Gun Limitation Proponents and Opponents of Gun Control

Introduction The debate about gun control and limitation in America recently took a sharp turn when the U.S. president attempted to push for the legislation of a more restrictive firearm law without success.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Limitation: Proponents and Opponents of Gun Control specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The failure to enact legislation for more restrictive gun laws present more challenges. It means that dangerous gun owners may still endanger the lives of Americans. The recent violence and unselective killing of American citizens may probably continue. Advocacy for or against gun control in the country has divided Americans in terms of thoughts. The supporters of gun limitation are concerned about escalating cases of violence associated with firearms. For example, the inhumane killing of â€Å"twenty children and seven staff members at the Sandy Hook Elementary School† by one Americ a gun owner was a traumatizing experience (The White House). However, opponents of gun limitation and control appear untroubled by such occurrences. Instead, their concern normally relates to the notion that gun control can deny them their constitutional rights pertaining to self-defense. This paper presents the concerns of both proponents and opponents of gun control. Arguments against Gun Control and Limitation The opponents of gun control and limitation normally argue that the Second Amendment explicitly offer them an opportunity to own firearms. Particularly, they own firearms for self-protection against criminals and a tyrannical government (Gischler 7). The interpretation of Second Amendment is still work in progress towards attaining a consensus. However, there is no consensus about the interpretation of the clause. Opponents of gun control believe that the Second Amendment aimed at protecting Americans against a government that intends to take away their rights to own guns ( Gischler 7). The opponents seek to continue enjoying their gun ownership rights because the constitution provides for the regulated militia. They argue that it was the intention of the Second Amendment to keep the firearms and contribute to the promotion of security (Gold18). Opponents of gun regulation have also suggested that controlling firearm ownership and use usurps the rights of law abiding Americans. They have presented strong cases regarding the notion that gun limitation present more challenges associated with unnecessary stringent laws (Gold19).Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the Americans observe that they do not need more regulations because they are already adhering to the minimum laws on gun ownership. The people who use guns for recreation and leisure activities also fear that gun control and limitation initiatives might take away their rights for such engagements (Crooker 45). Finally, the opponents reject gun control and limitation initiatives because they are highly ineffective. They criticize gun control for failing to stop or reduce firearm violence. The Chicago State has featured extensively in the opponents arguments seeking to show the ineffectiveness of the original gun control legislations (Tushnet 6). Their main argument has revolved around the statistics that emerged indicating that in a single year five hundred people died because of gun violence and gun wounds in Chicago. For them, the control and limitation initiatives aimed at regulating firearm ownership and use cannot generate positive results (Goss 117). They also observe that guns are not responsible for killing people. Instead, people are responsible for the death of others. People who are killers can murder others using any weapon and guns. Therefore, they declare that targeting guns through legislations indicates mischief. Arguments for Gun Control and Limitation The proponents of gun control and limitation have advanced different arguments in support of such initiatives. The supporters argue that Americans should collaborate in efforts aimed at reducing or stopping unnecessary murder cases similar to the killings that occurred recently (Gold18). The recent firearm violence and haphazard killing of innocent Americans should be brought under control through legislating more restrictive gun laws to control ownership and use of the deadly weapons (The White House). Furthermore, the proponents suggest that gun limitation is crucial to reducing homicide cases in the country. Therefore, gun control and limitation is simply concerned with ensuring that dangerous people do not access guns (Gischler 7). The proponents have also promised that gun control initiatives are not focused on taking away the rights of Americans to own and use firearms. The proponents also argue that gun limitation initiatives seek to offer law enforcement departme nts more tools to check and prosecute shotgun violence (The White House).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Limitation: Proponents and Opponents of Gun Control specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The apparatus that gun control and limitation intend to apply include the integration of background checks on all activities associated with gun sales or exchange among individuals. Background checks are crucial to ensuring that dangerous Americans do not access firearms (Magoon 55). Gun control initiatives seek to close firearm loopholes particularly to dangerous Americans interested in purchasing guns. Furthermore, gun control is not about taking away the rights of Americans to own and use guns. The initiatives aim at ensuring that people do not own stronger attack rifles (Magoon 54). The strong weapons include assault firearms that can kill many people at a go. Gun control also seeks to allow government agencies to co nduct robust research into the key issues that cause deaths associated with firearms and suggest appropriate ways of averting further killings (The White House). Works Cited Crooker, Constance E.  Historic Guide to Gun Control. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003. Print. Gischler, Katrin.  Why Has Gun Control Become Such a Contentious Issue in American Politics? München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2007. Print. Gold, Susan D.  Gun Control. New York: Benchmark Books, 2004. Print. Goss, Kristin A.  Disarmed: The Missing Movement for Gun Control in America. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010. Print. Magoon, Kekla.  Gun Control. Edina, Minn: ABDO Pub, 2008. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The White House. Now is the time to do something about gun violence. 2013. Web. Tushnet, Mark.  Out of Range: Why the Constitution Can’t End the Battle Over Guns. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. This essay on Gun Limitation: Proponents and Opponents of Gun Control was written and submitted by user Zachery Little to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Essay Expert Gets Political Governor Walker and Proposed Legal Services Cuts

The Essay Expert Gets Political Governor Walker and Proposed Legal Services Cuts Grammatically Correct vs. Politically Correct? I generally tend to stay away from politics (they dont have a lot to do with grammar and writing). The closest I’ve come in my blog to anything political was calling out President Obama on a slip of tongue in his Tucson speech (he said â€Å"tenant† when he meant â€Å"tenet†). Living in Madison, Wisconsin, however, has made it nearly impossible to stay completely out of the trajectory of political goings on. Today, I read something that hit home. The Essay Experts Past Life as a Lawyer As some of you know, I used to be a civil legal services lawyer in Brooklyn, New York.   I spent my days advocating for people with HIV, tenants faced with eviction, and other clients whose benefits were being reduced or denied improperly.   I literally saved lives. After I had worked for five years in my organization’s HIV Legal Unit, funding was cut for HIV legal services in favor of purely health-related services for this population.   I knew, as did other legal services providers, that the help we gave these clients prevented huge amounts of stress that would have made the clients sick; our services also prevented homelessness, which is a particular health hazard for people with HIV.   The legal services lobby, however, failed to convince our government funders that they should maintain our funding. Governor Walker Cuts  Legal Services Im reminded of this piece of my past life because today I received the news that state funding for Wisconsins civil legal services program would be eliminated by Governor Walker’s proposed budget.   As reported by the Wisconsin Law Journal: Civil legal service providers for poor people in Wisconsin are facing substantial cuts pending the inclusion of a budget proposal that eliminates all state money for those organizations. Loss of the state money would result in 46 positions [at Legal Action Wisconsin] being eliminated, [representing] 42 percent of the Legal Action’s staff. Walker’s proposal would shift money allotted to civil legal service providers to support pay increases for assistant district attorneys and also for additional court reporters in the state. The State Bar of Wisconsin further reports that funding would be eliminated for data collection to study the extent of racial profiling in Wisconsin.   According to the Bar, â€Å"the current state budget, enacted in 2009, significantly boosted  state funding for indigent civil legal needs†¦. A study released by the State Bar in March 2007 (Bridging the Justice Gap: Wisconsin’s Unmet Legal Needs)  showed that more than 500,000 state residents routinely cope with evictions, divorces and other critical legal issues on their own.† My Opinion on Governor Walkers Airtight Logic It looks like many of these 500,000 state residents will once again be on their own, after a welcome and long-fought-for reprieve that began only in 2009. As someone who has taken on representing indigent clients after they’ve attempted to represent themselves and failed, I can tell you there will be a lot of people losing their homes, and taxing other state resources, as a result of these funding cuts.   The legal system is no place for anyone untrained in the law.   In New York, even my peers who were brought to housing court relied heavily on legal counsel (sometimes mine), and made errors when they did not receive advice or follow it. Clients who came to my organization after attempting to negotiate the system themselves were often needlessly on the verge of eviction.   In contrast, almost no one was ever evicted on our watch. It seems to me that more forethought is in order before snatching away a help line to those who need it most, and for whom it is the difference between tenancy and homelessness, health and illness, minimal benefits or no income whatsoever, and perhaps even crime or no crime. Of course Walker has also proposed, as part of his budget, increased funding for assistant district attorneys.   I can see his logic: he is likely creating more work for them to do. Category:UncategorizedBy Brenda BernsteinMarch 7, 2011

