Does Your Business Need a Proofreader

Does Your Business Need a Proofreader Does Your Business Need a Proofreader? Does your business need a proofreader? Yes. Yes, it does. That’ll be all. Thank you for reading. What? You want to know why your business needs a proofreader? Okay, we’ll set out a few reasons below. But by the end of this post, you’ll wonder how you could ever have questioned it! 1. Polished Professionalism Whatever your business, you need to make a good first impression. And the first thing anyone will see is often something you’ve written (e.g., a company website or press release). Think about it this way: If you were meeting a client for the first time, would you turn up with your hair in a mess, odd socks on, and a coffee stain on your shirt? No? Well, you need to apply the same standards to your writing! Unlike a bad hair day, you cant cover up typos with a hat.(Photo: Bruce Guenter/flickr) 2. Typos Can Be Costly Errors in business writing can be costly in two ways. First of all, it can cost you the trust of customers and clients. Mistakes in website copy, for example, may make customers think twice about using your services, since it suggests a lack of care or attention to detail. More literally, though, typos can be expensive: For instance, the publisher Penguin once had to destroy 7,000 copies of The Pasta Bible at a cost of $20,000 because the book accidentally recommended using â€Å"freshly ground black people† instead of â€Å"freshly ground black pepper.† Pasta is definitely better seasoned with pepper. It’s fair to say that a thorough proofreader could have saved everyone involved a lot of trouble! 3. Proofreading Is a Skill We don’t blame anyone for not knowing all the rules about comma usage. Nor do we expect everyone we meet to be as keen on correct pronoun choice as we are. That’s because it takes a special kind of person to obsess over the details of spelling, grammar, and punctuation: a proofreader. In other words, the only way to be sure of great proofreading is to hire a professional. This also lets you and your colleagues concentrate on other work, boosting efficiency across your business. 4. Letting Your Content Shine! If you’ve gone to a lot of effort writing copy, you owe it to yourself and your business to let it shine. But self-editing is difficult, especially if you’re too close to what you’ve written. A professional proofreader, on the other hand, will bring a fresh pair of eyes to your work. This means we can spot errors you might miss, ensuring that your message comes through loud and clear. Eyes, fresh and ready for proofreading. Still not convinced? Then send us a 500-word sample and we’ll show you what we can do for free.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Admissions

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Admissions Admissions at Indiana University of Pennsylvania are generally openaround nine out of every ten  applicants are accepted each year. Students can apply online or on paper, and will also need to submit scores from the SAT or ACT and high school transcripts. Be sure to check out the schools website for more information, including important deadlines. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Acceptance Rate: 92%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 420 / 530SAT Math: 420 / 520SAT Writing: - / -(what these SAT numbers mean)ACT Composite: 17  / 23ACT English: 15 / 23ACT Math: 17  / 23(what these ACT numbers mean) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Description Founded in 1875 as Indiana Normal School, Indiana University of Pennsylvania is now a large public university that offers 145 undergraduate degree programs and 71 graduate programs. The University frequently receives national recognition for its educational value. IUP is made up of numerous colleges and schools with the College of Health and Human Services having the highest undergraduate enrollment. Student life is active with over 220 student organizations including 18 fraternities and 14 sororities. In athletics, IUP competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 12,971  (10,743 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female93% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17) Tuition and Fees: $11,368  (in-state); $22,377 (out-of-state)Books: $1,100 (why so much?)Room and Board: $12,246Other Expenses: $2,288Total Cost: $27,002  (in-state); $38,011 (out-of-state) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Financial Aid (2015 - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 91%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 65%Loans: 80%Average Amount of AidGrants: $6,753Loans: $8,367 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Business Administration, Communication Studies, Criminology, Elementary Education, Health and Physical Education, Marketing, NursingWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 75%Transfer-out Rate: 30%4-Year Graduation Rate: 37%6-Year Graduation Rate: 54% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Track and Field, Swimming, Baseball, Football, Golf, Cross Country, BasketballWomens Sports:  Basketball, Swimming, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Track and Field, Soccer, Lacrosse, Cross Country Data Source National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Indiana University of Pennsylvania, You May Also Like These Schools Clarion University: Profile  Duquesne University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Pittsburgh: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDrexel University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDelaware State University: Profile  Lock Haven University: Profile  Seton Hill University: Profile  Temple University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWest Virginia University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphRobert Morris University: Profile  Edinboro University of Pennsylvania: Profile  Slippery Rock University: Profile  Pennsylvania State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Indiana University of Pennsylvania Mission Statement read the complete mission statement at  iup.edu/upper.aspx?id2065 Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a leading public, doctoral/research university, strongly committed to undergraduate and graduate instruction, scholarship, and public service. Indiana University of Pennsylvania engages students as learners and leaders in an intellectually challenging, culturally enriched, and contemporarily diverse environment...

Economic performance of Russia and India (2010-2012) Essay

Economic performance of Russia and India (2010-2012) - Essay Example ate 2012 2011 2010 Russia 6.0% 6.5% 7.5% India 9.9% 9.8% 10% Source: CIA, 2013b; Statista, 2013a, b Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Gross domestic product (GDP) is defined as â€Å"the sum of market value of all final goods and services produced in a country during a specfic period of time, generally one year†7 (Dwivedi, 2010, p. 5). In Russia, the country’s GDP has signficantly increased from $2.322 trillion in 2010 up to $2.509 trillion in 20128 (CIA, 2013a). The signficant growth rate in Russia’s GDP somehow explains why this country had a gradually decreasing unemployment rate. Since demand for final goods and services increases, demand for more jobs also increases. In India, the country’s GDP also increased from $4.205 trillion in 2010 as compared to $4.735 trillion in 20129 (CIA, 2013b). In general, the real GDP values considers the impact of inflation rate on GDP whereas a nominal GDP values does not. For this reason, figures that are related to real G DP is considered as a more accurate economic indicator as compared to the nominal GDP values. In line with this, the GDP’s real growth rate in India (5.4% in 2012) is much higher as compared to the GDP’s real growth rate in Russia (3.6% in 2012)10, 11 (CIA, 2013a, b). Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 2012 2011 2010 Russia $2.509 trillion $2.422 trillion $2.322 trillion India $4.735 trillion $4.492 trillion $ 4.205 trillion Source: CIA, 2013a, b GDP – Real Growth Rate 2012 2011 2010 Russia 3.6% 4.3% 4.3% India 5.4% 6.8% 10.1% Source: CIA, 2013a, b The per capita real GDP is part of the macroeconomic indicator that focuses on dividing the real GDP with the number of population in each country12 (Boyes and Melvin, 2013, p. 359). As of 2013, the total population in Russia is only 141.44 million as compared to... This paper is the best example of comparison of economic development of India and Russia in terms of economic growth during 2010-2012 Key economic indicators are commonly used to determine the overall economic performance of a country. Using marcro-economic indicators such as unemployment rate, inflation rate, and balance of payment among others, it is possible to detect whether or not there is an economic growth in each country. Economic growth is defined as the increase in production of goods and services that occurs over long periods of time This report is composed of two major parts. The firts part will focus on applying and discussing the significance of macro-economic indicators such as unemployment rate, inflation rate, balance of payment, exchange rate, and growth indicators like gross domestic product (GDP) in the case of Russia and India. The second part focus on discussing the domestic and foreign factors which triggers fluctuations in some of these economic indicators. Unemployment rate is defined as the number of unemployed people who want to have a job but do not have one Gross domestic product (GDP) is defined as the sum of market value of all final goods and services produced in a country during a specfic period of time, generally one year Inflation rate is defined as the percentage change in some measure of the price level from one period to the next the balance of payment is defined as the â€Å"statistical statement that systematically summarizes, for a specific period of time, the economic transactions of an economy with the rest of the world The research conducted clearly shows that Russia was benefiting from a good economic growth whereas India was experiencing a worst economic growth.

