Drug Identification with Gas Chromatography Mass S Essay Example For Students

Medication Identification with Gas Chromatography Mass S Essay pectrometryDrugs are utilized ordinarily by individuals from various perspectives for a wide range of reasons. Medication testing has gotten a standard in pre-business testing, as a result of the wide assortment of medication use in todays society. Medications tried for by a potential manager incorporate Cocaine (break), Amphetamines (precious stone), Opiates (codeine, morphine, heroin), PCP (phencyclidine), and Marijuana. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is utilized to test hair and pee tests of conceivable medication abusers or occupation candidates, and it is the best strategy for the testing of medication use. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are two unique techniques for recognizing synthetic substances, and the two instruments have be coupled together to play out a profoundly corresponding logical capacity. The gas chromatograph and the mass spectrometer have speculations behind how their strategies work, and explicit measurable applications for their instrumentation. The history and hypothesis of the gas chromatography began once again forty years prior with the innovation of the slender segment. The gas chromatograph offers quick and exceptionally high-goals partitions of an extremely wide scope of mixes, with the main limitation that the broke down substance needs to have adequate instability. The hypothesis behind the mass spectrometer is to utilize the distinction in mass-to-charge proportion (m/e) of ionized particles or atoms to isolate them from one another. Mass spectrometry is in this way helpful for quantitation of iotas or particles and furthermore for deciding synthetic and auxiliary data about atoms. Atoms have unmistakable discontinuity designs that give auxiliary data to recognize basic segments. The blend of the gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer is simple, on the grounds that both instrument should be changed in abundance and both are dissected in the gas stage and have practically identical example levels and temperature ranges. The ! most significant component of the tw o instruments being coupled is that they perform corresponding explanatory functions.The instrumentation of the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer is extremely intricate. The instruments parts incorporate an injector, a transporter gas, a section, a separator, an ionization source, mass separator, and a particle indicator. The injector is situated on the gas chromatograph and is the place the example gas is infused into the instrument to begin the procedure. The example gas is then blended in with a bearer gas, which is the versatile stage in gas chromatography. The blend continues into the hairlike section where the division of the example starts. The slender segment is 15 to 60 meters long and . 25 to .75 millimeters in measurement. Once through the slim segment the now isolated example enters the separator. The separator associates the gas chromatograph with the mass spectrometer, and isolates the transporter gas from the isolated segments of the blend. The example presently enters the mass spectrometers ionization source where the example atoms are divided and made into! decidedly charged particles by high shaft electrons. The divided emphatically charged particles presently go through the mass separator, which is an attractive field. The mass separator secludes the divided example into their masses. The disengaged masses are perused by a particle identifier and afterward showed as a mass chromatogram. A mass chromatograph is a chart of particle m/e bounty corresponding to time. The gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer or GC/MS delivers a mass chromatogram of a substance that demonstrations like a unique mark for a compound substance. The possibility that a GC/MS delivers a unique mark for a compound substance makes this instrument an exceptionally alluring choice when testing for tranquilize recognizable proof, and testing individuals for sedate use. Criminological researchers discover a medications distinguishing proof by utilizing a GC/MS, and utilize the mass chromatogram in correlation with the test aftereffects of another obscure mass chromatogram. On the off chance that the two mass chromatograms coordinate, at that point the tried synthetic substance is that medicate it was coordinated against. Another application is utilizing a GC/MS and testing hair or pee tests of individuals to decide whether the subject uses drugs. Medications tried for might incorporate such notable medications as Cocaine (split), Amphetamines (gem), Opiates (codeine, morphine, heroin), PCP (phencyclidine), and Marijuana. Today, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry has become the head strategy for divisions and investigation of medications. .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 , .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .postImageUrl , .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .focused content region { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 , .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:hover , .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:visited , .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:active { border:0!important; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-change: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; haziness: 1; progress: darkness 250ms; webkit-progress: mistiness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:active , .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:hover { obscurity: 1; progress: murkiness 250ms; webkit-change: mistiness 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .focused content region { width: 100%; position: relat ive; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .ctaText { outskirt base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: striking; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; text-adornment: underline; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; text style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; fringe: none; outskirt sweep: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: intense; line-tallness: 26px; moz-outskirt range: 3px; text-adjust: focus; text-enrichment: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-stature: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/basic arrow.png)no-rehash; position: supreme; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cf fbc1d3 .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u5d4051eb49297544f3e42de7cffbc1d3:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: David Nouhian December 21, 1998 Essay Employers will regularly test imminent representatives for sedate use. They test with either hair or pee tests of the imminent representative, and run the sample(s) through a GC/MS to decide whether the conceivable worker has utilized medications. They decide this by contrasting mass chromatograms of known medications and that of the test. The gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer is known as the best asset to demonstrate the recognizable proof of a synthetic substance, for example, a medication, on account of the mass chromatographs that demonstration like a unique mark of a compound substance.

Computer Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

PC Ethics - Essay Example Then again, when an individual holds a positive right, at that point, the correct considers others liable to act in regard of those rights towards the person. It is held that positive rights never appears, up until they are made through an agreement, which obliges a person to act with a particular goal in mind, as respects the other party engaged with the agreement (Westin, 1967). Under such formation of a constructive right, an individual is compelled by a sense of honor to satisfy some given commitments, towards the other individual, inability to which, he will have penetrated the agreement. For instance, a negative right happens where an association is upset from selling the properties of another, so as to pay for an obligation that the other association owes the first. Then again, a case of a positive right is the obligation held by an association to secure and think about the property of another association, as under an instance of receivership. There are two significant ways to deal with the insurance and protection of individual data. Under a free market see, organizations are permitted more opportunity to do what they need with individual data, with a desire that client will decided to enjoy with organizations regarding their protection (Mahan, 2001). Under the customer insurance see, it is necessitated that the administration advocates for severe norms that control the assurance of security of individual data (Sterba, 1998). In this way, there is no more noteworthy worry for mistakes gave by a credit department in free market see, as there is in customer insurance see. A case for namelessness on the web is that it permits a person to share felt that are dubious or thought unseemly for the traditionalist society, without the dread of being known. Another case for obscurity is that it permits individuals to pose specialized inquiries, which they would need to transparently announce they don't have the foggiest idea (Mahan, 2001). A body of evidence against namelessness is that it takes into account the maltreatment and

A Supposedly Fun Thing That Ill Probably Do Again

A Supposedly Fun Thing That I’ll Probably Do Again My first Fourth of July in Boston was spent on an inflatable 61-inch-long mattress in the middle of the Charles River, drifting underneath the hulls of pearl-white private yachts and Coast Guard patrol ships as I slowly succumbed to a four-hour soak in liquid described by writer Bernard DeVoto as foul and noisome, polluted by offal and industrious wastes, scummy with oil, unlikely to be mistaken for water. Might I provide an illustration of my less-than-seaworthy vessel? Crafted from “heavy duty” vinyl, deluxed out with a cupholder and five disco-colored stripes underneath a transparent plastic top, this nautical party ship cost all of $10.99 at the neighborhood Walgreens. (Notice the torso-sized hole through which the model blithely dangles the sub-knee portion of her legs as she splashes in crystal-colored, chlorinated pool water with an eye-watering smile blazing across her sunny visage. I duct taped a garbage bag around the hole because I didnt want my legs to be amputated by radioactive flesh-eating eels in the Charles River.) Generally, life-enriching businesses such as floating downstream on the busiest river in Boston during the busiest hours of the busiest night all year begins busily with the best idea ever; this one began with The Best Idea Ever. Literally: http://www.projectbestideaever.com One anonymous participant, describing the etymology of Project Best Idea Ever: “So I said, Why pay for a yacht when we can just make a giant flotilla of inflatable rafts with a hot dog grill in the center raft? and [name I dont remember] said, Thats a great idea! Then [other name I dont remember] said, No its not, its the best idea ever! So the name stuck.” The basic tenets of Project Best Idea Ever are: 1.Get rubber inflatable rafts. 2.Make rafts safe by Coast Guard standards by attaching glowsticks. (No kidding.) 3.Launch rafts onto the Charles River around 6 pm on July 4th. 4.Paddle downstream until gathered under the Harvard Bridge. Fire up a barbecue grill on the leader raft, cook meat, pass meat around in buns that have been fingered by an uncounted number of people before reaching your raft. 5.Wait until sundown, paddle further downstream in near pitch-black darkness until accidentally crossing the Do-Not-Cross line, then frantically paddle back lest a mammoth, explosives-laden barge mow down your raft like a rubber ducky in a bathtub of cats. 6.Lie back, watch more than 20,000 pounds of explosives detonate from the closest distance allowed by law. Approximately 95 people this year heard about Project Best Idea Ever and thought, “This sounds foolproof.” The deadline to register for PBIE happens to be June 28th; I happened to be making my Independence day plans at 7:30 pm on July 3rd. Someone once told me in kindergarten that I could do anything if I tried, so I ignored logical reason as I walked to Walgreens and bought the most river-friendly floatation device on sale, which happened to cost $10.99 and contain a manhole-sized hole for leg-dangling. The following evening, I hauled seacraft and safety gear (i.e., glowsticks) to the launch location under the Boston University bridge, where I grouped with Rod (unpictured) and Alorah (pictured) from pika. A nearby group from Olin substituted a pirate-themed kiddie pool for the standard grey PBIE-provided rafts. Something tells me that the steering wheel wasnt functional. A word about safety: it appears that the official requirement for a raft on the Charles after sundown is two glowsticks, yellow in front and red in back. In consideration of the dubious legality of the inflated mattress (Does it count as a raft? If so, which side is the front?), I decided to be extra careful and attached four glowsticks instead of two. This unwittingly turned out to be an act of foresight, since one of the glowsticks promptly dropped into the river and another was unreachable given the weight-balance confines of the mattress dimensions (meaning that I couldnt break it without falling overboard into the waiting tentacles of a flesh-eating eel). In the interest of survival, I also carried along a backpack with a flashlight, a headlamp, extra batteries (all of which were the wrong voltage, I later discovered), leggings, a towel, a granola bar, and some hummus. Everything except the last two items were completely useless during the journey; the granola bar and hummus rescued me from suppering on a hot dog three steps removed from direct contact with the Charles*. *Charles River ‚Üí boat paddle ‚Üí peoples hands ‚Üí hot dog. At 7:00 pm: Mattress inflated- check Leg-hole covered- check Glowsticks duct-taped- check Life-jacket secured- check Paddles attached- hang on, what paddles? I had no paddles. Luckily, Rod had rope, so the 61-inch Royal Deluxe was florescently hitched to Rod and Alorahs raft. Whereupon I lingered in a borrowed jacket 8 sizes too long and gazed proudly into the plastic soul of my reborn, re-safetified* raft. *safetify: vb, to make safe. Ex: “After crashing his first car into a maple tree, John cautiously decided to safetify its successor by covering the windshield in a plastic inflatable mattress and two glowsticks.” Meanwhile, Team Pirate Kiddie Pool ecstatically high-fived each other upon verifying that air-filled kiddie pools float without crumpling and doing the Titanic. Go team. *Ironically, there was one point later in the night when all the boats were attached together flotilla-style and someone realized that none of the rafts were anchored. It turns out that the only boat with an anchor was the Pirate Pool, whose members thusly saved all 95 of us from floating aimlessly to our watery deaths or the Boston Science Museum, whichever one comes first. With anxiety and anticipation clogged in my throat like a soup of strong medicine and butterflies, I nudged my raft off the measly crust of shore serving as a dock. Breathlessly, I looked down: it floats! Like, on top of water and everything! And the mattress wasnt even dissolving yet! Suspending all fear of an unplanned burial at sea, I piled limb by limb onto the raft and drifted off into the mirrored sunset as lines from Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness crept into my internal dialogue with river and sky. Polluted as the water may have been, it carried a dim loveliness in the fading July sunlight, winking brightly into my unprotected eyes and coquettishly spilling onto my raft until I was hopelessly drenched. Slowly I slipped into a comfortable intimacy with the asymmetrically rolling waves, sloshing the mattress to and fro like a cradle rocked by a babysitter with coughing fits. Extra props to Rod and Alorah are by now overdue. While I was snapping pictures and desperately avoiding thoughts of whatever liquid was scarily seeping through my coat pockets, Rod and Alorah were cheerfully paddling downstream, dragging my raft along like a dog with no legs and a manhole-sized hole in its underbelly. The 45-boat flotilla regrouped under the Harvard Bridge around 8 pm, inspiring no shortage of intrigued glances and cell phone photography from bridge-bound spectators. Grilling coals ignited; as promised, chili and hot dogs and certain American beverages were circulated boat-to-boat. We camped there for a few hours, exhausting the possible modes of entertainment provided by a beach ball and 80+ paddles. Matt Ritter turned out to be the Pete Sampras of paddleball*, which would have made me proud except that every successful volley resulted in droplets of Charles River pinging against my forehead. *Played exactly as it sounds. Disappointingly, Im not an athletic person when confined to a 5 x 3 rectangle that flips over if I try to move too fast; like all good losers, I gave up and took a nap. When I awoke, the raft was again drifting, vaguely directionless in the half-dark. Every cell in my body from the kneecaps down was jellified in a wet, cold numbness. Ships loomed overhead, sometimes looming perilously-close-to-head, imposing as like nautical tanks but far more yuppie-ish. I could have scraped the side of this one with my earlobe. Around 10 pm, someone in our archipelago of grey rubber realized that we were too close to the barges that were about to set off the fireworks. Paddles scrambled to scoop us back to observation distance instead of gunpowder-blasting-into-your-eyes distance; successful, we roped the rafts together and waited like impatient kindergarteners during a PBS fundraiser telethon. Minutes inched by like glaciers. Breaths lingered in the chilled summer sky while I achieved inner peace with the ickiness in which I was physically, now spiritually immersed. At 10:35 pm, the sky cracked open like a ripe melon, dark and sweet with gunpowder. Jagged harpoons of light pierced behind my eyes; the nether ends of my ears gulped with explosion after explosion. Each pop of hot white sparks sizzled impossibly close to my face, close enough to spill into my skull and shake the neurons into a caffeinated state of overstimulation. With it came the joyous, childlike blankness of a successful lobotomy; waves and ship, moon and skyline were obliterated in 100 tons of explosives crunched into 21 minutes of innumerable heartbeats. (None of the pictures were taken with zoom.) Floating in a feathery, fiery lightness, riffed by gentle ripples of cold water, I silently vowed to bring a wetsuit next year.