SERVICE ENCOUNTERS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SERVICE ENCOUNTERS - Essay Example Attendant: No, it’s okay. Customer: But honestly you look so great! Have a great day ahead! The first line â€Å"I received the exact amount, Sir. Here’s your change† is an uptake because it leads the customer to express the following statement in the second line, â€Å"Thank you! You look so great today†. This line leads the other person to engage in another statement in the conversation, which is found in the third line, â€Å"Thanks, but honestly I’m not feeling well†. This statement leads to another reaction of the other party as stated in the fourth line, â€Å"You look fine and I think you don’t have a fever either†. This statement leads the other party to throw another line, â€Å"Yes, but it’s something personal†. This line leads the customer to say, â€Å"O! I’m sorry to remind you of that†. The attendant responded in the next line, â€Å"No, it’s okay†. Then finally, the custom er closed the conversation with this line, â€Å"But honestly you look so great! Have a great day ahead!†. Clearly, there were effective lines that can be considered as uptakes because the two persons were able to involve themselves in the conversation way beyond the actual point they are supposed to perform in the scenario. Drug Store A young man, a Christian and in his late 20s after purchasing everything from a drug store started to initiate a conversation with the sales attendant who looks somewhere in her late 30s. This happened when there were only two customers left as the rest were just served and then they moved away. Customer: I haven’t seen you for a while. Did you take your vacation leave? Attendant: Yes. I just wanted to spend time with my kids. Customer: Wow. That’s great. How are they doing? Attendant: As usual, not doing great with their grades at school. They’re too preoccupied with computer games. Customer: O! I’m offering to you again my time. But this time I’ll employ some biblical principles when I’ll talk to them. Attendant: That’s a good offer, but I’ll see it first what else I can do. Customer: Just please inform me if you need some help. Attendant: Yes, I will. Thank you! The customer started in the first line, which is an uptake because it leads the attendant to respond to this statement, â€Å"I haven’t seen you for a while. Did you take your vacation leave?† This is a question statement that requires answer and so the attendant responded in this line, â€Å"Yes. I just wanted to spend time with my kids†. This statement is of interest to the customer, as depicted through this line as a response, â€Å"Wow. That’s great. How are they doing?† Here is another question that requires answer from the attendant as showcased in this line, â€Å"As usual, not doing great with their grades at school. They’re too preoccupied with computer g ames.† In this response, we can depict that there must be an existing conversation like this that had taken place before as observed from the response of the customer, â€Å"O! I’m offering to you again my time. But this time I’ll employ some biblical principles when I’ll talk to them†. This is another offer, as we can observe from the response of the attendant, â€Å"That’s a good offer, but I’ll see it first what else I can do.† In this response, the customer did not want to make a closure, and so leaving this line â€Å"Just please inform me if you need some help.† The attendant responded and ended the conversation with this line, â€Å"

Fractal Geometry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fractal Geometry - Essay Example In colloquial speech fractal is a shape which is self-similar or recursively constructed. It means that such shape is similar at all levels of magnification and therefore it is sometimes called "infinitely complex". In the sphere of mathematic the word "fractal" means geometric object "that satisfies a specific technical condition, namely having a Hausdoff dimension greater than its topological dimension". (26) The simplest fractal is known to be Cantor Bar Set which was called after German famous mathematician. It is necessary to admit that fractals refer not only to the realm of geometry and mathematics. They can be found everywhere in natural world. Self-similarity (recursive nature) means that fractals are constructed by iteration and they are made up of the smaller parts (copies) of themselves. The examples of self-similarity are Sierpinski Gasket, the Mandelbrot Set, Self-affine fractals, etc. it must be admitted that fractals are not all self-similar objects. Scientists found out three main types of self-similarity: Exact self-similarity means that fractals are completely identical at all levels of magnification. It is the strongest type of self-similarity, because fractals bear exact and complete self-similarity. Quasi-self similarity is a loose form of self-similarity. It means that fractals are approximately identical, but not completely.

Factors that cause shift in demand curve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Factors that cause shift in demand curve - Essay Example When the price of the bread increases to $70, the quantity demanded as a result decreases to 6 million or where the price decreases to $50 from $40 then the quantity demanded increases to 10 million. This phenomenon can be said to be the movement along the demand curve. The reason for the shift of the demand curve is due to the change in factors other than that of price, such as the change in price of the related goods, income of the consumer or preference of the consumer etc. An increase of decrease in these factors can shift the demand curve on either side as the price will remain the same. Two goods are said to be the substitute of each other when the price of one of the item causes the price of the other item to rise simultaneously or the goods are such identical to each other that a normal consumer may switch to the other good when the price of the prior rises. The customer expectation that the price of a good may increase of decrease can have affect on the demand curve as due t o the expected increase in price. The customer will tend to purchase and stock the particular good before the price rises and vice versa may happen when there is a possibility of decrease in price. The change in income of a consumer is one of the basic causes of the shift in the demand curve. When the income of the consumer increases he will switch to more luxury goods as compared to the normal goods, because of the increase in his purchasing power which provides a better margin to purchase more of a good.

