human life that people tend to through so as to pursue their long term dreams. In today’s world, education is believed to be the power for it is the process that makes good men out of nothing. The world can only come into civilization with education of which without it, all the activities taking place in the world can stagnate as there are no educated and skilled personnel to manage them. In the American history Education is recognized as an extremely important process as they also believe that it is through education that their country or states can gain political social and economic stability. This made education be referred to as the power due to the fact that it forms the basis of any good thing in the American history. Due to this significance that education has to the lives of people, very many strategies have been put forward to boost this process so as to continue serving many people. How do we approach our country’s economic instability by understanding the importance of the education? Education lays a good platform in everyone’s life. Learning is the key word of everyone’s life until the death. Learning does not mean to be to going to school. If a person realizes the importance of learning that is also called learning. In my life learning was started in many ways and interpreted in many ways. At my sixteenth birthday, I realized I did not learn anything so far. So the intuition of learning desire was started after I met my science teacher in my high school. He was a fantastic teacher and mentor. He said many times to me about higher education. It is always true sixteen to nineteen years of age is decidedly unambitious for thinking of a future. Many times my father preached about education to me. Here is the some example of my father’s preaches, â€Å"Education will help you grow as an individual because the more knowledge you have the better understanding you will have in any given problem that will come your way. It will give you self-satisfaction and will boost your self-confidence†. As an individual, I know it will help me in a lot of aspects in my life. It will give me financial stability because I will be able to land a good job and a high paying salary. I will learn how to spend my money and will learn how to invest it wisely. The more education I have the more respect and acknowledgement I will get from people. Knowledge is terribly paramount that is why we need to take it seriously. It is the strong weapon you can have to conquer this complex world. If you have a good education nobody can fool you and you will not tolerate any mistreatment from people. It will give you better views in life if you are well educated. In the social aspect of my life education will give me a better understanding on how to communicate to people effectively. I will understand what is happening around me. For example, voting, I will have enough knowledge to carefully choose the candidate I will vote for. I will know what to consider in choosing the right candidate to serve and protect our country. I will be able to understand the social issues that our country is facing and will be capable to help in my own little way. However, it is apparent in this competitive world that most of the successful person have the proper education especially the higher position in society they have proved that education will give you the edge in life. Thus education is as valuable as the air we breathe. It is the most vital possession a person must have. Education is beneficial in many aspect of life especially, personal and social it is the only possession that cannot be taken away from you. Education is beneficial because it will open up the windows of opportunities. In this competitive world having a good education is as valuable as the air we breathe because it is our weapon to conquer the world. Education is supremely essential especially in today’s society. It gives you the windows of opportunities and to pursue your dream. It will not only make you a better person, but it will also give you a better life. I believe that education should be taken seriously because it is our only weapon to conquer the world. World will be a better place if people are well educated in this competitive world that most of the successful person have the proper education especially the higher position in society they have proved that education will give you the edge in life.

Biosynthesis of Nanocomposites Using Leaf Extract

Biosynthesis of Nanocomposites Using Leaf Extract ABSTRACT Various nanoparticles and nanocomposites have been synthesized using leaf extract and evaluated for their antibacterial activity. This review intends to present biosynthesis of nanocomposites using leaf extract. Here, I have discussed biosynthesis methods of polymer nanocomposites using leaf extract. The potential of nanotechnology and biological science together is enormous. There are many potential antibacterial applications of nanocomposites such as in antimicrobial textiles, food preservation, surface disinfection, burn dressings, safe cosmetics, medical devices, drug carriers, dental fillers and adhesives, water treatment etc. In recent years nanocomposite films have been studied for wound dressing. I have discussed a bionanocomposite film and hydrogel that have application in wound dressing. CHAPTER 1:  INTRODUCTION 1.1 Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is a branch of science and technology that deals with matter of size 1-100nm. Since then there has been lot of advancement in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology has applications in almost every field such as electronics, medicine, biomaterials, energy production etc. When a macroscopic material changes to nanomaterials, properties such as electrical, mechanical, optical, catalytic, medicinal, biological etc change. Gold which does not react with other chemicals easily at normal scales acts as a good catalyst when converted to nanoscale. 1.2 Nanoscale materials Nanoscale materials include materials which posses at least one dimension in the nanometer range i.e. 1-100nm. The key characteristics defining the potential applications of nanoscale materials include the following: Higher surface area Higher chemical reactivity Better catalytic properties Better adsorption Variety of chemical synthesis routes. Natural and synthetic strategies 1.3 Nanocomposites Nanocomposites are materials made from two or more individual components with properties different from each other, which when combined produce a material with properties completely different from the individual materials. A nanocomposite consists of two or more phases where one phase is monolithic (single crystal) into which the reinforcement are embedded. The monolithic material is known as a matrix. Reinforcement, in a nanocomposite is a nanosized materials embedded into the parent material called matrix. Nanocomposites are broadly classified into three types a) ceramic-matrix nanocomposites b) metal-matrix nanocomposites c) polymer-matrix nanocomposites d) inter metallic matrix nanocomposites. CHAPTER 2:  BIOSYNTHESIS OF NANOCOMPOSITE USING LEAF EXTRACT Nanoparticles are being used in many sectors of the economy and it is important to consider the biological and environmental safety of their production. The main methods for nanoparticle synthesis are chemical and physical approaches and these approaches are often expensive and potentially harmful to the environment. Green synthesis approach has been pursued in recent years as an alternative, inexpensive, efficient, and environmentally safe method for synthesizing nanoparticles with specific properties. The main focus is on the role of the natural plant (leaf) extracts involved in the bioreduction and capping of metal salts during the nanocomposite synthesis. Many researchers have reported the biosynthesis of nanoparticles by leaf extracts and their potential applications in various fields. 