Eaters of The Dead :: essays papers

Eaters of The Dead â€Å"Eaters of the Dead† by Michael Crichton is a fiction but with historical background. Through this piece Crichton hopes to express the way of life for the Vikings in the year 922 AD while at the same time creating an entertaining story. Using a manuscript written by Ibn-Fadlan Crichton pieced together a book filled with adventure and excitement. Michael Crichton was born in Chicago, 1942 and always knew he had a talent for writing. He attended Brown University and has since published many books such as â€Å"Jurassic Park†, â€Å"The Rising Sun†, â€Å"Disclosure†, and many more. Several of his books have been made into movies, for example, â€Å"Jurassic Park†, â€Å"The Lost World†, â€Å"Sphere†, â€Å"Congo†, and â€Å"Eaters of the Dead† is coming to theatres this summer starring Antonio Banderas. Michael Crichton is also the writer of the hit TV show â€Å"ER†. Ibn-Fadlan is a refined Arab courtier representing the powerful Caliph of Baghdad and the whole story line is based on his travels. He is a Muslim and is sent to the Bulgar land to instruct the king in the Islamic religion, acquaint the king with Islamic laws, and build a Mosque in the city. Little does Ibn-Fadlan know where his travels will lead him. Wyglif is the present chief of the Northmen (at the time) he has fallen ill and is believed to have no chance of recovery. Once he dies, shortly after becoming ill, Buliwyf is made the new leader. Buliwyf is a young noble chosen to be the Northmens new leader once Wyglif dies. He is a courageous warrior, very tall and strong, and skin, hair, and beard of pure white. Herger, one of the Northmen warriors, also became Ibn-Fadlan’s friend. He helped him to translate the words of the Northmen and also helped Ibn-Fadlan become accustomed to their way of life and how to act around the Northmen. â€Å"The Wendols† are characters in the story who, as told by Ibn-Fadlan, do not seem fully human. They ride on the back of a black horse and have the head of a bear. They are extremely fierce warriors and are quite vindictive. They give off a stench so strong it hurts to breathe because they consume human flesh and it is always on their breath. They come with the mist, a dark fog that encircles the land when the Wendols come.

America Must Increase the Minimum Wage :: Increase Minimum Wage Essays

"Things like child care and sick leave and equal pay. Things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage. These ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of families. That is a fact. And that's what all of us — Republicans and Democrats alike — were sent to Washington to do..." -- President Obama, State of the Union address In the United States Minimum Wage is approaching record lows. Even with recent increases inflation is one of the main reasons that workers are being paid less for labor than they were back in the Seventies. There are about 3 million workers in the United States that worked full time year round last year and still fell below the National poverty level. If everyone earns exactly the same amount of money, then the income distribution would be perfectly equal. If no one earns any money except for one person, who earns all of the money, then the income distribution would be perfectly unequal. In a normal society Income Distribution is usually somewhere in the middle of perfectly equal or unequal. When a small number of people start receiving a large portion of the income in a society, the government tries to find ways to redistribute income. Governments try to stop the rich from getting richer, and the poor from getting poorer in order to achieve a good balance in income distribut ion. Minimum wage laws are a way that the federal and state governments balance income distribution. Minimum Wage is considered a price floor. Minimum wage laws determine the lowest price possible that any employer must pay for labor. In the traditional minimum wage model the quantity of supplied labor is greater then the quantity demanded. Minimum wage is above equilibrium price and quantity. Minimum wage prevents labor supplied and labor demanded from moving toward equilibrium price and quantity. Minimum wage levels become the floor and wages can not fall below the floor price.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first two Minimum wage graphs a study that was done in New Jersey to show the effects of a minimum wage increase in employment. One of the main arguments against increasing minimum wage is that it would cause an increase in job loss. The graphs show that there was not a huge difference in employment when New Jersey after they increased minimum wage from $4.