Impact Of Technology In Architecture Cultural Studies Essay

Impact Of Technology In Architecture Cultural Studies Essay Technology is a kind of tools, techniques, systems and machine, in order to help people in solving problems and achieve goals. With the improvement of technology, people find it easy and convenience in doing things in their life. In addition, it also helps people to save time and cost while achieving goals and even improves the quality of works. In the twenty-first century, technology is almost everything and everywhere in the world. As long as there have been people, there has been technology. This quote hints that people use technology in almost everything they do and wherever they go. People find it hardly to avoid by using technologies, mobile phone is one of examples. Nowadays we can see most of the people are holding a mobile phone in anywhere. With the advanced technology, mobile phone can be used to take photo, web surfing, play games, watch videos and etc. other than just calls. This shows that technology has been already a part of human life. Other than that, the invention of internet by technology has directly changed the way on how the people live today compared to the previous generations. Almost everything can be done by doing it online in anywhere and anytime as long as they have a device that can access to the internet. Besides, the improvement of technology has influenced the several fields in the industry such as business, automobile industry, healthcare, film industry, architectural and etc. In the past, there were many issues that couldnt be solved but with the technology research through the years, the impossible became possible, many knowledge and information, machinery and device have been enhanced and brought into the industries. In this essay, architectural will be the range of study, the influences and impact of technology on architecture. Technology has affected architecture in several ways. Firstly, computer aided software was created to help architects in the development of design ideas in architecture project. Secondly, the construction machinery and methods were improved, in order to build any kind of form and shape to achieve the unique design of the architects. Thirdly, knowledge and information of architecture were enhanced by the invention of the new materials. Architecture has been played an important role in human life, without it human couldnt live in the earth until now. Previously, building was intended as a shelter or habitation for human, however human seems to be more concerned and demanded on the appearance of the building rather than its function in this twenty-first century. What is the reason of this issue? Does the technology affect the function of building? There are three topics to be discussed in this essay, information technology (IT) will be the first topic, the impact of information technology on architecture. The second and third topics will talk about the particular architects, Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry, how they use the technology to apply in the design process and the construction of the unique form of the buildings. Several case studies of their buildings will be done in these topics. Background Modern architecture was a revolution. It destroyed the existing Beaux-Arts regime and replaced it with a new order. The face of earth would never be the same. (John Peter, 1994) Beaux Arts is a kind of style in architecture design and it remained in the architecture industry for two-and-a-half centuries before the modern style of architecture take place. The appearance of Beaux-Arts architecture looks much more complicated compared to the modern architecture because it was depended on the sculptural decoration and modern architecture was depended on simple kind of forms. With the time passed, the Beaux Arts style of architecture was slowly replaced by the modern style of architecture. It was difficult to find the Beaux Arts style of architecture in the twentieth century. The buildings were mostly designed with modern style by the modernist architects. As the twentieth century dawned, architecture was clearly overdue for a change. The nineteenth-century Beaux-Arts style was out of joint with the times. (John Peter, 1994) In the twentieth century, the mindset of architects in the design process of architecture was changed. The appearance of the buildings were started not to design with the purpose for historical commemoration but based on the specific function of the building. Whether it be the sweeping eagle in his flight or the open apple-blossom, the toiling work-horse, the blithe swan, the branching oak, the winding stream at its base, the drifting clouds, over all the coursing sun, form ever follows function, and this is the law. Louis Henry Sullivan (Frei, 1992:32) This quote was made by one of the famous architects, Louis Henry Sullivan in his essay, The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered in 1896. With the quote that Louis Henry Sullivan made, every building has its own function which means how the way that the owner of the building used it and all the buildings should have its particular facade and form based on their specific functions. For instance, a hospital should have to be designed like a building that use to serve those people who come and seek for medical attention and people can be able to differentiate a hospital from a library that people use to borrow books and find research and resources or a school that people use to study. There were the good points and bad points in architectural by the law of Louis Henry Sullivan, form follows function. People may find it easy in finding the particular building that they want to go but it limited the design ideas from designing a building with a unique form, in order to make people have a different kind of feeling on the sense of sight. Other than just the law, the design ideas were also limited by the technology in the past. Some architects may have the design ideas with different kind of architecture style but they couldnt proceed to the construction stage by using the old technology. In the twentieth century, the technology has been improved and architects are starting to design with a phrase, function defies form which was the changing of the concept of architectural form and functions. The law of Louis Henry Sullivan, form follows function will be no longer exists in the next century. The form of the buildings were not designed according to their own function like the facade of a library may looks like a museum or people may not know what is it until they go into the building. Bernard Tschumi, a renowned architect and a transgression thinker in architectural issues, suggested that function does not follow form, form does not follow function. However form and function certainly interact, if only to produce a shock effect. (Izham Ghani, 2007) The new technology, defined as industrial or applied science, produced a multiplying array of new machines and materials. (John Peter, 1994) With the improvement of technology, several new materials were invented into the architecture industry. These new materials were inexpensive and flexible to use in construction and the invention of these enabled the architects to create different kind of unique design in architecture. Other than that, the limitations of the past in construction can be solved by using the modern technologies. The products of the new technology steel beams and cables, reinforced concrete, and plastic changed the way buildings were designed and built. Units mass-produced in factories and assembled with modern machinery on the site save both time and money. Perhaps most important of all, they save labor. All of this is still true today, despite the fact that our buildings contain sophisticated equipment for heating, cooling, lighting, communications, and security unimagined in earlier times. (John Peter, 1994) Human got a lot of benefits by the improvement of technology in the time passed. Aesthetic architectures were created to beautify the environment, in the same time people can live or work in a comfortable environment, in order to produce high quality works. Architecture with the application of new materials for the appearance of the building can produce a beautiful sense of sight to people. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the German architect Peter Behrens designed the influential Berlin Turbine Factory for the electrical firm Allgemeine Elektrizitats-Gesellshaft. With its reinforced Concrete and huge glazed side-walls, it signaled the emergence of a new architecture. Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier worked in his office. (John Peter, 1994) In the twenty-first century, many architecture styles were created and many buildings were designed and constructed with different ways to produce aesthetic and unique appearance. Irregular shape of architecture can be constructed by using the high technologies of construction. It is based on the demands of the architects, architects can design the building in any kind of shape that they want with the advanced technology today. The advanced technology allowed the architects to generate their ideas digitally which designing in a virtual space. It can be done by using the computer aided software which is another creation by the technology. With all these technologies, architects gained a lot of benefits in the designing process and even can produce a great work in architecture. Information Technology Information technology (IT) is the meaning of the use of telecommunications and computers equipment for the purpose of storage, processing, transfer and manipulating data. People normally used IT as a term of synonym for computers. However it has consist of many different kind of technologies such as computers, computer software and networks, telephones, mobile phones, printers and scanners and even fax machines. With the invention of IT, it did change the way people work other than the way people live. It helps people to save time and cost to produce even better work compared to working manually. Most of the works can be done with paperless in the electronic way. Other than that, it has the ability for people to produce mass production in a short time. Electronic mail, groupware, telecommuting and videoconferencing, have become relatively standard technologies to enhance group processes. These technical innovations have made it possible for work teams to communicate at anytime, anyplace and anywhere. (Johnson Clayton, 1998) IT brings benefits for the people who work in group, it makes people