Chinese Economic Reforms Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chinese Economic Reforms - Research Paper Example The agreement presents significant competitive opportunities in the financial sector." (Ostry, et.al., 2003). As the Chinese economy continues to growopens up and competes with other industrialized economies, around the world, effective market and monetary policies and objectives demand close attention. Sustainable growth of the economy will be possible if viable macro and micro economic policies are in place and take into account such variables such as inflation objectives, flexibility of lending institutions in the face of changing interest rates, rate of credit growth, continuing economic reforms and exchange rates. The dissertation will first examine Chinese economic reform and compile a body of literature offering objective analysis of key elements of the reform process, with a bias towards monetary policies, exchange rates and inflation. This work aims toe sole significance of this endeavor is to investigate unearth the main economic reforms and monetary policiescardinal arteries informing and shaping the Chinese economic status especially in regard to short term and long term inflation and exchange rates. Secondly, the dissertation will examine the monetary policies adopted by PBC in controlling inflation and exchange rates. ... Theory1 The monetarist theory posits that mismanagement of the primary cause of inflation is how the money in supply is the primary cause of inflation. is managed. Inflation can also be linked toPrincipally, the cause of inflation is pegged on the flexibility of the lending process. As such, inflation will largely depend to a large extent, on how flexible or inflexible the lending institutions are and the levels of interest rates levels as well. Monetarists do no't believe that fiscal policies and taxation have very as having little effect on to do with controlling inflation control (Paul, 2000). Mathematicallaccording to the my, monetarists' theory, a product of the total value of money in circulation and the velocity of the money is directly proportional to the product of the average price level and the index of the real values of expenditures. expounds that M.V=P.Q In the formula: M is the total value of money in circulation, V is the velocity of money, P is the average price level and Q is the index of the real values of expenditures. Key highlights: a) the average price level is a variable influenced by the magnitude of economic activities(Q), total value of money(M), and the velocity of money(V) b) The key influencing variable of prices level is fluctuations in the amount of money available. c) If the velocity of money is constant (though in reality it is not possible) , the supply of money will determine value of nominal output. d) Assuming that the velocity of money is fairly constant, then the level of inflation will be equal to the difference between long run growth rate of money supply and long run growth rate of real