2.1 Commonly used leaf extracts for synthesis of nanocomposites Binomial name: Murraya koenigii Common Name: Curry Tree Family Name: Rutaceae Description: Curry tree is native to India and Sri Lanka. The leaves ofMurraya koenigiiare used as an  herb  in  Ayurvedic medicine because of its antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti- hypercholesterolemic properties. Curry leaves recently been found to be as a potent antioxidant due to high concentrations of carbazoles, a water soluble heterocyclic compound. Carbazoles found in leaf extract may be responsible for the reduction and stabilization of metal ions. Further research is necessary to explain and extend the reduction mechanism of Murraya koenigii leaf extract for further application. Binomial Name: Tridax procumbens Common Name: Coat buttons or Tridax Daisy Family Name: Asteraceae Description: Tridax procumbens is a widespread weed and pest plant native to America. The plant has various medicinal properties. Tridax procumbens is rich in alkaloids, flavanoids, carotenoids and tannins. It is used in nanoparticle synthesis as it has high amounts of ketones, amines, phenols, lactones and alkanes which are capable of reducing metal ions. Binomial Name : Ficus benghalensis Common Name: Banyan Tree Family: Moraceae Description: Banyan tree is a deciduous tree found throughout the forest tract of India, in sub-Himalayan region. Ficus benghalensis is widely used for its medicinal properties. Ficus benghalensis leaf extract has proteins/enzymes which reduce the metal ions and it also contains reducing sugars such as flavanones which provide stability to the nanoparticles. Binomial Name: Calotropis gigantean Common Name: Crown Flower Family Name: Apocynaceae Description: Calotropis gigantean is a large shrub rich in metabolites responsible for reduction metal ions. Organic compounds like alkaloids, polyphenols, and proteins present in plant extracts are capable of reducing and capping nanoparticles. Binomial Name: Catharanthus roseus Common Name: Madagascar periwinkle Family Name: Apocynaceae Description: Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal subshurb. Catharanthus roseus contains more than 70 alkaloids. 2.3 Nanocomposites synthesized using leaf extract A broad spectrum of leaf extracts can be utilized for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. In this section I have briefly discussed synthesis of two polymer-matrix nanocomposites using leaf extract. In both the examples, reinforcement is silver nanoparticle and the matrix of the nanocomposite is a polymer. 2.3.1 Ag impregnated Microcrystalline Cellulose Bionanocomposite film Silver nanoparticles are impregnated into microcrystalline cellulose to form a nanocomposite. Curry leaf extract is used for the bioreduction and capping of silver nanoparticles. First 0.001M silver nitrate solution is prepared in 1000 mL of deionised water. 10 g of microcrystalline cellulose is added to the silver nitrate solution and sonicated for 10 minutes. 50 mL of curry leaf broth is added to the mixture and the mixture is stirred for 6 hours. Silver ions are reduced to silver by curry leaf extract. Reduced silver nucleates in to the silver nanoparticles on the microcrystalline fibrils. After 6 hours the mixture is allowed to settle down and excess reaction mixture is decanted. The silver nanoparticles impregnated microcrystalline cellulose is washed with deionized water and ethanol and then dried in oven at 55ËÅ ¡C over night. The formation of silver nanoparticles is confirmed by UV-vis spectra as the peak is observed at 430 nm. The colour of microcrystalline cellulose is white and after impregnation of silver on it, it changes to yellowish brown. 0.5 g of polylactic acid is dissolved in 20 mL of chloroform with moderate heating and constant stirring for 30 minutes. The dried silver nanoparticle coated microcrystalline powder is added in 5%, 10% and 20% w/w concentration to separate samples. The polylactic acid is stirred with silver impregnated microcrystalline cellulose for a day to allow for dispersion. The mixture is poured to glass Petri dish and left to evaporate. When the chloroform evaporates, the plastic film is removed and collected from Petri dish. Silver impregnated microcrystalline bionanocomposite film is obtained. [6] 2.3.2 Silver/Starch-co-polyacrylamide hydrogel nanocomposite Gelatinized starch solution is prepared by mixing a known amount of starch powder in 10 mL of deionized water and 1 mL of 0.5 mL of 0.5 M sodium hydroxide solution. The mixture is heated at 90ËÅ ¡C for 10 minutes in a water bath with continuous stirring. A predetermined amount of maleic acid is then added to the gelatinized starch solution. The mixture of gelatinized starch and maleic acid is further heated at 80ËÅ ¡C in a water bath for 4 hours. Then acrylamide is added and stirred for 30 minutes at 50ËÅ ¡C. After that initiator (potassium persulfate or KPS) and crosslinker (methylenebisacrylamide or MBA) is added. Finally, an aqueous solution of tetramethylenediamide (TEMED) is added to the solution and for another 10 minutes same temperature is maintained. The synthesized co-polymeric hydrogel is taken out after the completion of free radical polymerization. Then the synthesized co-polymeric hydrogel is immersed in double distilled water at room temperature for a da y to remove excess of unreacted reagents and monomers present in hydrogel network. To remove the residue effectively the double distilled water is refreshed for every 12 hours. At last the hydrogel is dried at ambient temperature for 48 hours. Precisely weighed dried starch-co-polyacrylamide hydrogel is equilibrated with double distilled water for 48 hours and instantly transferred to a beaker containing 100 mL of 0.005 M silver nitrate solution and then equilibrated for 24 hours. During this process the silver ions are exchanged from solution into free network spaces of co-polymeric hydrogel. To a beaker containing 50 ml Tridax procumbens leaf extract, hydrogel with absorbed silver ions is added and kept for 24 hours. Reduction of silver ions into silver nanoparticles occurs and hydrogel turns into brown colour. The brown colour confirms the formation of silver nanoparticles in hydrogel matrix. [7] CHAPTER 3:  ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF NANOCOMPOSITES SYNTHESIZED USING LEAF EXTRACT Due to the rising concerns of bacterial infections, there is a growing need to develop new and powerful antibacterial agents. Mainly, nanoparticles have been applied in burn dressings, cosmetics, food preservation, medical devices, water treatment etc. There is a wide bioapplication of nanoparticles. It has been recognized that the bactericidal effect of nanoparticles is dependent on their size, size distribution, shape, morphology, surface functionalization, and their stability. Additionally, the use of inorganic nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents has numerous benefits such as enhanced stability and safety in contrast with the organic antimicrobial agents. Green synthesis and functionalization of nanoparticles enhances their antibacterial activity and improves their stability. In this section antibacterial activity of silver/polymer film and hydrogel is discussed. So the antibacterial activity of nanocomposites is enhanced. 