convenience in communications and allows them to have group discussions at anytime, in order to produce a better and quality result. Information technology can significantly improve work group productivity by increasing the speed and decreasing the cost of communication and coordination. (Johnson Clayton, 1998) At the same time, people are also able to transfer or exchange data and information with the internet technology by using the electronic mail or several software such as Dropbox, Virtualbox and etc. They can instantly get all kind of data and information in electronic forms from the certain person that they are communicating with. In this way, people manage to save cost and time in travelling around to get all the documents that they want. The top three organizational effects were: allowed business to be done at greater distances, shortened work cycle time, and reduced the need for clerical support staff. (Johnson Clayton, 1998) With all these advanced technologies, the way of architects think in designing a building has been changed. The design of architecture will be demanded on the conceptualization, aesthetic or functionality. It is because of the advancement of the technologies has been resulted in the lost of the basic function of a building. In the past, people have to send letters by putting them into the post-box, shopping in shopping malls, super markets and retails or do research and borrow books in the library. With the advanced technology, all these activities can be done by using email technology, online shopping and web searching for information or download e-books from the internet. Nowadays, people are too relied on using the technology to do everything, they can achieve their goal or complete their task by using the internet without leaving the chair. Architects have to design with the aim of beautify the space instead of the functionality of it because the need of built space has been reduced. As a result of this, many buildings were designed in curvilinear forms with the assist of information technology. IT has freed the architect to create heretofore unaccomplished curvaceous form, and new service areas are emerging in the information age frontier marketplace. (Larry R. Barrow, 2000) Other than that, IT has impacted architecture in the design process as well other than just the form. In the end of the twentieth century, architects are starting to design and generate ideas by using computer. Complex and unique design of architecture can be done with computerized and the invention of computer aided software such as AutoCAD, InteriCAD, Adobe software, Rhinoceros, 3D Studio Max, CATIA (Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application) and many more. With all this computer aided software, architects are able to save time and create unique design that cannot be done by manually. Other than that, it enabled architects to have accurate measurement for the space calculation, in order to create realistic visual of the designed building. In the twenty-first century, computerization and the improvement of design technology and practice are two of the most important technology in the architecture industry. Improving design technology means the development of new design tools that help designers spend less time and effort on data collection, computation, and preparation of design documentation, and more on problem solving. (Hugues Rivard, 2000) It is clear that computer aided software has already become one of the design tools in the designing process in the architecture field. Drawings are the main output of the design process in architectural and there are two types of drawings which are the two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional drawings. Two-dimensional drawing defined as having all elements in a flat surface and normally it comes with only two dimensions either length and width or width and height, without any depth or thickness. And, three-dimensional drawing defined as images or pictures with the objects that come with all the three dimensions which are the length, width and height. Furthermore, drawings are produced by using the computer aided software with the application of virtual reality (VR). VR is a computer-generated world involving one or more human senses and generated in real-time by the participants actions. The real-time responsiveness of the computer to the participants action distinguishes VR from other kinds of computer-generated simulations. The participant in a VR environment is perceiver and creator at the same time, in a world where the object of perception is created by actions. (Daniela Bertol, 1997) A virtual model can be created with the application of VR in the computer aided software to simulate reality for a three-dimensional image. This model enabled architects to have a detailed planning and predict any kind of technical issues, in order to achieve the demands of realism. Besides, it allows architects to visualize spaces efficiently and produce a most truthful image of a building. Moreover, the real image of the building can be seen in the computer or printed it out before it is built. Thus, architects are able to edit or change the design if there is any unpleasant feel or it looks unsightly. Virtual Reality Virtual reality (VR) is clearly introduced in the previous contents. From the research, VR applications have also been used in various fields like medicine, astronomy, entertainment, sport, art and etc. And, it has been used as a design tool in architecture design. We can easily observe how the characteristic of VR such as interaction, immersion and three-dimensionality, react in the architecture field. By the application of VR, rendering tools have been provide for perception, evaluation and the aesthetic view of an architecture environment before construction from the change of perspective. Hereby, a question will be bring up into this content How does VR use as a design tool in architecture design? Based on the investigation of design issues through the year goes, the design process has been improved and became interesting after the applied of VR in the architecture field. However, using VR as a design tool has the least potentiality among the VR application. Traditionally, the process of concept ideas input was running with hand-rendered, two-dimensional representations or sketches by writing materials such as pencil, paint or ink on paper but it can now be transformed with the immersive way to produce preliminary sketches or three-dimensional visuals with computer-assisted technology. It is all credit to the implementation of VR. During the implementation of VR in the architecture design, the three-dimensional modeler 3DM that has been developed at the University of North Carolina created the three-dimensional models by using a HMD system and hand-held pointing device. By the providing of this application, models can be transform and edit with the capabilities of copying, pasting, cutting, moving and scaling and even can be manipulated with the immersive ways. Design Process from Sketches to Models There are many stages in the design process such as mapping, diagrams, sketches, construction drawing and etc. Sketches and working drawing with the concept ideas input are important while they can be differentiates by the accuracy, detail and amount of representative information. When the input of the concept ideas on the sketches are enough to be expressive and able to develop into working drawing which mean it can be program and execute by the computer. Computer-aided design (CAD) is useful and convenience in modeling because it provides valuable tools. For an example, a unique curved wall design of a facade can be extrude with a round shape of opening while its model can be implement with exact dimensions given of the wall and the opening. And, repeating operation can be implemented in the CAD application as well. In the other hand, the immediacy of the process by translating a sketch straight into a functional model can enhance the act of creativity and the understanding of the three-dimensional space. Two-dimensional Media and Scale Models The two-dimensional media such as paper is always using in the design of architecture as the communication of concept ideas into the design development. Other than that, the presentation drawings such as the construction drawing, detailing drawing and three-dimensional perspective are representing the three-dimensional objects with two-dimensional media. Even every output of the computerized such as CAD has to be present with the two-dimensional media by displaying on the screen or printed on paper. There is another option for the design of architecture which is the scale models while it can define the understanding and fulfill the usage of the unbuilt three-dimensional space. However, the quality of the space has been reduced due to the model cannot be inhabited and user cannot experience from the inside. Virtual Environment While the running of design process takes place in a virtual environment where the designer is inside the product of his design is called immersive design and different conceptions will be bring to the act of creativity by this process. The creation of form is possible in the immersive design environment like the raising of walls, subtraction and rotation of the objects. Floors and stairs can be built and edited with the reaction by the perceptual impact. Boolean operations of addition or subtraction can be used for the design which based on volumes to allow the act of molding and carving motion. The different values have been assumed while the implementation of traditional compositional rules changed from two-dimensional representations into three-dimensional immersive environment. Proportions between various architectural elements can be verified by inhabiting the space. Though to date, immersive design should be realize with the virtual reality application which will revolutionize the design of architecture. The discussion of the traditional act of designing should be carry out for the architect to adapt to the notion of sketching in space and being inside and a direct experience of three-dimensional space. Zaha Hadid Zaha Mohammad Hadid is an Iraqi-British architect who born on 31st October 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She is the first Muslim and female who got awarded the Prizker Architecture Prize in 2004. She also received the Stirling Prize continuously in 2010 and 2011. In Zaha Hadids education, she studied architecture course at the Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture in London after she got a degree