Relationship Between Economic Woes and Having Children

Introduction It is quite obvious that people always make adjustments in relation to the economic situation at a given period of time. In this case, people can limit their spending as a result of economic woes because they will not be able to take care of their needs effectively. As far as this article is concerned, people are not ready to have children because they fear that they will not cater for their needs well.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Relationship Between Economic Woes and Having Children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has been brought about by the current economic woes that are facing the country. As much as most of them are earning, they fear that their income is not enough to support a family and that is why we have seen a drop in couples who want to have children. This indicates that women who are capable of having children are delaying because of the economy. Marriage rates have also st alled because individuals are not ready to support a family with the current economic situation. Discussion There is a very big relationship between economic woes and having children. It is quite obvious that a child has to be supported by his/her parents and this can not be well catered for if the parents are not in a better position. The great depression has given women an opportunity to delay having children because they can not guarantee them good life. A perfect example is a woman like Melissa Thompson who is always forced to put off having a family because of financial stress. People should first of all feel financially comfortable before they can commit themselves to other needs and that is why we have seen this correlation between economic woes and having children together with fertility. We can explain this scenario by looking at consumer spending in relation to the economic situation at a given time (Fortura, 2005, p. 42). As far as the macroeconomic level is concerned thi s whole issue revolves around aggregate demand in the economy. From the article, change in fertility and economic indicators are closely related and that is why all this aspects can be evaluated from an aggregate demand point of view. In this case, we can say that people are not ready to cater for more expenses because of their current economic situation. This means that couples are not ready to spend more on a baby because they do not have enough income for such. As a matter of fact, the economy’s aggregate demand has been seriously affected by economic woes. Personal consumption revolves around demand from households and in this case, they are not ready to spend more on babies or family (Fortura, 2005, p. 53). This whole interrelation can be described by the function below. AD=C+I+G+(X-M)Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion The fertility rate fell by 4% and this is because individuals and families are not ready to expand their families. All this is related to spending and demand because if they could have been in a position to spend, they could have had babies. This point is reinforced by the fact that women admitted that the economy has been the major issue as far as having babies is concerned. Pregnancy brings financial worries and that is why it is quite obvious that if we don’t have enough money we will always be cautious to spend. Our marginal propensity to consume is highly related to our disposable income and this will depend on the state of the economy. In conclusion, we can say that raising a child comes with costs and that is why families are not ready for this as long as economic woes are still persistent. Reference List Fortura, P. (2005). Exploring Economics. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. This article on Relationship Between Economic Woes and Having Children was written and submitted by user Dayton Bruce to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Toni Morrison essays

Toni Morrison essays Toni Morrison was born in the steel town of Lorain. Ohio on February 18, 1931, her name at that time was Chloe Anthony Wofford. Morrison was the second of four children. Her family was made up of migrant sharecroppers on both sides. Her parents George and Ramah Willis Wofford moved north to Ohio to escape racism and find better economic opportunities. Morrison was born into a very proud family her father worked and new many trades including welding and construction. George kept three jobs at the same time during Morrisons childhood. He took great pride in his appearance and work always being sure to be well dressed and at his work each time he welded a perfect seam he would also weld his name into the side of the ship. George would tell Morrison folk tales of the black community, making sure to transfer some of his African-American heritage onto her. She also gained from her father a slight distrust for whites she says My father was a racist. As a child in Georgia, he recei ved a shocking impression of adult white people, and for the rest of his life felt he was justified in despising all white, and that they were not justified in despising him. Morrisons mother was a church going woman who sang in the choir. Lorain was a small industrial town populated with immigrant Europeans, Mexicans and Southern blacks intertwined in the city. Morrison attended an integrated school in Lorain. In the first grade she was the only black student in the class, she was also the only student who could read. She was a great student who hoped to one day be a ballerina dancer like her favorite Maria Tallchief. She loved to read everything from Dostoyevski to Gustave Flaubert. She was friends with many of the white students in her school and it was not until she started dating that she really experienced racism first hand. Morrison graduated with honors in 1949 from Lorain High School. Morrison...