Change Foreign Policy to Win the War on Terrorism :: Politics Political Essays

There are many advocacy groups that have long been doing important good works in the international arena, but on issues that have not officially been seen as being a proper part of foreign policy: the environment, human rights, women's rights, the condition of children, labor, international public health issues (e.g., AIDS in Africa), sustainable development, refugees, international education, and so on. The metaphors that foreign policy experts have used to define what foreign policy is rules out these important concerns. Those metaphors involve self-interest (e.g., the Rational Actor Model), stability (a physics metaphor), industrialization (unindustrialized nations are "underdeveloped"), and trade (freedom is free trade). I would like to propose an alternative way of thinking about foreign policy under which all these issues would become a natural part of what foreign policy is about. The premise is that, when international relations work smoothly, it is because certain moral norms of the international community are being followed. This mostly goes unnoticed, since those norms are usually followed. We notice problems when those norms are breached. Given this, it makes sense that foreign policy should be centered around those norms. The moral norms I suggest come out of what I called in Moral Politics "nurturant morality." It is a view of ethical behavior that centers on (a) empathy and (b) responsibility (for both yourself and others needing your help). Many things follow from these central principles: fairness, minimal violence (e.g., justice without vengeance), an ethic of care, protection of those needing it, a recognition of interdependence, cooperation for the common good, the building of community, mutual respect, and so on. When applied to foreign policy, nurturant moral norms would lead the American government to uphold the ABM treaty, sign the Kyoto accords, engage in a form of globalization governed by an ethics of care-and it would automatically make all the concerns listed above (e.g., the environment, women's rights) part of our foreign policy. This, of course, implies (a) multilateralism, (b) interdependence, and (c) international cooperation. But these three principles, without nurturant norms, can equally well apply to the Bush administration's continuance of its foreign policy. Bush's foreign policy, as he announced in the election campaign, has been one of self-interest ("what's in the best interest of the United States")-if not outright hegemony (the Cheney/Rumsfeld position). The Democratic leaders incorrectly criticized Bush for being isolationist and unilateralist, on issues like the Kyoto accords and the ABM Treaty.

Employee Involvement Case Essay

For the case 1 â€Å"the sugar substitute research decision†, I will choose high involvement, which is let the subordinates to discuss the problems and identify a solution. So the entire decision-making process is handed over to employees, identify the problems, choose the best alternative and implement their choice. For the second case â€Å"coast guard cutter decision problem†, I will choose the low involvement, which is ask one or more subordinates foe information relating to the problem, but you don’t ask for their recommendations and might not mention the problem to them. So they don’t make recommendations and only participation involves is asking employees for information. Discussion Question 2 The first factor led me to choose high involvement is the decision structure; this problem is not programmed decision but a little bit complexity and more opportunity. This product need to take some source away from other projects in order to required some time and resources before it would be commercially stage. Second, source of decision knowledge could show that the leader lack sufficient knowledge and subordinates have addition information to improve decision quality. I don’t know much about demand is expected and the sugar substitute project beyond my technical expertise. However, the R&D lab researchers are familiar with that field of chemistry. Third, the decision commitment is trended to improve if high level of involvement to her decision. If the employees are unlikely to accept a decision made without their involvement, some level of involvement should be used. For this case, the company R&D budget is limited and other scientist in my group has recently complained th at they require more resources and financial support to get their projects completed. So the employees’ complaints make me chose high involvement. Also, the employees ‘committed make me believe that they have promise to ensure the company’s interest are achieved so that I should give them more involvement to ensure the project could be finished without conflict. For the second case, the first factor led me to choose low involvement is that this is likely programmd decisions which are follow  standard operating procedures and they have been resolved in past. So there is little needs for high involvement that may waste of time under this necessary and risk situation. Second, the leader has much knowledge to solve this problem which may occur in the past, and as the captain, I totally understand the mission and the