3.1 Antibacterial activity of Ag impregnated Microcrystalline Cellulose Bionanocomposite film The PLA/MCC sample was tested for antimicrobial activity using Charm disk assay. Firstly an agar plate was seeded with Bacillus stearothermophilus. Then small circular pieces of the films were placed on the seeded agar and incubated. Indicators are present in agar which signifies the status of microbial growth. Yellow colour indicates the microbial growth and purple indicates the inhibition. The initial analysis shows that the film exhibits considerable antibacterial properties. [6] 3.2 Antibacterial activity of Silver/Starch-co-polyacrylamide hydrogel nanocomposite The antibacterial activity of SNCH was evaluated by disc diffusion technique against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria such as Bacillus and Escherichia coli. Firstly, nutrient agar medium was prepared by mixing beef extract (3 g), peptone (5 g) and sodium chloride (5 g) in 1000 mL distilled water. The pH of the medium was adjusted to 7. Finally agar (15 g) was added to the prepared solution and then medium was sterilized in an autoclave at a pressure of 15 lbs for 30 minutes at 121ËÅ ¡C. This medium was then transferred into a sterilized glass Petri dish in a laminar air flow chamber. After the media solidified, Escherichia coli and Bacillus culture (50à °Ã‚ Ã…“†¡L) was spread on the solid surface of the media. Paper discs (6mm diameter) were soaked in the test compounds (20mg/20mL) overnight. Then these discs were loaded on culture plates. The plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‹Å"C. The inhibition zone appears around the disc which shows the anti bacterial effect of SNCH. [7] Pure hydrogels are generally inefficient for antibacterial activity. It is seen that smaller the size of silver nanoparticle greater is the antibacterial activity. .The SNCH having low silver nanoparticles concentration still showed excellent antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bactericide. This results into inhibition of bacterial cell growth. So SNCH nanocomposites can be used as successful antibacterial agents such as wound-dressing materials. [7] Modern wound dressing theory, suggests promoting dynamic equilibrium between exudate absorption and optimal surface moisture at the wound surface. In addition, it should be able to exchange gas to provide the wound with adequate oxygen tension. 3.3 Mechanism of antibacterial activity of nanoparticles Antibacterial activity is a property due to which compounds are capable to kill or slow down the bacterial growth, without causing toxicity to host cells. Such agents are classified as a) bactericidal, which kill bacteria, 2) bacteriostatic, which slow down the bacterial growth. The exact mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity against various types of bacteria is not completely evaluated yet. It is proposed that nanoparticles attach themselves to bacterial membrane by electrostatic interaction and disrupt its integrity. Nanotoxicity is triggered by the initiation of oxidative stress by free radical formation, i.e. ROS, followed by the administration of nanoparticles. The nanoparticle toxicity depends on composition, intrinsic properties, surface modification of the bacterial species and the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles, indicating the mechanisms to be highly complex. The antibacterial mechanisms of nanomaterials is not fully elucidated, but the existing concept suggests various combinations of processes that can occur (1) ions are released which is followed by cellular uptake and a cascade of intracellular reactions, (2) extracellular and intracellular generation of ROS and (3) direct interactions between nanoparticles and cell membrane. At sub-micromolar concentrations, ions are internalized and they react with the thiol groups of cellular proteins, which lead to uncoupling of ATP synthesis from respiration, loss of proton motive force, and interference with the phosphate efflux system. At millimolar levels, nanoparticles induce detachment of the cell wall from the cytoplasm, possibly releasing the intracellular content, DNA condensation and loss of replication ability. ROS produces oxidative stress which results in lipid membrane and DNA damage. Finally, nanoparticles increase the cell membrane permeability and, subsequently, penetrate inside c ells to induce any one or the entire cascade of effects mentioned above. [9] CONCLUSION The most important objective of nanobioscience involves application of nanotools to relevant biological and medical problems and refining these applications. The use of microorganisms and plants for synthesis of metal nanoparticles is of great interest. In contrast to chemical and physical synthesis methods, biological processes for synthesizing nanomaterials can be achieved in aqueous phase in gentle and environment friendly conditions. This approach has become attractive focus in current green nanotechnology. With the help of this approach we can synthesize nanomaterials in less toxic way as it replaces toxic chemical reducing and capping agents. Inorganic nanoparticles naturally possess bacteria-killing properties, but by modifying the inorganic nanoparticles i.e. forming nanocomposites, these properties can be enhanced. In the biomedical field, a synthesis of nanocomposite films and hydrogels by a green process was developed to enhance the inactivation of bacteria in wounds. Ther e are also other potential antibacterial applications of nanocomposites such as in antimicrobial textiles, food preservation, surface disinfection, burn dressings, safe cosmetics, medical devices, drug carriers, dental fillers and adhesives, water treatment etc. Further research on nanocomposites capable of antibacterial activity is necessary for large scale commercial application

Online Newspaper Vs. Print Version -- essays research papers

The contents of the Southeast Missourian online paper may seem so much more fitting with this day and age, but the traditional newsprint edition still offers their subscribers a lot more information. The print version organizes the newspaper with pictures from various sections located at the top, side, and bottom in order to draw the reader in to the articles and advertisements. The online version is very to the point in its content in the fact that the Southeast Missourian does not have to sell the online version to the public or subscribers, this is seen online with minimal advertisements that deal directly with the surrounding area . With the unappealing online version having only a basic structure to the inner contents along with two pictures, and a lead story, it seems more like a quick reference of news for the person that doesn’t have time to sit back and browse the newsprint edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Web version displayed a different story from the printed newspaper. Another aspect of the online edition that didn’t appeal to me was the format of the articles. The articles were broken up into lengthy segmented paragraphs; this gets very tedious by having to scroll down the screen to read. Although the contexts of the articles are the same, the newsprint edition is more appealing in the sense that each article has at least one or more pictures relating specifically to it, this helps with the interpretation by referring back to the pictures surrounding...