The Rising population of Women in Prison Homes in America Essay Example for Free

The Rising population of Women in Prison Homes in America Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Incarceration rates in the American region have been rising over the past 20 years. It could not be denied that through the statistical reports, major issues in incarceration include the undeniably increasing rates of women who are incarcerated. Their cases mostly range from the most basic personal assaults towards the murder cases. Both the aggressiveness of women and the weakness of the said gender to defend themselves from the injustices of the human law have naturally placed them in such situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this regard, women who are giving birth n prisons also increase at the same time. More likely, these inmates are involved in either crime-based intercourse within or outside prison homes that they are able to conceive their babies inside their prison cells. How are the said pregnant omen treated and how are their babies delivered and cared for later on? What programs have been established to support the growing number of women who are delivering their children in prison homes? Moreover, if there could be a way to reduce the numbers of women who are annually incarcerated within the America prison homes, what would it possibly be?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These questions shall be discussed within the paragraphs that follow. This study mainly addresses to the topic using several research informations and actual program reports that have already been implemented within the prison homes of America. Moreover, through the use of critical analysis of the situation, this research is aimed in  being able to show the truth on women behind bars and how they are treated as they bear their babies. Women in Prison Homes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers, the growing rate of mothers or women who are incarcerated since the year 1994 have been increasingly disturbing. The reports of the said Legal Advocacy are to be listed as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The number of women in Illinois state prisons at year-end 2002 was 2,520 – a 173% increase in ten years. As of yearend 2002, the number of incarcerated women nationwide was 97,491. Arrests of women for murder and manslaughter decreased 35.5% in that time. ï ¿ ½ Nationwide the percentage of women has more than doubled as a proportion of the population under correctional supervision, from 4% to 9%. About 15,000 women are detained in Cook County Jail annually and about 1,200 women are in the jail on any given day. 82 percent of all women detained at Cook County Jail in October 2001 were charged with non-violent offenses. More than 61% of women prisoners in Illinois serve sentences for property (32%) and drug (29%) offenses. Women’s crime has not become more violent, but sentencing has become harsher. ï ¿ ½ Like poverty, imprisonment disproportionately affects women of color. In 2002, 72% of women in pre-trial detention in Cook County were African-American, 7.5% were Latina, 11% were white, and 9% were multi-racial or other. Between 1990 and 2001 women admitted to Illinois prisons were 67.3% African-American, 26.9% white, and 5.1% Latina, with Asians and American Indians making up the other less than 1%. Nationally, black women were more than eight times as likely as white women to be in prison in 1997. ï ¿ ½ Both childhood and adult histories of abuse are strongly correlated with drug use among women. A 1994 study reported that 80% of women prisoners had experienced physical and sexual abuse, often beginning in childhood. ï ¿ ½ The Illinois Department of Corrections estimates that 80% of women prisoners need drug treatment, but it is available to only 20% of them. ï ¿ ½ In Illinois, more than 60% of women entering prison have not attained a high school diploma. ï ¿ ½ Rates of HIV infection are much higher in the prison population than in the general population. At year-end 2000, 3.6% of female state prison inmates were HIV-positive, compared to 2.2% of males. Prisoners in Illinois are paid as little as $15 per month for prison assignments but they must pay $2 for each doctor visit in prison. ï ¿ ½ Prisons are generally male-oriented and male-dominated. While there is a lack of programs and services for prisoners overall, the shortage for women is more stark. (Source: CHICAGO LEGAL ADVOCACY FOR INCARCERATED MOTHERS. 312.675.09111. 2003. http://womenandprison.org/claim-factsheet.pdf).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is also according to this fact sheet that the incarceration of mothers have a great effect on the society and the development of their children outside their guidance. The result of such situations are indeed degrading to the society. The report further adds the fact sheet on the further result of the incarcerated mothers towards the families and the children that they left behind. The said reports are as follows: ï ¿ ½ 82.5% of women incarcerated in Illinois are mothers. In fiscal year 2000, approximately 2,800 women entering state prison reported that they had given birth to 7,500 children. Nationwide, women under correctional supervision are mothers of an estimated 1.3 million minor children. More than 10 million children have had a parent imprisoned at some point in their lives. Many mothers were their children’s sole caretakers before arrest. ï ¿ ½ Nearly 90% of fathers in prison in the U.S. report that their children live with the mothers; 28% of incarcerated mothers report that their children are being cared for by the fathers. ï ¿ ½ In 2003, 63 babies were born to mothers in the custody of Dwight Correctional Center. Nationwide, about 5% of women are pregnant when they enter prison. Another 15% have babies less than six weeks old. Newborns are separated from imprisoned mothers within a day or two of birth, missing the crucial, irretrievable period of mother-child bonding, which affects development for the rest of their lives. ï ¿ ½ Studies demonstrate that regular visits between children in foster care and their mothers enhance the children’s emotional, scholastic, and social adjustment to placement. Numerous studies show that family contact has a strong, positive impact on parole success when the mother is released.    ï ¿ ½ When a mother goes to prison, it is her children who suffer most. Studies link parental incarceration with problems including poor school performance, aggression, emotional problems, and post-traumatic stress. Young children may be severely traumatized by the sudden separation from their mothers, resulting in developmental delays and later emotional problems. Children commonly experience sadness, anger, confusion, grief or apathy due to the separation. Children’s substitute caregivers often are stretched beyond their resources. Visits to distant prisons and long-distance, collect calls are the only available contact for children who are too young to benefit from letters. ï ¿ ½ 84% of mothers in federal prisons and 64% of mothers in state prisons lived with their children before arrest. When they are released, they face multiple barriers to reuniting their families, reintegrating into their communities, and obtaining stable employment and housing. ï ¿ ½ A 1985 study found that less than 1% of mothers in a California prison were sentenced for child abuse. ï ¿ ½ Children of imprisoned mothers who go into state foster homes may be separated from brothers and sisters, moved to a series of foster homes, and denied visits with their mothers. Foster care workers often fail to provide mandated visits and services. There is little coordination or continuity of services when the mother returns to the community. An estimated one in four children in the Illinois foster care system are abused in their foster homes. Foster children have an increased risk of delinquency in adolescence and homelessness in adulthood. ï ¿ ½ Maternal imprisonment affects future generations: children’s psychological health and sense of family is severely damaged by the separation from their mothers. Increasingly, families are destroyed forever through termination of parental rights, permanently cutting off the mother-child bond even if nobody adopts the children. Illinois in particular has targeted prisoners for destruction of their families through legal severance of family ties, so that the children and mothers have no further communication, visits, or even information about each others’ welfare.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, mothers who are placed behind bars and are having less time with their families have a great impact on the people that they left behind. As the actual reports show, at times, even visiting the said women inmates are prohibited. All these have a great impact on the fact that the women are less able to communicate with their children, hence having less guidance on their young ones. Although these women were imprisoned for some criminal reason maybe, it does not mean that they are no longer capable of taking care of their child or giving them the needed guidance that they have to gain form their mothers as they grow. As reports attest to the fact that children who are separated from their mothers at an early stage usually grow up to becoming delinquent citizens of the society [in case they fall on the wrong hands of guardians, which usually happens when the mother is in prison].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, because of the environment of the American prison homes [usually worldwide reports on these cases are even at a graver situation], the officers and the prison policy for such situation would be focused on the environmental development of the child. Living with people who are bound behind bars because of incurring some crimes may not be that good of a developmental environment for young children. Hence, there is no choice but to separate the child from the mother and have them taken care of by other relatives or by foster parents. What has the government and other non-government organizations done to deal with this situation? The Programs Designed for Mother and Child in Prison Homes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At present, the increasing numbers of pregnant women who deliver their babies within the prison territories have already been called out to the ears of the authorities concerned in the issue. Certainly, there were programs that have been constructed by several concerned groups and the government itself to help these women and their children get over the separation and the grave situation that they are compromised to deal with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These programs were gradually developed since it has been observed that children who are separated from their mothers at an early stage develop several mental and physical illness (Bender, 2004). To be able to avoid the said occurrences among children, the introduction of the â€Å"Tamar’s Children† project has been established in 2001. This project is mainly focused on rehabilitating the nurturing mother, especially if they have been taking drugs or have been related to any substance abuse cases, to be able to help them take care of their children at a certain time that the prison allows, as the baby needs them for support during the infancy stage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The program has been proposed to begin at the delivery stage of the baby. The American Psychiatric Association believes that the mothers, though they are considered criminals under the human law, should be treated with respect and dignity when they are delivering their babies inside the prison homes. According to Eva Bender, the program set up would support the mother as she delivers her child to help her develop love for her young as the infant goes out f her womb (2004). Later on, as the mother and child bonding is pursued, the mothers are placed in correctional communities where they are able to connect with their children freely and are treated well by authorities. This is to reduce the traumatic experiences of the mothers being passed on to their children as they tend to them in their infancy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As it could be observed, the project proposition is manly focused on the mental development of the child. Along with it comes the rehabilitation of the mother for the sake of the young ones. As the group believes that â€Å"Anytime you have women who are incarcerated, there is stigma,Gillece continued. Add that they have prostituted themselves,are pregnant, and addicted to heroin. These are not populargirls. Anywhere†¦The birthing experience is a new one for many of the women—including those who are not first-time mothers, she noted. Many of the women had been using drugs when they had their other babies and hadn’t delivered without being high before—it is a whole new experience, (Bender, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yes, the assistance of the authorities to many of the new mothers inside the prison homes would help well not only on the rehabilitation of the mother but also on the development of the child as it grows up away from its mother’s care. The Effects of Pregnancy and Delivering Babies to Women   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It could be noted that through the implementation of the projected programs for pregnant and delivering women inside the prison homes affect the personality of the women inmates. Most of the women who were able to deliver their babies gain maturity and a sense of responsibility which in turn making them capable of being rehabilitated from their old selves when they were first incarcerate in the prison homes. It could be noted too that based on reports, the rate of women who are returning to prison homes because of repeated crimes are lessened on the part of the ‘already mothers’ when they finished their prison sentences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, this could mean that one of the ways which could be used to lessen the number of the women inmates is to teach them some responsibility that would   help them grow in maturity and thus they would not commit the same crimes again as they go out of the prison territories. As a result, this could be considered as a way by which the rates of women incarceration could be reduced as well. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact of having young women or pregnant inmates has naturally brought fourth issues that are directly connected on mother and child development. The said issue raises more questions regarding the situation on individual development of both separate people, the mother and the young infant. As a result, the programs created to directly assist both sides of the situation have been proposed to have effective and practical effects on the personality of both separate people. Yes, these programs have been proven to support two separate aims of rehabilitating the mother and thus lowering the rate or returning inmates and the rate of women who are hosted by prison homes, also it helps in creating a better environment for the infant as it develops. BIBLIOGRAPHY Publications: Home Office (1997) Mothers in Prison, Diane Caddle and Debbie Crisp, Research Findings No. 38, Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate. Report of a Review of Principles, Policies and Procedures on Mothers and Babies/Children in Prison – Response and Action Plan December 1999 Home Office, (1997) Imprisoned Women and Mothers , Diane Caddle and Debbie Crisp, Research Study 162, A Research and Statistics Directorate Report Home Office (1998) Age Limits for Babies in Prison: Some Lessons from Abroad, D Caddle, Research Findings No. 80, Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate. Home Office (1997) Mothers in Prison, Diane Caddle and Debbie Crisp, Research Findings No. 38, Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate. Richards, M. et al. (1996) Imprisonment and family ties. Home Office Research and Statistics Bulletin No. 38: HMSO Howard League (1995) Prison Mother and Baby Units, Howard League. Howard League (1997) Pregnant and in Prison, Howard League. Howard League (1999) Babies behind Bars, Frances Crook, HLM, February 1999, Volume 17, No.1, Howard League. Richards, M. et al. (1995) Foreign nationals in English prisons: 1. Family ties and their maintenance. The Howard Journal Vol 34 No 2 May 1995. Blumstein, A. and Wallman, J., eds., The Crime Drop in America. Cambridge Press, 2000. Schiraldi, V., Ziedenberg, J., The Punishing Decade: Prison and Jail Estimates at the Millennium. Justice Policy Institute, 1999. Illinois Department of Corrections (hereinafter IDOC), 2002 Statistical Presentation. State of Illinois. July 31, 2003. IDOC Office of Planning and Research. February 2003 Harrison, Paige and Beck, Allen, Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin Prisoners in 2002. NCJ 200248. July 2003 Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States 2002. Section IV: Persons Arrested. 2002. Bureau of Justice Statistics Correctional Surveys (The National Probation Data Survey, National Prisoner Statistics, Survey of Jails, and The National Parole Data Survey) as presented in Correctional Populations in the United States. BJS. November 28, 2000. Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Unlocking Options for Women. April 2002. LaLonde, Robert J. and George, Susan M., Incarcerated Mothers: The Chicago Project on Female Prisoners and Their Children. The Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago. June 2002 Human Rights Watch, Punishment and Prejudice: Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs. Vol. 12, No. 2 (G). May 2000. McClellan, D., Farabee, D. and Crouch, B., â€Å"Early Victimization, Drug Use, and Criminality† in Criminal Justice and Behavior. 1997. Bloom, B. and Covington, S., Gender-Specific Programming for Female Offenders: What is It and Why Is It Important? American Society of Criminology, November 1998. Maruschak, Laura M., HIV in Prisons, 2000. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, NCJ 196023. October 2002. Internet Sources: CHICAGO LEGAL ADVOCACY FOR INCARCERATED MOTHERS. 312.675.09111. 2003. http://womenandprison.org/claim-factsheet.pdf. (February 21, 2007). Eva Bender. (2004). Prison Program Fosters Bonding Between Women, Newborns. http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/39/5/30?etoc. (February 21, 2007).