The Differences Between Science And Religion - 913 Words

Often claims are made that science and religion are incompatible; the two cannot coexist as to believe in God contradicts scientific belief. To look at science and think of it in a completely separate field to religion is not true a true reflection of the relationship between the two. Science and religion overlap in several ways. They both affect our everyday decisions and impact on the way we view and understand the world around us. They both address ‘the same world, the same reality.’ just in different ways, looking at the world through a slightly different perspective. The two coincide in society and affect each in different ways. Over the years there has been conflict between science and religion through difference of opinion. Charles Darwin often depicted as a bearer of atheism is possibly most famous for his conflicting religious views over his theory of evolution. His ideas caused a lot of controversy, and still continue to do so to this day, because they almost go against religious ideas about how the world was created and how animals have evolved within it. Darwin’s theory of evolution states that the animals present today are as a result of a process of natural selection starting with simple life forms such as bacteria over 3 billion years ago. Through his theory Darwin presented a valid process which connected humanity with the animal world. The mechanism was so clear cut that humans could no longer deny the relationship with animals. There is concrete proofShow MoreRelatedThe Difference Between Science and Religion1630 Words   |  7 PagesScience has had a short life when compared to religion. Yet weve seen civilizations better themselves a thousandfold since hands unclasped, grabbed scie ntific instruments and started measuring the world. Is science some form of new religion? Or is science different from religion? Debates of this matter have been common since the dawn of science. Articles on their differences, similarities and clashings have crept up on society and affected everyone in the western civilization. Most recently, religiousRead MoreThe Major Difference Between Religion And Science1493 Words   |  6 PagesScience and religion have always been on opposing ends of the spectrum when it comes to most issues. This is most evident in the long running dispute between creationists and evolutionists about the origins of life. Evolutionists believe in evolution through natural selection, while creationists believe that the universe and all the life in it was formed by divine creation. This dispute started in the late 18th century and has only intensified as the years went on. 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During the debate on, Does Science Refutes God?, it is well seen that science can overthrow the credibility of God because science has a lot of relevant studies and conclusions, but it certainly does not refute God. It is clearly seen that shermer and KrauzeRead MoreEmile Durkheim s The Elementary Forms Of The Religious Life1608 Words   |  7 Pagesexamines religion through a social viewpoint, while Claude Là ©vi-Strauss’s The Savage Mind compares modern and â€Å"primitive† thought. Although their topics of interest differ, both works similarly rely on science to explain their anthropologic theories. Science serves as a useful reference point, since it embodies modern mode of thinking with high objectivity. Therefore, these writers can expand on their analysis of other ways to perceive the world by comparing and contrasting with science. The relation sRead MoreComparing Religion And Science From A Sociological Viewpoint1478 Words   |  6 Pagescontrast religion with science from a sociological viewpoint. Is science just another form of religion, with people like physicist Stephen Hawking among its high priests or mullah? Are science and religions simply both similar social constructions? In your response to this question, specifically consider both how irrational social factors influence everything, and the relationship between faith and proof. First of all, There are a number of debates about the similarities and differences between religionRead MoreScience And Religion755 Words   |  4 PagesAre science and religion related? If so, how are they related? What is the importance of them in human lives? I believe, science and religion are related to each other. The relationship between them has been debated for several years. Science is linked to the material, while religion is worried about spirituality (Vikas, 2012). Humans depend on both religion and science not one or the other. In spite of being different from each other, science and religion are related and linked to each other. ScienceRead MoreThrough The Development Of Human History, Humans Gradually988 Words   |  4 Pageshuman history, humans gradually realize that Politics, Science, and Religion are three independent and equally competitive authorities. Also, the conflict between science and religion and that between politics and religion are much more severe than the conflict between science and politics. In this sense, because of the difference of those three authorities and the possibility of causing conflicts, it is more ideal not to twist science, religion, and politics together in the first place in societyRead MoreGender Differences Between Gender And Sex1334 Words   |  6 Pagesbut both. Due to different religions, influences, social structures, and expectations, people can be put into hiding and therefore never establish a distinct and accepted place in society. In the ongoing controversy, I believe society continues to make the transgender community and essentially any other difference in humanity an uncomfortable subject, which is easily converted to the individual being confused about their social identity or gender. The difference between gender and sex, accordingRead MoreScience Fiction and Fantasy1221 Words   |  5 PagesThe question is whether it is possible to distinguish between fantasy and true science fiction. I am reminded of the analogy, attributable I believe, to Theodore Sturgeon, of the elf ascending vertically the side of a brick wall. In a science fiction story the knees of the elf would be bent, his center of gravity thrown forward, his stocking cap hanging down his neck, with his feet quite possibly equipped with some form of suction cups. In a fantasy, on the other hand, the elf would simply stride

Jessica Foy. Othello Essay. English Iii. 14 February 2017.

Jessica Foy Othello Essay English III 14 February 2017 Emilia Essay Character development is seen in almost every character in the play Othello. Most of the characters are seen tumbling in a downwards spiral of their former self; while other characters are seen becoming more powerful due to the loss of power from the people above them. One of the characters that developed from her superior’s weaknesses is Iago’s wife, Emilia. Emilia spends most of her time with Othello’s wife, Desdemona. Most of their conversation surrounds the topics of gender roles in society and in their relationships. Desdemona’s insecurity in her relationship leads Emilia to find her own voice in order to defend her friend. Shakespeare utilizes†¦show more content†¦Although Iago shoots her down; the fact that she even questioned him, shows change between Act I Emilia and Act III Emilia. Although Emilia gave her husband the handkerchief he so very much desired for his love; she still wondered what he had in store for her friend, Desdemona. In Act IV, Othello hits Desdemona and they both continue in a downward spiral. At this time, Emilia and Desdemona are really good friends and the audience sees a switch between the two. The outspoken Desdemona is now a reserved housewife; and the reserved Emilia is now the outspoken confidant that Desdemona relies on. She believes that her friend does not deserve the treatment that has been served to her; so she speaks out on her problems reversing the roles placed on them both. As Desdemona begins to settle into the housewife settings, she calls upon Iago and Emilia recalls most of the event to her husband herself. Throughout the conversation, she even brings up something she was too afraid to do so earlier: Iago’s accusations that â€Å"made you to suspect me with the Moor.†(IV.ii.173). Emilia has completely changed to a woman with an unfiltered speech; through the heat she gained from her anger at Othello for hurting her friend mentally and physically, she accounted some of her own relationship problems. Admitting her own problems made it easier for her to betray her