Comparison of Attitudes Towards Marriage in A Hero of Our Time versus T

Marriage, often thought of as a sacred union of the utmost importance, is portrayed in both A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov, and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, as a minor issue rather than a key part of the lives of the main characters. Marriage is unimportant to both main characters Pechorin and Clara. Lermontov uses Pechorin?s refusal of commitment, while being an object of desire and passion, to illustrate that men should keep their independence from women to protect their power. On the other hand, Allende uses Clara?s priorities of spirituality and children above her husband and marriage to suggest that women?s power does not depend on men. Clara becomes married, recognizing that she will keep the freedom she had before marriage, while Pechorin is immediate in rejecting commitment because of his fear that it will stifle his independence. After being married to Esteban Trueba, Clara is unmoved and remains distant, putting the diamond jewels her new husband gave her ?in a shoe box, and quickly [forgetting] where she put it?(Allende, 95). She knows that being married to Esteban is her destiny and is not excited by her role as a married woman. During their honeymoon, Esteban realizes that Clara does not in fact belong to him and she would not trade her ?world of apparitions? simply for him (Allende, 96). He tries many times to win her over with presents of jewelry and candy and expressing his affection but Clara?s manner towards her marriage does not change, while her otherworldly magic and knowledge increases and develops. Over the course of time Allende shows how Esteban grows dependent Clara, eventually ?hound[ing] her? for attention (Allende, 180). On the contrary, Lermontov demonstrates Pechorin?s mascul... ... should be more powerful than women because of men?s ability to control their emotions and the weak-mindedness of females. Although both authors gave their characters similar opinions of marriage, the reasons for their views are very different and achieve opposite results in the novels. Clara unknowingly builds up the distance between herself and her husband, which Allende uses to suggest that women can be more powerful when they are independent from men. Pechorin does not even attempt marriage but rather detaches himself from any woman who might want to marry him because of Lermontov?s views that women can be the downfall of any great man. While Allende comments on the importance of feminine independence, Lermontov explains that while lust and desire is natural to men, marriage is unneeded and confusing, pulling men away from their place of dominance over women. Comparison of Attitudes Towards Marriage in A Hero of Our Time versus T Marriage, often thought of as a sacred union of the utmost importance, is portrayed in both A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov, and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, as a minor issue rather than a key part of the lives of the main characters. Marriage is unimportant to both main characters Pechorin and Clara. Lermontov uses Pechorin?s refusal of commitment, while being an object of desire and passion, to illustrate that men should keep their independence from women to protect their power. On the other hand, Allende uses Clara?s priorities of spirituality and children above her husband and marriage to suggest that women?s power does not depend on men. Clara becomes married, recognizing that she will keep the freedom she had before marriage, while Pechorin is immediate in rejecting commitment because of his fear that it will stifle his independence. After being married to Esteban Trueba, Clara is unmoved and remains distant, putting the diamond jewels her new husband gave her ?in a shoe box, and quickly [forgetting] where she put it?(Allende, 95). She knows that being married to Esteban is her destiny and is not excited by her role as a married woman. During their honeymoon, Esteban realizes that Clara does not in fact belong to him and she would not trade her ?world of apparitions? simply for him (Allende, 96). He tries many times to win her over with presents of jewelry and candy and expressing his affection but Clara?s manner towards her marriage does not change, while her otherworldly magic and knowledge increases and develops. Over the course of time Allende shows how Esteban grows dependent Clara, eventually ?hound[ing] her? for attention (Allende, 180). On the contrary, Lermontov demonstrates Pechorin?s mascul... ... should be more powerful than women because of men?s ability to control their emotions and the weak-mindedness of females. Although both authors gave their characters similar opinions of marriage, the reasons for their views are very different and achieve opposite results in the novels. Clara unknowingly builds up the distance between herself and her husband, which Allende uses to suggest that women can be more powerful when they are independent from men. Pechorin does not even attempt marriage but rather detaches himself from any woman who might want to marry him because of Lermontov?s views that women can be the downfall of any great man. While Allende comments on the importance of feminine independence, Lermontov explains that while lust and desire is natural to men, marriage is unneeded and confusing, pulling men away from their place of dominance over women.