The Crusades Essay -- European History Europe

The first crusade was started by Pope Urban II in the year 1095 with goals of liberating the sacred city of Jerusalem and the holy land from the Muslims. What started as an appeal by Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos for western mercenaries to fight the Seljuk Turks in Anatolia quickly turned into a wholesale Western migration and conquest of territory outside of Europe. In July of 1099 Knights from western Europe captured the city of Jerusalem, thus establishing the kingdom of Jerusalem and other crusader states. Although the gain of Jerusalem lasted less than two-hundred years. The major turning point of Western power was the first crusade. Urban planned the departure of the crusade for August 15, 1096, the Feast of the Assumption, but months before this a number of unexpected armies of peasants and lowly knights organized and set off for Jerusalem on their own. They were led by a charismatic monk and powerful orator named Peter the Hermit of Amiens. The response was beyond exp ectations: while Urban might have expected a few thousand knights, he ended up with a migration numbering up to 100,000 — albeit mostly unskilled fighters, including women and children. Lacking military discipline, and in what likely seemed to the participants a strange land (eastern Europe) with strange customs, those first Crusaders quickly landed in trouble, in Christian territory. The problem faced was one of supply as well as culture: the people needed food and supplies, and they expected host cities to give them the foods and supplies. Having left Western Europe early, they had missed out on the great harvest of that spring, following years of drought and bad harvest. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, the locals did not always agree, and this qu... ...m to fast and then march in a barefoot procession around the city walls, after which the city would fall in nine days, following the Biblical example of Joshua at the siege of Jericho. On July 8, 1099 the crusaders performed the procession as instructed by Desiderius. The Genoese troops, led by commander Guglielmo Embriaco, had previously dismantled the ships in which the Genoese came to the Holy Land, Embriaco, using the ship's wood, made some siege towers and seven days later on July 15, the crusaders were able to end the siege by breaking down sections of the walls and entering the city. Some Crusaders also entered through the former pilgrim's entrance. Having captured Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the crusading vow was now fulfilled. However, there were many who had gone home before reaching Jerusalem, and many who had never left Europe at all.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 20

