DQ Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

DQ - Assignment Example This may lead to heated arguments and losing temper. It is also good practice to engage the client in the solution, by asking them their suggestions. The other key objective is to listen keenly, internalize the complaint, and, take time to understand before responding. These techniques help avoid taking issues as personal attacks. Feedback meetings with clients need to be well organized so as to maximize the outcome, while avoiding ambiguity. It is important when planning, to have in mind, which areas to collect feedback, what is to be addressed in the meeting, what the possible client reactions are, and, how to manage the reactions. It is advisable to devise a plan to be followed in the manner in which to engage the client. It is also important to schedule the meeting in an environment that is suitable to the client. On the material day, it is good to start by engaging the client on more general issues, before narrowing down to specifics. The client should be given ample time to express themselves without interjections, and, their complements, or complains well recorded. It is also good practice to respond to those issues that can be addressed on the spot, while committing to respond to the other, and make necessary adjustments soonest applicable. Self expression is an important tool to earn and maintain customer confidence. One way of doing this is to ensure that one is well informed about the company history, policies, products, services, and, future plans. This helps one to be articulate when handling the customers. When talking to clients, it is good to make prior preparations, to avoid rushing over issues. One should also talk naturally, avoiding reading lengthy documents. Eye contact should also be maintained, while avoiding distructive behavior. It is also good to explain using good examples where appropriate. While responding to client concerns, one should portray good understanding of the issues, and, when not sure

Utilitariansim and Dickens Hard Times Essay Example for Free

Utilitariansim and Dickens Hard Times Essay Hard Times offers a critique of the Utilitarian ideology from a romantic perspective. Hard Times demonstrates that one cannot reason oneself to happiness, but that relying solely on the faculties of the mind will not fulfill the complexities of the human being. John Stuart Mills, in his paper Utilitarianism proposed the philosophy is not something to be contradistinguished from pleasure, but pleasure itself, together with exemption from pain; and instead of opposing the useful to the agreeable or the ornamental However, Dickens did not find this harmony to be a possible outcome of the rigidity of logic, but found the imagination to be a more fertile ground for producing happiness. Dickens wrote of utilitarianism as it was applied during British industrialization. In the economic climate of the Industrial Revolution capitalism prevailed and social equality was more rhetoric than practice. Capitalism combined with the philosophy to put an emphasis on the individual achieving his or her own goals, rather than focus on the greater good. Mills did believe in the greater good, but Dickens believed a very logical approach to life would pervert this ideal. Rationalization could overcome virtue by creating mechanical sensibility devoid of caring, which plays an important part in maintaining morals. Throughout Hard Times Louisa expresses apathy towards life when she asks why she should care about important events, even being married. Rather than suspect something is wrong, the other characters believe she is being logical. Such a response is acceptable to them, even though it is an expression of her unhappiness. Through this example Dickens makes the point reason alone is not enough guidance for a human beings happiness. None of the characters that follow the utilitarian lifestyle are truly happy. Only Sissy, who fails to be taught to be so logical, is actually happy. Dickens wrote his characters to express emotion or care after realizing how flawed logic can be when applied to human nature. After Mr. Gradgrind realized how unhappy his fortress of numbers and logic made everyone he was able to save his son from prosecution by the law and support his daughter in leaving an unhappy marriage. The collapse of the marriage he had proposed in  very logical terms for his daughter, Louisa, was what made him realize how rational decisions may not be the best ones. Although Louisas response to the marriage proposal was: Since Mr. Bounderby likes to take me thus, let it be so (p 112). Though Louisa clearly lacked any sentiment commonly enjoyed in marriage, Mr. Gradgrind accepted her response as proper. He later learned the logical response was less correct to such a proposal than an emotional response, which would have lead to a better outcome. After having experienced the affections of someone other than her husband, Louisa realized she could not remain in her marriage. She went to her father and explained to him the error of his beliefs (utilitarianism). How could you give me life, and take from me all the inappreciable things that raise it from the state of conscious death? Where are the graces of my soul? Where are the sentiments of my heart? (p 236). After exposing her unhappiness, Louisa fell to the floor. Dickens used her fall to capitalize the inevitable inapplicability of utilitarianism. (Mr. Gradgrind) saw the pride of his heart and triumph of his system, lying, an insensible heap, at his feet (p 239). Besides the risk of placing what is reasonable above what is human, and thus creating unhappiness, there are other ways in which utilitarianism may go astray. Dickens character Mr. Bounderby exemplifies how striving for happiness can easily be perverted to striving for personal gain. Although he promotes himself as an example of a self-made man who achieved success through industry, he is eventually exposed as having come from a well-to-do family rather than the street. The discovery makes his self-serving airs all the more deplorable. Mr. Bounderby seems to derive all his satisfaction from being a capitalist, which is economically logical, but socially crippling. He is ultimately left by his wife, Louisa, and fires the only woman who ever tolerated him, Mrs. Sparsit, for offending his reputation. Although Mr. Bounderby has many opportunities to do good things and create happiness due to his powerful position, he values only fiscal achievement. He is cold and friendless. Therefore he is a good example of utilitarian principle at its most humanitarianly corrupt. Although Mr. Bounderby claims he is a self-made man, it isnt the truth. Contrary to his claims, Josiah Bounderby was raised in a well-to-do house by a caring mother. In Hard Times it is apparent that despite rhetoric about egalitarianism, the people are governed by very different rules according to class. When a working stiff, Stephen Blackpool asks his employer, Mr. Bounderby for advice on how to obtain a divorce from his alcoholic wife, he is chastised. However, in the same scene it becomes apparent Mrs. Sparsit herself was divorced, but only thanks to her social status and wealth. Bounderby is angered Blackpool should even think of himself as having such liberties. The scene represents the disempowered situation of the lower class. Blackpools employer reminds him he has no rights and immediately expresses concern he will next want more workers rights. At points like this Dickens makes turn of the 19th century Britain seem almost feudal. Charles Dickens uses Hard Times to criticize the newly industrial Britain for losing touch with humanity by suppressing imagination and emotion and allowing social inequality to persist, despite the technologically modernizing society. Hard Times does a beautiful job of embodying exactly what Dickens is afraid utilitarianism will destroy, an imaginative, rich invention. The book contrasts an enjoyable piece of literature against the severity of the politics discussed within the story. Citations Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. Modern Library. 2001. Mills, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill2.htm.

Can Experts Disagree on the Same Facts?

Can Experts Disagree on the Same Facts? Prescribed Title 5: Given access to the same facts, how is it possible that there can be disagreement between experts in a discipline? Develop your answer with reference to two areas of knowledge. For centuries scientists and historians alike have debated topics within their field of study. Whether it be the structure of an atom or the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire, experts in these fields often disagree despite having access to the same exact facts and information. These separate interpretations of data leads to the question of how it is possible that the same facts do not always point to the same general truths. Although experts in the fields of science and history have access to the same facts, the experts who analyze and interpret these facts are human beings, whose thoughts are impacted by the different cultures, experiences, and perspectives in which they were raised. One important question that needs to be raised is what makes someone an expert? Better yet, what is a fact? An expert is someone who has an extensive background in a certain subject and is recognized by others as having a comprehensive understanding of a specific topic. This means that they have a great understanding of the subject matter of which they are an expert, and others can attest to this proficiency. Facts are known truths that are commonly accepted and verifiable. A fact must be verifiable in order to be legitimate. Understanding these terms allows us to truly understand the nature of historians and scientists and their interpretations of information. One of the most important, yet most debatable, tasks that a historian must complete is weighing evidence after reviewing historical facts. Historians make decisions based on many different pieces of evidence. They decide how important each piece of evidence is to the way that history played out. This brings up the question of the extent to which the weighing of evidence by historians in relation to events in history is subjective or objective. The weighing of evidence tends to be subjective simply because of the often multiple different causes of certain events in history. This can be seen in the analysis of almost every historical event in recorded history, but especially in the analysis of the cause of World War II. Many different factors played into the cause of World War II. Between the economic sanctions imposed by countries such as the United States and Great Britain, political tension between the major powers, or expansionist foreign policies of Italy, Germany, and Japan, no single cause can be seen as the only one to start to war (History.com staff). However, deciding which cause had the greatest impact on war is what historians debate over and weigh evidence over, yet they often come to separate conclusions. The different cultures, experiences, and perspectives of the historians leads to their different interpretations and evaluations of evidence in history. Although these experts analyze the same data, the lenses through which they view the evidence are different. Historians do their best to analyze facts and their impact on history with total objectivity, yet the nature of the weighing of evidence is very subjective. Historians have to use their own personal values and emotions, based on their own personal culture and experiences, in order to evaluate evidence and make decisions based on these evaluations. This also brings up the question of the extent to which the upbringings of a historian has an impact on their analysis of historical facts. All historians grow up in unique situations and so their view on the world and the way humans interact with each other is slightly different. Furthermore, their opinions on the interactions of foreign powers can often be impacted by their nationalities and the education they received. This personal opinion is most prominently seen with debate over differing political ideologies and their impact on foreign nations. I saw this debate first hand in my history class. The topic of the discussion was Cuba and the rise of Castro as a communist dictator. As the child of a Cuban exile, I have heard anecdotes from people who lived and suffered under the dictatorship of Fidel Castro. My family has seen the thousands of people who were killed under his command and the conditions of the Cuban people because of his policies. Undoubtedly, because of my personal upbringings, I am biased against Castro and communism in general. This extremely negative experience with communism has swayed my opinion about the political ideology to a great extent. However, in class, my history teacher argued that Fidel Castro had a great, positive impact on Cuba and the Cuban people. My teacher claimed that Castro reduced the unemployment rate and generally improved the average living conditions of the Cuban people. Just like historians, both my teacher and I were analyzing the same facts about the same country, yet were drawing drastically different conclusions. We were weighing evidence based on our own personal cultures and beliefs and drawing conclusions about the general nature of the regime. This personal example gives insight to the debates that historians go through in order to come to conclusions about events or topics in history. Historians attempt to decipher data in an objective way, yet the weighing of evidence is subjective and easily influenced by the culture of the historian. In this way, historians rarely come to the same conclusions based on the same facts simply because each individual historian is weighing evidence based on their own unique personal experiences. These experiences and aspects of their culture give each historian a predisposed idea about topics in history that causes them to evaluate events in history in different ways. In the field of science, the different types of data often leads to disagreement and separate conclusions based on this data. In science, the two main types of data are quantitative and qualitative; quantitative data being data that can be measured in numbers while qualitative data being data that can be observed and described. Quantitative data tends to not only be more precise, but also easier to reproduce. On the other hand, qualitative data is measured based on the scientists interpretations of a certain quality within an experiment. For example, when performing titrations, scientists often use color indicators to show when the titration is complete. However, they must decide for their own when the color has changed sufficiently for the titration to be considered complete. This leads to a large amount of room for error. This same experiment can be performed around the world several times by experts in the field of science yet they may all come to different conclusions about the d ata. This imprecision of this data leads to the question of the extent to which the preconceived ideas of scientists affects the way they interpret data. Often times in science, data is either difficult to describe, as in the exact color of a solution when a titration is complete, or in instances where an experiment cannot be conducted in order to test a theory. For example, String Theory was proposed by scientists years ago and many scientists continue to support it today. In the words of Richard Dawid, On one side of the divide stand most of those physicists who work on string physics and in fields like inflationary cosmology or high energy particle physics model building, which are strongly influenced by string physics. Yet, many other experts disagree and refuse to support the theory. They, consider string theory a vastly overrated speculation, and without being able to conduct an experiment to prove the theory, it is not valid. They refuse to consider the evidence proposed by scienti sts who support the theory simply based on this single idea. The nature of a scientists research can help explain why many scientists can come to different conclusions when analyzing the same data. When a scientist sets out to conduct an experiment, they often have a goal in mind. Whether they are trying to prove a theory correct or make a new discovery, scientists often have preconceived ideas about the topic of which their experiment is concerned. In other cases, scientists are being supported financially by investors who are looking for the scientists to come to certain conclusions, especially in relation to medicines where investors are looking to create a new drug in order to make a profit. Because of this, scientists often have biases when conducting experiments. This leads to them analyzing data in a way that will support their goals. They will often disregard or assign insignificant value data that contradicts the claim they are trying to support. This is generally the source of disagreement between scientists when analyzing the same d ata. Every day, historians and scientists alike are analyzing undisputable facts. They look at these facts and come to completely separate conclusions. As human beings, we all are subject to interpreting facts through the subjective lenses of our cultures and personal experiences. Although experts in both the fields of history and science may try to be objective as possible, certain elements of research in these fields require subjective analysis that can vary from expert to expert. This gives way to differing conclusions among experts in the fields of science and history and, in general, disagreements between experts in a certain field despite having access to the same facts. Works Cited Dawid, Richard. String Theory and the Scientific Method. Cambridge: Cambridge U, 2015. Print. History.com Staff. World War II History. History.com. AE Television Networks, 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. .