Black History Month Essay Topics

Black History Month Essay Topics Black history, or African-American history, is full of fascinating stories, rich culture, great art, and courageous acts that were undertaken within circumstances that we can hardly imagine in modern society. While Civil Rights events are the most common themes in our studies, we should resist equating African-American history only with Civil Rights-era history. There is so much more to explore! This list contains 50 prompts that might lead you into some interesting and little-known information about African-American history. Note: Your first challenge in studying some of the topics below is finding resources. When conducting an Internet search, be sure to place quotation marks around your search term (try different variations) to narrow your results. African-American newspapersAfrican-American soldiers in the American RevolutionAfrican-American soldiers in the Civil WarAviatorsBuffalo SoldiersBusiness-owning slavesBuying timeCamp Logan RiotsClennon Washington King, Jr.Coffey School of AeronauticsCrispus AttucksDomestic labor strikes in the SouthFinding lost family members after emancipationFirst African Baptist ChurchFort MoseFreedoms JournalGospel musicGullah heritageHarlem HellfightersHarlem RenaissanceHarriet TubmanHistorically Black CollegesHistory of rock-and-rollInventorsJohn BrownJumping the broomManumission papersMaroon villages in the eighteenth centuryMidwiferyMotown RecordsMulti-cultural pirate shipsNat TurnerOtelia CromwellProperty-owning slavesPurchasing freedomRalph Waldo TylerRegister of Free Persons of ColorSecret schools in antebellum AmericaShermans March followersSlave NarrativesSusie King TaylorThe AmistadThe Brotherhood of Sleeping Car PortersThe Communist Party (involvement)The Great MigrationThe Haitian Rev olution Tuskegee AirmenUnderground RailroadUrban slavery (related to buying time)Wilberforce College, Ohio

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions - Essay Example Both sets of techniques are similar in that they describe the data collected, and help in evaluating the similarities and differences between the groups being studied. Both inferential and descriptive statistics help the researcher identifying and exploring the trends observed and to make sense of the relationships that are shared by the variables being studied. The main difference between descriptive statistical techniques and inferential ones is that while the descriptive statistics provide information that is limited to the data available, inferential techniques allow the researcher to verify if the observations made from the sample collected may be considered representative of the population from which the sample is drawn (Howitt &  Cramer, 2008). While descriptive statistics provide an exact description of the data used, inferential statistics provide an estimate about a larger group. Descriptive statistics are used when it is important to describe the similarities and differe nces in different groups, to explain the trends observed in the data for a particular group of subjects, and to provide information that may be used to develop hypotheses about the population (Howitt &  Cramer, 2008). ... nd value of the study) it is preferable that the researcher carefully selects a small sample and uses inferential statistics to make estimates about the population (Howitt &  Cramer, 2008). b)  Ã‚  Ã‚   What are the similarities between case studies and small-N research designs? What are the differences? When should you use case studies and small-N research designs? Case studies are usually conducted using very few participants, and could also be focused on a single participant (McBurney & White, 2009). These studies describe the experiences of the individuals included in natural, clinical or experimental conditions in great detail, and use techniques of describing data that are both qualitative and quantitative (Christensen, Johnson & Turner, 2010). Case studies are used to describe each individual studied so that the particular aspects of the variables being studied may be discussed. Typical examples of case studies would describe an individual’s pertinent background, th eir experiences and the way they respond to the chosen stimuli within a setting. While case studies are considered as a type of small-N research design, not all the Small-N studies describe the particular individuals as much as the case study. Some small-N designs are extremely quantitative and although the data collected is from a very small sample, the research study follows a very experimental design (McBurney & White, 2009). Small-N designs are useful when the researcher is trying to evaluate a rarely occurring condition or when a new treatment procedure is being tried out. Case studies, small-N studies and single participant research have been found to provide valuable insights in the fields of psychophysics, clinical research and cognitive psychology (McBurney & White, 2009). Although the main