Elena had seldom felt such relief as she did when she heard Damon's knock at Dr. Meggar's door. â€Å"What happened at the Meeting Place?† she asked. â€Å"I never made it there.† Damon explained about the ambush, while the others covertly studied Sage with varying degrees of approval, gratitude, or sheer lust. Elena realized that she'd had too much Black Magic when she felt ready to pass out at several points – although she was sure that the wine had helped Damon to survive a mob attack which might otherwise have killed him. They, in turn, explained Lady Ulma's story as briefly as possible. The woman was looking white and shaken by the end. â€Å"I do hope,† she said timidly to Damon, â€Å"that when you inherit Old Drohzne's property† – she paused to swallow – â€Å"that you'll decide to keep me. I know the slaves you brought with you are beautiful and young†¦but I can make myself very useful as a needlewoman and such. It's just my back that's lost its strength, not my mind†¦.† Damon was perfectly still for a moment. Then he walked over to Elena, who happened to be closest to him. He reached up, unclasped the last loop of rope that had been trailing from Elena's wrist, and threw it hard across the room. It whipped and wiggled like a snake. â€Å"Anyone else wearing one can do the same thing, as far as I'm concerned,† he said. â€Å"Except the throwing,† Meredith said quickly, seeing the doctor's eyebrow clashing as he looked at the many breakable glass beakers stacked along the walls. But she and Bonnie lost no time in losing any final vestige of rope that was still trailing. â€Å"I'm afraid mine are†¦permanent,† Lady Ulma said, pulling the fabric away from her wrists to expose the welded-on iron bracelets. She looked ashamed at being unable to obey her new master's first command. â€Å"Do you mind a moment of cold? I have enough Power to freeze them so they'll shatter,† Damon said. There was a soft sound from Lady Ulma. Elena thought she had never heard such desperation in any one human noise. â€Å"I could stand in snow to my neck for a year to get these awful things off,† the Lady said. Damon put his hands on either side of one bracelet and Elena could feel the rush of Power that emanated from him. There was a sharp cracking sound. Damon moved his hands and came up with two separate pieces of metal. Then he did it again, on the other side. The look in Lady Ulma's eyes made Elena feel more humble than proud. She had saved one woman from terrible degradation. But how many more remained? She would never know, or be able to save them all if she found out. Not with her Power in the state it was now. â€Å"I think Lady Ulma really ought to get some rest,† Bonnie said, rubbing her own forehead under tumbled strawberry curls. â€Å"And Elena, too. You should have seen how many stitches her leg took, Damon. But what do we do, go look for a hotel?† â€Å"Use my house,† said Dr. Meggar, one eyebrow up and one down. Obviously, he had become enmeshed in this story, swept along by its sheer power and beauty – and brutality. â€Å"All I ask is that you don't destroy anything, and that if you see a frog, don't kiss it, and don't kill it. There are plenty of blankets and chairs and couches.† He wouldn't take a single link from the heavy gold chain Damon had brought to use as income in exchange. â€Å"I†¦by rights I should help you all get ready for bed,† Lady Ulma murmured faintly to Meredith. â€Å"You're the worst hurt of all; you should get the best bed,† Meredith replied tranquilly. â€Å"And we will help you get into it.† â€Å"The most comfortable bed†¦that would be in my daughter's old room.† Dr. Meggar fumbled with a ring of keys. â€Å"She married a porter – how I hated to see her go. And this young lady, Miss Elena, can have the old bridal chamber.† For an instant Elena's heart was torn by conflicting emotions. She was afraid – yes, she was very sure it was fear she felt – that Damon might sweep her up in his arms and make for the bridal suite with her. And on the other hand†¦ Just then Lakshmi looked up at her uncertainly. â€Å"Do you want me to leave?† she asked. â€Å"Do you have anywhere to go?† Elena asked in turn. â€Å"The street, I guess. I usually sleep in a barrel.† â€Å"Stay here. Come with me; a bridal bed sounds big enough for two people. You're one of us, now.† The look Lakshmi gave her was one of sheer thunderstruck gratitude. Not at being given a place to stay, Elena understood. For the statement, â€Å"You're one of us, now.† Elena could feel that Lakshmi had never been â€Å"one of† any group before. Things were quiet until almost â€Å"dawn† the next â€Å"day,† as the city's inhabitants called it, although the light hadn't varied all night. This time a different sort of crowd had gathered outside the doctor's complex. It was mostly made up of elderly men wearing threadbare but clean robes – but there were a few old women, too. They were led by a silver-haired man who had a strange air of dignity. Damon, with Sage as backup, went outside the doctor's complex and spoke to them. Elena was dressed but still upstairs in the quiet bridal suite. Dear Diary, Oh, God, I need help! Oh, Stefan – I need you. I need you to forgive me. I need you to keep me sane. Too much time around Damon and I'm completely emotional, ready to kill him or to†¦or to – I don't know. I don't know!!! We're like flint and tinder together – God! We're like gasoline and a flamethrower! Please hear me and help me and save me†¦from myself. Every time he even says my name†¦ â€Å"Elena.† The voice behind Elena made her jump. She slammed the diary shut and turned around. â€Å"Yes, Damon?† â€Å"How are you feeling?† â€Å"Oh, great. Fine. Even my leg is b – I mean, I'm fine all over. How are you feeling?† â€Å"I'm†¦well enough,† he said, and he smiled – and it was a real smile, not a snarl twisted into something else at the last second, or an attempt to manipulate. It was just a smile, if a rather worried and sad one. Elena somehow didn't notice the sadness until she remembered it later. She simply suddenly felt that she weighed nothing; that if she lost grip on herself she could be miles high before anyone could stop her – miles away, maybe even as far as this insane place's moons. She managed a shaky smile of her own at him. â€Å"That's good.† â€Å"I came to talk to you,† he said, â€Å"but†¦first – â€Å" In another moment, somehow, Elena was in his arms. â€Å"Damon – we can't keep on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She tried to pull away gently. â€Å"We really can't keep doing this, you know.† But Damon didn't let go of her. There was something in the way he held her that half terrified her, and half made her want to cry with joy. She forced back the tears. â€Å"It's all right,† Damon said softly. â€Å"Go ahead and cry. We've got a situation on our hands.† Something in his voice frightened Elena. Not in the half-joyful way she'd been fearful a minute ago, but entirely frightened. It's because he's afraid, she thought suddenly in wonderment. She had seen Damon angry, wistful, cold, mocking, seductive – even subdued, ashamed – but she had never seen him afraid of anything. She could hardly get her mind around the concept. Damon†¦frightened†¦for her. â€Å"It's because of what I did yesterday, isn't it?† she asked. â€Å"Are they going to kill me?† She was surprised at how calmly she said it. She felt nothing except a vague distress and the desire to make Damon not afraid anymore. â€Å"No!† He held her at arm's length, staring. â€Å"At least not without killing me and Sage – and all the people in this house, too, if I know them.† He stopped, seeming out of breath – which was impossible, Elena reminded herself. He's playing for time, she thought. â€Å"But that's what they want to do,† she said. She didn't know why she was so certain. Maybe she was picking up something telepathically. â€Å"They have†¦made threats,† Damon said slowly. â€Å"It's not the case of Old Drohzne really; I guess there are murders around here all the time and winner takes all. But apparently overnight word of what you did has been spreading. Slaves in nearby estates are refusing to obey their masters. This entire quarter of the slums is in turmoil – and they're afraid of what will happen if other sectors hear about it. Something has to be done as soon as possible or the whole Dark Dimension may just explode like a bomb.† Even as Damon spoke, Elena could hear the echoes of what he'd been told by the assembly who had come to Dr. Meggar's door. They had been afraid, too. Maybe this could be the start of something important, Elena thought, her mind soaring away from her own small problems. Even death wouldn't be too high a price to pay to free these wretched people from their demonic masters. â€Å"But that's not what will happen!† Damon said, and Elena realized that she must be projecting her thoughts. There was genuine anguish in Damon's voice. â€Å"If we had planned things, if there were leaders who could stay here and oversee a revolution – if we could even find leaders strong enough to do it – then there might be a chance. Instead, all the slaves are being punished, everywhere that the word has spread. They're being tortured and killed on mere suspicion of sympathy with you. Their masters are making examples all over the city. And it's only going to get worse.† Elena's heart, which had been soaring on a dream of actually making a difference, came crashing down to the ground and she stared, horrified, into Damon's black eyes. â€Å"But we've got to stop that. Even if I have to die – â€Å" Damon pulled her back in close to him. â€Å"You – and Bonnie and Meredith.† His voice sounded hoarse. â€Å"Plenty of people saw the three of you together. Plenty of people now see all three of you as the troublemakers.† Elena's heart went cold. Maybe the worst thing was that she could see from a slave economy's point of view that if one incident of such insolence went unpunished and word of it spread†¦the tale would grow in the telling†¦. â€Å"We became famous overnight. We'll be legends tomorrow,† she murmured, watching, in her mind, a domino toppling into another which hit another until a long string had fallen down spelling the word â€Å"Heroine.† But she didn't want to be a heroine. She had just come here to get Stefan back. And while she could have faced giving her life to stop slaves from being tortured and killed, she would herself kill anyone who tried to lay a hand on Bonnie or Meredith. â€Å"They feel the same way,† Damon said. â€Å"They heard what the congregation had to say.† He held her arms hard as if trying to brace her. â€Å"A young girl named Helena was beaten and hung this morning because she had a similar name to yours. She was fifteen.† Elena's legs gave out, as so often they had done in Damon's arms†¦but never for this reason. He went with her. This was a conversation you had sitting on bare floorboards. â€Å"It wasn't your fault, Elena! You are what you are! People love you for what you are!† Elena's pulse was hammering frantically. It was all so bad†¦but she had made it worse. By not thinking. By imagining that her life was the only one at stake. By acting before evaluating the consequences. But in the same situation she would do it again. Or†¦with shame, she thought, I would do something like it. If I knew that I would put everyone I loved in danger I would have begged Damon to bargain with that slave-owner worm. Buy her for some outrageous price†¦if we had the money. If he would have listened†¦If another stroke of the whip hadn't killed Lady Ulma†¦ Suddenly her brain went hard and cold. That is the past. This is the present. Deal with it. â€Å"What can we do?† She tried to pull free and shake Damon; she was that frantic. â€Å"There must be something we can do now! They can't kill Bonnie and Meredith – and Stefan will die if we don't find him!† Damon just held her more tightly. He was keeping his mind shielded from hers, Elena realized. This could either be good or bad. It might be that there was a solution he was reluctant to put to her. Or it could mean that the death of all three of the â€Å"rebel slaves† was the only thing the city leaders would accept. â€Å"Damon.† He was holding her much too tightly to get free, so Elena couldn't look him in the face. But she could visualize it, and she could also try to address him squarely, mind to mind. Damon, if there's anything – even any way we can save Bonnie and Meredith – you have to tell me. You have to. I order you to! Neither of them were in a mood to find that amusing or even to notice the â€Å"slave† giving orders to the â€Å"master.