Child and Adolescent Psychopathology: A Casebook Essay -- Jason Colema

Introduction: Conduct Disorder The hallmark of Conduct Disorder (CD) is an obvious and careless apathy for the rules, the rights, the emotions, and the personal territory of others. Aggression, deceitfulness, duress, and power over others are enjoyable to a child with CD. Children with CD pick fights, trespass, lie, cheat, steal, vandalize, display abusive behaviors, and, for older children, perpetrate unwanted sexual advances. The display of signs in younger children can be: ruthless bullying, lying for the purpose of lying, and stealing of useless things. Diagnosis: Jason Coleman of Conduct Disorder Jason Coleman meets the criteria for CD in DSM 4 TR: Axis 1, for CD with a specifier of 312.81 Childhood-onset type, severe; Axis II, v71.09, no diagnoses at this time of a personality disorder; Axis III, 799.9, refer to medical history and physician’s report on head injury; Axis IV client has Problems related to the social environment; Axis V GAF score of 31 (current) (American Psychiatric Association, 2008). Justification for Axis 1 The main feature of Conduct Disorder, Criteria A, is a repeated and constant way of behaving that violates the rights of other people, or there are major age-appropriate violations of the norms of society, and three or more occurrences within the last twelve months, and one occurrence within the last six months (American Psychiatric Association, 2008). Jason meets Criteria A10, 11, and 12, Deceitfulness or Theft, because he burglarized a house across the street from where he was living, convinced his co-foster brother, Walt, to help him in the burglary, and stole his foster mom’s ATM card and withdrew $500 dollars. Jason meets Criteria A13, 14, and 15 for serious violations of rules... ...er/FAQ.aspx Geradin, P. (2002). Drug treatment of conduct disorder in young people. PubMed, 12(12), 361- 370. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12208553 Kaplan, H. I., Sadock, B. J., & Grebb, J. A. (1994). Synopsis of psychiatry: behavioral sciences, clinical psychiatry (7 ed. p. 1071). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. Kearney, C. (2013). Casebook in child behavior disorders. (5 ed., pp. 69-71/87-99). Belmont: Wadsworth. DOI: www.cengage.com/wadsworth Parritz, R., & Troy, M. (2011). Disorders of childhood: development and psychopathology. (1 ed., pp. 250-257). Belmont: Wadsworth. Retrieved from http://www.cengage.com/wadsworth Pelham, W., & Fabiano, G. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 184-214. doi: 10.1080/15374410701818681