Current feminist theories and practices are helping to change tactics Research Paper

Current feminist theories and practices are helping to change tactics and prevent rape worldwide. What are these tactics, how ef - Research Paper Example To address the problem of rape in society, it is important to understand the cause in order to device effective legal and social preventive mechanisms. Rape in contemporary society Sexually explicit media programs, such as pornographic materials have been attributed to promoting rape in society. Currently, the media is saturated with objectionable sexual programs and advancement in information technology has enhanced the availability the content to many people, including young children. This has resulted to sanctioning of the programs to prevent the minors from being sexually influenced by the content. The relationship between watching pornographic content and rape is debatable and many research studies have been undertaken to establish the association. However WHO (2003) indentifies individual, relationship, community and societal factors as the major determinants that influence men’s attitude to commit rape. The high prevalence of rape in poor and politically unstable countr ies disapproves the assertion that pornographic content encourages rape. Feminists consider rape as a form of violence intended to assert the authority of men over women in the contemporary society (Kerns, 2001). Rape has been recorded in various contexts, which can be classified in two categories depending on the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator. ... e being married or in sexual relationship with men, drug abuse, being too young to make informed sexual decision, poverty, involvement with multiple sexual partners and commercial sex in addition to high level of education. Other factors include wearing sexually suggestive clothing. From these factors, it is apparent that rape is primarily aggravated by the behavior and actions of the perpetrator rather than the victim. Feminists disapprove sexual passion as the motivation for rape, but a combination of factors that undermine the psyche of men. This includes reduced income and disempowerment of men. WHO (2003) notes that highly educated women with higher incomes are at high risk of being raped by their male partners especially those with lower education and income. In addition, higher rape incidents occur in regions with low incomes than in affluent regions (WHO, 2003). High incidents of rape have been reported in countries affected by civil strive and political instability especiall y in Africa. Some of the countries include Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. In these incidences, rape is used as a war strategy to break or undermine the social cohesion in the societies with the intention of weakening the enemy. In some countries such as East Timor, rape was used as a tool of ethnic cleansing (WHO, 2003) Prevention of rape globally Currently various rape deterrent measures have been implemented to protect women from potential rapists and to punish rape offenders. They include imprisonment of rape offenders and instituting programs to empower rape victims and the society about the adverse effects of rape. The programs offer supportive and psychological care to rape victims, and others are specially designed to guide and inform rape perpetrators while they are

William Cowper Essay Example for Free

William Cowper Essay I am writing to tell you all about my misfortunes I had last month upon my wedding day. My wife decided that after 10years of marriage that it was time to go on holiday for the first time. As you know, she is very conscious about money and extremely proud, so she brought a carriage for herself, our 3children, her sister and her child, and so I had to ride upon horseback behind them but no-one was able to know. So once the morning arrived, I kissed her goodbye and we set off. The horse was misbehaving; I could not control him at all, all the time he was bucking, trotting and galloping when it wasnt necessary and especially on stony roads, so I fell off about twice. Then Betty came running back to me and said that we had left the alcohol behind and so I tied it to my belt, one on each side so I was balanced and so I could try to not fall off of the horse. Once on my way for the second time, I finally got to some smoother road which became easier for the horse to ride upon. But instead of the easiness I believed this road would be it was the complete opposite, the horse got faster, he began trotting. I tried to get him to slow down but he wouldnt and the trot soon turned into a gallop, even though I pulled the reins and demanded him to stop. It was terrifying, I was holding onto the reins for dear life. He continued to do this for miles, even through the towns. The towns people even believed I was racing and so cheered me on. I was confused and it scared the horse so it again galloped off leaving me holding on for dear life. I finally reached where I was meant to be and where my wife and the rest of my family were waiting for me. We went past them and they shouted after me to stop as they were all hungry and wanted to rest but the horse kept going and wouldnt stop. We kept going until we reached the horses owners horse, and finally the horse stopped! I got off the horse and spoke to its owner. He offered me dinner at his home, but I declined his request as it felt stupid to be having dinner in a different town to my wife, especially on our wedding evening. We were about to set off again, when suddenly a donkey made a noise and the horse set off yet again. We went racing on again, and once more we passed straight through the town I was meant to be staying. This time my wife saw me going past and told a messenger boy that if he caught up with me and brought me back safely then she would give him half-a-crown. So the boy set off after me and tried to stop my horse three times by pulling at the reins. Unfortunately that didnt work, and the horse got more scared and so galloped faster and faster. We then went past some other people who thought I was a highwayman as I was riding away and the boy was chasing after me. They kept shouting at me stop thief and as I didnt they all joined in, in the chase. When we arrived at the town I was meant to being staying at they thought I was still racing and so cheered me on even more, as they thought I had won. Was indeed a very bizarre way to spend my wedding day, and although I regret being away from my wife on that day I do not regret anything that happened that day!