Lord Capulet in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: Romeo and Juliet Essays

In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Lord Capulet is a very prominent character. He is wealthy and a leader in his community. He is a very loving father to his daughter Juliet, he is a very contradictory person, and he trusts everyone to do as they are told and to act appropriately. Lord Capulet is a loving father who deeply cares for Juliet. When he arranges the marriage between her and Paris, he is just trying to do what he feels is best for her. He knows Paris, being handsome and rich, will make a good husband to Juliet. When she refuses to marry Paris he goes into a violent rage, saying things he doesn’t mean. â€Å"Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! / I tell thee what: get thee to church o’Thursday, / Or never after look me in the face.†(3.5.166-168). He feels that the marriage of the two will be beneficial for Juliet and he loves her so much that he doesn’t mean to hurt her feelings. When Juliet â€Å"dies† he laments. â€Å"Despised, distressed, hated, martyred, killed! / Uncomfortable time, why cam’st thou now/ To murder, murder our solemnity? / O child! O child! My soul and not my child! / Dead art thou! Alack, my child is dead, / And with my child my joys are buried.† (4.5.65-70). He cries out in a pain and anguish for his lost daughter Juliet. By showing emotion on account of her death and for her disobedience, Capulet shows that he really does care for Juliet and that he is a good father, wanting the best for her. Lord Capulet is a very trusting. He trusts Paris with his daughter, knowing that he would be a good husband to her. â€Å"Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender / Of my child’s love. I think she will be ruled / In all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not-â€Å" (3.5.13-15). He believes that Paris will keep his word and love Juliet. After the death of Tybalt, he is sorrowful, and I think that is one of the reasons he trusts that Juliet will agree with this marriage. When Romeo, at the beginning of the play, shows up at the Capulet party, Tybalt is angered. He tells Capulet that he would kill Romeo if he had his permission. Even though Romeo was of the Montague family, he still trusted him not to do anything bad at the party.

Priming Theory Essay

Mass media has the capability to influence people to think based on the media concepts that have been presented to them. In thousands of images that people see on media sources everyday, the strong recall of each image leave marks on the minds of the viewers or readers which often lead to the conclusion that mass media is the influential and powerful tool to deliver messages to the mainstream. From entertainment to business purposes, media plays a very important role in the society. The public does not always notice the strong effects of persuasive advertisements or well-narrated news story presented by media; however, the increasing demands determine the impacts of these media concepts to the people in all aspects. People buy a certain product because of the appealing commercial on television. People conform to the latest fashion trends because the models and endorsers on the magazines. People vote for a certain politician because of constant release of propaganda through newspapers. These are just few of the many examples showing the strong effects of mass media to the public. Even though the people are often unaware of these influential demands and plain consumerism, the society still relies on the ability and credibility of mass media for providing information that would help each cluster function well in the society. This concept has an accurate explanation from the mass communication theorists. The pictures that people see on screen and magazine pages and the attitude of people prior to and upon seeing those images have been discussed and given explanations for the society’s better understanding. Priming is one of the theories that would explain the media concepts and effects of media images to the public. Apparently, the concept of priming will be most effective to examine in the light of other theories in the field of communication like framing and agenda setting. These theories would help the people to understand the concept of priming and its focus on media messages. The Priming Theory During election campaign period, much propaganda are being released on popular media sources like television, radio, newspapers, and even magazines to inform and update the public about the event. Typically, this is the hardest period for the politicians because this is the time when they need to build a rapport with the mainstream and make them aware about their candidacy. This is also the period when the mass media plays a very important role to make them reach the anticipated position in the society (Burstein, 1991). The dissemination of information creates a strong recall to the mainstream and the salient issues on media become the center of attention of the public. Since the awareness of the people is being determined on their level of media exposure and participation, the constant release of advertisements and promotions are done by the politicians to reach all the target people. It has been mentioned that the concept of priming can be explained with the use of other theories; in fact, agenda setting theory serves as the umbrella of priming. Agenda setting suggests that mass media may not be successful in telling the people what to think; however it has been successful in telling the mainstream what to think about. Mass media may not tell people to buy a certain product but the advertisements on television and billboards would affect the behavior of the consumers because of its persuasive appeal. In agenda setting, the media does not command people to conform but rather present the idea alone and let the people do the rest (Birkland, 1998). In other words, the media shows images in a way the people would easily get the messages that are being conveyed on media concepts. According to agenda setting theory, the media highlight a certain issue or certain part of the controversy to make the people put too much attention on the salient issues rather than to those issues that media considers as less important. Apparently, issues help to develop the perceptions of people toward reality. They provide typical categories which organized the knowledge of the mainstream and their experiences in a large semantic framework relevant for communication in the community.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 8