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 33-37

CHAPTER 33 Sophie's SmartCar tore through the diplomatic quarter, weaving past embassies and consulates, finally racing out a side street and taking a right turn back onto the massive thoroughfare of Champs-Elysees. Langdon sat white-knuckled in the passenger seat, twisted backward, scanning behind them for any signs of the police. He suddenly wished he had not decided to run. You didn't, he reminded himself. Sophie had made the decision for him when she threw the GPS dot out the bathroom window. Now, as they sped away from the embassy, serpentining through sparse traffic on Champs-Elysees, Langdon felt his options deteriorating. Although Sophie seemed to have lost the police, at least for the moment, Langdon doubted their luck would hold for long. Behind the wheel Sophie was fishing in her sweater pocket. She removed a small metal object and held it out for him. â€Å"Robert, you'd better have a look at this. This is what my grandfather left me behind Madonna of the Rocks.† Feeling a shiver of anticipation, Langdon took the object and examined it. It was heavy and shaped like a cruciform. His first instinct was that he was holding a funeral pieu – a miniature version of a memorial spike designed to be stuck into the ground at a gravesite. But then he noted the shaft protruding from the cruciform was prismatic and triangular. The shaft was also pockmarked with hundreds of tiny hexagons that appeared to be finely tooled and scattered at random. â€Å"It's a laser-cut key,† Sophie told him. â€Å"Those hexagons are read by an electric eye.† A key? Langdon had never seen anything like it. â€Å"Look at the other side,† she said, changing lanes and sailing through an intersection. When Langdon turned the key, he felt his jaw drop. There, intricately embossed on the center of the cross, was a stylized fleur-de-lis with the initials P. S. !† Sophie,† he said,† this is the seal I told you about! The official device of the Priory of Sion.† She nodded. â€Å"As I told you, I saw the key a long time ago. He told me never to speak of it again.† Langdon's eyes were still riveted on the embossed key. Its high-tech tooling and age-oldsymbolism exuded an eerie fusion of ancient and modern worlds. â€Å"He told me the key opened a box where he kept many secrets.† Langdon felt a chill to imagine what kind of secrets a man like Jacques Sauniere might keep. What an ancient brotherhood was doing with a futuristic key, Langdon had no idea. The Priory existed for the sole purpose of protecting a secret. A secret of incredible power. Could this key have something to do with it? The thought was overwhelming. â€Å"Do you know what it opens?† Sophie looked disappointed. â€Å"I was hoping you knew.† Langdon remained silent as he turned the cruciform in his hand, examining it. â€Å"It looks Christian,† Sophie pressed. Langdon was not so sure about that. The head of this key was not the traditional long-stemmed Christian cross but rather was a square cross – with four arms of equal length – which predated Christianity by fifteen hundred years. This kind of cross carried none of the Christian connotations of crucifixion associated with the longer-stemmed Latin Cross, originated by Romans as a torture device. Langdon was always surprised how few Christians who gazed upon† the crucifix† realized their symbol's violent history was reflected in its very name:† cross† and† crucifix† came from the Latin verb cruciare – to torture. â€Å"Sophie,† he said,† all I can tell you is that equal-armed crosses like this one are considered peaceful crosses. Their square configurations make them impractical for use in crucifixion, and their balanced vertical and horizontal elements convey a natural union of male and female, making them symbolically consistent with Priory philosophy.† She gave him a weary look. â€Å"You have no idea, do you?† Langdon frowned. â€Å"Not a clue.† â€Å"Okay, we have to get off the road.† Sophie checked her rearview mirror. â€Å"We need a safe place to figure out what that key opens.† Langdon thought longingly of his comfortable room at the Ritz. Obviously, that was not an option. â€Å"How about my hosts at the American University of Paris?† â€Å"Too obvious. Fache will check with them.† â€Å"You must know people. You live here.† â€Å"Fache will run my phone and e-mail records, talk to my coworkers. My contacts are compromised, and finding a hotel is no good because they all require identification.† Langdon wondered again if he might have been better off taking his chances letting Fache arrest him at the Louvre. â€Å"Let's call the embassy. I can explain the situation and have the embassy send someone to meet us somewhere.† â€Å"Meet us?† Sophie turned and stared at him as if he were crazy. â€Å"Robert, you're dreaming. Your embassy has no jurisdiction except on their own property. Sending someone to retrieve us would be considered aiding a fugitive of the French government. It won't happen. If you walk into your embassy and request temporary asylum, that's one thing, but asking them to take action against French law enforcement in the field?† She shook her head. â€Å"Call your embassy right now, and they are going to tell you to avoid further damage and turn yourself over to Fache. Then they'll promise to pursue diplomatic channels to get you a fair trial.† She gazed up the line of elegant storefronts on Champs-Elysees. â€Å"How much cash do you have?† Langdon checked his wallet. â€Å"A hundred dollars. A few euro. Why?† â€Å"Credit cards?† â€Å"Of course.† As Sophie accelerated, Langdon sensed she was formulating a plan. Dead ahead, at the end of Champs-Elysees, stood the Arc de Triomphe – Napoleon's 164-foot-tall tribute to his own military potency – encircled by France's largest rotary, a nine-lane behemoth. Sophie's eyes were on the rearview mirror again as they approached the rotary. â€Å"We lost them for the time being,† she said,† but we won't last another five minutes if we stay in this car.† So steal a different one, Langdon mused, now that we're criminals. â€Å"What are you going to do?† Sophie gunned the SmartCar into the rotary. â€Å"Trust me.† Langdon made no response. Trust had not gotten him very far this evening. Pulling back the sleeve of his jacket, he checked his watch – a vintage, collector's-edition Mickey Mouse wristwatch that had been a gift from his parents on his tenth birthday. Although its juvenile dial often drew odd looks, Langdon had never owned any other watch; Disney animations had been his first introduction to the magic of form and color, and Mickey now served as Langdon's daily reminder to stay young at heart. At the moment, however, Mickey's arms were skewed at an awkward angle, indicating an equally awkward hour. 2:51 A. M. â€Å"Interesting watch,† Sophie said, glancing at his wrist and maneuvering the SmartCar around the wide, counterclockwise rotary. â€Å"Long story,† he said, pulling his sleeve back down. â€Å"I imagine it would have to be.† She gave him a quick smile and exited the rotary, heading due north, away from the city center. Barely making two green lights, she reached the third intersection and took a hard right onto Boulevard Malesherbes. They'd left the rich, tree-lined streets of the diplomatic neighborhood and plunged into a darker industrial neighborhood. Sophie took a quick left, and a moment later, Langdon realized where they were. Gare Saint-Lazare. Ahead of them, the glass-roofed train terminal resembled the awkward offspring of an airplane hangar and a greenhouse. European train stations never slept. Even at this hour, a half-dozen taxi sidled near the main entrance. Vendors manned carts of sandwiches and mineral water while grungy kids in backpacks emerged from the station rubbing their eyes, looking around as if trying to remember what city they were in now. Up ahead on the street, a couple of city policemen stood on the curb giving directions to some co nfused tourists. Sophie pulled her SmartCar in behind the line of taxis and parked in a red zone despite plenty of legal parking across the street. Before Langdon could ask what was going on, she was out of the car. She hurried to the window of the taxi in front of them and began speaking to the driver. As Langdon got out of the SmartCar, he saw Sophie hand the taxi driver a big wad of cash. The taxi driver nodded and then, to Langdon's bewilderment, sped off without them. â€Å"What happened?† Langdon demanded, joining Sophie on the curb as the taxi disappeared. Sophie was already heading for the train station entrance. â€Å"Come on. We're buying two tickets on the next train out of Paris.† Langdon hurried along beside her. What had begun as a one-mile dash to the U. S. Embassy had now become a full-fledged evacuation from Paris. Langdon was liking this idea less and less. CHAPTER 34 The driver who collected Bishop Aringarosa from Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport pulled up in a small, unimpressive black Fiat sedan. Aringarosa recalled a day when all Vatican transports were big luxury cars that sported grille-plate medallions and flags emblazoned with the seal of the Holy See. Those days are gone.Vatican cars were now less ostentatious and almost always unmarked. The Vatican claimed this was to cut costs to better serve their dioceses, but Aringarosa suspected it was more of a security measure. The world had gone mad, and in many parts of Europe, advertising your love of Jesus Christ was like painting a bull's-eye on the roof of your car. Bundling his black cassock around himself, Aringarosa climbed into the back seat and settled in for the long drive to Castel Gandolfo. It would be the same ride he had taken five months ago. Last year's trip to Rome, he sighed. The longest night of my life. Five months ago, the Vatican had phoned to request Aringarosa's immediate presence in Rome. They offered no explanation. Your tickets are at the airport.The Holy See worked hard to retain a veil of mystery, even for its highest clergy. The mysterious summons, Aringarosa suspected, was probably a photo opportunity for the Pope and other Vatican officials to piggyback on Opus Dei's recent public success – the completion of their World Headquarters in New York City. Architectural Digest had called Opus Dei's building† a shining beacon of Catholicism sublimely integrated with the modern landscape,† and lately the Vatican seemed to be drawn to anything and everything that included the word† modern.† Aringarosa had no choice but to accept the invitation, albeit reluctantly. Not a fan of the current papal administration, Aringarosa, like most conservative clergy, had watched with grave concern as the new Pope settled into his first year in office. An unprecedented liberal, His Holiness had secured the papacy through one of the most controversial and unusual conclaves in Vatican history. Now, rather than being humbled by his unexpected rise to power, the Holy Father had wasted no time flexing all the muscle associated with the highest office in Christendom. Drawing on an unsettling tide of liberal support within the College of Cardinals, the Pope was now declaring his papal mission to be† rejuvenation of Vatican doctrine and updating Catholicism into the third millennium.† The translation, Aringarosa feared, was that the man was actually arrogant enough to think he could rewrite God's laws and win back the hearts of those who felt the demands of true Catholicism had become too inconvenient in a modern world. Aringarosa had been using all of his political sway – substantial considering the size of the Opus Dei constituency and their bankroll – to persuade the Pope and his advisers that softening the Church's laws was not only faithless and cowardly, but political suicide. He reminded them that previous tempering of Church law – the Vatican II fiasco – had left a devastating legacy: Church attendance was now lower than ever, donations were drying up, and there were not even enough Catholic priests to preside over their churches. People need structure and direction from the Church, Aringarosa insisted, not coddling and indulgence! On that night, months ago, as the Fiat had left the airport, Aringarosa was surprised to find himself heading not toward Vatican City but rather eastward up a sinuous mountain road. â€Å"Where are we going?† he had demanded of his driver. â€Å"Alban Hills,† the man replied. â€Å"Your meeting is at Castel Gandolfo.† The Pope's summer residence? Aringarosa had never been, nor had he ever desired to see it. In addition to being the Pope's summer vacation home, the sixteenth-century citadel housed the Specula Vaticana – the Vatican Observatory – one of the most advanced astronomical observatories in Europe. Aringarosa had never been comfortable with the Vatican's historical need to dabble in science. What was the rationale for fusing science and faith? Unbiased science could not possibly be performed by a man who possessed faith in God. Nor did faith have any need for physical confirmation of its beliefs. Nonetheless, there it is, he thought as Castel Gandolfo came into view, rising against a star-filled November sky. From the access road, Gandolfo resembled a great stone monster pondering a suicidal leap. Perched at the very edge of a cliff, the castle leaned out over the cradle of Italian civilization – the valley where the Curiazi and Orazi clans fought long before the founding of Rome. Even in silhouette, Gandolfo was a sight to behold – an impressive example of tiered, defensive architecture, echoing the potency of this dramatic cliff side setting. Sadly, Aringarosa now saw, the Vatican had ruined the building by constructing two huge aluminum telescope domes atop the roof, leaving this once dignified edifice looking like a proud warrior wearing a couple of party hats. When Aringarosa got out of the car, a young Jesuit priest hurried out and greeted him. â€Å"Bishop, welcome. I am Father Mangano. An astronomer here.† Good for you.Aringarosa grumbled his hello and followed his host into the castle's foyer – a wide- open space whose decor was a graceless blend of Renaissance art and astronomy images. Following his escort up the wide travertine marble staircase, Aringarosa saw signs for conference centers, science lecture halls, and tourist information services. It amazed him to think the Vatican was failing at every turn to provide coherent, stringent guidelines for spiritual growth and yet somehow still found time to give astrophysics lectures to tourists. â€Å"Tell me,† Aringarosa said to the young priest,† when did the tail start wagging the dog?† The priest gave him an odd look. â€Å"Sir?† Aringarosa waved it off, deciding not to launch into that particular offensive again this evening. The Vatican has gone mad.Like a lazy parent who found it easier to acquiesce to the whims of a spoiled child than to stand firm and teach values, the Church just kept softening at every turn, trying to reinvent itself to accommodate a culture gone astray. The top floor's corridor was wide, lushly appointed, and led in only one direction – toward a huge set of oak doors with a brass sign. BIBLIOTECA ASTRONOMICA Aringarosa had heard of this place – the Vatican's Astronomy Library – rumored to contain more than twenty-five thousand volumes, including rare works of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, and Secchi. Allegedly, it was also the place in which the Pope's highest officers held private meetings†¦ those meetings they preferred not to hold within the walls of Vatican City. Approaching the door, Bishop Aringarosa would never have imagined the shocking news he was about to receive inside, or the deadly chain of events it would put into motion. It was not until an hour later, as he staggered from the meeting, that the devastating implications settled in. Six monthsfrom now! he had thought. God help us! Now, seated in the Fiat, Bishop Aringarosa realized his fists were clenched just thinking about that first meeting. He released his grip and forced a slow inhalation, relaxing his muscles. Everything will be fine, he told himself as the Fiat wound higher into the mountains. Still, he wished his cell phone would ring. Why hasn't the Teacher called me? Silas should have the keystone by now. Trying to ease his nerves, the bishop meditated on the purple amethyst in his ring. Feeling the textures of the mitre-crozier applique and the facets of the diamonds, he reminded himself that this ring was a symbol of power far less than that which he would soon attain. CHAPTER 35 The inside of Gare Saint-Lazare looked like every other train station in Europe, a gaping indoor- outdoor cavern dotted with the usual suspects – homeless men holding cardboard signs, collections of bleary-eyed college kids sleeping on backpacks and zoning out to their portable MP3 players, and clusters of blue-clad baggage porters smoking cigarettes. Sophie raised her eyes to the enormous departure board overhead. The black and white tabs reshuffled, ruffling downward as the information refreshed. When the update was finished, Langdon eyed the offerings. The topmost listing read: LYON – RAPIDE – 3:06 â€Å"I wish it left sooner,† Sophie said,† but Lyon will have to do.† Sooner? Langdon checked his watch 2:59 A. M. The train left in seven minutes and they didn't even have tickets yet. Sophie guided Langdon toward the ticket window and said,† Buy us two tickets with your credit card.† â€Å"I thought credit card usage could be traced by – â€Å"Exactly.