How To Fight In Hockey Successfully :: essays research papers

How to Fight in Hockey Successfully   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sometimes hockey players lose their cool on the ice and get into a fight with an opponent. The fights look spontaneous and unplanned, but there are many techniques and tricks that will help a player to be a better fighter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a fight begins, the first thing to do is to drop your stick and gloves onto the ice. It is always better to punch with your bare fists so it hurts the opponent more. Also, it is easier to grab with your bare hands. Next, you must rip off the opponents helmet by grabbing the back of the helmet and pulling it toward yourself. Once you have the helmet off, the real rumble begins. From this point on in the scuffle, there are a few very successful techniques used by the best of the pros to win the fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One very good way to win is to, first, punch the opponent in the stomach so he bends over toward you. Next, grab the bottom of the back side of his jersey and forcefully pull it over his head. By pulling the jersey over the opposition's head, you make it so he can't see or move his arms very well. With the jersey over his head, you can finish the fight by throwing the punches that you throw the hardest to your opponent's face and stomach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another good technique is to grab the opponent's collar of his jersey right below his chin with one hand and pull him foreword quickly. While you slam him forward, use your other hand to punch him in the face. This technique hurts the opponent the most because his momentum moving toward you makes the blow twice as hard as an ordinary punch. Continue to use this technique over and over until the fight is done. The opponent usually will not know where he is, so it will be a fairly easy fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Along with the previous techniques, there are also a few tips that will help you out. First of all, avoid throwing your opponent on to the ice. When you do this, the referees can easily break up the brawl. Also, always keep your hands up to be able to block blows to the face and head area. Lastly, try not to pull the opponent's hair. This is considered to be very cheap in a hockey fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a final note, by following all these tips and techniques, you will be