Paige was all smiles when I went in for the early shift the next day. â€Å"Nice work with Seth Mortensen,† she told me, glancing up from the neatly stacked paperwork on her desk. The desk Doug and I shared in the store's back offices tended to look like an apocalyptic war zone. â€Å"How so?† â€Å"In convincing him to write here.† I blinked. With our assorted U District and Krystal Starz adventures, I'd never said a word about him becoming our resident writer. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"I saw him upstairs in the cafe just now. He said he had a great time yesterday.† I left her office, baffled, wondering if I'd missed something from yesterday. It hadn't seemed like that stellar of an outing, but I supposed he felt pleased and grateful over the discounted books. Had anything else notable happened? Unbidden, the memory of touching Seth's hand suddenly rushed back to me, the odd shockwave of familiarity it had sent through me. No, I decided, that had been nothing. I had imagined the moment. I went up to the cafe for a mocha, still puzzled. Sure enough, Seth sat in a corner, laptop spread out on the table in front of him. He looked much the same as yesterday, save that his shirt today sported Beeker from the Muppets. His fingers moved furiously along the keys, his eyes locked on the screen. â€Å"Hey,† I told him. â€Å"Hey.† He offered no more. He didn't even look up. â€Å"Are you working?† â€Å"Yes.† I waited for elaboration, but it never came. So I kept going. â€Å"So, um, Paige told me you're moving here.† He didn't answer. I didn't even know if he'd heard me. Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes sharpening. â€Å"Ever been to Texas?† That took me by surprise. â€Å"Sure. Which part?† â€Å"Austin. I need to know what the weather's like there.† â€Å"When? This time of year?† â€Å"No†¦ more like spring or early summer.† I racked my brain. â€Å"Hot. Rain and storms. Some humidity. The edge of tornado alley, you know?† â€Å"Ah.† Seth turned thoughtful, then nodded smartly and returned his attention back down. † Cady'll love that. Thanks.† It took me a moment to realize he meant one of his characters. Nina Cady's dislike of inclement weather was notorious. My stomach suddenly dropped out of me and hit the floor. It was a wonder he didn't hear the thud. â€Å"Are you†¦ are you†¦ writing something with Cady and O'Neill? Right now?† â€Å"Yeah.† He spoke very casually, like we were still discussing weather. â€Å"Next book. Well, next-next book. The next one's already queued up for publishing. I'm about a quarter through this one.† I stared in awe at the laptop, like it was a divine golden idol from days of old, capable of performing miracles. Providing rain. Feeding the masses. Now I felt speechless. That the next masterpiece was being created right in front of me, that I might say something that could influence it was too much to bear. I swallowed heavily and dragged my eyes away from it, forcing calm. After all, I could hardly be excited about another installment when I had yet to read the current one. â€Å"A Cady and O'Neill book. Wow. That's really – â€Å" â€Å"Um, so, I'm kind of busy here. I've got to run with this right now. Sorry.† The words stopped me cold. â€Å"What?† Was I being dismissed? â€Å"Can we talk later?† I was being dismissed. I was being dismissed without even being looked at. Heat flushed my cheeks. â€Å"What about my book?† I blurted out ungracefully. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"The Glasgow Pact. Did you sign it?† â€Å"Oh. That.† â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"I'll send you e-mail.† â€Å"You'll send me – so you don't have my book?† Seth shook his head and kept working. â€Å"Oh. Okay.† I didn't understand the e-mail bit but wasn't going to waste my time begging for his attention. â€Å"Well. I'll see you later then. Let us know if you need anything.† My voice was stiff and cold, but I doubted he even noticed. I tried not to storm downstairs. Where did he get off acting like that? Especially after I'd shown him around yesterday. Famous author or no, he didn't have the right to be a jerk to me. I felt humiliated. Humiliated over what, being ignored? chided a reasonable voice inside me. It's not like he made a scene. He was just busy. After all, you were the one complaining he didn't write fast enough. I ignored the voice and went back to work, still feeling put-out. Business didn't allow me to nurture my wounded ego for long, however, as the afternoon and lack of staff ensured I stayed busy on the floor. The next time I managed to return to my office, it was only to grab my purse at the end of my shift. As I was about to walk out, I saw a message from Seth in my e-mail's inbox. I moved to the computer and read. Georgina, Have you ever paid much attention to real estate agents – the way they dress, the kinds of cars they drive? Truth is stranger than fiction, as they say. Last night, I expressed interest in living in the University District to my brother, and he called up this real estate agent friend of his. She arrived in something like two minutes flat, no small feat I guess, since her office is in West Seattle. She pulled up in a Jaguar, whose shiny whiteness was rivaled only by the day-glow white of her Miss America smile. While gushing nonstop about how exciting it was to have me here, she hacked away at a computer, searching for appropriate residences, typing with nails long enough to impale small children on. (See? I remembered how much you liked the word â€Å"impale.†) Each time she found a place that might work, she'd get really excited: â€Å"Yes – yes. Oh yes! This is it! This is it! Yes! Yes!† I confess, by the time it was through, I felt kind of sleazy and exhausted, like maybe I should have tossed some cash on the pillow or something. Her theatrics aside, we did end up finding a nice condo not too far from campus, brand new. It was as pricey as you insinuated, but I think it's exactly what I want. Mistee – yes, that's her name – and I are going to look at it later tonight. I'm kind of afraid to see her reaction if I bid on the place. No doubt the thought of the commission will lead straight to multiple orgasms. (And to think, I always thought missionary position was what inhibited women from true fulfillment.) Anyway, I just wanted to give you the update since you were the one who first showed me the U District. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk earlier; I would have liked to pick your brain about restaurants over there. I still don't know the area that well, and my brother and sister-in-law are too busy with their suburban life to recommend any restaurants that don't serve children's meals. Well, I guess I should get back to writing, so I can afford said new lodging. Cady and O'Neill are impatient mistresses – er, that is, an impatient mistress and master – as you observed earlier. Speaking of which, I haven't forgotten about your copy of The Glasgow Pact. I intended to write something semi-original in it last night, after our nice day together, but the real estate vortex caught me up. My apologies. I'll bring it to you soon. Later, Seth I reread the letter twice. I felt pretty confident that in the short span I'd known Seth, I'd never heard him utter aloud as many words as he'd just written. Not only that, they were funny words. Entertaining words. Like a mini Cady and O'Neill novel, addressed just to me. A far cry from his halting attitude this morning. If he'd said anything remotely