goal for the mission. So that may need less recommendation from other employees who lack of experiences and abilities. However, the low involvement not no involvement, so I received an update weather advisory concerning the severity and duration of the storm, which is important to making decision. Moreover, the decision must be made shortly by facing a lot of risks. So if take long time to make high involvement may lead to unnecessary dangers. Third, the factor of risk of conflict is depend on the situation between the employee goals and norms conflict with the organization’s goals, and this would be take low involvement. Also, if there is low conflict that the employees will reach agreement on the preferred solution, then take low involvement. For this case, my crew members are extremely conscientious about their responsibility, so I don’t need to take additional time to take high involvement under this low conflict with the preferred solutions. Discussion Question 3 To the first case, if take low involvement may take longer time to solve this problem due to the fact that the leader has less knowledge about this technology of projects. Less involvement will not help to improve the number and quality of solutions generated. This case is complex so that need to prepare several alternatives with more available information which the employees who has more knowledge are good to support. Also, with the diverse perspectives and boarder representation of value may help to improve the likelihood of choosing the best alter nativities. Besides, these projects are group work in this organization, providing more involvement is good to make staff fell personally responsible for its success. However, the low involvement may lead to lower turnover, motivation and satisfaction. Moreover, if the leader uses low involvement, there is many more compliant and most likely to resist changes resulting from the decision by leader alone. To the second case, the higher involvement was taken, the higher risk could occur during the decision making. The reason is that the research has  been doing for 20 hours and the weather are more likely to affect the lives in the vessel. So taking time longer to do involvement are defiantly dangers. Also, the captain must be the one who has valuable experiences and ability to make the most perfect decision. So taking long time to doing high involvement could make the whole team lost of control. After all, everybody has different attitude and value that may have conflicts with the mission and the whole organization when they face the risk situation. Furthermore, too low involvement or no involvement may also make wrong decision, so the necessary information from weather advisory concerning are useful for helping the captain decrease the mistake when making the decision in the short time.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 12

Poppy was lying there on the white velvet lining, eyes shut. She looked very pale and strangely beautiful-but was she dead? â€Å"Wake up,† James said. He put his hand on hers.Phillip had the feeling that he was calling with hismind as well as his voice. There was an agonizingly long minute while nothing happened. James put his other hand under Poppy's neck, lifting her just slightly. â€Å"Poppy, it's time. Wake up. Wake up.† Poppy's eyelashes fluttered. Something jarred violently in Phillip. He wanted togive a yell of victory and pound the grass. He alsowanted to run way. Finally he just collapsed by thegraveside, his knees giving out altogether. â€Å"Come on, Poppy. Get up. We have to go.† James was speaking in a gentle, insistent voice, as if he weretalking to someone coming out of anesthesia. Which was exactly how Poppy looked. As Philwatched with fascination and awe and dread, sheblinked and rolled her head a little, then opened her eyes. She shut them again almost immediately, butJames went on talking to her, and the next time she opened them they stayed open. Then, with James urging her gently, she sat up. â€Å"Poppy, â€Å"Phil said. An involuntary outburst. His chest was swelling, burning. Poppy looked up, then squinted and turned immediately from the beam of the flashlight. She lookedannoyed. â€Å"Come on,† James said, helping her out of theopen half of the casket. It wasn't hard; Poppy was small. With James holding her arm, she stood on theclosed half of the casket, and Phil reached into the hole and pulled her up. Then, with somethinglike a convulsion,hehugged her. When he pulled back, she blinked at him. A slightfrown puckered her forehead. She licked her indexfinger and drew the wet finger across his cheek. â€Å"You're filthy,† she said. She could talk. She didn't have red eyes and achalky face. She was really alive. Weak with relief, Phil hugged her again. â€Å"Oh, God,Poppy, you're okay. You're okay.† He barely noticed that she wasn't hugging himback. James scrambled out of the hole. â€Å"How do you feel, Poppy?† he said. Not a politeness. A quiet, probing question. Poppy looked at him, and then at Phillip. â€Å"I feel†¦fine.† â€Å"That's good,† James said, still watching her as ifshe were a six-hundred-pound schizophrenic gorilla. â€Å"I feel†¦hungry,† Poppy said, in the same pleasant, musical voice she'd used before. Phil blinked. â€Å"Why don't you come over here, Phil?