Reflections on Visual Representation: Of Mice and Men

As a female, I was annoyed the way the novel made women out actively by using words like tramp', ‘pitch' and tart' and the way men in the novel used them as prostitutes, so my representation shows the freedom and confinement of Curly wife – Eve given her power in my representation because her and the other women had none In the novel and Eve made the men all fairly insignificant In my representation because It wasn't fair that they had all the power In the book.I felt Like Curlers wife was Like a caged bird In the novel because she desperately wanted to escape from her life, but just couldn't. This is why I used a birdcage as the cost dominant thing in my representation. It is sparkles because I wanted it to look luring because Curlers wife was lured into marrying Curler because she thought that marriage would give her freedom. The bride's veil hanging on the outside of the birdcage emphasizes that her hopes and dreams were out of reach and that marriage was central to h er being trapped.Black chains are also wrapped around the sparkles cage, which makes her even more confined than Just being in the cage. A mans clothing and top hat sits over the veil, chains and the cage door, which shows hat men, and especially rich men like Curly and his father are the most powerful, have the most freedom In the novel, and are the ones who trap and confine other less powerful people. Bird's feathers in the cage are a metaphor for Curler's wife who is like a confined bird, and the fact that they are popping out the side of the cage shows that she is desperately trying to escape.Just like a bird is free to fly where ever it likes, her dreams were free once, but now they are caged. Curlers wife, the prostitutes and the girl in the red dress are all nameless in the novel Just like the bird in the cage – we now it is a bird because we can see its feathers, but we can't actually see what type of bird it is. Even so, the feathers are black which has two symbolic meanings, firstly black symbolizes her misery and death, and the way the feathers are scattered everywhere reminds me of the description of the frenzy before her murder and of her dead limp body.Black Is also the color associated with evil and the author constructs her as a sank/flirt who Is trying to corrupt men. Eve Included one tiny single feather with beautiful red spots on it, which shows the way the men treat her potty feather is also like Curly wife's hair – it is soft which tempts Ellen to touch it which eventually leads to him murdering her. Also, the red spotted feather is like her dreams that are mostly hidden now that she is confined in her marriage cage.Red is associated with prostitutes and was also the color of Curlers wife's shoes and the red dress the girl was wearing who accused Ellen of rape, so in my representation, I have made it a feminine color. The red spotted feather also shows Curlers wife's vibrant personality that we understand more when she explai ns how she could have en a movie star. The quote ‘An a guy tool me he could put me in pitchers†¦ On sparkly paper backs this up and is shown in bold lettering to show how forcefully she said the words, but Eve cut them in half on the poster to make the words hard to understand Just like in the novel when she spoke them to Ellen, he couldn't really understand her which again emphasizes how trapped and alone she was. This idea is shown again in another quote ‘Satisfy night. Everybody out doing' osmosis. Everybody! An' what am I don? Standing' here talking' to a bunch of bindle stiffs' which emphasizes that the men are all out and have friends, but she is not allowed to have either.The black font is damaged Just like she admits that she is damaged through this rhetorical question. Even so, Ellen and Crook are also excluded and confined and they are shown on my representation as stick figures/'bindle stiffs' connected to this quote who I positioned at the outside of my picture, Just like they are at the outside of society. They have weird square heads and uneven bodies to show that they are different to the other powerful men represented by the suit and top hat on he cage in the middle of the representation, and the men in the newspaper article in the background.Colorful, red, shiny swirls are radiating from the cage and heading upwards which is like the singing/chirping bird because Curly wife was always trying to be happy and talk to the men because she was trapped and lonely. These red swirls floating upward also represent the freedom of dreams. But people can't understand birds just like the men couldn't understand Curlers wife's loneliness which is also shown by a clump of red letters that are Jumbled up in a small pile hardly noticeable on the eight hand side of the cage.The Jumbled letters are separate from the men's words, which are shown as colorful ‘happy words, all Joined together because they are all free to socialize with each o ther. Even so, the men's words face inwards in a circle which shows their social circle and represents the way they keep her out and trapped in her cage. Curlers wife is excluded from the friendships and confined to her unhappy life on the ranch because she is female, and because she is the boss's wife. By Paris Whittaker Year 11