comparable in person, I probably would have passed out. â€Å"Incredible,† I muttered to my screen. Part of me felt mollified by the letter, though another part felt he still could have been a bit more tactful in his earlier treatment, busy or no. The rest of me pointed out that all of these â€Å"parts of me† probably should be in therapy, and besides, I really needed to leave and go see Erik about the vampire hunter thing. I quickly sent back a response: Thanks for the letter. I suppose I'll make it another day without the book. Good luck with the real estate agent, and be sure to wear a condom when you make an offer. Other good places to eat in that area are Han & Sons, the Plum Tomato Cafe, and Lotus Chinese. – Georgina I left the store, promptly forgetting about Seth, happy there'd be no traffic this early in the day. Driving up to Lake City, I easily found the intersection the girl at Krystal Starz had indicated. Locating the store itself proved more of a challenge. Strip malls and assorted businesses packed the area, and I read through myriad billboards and storefronts in the hopes of finding something promising. Finally, I spotted a small, dark sign tucked away in the corner of a less-frequented cluster of stores, arcana, ltd. That had to be it. I parked in front, hoping it was actually open. No one had posted hours or anything on the door, but it gave way without resistance when I pushed on it. Sandalwood incense burned in the air around me as I entered, and faint harp music played from a small CD player set up on the counter. I couldn't see anyone else in the room, and so I wandered around, admiring the sights. Real books on mythology and religion – not the flashy fluff Krystal Starz sold – lined the walls, and carefully arranged display cases held handcrafted jewelry I recognized from a few different local artists. Assorted ritual items – candles, incense, and statuary – filled in the nooks and crannies, giving the whole place a sort of jumbled, pleasantly lived-in feel. â€Å"Miss Kincaid. It is an honor to see you again.† I spun around from where I had been admiring a White Tara statue. Erik walked into the room, and I reined in my surprise at his appearance. When had he grown so old? He had been old the last time I saw him – dark skin wrinkled, hair gone gray – but I did not remember the slight stoop in his walk, or the hollowed look around his eyes. I tried to remember the last time we'd talked; I hadn't thought it'd been that long. Five years? Ten? With mortals, it was easy to lose track. â€Å"It's good to see you too. You aren't easy to find anymore. I had to go poking around Krystal Starz to figure out what happened to you.† â€Å"Ah. I hope the experience wasn't too†¦ awkward.† â€Å"Nothing I couldn't handle. Besides, I'm glad you got out of there.† I looked around at the cluttered, dimly lit shop. â€Å"I like this new place.† â€Å"It's not much – doesn't bring in much either – but it's mine. It's what I've been saving for, where I'll spend my last years.† I grimaced. â€Å"Don't turn melodramatic on me now. You aren't that old.† His smile broadened, his expression turning slightly wry. â€Å"Neither are you, Miss Kincaid. Indeed, you are as beautiful as the first time I saw you.† He gave me a slight bow, bending lower than someone with his back probably should have. â€Å"How may I be of service?† â€Å"I need information.† â€Å"Of course.† He gestured to a small table near the main counter, currently covered with books and an elaborate candle holder. â€Å"Sit and have tea with me, and we'll talk. Unless you are in a hurry?† â€Å"No, I have time.† While Erik fetched the tea, I cleared off the table, setting books in neat stacks on the floor. When he returned with the teapot, we made small talk and sipped our drinks for a bit, but my mind really wasn't into it. My restlessness must have come through loud and clear as my fingers danced along the cup's edge and my toe tapped impatiently. Finally, I broached my topic. â€Å"I need to know about vampire hunters.† For most other people, this would have been a weird request, but Erik only nodded expectantly. â€Å"What in particular would you like to know?† â€Å"Anything. Their habits, how to recognize them. Whatever you've got.† He leaned back in his chair, holding the cup delicately. â€Å"My understanding is that vampire hunters are born, not made. They are ‘gifted,' so to speak, with the ability to kill vampires.† He proceeded to relate several other details, most of which matched up with what I'd learned from Peter. Pondering what Cody had said, about the sense of being followed by someone he could not see, I asked, â€Å"Do they have any other special abilities that you know of? Can they go invisible?† â€Å"Not that I know of. Some immortal beings can, of course, but not vampire hunters. They're still just mortals, after all, despite their odd talents.† I nodded, being one such creature who could turn invisible, though I rarely used the power. I toyed with the thought that Cody's phantom might have been an invisible immortal, trying to play a trick, but he still should have sensed the telltale signature we all carried. Indeed, he should have sensed a mortal vampire hunter as well. The fact that he had neither seen nor felt anything lent credence to Peter's theory that the stalker had all been in Cody's head. â€Å"Can vampire hunters harm anyone else? Demons†¦ or other immortal creatures?† â€Å"It's very hard to do anything tangible to an immortal,† he mused. â€Å"Certain denizens of good – powerful priests, for example – can drive off demons, but they can't harm them permanently. Likewise, I've heard of mortals capturing supernatural creatures, but doing much more than that†¦ I'm not saying it's impossible, just that I've never heard of it. To my offhand knowledge, vampire hunters can only harm vampires. Nothing else.† â€Å"I value your offhand knowledge more than most confirmed facts.† He eyed me curiously. â€Å"But this isn't the answer you were expecting.† â€Å"I don't know. It's pretty much what I've already been told. I was just thinking there might be more.† It was entirely possible that Jerome had been telling the truth, that this was merely a case of a rampant vampire hunter and that his warnings to Hugh and me had been simple courtesies to protect us from discomfort. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that Jerome had held back information, nor did I really believe Cody to be the kind of person who imagined things. I must have looked perplexed because Erik offered, somewhat hesitantly it seemed, â€Å"I could look into this more for you, if you'd like. Just because I've never heard of something capable of harming other immortals doesn't mean it's out of the realm of existence.† I nodded. â€Å"I'd appreciate that. Thank you.† â€Å"It's a privilege to be of assistance to someone like you. And if you like, I could also make other inquiries into vampire hunters in general.† He paused again, choosing his words carefully. â€Å"Were such a person to be at large, certain signs would show up in the local occult community. Supplies would be bought, questions asked. Such beings do not go unnoticed.