† James said, making a gesture behind him. Phil was beginning to feel very uneasy. Poppy was†¦ could she besmellinghim? Not loud, wet sniffs, but the delicate little sniffs of a cat. She was nosingaround his shoulder. â€Å"Phil, I think you should come around over here,† James said, with more emphasis. But what happenednext happened too quickly for Phil even to startmoving. Delicate hands clenched like steel around his biceps. Poppy smiled at him with very sharp teeth, thendarted like a striking cobra for his throat. I'm going to die, Phil thought with a curious calm. He couldn't fight her. But her first strike missed. Thesharp teeth grazed his throat like two burning pokers. â€Å"No, you don't,† James said. He looped an arm around Poppy's waist, lifting her off Phil. Poppy gave a disappointed wail. As Phil struggled to his feet, she watched him the way a cat watchesan interesting insect. Never taking her eyes off him,not even when James spoke to her. â€Å"That's your brother, Phil. Your twin brother. Remember?† Poppy just stared at Phil with hugely dilated pupils.Phil realized that she looked not only pale and beautiful but dazed and starving. â€Å"My brother? One of our kind?† Poppy said,soundingpuzzled. Her nostrils quivered and her lipsparted. â€Å"He doesn't smell like it.† â€Å"No, he's,not one of our kind, but he's not forbiting, either. You're going to have to wait just a littlewhile to feed.† To Phillip, he said, â€Å"Let's get this hole filled in, fast.† Phillip couldn't move at first. Poppywas stillwatching him in that dreamy but intense way. Shestood there in the darkness in her best white dress, supple as a lily, with her hair fallingaround her face.And she looked at him with the eyes of a jaguar. She wasn't human anymore. She was somethingother.She'd said it herself, she and James were ofone kind and Phil was something different. She belonged to the Night World now. Oh, God, maybe we should just have let her die,Phil thought, and picked up a shovel with loose and trembling hands. James had already gotten the lid back on the vault. Phil shoveled dirt on it withoutlooking at where it landed. His head wobbled as ifhis neck were a pipe cleaner. â€Å"Don't be anidiot,† avoice said, and hard fingersclosed on Phil's wrist briefly. Through a blur, Philsaw James. â€Å"She's not better off dead. She's just confused rightnow. This istemporary,all right?† The words were brusque, but Phil felt a tiny surgeof comfort. Maybe James was right. Life was good,in whatever form. And Poppy had chosen this. Still, she'd changed, and only time would tellhow much. One thing-Phil had made the mistake of thinkingthat vampires were like humans. He'd gotten so comfortable with James that he'd almost forgotten theirdifferences. He wouldn't make that mistake again. Poppy felt wonderful-in almost every way. She felt secret and strong. She felt poetic and full of possibility. She felt as if she'd sloughed off her oldbody like a snake shedding its skin, to reveal a fresh new body underneath. And she knew, without being quite sure how sheknew, that she didn't have cancer. It was gone, the terrible thing that had been running wild inside her. Her new body had killed it andabsorbed it somehow. Or maybe it was just that every cell that made up Poppy North, every molecule,had changed. However It was, she felt vibrant and healthy. Notjust better than she had before she'd gotten the cancer, but better than she could remember feeling inher life. She was strangely aware of her own body,and her muscles and joints all seemed to be workingin a way that was sweet and almost magical. The only problem was that she was hungry. It wastaking all her willpower not to pounce on the blondguy in the hole.Phillip.Her brother. Sheknewhe was her brother, but he was alsohuman and she could sense therichstuff, lush with life, that was coursing through his veins. The electrifying fluid she needed to survive. So jump him, part of her mind whispered. Poppyfrowned and tried to wiggle away from the thought.She felt something in her mouth nudging her lowerlip, and she poked her thumb at it instinctively. It was a tooth. A delicate curving tooth. Both hercanine teeth were long and pointed and verysensitive. How weird. She rubbed at the new teeth gently,then cautiously explored them with her tongue. Shepressed them against her lip. After a moment they shrank to normal size. If shethought about humans full of blood like berries, theygrew again. Hey, look what I can dot But she didn't bother the two grimy boys whowere filling in the hole. She glanced around and triedto distract herself instead. Strange-it didn't really seem to be either day ornight.