† Langdon decided to stop trying to keep ahead of Sophie Neveu. Using his Visa card, he purchased two coach tickets to Lyon and handed them to Sophie. Sophie guided him out toward the tracks, where a familiar tone chimed overhead and a P. A. announcer gave the final boarding call for Lyon. Sixteen separate tracks spread out before them. In the distance to the right, at quay three, the train to Lyon was belching and wheezing in preparation for departure, but Sophie already had her arm through Langdon's and was guiding him in the exact opposite direction. They hurried through a side lobby, past an all-night cafe, and finally out a side door onto a quiet street on the west side of the station. A lone taxi sat idling by the doorway. The driver saw Sophie and flicked his lights. Sophie jumped in the back seat. Langdon got in after her. As the taxi pulled away from station, Sophie took out their newly purchased train tickets and tore them up. Langdon sighed. Seventy dollars well spent. It was not until their taxi had settled into a monotonous northbound hum on Rue de Clichy that Langdon felt they'd actually escaped. Out the window to his right, he could see Montmartre and the beautiful dome of Sacre-Coeur. The image was interrupted by the flash of police lights sailing past them in the opposite direction. Langdon and Sophie ducked down as the sirens faded. Sophie had told the cab driver simply to head out of the city, and from her firmly set jaw, Langdon sensed she was trying to figure out their next move. Langdon examined the cruciform key again, holding it to the window, bringing it close to his eyes in an effort to find any markings on it that might indicate where the key had been made. In the intermittent glow of passing streetlights, he saw no markings except the Priory seal. â€Å"It doesn't make sense,† he finally said. â€Å"Which part?† â€Å"That your grandfather would go to so much trouble to give you a key that you wouldn't know what to do with.† â€Å"I agree.† â€Å"Are you sure he didn't write anything else on the back of the painting?† â€Å"I searched the whole area. This is all there was. This key, wedged behind the painting. I saw the Priory seal, stuck the key in my pocket, then we left.† Langdon frowned, peering now at the blunt end of the triangular shaft. Nothing. Squinting, he brought the key close to his eyes and examined the rim of the head. Nothing there either. â€Å"I think this key was cleaned recently.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"It smells like rubbing alcohol.† She turned. â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"It smells like somebody polished it with a cleaner.† Langdon held the key to his nose and sniffed. â€Å"It's stronger on the other side.† He flipped it over. â€Å"Yes, it's alcohol-based, like it's been buffed with a cleaner or – † Langdon stopped. â€Å"What?† He angled the key to the light and looked at the smooth surface on the broad arm of the cross. It seemed to shimmer in places†¦ like it was wet. â€Å"How well did you look at the back of this key before you put it in your pocket?† â€Å"What? Not well. I was in a hurry.† Langdon turned to her. â€Å"Do you still have the black light?† Sophie reached in her pocket and produced the UV penlight. Langdon took it and switched it on, shining the beam on the back of the key. The back luminesced instantly. There was writing there. In penmanship that was hurried but legible. â€Å"Well,† Langdon said, smiling. â€Å"I guess we know what the alcohol smell was.† Sophie stared in amazement at the purple writing on the back of the key. 24 Rue Haxo An address! My grandfather wrote down an address! â€Å"Where is this?† Langdon asked. Sophie had no idea. Facing front again, she leaned forward and excitedly asked the driver,†Connaissez-vous la Rue Haxo?† The driver thought a moment and then nodded. He told Sophie it was out near the tennis stadium on the western outskirts of Paris. She asked him to take them there immediately. â€Å"Fastest route is through Bois de Boulogne,† the driver told her in French. â€Å"Is that okay?† Sophie frowned. She could think of far less scandalous routes, but tonight she was not going to be picky. â€Å"Oui.† We can shock the visiting American. Sophie looked back at the key and wondered what they would possibly find at 24 Rue Haxo. A church? Some kind of Priory headquarters? Her mind filled again with images of the secret ritual she had witnessed in the basement grotto ten years ago, and she heaved a long sigh. â€Å"Robert, I have a lot of things to tell you.† She paused, locking eyes with him as the taxi raced westward. â€Å"But first I want you to tell me everything you know about this Priory of Sion.† CHAPTER 36 Outside the Salle des Etats, Bezu Fache was fuming as Louvre warden Grouard explained how Sophie and Langdon had disarmed him. Why didn't you just shoot the blessed painting! â€Å"Captain?† Lieutenant Collet loped toward them from the direction of the command post. â€Å"Captain, I just heard. They located Agent Neveu's car.† â€Å"Did she make the embassy?† â€Å"No. Train station. Bought two tickets. Train just left.† Fache waved off warden Grouard and led Collet to a nearby alcove, addressing him in hushed tones. â€Å"What was the destination?† â€Å"Lyon.† â€Å"Probably a decoy.† Fache exhaled, formulating a plan. â€Å"Okay, alert the next station, have the train stopped and searched, just in case. Leave her car where it is and put plainclothes on watch in case they try to come back to it. Send men to search the streets around the station in case they fled on foot. Are buses running from the station?† â€Å"Not at this hour, sir. Only the taxi queue.† â€Å"Good. Question the drivers. See if they saw anything. Then contact the taxi company dispatcher with descriptions. I'm calling Interpol.† Collet looked surprised. â€Å"You're putting this on the wire?† Fache regretted the potential embarrassment, but he saw no other choice. Close the net fast, and close it tight. The first hour was critical. Fugitives were predictable the first hour after escape. They always needed the same thing. Travel.Lodging.Cash.The Holy Trinity. Interpol had the power to make all three disappear in the blink of an eye. By broadcast-faxing photos of Langdon and Sophie to Paris travel authorities, hotels, and banks, Interpol would leave no options – no way to leave the city, no place to hide, and no way to withdraw cash without being recognized. Usually, fugitives panicked on the street and did something stupid. Stole a car. Robbed a store. Used a bank card in desperation. Whatever mistake they committed, they quickly made their whereabouts known to local authorities. â€Å"Only Langdon, right?† Collet said. â€Å"You're not flagging Sophie Neveu. She's our own agent.† â€Å"Of course I'm flagging her!† Fache snapped. â€Å"What good is flagging Langdon if she can do all his dirty work? I plan to run Neveu's employment file – friends, family, personal contacts – anyone she might turn to for help. I don't know what she thinks she's doing out there, but it's going to cost her one hell of a lot more than her job!† â€Å"Do you want me on the phones or in the field?† â€Å"Field. Get over to the train station and coordinate the team. You've got the reins, but don't make a move without talking to me.† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Collet ran out. Fache felt rigid as he stood in the alcove. Outside the window, the glass pyramid shone, its reflection rippling in the windswept pools. They slipped through my fingers.He told himself to relax. Even a trained field agent would be lucky to withstand the pressure that Interpol was about to apply. A female cryptologist and a schoolteacher? They wouldn't last till dawn. CHAPTER 37 The heavily forested park known as the Bois de Boulogne was called many things, but the Parisian cognoscenti knew it as† the Garden of Earthly Delights.† The epithet, despite sounding flattering, was quite to the contrary. Anyone who had seen the lurid Bosch painting of the same name understood the jab; the painting, like the forest, was dark and twisted, a purgatory for freaks and fetishists. At night, the forest's winding lanes were lined with hundreds of glistening bodies for hire, earthly delights to satisfy one's deepest unspoken desires – male, female, and everything in between. As Langdon gathered his thoughts to tell Sophie about the Priory of Sion, their taxi passed through the wooded entrance to the park and began heading west on the cobblestone cross fare. Langdon was having trouble concentrating as a scattering of the park's nocturnal residents were already emerging from the shadows and flaunting their wares in the glare of the headlights. Ahead, two topless teenage girls shot smoldering gazes into the taxi. Beyond them, a well-oiled black man in a G-string turned and flexed his buttocks. Beside him, a gorgeous blond woman lifted her miniskirt to reveal that she was not, in fact, a woman. Heaven help me! Langdon turned his gaze back inside the cab and took a deep breath. â€Å"Tell me about the Priory of Sion,† Sophie said. Langdon nodded, unable to imagine a less congruous a backdrop for the legend he was about to tell. He wondered where to begin. The brotherhood's history spanned more than a millennium†¦ an astonishing chronicle of secrets, blackmail, betrayal, and even brutal torture at the hands of an angry Pope. â€Å"The Priory of Sion,† he began,† was founded in Jerusalem in 1099 by a French king named Godefroi de Bouillon, immediately after he had conquered the city.† Sophie nodded, her eyes riveted on him.† King Godefroi was allegedly the possessor of a powerful secret – a secret that had been in his family since the time of Christ. Fearing his secret might be lost when he died, he founded a secret brotherhood – the Priory of Sion – and charged them with protecting his secret by quietly passing it on from generation to generation. During their years in Jerusalem, the Priory learned of a stash of hidden documents buried beneath the ruins of Herod's temple, which had been built atop the earlier ruins of Solomon's Temple. These documents, they believed, corroborated Godefroi's powerful secret and were so explosive in nature that the Church would stop at nothing to get them.† Sophie looked uncertain. â€Å"The Priory vowed that no matter how long it took, these documents must be recovered from the rubble beneath the temple and protected forever, so the truth would never die. In order to retrieve the documents from within the ruins, the Priory created a military arm – a group of nine knights called the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon.† Langdon paused. â€Å"More commonly known as the Knights Templar.† Sophie glanced up with a surprised look of recognition. Langdon had lectured often enough on the Knights Templar to know that almost everyone on earth had heard of them, at least abstractedly. For academics, the Templars' history was a precarious world where fact, lore, and misinformation had become so intertwined that extracting a pristine truth was almost impossible. Nowadays, Langdon hesitated even to mention the Knights Templar while lecturing because it invariably led to a barrage of convoluted inquiries into assorted conspiracy theories. Sophie already looked troubled. â€Å"You're saying the Knights Templar were founded by the Priory of Sion to retrieve a collection of secret documents? I thought the Templars were created to protect the Holy Land.† â€Å"A common misconception. The idea of protection of pilgrims was the guise under which the Templars ran their mission. Their true goal in the Holy Land was to retrieve the documents from beneath the ruins of the temple.† â€Å"And did they find them?† Langdon grinned. â€Å"Nobody knows for sure, but the one thing on which all academics agree is this: The Knights discovered something down there in the ruins†¦ something that made them wealthy and powerful beyond anyone's wildest imagination.† Langdon quickly gave Sophie the standard academic sketch of the accepted Knights Templar history, explaining how the Knights were in the Holy Land during the Second Crusade and told King Baldwin II that they were there to protect Christian pilgrims on the roadways. Although unpaid and sworn to poverty, the Knights told the king they required basic shelter and requested his permission to take up residence in the stables under the ruins of the temple. King Baldwin granted the soldiers' request, and the Knights took up their meager residence inside the devastated shrine. The odd choice of lodging, Langdon explained, had been anything but random. The Knights believed the documents the Priory sought were buried deep under the ruins – beneath the Holy of Holies, a sacred chamber where God Himself was believed to reside. Literally, the very center of the Jewish faith. For almost a decade, the nine Knights lived in the ruins, excavating in total secrecy through solid rock. Sophie looked over. â€Å"And you said they discovered something?† â€Å"They certainly did,† Langdon said, explaining how it had taken nine years, but the Knights had finally found what they had been searching for. They took the treasure from the temple and traveled to Europe, where their influence seemed to solidify overnight. Nobody was certain whether the Knights had blackmailed the Vatican or whether the Church simply tried to buy the Knights' silence, but Pope Innocent II immediately issued an unprecedented papal bull that afforded the Knights Templar limitless power and declared them† a law unto themselves† – an autonomous army independent of all interference from kings and prelates, both religious and political. With their new carte blanche from the Vatican, the Knights Templar expanded at a staggering rate, both in numbers and political force, amassing vast estates in over a dozen countries. They began extending credit to bankrupt royals and charging interest in return, thereby establishing modern banking and broadening their wealth and influence still further. By the 1300s, the Vatican sanction had helped the Knights amass so much power that Pope Clement V decided that something had to be done. Working in concert with France's King Philippe IV, the Pope devised an ingeniously planned sting operation to quash the Templars and seize their treasure, thus taking control of the secrets held over the Vatican. In a military maneuver worthy of the CIA, Pope Clement issued secret sealed orders to be opened simultaneously by his soldiers all across Europe on Friday, October 13 of 1307. At dawn on the thirteenth, the documents were unsealed and their appalling contents revealed. Clement's letter claimed that God had visited him in a vision and warned him that the Knights Templar were heretics guilty of devil worship, homosexuality, defiling the cross, sodomy, and other blasphemous behavior. Pope Clement had been asked by God to cleanse the earth by rounding up all the Knights and torturing them until they confessed their crimes against God. Clement's Machiavellian operation came off with clockwork precision. On that day, countless Knights were captured, tortured mercilessly, and finally burned at the stake as heretics. Echoes of the tragedy still resonated in modern culture; to this day, Friday the thirteenth was considered unlucky. Sophie looked confused. â€Å"The Knights Templar were obliterated? I thought fraternities of Templars still exist today?† â€Å"They do, under a variety of names. Despite Clement's false charges and best efforts to eradicate them, the Knights had powerful allies, and some managed to escape the Vatican purges. The Templars' potent treasure trove of documents, which had apparently been their source of power, was Clement's true objective, but it slipped through his fingers. The documents had long since been entrusted to the Templars' shadowy architects, the Priory of Sion, whose veil of secrecy had kept them safely out of range of the Vatican's onslaught. As the Vatican closed in, the Priory smuggled their documents from a Paris preceptory by night onto Templar ships in La Rochelle.† â€Å"Where did the documents go?† Langdon shrugged. â€Å"That mystery's answer is known only to the Priory of Sion. Because the documents remain the source of constant investigation and speculation even today, they are believed to have been moved and rehidden several times. Current speculation places the documents somewhere in the United Kingdom.† Sophie looked uneasy. â€Å"For a thousand years,† Langdon continued,† legends of this secret have been passed on. The entire collection of documents, its power, and the secret it reveals have become known by a single name – Sangreal. Hundreds of books have been written about it, and few mysteries have caused as much interest among historians as the Sangreal.† â€Å"The Sangreal? Does the word have anything to do with the French word sang or Spanish sangre – meaning ‘blood'?† Langdon nodded. Blood was the backbone of the Sangreal, and yet not in the way Sophie probably imagined. â€Å"The legend is complicated, but the important thing to remember is that the Priory guards the proof, and is purportedly awaiting the right moment in history to reveal the truth.† â€Å"What truth? What secret could possibly be that powerful?† Langdon took a deep breath and gazed out at the underbelly of Paris leering in the shadows.† Sophie, the word Sangreal is an ancient word. It has evolved over the years into another term†¦ a more modern name.† He paused. â€Å"When I tell you it's modern name, you'll realize you already know a lot about it. In fact, almost everyone on earth has heard the story of the Sangreal.† Sophie looked skeptical. â€Å"I've never heard of it.† â€Å"Sure you have.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"You're just used to hearing it called by the name ‘Holy Grail. ‘†