Roman Collusiums Essay Example For Students

Roman Collusiums Essay Architecture of the ancient Roman Empire is considered one of the mostimpressive of all time. The city of Rome once was home to more than one millionresidents in the early centuries AD1. The Romans had a fine selection ofbuilding monuments in the city of Rome including the forums for civic services,temples of worship, and amphitheaters for recreation and play. The Romans madegreat use and pioneered great architecture mechanisms including arches, columns,and even mechanical elements in pulleys and early elevators. However, when onetends to think of great buildings, one building stands out in Rome. Thisbuilding is the Flavian Amphitheatre, or better known as the Colosseum. Whendiscussing such a great monument such as the Colosseum, it is very important torealize the time, place, and culture in wish it stood to fully understand bothits form and function. In the beginnings, Rome was both influenced by theEtruscans of the North and Greeks of Italy and South but had its basic rootsfrom a l ong time of Samnite domination2. The Etruscans were that of aninteresting type as described by Peter Quennell: The Etruscanscombined apassionate devotion to the ordinary pleasures of life with a haunting fear ofdeath. They were cruel, too, and deeply superstitioustheir victims wereordered to fight among themselves until the last had fallen. The Etruscans wouldhave a strong impression in Roman lifestyles and philosophies. For example, thepurple robe worn by leaders would be later adopted by the Romans. They also werethe influence which brought gladiatorial battles of sacrifice into the Romanculture. This was a time of blood thirsty humans who loved the site of battle. Even an early christian named Alypius proclaimed that he took away withhim a mad passion which prodded him not only to return (to gladatior events)with those by whom he had first been forced in, but even ahead of them anddragging in others.3 This was a time of paganism, which meant sacrificeand death. Early christians were persecuted for their beliefs in the first fewcenturies. Clearly in Rome, the focus was not only on religion or the emporer,but we have a focus on leisure and activities. It is said that of athree-hundred and sixty-five day year that one-hundred and fifty days werecelebrated as regular holidays, with over ninety days given up to games4. Thistype of lifestyle would dominate the cities and architecture of the Romans forsome time to come. The people of Rome enjoyed theatres, battles, races, baths,comical events, and of course the game of death. There were many forums,temples, and many amphitheaters in the history of Rome, however only a few standout even today. The Col osseum is the greatest standing building of Rome, and oneof the most recognized worldwide architectural achievements to this day. Theamphitheater is a type of architecture that was without Greek precedents. Thismakes sense since its primary purpose was to hold gladitiator fights and brutalshows which were banned in Athens at the time. Such events held in Romanamphitheaters were horseracing, gymnastics, mock cavalry battles, footraces,prizefighting, wrestling, fights between animals, between men, animals and men,and even naumachiae, or mock sea battles5. One of the first amphitheaters wasthe Pompeian amphitheater of Pompeii of 30 BC. Like the Colosseum, it was ovalin plan. It was supported on great masses of solid earth pierced by a broadcorridor at each end. Stone seats were added at one time but most spectators saton the earth or wooden chairs. Although this amphitheater was a greatinnovation, it would be eclipsed by the Flavian Amphitheater, better known asthe Colosseum. The great building although fitting and plain in design to itssurroundings of Rome still stood out due to its sheer monstrosity and ovalshape. Although the site viewed today is still a marvel, back in the days of itsprime it was a spectacular site that would be difficult to apprehend with onlywordsTVK1. TVK2 The city which held the great structure was full of greatexamples of the use of arches, columns from every order, and of course sheersize. When traveling the city to the Colosseum the whole area had been paved andrailed off. The approach was taken by cobbled slabs of lava, and then oneentered an area paved with travertine more than five thousand feet wide andsurrounded by huge boundary stones6. To a spectator at the time the Colosseumfrom the outside is described by the romantic poet Johann Wolggang von Goethe:When one looks at it all else seems little; the edifice is so vast, that onecannot hold the image of it in ones soul- in memory we think it smaller, andthen return to it again to f ind it every time greater than before. As one lookedat it from the city, there were many sights to behold, but the Colosseum stoodout 19 centuries ago, and still does to this date. At the end of the EmperorNero and the triumph of the Flavians every effort was made to forget the timesof the Julio-Claudians (of which Julius Caesars family) and move to newertimes. The focus of arhictecture and buildings shifted from the emperorscreations to the publics buildings. The next prominent emperor was Vespasian. His first contribution to the public was an enormous forum with a temple ofPeace in it.7 His greatest feat was the beginning of the construction of theColosseum for games purposes around 72 AD. Titus succeeded theever-joking Vespasian and completed his fathers dream around 79-80 AD. Thededication of the Colesseum was a lavish gladiator show that lasted for exactlyone-hundred days in which over nine thousand animals were killed.8 A typical dayat the Colesseum show usually started with a bloodless comic relief battle,often times with dwarfs, women, or cripples battling with wooden objects. A tubawould sound and the main events would begin. The gladiator fights were the mostpopular and prominent fights. These featured two highly trained men battling forcourage, strength, and dignity. They would often rather take a blow and standstrong than wimper and run in defense. The people were in love with gladiatorsmuch like todays sport heroes. It is written that famous women would even leavethei r husbands for famous gladiators which were known to be very scarred andugly by Roman standards.9 The gladiator fight was a ruthless blood-riddenspectacle which usually ended in death by the loser who begged for mercy and waschosen to die by the present emperor or crowd cheers of 45,000 hysterical fans. Propaganda In Art EssayIt was designed purely for the benefit of the audience, to keep them calm andcontent as the violent spectacle unfolded below. It was a roof. The roof of theColleseum was one that was retractable and much like a sailor. So much in fact,sailors who lived in a nearby town managed the velarium, or colored awning. Thiswas a remarkable feat considering that most stadiums now days are still notfully enclosed (such as the Cowboys stadium). The use of the corbels on theuppermost deck and the use of a pulley system brought about this feat ofingenious. Some archeologists thought that the roof was non-existent or was aweb of ropes, but it is now believed to be made from masts and pulleys. Themasts would hold horizontal masts on which to pull the awning over. It isbelieved that it did not cover the whole structure, but at least the mostimportant seatings of the emperor for the whole day.14 Hebrew prisoners andslaves of the time employed the building of the Colesseum. All the details ofthe actual construction are unknown, but it is based upon a barrel-vaultedscheme that circles around. The builders used tavertine blocks to construct aframework of piers, arches, and linked walls and vaults. The cement posts godeep into the ground to support the great weight. The lower level vaults wereconstructed of tufa or pumice. On the upper floors the walls were built withbrick and concrete (utilizing volcanic sand to dry). Travertine was used tosurround the outside and was held in place by iron clamps. 15 The experience ofbeing outside the Colosseum was plain except for the added statues. The outsideof the building was paved with boundaries and roads. One could make out thehundreds of semicircles and arches. The arches increased upwards from Truscan,Doric, and Corinthian columns to the Corinthian Pillars and wall of the fourthdeck. The outside was a brilliant travertine that must have been a spectacularsight. Next to the building one would feel he is nothing but a little gnatcompared to the great building. To get inside one must enter their gate, andproceed up the stairway to the designated level much like a modern stadium. Since there were 80 entrances, many people could occupy the great Amphitheater. Inside the Coloseum the arena floor was wooden and covered with sand to soak theblood. There was a great podium made of marble on the sidelines housed thedignitaries. Above that were marble seats for distinguished private citizens. The second held the middle class, the third held slaves and foreigners, and thefourth levels were for women and the poor who sat on wooden seats.16 The greatvelarium was multicolored and must have been a specticle on the inside of theColosseum when raised. This would also shadow and protect the fans from nature. The arches allowed for great ventilation, stability, and passageways to keep thecrowd comfortable all day. On a whole the Colosseum is symbolized by its sizewhich represents the greatness of Rome. The name may be attributed to its size,or some believe to the colossal statue of Nero nicknamed the crownedcolossus that was nearby. With all of the circular motifs used by thearches, and of the building itself, some believe it symbolizes the sun. Thisalso makes sense considering part of the Colosseum was built from the GoldenHouse of Nero, also known as the solar statue, or sun statue. Many symbols usedin the Colosseum were of Pagan descendent. This included the sacrifices, purplerobes, battle-axes, and hammers of the Etruscan Pagans. The cross was erected tocommemorate the early Christians who are believed to have died here (althoughthere is no evidence to support this belief). The great arch beside the Coliseumwas erected in the third century in honor of Constantine, although much of its decoration was pilfered from monuments to other emperors. Since one of thesymbols was of the sun, the arches created natural and splendid light andshadows as shown in the picture. Much poetry has been written of the light,shadows, and even smoke from the arches of the Colosseum. When it was not noonthe light would create long shadows and yet have bright instances whichaccentuate the arches and columns in the bright light. It shows an alternatingnatural pattern of shadows. One of the first natural changes of the Colosseumcame in 320 when lightning struck and damaged the building. In 422 it wasdamaged by an earthquake. However Theodosius II and Valentitian III repaired itonly to be again damaged by an earthquake in 508. After the sixth century thecity of Rome and the Coleseum went downhill because of some devastatingdisasters. Towards the end of the sixth century grass was starting to growrampant at the Colosseum. Arts and Painting

Factors Making Small Communities in Pakistan More Vulnerable to Disasters free essay sample

There is no single definition or explanation of a disaster, as a matter of fact in this modern age of science and technology one could predict the time and place and estimate the damage when a disaster would hit a certain area however only an estimate could be made about the outcome of the dreadful event still all the disasters could not be forecasted. This prediction also has difference in opinion when it comes to interpret the disaster; economists may measure it by calculating the loss of assets, health workers might talk of diseases that might spread after the event, political view might be setting institutions to deal with the event and social view might involve the effects on the society. Pakistan has been at risk to many natural and manmade disasters in the past. History states various events when cyclones, flooding, drought, landslides and earth quakes have hit the country. We will write a custom essay sample on Factors Making Small Communities in Pakistan More Vulnerable to Disasters or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The country is also believed to be one of the most flood prone terrains in South Asia. The floods of 1950, 1992 and 1998 and 2011 have taken various lives and made severe damage to property and assets. Pakistan is also located at seismically active zone making the area vulnerable to extreme consequences. This vulnerability was proven on October 2005 when an earthquake measuring 7. 6 on the rector scale had hit 9 districts in Kheyber Pakhtunkhuwa and Azad Jammu Kashmir killing over 72,000 people and destroying over 4,00,000 houses. Pakistan being an agriculture based country also has fear of droughts. The droughts of 2002 had cost an estimated amount of 2. 5 billion $. Pakistan does not have a lot of reported cyclone hit incidents to stat yet till now roughly fourteen cyclones have been recorded since 1971-2012 which also had damages in a notable amount. When a disaster strikes some area it does not spare any in its way but the most prone and effected people are the ones who belong to small communities. Their segregation and exclusion in to small communities might be due to the false and holistic systems present in our social circles bases on ethnic, religious or class based values in the current society. Further on these segregated segments are marked as poor or minorities. However these small communities are most vulnerable when a disaster strikes. The level of their vulnerability increases in the post disaster scenario. There are many factors behind the vulnerability which have horrific outcomes for these small communities as a result. I would like to discuss on a few factors which in my view point are the important factors and causes of the increased vulnerability of these small communities. Poverty is one of the most fundamental causes which results in increased level of vulnerability of small communities. Their lack of access to resources leads to the lack of capacity in dealing with a disaster. An estimate made in 2005 states that around 22. 6% of the total population lives under the poverty line in the country, further on 40% of the total urban population lives in slums. The economic situation in the country is not very stable and due to this inflation is widespread in the country leading to income volatility. In circumstances where poverty is present in the society at such a high scale, it gets difficult to make ends meet, fighting against a disaster is a question that does not even comes in to the context. Poor construction practices also result in the increase in the vulnerability of the small communities. Due to poverty still in many villages people build their houses out of mud. This is not a strong structure. At the time of a disastrous event such structures can prove not to be very resistant. Similarly in urban areas as mentioned above a large number of people live in slums which are again not a very resilient structure in case of disasters. There are no proper code and conducts devised by the government authorities to tackle with this issue. Such conditions increase the vulnerability of the small groups present in Pakistan. Weak early warning system is a problem present in many developing countries. Pakistan being a developing country also has this problem where due to the lack of resources and technology many disasters cannot be predicted on time. Due to this it gets hard to estimate the damage level and the intensity of the disaster beforehand. It also gets hard to make a relief plan or mitigation strategies to minimize the effects of the disaster. Remoteness and isolation is another factor which is caused by the cultural and social barriers due to which majority of the small communities are effected as they are segregated and isolated from the society. Remoteness can be taken in to two different means one is the social exclusion factor the other can be the nature of their inhabitant area which might geographically be landlocked by nature. In either ways their isolation can be a factor that can lead small communities in to a more vulnerable situation. Infrastructure can also play a role in increasing the vulnerability of small communities. If we take the area of Southern Punjab as in example the area consists of the rural side of the country and agriculture is their main source of employment, the place also has a history of floods related disasters in the past. Due to lack of proper roads etc it might get hard for people to evacuate even if the disaster as been predicted beforehand. The people from strong communities have means of transportation by which they can get to safety with ease on the other hand the poor and small communities don’t get a chance to evacuate from the danger zone. Awareness programs and education about strategies to counter disasters is a phenomenon which is not present in the current society. The floods of 2012 could be held in account as evidence of this acquisition as many of the rural poor were displaced as majority of their assets were destroyed and many lives lost. If people were given proper education about strategies to deal with the disaster as it was an area with high risk the amount of loss might have been reduced. Lack of community participation is also an important factor as due to exclusion, factions are produced in the society due to barriers they do not tend to interact with the weaker segments of the society. Their lack of communication and participation creates a divide and due to which the vulnerability is increased in the smaller communities at the time of crisis. Limited capacity and coordination between various governmental and nongovernmental agencies. This might occur due to the meager means of resistance available or mismanagement on behalf of the agencies. Corruption also has a role to play in this situation where the rights of the small communities are usurped by the larger or more power full factions of the society. This corruption could give rise to mistrust between the state and non state actors trying to fight against the disaster. As they don’t unite therefore their power is also diminished. Religious/Ethnic biases can also lead to disasters as small minorities are at stake. Due to quarrels and other means of violence threat to their assets and lives increases their vulnerability. Similarly in civil conflicts the small and less powerful communities are the ones which are at the high risk level due to their openness to danger. Rapid Urbanization as societies become more and more modern day by day the process of urbanization also increases. In search of reaching to an industrial society as it brings more and more recourses to increase the level and quality of life it also brings along some negative aspects out of which greed is most prominent. Today man has become so greedy that it does not care that what effects his voyage to success might have on others. Rapid Industrialization is also having its negative effects on the environment which will eventually lead to severe consequences as global warming. At the same time rapid urbanization means the extinction of forests and other natural resources. As majority of the small communities cannot afford to live at the core hence the are pushed to the outer circle of the area where there might be a non availability of basic necessities of lives leading to various epidemics for example due to lack of sanitation facilities or making them live in to disaster prone areas due to deforestation leading to earth quakes, landslides and floods. To conclude I would state that the above mentioned factors are some of many which evolve in our social system. What so ever is the cause of the disaster event either it is manmade, natural in nature it is the small communities which are affected the most. Social, political, armed conflicts, hazards all in total increase the vulnerability of small communities. Steps are to be taken in to account to eradicate this in justice from our society as this may lead to social unrest or may have even more bizarre outcomes on the community as a whole.