-Maybe there was an eclipse. It was too dim tobe daytime, but far too bright for nighttime. Shecould see the leaves on the maple trees and the graySpanish moss hanging from the oak trees. Tiny moths were fluttering around the moss, and she could seetheir pale wings. When she looked at the sky, she got a shock. There was something floating there, a giant round thing thatblazed with silvery light. Poppy thought of spaceships,of alien worlds, before she realized the truth. It was themoon.Just an ordinary full moon. Andthe reason it looked so big and throbbing with lightwas that she had night vision. That was why shecould see the moths, too. All her senses were keen. Delicious smells waftedby her, the smells of small burrowing animals andfluttering dainty birds. On the wind came a tantalizing hint of rabbit. And she couldhearthings. Once she whipped herhead around as a dog barked right beside her. Then she realized that it was far away, outside the cemetery. It only sounded close. I'll bet I can run fast, too, she thought. Her legsfelt tingly. She wanted to go running out into thelovely, gloriously-scented night, to be one with it.She waspartof it now. James,she said. And the strange thing was that shesaid it without saying it out loud. It was somethingshe knew how to do without thinking. James looked up from his shoveling.Hang on,hesaid the same way.We're almost done, kiddo. Then you'll teach me to hunt? He nodded, just slightly. His hair was falling overhis forehead and he looked adorably grubby. Poppyfelt as if she'd never really seen him before-because now she was seeing him with new senses. Jameswasn't just silky brown hair and enigmatic gray eyesand a lithe-muscled body. He was the smell of winterrain and the sound of his predator's heartbeat andthe silvery aura of power she could feel around him. She could sense his mind, lean and tiger-tough but somehow gentle and almost wistful at the same time. We're hunting partners now,she told him eagerly,and he smiled an acknowledgment. But underneath she felt that he was worried. He was either sad or anxious about something, something he was keeping from her. She couldn't think about it. She didn't feel hungryanymore †¦she felt strange. As if she was having trouble getting enough air. James and Phillip were shaking out the tarps, unrolling strips of fresh sod to cover the grave. Hergrave. Funny she hadn't really thought about thatbefore. She'd been lying in a grave-she ought tofeel repulsed or scared. She didn't. She didn't remember being in there atall-didn't remember anything from the time she'dfallen asleep in her bedroom until she'd woken upwith James calling her. Except a dream †¦ â€Å"Okay,† James said. He was folding up a tarp. â€Å"We can go. How're you feeling?† â€Å"Ummm. . a little weird. I can't get a deepbreath.† â€Å"Neither can I,† Phil said. He was breathing hardand wiping his forehead. â€Å"I didn't know grave digging was such hard work.† James gave Poppy a searching look. â€Å"Do you thinkyou can make it back to my apartment?† â€Å"Hmm? I guess.† Poppy didn't actually know whathe was talking about. Make it how? And why shouldgoing to his apartment help her to breathe? â€Å"I've got a couple of safe donors there in the building,† James said. â€Å"I don't really want you out on thestreets, and I think you'll make it there okay.† Poppy didn't ask what he meant. She was having trouble thinking clearly. James wanted her to hide in the backseat of hiscar. Poppy refused. She needed to sit up front and tofeel the night air on her face. â€Å"Okay,† James said at last. â€Å"But at least sort ofcover your face with your arm. I'll drive on backroads. Youcan'tbe seen, Poppy.† There didn't seem to be anyone on the streets tosee her. The air whipping her cheeks was cool andgood, but it didn't help her breathing. No matter howshe tried, she couldn't seem to get a proper breath. I'm hyperventilating, she thought. Her heart wasracing, her lips and tongue felt parchment-dry. And still she had the feeling of being air-starved. What'shappening to me? Then the pain started. Agonizing seizures in her muscles-like the crampsshe used to get when she went out for track in juniorhigh. Vaguely, through the pain, she rememberedsomething the P.E. teacher had said.†Thecrampscome when your muscles don't get enough blood. A charley horseis a clump of muscles starving to death.† Oh, ithurt.It hurt.She couldn't even call to James for help, now; all she could do was hang on to thecar door and try to breathe. She was whooping andwheezing, but it wasn't any good. Cramps everywhere-and now she was so dizzythat she saw the world through sparkling lights. She. was dying. Something hadgone terriblywrong. She felt as if she were underwater, tryingdesperately to claw her way to oxygen-only therewas nooxygen. And then she saw the way. Or smelled it, actually. Thecar was stopped at a redlight. Poppy's head and shoulders were out the windowby now-and suddenly she caught a whiff of life. Life.What she needed. She didn't think, she simplyacted. With one motion she threw the car door open and plunged out. She heard Phil's shout behind her and James'sshout in her head. She ignored both of them. Nothing mattered except stopping the pain. She grabbed for the man on the sidewalk the waya drowning swimmer grabs at a rescuer. Instinctively. He was tall and strong for a human. He was wearinga dark sweatsuit and a bomber jacket. His face wasstubbly and his skin wasn't exactly clean, but thatwasn't important. She wasn't interested in the con tainer, only in the lovely sticky red stuff inside. This time her strike was perfectly accurate. Herwonderful teeth extended like claws and stabbed intothe man's throat. Puncturing him like one of thoseold-fashioned bottle openers. He struggled a little and then went limp. And then she was drinking, her throat drenched in copper-sweetness. Sheer animal hunger took over as she tapped his veins. The liquid filling her mouthwas wild and raw and primal and every swallow gaveher new life. She drank and drank, and felt the pain disappear.In its place was a euphoric lightness.When she paused to breathe, she could feel her lungs swell withcool, blessed air. She bent to drink again, to suck, lap, tipple. Theman had a clear bubbling stream inside him, and shewanted it all. That was when James pulled her head back. He spoke both aloud and in her mind and his voicewas collected but intense. â€Å"Poppy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.It was my fault. I shouldn't have made you wait solong. But you've had enough now. You can stop.