in the mathematics course at American University of Beirut. After that, she worked for her previous lecturers who are Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis. She also worked as a lecturer of AA in 1980s after she became a partner with Koolhass in 1977. She then established an architecture and design firm, Zaha Hadid Architects with over 300 employers in London, United Kingdom. Zaha Hadids buildings are always designed with the appearance of uniquely futuristic style and complex form. With the advanced technologies and new materials, she is able to produce curvilinear kind of architecture with her contemporary and innovative design. Her completed and on-going projects included Contemporary Arts Centre, Guangzhou Opera House, Vitra Fire Station, BMW Central Building, London Aquatics Centre, Galaxy Soho and etc. Other than that, she is also working on interior and designing furniture and automobile with the characteristic of fluidity. Zaha Hadid has become one of the famous contemporary architects by taking the benefits of the advanced technologies to apply on her architecture design. She is interested on the impact of technology because it helps in the possibility of the construction and affected the way of designing a building. In 2012, she won the Jane Drew Prize and from a particular interview by Architects Journal, she advised architects to invest in digital technology and travel around, it helps in the inspiration and creativity of design. (Merlin Fulcher, 2012) BMW Central Building BMW Central Building was the winning design of Zaha Hadid of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004. It is located at Leipzeg, Germany and its complex built was cost about 1.55 billion dollars. It is use to manufacture the BMW 3 Series Automobile. BMW AG. Munich Germany is the owner of the building, 60 million dollars were used for the cost of construction. It was constructed by Arge Rohbau, OBAG and Wolf Mueller GmbH with the supports of structural engineer, AGP Arge Gesamtplanung, IFB Stuttgart. The original construction of the BMW factory consists of three different buildings which were designed by their own estate and management group. The three different buildings are functioning as for the manufacturing process of the production of BMW 3 Series automobiles. They are separately undertaking the making of auto bodies, painting process and the final assemblage process of parts. There is a competition held for the purpose of designing and connecting all the 3 different buildings. Connectivity was used as a concept of Zaha Hadid in the design which was the method of overlapping and interconnecting between the spaces and levels. As a result of the concept application, the separation of the three buildings was blurred and it gave a complex design in the interior. Zaha Hadid has fully utilized the advanced technology of design tool and machinery of construction and the new materials in both constructions and design process of this project. A conversation has been carried out between Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher (Partner of Zaha Hadid), Lars Teichmann (Project Architect of Zaha Hadid Architects) and Todd Gannon (Series Editor, Source Books in Architecture) about the design process and construction techniques of this project. In the conversation, Lars Teichmann said that there is always a person testing the ideas with physical models in the workshop and in the same time, few persons will be doing development of three-dimensional models and two-dimensional drawings in the computer. And, all this process allows them to develop a range of possible interpretations of their ideas. Besides, concrete was used as the material of the walls to solve the loads problem that would be carried down through the building. Concrete walls are much stronger to carry more loads and they were able to cut openings through the concrete walls with advanced technology as they needed. (Todd Gannon, 2006) London Aquatics Centre London Aquatics Centre is a centre for the use of indoor sports which are swimming and diving. It was constructed to be a venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The centre has been built at 27th July 2011 and it is located at Olympic Park, Stratford, London, United Kingdom. It is operated by the Olympic Delivery Authority, moreover, the construction has cost about 269 million pounds. Besides, the centre has been built by the contractor, Balfour Beauty with the help of structural engineer, Ove Arup Partners. Furthermore, the capacity of the centre can fit up to 17,500 seats. Evidently, from the complexity and unique design of the aquatics centre can be seen, that was under Zaha Hadids contemporary and innovative design. The aquatics centre was designed by Zaha Hadid with the concept of the fluidity of water in motion. The design of the spaces and surrounding environment has come with the inspiration from the landscape of Olympic Park. Precast-concrete has been used as the main material for the construction of this building. Other than that, the roof that looks like a wave was constructed with steel and glass was used for the facade of the building. There were wings on the both side of the building that used to provide extra seating for the audiences of the Olympic Games. However, they would not be there permanently because they were not a part of Zaha Hadids original design. Once the games are over, they will be removed and in the same time, the aquatics centre will be deconstructed and it will be open again for the public in 2014. Jacques Rogge, IOC President, described the Centre as a masterpiece. He said that he had a visual shock when he was visiting the centre last year (2011) because he felt that this centre is unique and a state of art compared to other venues that he saw. (BBC Sport, 2012) It is apparent that Zaha Hadid has applied the technology well in her architecture design. Thus, she can create many kinds of unique design and aesthetic buildings to beautify the environment and of course with her innovative mindset. Frank Gehry Frank Owen Gehry was born with the name, Frank Owen Goldberg but with the suggestion by his wife, Anita Snyder, he has changed his name to Frank O. Gehry. Frank Gehry was born on 28th February 1929 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was a winning architect of the Canadian-American Pritzker Price who based in Los Angeles and he also awarded several prize such as AIA Gold Medal, National Medal of Arts and Order of Canada. In the World Architecture Survey in 2010, his works have been quoted as the important contemporary architecture in the world because he was one of the most influenced and important architects in the twentieth century. With his reputation as a famous architect, he has considered as a modern architectural icon in the architecture industry. His buildings are well-known in designing with sculptural in form and always full of surprise with amazing architecture design. In 1954, he studied architecture course in the University of Southern California and got the Bachelor of Architecture degree. He then studied city planning in Harvard University Graduate School of Design and he worked for a few architecture firms. In 1962, he established his own company, Frank O. Gehry and Associates, Inc. and he started his architectural career. In 1989, the way of his designing process has been changed, from manual to computerized. Jim Glymph who was the computer systems expert joined Gehrys company while he wanted to design more on curves. He then wanted the more complex shape in his design and Glymph helped him by getting CATIA program from the aerospace industry. (Mild Friedman, 2002) With the help of the computer software programs, Gehry started to reject in designing with straight lines and boxy shapes in architecture. With his built up architectural career, he managed to produce designs for the public and private architecture in Europe, America and Asia. In the year 2002, Gehry Partners, LLP was established, with over 175 employers in the company and it provided full services for the residential, commercial and institutional. In the Gehry Partners company, most of the employers have the ability to produce technical drawings and construction documents and they are qualified to manage complex architecture projects. The company is working by depending on the Digital Project, a computer aided design (CAD) application based on CATIA software which was developed by one of the Frank Gehrys companies, Gehry Technologies. Within the years, Frank Gehry has produced many buildings with striking and unique design. His buildings consist of his owned residence, Guggenheim Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Experience Music project, Weisman Art Museum, Dancing Horse, Art Gallery of Ontario and etc. With the assist of the computer technology and the application of unconventional materials, Gehry was able to create deconstructed aesthetic building in deconstructivism style. CATIA CATIA is a type of computer aided design software with a full form of Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application. It was developed by a French company named Dassault Systemes with the licensed, Proprietary software. A French aircraft manufacturer, Avions Marcel Dassault started to develop CATIA in 1977 and it has been applied in several industries such as automobile, aerospace, shipbuilding and etc. It helps in the design development with conceptualization, three-dimensional modeling, visualization and etc. Complex innovative forms can be also created by using CATIA. Guggenheim Museum Guggenheim Museum is an art museum that designed in modern and contemporary arts. It was established on 18th October 1997 and located at Abando, Bilbao, Spain. This contemporary building is owned by Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and it was built by Ferrovial, S.A. with the construction cost of 89 million US dollars. Moreover, it was built along the Nervion River and mainly used to exhibit the works of international and Spanish artists. Besides, it has been one of the most famous buildings especially in the year of 1998 and 1999 because it was the famous topic among the architects in the industry. In the year of 2007, there were more than one million of people to visit the museum. In the 2010 World Architecture Survey, it has been called as one of the most important building since 1980. Other than that, it has been called by the world-famous architect, Philip Johnson, the greatest building of our time. The New York Times even said that the building is a miracle. (Frank O Gehry A Modern Architectural ICON,