† Now I hesitated. Jerome had told us to be careful. I had the feeling he wouldn't appreciate any vigilante work, though speaking with Erik now probably counted as exactly that. Surely it wouldn't matter if I sent out my own feelers. Gathering information was not the same as me personally going out to find this person. â€Å"I'd appreciate that as well. Anything you could find out would be useful.† I finished the last of my tea and set the empty cup down. â€Å"I should probably leave now.† He rose with me. â€Å"Thank you for having tea with me.. Being with a woman like you is generally the sort of thing that only happens in a man's dreams.† I laughed gently at the veiled joke, referencing the old story of succubi visiting men in their sleep. â€Å"Your dreams are safe, Erik.† He returned my smile. â€Å"Come back in a few days, and I'll tell you what I've learned. We'll have tea again.† Glancing around at the empty store, thinking how no customers had shown up during our visit, I suddenly felt the need to give him some business. â€Å"Let me buy some of that tea before I go.† He gave me an indulgent look, his dark brown eyes amused like he knew the game I played. â€Å"I always took you for more of a black tea advocate – or at least an admirer of caffeine.† â€Å"Hey, even I like to shake things up once in a while. Besides, it was good†¦ in an herbal, decaffeinated sort of way.† â€Å"I'll pass your compliments on to my friend. She makes the blends, and I sell them for her.† â€Å"A lady friend, huh?† â€Å"Just a friend, Miss Kincaid.† He walked over to a shelf behind the register where several varieties of tea lay. Approaching the counter to pay, I admired some of the jewelry under its glass. One piece in particular caught my eye, a three-stranded choker of peach-colored, freshwater pearls, occasionally intermixed with copper beads or pieces of sea green glass. An ankh made of copper hung as its centerpiece. â€Å"Is this from another of your local artisans?† â€Å"An old friend in Tacoma made it.† Erik reached into the case and took the choker out for me, laying it on the counter. I ran my hands over the fine, smooth pearls, each one slightly irregular in shape. â€Å"He mixed some Egyptian influence in with it, I think, but he wanted to sort of invoke the spirit of Aphrodite and the sea, create something the ancient priestesses might have worn.† â€Å"They wore nothing so fine,† I murmured, turning over the necklace, noting the high price on its tag. I found myself speaking without conscious thought. â€Å"And many of the ancient Greek cities did have Egyptian influence. Ankhs appeared on Cyprian coins, as did Aphrodite.† Touching the copper of the ankh reminded me of another necklace, a necklace long since lost under the dust of time. That necklace had been simpler: only a string of beads etched with tiny ankhs. But my husband had brought it to me the morning of our wedding, sneaking up to our house just after dawn in a gesture uncharacteristically bold for him. I had chastised him for the indiscretion. â€Å"What are you doing? You're going to see me this afternoon†¦ and then every day after that!† â€Å"I had to give you these before the wedding.† He held up the string of beads. â€Å"They were my mother's. I want you to have them, to wear them today.† He leaned forward, placing the beads around my neck. As his fingers brushed my skin, I felt something warm and tingly run through my body. At the tender age of fifteen, I hadn't exactly understood such sensations, though I was eager to explore them. My wiser self today recognized them as the early stirrings of lust, and†¦ well, there had been something else there too. Something else that I still didn't quite comprehend. An electric connection, a feeling that we were bound into something bigger than ourselves. That our being together was inevitable. â€Å"There,† he'd said, once the beads were secure and my hair brushed back into place. â€Å"Perfect.† He said nothing else after that. He didn't need to. His eyes told me all I needed to know, and I shivered. Until Kyriakos, no man had ever given me a second glance. I was Marthanes ‘ too-tall daughter after all, the one with the sharp tongue who didn't think before speaking. (Shape-shifting would eventually take care of one of those problems but not the other.) But Kyriakos had always listened to me and watched me like I was someone more, someone tempting and desirable, like the beautiful priestesses of Aphrodite who still carried on their rituals away from the Christian priests. I wanted him to touch me then, not realizing just how much until I caught his hand suddenly and unexpectedly. Taking it, I placed it around my waist and pulled him to me. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't pull back. We were almost the same height, making it easy for his mouth to seek mine out in a crushing kiss. I leaned against the warm stone wall behind me so that I was pressed between it and him. I could feel every part of his body against mine, but we still weren't close enough. Not nearly enough. Our kissing grew more ardent, as though our lips alone might close whatever aching distance lay between us. I moved his hand again, this time to push up my skirt along the side of one leg. His hand stroked the smooth flesh there and, without further urging, slid over to my inner thigh. I arched my lower body toward his, nearly writhing against him now, needing him to touch me everywhere. â€Å"Letha? Where are you at?† My sister's voice carried over the wind; she wasn't nearby but was close enough to be here soon. Kyriakos and I broke apart, both gasping, pulses racing. He was looking at me like he'd never seen me before. Heat burned in his gaze. â€Å"Have you ever been with anyone before?† he asked won- deringly. I shook my head. â€Å"How did you†¦ I never imagined you doing that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I learn fast.† He grinned and pressed my hand to his lips. â€Å"Tonight,† he breathed. â€Å"Tonight we†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tonight,† I agreed. He backed away then, eyes still smoldering. â€Å"I love you. You are my life.† â€Å"I love you too.† I smiled and watched him ago. A minute later, I heard my sister again. â€Å"Letha?† â€Å"Miss Kincaid?† Erik's voice snapped me out of the memory, and suddenly I was back in his store, away from my family's long-since crumbled home. I met his questioning eyes and held up the necklace. â€Å"I'll take this too.† â€Å"Miss Kincaid,† he said uncertainly, fingering the price tag. â€Å"The help I give you†¦ there's no need†¦ no cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know,† I assured him. â€Å"I know. Just add this to my bill. And ask your friend if he can make matching earrings.† I left the store wearing the choker, still thinking about that morning, what it had been like to be touched for the first time, touched only by someone I loved. I exhaled carefully and put it from my mind. Just like I had countless other times.