† Oh†¦confusion. Poppy was peripherally aware of Phillip, her brother Phillip, looking on in horror. James said shecouldstop, but that didn't mean she had to. She didn'twantto. The man wasn't fightingat all now. He seemed to be unconscious. She bent down again. James pulled her back upalmost roughly. â€Å"Listen,† he said. His eyes were level, but his voicewas hard. â€Å"This is the time you can choose, Poppy.Do youreallywant to kill?† The words shocked her back to awareness. To kill†¦that was the way to get power, she knew. Bloodwas power and life and energy and food and drink.If she drained this man like squeezing an orange, shewould have the power of his very essence. Whoknew what she might be able to do then? But†¦he was a man, not an orange. A humanbeing. She'd been one of those once. Slowly, reluctantly, she lifted herself off the man.James let out a long breath. He patted her shoulderand sat down on the sidewalk as if too tired to stand up right then. Phil was slumped against the wall of the nearestbuilding. He was appalled, and Poppy could feel it. She couldeven pick up words he was thinking-words likeghastly andamoral.A whole sentence that went something like†Is it worth it to save her life if she's lost her soul?† James jerked around to look at him, and Poppy couldfeel the silver flare of his anger. â€Å"You just don't get it,do you?† he said savagely. â€Å"She could have attackedyou anytime, but she didn't, even though she wasdying. You don't know what the bloodlust feels like.It's not like being thirsty-it's like suffocating. Your cells start to die from oxygen starvation, because your own blood can't carry oxygen to them. It's the worst painthere is, but she didn't go after you to make it stop.† Phillip looked staggered. He stared at Poppy, thenheld out a hand uncertainly. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. â€Å"Forget it,† James said shortly. He turned his backon Phil and examined the man. Poppy could feel himextend his mind. â€Å"I'm telling him to forget this,† hesaid to Poppy. â€Å"All he needs is some rest, and he might as well do that right here. See, the woundsare already healing.† Poppy saw, but she couldn't feel happy. She knewPhil still disapproved of her. Not just for somethingshe'd done, but for what shewas. What's happened to me?she asked James, throwingherself into his arms. Have I turned into something awful? He held her fiercely.You're just different. Not awful. Phil's a jerk. She wanted to laugh at that. But she could feel atremor of sadness behind his protective love. It wasthe same anxious sadness she'd sensed in him earlier.James didn't like being a predator, and now he'dmade Poppy one, too. Their plan had succeeded brilliantly-and Poppy would never be the old PoppyNorth again. And although she could hear his thoughts, itwasn't exactly like the total immersion when they'dexchanged blood. They might not ever have that togetherness again. â€Å"There wasn't any other choice,† Poppy. saidstoutly, and she said it aloud. â€Å"We did what we hadto do. Now we have to make the best of it.† You're a bravegirl.Did I ever tell you that? No. And if you did, I don't mind hearing it again. But they drove to James's apartment building in silence, with Phil's depression weighing heavily inthe backseat. â€Å"Look, you can take the car back to your house,† James said as he unloaded the equipment and Poppy's clothes into his carport. â€Å"I don't want to bringPoppy anywhere near there, and I don't want toleave her alone.† Phil glanced up at the dark two-story building asif something had just struck him. Then he cleared histhroat. Poppy knew why-James's apartment was anotorious place, and she'd never been allowed to visitit at night. Apparently Phil still had some brotherlyconcern for his vampire sister. â€Å"You, uh, can't justtake her to your parents' house?† â€Å"How many times do I have to explain? No, I can'ttake her to my parents, because my parents don't knowshe's a vampire. Right at the moment she's an illegalvampire, a renegade, which means she's got to be kept a secret until I can straighten things out–somehow.': â€Å"How-† Phil stopped and shook his head. â€Å"Okay.Not tonight. We'll talk about it later.† â€Å"No, ‘we' won't,† James said harshly. â€Å"You're nota part of this anymore. It's up to Poppy and me. All you need to do is go back and live your normal lifeand keep your mouth shut.† Phil started to say something else, then caughthimself. He took the keys from James. Then he looked at Poppy. â€Å"I'm glad you're alive. I love you,† he said. Poppy knew that he wanted to-hug her, but something kept both of them back. There was an emptiness in Poppy's chest. â€Å"Bye, Phil,† she said, and he got in the car and left.