The 39 Best Clubs to Start in High School

The 39 Best Clubs to Start in High School SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Thinking about starting a club? It’s a great wayto meet people with similar interests, do an activity you enjoy,learn more about an activity you're interested in, and gain leadership experiencefor yourcollege application! But what aregood clubs to start in high school? In this article, I’ll give you a list of dozens ofclubs you canstart! Why Would YouWant to Start a Club? There are many good reasons to want to starta club. I mentioned some reasons above such as meeting new people, doing an activity you enjoy, and gaining leadership experience. However, another reason you maywant to start a club is if you have no opportunity at your schoolto pursue an interest you have. For example, you may have a passion for film, but your school may not offer any film classes or have any film clubs. If that's the case, start afilm club to pursue that passion! Even if your school has a class or club in your general area of interest, you may want to focus your attention on a more specific topic. For example, perhapsyour school offers an art course, but you're passionate about sculpture specifically. In that case, consider starting a sculpture club. List of Clubs to Start at Your High School Now that you know why you should start a club, what are some potential club ideas? I’ve sorted the clubs into tenmain categories:eight subject area clubs, hobby clubs, and charity clubs. Subject area clubs are clubs that come from an interest in a subject area taught in school. I've identified eightsubject area club categories: Art, Drama, Film, Science, Math, Literature, History, andLanguage. Hobby clubs are clubs that stem from an interest in a hobby that most likely wouldn’t be taught in high school (such as chess, anime, video games, and skiing). Charity clubs are clubs that are linked to a specific charity with the goal of raising awareness, working for that charity, or raising money for that charity (such as Operation Smile, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer, and Becca’s Closet) NOTE: The category a particular club has been placed into is not important. I simply created these categories to organize this list. No one category is better than another. It’s best to create a club you’re passionate about no matter thecategory. Below, I'll give you club name ideas along with a few ideas for activities the club could do. When you start your club, you don't have to do all of these activities. You may want to do the simpler, smaller activities first before trying to plan one of the bigger activities (such as an international trip). Art Club Ideas Sculpture Club Analyze famous sculptures Work on your own sculptures Get feedback on your work from other club members Plan a trip to a local museum Plan a spring break trip to Florence, Italy to view sculptures in person Photography Club Analyze famous photographs Take group trips to picturesque spots to snap some photos Create a dark room where you develop photos Art History Club Members can present one of their favorite pieces of artforthe club to discuss Visit local museums Plan a club spring break trip to Paris to view art in person at the Louvre Art Review Magazine Start a magazine Review famous pieces of art Hold contests for student artwork to be published in the magazine Write reviews of local art shows Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Drama Club Ideas Shakespeare Club Each semester read a different Shakespeare play and put on a production of that play Plan a club spring break trip to Stratford-upon-Avon Hold a Shakespeare festival Host a contest for the best Shakespearean monologue or a writing contest for a Shakespearean sonnet Classics Club Each semester read and perform a new classics play Plan a club spring break trip to Italy and Greece to see where Classical writers lived Monologue Club Help students find classical and modern monologues they like Have students perform their monologue in front of the group Give them feedback and ideas on how to improve the monologue performance Perform all the monologues once per semester Comedy Sportz Club Host competitive improv games Split into different improvteams and hold a competition at the end of the semester or year Bring in judges who will score each team (similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway) Improv Club Teach club members improv (either by hiring an improv teacher or by reading a book like the Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual) Play improv games Put on improv performances onceper semester Film Club Ideas Foreign Film Club Watch a new foreign film at each meeting and discuss it Host a foreign film festival, encourage club members to create their own short foreign films Plan a club summer break trip to the Cannes film festival Screenwriting Club Read a famous screenplay every week Analyze why the screenplay was a success or failure Read a book about screenwriting (such as Save the Cat) Have each member pitch loglinesand develop outlines for a screenplay Give themfeedback, then read the screenplay drafts to the club Host a staged table reading of each member’s screenplay Directing Club Watch and analyze the works of famous directors (Hitchcock, Fellini, Spielberg, etc.) Hold a film festival for student’s short films Host a movie marathon fundraiser for charity 48-Hour Film Festival Club Organize a 48-hour film festival (over a weekend or schoolbreak) where teams are given a topic for a short film and then have 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit the film Screen the short films at a festival Science Club Ideas Future Scientists Club Bring in scientists to discuss their profession Plan a club trip to a local lab Discuss the latest scientific research at meetings, plan science fair projects, get feedback from other members on your science fair project Marine Biology Club Bring in marine biologists to discuss their profession Watch videos about interesting sea creatures Plan a club trip to a marine biology center Set up a volunteer beach clean-up (if you live near a beach) Hold a letter writing campaign or get signatures for the Save the Whales Foundation Future Medical Professionals Club Bring in doctors and nurses to discuss their professions Plan club volunteer activities at a hospital Set up job shadowing with a hospital for club members Host a toy drive foryour local children’s hospital Math Club Ideas Math Homework Club Host a free tutoring service for students who need math help Volunteer at middle schools to help kids with their math homework Pi Club Hold contests for who can memorize the most digits of Pi Hold a Pi day lecture on the concept of pi Hold a Pi day bake sale where you sell pies for charity Literature Club Ideas Literature Magazine Club Start a literature magazine Write reviews of newly published books Hold a contest to publish a student’s short story Creative Writing Club Members can present a piece of creative writing they wrote or enjoyed reading Givefeedback and advice on other members' writing Publish the best creative works in a magazine at the end of the year Book Club Assign a book each month for the club to read Meet and discuss that book the following month Hold a book donation drive for the local homeless shelter Foreign Book Club Enjoy reading books in translation? Consider starting a book club where each month the club reads a different translated book(try to read a book from a new country or continent each month) Meet and discuss that book the following month History Club Ideas WWII Club Discuss different aspects of WWII each week Bring in a WWII veteran to discuss their experience or a WWII historian to discuss their knowledge Plan a club spring break trip to Normandy, Paris, and Berlin to visit important WWII sites Host a WWII trivia contest where teams compete to see who has the most WWII knowledge Ancient History Club Discuss different ancient cultures at each meeting Bring in an Ancient History specialist to discuss their knowledge Plan a club spring break trip to Egypt, Rome, or Greece Host an ancient civilizations costume contest for Halloween Language Club Ideas French/Spanish/Chinese/Foreign Language Club Speak only in that foreign language at club meetings Host traditional cultural events for (i.e. Chinese New Year Party) Offer free tutoring to students who need help with that foreign language Plan a club trip to a country that speaks that foreign language Read a book written in that language each semester French/Spanish/Chinese/Foreign Cooking Club Speak only in that foreign language at club meetings Learn to cook a new dish from that culture Host dinner parties or trips to restaurants Hobby Club Ideas Anime Club Learn to speak some Japanese Read anime and discuss it as a group Watch anime tv shows and movies Plan a club trip to an anime convention Chess Club Host a chess competition between members Bring in chess masters to discuss chess strategy Watch famous chess movies and documentaries Video Games Club Host a video game competition Discuss the evolution of video game technology Bring in a person who works at a video game company to discuss possible careers in the video game world Skiing Club Plan a club trip to go skiing Watch skiing competitions together Bring in a professional skier to learn abouttheir experiences Democrats/Republicans/Independents Club Discuss new political events Volunteer for a campaign Host a public viewing of a political debate Plan a political rally Gather signatures of support for a bill Political Magazine Start a magazine to analyze campaigns Discuss important bills and political issues Interview local politicians Religion Club Start a club where people fromdifferent religious backgroundscan discuss their similarities and differences Each week a different person can present information they think other members may not know about their religion Bring in religious leaders (Imams, priests, rabbis, etc.) to discuss their jobs Adventure Club Plan weekly or monthly outdoor activities (hiking, biking, camping, fishing, etc.) Plan a club spring break camping trip toa National Park Volunteer to plant trees in a local park Bring in a conservationist to discuss their job Charity Club Ideas Operation Smile Club Host fundraisers to raise money for Operation Smile to provide free surgeries to children with a cleft lip Organize a walk to raise awareness for cleft lips Bring in (or Skype with) a child who received help from Operation Smile to talk about how the surgery changed their life Breast Cancer Awareness Club Help plan a walk to cure breast cancer in your area Host a school-wide fundraiser Bring breast cancer survivors in to talk about their experiences. Children’s Hospital Volunteer Club Organize volunteer opportunities at a local children’s hospital Host a book donation drive to collect books to donate to the children’s hospital Host a bake sale to raise money to donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital Soup Kitchen Volunteer Club Organize volunteer opportunities for club members at a local soup kitchen Host a toiletry collection drive to donate to your local homeless shelter Host a food collection drive to donate to the soup kitchen Save Endangered Species Club Organize volunteer opportunities for club members at local animal shelters Host a fundraiser to donate money to theWWF Visit a wildlife rescue center Plan a club spring break trip to see endangered species in another country Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Top 3 Tips forStarting a Club Now that you have some ideas for clubs to start in high school, how do you go about actually getting one up and running? I’m going to give you my top three tips for starting a club, but for more details, including recommendationson brainstorming a club idea, registering the club with your school, running meetings, and more, check out our full explanation ofhow to start a club. Tip #1: Make Sure You Have the Time and Effort to Dedicate to Your Club When you start a club, you’re not only going to have the duties of President of that club (organizing meetings, delegating tasks, etc.), but you’re also going to be responsible for developing the club. You’ll need to figure out the rules and purpose of the club, recruit members, plan events, etc.You need to put in a lot of work to start an effective club that will continue running after you graduate. Tip #2:Start a Club That You’re Passionate About If you’re going to be spending all of this time starting a club, make sure itfocuses onsomething you enjoy!You need to be excited about the club in order to convince other people to join.If you don’t like your club, why would other people join? How canyou decide what type of club you would be passionate about? First,think about what you enjoy doing. What is your favorite class? What are your hobbies? Do you have a new skill you'd like to explore further? Is there a topic you'd like to learn more about? Is there a cause you care about?It's likely that one or more of your answers can be developed into aclub. Tip #3:Follow Through on Your Club Make sure to register your clubwith theschool. Next, plan the first meeting, and post fliers with the meeting date around your school to spread the word about yourclub.At your first meeting, discussthe purpose of the club, what major events you’d like to plan, and then hold an election for board members (president, treasurer, secretary, vice president). You're now well on your way to running a successful and interesting new club! What’s Next? Once you've decided on your club, how do you actually start it?Check out our step-by-step guide on the 8 steps to starting a club for everything you need to know! Interested in learning more about other potential extracurricular activities?Learn about Model UN and how to join your high school newspaper. Looking to get started on SAT/ACT preparation?Check out our ultimate SAT/ACT study guide schedule and plan! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