the flame who lost his way essays

the flame who lost his way essays It is not possible or commendable in mainstream United States to imitate biblical-times gender role patterns. In biblical times, male and female weren't associated according to gender as much as they were according to relationship. Because of the enmeshed society where individuating was not only not done but wasn't seen as normal or healthy we cannot as individuals in the United States begin to imitate let alone completely understand gender role patterns in biblical-times. Women were seen as sisters, wives, mothers, daughters etc. not as women in the sense of gender. Men were also enveloped within relationship as brother, husband, father, son etc. not as maleness. Relationship defined who they were as a person in relationship. An individual was usually someone outside the group, inferior, sick or unacceptable. In the United States we value individuality. We have whole professions dedicated specifically to heal those who are not individuals in one sense or another. We value the self-alone, not as much as relationship. Who we are isn't bound in what relationship we are in but usually in what we do for a living. Because of this foundational difference in orientation as human beings we should not and could not imitate biblical-times gender role patterns. When we as Western thinkers read the Bible through our United States, individual promoting lenses we tend to view the culture of the ancient Near East as barbaric and dehumanizing for some classes, especially women. We feel they are treated as inferior and we cannot understand how a gracious God could not only allow but also institute such a prejudiced society. But here is where we misunderstand the culture and women. Are they treated inferior or just different? The presuppositions of Hebrew culture regarding men and women lead to the understanding of the roles of each sex. According to Proverbs women were easy to fall into adultery, therefore, men were to keep them pure according ...

Carrion Beetles, Family Silphidae

Carrion Beetles, Family Silphidae Look no further than your nearest road kill if you want to collect specimens in the family Silphidae. Carrion beetles inhabit the remains of dead vertebrates, munching on maggots and consuming the corpse. As gross as that sounds, its an important job. Carrion beetles also go by the common names burying beetles and sexton beetles. What Do Carrion Beetles Look Like? Unless you’re in the habit of examining carcasses, you may never come across a carrion beetle. Some species will fly to porch lights on summer evenings, so you may get lucky and find one on your front door. While we might find the carrion beetle’s diet rather distasteful, these scavengers provide a vital ecological service - disposing of carcasses. Most of the carrion beetles we encounter fall into one of two genera: Silpha or Nicrophorus. Silpha beetles are medium to large, oval in shape, and usually flattened. They’re typically black, sometimes with a yellow pronotum. Nicrophorus beetles (sometimes spelled Necrophorus) are commonly called burying beetles, thanks to their remarkable ability to move and bury carcasses. Their bodies are elongate, with shortened elytra. Many burying beetles are red and black in color. Though carrion beetles as a family range in size from just a few millimeters to as long as 35 mm, most species we commonly encounter top 10 mm in length. Silphids have clubbed antennae, and tarsi (feet) with 5 joints. Carrion beetle larvae have elongated bodies that taper at the hind end. Carrion Beetles Classifications Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - ColeoopteraFamily - Silphidae Carrion Beetle Diet As adults, most carrion beetles feed on maggots, as well as on the decomposing carcass they inhabit. The adults’ voracious appetite for maggots certainly helps eliminate competition for their offspring. The carrion beetle larvae feed on the carcass, which would quickly be devoured by maggots without the intervention of the adult Silphids. A few carrion beetle species feed on plants, or even more rarely, prey on snails or caterpillars. The Carrion Beetle Life Cycle Like all beetles, Silphids undergo complete metamorphosis, with four stages of the life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The adult carrion beetles lay eggs on or near a decomposing carcass. The young larvae emerge in about a week and will feed on the carcass for up to a month before pupating. Interesting Behaviors of Carrion Beetles Burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) practice remarkable feats of insect strength in an effort to beat the competition to the carcass. When a pair of burying beetles comes across a carcass, they will immediately go to work burying the body. A couple Nicrophorus beetles can completely inter a carcass as large as a rat in a matter of hours. To do so, the beetles plow the earth beneath the carcass, using their heads like bulldozer blades to push loose soil out from under the body. As more and more soil is excavated from beneath it, the carcass begins to settle into the ground. Eventually, the burying beetles push the loose soil back over the body, effectively hiding it from competitors like blow flies. If the soil beneath the carcass proves to difficult to dig, the beetles may work together to lift and carry the body to another location nearby. The bright bands of red or orange on the wings of many carrion beetles warn potential predators that they won’t make a very delicious meal, so don’t bother tasting them. There’s something to be said for the old adage â€Å"you are what you eat.† Carrion beetles, after all, feed on rotting flesh, and all the bacteria that goes along with it. Silphids apparently taste and smell like death. Where Do Carrion Beetles Live? The family Silphidae is a fairly small beetle group, with just 175 species known worldwide. Of these, about 30 species inhabit North America. Most carrion beetles inhabit temperate regions. Sources: Borror and DeLong’s Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th Edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonInsects: Their Natural History and Diversity, by Stephen A. MarshallKaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, by Eric R. Eaton and Kenn KaufmanA Matter of Taste – The Natural History of Carrion Beetles, by Brett C. Ratcliffe, Curator of Insects, University of Nebraska State MuseumFamily Silphidae, Bugguide.net, accessed November 29, 2011

buy custom Educational Placements essay

buy custom Educational Placements essay For student with disabilities, placement choices directly affect the opportunity to be around non-disabled peers, a context that is essential to learning relevant skills and developing supportive social relationships. Special education instruction can be provided in a number of settings. The public agencies ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of these students. This paper describes the roles, advantages and disadvantages of resource room placement, general education classroom placement and, home instruction. Resource Room Placement A resource room is an educational setting within a school that offers remedial instruction to students to students with learning disability. Generally, students spend most of their time in general or regular classes but visits a resource room for a portion of their day for group or individual instruction on specific areas outlined on the childrens individualized educational program. The main pro of a resource room is that it is very helpful due to the efforts of individual teachers who provide individual assistance, remediation and positive reinforcement. Also, students can benefit from specific training while remaining integrated with their age mates and friends in school. On the other hand, resource room has some cons. For instance, the school rsk publicly identifying the students with disabilities as being different from others or peers. This can possibly cause self-image as well as self-esteem issues for these students. For example, putting students with mild disabilities into a separate room with the ones with severe cognitive delays can damage the self-esteem and self image of the students with mild disabilities. Home Instruction This is where families are actively involved in their disabled childrens education. Family input is very critical advantageous, as family members supply considerable information on student strengths, weaknesses, dislikes, responses to past interventions, preferences and their future hopes and goals. Home instruction can deny the students with disabilities a free and appropriate education if the parents are derelict in their duties and fail to cooperate with relevant school districts. General Education Classroom Placement This placement involves full inclusion whereby students are placed in a general education classroom for the entire school day. The support and services necessary to ensure an appropriate education come to these disabled students in the general education class; students are not pulled out into special classrooms for instruction. This placement has some advantages. Foor instance, its full inclusion goes beyond returning students who have been in separate placements to the general education classrooms. It incorporates an end to labeling students and shunting them out of the regular classroom to obtain the required services. It responds to calls for never streaming by establishing a unified and restructured system that serves all students together. On the other hand placement/full inclusion is not achievable for many disabled stude3nts. The reality is that specialized academic and social instruction can best be provided, at least for some students, in pull-out setting. Finally, moves to full inclusion will result in the loss of special education personnel who have been trained to work with disabled students who have diverse needs. Therefore, the students will be dumped in an environment that does not meet their specific needs. Conclusion In ideal situations, all placement issues should be decided in logical sequence after the children are determined eligible for special education and after an individualized education plan has been designed by the childrens relevant educational teams. According to mainstreaming requirement, it is not good to place students with disabilities outside regular classrooms if educating them in the regular classrooms with supplementary aid and support services can be satisfactorily achieved. Buy custom Educational Placements essay

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Research Methods - Essay Example Management must be able to lead the employees through new techniques, which are based on the current market situations. The management must use different leadership traits so that the employees are easily able to adopt different strategies, which can help in the performance of the business. Finding an innovative idea for every problem can be a difficult task for all the management but it is essential for them to implement such ideas in the operational activities so that the production level of the employees increases which directly increases the profitability of the organization. From several studies it is observed that the role of leadership can create many changes in an organization and increase the efficiency of its employees. The importance of innovative management leads to innovative ideas. Different leadership styles help to implement the innovative ideas in the organizations and can enhance the performance of the employees. At the time of economic crisis, good leadership qualities are important to increase the performance of the organization (Cristina, 2013). There are mainly four types of leadership styles that could be observed in different organizations. The choice of leadership style depends upon the nature of business or objectives of the organization. The suitability of leadership style, therefore, varies in different industries. The aim of the proposed study is to compare different leadership styles and their traits and their impact on employees’ performance. It would be an interesting study to compare different leadership styles on employee performance in different organizations as it will allow the users of the report to identify and understand traits of different leadership styles and their role in motivating and committing employees to perform better. A comprehensive study would be possible by taking case studies of four different organizations that support two types of leadership including Transactional and