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 23

October 9, 1864 Iam not supposed to have a heart. A bullet went through it nearly three weeks ago, and no blood of my own will ever pump through it again. The only blood that now courses through my veins is that of whomever I happen to attack. And yet something about Callie causes my dead heart to flutter and the stolen blood to quicken in my body. Is it real? Or is it a mere memory of something that used to be? Damon once told me that on the battlefield, boys who'd undergone amputations still woke up to agonizing pain in their legs or cried for the hand that ached, though those limbs were no longer part of them. But while those boys had phantom limbs, it seems I have a phantom heart. In my short time in New Orleans, I've learned about my Power. It's what has driven me, what I've thrived on, what makes me a vampire. But that's not the only power I possess. The other kind isn't exciting, or thrilling, or dangerous. It's mundane and tedious–the exercising of control over my Power. I've had to learn to suppress my urges to fit in and to remain with Lexi. Yet when I was with Callie at the show, it was as though my two powers were at cross-purposes, each threatening to destroy the other in a private battle in my brain. Now she enters my thoughts constantly. The constellation of freckles on her skin. Her long eyelashes. Her vibrant smile. I can't help but admire the way she wields her own power. How she commands the attention and respect of her father's employees, but also how she grows soft around me, cuddling close when she thinks no one is looking. I think of my hand interlaced with hers. And every time an image of Callie floats to my consciousness, I curse myself. I should be stronger than this. I shouldn't think of her. I should put her out of my mind, write her off as a silly little girl who is lucky I'm letting her live. But deep down, despite my Power, I know Callie has control over me–and my phantom heart. The next morning, I returned to the freak show, with only one thing on my mind: freeing Damon. â€Å"Hello, friend!† the strong man, Arnold, greeted me as I walked through the gateway to the fairgrounds. â€Å"Hello,† I muttered. The tattooed woman came up behind him and gazed at me quizzically. Without her India-inked designs, she was actually quite pretty, with high cheekbones and wide, inquisitive eyes. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I grunted in response. â€Å"Youll want to apologize to Callie.† She pointed at the side of the tent. So Callie had already told her friends about our disastrous evening. Just as I had feared. I walked around the grounds until I saw Callie kneeling over a piece of birch wood at her feet. Paint splattered her overalls, and her red hair was twisted on top of her head and held in place by a single, slender, long-handled paintbrush. The sign said: A PENNY A PEEK: A REAL, LIVE, HUNGRY VAMPIRE. ENTER IF YOU DARE! Underneath was a crude drawing of a vampire: fangs elongated, eyes squinting, blood trickling down both sides of his mouth. The features were Damons, but it was clear Callie had drawn significant artistic inspiration from the burlesque show last night. Callie looked up, catching me staring. Her mouth made a round O, and she dropped her brush onto the canvas. A large black spot suddenly appeared on Damons face. â€Å"Look what you made me do,† she said angrily. I stuck my hands in my pockets, subtly sniffing the air for traces of Damon. â€Å"Im sorry.† Callie sighed in annoyance. â€Å"I dont need your apologies. I just need you to stop distracting me so I can get some work done.† â€Å"Do you want me to help you fix the painting?† The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. They hung between us for a long moment, both of us seemingly surprised by my offer. â€Å"Fix the painting?† Callie echoed, putting her hands on her hips. â€Å"Am I hearing you correctly? Fix thepainting?† â€Å"Yes?† I fumbled. â€Å"Are you aware that you left me last night to get home alone, with no explanation?† Her chin was jutted out, and her stance was aggressive, but her lower lip wobbled, and I could tell she was hurt. â€Å"Callie,† I began. Excuses flew through my head.I work for your father. We should not sneak around. You're just a girl, and I'm a vampire Even though part of me was furious at her for allowing her father to parade Damon around like livestock, to let him fight perhaps until death, the other part knew that she had as little sway over her father as Id had with mine. And now all I could think about was making her lip stop wobbling. â€Å"Its better this way,† I said, twisting my ring around my finger. She shook her head and stabbed the sharp wooden end of the paintbrush into the dirt. It remained there, as if it were a tiny surrender flag after a battle. â€Å"No explanation necessary. Weve known each other a week. You dont owe me an explanation. Thats the best thing about strangers: You dont owe them anything,† she said crisply. I rocked back on my heels. A silence hung between us. The image of Damon glared up at me, seemingly mocking my ineffectiveness. â€Å"Well, arent you going to get to work?