What caused the Revolution of 1911-1912 in China Thesis

What caused the Revolution of 1911-1912 in China - Thesis Example A great percentage of them disliked the kind of ruling by the Qing dynasty that had been existent in the country for a very long time. The otherwise called Xinhai revolution, on a great extent can arguably be caused by be deficient in of able Ching emperors to rule the country. In the work of Ho, the inability of the Ching emperors to rule the country instilled a lot of violence among the citizens1. This work continues to bring out the view that, in as much as the dynasty was the most prominent, the fall of that dynasty created numerous issues for the country’s well being. By the 19th century, the dynasty was completely inflexible which saw the country experience a lot of challenges in terms of rebellions in the country, poor economy, imperialism from the west, poor produce and sales. By the end of 1911, the country had already gone through rebellion from the citizens. In 1912, Henry Pu Yi, the then emperor, stepped down from the leadership position to pave way for more reforms. From the work, it is evident that the emperor was clearly not needed by the citizens and was sapped by the revolution in 19122. A critical analysis of this situation brings out a clear indication of the fact that the major reason behind the revolution is that the Chinese pop ulace did not appreciate the manner in which the country was being run by the Ching dynasty. With poor leadership, it is evident that the misappropriation of funds would have its way, just like in the case of China. This misappropriation of funds led to the country being overtaxed, and the taxes fell in the hands of a few people. With the population growing on a tremendous manner, the dynasty could hardly deal with the demands of the populace, which in turn led to the revolts among the populace. In this work, it is apparent that the Qing dynasty was completely ineffective3. With this in mind, the Chinese citizens could not wait for the providence of the administration to lapse their hopeful

Smart Airlines Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Smart Airlines - Research Paper Example In the course of determining the state of the economy, it is critical to adopt and incorporate Porter’s five forces analysis. It is essential to note that the power of suppliers in the airline industry is immense, courtesy of external environment’s influence that affects the three inputs: fuel, labor, and aircraft, thus the high power of suppliers. For instance, the cost of aviation fuel tends to fluctuate in relation to the global market for the oil because of the geopolitical and other factors. Secondly, it is essential to note that the power of buyers in the airline industry is moderate to high. This relates to the proliferation of the online ticketing approach, as well as distribution systems. Flyers no longer have to be at the mercy of the intermediaries or agents and airlines to the satisfaction of the ticketing needs. In addition, the entry of low-cost carriers has been of great benefit to the fliers or consumers. Similarly, buyers enjoy massive protection in relation to the tight regulation on the demand side of the airline industry. These factors make airline industry to cede power to the consumers, thus the moderate to high threat of power of buyers. The industry requires significant or huge capital investment to facilitate entering or exiting of the sector. From this perspective, the industry boasts of high entry and exit barriers. From this perspective, the industry tends to experience low threats of new entrants because of the high costs. The airline industry in the United States is extremely competitive.