How to monitor children Essay

Explain how to monitor children and young people’s development using different methods. Observations are an important part of a teaching assistants role as feedback given to teachers is valuable as the teacher will then be able to report back to parents and carers on pupils progress. This sharing of information between teacher and parent will enable them to work together in the pupils best interests. Informal observations are those which are carried out on a daily basis as you work with pupils you may notice a child is having difficulty understanding a new concept you would them pass this information on to the teacher as part of the feedback process. We also use summative and formative methods of assessment such as formal testing i.e. SATS which record a child’s academic and intellectual development. You may use sampling methods – tick box checklists and time sampling methods or simply to undertake an observation. It is important with all methods of monitoring to record the feedback to teachers/parents about your findings. You would compare these observations SATS testing results against normal milestones and expected developmental age statistics and information from parents. You should also take into account a child’s cultural needs as these may create developmental delay (they may be delayed if they are not using their first language).

Gay Marriage †persuasive essa Essay

Everyone dreams of one day becoming married and having a family, and most of the time this dream is fulfilled, that is, if they are straight. As each year passes by, there seems to be an increasing number of gay couples that aspire to become married. Even though gay marriage is becoming an extremely popular topic, people begin to realize that it does either one of two things (unless they are apathetic on the issue); gay marriage puts a strain on the outlook of society or it opens up many opportunities for the gay couples themselves. Bishops and other religious figures of the church feel that gay marriage is appalling, and should be abolished from society. The article mentioned in the National Catholic Reporter, â€Å"Bishops Warn of Dangers to Marriage,† it is revealed that bishops believe same-sex marriage is â€Å"one of the most troubling developments in contemporary culture. † (Roberts 2). According to text, the first command given to Adam and Eve was â€Å"be fertile and multiply† (National Catholic Reporter). The culture of America is perceived to be a family consisting of one mother, one father, and however many kids are desired; however, if same-sex marriage were to be allowed, it would diminish all natural aspects of our culture. Bishops of the Church believe that it is â€Å"in the offspring† where â€Å"married love finds its crowning glory† (Roberts 2). To reiterate into other words, the greatest achievement of marriage is found in the child created by that man and woman. Though one may not believe in Christ or anything to do with religion, the Church is against gay marriage because they believe that men and women were created to produce fertile offspring, a task impossible for gay couples. Most people against gay marriage agree that it can nit and should not be permitted because the female necessitates a dominant male figure to protect her. In the Weekly Standard, â€Å"The Worst Thing About Gay Marriage,† teaches us that â€Å"marriage is a part of a kinship system† and kinship depends on the â€Å"protection, organization, and often exploitation of female sexuality vis-i -vis male† (Schulman 3). Women and children have suffered and will continue to suffer from being over-protected and controlled, but the consequence of under-protection and indifference will be immeasurably worse (Schulman 4). It is understandable that over-protected women feel effected by the matter, but at least they are guaranteed someone to be there when in danger, while on the other hand, under-protected women are far more vulnerable. We realize that marriage is above all, â€Å"concerned with female sexuality† and that kinship depends on the protection of women from â€Å"rape, degradation, and concubinage† (Schulman 2). This is why marriage between and man and woman has been necessary in virtually every society ever known (Schulman 2). In other words, it is a priority to attain a male-female relationship in order to create the safest possible environment for the female. Same-sex marriage cannot offer the appropriate assurance for the female’s safety due to the lack of a male figure designed to protect. Often, marriage leads to the desire for kids, and adoption is the only way that desire can be fulfilled for homosexual couples, which can tremendously affect the child’s path in being raised as a normal kid. Psychological Reports, as mentioned in Paul Cameron and Ellen C. Perrin’s â€Å"Insight on the News,† tested 52 families and ninety-two percent of the children in those families â€Å"mentioned one or more ‘problems'† which included â€Å"hyper sexuality, instability, molestation, and domestic violence† (Cameron and Perrin 2). A great majority of kids growing up in a