Comparing Daisy Buchanan of The Great Gatsby and Brett of The Sun Also

Daisy Buchanan of The Great Gatsby and Brett Ashley of The Sun Also Rises      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Written right after the publication of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises is apparently influenced in many ways.   The most obvious of Fitzgerald's influence is manifested in Hemingway's portrayal of his heroine, Brett Ashley. Numerous critics have noted and discussed the similarities between Brett and Daisy Buchanan, and rightly so; but the two women also have fundamental differences. Compared to Daisy, Brett is a more rounded, complex character, and Hemingway has treated her with more sympathy than Fitzgerald has with Daisy. Some similarities between Brett Ashley and Daisy Buchanan include their physical beauty, their extravagant/ flamboyant lifestyle, and their unhappy marriages. However, their most important similarity is the destructive influence they have on their suitors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Daisy attracts Jay Gatsby with her beauty--not only her physical appearance, but also the entire carefree, comfortable, luxurious lifestyle: Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, of the freshness of many clothes and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor (157). To Gatsby the rich life is temptingly desirable because it was equaled to Daisy herself. Her life far detached from the sweaty hard struggling seems to hold as much enchanted beauty as she holds for Gatsby. He falls in love with that beauty, and Daisy has become his one and only goal and dream in life. With this, Fitzgerald is putting the blame for Gatsby's fall--his indulgence in the wrong dream, and his wrong choice of means to achieve his end--on Daisy. But t... ... S. "Brett and Her Lovers." Brett Ashley. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. 105-122. Martin, Wendy. "Brett Ashley as New Woman in The Sun Also Rises." New Essays on The Sun Also Rises. Ed. Linda Wagner-Martin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987. 65-82. Works Consulted: Hemingway, Ernest. "The Unpublished Opening of The Sun Also Rises." (5-8). Fitzgerald, F. Scott. "Letter to Ernest Hemingway (June 1926)." (8). Whitlow, Roger. "Bitches and Other Simplistic Assumptions." (148-156). Cohen, Milton A. "Circe and Her Swine." (157-165). Bloom, Harold. Brett Ashley. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. McCay, Mary A. "Fitzgerald's Women: Beyond Winter Dreams." (311-324). Fleischmann, Fritz, ed. American Novelists Revisited: Essays in Feminist Criticism. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1982.      