Wisdom Literature And Psalms Religion Essay

Wisdom Literature And Psalms Religion Essay Within the Hebrew Bible itself, the wisdom literature is exciting, because it deals directly with life. The life-death situation is expressed positively in the image of the tree of life. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. (Proverbs 3) There are five books in the Hebrew Bible that deserve the title of wisdom literature; three primary (Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes) and two Apocrypha (Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom of Solomon). Within this literature is a distinct lack of what one would consider typically Jewish or Israelite as there is no mention of the promises of the patriarchs, the covenant and Sinai, the promise to David and so on. Wisdom literature is not confined to the Bible. Every culture that has left a written patrimony has something similar to the wisdom literature (Socrates the unexamined life is not worth living, Plato know thyself, Aristotle all men by nature desire to Know). The fundamental desire for knowledge as such characterizes human nature. Wisdom literature includes various authors trying to understand human nature, themselves, and understanding God and Gods relation to us. Within the Bible itself, Lady Wisdom remains an elusive figure despite considerable attention given to sapientia [hokmah], or wisdom. She is the object of a quest in the first recorded petition for wisdom (Solomon in 1 Kings 3) and in the last wisdom book to be written (Wisdom of Solomon). What is striking about these biblical texts is that they embody not only the faith of Israel, but also the treasury of cultures and civilizations which have long vanished. As if by special design the voices of Egypt and Mesopotamia sound again and certain features common to the cultures of the ancient Near East come to life in these pages which are rich in deep intuition. (Fides et Ratio 16) Wisdom is described in so many ways: She is fear of the Lord, instruction for moral formation, human experience, the mysteries of creation, Law, a mysterious divine call, and even a spouse. Wisdom literature provides a biblical model for understanding divine revelation apart from the historical mode (salvation history) in which it is usually cast. Wisdom literature transcends all of this and is not tied to any specific happening. The openness of Israelite wisdom to the wisdom of Israels neighbors the clearly international character of the wisdom movement, the actual borrowings from Egyptian wisdom, the controlling references to creatures and creation provides a biblical basis for the possibility that the non-Israelite can also respond in saving faith to the creator, who is the God revealed in Israelite and Christian experience. If God saw fit to recognize the wisdom of the pagan Egyptians in Proverbs, then we should be open to finding divinely inspired thoughts and wisdom in other cultures: through dialogue with other Christians (Ecumenism); dialogue with other non-Christians (Inter-religious); dialogue with regards to other faiths such as Animists and Buddhists (see Ad Gentes encyclical on the Churchs respect for other faiths and the Churchs desire to bring the leaders of other religions in to the fullness of Gods revelation, spirit and Gods self-revelation in Jesus Christ). Within the genre of Wisdom, there are many definitions on the categories of the literature. Biblical Wisdom is focused on practicality. It is on how we ought to live here and now. In Job and Qoheleth we find practical discussion spilling over into the broader meaning of life and the challenges of life. Wisdom books along with the Wisdom literature of other cultures move with in an ambience of the religious, in general, but not overtaken by a religious outlook. Proper fear of the lord is an often theme in Wisdom. What you find in Wisdom often doesnt have a necessary connection to religion. For this reason, these books appeal to the agnostics of today. This Wisdom also appeals to agnostic writers who find something they can hold onto in Christianity or in religion in general. Something that they value and is essential or creedal in nature. Many of the Proverbs show this side; the interpretation may be Christian but keep a cross cultural appeal as their beauty. Wisdom literature is also a good source of evangelization. For example, Paul goes in to the Areopagus (Acts 17) and the people start to mock him before he speaks. Paul uses some well-known verses of Greek authors and poets to bridge a common understanding and that have a bridge to the pagan audience. He succeeded in bridging the culture gap on their love of knowledge and love for wisdom and learning. In an increasingly secularized culture we will encounter these Pauline episodes more often. Wisdom literature is characterized by being called secularized as it is often devoid of any specific Christian content. The non-religious nature of Wisdom literature is not necessarily bad. A tinge of secularity doesnt hurt in the study of theology and the practice of ones own faith. With respect to Creation, Wisdom books move within a religious atmosphere but are not taken over by a religion. Creation is a work of Gods hands and therefore intrinsically good and should be stewarded carefully. By properly understanding those points, we come to an understanding about ourselves as the crowning glory of creation. Humans are made in the image and likeness of God (imago dei). If forgotten, any statement on theology is foundationless. Many denominations believe Man is fallen, evil or corrupt. But we are inherently good and this is not oblivious to everyone. Wisdom by which many generations of cultures is elevated, affirmed, and ratified in the books of Wisdom and are given the stamp of Divine Inspiration. Due to the straightforward nature of the Wisdom, we must be careful to not over analyze the literature or over analogize. Church Fathers interpret the books at the Literal and Sapiential meaning. So we too should not look too deeply in search of the obvious literal meaning as the Wisdom books wear their meaning on their sleeve. Many parts of the Wisdom books are difficult to date. Poetry is difficult to date and uses play on words, vocabulary and sometimes antiquated terms to bring together literary elements that are difficult to pin down a specific time and place. For example in Job there is not a single identifiable historical reference in the book. We cannot locate it accurately in time. We study the vocabulary, but Job has one of the broadest ranges in the bible. All of the personalities are literary creations and cannot be attached to an actual person. The place names are intentionally made obscure [Job lived in the land of Uz]. A similar Wisdom text to that of Job is found in the Persian Shahnameh (The Epic of Kings) by Hakim Abol Qasem Ferdowsi Tousi. In this Persian Wisdom book, the theological emphasis regarding God being unfathomable and unchallengeable is similar to the teaching at the end of the book of Job. In Sirach the author tells us who he is in the preface and can accurately date. A simila r Wisdom text to that of Sirach (and Proverbs) is found in Prologue of The Code of Hammurabi King of Babylon (from about 2250 BCE). The Psalms were written over a very broad period of time. Some were composed in the 10th century BCE and have their literary roots in earlier times. Job, Proverbs and Psalms express the heart of humanity; common things that people have experience of and understanding in. Sophia or wisdom is the understanding of the cosmos as a whole in terms of its ultimate cause and principle. So the search for wisdom is our search for whatever it is that is first in itself that is THE cause of the things that are first for us in sense perception. In studying Wisdom we can come to see the importance of Creation in biblical thought and in Jewish/Christian faith. We can also come to see the interdependence and interrelatedness in the reality of the biblical world view. Nothing is profane in the Wisdom book. All is sacred somehow. Perhaps we will need to adjust our perspective in order to see and understand and perceive that inter-relatedness of all reality. In studying Wisdom today, we are seeking to look into the life and times of Jesus. Jesus frequently spoke in a manner of the Wisdom literature and we find He spoke of Solomon in his teachings of the Gospels. Studying the Wisdom literature will give us a broader appreciation of the Bible in general. The Book of Job describe how the main theme of this book is developed, how we read it in the light of Christian Revelation, and how its message may come into use in pastoral situation. The Book of Job points us to (in the Christian era) the belief in the God revealed to us in the person Jesus Christ. This book can only be fully grasped in the light of the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. Job is all about suffering and theodicy. Job is steadfast, not patient in this reading. The scenes have been deliberately worked to set before the reader a picture of a living saint, one who has won divine approval for his lifestyle and who holds firmly to God despite cruel afflictions. In this book Satan is one of the sons of God, the members of the heavenly court who do the Lords bidding and serve as his counsel. (Murphy 36) The devil does not make us do it, but only shows us and we do the rest and the manner of which evil manifests itself in life varies. The office of Satan was responsible for putting a person to the test. A person whose job it is to prosecute or point out things persons do not want to see. A Satan is a person who God has commissioned and Devils Advocate is the actual title of Promoter of the Faith. For Ancient Israel, there was a dark side, to God that was simply accepted. This dark side resulted from the worldview that attributed to divine agency all that happens, evil as well as good. In the first chapter of Job, his sons and daughters are taken away; livestock are also taken away from Job. The Satan goes back and asks God for further trial. In the next chapter, the Satan gives sores to Job and Job sits in ashes (a gesture of mourning/sadness). Jobs wife asks if he is still holding to his innocentness. Job still does not sin with his lips, but oscillates between despair and ardent faith. In the third chapter, Job gives his perish the day on which I was born plaintive speech of deep darkness. This is the dark night of the soul. This is the type of thought that goes through peoples minds before suicide. Only known to God is the moral culpability or responsibility of the action by the suicide. But there is hope for the survivors on the Via Dolorosa. When we walk in this valley, we know that Christ walked there before us. Authentic hope is there. The Crucifixion cannot be taken for granted. We cannot presume that all the suffering we go through is for nothing and that the person is presumptuously in heaven. The taking of a life is wrong. God still loves the departed and there is the possibility of redemption but we must then walk the dolorosa. Job is a model of Virtue and of Patience and of Friendship with God. Job 4 begins 28 chapters of a cycle of speeches by Jobs friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar). The three friends have the outlook that associates earthly rewards with goodness and earthly punishment with evil. This is the gospel of prosperity. In Job 5:8-27, his friends give a fraudulent response to his state: God rewards good people and punishes bad people. Job acknowledges his guilt, but no sin that merits the suffering that is being visited upon him. In Job 13:3, Job pushes back saying If he should kill me, I will wait for him; I will defend my conduct before him. And this shall be my salvation that no impious man can come into his presence. In Job 13:15-16, Job is saying that he has a clean conscience. He dares God to smite him. He has such confidence that God will respect a clean conscience and respect that he will defend himself. The cycle of speeches by the three friends begins to wrap up and Jobs understanding of his plight begins to open up. He expresses an inchoate belief in some kind of resurrection (this is a pre-curser to NT belief). In Job 29, he has an introspec tive moment and describes what it was like to have favor with God. He looks to the past with rose-colored glasses with all the what if statements. Through this questioning, his spirit begins to change and moves closer to God. We must trust in God even though we may not see the reason as to why we are going through a trial. In Job 29:15, he says he was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. He was so devoted to helpless people that he perceived himself in their suffering. He intimately associated himself with the others plight that they became one (charity). The Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Love are so called because we are imbued with these virtues (being gifts of grace) as they have God as their ultimate end. Elihus (name meaning He is my God) speeches follow with the theme arrogance with God will bring you punishment. His friends realize Job is able to rebut them, but Job has not come to any conclusion on his own. But this does not lift his suffering. In Job 38:1-40:2 and 40:6-41:26, we see that God is always patiently listening. At the end, God speaks: How dare you question My ways. God never says that Job is in fact guilty of sin and that is why he is punishing him. He is angry with Job for Jobs method of dealing with the justice, righteousness and sovereign right to deal with His goodness. Job did not give in to the facile explanations of his friends. He knew he did deserve what had happened, but he had not blasphemed, murdered, or done anything else of seriousness. He is just like most of us. When confronted with his friends trying to pawn off his suffering, he knew it was false. This is similar to the Deuteronomistic line of thinking: Do wrong and be punished, do right and be blessed. Contemporary evangelical points focus on the being blessed or the book of prosperity. Until tragedy or suffering strikes and then we see these preachers drift away and become disillusioned. At the end of the speeches by God, Job realizes that he has nothing to oppose the wisdom of God. Gods wisdom is entirely other, beyond that which Job can attain. Job realizes he has no right to question Gods Will. Gods Will is always good, and beyond that silence. He confides his very being to the Lord: I know my Creator lives. The mystery is not always solved. The suffering and questions may remain and this is alright. If there is no mystery left, then that person as perpetrated a fraud on you. God walks with us (by Job) in times of suffering. In such situations, the simple answer never works. We must walk with the person. We deny the transcendence of God if we think we understand everything. We best understand God when we are in suffering with someone. To share in the suffering, we come to understand Him better. He has gone before us on this path of suffering. Describe the progression of biblical thought on women that is found in the wisdom books and in the related passages which we have studied. Where do these views leave us with respect to our Christian views? You may wish to recall figures such as the wife of Job, Lady Wisdom or the Ideal wife from Proverbs, and others. Perhaps the best way to sum up the book of Proverbs and possible all of Wisdom literature is the line from Deuteronomy I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life. (Deut. 30:19) This is the choice that is laid out before us and Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly are anthropomorphic language that helps express the allurements of each. The Proverbs are an expansion of the Decalogue. It is the practical how to for everyday life and implementing the policies laid out in the Decalogue. Wisdom is often personified as feminine, perhaps in part because, in Hebrew, wisdom is a feminine noun. Grammar does not fully explain, however, Proverbs interest in repeated and varied development of the female persona. The female imagery for Lady Wisdom is also closely connected to her negative counterpart in Proverbs, that embodiment of evil referred to as the loose woman (Lady Folly). The part played by women in the Book of Proverbs is worthy of note. High praise is given to the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:10-31 and also in a number of sayings scattered throughout the book. It is evident that monogamy is contemplated throughout as the regular married relationship (Prv 5:18), whatever deviations might be permitted by the law for the hardness of mens hearts. He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD, (Prv 18:22) provided, of course, that she be a good wife. There is another kind of wife, whose shortcomings are denounced in righteous language: A good wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. (Prv 12:4) By contrast with the woman of virtue, the sage utters stern warnings against the foolish woman, the brawling and ill-tempered woman, and above all the strange woman whose house is the way to Sheol. (Prv 7:27) A variation on the feministic imagery is seen again in Proverbs 1:20-33 and 8:1-21, where she appears as a prophet, calling out for followers in the most public places: in the street and squares, at the busiest corner and the city gates (1:21-22), on the heights and at the crossroads (8:2). Her rhetoric offers enticement and warning. To the one who chooses her way, she offers wealth and power. To those who ignore her counsel, she promises mockery when panic strikes and ultimately death (1:26, 32). Lady Wisdoms vocabulary mirrors that of prophetic language. She calls, (Prv 1:24) is refused, stretches out her hand, (Prv 1:28) needs to be sought and found (Prv 8:17) [compare 2 Chr 15:2, Is 6:9-10, 65:1-2; Hos 5:6, Am 8:12 [C.V.Camp]]. The prophets use such language to describe the relationship of Israel to God while Wisdom speaks of relationship with herself. In all these moral precepts it is presumed that men and women are free agents, responsible for the way in which they exercise the power of choice. Yet there is no suggestion that it is possible to lead a moral life without having any regard to religious considerations. Disregard of God leads to moral ruin (Prv 22:14), but by the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil. (Prv 16:6) Wisdom is to be embraced and is counterbalanced with Folly. Folly caused the Exile and shame. Wisdom will keep us out of it and on the right path. The Jewish people did not have a clearly defined afterlife. The Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection or the ideal of Sheol (abode of the dead). Because of this, the focus on passing on to the children is dominant of ones inheritance. Proverbs is filled with Father/Son and Mother/Son and Child language imagery. Look to those who have gone before you in this life. Imitate them and learn the lessons from them and pass them on to your children (and so forth). In literature today, books given to children have a point or lesson imparted. This is a sort of an attempt to pass on our wisdom to our children. The end of Proverbs 31 talks about the place of women in Israel. It talks about the ideal woman and gives a description of one who is familiar to the post-Exilic reader. In literature that is a little more recent, Julian of Norwich treats Christ as Mother. This is not a feminist notion. Julians tradition comes from her identification of the second person of the Trinity with the traditional character of Wisdom and her understanding of the identity between Mother Church and the Mystical Body of Christ. For Julian, Christ is the Church, and the Church is the Mother. Christ is Wisdom, and Wisdom is the feminine. Julian never uses anything but masculine pronouns in referring to Christ. She also never characterizes Christ as mother, but describes motherhood as preexisting in Christ. Earthly motherhood, she says is an imitation and reflection of Christ. It is not a characteristic of femininity that Christ shares, but a characteristic of Christ that women share. Wisdom has always been personified as feminine and in some instances to such a degree that Wisdom is characterized as the feminine aspect of God. Lady Wisdom is a personification of a mental power that claims to have preceded creation and to exist in a daughter-like relationship to God. She transcends the mundane reality and human minds. The wisdom that Lady Wisdom signifies corresponds to the teachings of human sages. In Proverbs, the voice of Wisdom and the voice of the teacher do not blend. The teacher, in this case a father, offers wise and lifesaving teachings to his son. The teacher is wise, but wisdom itself transcends any human wisdom. Being personified as a woman, she is a heavenly creature, residing in angelic proximity to God. (John Bright, History of Israel). At the same time, she is traversing the streets and speaking to all. This image tells us that the various proverbs of the father and of Israels sages speak with the same voice: that of Wisdoms own voice. The collection of wisdom literature tells us that in the observations of the sages of ancient Israel and of the wisdom taught in the home both echo transcendent wisdom.