† But at last Elena heard Damon's telepathic voice. They say that if I take you back to Young Drohzne now and you apologize, that you can be let off with just six strokes of this. From somewhere Damon produced a pliant cane made of some pale wood. Ash, probably, Elena thought, surprised at how calm she was. It's the one substance equally effective on everyone: even on vampires – even on Old Ones, which they undoubtedly have around here. But it has to be in public so that they can get the rumors started the other way. They think then that the turmoil will stop, if you – the one who started the disobedience – will admit your slave status. Damon's thoughts were heavy, and so was Elena's heart. How many of her principles would she be betraying if she did this? How many slaves would she be condemning to lives of servitude? Suddenly Damon's mental voice was angry. We didn't come here to reform the Dark Dimension, he reminded her, in tones that made Elena wince away. Damon shook her slightly. We came to get Stefan, remember? Needless to say, we'll never have a chance to do that if we try to play Spartacus. If we start a war that we know we can't win. Even the Guardians can't win it. A light went on in Elena's mind. â€Å"Of course,† she said. â€Å"Why didn't I think of it before?† â€Å"Think of what before?† Damon said desperately. â€Å"We don't fight the war – now. I haven't even mastered my basic Powers, much less my Wings Powers. And this way they won't even wonder about them.† â€Å"Elena?† â€Å"We come back,† Elena explained to him excitedly. â€Å"When I can control all my Powers. And we bring allies with us – strong allies we'll find in the human world. It may take years and years but someday we come back and finish what we started.† Damon was staring at her as if she'd gone mad, but that didn't matter. Elena could feel Power coursing through her. This was one promise, she thought, that she would keep if it killed her. Damon swallowed. â€Å"Can we talk about – about the present now?† he asked. It was as if he had hit a bull's-eye. The present. Now. â€Å"Yes. Yes, of course.† Elena looked at the ash cane contemptuously. â€Å"Of course, I'll do it, Damon. I don't want anyone else hurt because of me before I'm ready to fight. Dr. Meggar is a good healer. If they allow me to come back to him.† â€Å"I honestly don't know,† Damon said, holding her gaze. â€Å"But I do know one thing. You won't feel a single blow, I promise you that,† he said quickly and earnestly, his dark eyes very big. â€Å"I'll take care of that; it'll all be channeled away. And you won't even see a trace of a mark by morning. But,† he finished much more slowly, â€Å"you'll have to kneel to apologize to me, your owner, and to that filthy, scrofulous, abominable old – † Damon's imprecations carried him away for a moment so that he lapsed into Italian. â€Å"To who?† â€Å"To the leader of the slums, and possibly to Old Drohzne's brother, Young Drohzne, as well.† â€Å"Okay. Tell them I'll apologize to as many Drohznes as they want. Tell them quick, in case we lose our chance.† Elena could see the look he gave her, but her mind was turned inward. Would she let Meredith or Bonnie do this? No. Would she allow it to happen to Caroline if by any means she could stop it? Again, no. No, no, no. Elena's feelings about brutality toward girls and women had always been exceedingly strong. Her feelings about the worldwide second-class citizenship of females had become remarkably clear since her return from the afterlife. If she had been returned to the world for any purpose, she had decided, helping to free girls and women from the slavery that many of them could not even see, was part of it. But this wasn't just about a vicious slaveholder and faceless oppressed women and men. It was about Lady Ulma, and keeping her and her baby safe†¦and it was about Stefan. If she gave in, she would be just an impudent slave who caused a small ruckus in the road, but was firmly put back into her place by authorities. Otherwise, if their party was scrutinized†¦if someone realized that they were here to release Stefan†¦if Elena was the one who caused the order to come: â€Å"Move him into stricter security – get rid of that silly kitsune-key thing†¦.† Her mind was ablaze with images of ways that Stefan could be punished, could be taken away, could be lost if this incident in the slums took on undue proportions. No. She would not abandon Stefan now to fight a war that could not be won. But she wouldn't forget, either. I'll come back for all of you, she promised. And then the story will have a different ending. She realized that Damon still hadn't left. He was watching her with eyes as keen as a falcon's. â€Å"They sent me to bring you,† he said quietly. â€Å"They never thought of a no for an answer.† Elena could briefly feel the fierce rage of his fury at them and she took his hand and squeezed it. â€Å"I'm coming back with you in the future, for the slaves,† he said. â€Å"You know that, don't you?† â€Å"Of course,† said Elena, and her quick kiss became a longer kiss. She hadn't really absorbed what Damon had said about channeling away the pain. She felt she was due just one kiss for what she was about to endure, and then Damon stroked her hair and time meant nothing until Meredith knocked at the door. The bloody-red dawn had taken on a bizarre, almost dreamlike quality by the time Elena was led to an open-air structure where the slumlords in charge of this area were seated on piles of once fine, now threadbare cushions. They were passing back and forth bottles and jeweled leather flasks filled with Black Magic, the only wine vampires could really enjoy, smoking hookahs and occasionally spitting into the darker shadows. This was regardless of the huge audience of street people dizzily attracted by word of a beautiful young human's public punishment. Elena had been rehearsed in her lines. She was marched, gagged, hands manacled, before the hawking and spitting authorities. Young Drohzne was sitting in somewhat uncomfortable glory on a golden couch, and Damon was standing between him and the authorities, looking tense. Elena had never been so tempted to improvise a part since her junior play, when she had thrown a flowerpot at Petruchio and brought down the house in the last scene of The Taming of the Shrew. But this was deadly serious business. Stefan's freedom, Bonnie's and Meredith's lives might depend upon it. Elena moved her tongue around inside her mouth, which was bone dry. And, oddly, she found Damon's eyes, the man with the stick, uplifting her. He seemed to be telling her courage and indifference without using telepathy at all. Elena wondered if he himself had ever been in a similar situation. She was kicked by one of her escorts and remembered where she was. She'd been loaned an â€Å"appropriate† costume from the discarded wardrobe of Dr. Meggar's married daughter. It was pearl-colored indoors, which meant it was mauve in the everlasting crimson sunlight. Most important, worn without its silken undershirt, its back plunged to below Elena's waistline, leaving Elena's own back completely bare. Now, in accordance with custom, she knelt in front of the elders, and bowed until her forehead rested on an ornate and very dirty carpet at the feet of the elders, but several steps lower. One of them spat on her. There was excited, appreciative chattering, and ribaldry, and thrown missiles, mostly in the form of garbage. Fruit was too precious here to think of wasting. Dried excrement, however, was not, and Elena found the first tears coming to her eyes as she realized what she was being pelted with. Courage and indifference, she told herself, not even daring to sneak a look up at Damon. Presently, when the crowd was felt to have had its due playtime, one of the hookah-smoking civic elders stood up. He read words Elena couldn't understand from a creased scroll. It seemed to go on forever. Elena, on her knees, with her forehead against the dusty carpet, felt as if she were smothering. At last the scroll was put away and Young Drohzne leaped up and described in a high, almost hysterical voice, and flamboyant language, the story of a slave who attacked her own master (Damon, Elena noted mentally) to tear herself free of his supervision, and then attacked the head of his family (Old Drohzne, Elena thought) and his poor means of living, his cart, and his hopeless, impudent, slothful slave, and how all this had resulted in the death of his brother. To Elena's ears, at first, he seemed to be blaming Lady Ulma for the entire incident because she had fallen under her load. â€Å"You all know the kind of slave I mean – she wouldn't bother to wave away a fly walking across her eye,† he shrieked, appealing to the crowd, which responded with fresh insults and a renewed pelting upon Elena, since Lady Ulma wasn't there to punish. At last, Young Drohzne finished recounting how this bold-faced hussy (Elena) who, wearing trousers like a man, had caught up his brother's own ne'er-do-well slave (Ulma) and had carried away this valuable property bodily away (all by myself? Elena wondered ironically) and had taken her to the home of a highly suspicious healer (Dr. Meggar), who now refused to give her, the original slave, back. â€Å"I knew when I heard this that I would never see my brother or his slave again,† he cried, in the shrieking wail that he had somehow been able to maintain throughout the entire narrative. â€Å"If the slave was so lazy, you should have been glad,† a joker in the crowd called out. â€Å"Nevertheless,† said a very fat man whose voice reminded Elena irresistibly of Alfred Hitchcock's: the lugubrious delivery and the same pauses before important words, which served to make the mood more grim and entire business even more serious than anyone had heretofore thought. This was a man with power, Elena realized. The ribaldry, the pelting, even the hawking and spitting had fallen silent. The large man was undoubtedly the local equivalent of a â€Å"godfather† to these painfully poor residents of the slums. His word would be that which determined Elena's fate. â€Å"And since then,† he was saying slowly, crunching with every few words some irregularly shaped, golden-colored sweetmeat from a bowl reserved for himself, â€Å"the young vampire Damien has made reparation – and most generously, too – for all the property damage.† Here there was a long pause as he stared at Young Drohzne. â€Å"Therefore, his slave, Aliana, who started all this mischief will not be seized and put up for public auction, but will make her humble obeisance and surrender, here, and of her own will, receive the punishment she knows is her due.† Elena found herself dazed. She didn't know whether it was from all the smoke that had floated down to her level before curling away, but the words â€Å"put up for public auction† had sent a shock through her that almost led her to black out. She had had no idea that that could happen – and the pictures it brought to mind were extremely unpleasant. She also noticed her new alias, and Damon's. It was actually quite fortunate, she thought since it would be nice if Shinichi and Misao never heard about this little adventure. â€Å"Bring the slave to us,† the fat man concluded, and sat back down on a great pile of cushions. Elena was lifted off her feet and roughly marched upward until she could see the man's gilded sandals, and remarkably clean feet, as she kept her eyes down in the manner of an obedient slave. â€Å"Have you heard these proceedings?† The Godfather-type was still munching on his delicacies and a waft of breeze brought a heavenly smell to Elena's nose, and suddenly all the saliva she could ask for flooded to her dry lips. â€Å"Yes, sir,† she said, not knowing what title to give him. â€Å"You address me as Your Excellence. And do you have anything to add in your defense?† the man asked, to Elena's astonishment. Her automatic response of: â€Å"Why ask me, since it's all been fixed up beforehand?† was stilled on her lips. This man was somehow – more – than any of the others she had met in the Dark Dimension – in fact, in her entire life. He listened to people. He would listen to me if I told him all about Stefan, Elena thought suddenly. But then, she thought, regaining her normal level-headedness, what could he do about it? Nothing, unless he could do some good and turn a profit out of it – or gain some power, or take down an enemy. Still, he might make for an ally when she returned to level this place and freed the slaves. â€Å"No, Your Excellence. Nothing to add,† she said. â€Å"And you are willing to prostrate yourself and beg my forgiveness and that of Master Drohzne?† This was Elena's first scripted line. â€Å"Yes,† she said, and she managed to get through her prefabricated apology clearly and with just the hint of a gulp at the end. Up close she could see flecks of gold on the large man's face, in his lap, in his beard. â€Å"Very well. A penalty of ten ash rod strokes is laid upon this slave as an example to other mischief-makers. The punishment will be delivered by my nephew Clewd.†