Higher Education in England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Higher Education in England - Essay Example It has been concluded that each student spends only around 26 hours of time per week for both private study and teaching. Another report on UK universities, in particular, universities in England, shows that the stress levels of students undergoing higher education are more than the level prescribed by health and Safety Executive (HSE) for good health.(Ashley) A report developed by National Union of Students (NUS) shows that the students are well aware of their daily expenditure, but not sure of the hidden costs they spend. These include travelling, food bought during travelling, in shops and restaurants. (NUS student experience report) The report also shows the average percentage of people worried about their financial situation. It shows that 13% of the total are very much worried and stressed out about their financial situation whereas 16% of students don't give much attention to it. The rest of students were not aware of how much they spend.(NUS student experience report) According to recent survey conducted on a group of students, a larger database of information was generated with predefined set of questions. On finding out correlation between the debt and term expenditure, it was found out to be 0.76 showing a fairly high connection between the two subjected quantities. Further analysis was done to test two hypotheses. One is a belief of no difference in debt between mature and young students. The other was mature students having more debts than young students. With t-test and histogram on a surveyed set of data, both the hypotheses were proved wrong. Although the correlation was found, there was not enough evidence to back the hypothesis. It can be summarized that most of them are under the wrong notion of borrowing things would satisfy their needs rather than looking at the cumulative result they would face after graduation. It could also be one of their ways to counter the financial pressure. The current financial turmoil has added to their stress level as the expenditure for basic amenities has increased. The current recession has led students who want to join universities to go for one which is nearby their home so that they could cut down on the loan for maintenance. (Students at home 'to cut costs') A survey suggests that due to recession, there are not enough part-time jobs to compensate students who take loans to complete their higher education. The survey conducted by the youth parliament of UK suggests that 36% of people fear of shifting to new place as they may not be able to repay the debts.(Higher education funding) According to the first held survey on Student Price Index, the students of higher education pay 7 percent higher than

Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Global Warming - Essay Example urning of fossil fuels for instance coal, oil and natural gases contribute massively to this predicament .40% of United States carbon emission comes from coal burning power plants. More consumer products and cars for transportation are in production following the high population growth rate. This reflects negatively to global warming as more fossil fuels are used in the manufacturing and processing of these products. Cutting down forests to burn charcoal together with the former contributes to accumulation of carbon air in the atmosphere. The carbon air on amassing in the atmosphere forms a cover and restricts heat into the atmosphere. Much of the infrared radiation rising from the surface is absorbed by carbon in the air (Weart, 2008). This results to global warming. Besides this, the level of methane in the earth’s atmosphere also determines the global warming level in the atmosphere. Agricultural activities for instance decomposition of products to make manure, produces a l ot of methane gas. The number of livestock in the planet is also a matter to be troubled about when global warming is concerned. Herbivorous animals produce methane during digestion. These methane ,gases add up to the atmosphere and like carbon it also forms, a blanket in the atmosphere .The only way to curb this is if humans embrace the usage of environmental friendly fuels and reduce the amount of methane in the air. For instance, governments could promote improvements in efficiency in commercial lighting or they could promote the disastrous consumption of fossil fuels (Weart, 2008). Global warming poses harsh effects to humankind. The increase in temperatures in the atmosphere translates to poor rainfall in the planet. Thus, the temperature of the earth is at high level due to carbon accumulations (Weart, 2008).This challenges the agricultural sector, as the productions would not be enough to feed the ever-growing population across the globe. This increase in temperature in the earth

People in Jails with Mental Illness Research Paper

People in Jails with Mental Illness - Research Paper Example The methodology for this paper will be dependent upon a processed based approach. According to Lechner, â€Å"Process research deals primarily with the actions that lead to and support strategy†. Through examining how actions lead to strategy, the nature of the research is concerned with the micro level, â€Å"the behavior of individuals, groups, or other actors within the organization†. Process based research is founded on six guiding principles: ï‚Ÿ embeddedness (studying processes across a number levels of analysis) ï‚Ÿ temporal interconnectedness (studying processes in the past present and future) ï‚Ÿ explaining context and action ï‚Ÿ searching for holistic rather than linear explanations ï‚Ÿ linking analysis to the location ï‚Ÿ balancing scientific distance and empirical closeness While not all research will embody all of these aspects, in searching for the truths about the proposed topic, the information will be discussed using these concepts. Research Questions The following questions will be used to frame the topic of research: 1. How many people in the Miami-Dade County Jail are mentally ill? 2. What services are provided in the Miami-Dade County Jail program? 3. What is the police procedure concerning citizens who have broken the law but appear to be suffering from a mental illness? 4. What is the legal criteria to determine if someone is afforded mental illness care within the Miami-Dade County Jail system? Through secondary research, the Miami-Dade County Jail system will be assessed and reviewed in relationship to the research questions. Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department The most recent statistics, from June 11, 2011, show that there are 6,218 inmates in the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Of those inmates, 5,743 are male and 475 are female. The largest percentage of the population are between the age of 18 and 34, representing 3,603 of the inmates. Of the inmates, 4,226 are there for felony charges with 4,455 of those inmates are at the partial sentence portion of their process. Miami-Dade County, at least by present statistics, seems to be primarily defined by male inmates who are still waiting for the full measure of their punishment to be sentenced. Mentally Ill Citizens in Prison In 2004, an undertaking was given to the grand jury to determine the state of the jail system in regard to mental illness. The task was taken up by the district attorney’s office to investigate the state of mental illness as it has been experienced within

Cloud Computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cloud Computing - Research Paper Example Cloud computing refers to a new method of adding capabilities to computers through investment of hardware or infrastructures (Sun Microsystem, 2009). In this case, it does not acquisition of software, licensing or training programs of employees. In fact, it offers substantial business applications through the internet, which are accessed from a web. Web 2.0 involves application of Web technologies to the Web in a way that offers control to users through interactive visual presentation. Uses of Cloud Computing and Web 2.0 Cloud computing offers services accessed by businesses from different parts of the world. In fact, the cloud that is accessed by different users across the world is located at a single point to serve all customers and satisfy their needs. Cloud computing enables users and firms to access various software and storage services whenever they need them at a low cost; in fact, this form of deployment is called Software as Services (SaaS). Web 2.0 involves integration of W eb technologies in order to enable automation of a significant part of users’ action during the process of browsing (Guha, 2009). In this case, it enables direct embedment of target webpage into user browser, furthermore, Web 2.0 has facilitated technological advancements that enabled browsing the Web on small devices such as mobile phones, through reliance on Web API, Rich Site Summaries (RSS) and Atom feeds. Required Technology to Use these Tools Cloud computing and Web 2.0 requires infrastructure that entails reliable services that are offered through data centers and built on serves; in fact, these severs have different echelon of virtualization technologies (Handler, Shadbolt, Hall, Berners-Lee & Weitzner, 2008). Therefore, cloud computing require physical manifestation of data centers, whereby computing and storage is shifted from users’ device to a remote location having a large collection of serves, network equipment and storage systems. On the other hand, Clou d computing and Web 2.0 requires computing components such as CPUs and memory, which serves as recipients of two thirds of total energy consumed by servers. Benefits of Using Cloud Computing Setting up infrastructure for cloud computing such as acquisition of serves, data centers, database administrators is a role taken by services provides, users or business pay a price to access these services based on their usage (Sun Microsystem, 2009). Resources management and maintaining infrastructure is taken by the service providers, thereby making the processes of setting up simple. On the other hand, cloud offers increased reliability on network and data access, which is guaranteed and maintained by service providers. In addition, cloud computing offers a significant level of flexibility since data can be accessed from anywhere by users. Benefits of Using Web 2.0 Web 2.0 facilitates free flow of information among internet users, whereby they are able to share ideas and opinions about thei r business. Web 2.0 enables personalization of internet services based on different users’ needs and preferences. It has also facilitated acquisition of information based on users’ requirements, by making websites in a way that provides interactive interface, which is user friendly. In addition, Web 2.0 enables internet users to have easy navigation

Kateryna by Taras Shevchenko Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kateryna by Taras Shevchenko - Essay Example The essay "Kateryna by Taras Shevchenko" explores the painting by Ukrainian artist Taras Shevchenko, Katerina. Shevchenko painted this painting during Austria, Hungary, and Russia. Austria and Hungary took over the Polish regions, Romania, and other Western territories of the Ukraine. Tsarist Russia occupied the Eastern Ukraine. Kateryna is set in a time where Ukrainians were forbidden to explore their culture through language or art. Several of Shevchenko’s paintings were done in exile. The cultural aspect of the Ukrainian dress on the woman to the peasant sitting on the ground shows the plight of the Ukrainian nature at the time. The Ukrainians were poor and conquered, but never defeated. The Russian riding a horse shows the powerfulness of the Russian soldiers and symbolizes the mighty country. This style is romanticism. The idea of throwing off aristocratic views with paintings depicting strong emotion is exemplified in Kateryna. The strong emotions of a seduced or raped w oman carrying an illegitimate child tug at most individuals’ emotions. Shevchenko wanted to cause outrage and anger against the occupying soldiers of Russia and the Tsarist government in general. The light colors also are considered a trait of the Romanticism era. Kateryna has a barefooted peasant girl in the forefront with a beggar at her feet. A dark animal jumps a little to her left. In the background is a large tree to the right. A windmill was placed in the top left corner. Between the windmill and girl is a Russian soldier.