† she asked. â€Å"Or are we just paying you to stand around?† Before I could turn to leave, Jasper burst out of a small black tent at the edge of the property. â€Å"We need some extra hands!† A lanky man trailed behind him, cradling his forearm close to his chest. Callie leaped to her feet. â€Å"What happened?† As the man held out his hand, blood flowed down his arm onto the ground. I averted my eyes. Even so, pain rippled along my jaw as I felt my fangs grow. â€Å"The vampires fighting today. We need more men.† Jasper gasped breathlessly, his eyes falling on me. â€Å"Stefan,† Callie said in a tone that wasnt a question. Jasper and the stocky man stared at me. â€Å"Well then, come on, new guy. Show us youre Gallagher material,† Jasper said, jerking his chin in the direction of the tent. â€Å"Of course,† I said slowly, a plan forming in my mind. I could pick out four separate heartbeats in the tent. There would be copious amounts of vervain, of course, but Id been feeding regularly enough that I might be able to overcome the men. Four I could handle, but five I turned to Jasper. â€Å"Why dont you and Callie take care of your man here and Ill join the others in the tent?† â€Å"I'm coming, brother,† I added under my breath. Callie squinted at me. â€Å"Did you say something?† â€Å"No,† I said quickly. Jasper shifted from foot to foot, sizing me up with his eyes. â€Å"Callie will take care of Charley here, and Ill take care of you. Teach you the tricks of monster wrangling,† he said, clapping me on the back, pushing me toward the tent. With each step the scent of vervain grew stronger, curdling the blood in my veins. Together, we entered the tent. The interior was hot and dark, the stench of vervain nearly suffocating me. It took every ounce of my strength not to bend at the waist and scream in agony. I forced my eyes open and looked at my brother, who was chained in the corner. Four men yanked on his restraints, trying desperately to keep him in place. The second Damons eyes landed on me, his face lit up. â€Å"Welcome to hell, brother,† Damon whispered, his lips barely moving as he locked eyes with me. Then he turned to Jasper. â€Å"So, Jasp,† he said, in a conversational tone, as if they were just two men engaged in a friendly talk at a tavern, â€Å"you found a new sap to do your dirty work. Well, come on, brother. Lets see if you can stake me.† â€Å"His bark is worse than his bite,† Jasper said, holding out a stake to me. From its stench I could tell it had been soaked in vervain. â€Å"Give me your gloves,† I said with an air of authority. Touching the wood would give me away instantly. â€Å"Wont give you much protection. Those fangs can go through anything,† Jasper protested. â€Å"Just give them to me,† I said through clenched teeth. Damon watched the exchange intently, clearly enjoying my predicament. â€Å"Okay, if theyll make you more comfortable. † Jasper shrugged and handed me his leather gloves. I pulled them over my hands and took the stake from Jasper, my hands trembling slightly. How could something so light be so deadly? Damon let out a low chuckle. â€Å"Is this the best you could rustle up? He looks about ready to keel over.† I glared at my brother. â€Å"I'm trying to save you,† I whispered. Damon just snorted derisively. â€Å"Please,† I added. â€Å"Please what?† he said, wrapping the chains around his hands. â€Å"Please let me save you.† â€Å"Sorry. Can't help you there,† he said, before yanking on the chains. Two of the guards fell to the ground in surprise. â€Å"Do something!† Jasper said gruffly. â€Å"Youve got to stick him, let him know his place.† â€Å"Listen to your boss,† Damon sneered.†Be a man and stab me. A real man isn't afraid of blood, isn't that right?† Jasper bent down and grabbed a stake from the ground. â€Å"Cmon, boy. Earn your keep,† he said, using the side of the stake to nudge me forward. I gasped. Pain shot up and down my skin, as if Id been touched by a hot poker. Damon laughed again. The flap opened, and Callie poked her head through the tent. I looked wildly over at her. â€Å"Callie, you shouldnt be here!† Both she and Damon looked at me quizzically. A sickening feeling spread through my limbs. The vervain, the heat, the stakes Just then, with a simple twist from his chains, Damon broke free and lunged toward Callie. Callie shrieked, and Jasper dove to shield her. Time seemed to stop, and without thinking, I hurled my stake through Damons belly. He fell backward, gasping, blood spurting from the wound. â€Å"I said, please!