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 27-28

27 AUGUSTUS Augustus Brine lit his pipe and played back the details of Travis's story in his mind. He had finished the bottle of wine, but if anything, it had brought clarity to his thoughts by washing away the adrenaline from the morning's adventure. â€Å"There was a time, Travis, that if someone had told me a story like that, I would have called the mental-health people to come and pick him up, but in the last twenty-four hours reality has been riding the dragon's back, and I'm just trying to hang on myself.† â€Å"Meaning what?† Travis asked. â€Å"Meaning I believe you.† Brine rose from the chair and began untying the ropes that bound Travis. There was a scuffling behind them and Brine turned to see Gian Hen Gian coming through the living room wearing a flowered towel around his waist and another around his head. Brine thought he looked like a prune in a Carmen Miranda costume. â€Å"I am refreshed and ready for the torture, Augustus Brine.† The Djinn stopped when he saw Brine untying the demonkeeper. â€Å"So, will we hang the beast from a tall building by his heels until he talks?† â€Å"Lighten up, King,† Brine said. Travis flexed his arms to get the blood flowing. â€Å"Who is that?† he asked. â€Å"That,† Brine said, â€Å"is Gian Hen Gian, king of the Djinn.† â€Å"As in genie?† â€Å"Correct,† Brine said. â€Å"I don't believe it.† â€Å"You are not in a position to be incredulous toward the existence of supernatural beings, Travis. Besides, the Djinn was the one who told me how to find you. He knew Catch twenty-five centuries before you were born.† Gian Hen Gian stepped forward and shook a knotted brown finger in Travis's face. â€Å"Tell us where the Seal of Solomon is hidden or we will have your genitals in a nine-speed reverse action blender with a five-year guarantee before you can say shazam!† Brine raised an eyebrow toward the Djinn. â€Å"You found the Sears catalog in the bathroom.† The Djinn nodded. â€Å"It is filled with many fine instruments of torture.† â€Å"There won't be any need for that. Travis is trying to find the seal so he can send the demon back.† â€Å"I told you,† Travis said, â€Å"I've never seen the Seal of Solomon. It's a myth. I read about it a hundred times in books of magic, but it was always described differently. I think they made it up in the Middle Ages to sell books of magic.† The Djinn hissed at Travis and there was a wisp of blue damask in the air. â€Å"You lie! You could not call up Catch without the seal.† Brine raised a hand to the Djinn to quiet him. â€Å"Travis found the invocation for calling up the demon in a candlestick. He never saw the seal, but I believe it was concealed in the candlestick where he could not see it. Gian Hen Gian, have you ever seen the Seal of Solomon? Would it be possible to conceal it in a candlestick?† â€Å"It was a silver scepter in Solomon's time,† the Djinn said. â€Å"I suppose it could have been made into a candlestick.† â€Å"Well, Travis thinks that the invocation for sending the demon back is concealed in the candlestick he didn't open. I'd guess that anyone who had that knowledge and the Seal of Solomon would also have an invocation for giving you your power. In fact, I'd bet my life on it.† â€Å"It is possible, but it is also possible that the dark one is misdirecting you.† â€Å"I don't think so,† Brine said. â€Å"I don't think he wanted to be involved in this any more than I did. In seventy years he's never figured out that it's his will that controls Catch.† â€Å"The dark one is retarded, then!† â€Å"Hey!† Travis said. â€Å"Enough!† Brine said. â€Å"We have things to do. Gian Hen Gian, go get dressed.† The Djinn left the room without protest and Brine turned again to Travis. â€Å"I think you found the woman you've been looking for,† he said. â€Å"Amanda and Effrom Elliot were married right after he returned from World War One. They get their picture in the local paper every year on their anniversary – you know, under a caption that reads, ‘And they said it wouldn't last.' As soon as the king is ready we'll go over there and see if we can get the candlesticks – if she still has them. I need your word that I can trust you not to try to escape.† â€Å"You have it,† Travis said. â€Å"But I think we should go back to Jenny's house – be ready when Catch returns.† Brine said, â€Å"I want you to try to put Jenny out of your mind, Travis. That's the only way you'll regain control of the demon. But first, there's something you ought to know about her.† â€Å"I know – she's married.† â€Å"No. She's Amanda's granddaughter.† 28 EFFROM Never having died before, Effrom was confused about how he should go about it. It didn't seem fair that a man his age should have to adapt to new and difficult situations. But life was seldom fair, and it was probably safe to assume that death wasn't fair either. This wasn't the first time he had been tempted to firmly demand to speak to the person in charge. It had never worked at the post office, the DMV, or return counters at department stores. Perhaps it would work here. But where was here? He heard voices; that was a good sign. It didn't seem uncomfortably warm – a good sign. He sniffed the air – no sulfur fumes (brimstone, the Bible called it); that was a good sign. Perhaps he had done all right. He did a quick inventory of his life: good father, good husband, responsible if not dedicated worker. Okay, so he cheated at cards at the VFW, but eternity seemed like an awfully long sentence for shuffling aces to the bottom of the deck. He opened his eyes. He had always imagined heaven to be bigger and brighter. This looked like the inside of a cabin. Then he spotted the woman. She was dressed in an iridescent purple body stocking. Her raven-black hair hung to her waist. Heaven? Effrom thought. She was talking on the phone. They have phones in heaven? Why not? He tried to sit up and found that he was tied to the bed. Why was that? Hell? â€Å"Well, which is it?† he demanded. The woman covered the receiver with her hand and turned to him. â€Å"Say something so your wife will know you're okay,† she said. â€Å"I'm not okay. I'm dead and I don't know where I am.† The woman spoke into the phone, â€Å"You see, Mrs. Elliot, your husband is safe and will remain so as long as you do exactly as I have instructed.† The woman covered the mouthpiece again. â€Å"She says she doesn't know about any invocation.† Effrom heard a gravely male voice answer her, but he couldn't see anyone else in the cabin. â€Å"She's lying,† the voice said. â€Å"I don't think so – she's crying.† â€Å"Ask her about Travis,† the voice said. Into the phone the woman said: â€Å"Mrs. Elliot, do you know someone named Travis?† She listened for a second and held the receiver to her breast. â€Å"She says no.† â€Å"It might have been a long time ago,† the voice said. Effrom kept looking for who was talking but could see no one. â€Å"Think,† the woman said into the phone, â€Å"it might have been a long time ago.† The woman listened and nodded with a smile. Effrom looked in the direction of her nod. Who the hell was she nodding to? â€Å"Did he give you anything?† The woman listened. â€Å"Candlesticks?† â€Å"Bingo!† the voice said. â€Å"Yes,† said the woman. â€Å"Bring the candlesticks here and your husband will be released unharmed. Tell no one, Mrs. Elliot. Fifteen minutes.† â€Å"Or he dies,† the voice said. â€Å"Thank you, Mrs. Elliot,† the woman said. She hung up. To Effrom she said, â€Å"Your wife is on the way to pick you up.† â€Å"Who else is in this room?† Effrom asked. â€Å"Who have you been talking to?† â€Å"You met him earlier today,† the woman said. â€Å"The alien? I thought he killed me.† â€Å"Not yet,† the voice said. â€Å"Is she coming?† Catch asked. Rachel was looking out the cabin window at a cloud of dust rising from the dirt road. â€Å"I can't tell,† she said. â€Å"Mr. Elliot, what kind of car does your wife drive?† â€Å"A white Ford,† Effrom said. â€Å"It's her.† Rachel felt a shiver of excitement run through her. Her sense of wonder had been stretched and tested many times in the last twenty-four hours, leaving her open and raw to every emotion. She was afraid of the power she was about to gain, but at the same time, the myriad possibilities that power created diluted her fear with a breathless giddiness. She felt guilty about abusing the old couple in order to gain the invocation, but perhaps with her newfound power she could repay them. In any case, it would be over soon and they would be going home. The actual nature of the Earth spirit bothered her as well. Why did it seem†¦ well†¦ so impious? And why did it seem so male? The Ford pulled up in front of the cabin and stopped. Rachel watched a frail old woman get out of the car holding two ornate candlesticks. The woman clutched the candlesticks to her and stood by the car looking around, waiting. She was obviously terrified and Rachel, feeling a stab of guilt, looked away. â€Å"She's here,† Rachel said. Catch said, â€Å"Tell her to come in.† Effrom looked up from the bed, but he could not rise enough to see out the window. â€Å"What are you going to do to the wife?† he demanded. â€Å"Nothing at all,† Rachel said. â€Å"She has something I need. When I get it, you can both go home.† Rachel went to the door and threw it open as if she were welcoming home a long-lost relative. Amanda stood by the car, thirty feet away. â€Å"Mrs. Elliot, you'll need to bring the candlesticks in so we can inspect them.† â€Å"No.† Amanda stood firm. â€Å"Not until I know that Effrom is safe.† Rachel turned to Effrom. â€Å"Say something to your wife, Mr. Elliot.† â€Å"Nope,† Effrom said. â€Å"I'm not speaking to her. This is all her fault.† â€Å"Please cooperate, Mr. Elliot, so we can let you go home.† To Amanda, Rachel said, â€Å"He doesn't want to talk, Mrs. Elliot. Why don't you bring the candlesticks in? I assure you that neither one of you will be harmed.† Rachel couldn't believe that she was saying these things. She felt as if she were reading the script from a bad gangster movie. Amanda stood clutching the candlesticks, uncertain of what she should do. Rachel watched the old woman take a tentative step toward the cabin, then, suddenly, the candlesticks were ripped from her grasp and Amanda was thrown to the ground as if she'd been hit by a shotgun blast. â€Å"No!† Rachel screamed. The candlesticks seemed to float in the air as Catch carried them to her. She ignored them and ran to where Amanda lay on the ground. She cradled the old woman's head in her arms. Amanda opened her eyes and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"Are you all right, Mrs. Elliot? I'm so sorry.† â€Å"Leave her,† Catch said. â€Å"I'll take care of both of them in a second.† Rachel turned toward Catch's voice. The candlesticks were shaking in the air. She still found it unsettling to talk to a disembodied voice. â€Å"I don't want these people hurt, do you understand?† â€Å"But now that we have the invocation, they are insignificant.† The candlesticks turned in the air as Catch examined them. â€Å"Come now, I think there's a seam on one of these, but I can't grip it. Come open it.† â€Å"In a minute,† Rachel said. She helped Amanda get to her feet. â€Å"Let's go in the house, Mrs. Elliot. It's all over. You can go home as soon as you feel up to it.† Rachel led Amanda through the front door, holding her by the shoulders. The old woman seemed dazed and listless. Rachel was afraid she would drop any second, but when Amanda saw Effrom tied to the bed, she shrugged off Rachel's support and went to him. â€Å"Effrom.† She sat on the bed and stroked his bald head. â€Å"Well, wife,† Effrom said, â€Å"I hope you're happy. You go gallivanting all over the state and you see what happens? I get kidnapped by invisible moon-men. I hope you had a good trip – I can't even feel my hands anymore. Probably gangrene. They'll probably have to cut them off.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Effrom.† Amanda turned to Rachel. â€Å"Can I untie him, please?† The pleading in her eyes almost broke Rachel's heart. She had never felt so cruel. She nodded. â€Å"You can go now. I'm sorry it had to be this way.† â€Å"Open this,† Catch said. He was tapping a candlestick on Rachel's shoulder. While Amanda untied Effrom's wrists and ankles and rubbed them to restore the circulation, Rachel examined one of the candlesticks. She gave it a quick twist and it unscrewed at the seam. From the weight of it, Rachel would have never guessed that it was hollow. As she unscrewed it, she noticed that the threads were gold. That accounted for the extra weight. Whoever had made the candlesticks had gone to great lengths to conceal the hollow interior. The two pieces separated. A piece of parchment was tightly rolled inside. Rachel placed the base of the candlestick on the table, slid out the yellow tube of parchment, and slowly began to unroll it. The parchment crackled, and the edges flaked away as it unrolled. Rachel felt her pulse increase as the first few letters appeared. When half the page was revealed, her excitement was replaced with anxiety. â€Å"We may be in trouble,† she said. â€Å"Why?† Catch's voice emanated from a spot only inches away from her face. â€Å"I can't read this; it's in some foreign language – Greek, I think. Can you read Greek?† â€Å"I can't read at all,† Catch said. â€Å"Open the other candlestick. Maybe what we need is in there. Rachel picked up the other candlestick and turned it in her hands. â€Å"There's no seam on this one.† â€Å"Look for one; it might be hidden,† the demon said. Rachel went to the kitchen area of the cabin and got a knife from the silverware drawer to scrape away the silver. Amanda was helping Effrom get to his feet, urging him across the room. Rachel found the seam and worked the knife into it. â€Å"I've got it.† She unscrewed the candlestick and pulled out a second parchment. â€Å"Can you read this one?† Catch said. â€Å"No. This one's in Greek, too. We'll have to get it translated. I don't even know anyone who reads Greek.† â€Å"Travis,† Catch said. Amanda had Effrom almost to the door when she heard Travis's name. â€Å"Is he still alive?† she asked. â€Å"For a while,† Catch said. â€Å"Who is this Travis?† Rachel asked. She was supposed to be the one in charge here, yet the old woman and the demon seemed to know more about what was going on than she did. â€Å"They can't go,† Catch said. â€Å"Why? We have the invocation; we just need to get it translated. Let them go.† â€Å"No,† Catch said. â€Å"If they warn Travis, he will find a way to protect the girl.† â€Å"What girl?† Rachel felt as if she had walked into the middle of a plot-heavy mystery movie and no one was going to tell her what was happening. â€Å"We have to get the girl and hold her hostage until Travis translates the invocation.† â€Å"What girl?† Rachel repeated. â€Å"A waitress at the cafe in town. Her name is Jenny.† â€Å"Jenny Masterson? She's a member of the coven. What does she have to do with this?† â€Å"Travis loves her.† â€Å"Who is Travis?† There was a pause. Rachel, Amanda, and Effrom all stared at empty air waiting for the answer. â€Å"He is my master,† Catch said. â€Å"This is really weird,† Rachel said. â€Å"You're a little slow on the uptake, aren't you, honey?† Effrom said.