People in Jails with Mental Illness Research Paper

People in Jails with Mental Illness - Research Paper Example The methodology for this paper will be dependent upon a processed based approach. According to Lechner, â€Å"Process research deals primarily with the actions that lead to and support strategy†. Through examining how actions lead to strategy, the nature of the research is concerned with the micro level, â€Å"the behavior of individuals, groups, or other actors within the organization†. Process based research is founded on six guiding principles: ï‚Ÿ embeddedness (studying processes across a number levels of analysis) ï‚Ÿ temporal interconnectedness (studying processes in the past present and future) ï‚Ÿ explaining context and action ï‚Ÿ searching for holistic rather than linear explanations ï‚Ÿ linking analysis to the location ï‚Ÿ balancing scientific distance and empirical closeness While not all research will embody all of these aspects, in searching for the truths about the proposed topic, the information will be discussed using these concepts. Research Questions The following questions will be used to frame the topic of research: 1. How many people in the Miami-Dade County Jail are mentally ill? 2. What services are provided in the Miami-Dade County Jail program? 3. What is the police procedure concerning citizens who have broken the law but appear to be suffering from a mental illness? 4. What is the legal criteria to determine if someone is afforded mental illness care within the Miami-Dade County Jail system? Through secondary research, the Miami-Dade County Jail system will be assessed and reviewed in relationship to the research questions. Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department The most recent statistics, from June 11, 2011, show that there are 6,218 inmates in the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Of those inmates, 5,743 are male and 475 are female. The largest percentage of the population are between the age of 18 and 34, representing 3,603 of the inmates. Of the inmates, 4,226 are there for felony charges with 4,455 of those inmates are at the partial sentence portion of their process. Miami-Dade County, at least by present statistics, seems to be primarily defined by male inmates who are still waiting for the full measure of their punishment to be sentenced. Mentally Ill Citizens in Prison In 2004, an undertaking was given to the grand jury to determine the state of the jail system in regard to mental illness. The task was taken up by the district attorney’s office to investigate the state of mental illness as it has been experienced within

Kateryna by Taras Shevchenko Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kateryna by Taras Shevchenko - Essay Example The essay "Kateryna by Taras Shevchenko" explores the painting by Ukrainian artist Taras Shevchenko, Katerina. Shevchenko painted this painting during Austria, Hungary, and Russia. Austria and Hungary took over the Polish regions, Romania, and other Western territories of the Ukraine. Tsarist Russia occupied the Eastern Ukraine. Kateryna is set in a time where Ukrainians were forbidden to explore their culture through language or art. Several of Shevchenko’s paintings were done in exile. The cultural aspect of the Ukrainian dress on the woman to the peasant sitting on the ground shows the plight of the Ukrainian nature at the time. The Ukrainians were poor and conquered, but never defeated. The Russian riding a horse shows the powerfulness of the Russian soldiers and symbolizes the mighty country. This style is romanticism. The idea of throwing off aristocratic views with paintings depicting strong emotion is exemplified in Kateryna. The strong emotions of a seduced or raped w oman carrying an illegitimate child tug at most individuals’ emotions. Shevchenko wanted to cause outrage and anger against the occupying soldiers of Russia and the Tsarist government in general. The light colors also are considered a trait of the Romanticism era. Kateryna has a barefooted peasant girl in the forefront with a beggar at her feet. A dark animal jumps a little to her left. In the background is a large tree to the right. A windmill was placed in the top left corner. Between the windmill and girl is a Russian soldier.

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Homosexuality lacks respect in the Middle East. It is considered to be an immense scandal. Nowadays, the idea of gay marriage is completely disregarded. They don’t display it on Arabic television. The media is controlled by the government, and hence they are not allowed to air or publish such ‘dishonors’. Therefore, most Arabs remain unaware and ignorant. There are undoubtedly many homosexuals in the Middle East who hope to get married. However, the chief problem is that it’s against the law. The Middle Eastern governments have placed rules and regulations against homosexuals. If they were to alter their rules, the Arab community may begin to accept the gay community. Furthermore, another chief problem is that the government is heavily influenced by religion. All prevalent religions do not approve of gay marriage. Hence, if marriage were to become civil, gay marriage might be permitted in the future. But in order for all these actions to take place, the Arab community must unite and try to make a change. Gay marriage should become an acknowledged concept in the Middle Eastern society. The Arab governments are one of the principal obstacles that are preventing gay marriage from happening. They decree many rules and regulations that are against homosexuals. One such example of these laws is Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, a result of French colonialism, in consideration of diehard religious groups and sects. Article 534 states that: â€Å"sexual intercourse contrary to nature is punishable for up to 1 year in prison†. This article, in essence, deprives a large Lebanese demographic from partaking in ordinary civil life, and restricts their civil liberties. By restricting civil liberties, this so-called â€Å"law† prevents the democratic process from occurring smoothly for all citizens, and is an obvious black mark on the face of the supposedly â€Å"free† Lebanese democracy. This article also prevents Lebanese homosexuals from being properly integrated into society, and they therefore seek other Western societies, that are more open to homosexuality, and emigrate in search of a better life. Article 534 includes â€Å"the act of Sodomy, or any sexual intercourse between two men, which includes penetration†. The article, theoretically and legally, does not concern intercourse that does not include penetration, and does not include sexual acts between two women. The execution of this article has been scarce in modern day Lebanon, and so a conclusion can be made that it is used instead to prevent any debate on sexuality from occurring. One Helem article cites that â€Å"The association of unnatural acts with homosexuality contradicts modern scientific foundations, especially psychological and medical studies and research that removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses, something recognized by the World Health Organization on 17 May 1992, a date that was announced as ‘the international day against homophobia’. † (Helem) (Helem is the first LGBT organization in Lebanon). In Islam, homosexuals (called qaum Lut, the people of Lot) are condemned in the story of Lots people in the Quran (15:73; 26:165) and in the last address of the Prophet Muhammad. However, attraction of men to â€Å"beautiful male youths† has been a part of the culture of some Islamic societies and the attraction is not usually looked down upon in itself. When it comes to lesbian homosexuality, some have argued that since penetration is not involved, female homosexual acts should be less severely punished. Islamic law is most concerned with openly gay public behavior, so there is no strong disapproval of homosexuality if it is not displayed in public (Homosexuality, Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions. ) ‘Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East’ is an article that was written by Hala Gorani for CNN. One of the situations mentioned in the article is how the Egyptian police invaded a homosexual hangout on the river Nile called the Queen Boat. Some of the people who were involved in the hangout were arrested and imprisoned for sin. The article also notes that when governments raid homosexual gatherings, they do it for political instead of ethical reasons. Brian Whitaker, in his paper ‘Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East’, argues that homophobia in Arab Muslim countries â€Å"is not a religious or a cultural issue, but is foremost a political problem of which culture and religion are reliant factors†, arguing that Homophobia in the Muslim world can be attributed to the attitude this world has to its counterpart, the modern secular European and Western civilization. Whitaker goes on to write that attitudes concerning homosexuality in the Middle East have become increasingly intertwined with politics on an international scale, stating that â€Å"claiming that homosexuality is anti-Islamic, or against the Arab ‘nature,’ has become a way to oppose Western policies†. The Muslim world views gay rights as a Western import, imposed on them by the changing world in view of globalization, and the stronger â€Å"imperialist forces†. But, even if the government were to change its laws concerning the issue of homosexuality, the people’s view on the subject might not change at all. Since the conservative citizen’s view on the issue is so deeply rooted in his beliefs already, it wouldn’t matter to him/her if the government changed a few rules and stuck some new wording in the Penal Code. They would still think the same thing, and say the same hateful things. Another major difficulty is the social rejection of gays in the modern Arab society. Most Arab people disregard and disrespect homosexuals. A recent article in BBC news written by John Muir called ‘Iraqi gay men face ‘lives in hell’ describes how a young boy was caught wearing women’s underwear. Men poked the boy with sticks and interrogated him, asking why he was dressed in such a manner. The boy frightfully explained that he was trying to aid his family’s monetary situation. Another event that was mentioned in Muir’s article was harassment. Homosexual Iraqi men were often harassed and brutally murdered for being what they were. Several dead men were found lying near placards with the terms ‘puppies’ and ‘perverts’ written on them. Another article called ‘People Think it’s a Mental Illness’, published in The Guardian, by Brian Whitaker accounts his travels around the Middle East, where he interviewed many homosexuals. One of the people he interviewed told him that his brother actually threatened him at gunpoint when his homosexuality was discovered. Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, mentioned earlier, is used as Blackmail in Lebanon. One BBC article, in an interview with Helem’s co-ordinator George Azzi states that The authorities use this article to blackmail homosexuals by asking for money or using violence or insults, all the while knowing that it will cost them nothing at all to do so. The article also states that many gay men have lost their jobs after being uncovered as gay, and they suffer from verbal and physical abuse and degradation (especially in the case of more effeminate gay men). This hardship also exists within the family, where a majority of gay men have been threatened with murder and are kicked out of their houses. The article goes on to say that if a gay man or woman were to be a doctor or lawyer, he/she would be in a very tough situation, where people would lose f aith in their ability to treat them or give them legal advice. The only for the gay Arab community to escape social judgement is simply by keeping themselves in the closet, and restricting their beliefs only to themselves, in order not to get caught. This repression of attitude would definitely lead to major psychological and social problems for Arab homosexuals, most notably depression and social isolation from one’s social group, in order not to be judged or criticised for who he/she is. The gay individual may also start to feel denial because of his/her sexual orientation, and would start considering suicide as an easy way out. All these factors would not work well for the gay community, and would therefore lead to its downfall, and then the government would have won. Another important issue that needs to be tackled in the idea of civil marriage in the Middle East; traditionally, marriages are conducted by a Priest or a Sheik, with no regard to inter-religious marriages (sort of like a religion caste system). People of different religious backgrounds who want to get married usually travel to European countries, where civil marriages are conducted routinely, in order to obtain a legal marriage license and elope. Civil marriage has not been recognized in many, if not all, Arab countries, and multi-sectarian Arab governments steadfastly oppose the idea of legalizing civil marriage, where the idea of civil marriage takes â€Å"God† out of the sacred bond between man and woman. Since civil marriage is illegal in these countries, so is marriage between homosexual members of society, as they cannot get married in a church of mosque (even though some priests who are open to the idea may officiate gay marriages inside their respective churches, but the marriage would still go unnoticed by the government). Both the former Lebanese Minister of Interior Affairs and the current Maronite Patriarch (surprisingly enough) have voiced their opinions on being with the idea of civil marriage in Lebanon, but no action to pass a law concerning this issue has taken place as of yet. If civil marriages are legalized in these countries, then same-sex partners have the right, and the choice, to get married if they wanted to. In one Guardian article, entitled ‘What’s wrong with being gay and Muslim? , Brian Whitaker talks about how many Arab same-sex couples, or same-sex couples of Muslim descent in Britain are looking to civil marriage there in order to have a legal binding marriage contract. Whitaker gives one such example, writing that â€Å"two lesbians arrived at their local register office to tie the knot, both were Muslims and both were wearing hijabs†; saying that that was the first Muslim gay marriage to take place in England. The question still remains, if civil marriage we re to become legal at some point in the future, would Arab same-sex couples still want to tie the knot locally? They would remain afraid and weary of the repercussions that might result as a product of their marriage, and of the backlash of the conservative religious communities in these countries, and would probably not consider local Arab civil marriage a good solution, and would travel abroad anyway. In closing, the issue of homosexuality in the Middle East is still a taboo topic, regardless of the winds of change that might be sweeping part of the region. The point is they have still not had their effect on the region as a whole. The question of homophobia in these areas should be answered, is it one of culture and rejecting diversity, or is it a question of rejecting foreign politics and holding a united front against the western world? In any case, homophobia should not even still be a phenomenon of our 21st century civilization, whether locally or abroad. It is mainly a discussion on racism in general, and racism as a whole should have been abolished a long while ago. One day, the Middle Eastern governments will alter their challenging policies and people will begin to understand how ordinary gay marriage is. People should not feel troubled to be exposed and generate awareness to others around them. The face of the Middle East should case to be the face of extremism and terrorism, and should start being the face of a shining beacon of revolution and change, and especially of tolerance and unity. Marriage is first and foremost based on love, so why deny same-sex couples their right to love?