The Physics of Basketball Essays -- Physics Essays

The Physics of Basketball Introduction Any child can pick up a basketball, bounce it a few times, and throw it at the hoop without realizing the complex physics he is involving himself in. However, a greater understanding of the sport can be gained by applying the principles of physics to these actions. Through this paper I will be examining the physics of dribbling and shooting. For the equations, I will use a standard men’s basketball with a mass of 25 oz. (0.7 kg) and a diameter of 9.39†. Dribbling If the basketball was simply dropped from a height of 1 meter with no initial push from the dribbler and rebounded from the floor in a perfectly elastic collision, Mechanical Energy for the system would be conserved (1). However, the collision is not completely elastic and the dribbler pushes the ball with an initial force to ensure that it returns to his hand. To simplify the process I will first consider a situation in which the ball is allowed to fall freely from a height of 1 meter and has a perfectly elastic collision with the floor. After that I will take the true nature of the collision with the floor and the force applied by the dribbler into consideration. Because Mechanical Energy (ME) is equal to Kinetic Energy (KE) plus Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) and Mechanical Energy is conserved, I know that the initial KE + GPE at 1 meter equals the KE + GPE just before it impacts the ground. If KE =  ½ mv2 and initial velocity is zero, then the initial Kinetic Energy is zero. GPE would equal mass X gravity X height. Assuming mass is 0.7 kg, gravity is 9.8 m/s2 , and the height is 1 meter, then GPE is equal to 7.0 kg * m2/s2. Conversely, the GPE would be zero just before impact because height is zero but KE wo... ...with no spin (1). Therefore, giving the ball backspin decreases the force necessary to propel a basketball a certain distance because it will not fall as quickly. Understanding the physics of shooting and dribbling a basketball may not increase the enjoyment of watching the NBA finals, but it may help improve a basketball player’s skill. If he can find the right force necessary to propel the ball back to his hand when dribbling and realizes the importance of giving the ball a chance to fall down into the rim, he will be better off for the next game. Works Cited 1.Kirkpatrick, L. D., & Wheeler, G. F. (2001). Physics: A World View. Orlando: Harcourt College Publishers. 2.How Things Work. Louis A. Bloomfield. Retrieved April 2003. http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/bouncing_ball.html 3. Spalding basketball - http://www.spalding.com/faq/basketball.html#Q7