home with homosexual parents find it to do so because they are lacking either a mother or a father, who are both vital participants in childhood. On one Insight on the News interview, a nine year old girl growing up with gay parents reveals her feelings of discomfort at home and how â€Å"all of a sudden [she] felt like a different person because [her] mom was a lesbian† (Cameron and Perrin 2). Every marriage between a man and a woman is capable of giving any child that they create or adopt a mother and a father, which is the opposite for gay couples (Gallagher 109). Gay adoption can be a negative part of a child’s life because it is usually found to be hard on the child growing up, due to the fact that they lack either a mother or father figure. While a high number of individuals are against gay marriage, there are also the ones who believe everyone should be granted equal rights. America has always been set on the idea of equality for all because â€Å"our fathers brought forth this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all mean are created equal† (Lincoln). Sadly this nation has taken a long time to live up to that promise of equality (Olson 2). Society encourages marriage because of the commitment not only to each other but also to their families which creates a union between the two; however, society doesn’t seem to accept this same idea for homosexuals. If same-sex marriage were to be legalized, it would be†recognition of basic American principles† as it would â€Å"represent our nation’s commitment to equal rights† (Olson 2). Historical figures from America’s history to now have always promised equal rights for everyone, yet hays seem to continue to be discriminated against. The basis of America has always been freedom and equality for all, discarding all of homosexuals who are granted limited marriage rights. As mentioned earlier, marriage naturally leads to the aspiration for having children, and adoption is the only way for homosexual couples to do so, which in the end is a positive side of gay marriage because it opens up the doors for a child in need of a loving home. As stated in The First Post, there are never enough parents to adopt out all of the children in foster care homes, so â€Å"whether the family is gay or straight† it is usually â€Å"better than the foster-care system† (1). Gay adoption can open up many opportunities for the children trapped in the foster-care system because they will be showed the love and other vital aspects of childhood that would never be expressed in foster-care. A new twenty five year study, as mentioned in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, shows that children of gay parents showed higher ratings than their peers in â€Å"social, academic, and overall competence† and â€Å"lower in aggressive behavior† (Manford and Chrisler 1). Children of gay parents are overall better off than children with heterosexual divorced parents because they have two full-time parental figures that are always there for them (Manford and Chrisler 1). Children of gay parents demonstrate a more confident statue mainly because they are supported by two parents, whereas an increasing majority of children have divorced parents. A positive idea of gay marriage is gay adoption because it creates a positive outlook for kids who thought they would never have a chance in the foster-care system. Many people against gay marriage believe that it ruins the prosperity of heterosexual marriage, when in reality they just search for any possible reason to make gay marriage appear as an unspeakable issue. In his editorial found on About. com, Tom Head explains that in the countries that have legalized same-sex marriage, the rate of heterosexual marriage has either â€Å"gone up, remained stable, or declined consistent with other countries in the region that do not recognize same-sex marriage† (Head 1). In other words, gay marriage has absolutely no affect on heterosexual marriage as shown in the statistics of Tom Head’s editorial, because the rates of heterosexual marriages stay the same as they would if gay couples didn’t exist. Found on the Daily Paul Liberty Forum, Bruce Hausknecht admits that â€Å"there is no aspect of family life† that is impacted by a homosexual agenda that is â€Å"fundamentally at odds with the biblical view of marriage and sexuality† (Hausknecht 1). To recap, there is no family containing heterosexual parents that is impacted by the views of gay marriage; gay marriage isn’t harming anyone. An optimistic outlook on gay marriage is the idea of it harming nobody, especially heterosexual marriages, which is a main target in trying to destroy gay marriage. Gay marriage has always been and will continue to be a highly controversial issue among the believers and non-believers. There will always be those people who oppose gay marriage, accepting that male-female marriage was generated to produce fertile offspring. There will also be those who want equality for all. These two beliefs are the basis of the controversy of the issue, and it will continue to be until gay marriage is accepted in society.