Christian virtues Essay

No general code of conduct covers both of them as if the kingdom of God had dawned before its time, Left-wing political idealists and just war theorists fail to distinguish these two hands of God and try to reconcile the tension between them, often at the expense of the state. They try to impose Christian virtues such as love and mercy upon the state but fail to recognize the depravity of our present lot and the need for the state to restrain its evils. Communism might have found its place in the early church with Ð ° people who were prepared to share all their possessions (Acts 2.43, 44; 4. 32), but this economic system does not work in the unregenerate world of laziness and selfishness. Pacifism might have served the church and its members well as Ð ° witness to divine grace and mercy, but the state would abdicate its responsibilities before God if it did not bear the sword and protect its citizens from criminals. It was Thomas Aquinas, not Augustine, who developed just war theory along the natural law tradition. Augustine did not discriminate clear, universal principles in order to declare Ð ° society or its wars just. He saw Ð ° distinct dichotomy between private behavior, which might refuse the use of the sword in self-defense, and the public right of the state to defend itself for the good of the community. Machiavelli agreed and spoke of two moralities subsisting side-by-side, the morality of the individual soul and the morality of the city. Some actions, while not virtuous from Ð ° private or Christian views, are still absolutely necessary if one wishes to defend the Republic. Protestant theologians tend to agree with this assessment. Emil Brunner did not believe that we could impose Ð ° version of absolute justice on Ð ° world darkened with sin. In the old Testament God did not impose Ð ° ban on divorce ‘because of the hardness of their hearts’, even if ‘it was not this way from the beginning’ and absolute justice would demand otherwise. Relative justice is all we can hope for in the realm of society and Ð ° world fallen from its original image. (Amit 2003 127) Reinhold Niebuhr rejected the possibility of doing well without causing some evil. In the real world, one must become tainted with its evil and fight force with force. So useful have terrorist attacks been to advancing the neocon agenda that hawks are intent on provoking more. As William Arkin wrote in the Los Angeles Times, Rumsfeld’s Defense Science Board recommended in 2002 the creation of Ð ° super secret â€Å"Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG) to bring together CIA and military covert action, information warfare, intelligence, and cover and deception. Among other things, this body would launch secret operations aimed at `stimulating reactions’ among terrorists and states possessing weapons of mass destruction—that is, for instance, prodding terrorist cells into action and exposing themselves to `quick-response’ attacks by U. S. forces. Such tactics would †¦`signal to harboring states that their sovereignty will be at risk. † (Amy 2004 38) Another argument can be made that Islamist extremism, however it arose, can be combated more effectively if Ð ° larger number of citizens have Ð ° stake in non-extremist, increasingly democratized political systems. More freedom should be created to foster enhanced political participation and human investment in Middle Eastern states. Ð  greater degree of participation may occur without the implementation of other requisites of democracy. If our definition of freedom is free elections, Ð ° free press, and labor unions—it is absent in Saudi Arabia. Supporters of the Kingdom point to other methods of creating balance and justice in society, whereby the royal family protects the citizens and defends their values in exchange for their loyalty. While this may smack of feudalism to the reader, such bargains were fulfilled in Islamic history through the Ottoman concept of the circle of equity; self-governance of religious minorities; and the recognition of local, tribal, and familial authorities. Today’s Middle Eastern rulers are facing similar questions about the ways that democratization will alter earlier understandings of leadership or threaten its longevity. â€Å" (Sherifa 2005 28)

Quetzalcoatl - Pan-Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent God

Quetzalcoatl - Pan-Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent God Quetzalcoatl pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-WAH-tul and roughly translated as the Feathered Serpent, the Plumed Serpent or the Quetzal-Feathered Serpent, is the name of an important Mesoamerican deity who was worshiped throughout the region in one form or another for 1,200 years. Key Takeaways: Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl is the name of a central Mexican deity, closely related to the morning star, Venus.  He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures.As an Aztec deity, he was one of four sons of the creator god Ometeotl, associated with the wind god, and the patron god of arts and knowledge.A persistent myth about the conquistador Hernan Cortà ©s being mistaken for Quetzalcoatl is almost certainly false.   During the Postclassic period (900–1521 CE), several cultures- including the Maya, Toltecs, Aztecs and other polities in Central Mexico- all practiced some version of the cult which had formed around the legends of Quetzalcoatl. However, the majority of information about this god comes from Aztec/Mexica sources, including surviving Aztec codexes, as well as oral history told to the Spanish conquistadors. The Pan-Mesoamerican Quetzalcoatl The pyramid of Quetzalcoatl (god of the feathered serpent) is showing the alternating Tlaloc (left, with goggle eyes, a god of rain, fertility, and water) and feathered serpent (right, with a collar of feathers) heads. stockcam / iStock / Getty Images The earliest example of Quetzalcoatl, or at least a Feathered Serpent god, comes from the Classic period (200–600 CE) city of Teotihuacn, where one of the main temples, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl in the Ciudadela, is decorated with carvings of feathered serpents. Among the Classic Maya, the figure of a feathered serpent is illustrated in many stone monuments and murals and is often related to the worship of royal ancestors. During the Terminal Classic or Epiclassic (650–1000 CE) period, the cult of the Feathered Serpent spread dramatically throughout Mesoamerica, including the central Mexico centers of Xochicalco, Cholula, and Cacaxtla. The most famous example of the Mayan Quetzalcoatl cult is reflected in the architectural aspects of Chichà ©n Itz in the Yucatn Peninsula, where Maya Puuc styles are contrasted with those of the Quetzalcoatl-inspired Toltec. According to local and colonial legends, the Toltec shaman/king Quetzalcoatl (known as Kukulcan in the Maya language) arrived in the Maya region after having been ousted by political rivals, bringing with him not just a new architectural style but a new set of religious and political practices associated with militarism and human sacrifice. The Origins of Aztec Quetzalcoatl Experts on Mesoamerican religion believe that the Aztec (1325–1521 CE) figure of Quetzalcoatl began with the legend of the pan-Mesoamerican god and blended in a historical Tollan leader, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, who reportedly lived 843–895 CE). This man was a heroic figure, probably a king and/or a priest, who left his home in the Toltec capital of Tula chased out by traitorous priests, but promising to return. The Aztecs considered the Tollan leader the ideal king; more details are found in the legend of the Toltecs. The story undeniably echoes the Mayan story, but whether or not this legend is based on real events is still under debate among scholars. Quetzalcoatl as Aztec Deity Quetzalcoatl, the Toltec and Aztec god; the plumed serpent, god of the wind, learning and the priesthood, master of life, creator and civiliser, patron of every art and inventor of metallurgy, in the Codex Borbonicus. Bridgeman Art Library / Getty Images Quetzalcoatl the deity was one of four sons of the creator god Ometeotl in his male form Ometecuhtli (â€Å"Two-Lord†) and his female form, Omecihuatl (â€Å"Two-Lady†), and brother of Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, and Huitzilopochtli. The Aztecs called their era the time of the 5th Sun- there had been four previous versions of the earth and its people, each ruled by different gods. According to the Aztec Legend of the Suns, Quetzalcoatl ruled over the second Sun of Aztec creation. He was a creator god, associated with the wind god (Ehecatl) and the planet Venus. Quetzalcoatl was also the patron god of arts and knowledge. He was one of the most human-loving of the gods in the Aztec pantheon. He was the god who met with an ant to provide humans with their first maize to plant, and he was responsible for saving all humanity at the beginning of the Fifth Sun. Quetzalcoatl and the Bones of the Ancestors At the end of the fourth sun, so it is told, all humanity was drowned, and after the creation of the fifth sun, Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld (Mictlan) to negotiate with the god of the underworld (Mictlantecuhtli) the return of humanitys bones so the earth could be repopulated. When Mictlantecuhtli proved unwilling to give them back, Quetzalcoatl stole the bones. In his hasty retreat, he was startled by a quail and tripped and broke them (which is why humans come in a range of different sizes), but managed to carry the bones to the paradise of Tamoanchan, where the goddess Cihuacoatl ground them up and placed them in a jade bowl. Then Quetzalcoatl and other gods performed the first auto-sacrifice  when they shed their blood over the bones and endowed them with life, thus lumbering humanity with a debt that had to be repaid by abundant human sacrifices. The Cortà ©s Myth Quetzalcoatl’s fame is also linked to a persistent story about Hernan Cortà ©s, the Spanish conquistador credited with conquering the Aztec Empire. The story is that the last emperor Motecuhzoma (sometimes spelled Montezuma or Moctezuma) mistook Cortà ©s for the returning god, based on the supposed resemblance between the Spanish conquistador and the god. This story, detailed in Spanish records, is almost certainly false, but how it arose is a fascinating story itself. One possible theory for the origin of this story is that the Spanish misinterpreted the welcoming speech pronounced by the Aztec king. In this speech, if it ever happened, Motecuhzoma used a form of Aztec politeness that was mistaken by the Spanish for a form of submission. Other scholars suggest that the idea that Cortà ©s  and Quetzalcoatl were confused by the Mexica was entirely created by Franciscan friars, and elaborated during the post-Conquest period. Most interestingly, according to Smith (2013), some scholars attribute the origin of the Cortà ©s  myth to the Nahua nobility themselves, who invented it and told it to the Spanish to explain why Motecuhzoma hesitated to attack the conquering forces. It was the nobility who created the prophecy, a series of omens and signs, and claimed that Motecuhzoma truly believed Cortes to have been Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl’s Images The figure of Quetzalcoatl is represented in many different ways according to different epochs and Mesoamerican cultures. He is both represented in his non-human form as a feathered serpent with plumage along its body and around the head, as well as in his human form, especially among the Aztecs and in Colonial codices. In his human aspect, he is often depicted in dark colors with a red beak, symbolizing Ehecatl, the wind god; and wearing a cut shell as a pendant, symbolizing Venus. In many images, he is depicted wearing a plumed headdress and carrying a plumed shield. Quetzalcoatl Cult Centers Numerous circular temples (at Texcoco, Calixtlahuaca, Tlatelolco, and in the Pino Suarez metro station in Mexico City) are dedicated to Quetzalcoatl in the guise of Ecahtl, constructed without corners so the wind could easily blow around them. Extant temples dedicated to the cult of Quetzalcoatl have been identified at many Mesoamerican sites, such as Xochicalco, Teotihuacan, Cholula, Cempoala, Tula, Mayapan, and Chichen Itza. Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst. Sources Berdan, Frances F. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014. Print.Carrasco, David, Lindsay Jones, and Scott Sessions, eds. Mesoamericas Classic Heritage: From Teotihuacan to the Aztecs. Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2002. Print.Milbrath, Susan. Maya Astronomical Observations and the Agricultural Cycle in the Postclassic Madrid Codex. Ancient Mesoamerica 28.2 (2017): 489–505. Print.Miller, Mary E., and Karl Taube, eds. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion. London: Thames and Hudson, 1993. Print.Mysyk, Darlene Avis. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca in Cuauhquechollan (Valley of Atlixco, Mexico). Estudios ee Cultura Nhuatl 43 (2012): 115–38. Print.Smith, Michael E. The Aztecs. 3rd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. Print.