Benefits Of Staying With Parents After Marriage Young People Essay

Benefits Of Staying With Parents After Marriage Young People Essay Every time you get off work and walk into that the community where your home is, you must overhear a lot of juicy news while you walk past those full-time housewives, sitting together and gossiping what happened recently in their neighbors home. It is true that the contents are mostly about the tough relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Even though you may not be interested about this, you cannot deny those things have happened to you, or, unfortunately, you are coping with it now. Well, to be honest, that is also the main reason why so many couples choose to live away from their parents-in-law. But, is that the right way to solve all the problems? And is that a good choice? For me, actually, to solve all these complicated problems are just staying with parents after married. Living with parents can make the relationship more stable, benefit childrens education and slow down the process of aging of parents. Firstly, living with parents leads to a happy marriage. I think it is not a solution but an excuse that living away from parents is for a harmony relationship with parents-in-law. Mostly, this kind of decision is made by young couples. There are some brides who insist on not living with her husbands parents. They dont want to change their own, as well as protecting their own living space from parents. Too many of them have already tired of the fierce competition from their career. All they want to do is just go back home to have a good rest instead of racking their brains to do something to please parents. Therefore getting away from parents-in-law can make it easier. That is what they say distance helps. We can see so many words, such as we, own, want. They just turn out to be nothing but selfish. Is that so bad as the couples describe ¼Ã… ¸ How can young people say that they are too tired to make effort to make an improvement? Family is the most important thing to everyone. People who care about us most are parents. Most of us can bear with the defects of others. However, when it comes to parents, they behave differently. It is like putting the cart before the horse. It is said that the divorce rate in China has increased by almost 20% over past year, with 1.4m couples filing for separation during 2007 (see the news published on Friday, 25 January 2008). It is also said that since Chinas one-child policy was established, in 1973. The number of people getting divorce has quadrupled. That policy has produced a generation of adults focused on their own needs and unable to sustain a relationship. To build a harmonious family relationship, living with parents-in-law can make sense, because the older generation can deal with problems much better. The new couples will learn from them, learn to compromise and cooperate to make a marriage work well. Obviously, the relationship will be more stable. Secondly, it can benefit childrens education to live with parents. So busy the young couples are, it is almost impossible for them to set aside more time for their own children. As a result, these children are sent to their grandparents. However, grandparents always spoil children more than childrens parents do, which cause the children to be selfish and moody. Moreover, for the lack of time with parents, it can be even worse after children grow up. Parents will not be able to communicate with their children well when there has been a barrier between them. If children can live with both parents and grandparents, doting grandparents will have the awareness of being strict to children, and children will enjoy more time with their parents. Being around by eldership and their children, couples will think twice before doing anything, which, at the same time, avoids being unfaithful to their partner. Growing up in a family with such a harmonious atmosphere, these children will be more like ly to get a happy marriage contributed by easygoing, optimistic, and responsible personalities. The last but not least, living with parents can also slow down their aging process. The rapid decrease in the birth rate, combined with improving life expectancy, has led to an increasing proportion of elderly people and an increase in the ratio between elderly parents and adult children. In China, the percentage of the population over the age of 65 years was 5 percent in 1982 and now stands at 7.5percent but is expected to rise to more than 15 percent by 2025(The Effect of Chinas One-Child Family Policy after 25 Years Therese Hesketh, Ph.D., Li Lu, M.D., and Zhu Wei Xing, M.P.H.). The mental health of senior is increasingly important. Company from families is the best doctor for them avoiding the feeling of loneliness. Living together can not only decrease the speed of being slow reaction but also let the young couples have a good knowledge of their parents condition. As a result, parents will gain a longer lifespan which is also a gift to couples. In return, taking good care of the old parents is a good example to their children. They will learn that from young couples on their own. Parents are always the best teacher to children. Even so, many newly married wives still get along well with their parents-in-law. That is reasonable. They dont have same living habit. Everyone in family will adjust themselves to the new situation. It must need time. Everybody knows that family is a cell of the whole society. We are obliged to make it work well. Marriage is not only about couples themselves. Trust me, rainbow comes after storm. A better understanding can be got after living with parents. To sum up, it can only have good results by living with parents, for it can lead to a happy marriage, benefit childrens education and slow down the process of aging of parents. Outline I. Topic: Talking about whether the couples should live with their parents or parents-in-law after married. II Thesis Statement: Living with parents can make the relationship more stable, benefit childrens education and slow down the process of aging of parents. III Antithesis: It is better for them to live separated with their parents 1. Couples do not have their own living space. 2. They have to make efforts to please parents after get off work. 3. Get away from parents can avoid misunderstanding. IV Reasons: 1. living with parents leads to a happy marriage. i. Now young couples are more selfish than before so that they dont know how to get along well with each other ii.The divorce rate are increasing rapidly because of the one-child policy. 2. it can benefit childrens education to live with parents. i. The young couples sent children to parents. The old always spoil their grandchildren. ii.Children can have more time with parents if family members live together. iii.Growing in a happy family, children will be more positive and responsible than others. 3. living with parents can also slow down their aging process. i. Living with children and grandchildren can make them feel they are younger. ii.Children can know the condition of old parents very well. iii.It is a good way to teach children how to be good children. Strategies: Use Tactful, Courteous Language; Point Out Common Ground; Acknowledge Differing Viewpoints. Introduction: For me, actually, to solve all these complicated problems are just staying with parents after married. Living with parents can make the relationship more stable, benefit childrens education and slow down the process of aging of parents. Conclusion: To sum up, it can only have good results by living with parents, for it can lead to a happy marriage, benefit childrens education and slow down the process of aging of parents Body: Firstly, living with parents leads to a happy marriage. I think it is not a solution but an excuse that living away from parents is for a harmony relationship with parents-in-law. Mostly, this kind of decision is made by young couples. There are some brides who insist on not living with her husbands parents. They dont want to change their own, as well as protecting their own living space from parents. Too many of them have already tired of the fierce competition from their career. All they want to do is just go back home to have a good rest instead of racking their brains to do something to please parents. Therefore getting away from parents-in-law can make it easier. That is what they say distance helps. We can see so many words, such as we, own, want. They just turn out to be nothing but selfish. Is that so bad as the couples describe ¼Ã… ¸ How can young people say that they are too tired to make effort to make an improvement? Family is the most important thing to everyone. People who care about us most are parents. Most of us can bear with the defects of others. However, when it comes to parents, they behave differently. It is like putting the cart before the horse. It is said that the divorce rate in China has increased by almost 20% over past year, with 1.4m couples filing for separation during 2007 (see the news published on Friday, 25 January 2008). It is also said that since Chinas one-child policy was established, in 1973. The number of people getting divorce has quadrupled. That policy has produced a generation of adults focused on their own needs and unable to sustain a relationship. To build a harmonious family relationship, living with parents-in-law can make sense, because the older generation can deal with problems much better. The new couples will learn from them, learn to compromise and cooperate to make a marriage work well. Obviously, the relationship will be more stable. Secondly, it can benefit childrens education to live with parents. So busy the young couples are, it is almost impossible for them to set aside more time for their own children. As a result, these children are sent to their grandparents. However, grandparents always spoil children more than childrens parents do, which cause the children to be selfish and moody. Moreover, for the lack of time with parents, it can be even worse after children grow up. Parents will not be able to communicate with their children well when there has been a barrier between them. If children can live with both parents and grandparents, doting grandparents will have the awareness of being strict to children, and children will enjoy more time with their parents. Being around by eldership and their children, couples will think twice before doing anything, which, at the same time, avoids being unfaithful to their partner. Growing up in a family with such a harmonious atmosphere, these children will be more like ly to get a happy marriage contributed by easygoing, optimistic, and responsible personalities. The last but not least, living with parents can also slow down their aging process. The rapid decrease in the birth rate, combined with improving life expectancy, has led to an increasing proportion of elderly people and an increase in the ratio between elderly parents and adult children. In China, the percentage of the population over the age of 65 years was 5 percent in 1982 and now stands at 7.5percent but is expected to rise to more than 15 percent by 2025(The Effect of Chinas One-Child Family Policy after 25 Years Therese Hesketh, Ph.D., Li Lu, M.D., and Zhu Wei Xing, M.P.H.). The mental health of senior is increasingly important. Company from families is the best doctor for them avoiding the feeling of loneliness. Living together can not only decrease the speed of being slow reaction but also let the young couples have a good knowledge of their parents condition. As a result, parents will gain a longer lifespan which is also a gift to couples. In return, taking good care of the old parents is a good example to their children. They will learn that from young couples on their own. Parents are always the best teacher to children. Even so, many newly married wives still get along well with their parents-in-law. That is reasonable. They dont have same living habit. Everyone in family will adjust themselves to the new situation. It must need time. Family is a cell of the whole society. We are obliged to make it work well. Marriage is not only about couples themselves. Trust me, rainbow comes after storm. A better understanding can be got after living with parents. Prewriting Every time people get off work and walk into that residence community, we must overhear much juicy news when you pass by those full-time housewife sitting together talking about the things happened recently in their families. It seems that they know everything there. However, most of them are the tough relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Even you may not be interested in that, but you can not deny those things have happened to you, or, unfortunately, you are in that now. Well, to be honest, that is also the reason why so many couples choose to live separated with their parents-in-law. I always think that is not a solution but an excuse to live alone for a good relationship with parents-in-law. Living separated with parents-in-law is a choice made by young couples. There are some new wives who insist not live with her husband parents. They dont want to make a change to their own, as well as protecting their own living space from parents. To many of them, they are t ired of the fierce competition of their career. All they want to do is just go back home to have a good rest. They dont want to rack their brains to do something to please parents. So getting away from parents-in-law can make it easier. Distance helps. We can see so many words, such as we, own, want à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦They just turn out to be nothing but selfish. Is that so bad as the couples describe? How can young people say that thing they are too tired to make effort to make a improvement? Family is the most important thing to everyoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The people who care us most are families. Most of us can bear with defects of others, but when it comes to parents, it is another thing. It is putting the cart before the horse. Divorce rate in China has increased much. The number of people getting a divorce has quadrupled. That policy has produced a generation of adults focused on their own needs and unable to sustain a relationship. To build a harmonious family relationship, living with parents-in-law can make sense, because the preceding generation can deal with problems much better than them. The new couples will learn from that, even do as their parents do. Obviously, the relationship will be more stable. It is difficult for them t o set aside more time for their children. As a result, these children are sent to their grandparents. However, grandparents always spoil children more than childrens parents do. And the lack of time with parents will make problems after they grow up. If children can live with both parents and grandparents, the parents can reduce that spoiling, and children will get more happiness with their parents. Growing up in a family with such a harmonious atmosphere, children will have a great advantage to have a happy marriage depending on their optimistic and responsible personality. Marriage does not only involve two people. It influences almost everything. Living with parents after married can be a good solution to many problems we face today.