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 34. Declared

I heard the music before I was out of the car. Edward hadn't touched his piano since the night Alice left. Now, as I shut the car door, I heard the song morph through a bridge and change into my lullaby. Edward was welcoming me home. I moved slowly as I pulled Renesmee – fast asleep; we'd been gone all day – from the car. We'd left Jacob at Charlie's – he'd said he was going to catch a ride home with Sue. I wondered if he was trying to fill his head with enough trivia to crowd out the image of the way my face had looked when I'd walked through Charlie's door. As I walked slowly to the Cullen house now, I recognized that the hope and uplift that seemed almost a visible aura around the big white house had been mine this morning, too. It felt alien to me now. I wanted to cry again, hearing Edward play for me. But I pulled it together. I didn't want him to be suspicious. I would leave no clues in his mind for Aro if I could help it. Edward turned his head and smiled when I came in the door, but kept playing. â€Å"Welcome home,† he said, as if this was just any normal day. As if there weren't twelve other vampires in the room involved in various pursuits, and a dozen more scattered around somewhere. â€Å"Did you have a good time with Charlie today?† â€Å"Yes. Sorry I was gone so long. I stepped out to do a little Christmas shopping for Renesmee. I know it won't be much of an event, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shrugged. Edward's lips turned down. He quit playing and spun around on the bench so that his whole body was facing me. He put one hand on my waist and pulled me closer. â€Å"I hadn't thought much about it. If you want to make an event of it – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I interrupted him. I flinched internally at the idea of trying to fake more enthusiasm than the bare minimum. â€Å"I just didn't want to let it pass without giving her something.† â€Å"Do I get to see?† â€Å"If you want. It's only a little thing.† Renesmee was completely unconscious, snoring delicately against my neck. I envied her. It would have been nice to escape reality, even for just a few hours. Carefully, I fished the little velvet jewelry bag from my clutch without opening the purse enough for Edward to see the cash I was still carrying. â€Å"It caught my eye from the window of an antique store while I was driving by.† I shook the little golden locket into his palm. It was round with a slender vine border carved around the outside edge of the circle. Edward popped the tiny catch and looked inside. There was space for a small picture and, on the opposite side, an inscription in French. â€Å"Do you know what this says?† he asked in a different tone, more subdued than before. â€Å"The shopkeeper told me it said something along the lines of ‘more than my own life.' Is that right?† â€Å"Yes, he had it right.† He looked up at me, his topaz eyes probing. I met his gaze for a moment, then pretended to be distracted by the television. â€Å"I hope she likes it,† I muttered. â€Å"Of course she will,† he said lightly, casually, and I was sure in that second that he knew I was keeping something from him. I was also sure that he had no idea of the specifics. â€Å"Let's take her home,† he suggested, standing and putting his arm around my shoulders. I hesitated. â€Å"What?† he demanded. â€Å"I wanted to practice with Emmett a little___† I'd lost the whole day to my vital errand; it made me feel behind. Emmett – on the sofa with Rose and holding the remote, of course – looked up and grinned in anticipation. â€Å"Excellent. The forest needs thinning.† Edward frowned at Emmett and then at me. â€Å"There's plenty of time for that tomorrow,† he said. â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† I complained. â€Å"There's no such thing as plenty of time anymore. That concept does not exist. I have a lot to learn and – â€Å" He cut me off. â€Å"Tomorrow.† And his expression was such that not even Emmett argued. i was surprised at how hard it was to go back to a routine that was, after all, brand new. But stripping away even that little bit of hope I'd been fostering made everything seem impossible. I tried to focus on the positives. There was a good chance that my daughter was going to survive what was coming, and Jacob, too. If they had a future, then that was a kind of victory, wasn't it? Our little band must be going to hold their own if Jacob and Renesmee were going to have the opportunity to run in the first place. Yes, Alice's strategy only made sense if we were going to put up a really good fight. So, a kind of victory there, too, considering that the Volturi had never been seriously challenged in millennia. It was not going to be the end of the world. Just the end of the Cullens. The end of Edward, the end of me. I preferred it that way – the last part anyway. I would not live without Edward again; if he was leaving this world, then I would be right behind him. I wondered idly now and then if there would be anything for us on the other side. I knew Edward didn't really believe so, but Carlisle did. I couldn't imagine it myself. On the other hand, I couldn't imagine Edward not existing somehow, somewhere. If we could be together in any place, then that was a happy ending. And so the pattern of my days continued, just that much harder than before. We went to see Charlie on Christmas Day, Edward, Renesmee, Jacob, and I. All of Jacob's pack were there, plus Sam, Emily, and Sue. It was a big help to have them there in Charlie's little rooms, their huge, warm bodies wedged into corners around his sparsely decorated tree – you could see exactly where he'd gotten bored and quit – and overflowing his furniture. You could always count on werewolves to be buzzed about a coming fight, no matter how suicidal. The electricity of their excitement provided a nice current that disguised my utter lack of spirit. Edward was, as always, a better actor than I was. Renesmee wore the locket I'd given her at dawn, and in her jacket pocket was the MP3 player Edward had given her – a tiny thing that held five thousand songs, already filled with Edward's favorites. On her wrist was an intricately braided Quileute version of a promise ring. Edward had gritted his teeth over that one, but it didn't bother me. Soon, so soon, I would be giving her to Jacob for safekeeping. How could I be bothered by any symbol of the commitment I was so relying on? Edward had saved the day by ordering a gift for Charlie, too. It had shown up yesterday – priority overnight shipping – and Charlie spent all morning reading the thick instruction manual to his new fishing sonar system. From the way the werewolves ate, Sue's lunch spread must have been good. I wondered how the gathering would have looked to an outsider. Did we play our parts well enough? Would a stranger have thought us a happy circle of friends, enjoying the holiday with casual cheer? I think Edward and Jacob both were as relieved as I was when it was time to go. It felt odd to spend energy on the human fagade when there were so many more important things to be doing. I had a hard time concentrating. At the same time, this was perhaps the last time I would see Charlie. Maybe it was a good thing that I was too numb to really register that. I hadn't seen my mother since the wedding, but I found I could only be glad for the gradual distancing that had begun two years ago. She was too fragile for my world. I didn't want her to have any part of this. Charlie was stronger. Maybe even strong enough for a goodbye now, but I wasn't. It was very quiet in the car; outside, the rain was just a mist, hovering on the edge between liquid and ice. Renesmee sat on my lap, playing with her locket, opening and closing it. I watched her and imagined the things I would say to Jacob right now if I didn't have to keep my words out of Edward's head. If its ever safe again, take her to Charlie. Tell him the whole story someday. Tell him how much I loved him, how I couldn't bear to leave him even when my human life was over. Tell him he was the best father. Tell him to pass my love on to Renee, all my hopes that she will be happy and well†¦. I would have to give Jacob the documents before it was too late. I would give him a note for Charlie, too. And a letter for Renesmee. Something for her to read when I couldn't tell her I loved her anymore. There was nothing unusual about the outside of the Cullen house as we pulled into the meadow, but I could hear some kind of subtle uproar inside. Many low voices murmured and growled. It sounded intense, and it sounded like an argument. I could pick out Carlisle's voice and Amun's more often than the others. Edward parked in front of the house rather than going around to the garage. We exchanged one wary glance before we got out of the car. Jacob's stance changed; his face turned serious and careful. I guessed that he was in Alpha mode now. Obviously, something had happened, and he was going to get the information he and Sam would need. â€Å"Alistair is gone,† Edward murmured as we darted up the steps. Inside the front room, the main confrontation was physically apparent. Lining the walls was a ring of spectators, every vampire who had joined us, except for Alistair and the three involved in the quarrel. Esme, Kebi, and Tia were the closest to the three vampires in the center; in the middle of the room, Amun was hissing at Carlisle and Benjamin. Edward's jaw tightened and he moved quickly to Esme's side, towing me by the hand. I clutched Renesmee tightly to my chest. â€Å"Amun, if you want to go, no one is forcing you to stay,† Carlisle said calmly. â€Å"You're stealing half my coven, Carlisle!† Amun shrieked, stabbing one finger at Benjamin. â€Å"Is that why you called me here? To steal from me?† Carlisle sighed, and Benjamin rolled his eyes. â€Å"Yes, Carlisle picked a fight with the Volturi, endangered his whole family, just to lure me here to my death,† Benjamin said sarcastically. â€Å"Be reasonable, Amun. I'm committed to do the right thing here – I'm not joining any other coven. You can do whatever you want, of course, as Carlisle has pointed out.† â€Å"This won't end well,† Amun growled. â€Å"Alistair was the only sane one here. We should all be running.† â€Å"Think of who you're calling sane,† Tia murmured in a quiet aside. â€Å"We're all going to be slaughtered!† â€Å"It's not going to come to a fight,† Carlisle said in a firm voice. â€Å"You say!† â€Å"If it does, you can always switch sides, Amun. I'm sure the Volturi will appreciate your help.† Amun sneered at him. â€Å"Perhaps that is the answer.† Carlisle's answer was soft and sincere. â€Å"I wouldn't hold that against you, Amun. We have been friends for a long time, but I would never ask you to die for me.† Amun's voice was more controlled, too. â€Å"But you're taking my Benjamin down with you.† Carlisle put his hand on Amun's shoulder; Amun shook it off. â€Å"I'll stay, Carlisle, but it might be to your detriment. I will join them if that's the road to survival. You're all fools to think that you can defy the Volturi.† He scowled, then sighed, glanced at Renesmee and me, and added in an exasperated tone, â€Å"I will witness that the child has grown. That's nothing but the truth. Anyone would see that.† â€Å"That's all we've ever asked.† Amun grimaced, â€Å"But not all that you are getting, it seems.† He turned on Benjamin. â€Å"I gave you life. You're wasting it.† Benjamin's face looked colder than I'd ever seen it; the expression contrasted oddly with his boyish features. â€Å"It's a pity you couldn't replace my will with your own in the process; perhaps then you would have been satisfied with me.† Amun's eyes narrowed. He gestured abruptly to Kebi, and they stalked past us out the front door. â€Å"He's not leaving,† Edward said quietly to me, â€Å"but he'll be keeping his distance even more from now on. He wasn't bluffing when he spoke of joining the Volturi.† â€Å"Why did Alistair go?† I whispered. â€Å"No one can be positive; he didn't leave a note. From his mutters, it's been clear that he thinks a fight is inevitable. Despite his demeanor, he actually does care too much for Carlisle to stand with the Volturi. I suppose he decided the danger was too much.† Edward shrugged. Though our conversation was clearly just between the two of us, of course everyone could hear it. Eleazar answered Edward's comment like it had been meant for all. â€Å"From the sound of his mumblings, it was a bit more than that. We haven't spoken much of the Volturi agenda, but Alistair worried that no matter how decisively we can prove your innocence, the Volturi will not listen. He thinks they will find an excuse to achieve their goals here.† The vampires glanced uneasily at one another. The idea that the Volturi would manipulate their own sacrosanct law for gain was not a popular idea. Only the Romanians were composed, their small half-smiles ironic. They seemed amused at how the others wanted to think well of their ancient enemies. Many low discussions began at the same time, but it was the Romanians I listened to. Maybe because the fair-haired Vladimir kept shooting glances in my direction. â€Å"I do so hope Alistair was right about this,† Stefan murmured to Vladimir. â€Å"No matter the outcome, word will spread. It's time our world saw the Volturi for what they've become. They'll never fall if everyone believes this nonsense about them protecting our way of life.† â€Å"At least when we ruled, we were honest about what we were,† Vladimir replied. Stefan nodded. â€Å"We never put on white hats and called ourselves saints.† Tm thinking the time has come to fight,† Vladimir said. â€Å"How can you imagine well ever find a better force to stand with? Another chance this good?† â€Å"Nothing is impossible. Maybe someday – â€Å" â€Å"We've been waiting for fifteen hundred years, Stefan. And they've only gotten stronger with the years.† Vladimir paused and looked at me again. He showed no surprise when he saw that I was watching him, too. â€Å"If the Volturi win this conflict, they will leave with more power than they came with. With every conquest they add to their strengths. Think of what that newborn alone could give them† – he jerked his chin toward me – â€Å"and she is barely discovering her gifts. And the earth-mover.† Vladimir nodded toward Benjamin, who stiffened. Almost everyone was eavesdropping on the Romanians now, like me. â€Å"With their witch twins they have no need of the illusionist or the fire touch.† His eyes moved to Zafrina, then Kate. Stefan looked at Edward. â€Å"Nor is the mind reader is exactly necessary. But I see your point. Indeed, they will gain much if they win.† â€Å"More than we can afford to have them gain, wouldn't you agree?† Stefan sighed. â€Å"I think i must agree. And that means†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That we must stand against them while there is still hope.† â€Å"If we can just cripple them, even, expose them †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Then, someday, others will finish the job.† â€Å"And our long vendetta will be repaid. At last.† They locked eyes for a moment and then murmured in unison. â€Å"It seems the only way.† â€Å"So we fight,† Stefan said. Though I could see that they were torn, self-preservation warring with revenge, the smile they exchanged was full of anticipation. â€Å"We fight,† Vladimir agreed. I suppose it was a good thing; like Alistair, I was sure the battle was impossible to avoid. In that case, two more vampires fighting on our side could only help. But the Romanians' decision still made me shudder. â€Å"We will fight, too,† Tia said, her usually grave voice more solemn than ever. â€Å"We believe the Volturi will overstep their authority. We have no wish to belong to them.† Her eyes lingered on her mate. Benjamin grinned and threw an impish glance toward the Romanians. â€Å"Apparently, I'm a hot commodity. It appears I have to win the right to be free.† â€Å"This won't be the first time I've fought to keep myself from a king's rule,† Garrett said in a teasing tone. He walked over and clapped Benjamin on the back. â€Å"Here's to freedom from oppression.† â€Å"We stand with Carlisle,† Tanya said. â€Å"And we fight with him.† The Romanians' pronouncement seemed to have made the others feel the need to declare themselves as well. â€Å"We have not decided/7Peter said. He looked down at his tiny companion; Charlotte's lips were set in dissatisfaction. It looked like she'd made her decision. I wondered what it was. â€Å"The same goes for me,† Randall said. â€Å"And me,† Mary added. â€Å"The packs will fight with the Cullens,† Jacob said suddenly. â€Å"We're not afraid of vampires,† he added with a smirk. â€Å"Children,† Peter muttered. â€Å"Infants,† Randall corrected. Jacob grinned tauntingly. â€Å"Well, I'm in, too,† Maggie said, shrugging out from under Siobhan's restraining hand. â€Å"I know truth is on Carlisle's side. I can't ignore that.† Siobhan stared at the junior member of her coven with worried eyes. â€Å"Carlisle,† she said as if they were alone, ignoring the suddenly formal feel of the gathering, the unexpected outburst of declarations, â€Å"I don't want this to come to a fight.† â€Å"Nor do I, Siobhan. You know that's the last thing I want.† He half-smiled. â€Å"Perhaps you should concentrate on keeping it peaceful.† â€Å"You know that won't help,† she said. I remembered Rose and Carlisle's discussion of the Irish leader; Carlisle believed that Siobhan had some subtle but powerful gift to make things go her way – and yet Siobhan didn't believe it herself. â€Å"It couldn't hurt,† Carlisle said. Siobhan rolled her eyes. â€Å"Shall I visualize the outcome I desire?† she asked sarcastically. Carlisle was openly grinning now. â€Å"If you don't mind.† â€Å"Then there is no need for my coven to declare itself, is there?† she retorted. â€Å"Since there is no possibility of a fight.† She put her hand back on Maggie's shoulder, pulling the girl closer to her. Siobhan's mate, Liam, stood silent and expressionless. Almost everyone else in the room looked mystified by Carlisle and Siobhan's clearly joking exchange, but they didn't explain themselves. That was the end of the dramatic speeches for the night. The group slowly dispersed, some off to hunt, some to while away the time with Carlisle's books or televisions or computers. Edward, Renesmee, and I went to hunt. Jacob tagged along. â€Å"Stupid leeches,† he muttered to himself when we got outside. â€Å"Think they're so superior.† He snorted. â€Å"They'll be shocked when the infants save their superior lives, won't they?† Edward said. Jake smiled and punched his shoulder. â€Å"Hell yeah, they will.† This wasn't our last hunting trip. We all would hunt again nearer to the time we expected the Volturi. As the deadline was not exact, we were planning to stay a few nights out in the big baseball clearing Alice had seen, just in case. All we knew was that they would come the day that the snow stuck to the ground. We didn't want the Volturi too close to town, and Demetri would lead them to wherever we were. I wondered who he would track in, and guessed that it would be Edward since he couldn't track me. I thought about Demetri while I hunted, paying little attention to my prey or the drifting snowflakes that had finally appeared but were melting before they touched the rocky soil. Would Demetri realize that he couldn't track me? What would he make of that? What would Aro? Or was Edward wrong? There were those little exceptions to what I could withstand, those ways around my shield. Everything that was outside my mind was vulnerable – open to the things Jasper, Alice, and Benjamin could do. Maybe Demetri's talent worked a little differently, too. And then I had a thought that brought me up short. The half-drained elk dropped from my hands to the stony ground. Snowflakes vaporized a few inches from the warm body with tiny sizzling sounds. I stared blankly at my bloody hands. Edward saw my reaction and hurried to my side, leaving his own kill undrained. â€Å"What's wrong?† he asked in a low voice, his eyes sweeping the forest around us, looking for whatever had triggered my behavior. â€Å"Renesmee,† I choked. â€Å"She's just through those trees,† he reassured me. â€Å"I can hear both her thoughts and Jacob's. She's fine.† â€Å"That's not what I meant,† I said. â€Å"I was thinking about my shield – you really think it's worth something, that it will help somehow. I know the others are hoping that I'll be able to shield Zafrina and Benjamin, even if I can only keep it up for a few seconds at a time. What if that's a mistake? What if your trust in me is the reason that we fail?† My voice was edging toward hysteria, though I had enough control to keep it low. I didn't want to upset Renesmee. â€Å"Bella, what brought this on? Of course, it s wonderful that you can protect yourself, but you're not responsible for saving anyone. Don't distress yourself needlessly.† â€Å"But what if I can't protect anything?† I whispered in gasps. â€Å"This thing I do, it's faulty, it's erratic! There's no rhyme or reason to it. Maybe it will do nothing against Alec at all.† â€Å"Shh,† he hushed me. â€Å"Don't panic. And don't worry about Alec. What he does is no different than what Jane or Zafrina does. It's just an illusion – he can't get inside your head any more than I can.† â€Å"But Renesmee does!† I hissed frantically through my teeth. â€Å"It seemed so natural, I never questioned it before. It's always been just part of who she is. But she puts her thoughts right into my head just like she does with everyone else. My shield has holes, Edward!† I stared at him desperately, waiting for him to acknowledge my terrible revelation. His lips were pursed, as if he was trying to decide how to phrase something. His expression was perfectly relaxed. â€Å"You thought of this a long time ago, didn't you?† I demanded, feeling like an idiot for my months of overlooking the obvious. He nodded, a faint smile pulling up one corner of his mouth. â€Å"The first time she touched you.† I sighed at my own stupidity, but his calm had mellowed me some. â€Å"And this doesn't bother you? You don't see it as a problem?† â€Å"I have two theories, one more likely than the other.† â€Å"Give me the least likely first.† â€Å"Well, she's your daughter,† he pointed out. â€Å"Genetically half you. I used to tease you about how your mind was on a different frequency than the rest of ours. Perhaps she runs on the same.† This didn't work for me. â€Å"But you hear her mind just fine. Everyone hears her mind. And what if Alec runs on a different frequency? What if – ?† He put a finger to my lips. â€Å"I've considered that. Which is why I think this next theory is much more likely.† I gritted my teeth and waited. â€Å"Do you remember what Carlisle said to me about her, right after she showed you that first memory?† Of course I remembered. â€Å"He said, It's an interesting twist. Like she's doing the exact opposite of what you can.'† â€Å"Yes. And so I wondered. Maybe she took your talent and flipped it, too.† I considered that. â€Å"You keep everyone out,† he began. â€Å"And no one keeps her out?† I finished hesitantly. â€Å"That's my theory,† he said. â€Å"And if she can get into your head, I doubt there's a shield on the planet who could keep her at bay. That will help. From what we've seen, no one can doubt the truth of her thoughts once they've allowed her to show them. And I think no one can keep her from showing them, if she gets close enough. If Aro allows her to explain___† I shuddered to think of Renesmee so close to Aro's greedy, milky eyes. â€Å"Well,† he said, rubbing my tight shoulders. â€Å"At least there's nothing that can stop him from seeing the truth.† â€Å"But is the truth enough to stop him?† I murmured. For that, Edward had no answer.