Canvas and Canvass - Commonly Confused Words

Canvas and Canvass - Commonly Confused Words The words canvas and canvass  are  homophones: they sound alike but have different meanings.The noun canvas refers to a closely woven cloth used for such things as tents, sails, and oil paintings. The verb canvass means to look over carefully or to solicit votes, orders, or opinions. As a noun, canvass means the act of estimating an outcome or gathering support for a vote. Examples Ella pressed the knife as hard as she could against the thick canvas of the sail.From morning to night the young candidate for mayor went from door to door to canvass the voters.The campaign included six automobiles loaded with good speakers for a two-day personal canvass. Practice (a) The instructor must _____ the students to find a time when most can leave the campus for several hours.(b) In the middle of the 1500s, Titian began painting on rough _____ rather than on smooth wooden panels. Answers to Practice Exercises (a) The instructor must  canvass  the students to find a time when most can leave the campus for several hours.(b) In the middle of the 1500s, Titian began painting on rough  canvas  rather than on smooth wooden panels.

Managing Activities to Achieve Results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Managing Activities to Achieve Results - Essay Example Diffusion of innovations would also help in improving the core focus of the organization that would help it to sustain itself in the competitive and turbulent business environment. Techniques for Improvement In order to achieve diffusion of innovation in the organization, Apple must adopt a strategy that tends to integrate the different functionalities of the organization. This would also include aligning its organization culture and structure so as to bring about greater diffusion of innovation in the organization. A flat organizational structure with greater functional independence would go about towards generating innovations and would also reduce barriers of communications that would help bring about diffusion of innovations. A ‘zootechnical’ form of innovation which includes use of technology to integrate the organizational culture and the aspect of innovation could be adopted by the organization (Manrique et al, 2000, p.107). In addition the organizational culture must also implement an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) (what is ERP?) that would help it to integrate its different functional units that would help in better coordination and information sharing which would enable better diffusion of innovation in the organization. Apple must also incorporate the ‘Kaizen’ philosophy in the organization. Kaizen philosophy calls for a continuous improvement in the business process by inducing in a process of continuous learning. Adopting this philosophy would help the organization to achieve its objectives by enhancing the learning curve of the employees as well as the organization. This is important as innovations are largely based on learning and knowledge and enhancement of the learning curve can actually go about a long way in inducing employees to indulge in continuous improvement as employees would continuously develop new ideas for the betterment of the business. This in turn would lead to innovations which is the core competen ce of the firm. The importance of Kaizen philosophy is that it tends to include the organizational culture by helping the organization to continuously improve its culture that leads to innovation (Christensen, Betz & Stein, 2007, p.68). JIT and SPC The Just in Time approach is a part of the philosophy of operational excellence. The Just in Time approach envisages a situation in which organizations keep a minimum stock of inventory with them and stock minimal volume of goods. This helps in reducing the inventory carrying costs for a company as only a bare minimum inventory is stocked. This technique has been successfully employed by organizations like Dell and Toyota to derive competitive advantage. The implementation of Just in Time requires a close synchronisation with the suppliers of the organization. It has also been observed that incorporating a Just in Time approach would help foster a better relationship with the organization and the suppliers (Pride & Ferrell, 2010, p.329). is the whole paragraph from this reference? Organizational Issue : a little more detail is needed here. What happens due to this organisational issue. What affect does it have on the organisation? The main issue faced by Apple is with regards to the aspect of promoting innovations and its subsequent diffusion into

Bottled Water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bottled Water - Essay Example This observation is realized from a number of variables that differentiate bottled water from tap water. On the same note, these differentiating variables allows bottled water to obtain price premiums, a scenario that lacks in cases of tap water. The sale of bottled water is undertaken by firms that are in business. They therefore have business aspects to account for in their operations. In this regard, value creation becomes a critical differentiating variable. This is done through processing and packaging water in ways that appeal to the customers (Shiv, 2007). Value creation differentiates tap water and bottled water, with the primary activity being packaging. This process costs the various firms that engage in it, and the price of the bottled water must account for the costs as well as business profits. The providing firms themselves act as a differentiating variable. Tap water is provided to the masses as an aspect of human right by local governments or the state at large. Water treatment processes are undertaken at a central point before supply is done. For this reason, water tap is regarded a necessity and a right to the population. On the other hand, bottled water is associated with luxury, a complement to tap water. Therefore, obtaining the water attracts a luxury price premium. Quality is another aspect that differentiates bottled water from tap water. If is often held that bottled water is of high quality than tap water. While this claim may or may not be true, a high quality product is likely to attract a high price. The quality aspect has given rise to numerous bottled water brands, and the higher the quality attached to a specific bottled water brand, the higher the price premium that brand obtains. Marketing activities significantly differentiates tap water from bottled water. Firms that sell bottled water are actually business enterprises. Companies that supply tap water are either state operated