Free Essays on Darwin

Darwin’s Different Directions From the very beginning of Charles Darwin’s attempt to make a career decision, another path always seemed more appropriate. He began as a medical student at Cambridge and soon afterward, re-routed towards the seminary. However, in his quest to become a clergyman, Darwin faced further uncertainties. One may wonder how an aspiring priest became one of the most prominent figures in all of scientific history. The dominant belief of Darwin’s era, the 1800’s, fixated upon the notion that everything in existence was divinely created in its perfect form by God. This was a time when church, state, and science were all in the same. So why did Darwin, a man of God, ponder facts that were thought beyond our ability to prove, the facts that there may have been a biological reason for nature to make adaptations at the will of nature itself, and not by a divine being? In 1832, Charles Darwin boarded the H.M.S. Beagle, for a five year voyage, as the gentleman companion of the vessel’s captain, Captain Fitzroy. This voyage would prove to be the primary turning point of Darwin’s life along with his beliefs of life itself. On board, Darwin became the default naturalist of the ship, partly due to his â€Å"bottomless† funding from his inherited aristocratic well being. While touring the oceans, Darwin collected animals, fossils, and other biological material from each docking port. He also read The Principles of Geology by Sir Charles Lyell. Darwin found this literature very intriguing since Lyell argued against the belief that the earth was created 4,000 years before the birth of Christ, an assumption based on the chronology of the Old Testament. Instead, Lyell argued that the earth is constantly changing at a very slow rate, the same rate at which it must have always changed. Therefore, by studying mountains, glaciers, and other grand features of the planet, the world must be dramatically older than the a... Free Essays on Darwin Free Essays on Darwin Darwin’s Different Directions From the very beginning of Charles Darwin’s attempt to make a career decision, another path always seemed more appropriate. He began as a medical student at Cambridge and soon afterward, re-routed towards the seminary. However, in his quest to become a clergyman, Darwin faced further uncertainties. One may wonder how an aspiring priest became one of the most prominent figures in all of scientific history. The dominant belief of Darwin’s era, the 1800’s, fixated upon the notion that everything in existence was divinely created in its perfect form by God. This was a time when church, state, and science were all in the same. So why did Darwin, a man of God, ponder facts that were thought beyond our ability to prove, the facts that there may have been a biological reason for nature to make adaptations at the will of nature itself, and not by a divine being? In 1832, Charles Darwin boarded the H.M.S. Beagle, for a five year voyage, as the gentleman companion of the vessel’s captain, Captain Fitzroy. This voyage would prove to be the primary turning point of Darwin’s life along with his beliefs of life itself. On board, Darwin became the default naturalist of the ship, partly due to his â€Å"bottomless† funding from his inherited aristocratic well being. While touring the oceans, Darwin collected animals, fossils, and other biological material from each docking port. He also read The Principles of Geology by Sir Charles Lyell. Darwin found this literature very intriguing since Lyell argued against the belief that the earth was created 4,000 years before the birth of Christ, an assumption based on the chronology of the Old Testament. Instead, Lyell argued that the earth is constantly changing at a very slow rate, the same rate at which it must have always changed. Therefore, by studying mountains, glaciers, and other grand features of the planet, the world must be dramatically older than the a...

Dictionaries and Lexicons

Dictionaries and Lexicons Dictionaries and Lexicons Dictionaries and Lexicons By Maeve Maddox Both dictionaries and lexicons are collections of words. Both words derive from Latin and Greek words meaning to speak or to say. dictionary: A book dealing with the individual words of a language (or certain specified classes of them), so as to set forth their orthography, pronunciation, signification, and use, their synonyms, derivation, and history, or at least some of these facts lexicon: A word-book or dictionary; chiefly applied to a dictionary of Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, or Arabic. The word dictionary entered English before lexicon. Thomas Elyot first used the word in the title of his Latin-English dictionary in 1538. Earlier English writers all the way back to Old English times compiled collections of words, but under different labels. Dictionaries are of two kinds. One kind pairs words in two languages. This was the first kind. The oldest known are Sumerian-Akkadian word lists on cuneiform tablets. In England, the Anglo-Saxon scholar Aelfric (c. 955-1012) compiled a Latin-English vocabulary grouped under topics such as plants and animals. The first English-English dictionary in alphabetical order was compiled in 1604 by Robert Cawdrey, an English school teacher. In 1755 Samuel Johnson completed A Dictionary of the English Language. His was the most extensive and reliable English dictionary until the achievement of the Oxford English Dictionary in the 19th century. Although originally applied to dictionaries of Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, or Arabic, the word lexicon is now used in the sense of vocabulary proper to some sphere of activity or simply as an elegant variation on the word dictionary. Lexicon is the word of choice when it comes to collections of words related to supernatural matters, for example: The Harry Potter Lexicon, and The Twilight Lexicon. Words related to lexicon are lexicographer: A writer or compiler of a dictionary. lexical: pertaining to words lexeme:   A word-like grammatical form intermediate between morpheme and utterance, often identical with a word occurrence; a word in the most abstract sense, as a meaningful form without an assigned grammatical role; an item of vocabulary. lexis: the total word-stock of a language; diction or wording as opposed to other elements of verbal expression such as grammar. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing Lightâ€Å"As Well As† Does Not Mean â€Å"And†75 Synonyms for â€Å"Hard†

Divorce has different legal and social implications for the Divorce Essay

Divorce has different legal and social implications for the Divorce Arab and Muslim woman. Discuss, giving examples - Essay Example This paper critically discusses the legal and social implications of divorce for the Arab and Muslim woman with particular focus to examples in various Islamic countries. Firstly, there are a number of legal implications related to divorce in the Islamic societies particularly for women. Legally, although matters of marriage and divorce are largely governed by the Sharia law, the rules of Islamic divorce and consequently, its legal implications vary among various Islamic jurisprudence from one Muslim country to another due to different cultural traditions and practices. In most cases, the Islamic laws have always been largely seen to favor men in relation to their female counterparts in nearly all the Arab and Muslim countries. For instance, while Islam allows Muslim husbands to marry immediately after divorce, women are often required to observe a certain period of time (iddah) before they remarry or have any conjugal relations after divorce. An iddah is a period prescribed of about three months before the divorce becomes final. In most cases, the wife must remain in the home during this period to see whether a reconciliatory method of salvaging their marriage is achievable or if she is pregnant (Haddad et al 134). Another important implication of divorce for a woman in the Arab and Islamic world is the potential loss of custody of her children. For example, the legal system used in Tunisia only allows the woman to have the custody of children up to the ages of 7 for boys and 9 for girls after which the husband the custody reverts to the husband. Although the Arabic and Islamic laws do not make divorce acquiescently permissible, these laws perfectly well through its chapter-based hedges the sanctions of the practice with many defences. In the Suratul-Talaq for example, divorce is highlighted with a lot of positivity; this scripture teaches that when you divorce a woman, divorce them at their prescribed periods, and count accurately

Financial structure and macroeconomic stability Research Paper

Financial structure and macroeconomic stability - Research Paper Example However the ability of the policy makers and financial regulators to implement different rules depends upon the control they have upon reducing inflation and output volatility. The transmission of interest rate fluctuations to output levels and prices depends upon a country’s policies regarding banking and management of financial markets. For most policy makers, in majority of the nations, controlling the interest rates in the short run is considered to be most important. Policy development and interest rate changes are however effective only when they lead to an increase the level finance available to firms and individuals who are willing to invest in projects or shift consumption. In many nations it is observed that the banking system is guarded from the impact caused by monetary policies through barriers which are created by the government (Iakova & Wagner, 2001). Monetary policy which gets transmitted to the real economy and thereby impacts the lending policies of the bank requires to be altered as they hinder growth. When the government sheds the assets of the bank, they indirectly create scope for the central banks to bring about stability in output and inflation rates. Therefore establishing a control over the assets possessed by the bank is a suitable way by which it is possible to manage the macro-economic environment. The deposit insurance system is also identified as a crucial factor in the financial regulatory system which affects the economy. The absence or the presence of a deposit regulatory system affects the readiness of bank managers to undertake risks. Subsequently the access available to firms to raise finance through equity and bonds may also get affected. Financial regulators are frequently seen to use bank loans as a tool to implement monetary policies. Therefore if firms are more dependent upon banks, then the efficient implementation of