† I hissed wildly, in a voice only Damon could hear. Callie cowered near the flap, her eyes wide as she glanced between me and Damon. Damon looked up, wheezing as he pulled the stake from his stomach. Then I heard the faintest, hoarse whisper over the shouts of Jasper and the trainers as they moved to re-chain Damon. â€Å"Then please know that your hell hasn't even yet begun, brother.† Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 2~3 Chapter 2 Damon and I crouched in the cemeterys hemlock grove behind the mausoleums that housed the bones of Mystic Falls founders. Despite the early hour, already the townspeople stood stoop-shouldered around a gaping hole in the ground. Puffs of air curled into the cerulean blue sky with the crowds every exhalation, as if the entire congregation were smoking celebratory cigars rather than trying to calm their chattering teeth. My heightened senses took in the scene before us. The cloying smell of vervain–an herb that rendered vampires powerless–hung heavy in the air. The grass was laden with dew, each drop of water falling to the earth with a silvery ping, and far off in the distance church bells chimed. Even from this distance, I could see a tear lodged in the corner of Honoria Fellss eye. Down at the pulpit, Mayor Lockwood shuffled from foot to foot, clearly eager to get the crowds attention. I could just make out the winged figure above him, the angel statue that marked my mothers final resting place. Two empty plots lay just beyond, where Damon and I should have been buried. The mayors voice sliced through the cold air, his voice as loud to my sensitive ears as if he were standing right next to me. â€Å"We come together today to say farewell to one of Mystic Falls greatest sons, Giuseppe Salvatore, a man for whom town and family always came before self.† Damon kicked the ground. â€Å"The family he killed. The love he destroyed, the lives he shattered,† he muttered. â€Å"Shhh,† I whispered as I pressed my palm against his forearm. â€Å"If I were to paint a portrait of this great mans life,† Lockwood continued over the sniffles and sighs of the crowd, â€Å"Giuseppe Salvatore would be flanked by his two fallen sons, Damon and Stefan, heroes of the battle of Willow Creek. May we learn from Giuseppe, emulate him, and be inspired to rid our town of evil, either seen or unseen.† Damon let out a low, rattling scoff. â€Å"The portrait he paints,† he said, â€Å"should contain the muzzle flash of Fathers rifle.† He rubbed the place where Fathers bullet had ripped through his chest only a week earlier. There was no physical wound–our transformation healed all injuries–but the betrayal would be etched in our minds forever. â€Å"Shhh,† I said again as Jonathan Gilbert strode up to stand beside Mayor Lockwood, holding a large veiled frame. Jonathan looked to have aged ten years in seven short days: lines creased his tanned forehead, and streaks of white were visible in his brown hair. I wondered if his transformation had something to do with Pearl, the vampire he loved but had condemned to death after finding out what she really was. I spotted Clementines parents in the crowd, arms clasped, not yet aware that their daughter was not among the somber-faced girls in the back of the crowd. Theyd find out soon enough. My thoughts were interrupted by an insistent clicking, like a watch counting or a fingernail tapping against a hard surface. I scanned the crowd, trying to trace the ticking to its point of origin. The sound was slow and steady and mechanical, steadier than a heartbeat, slower than a metronome. And it seemed to be coming directly from Jonathans hand. Clementines blood rushed to my head. The compass. Back when Father first became suspicious of vampires, hed created a committee of men to rid the town of the demonic scourge. Id attended the meetings, which had taken place in Jonathan Gilberts attic. Hed had plans for a contraption to identify vampires, and Id witnessed him using it in action the week before. It was how hed discovered Pearls true nature. I elbowed Damon. â€Å"We have to go,† I said, barely moving my jaw. Just then Jonathan looked up, and his eyes locked directly onto mine. He let out an unholy shriek and pointed to our mausoleum. â€Å"Demon!† The crowd turned toward us as one, their stares cutting through the fog like bayonets. Then something rushed past me, and the wall behind me exploded. A cloud of powder billowed around us, and chips of marble slashed across my cheek. I bared my fangs and roared. The sound was loud, primal, terrifying. Half the crowd knocked over chairs in their haste to flee the cemetery, but the other half remained. â€Å"Kill the demons!† Jonathan cried, brandishing a crossbow. â€Å"I think they mean us, brother,† Damon said with a short, humorless laugh. And so I grabbed Damon and ran. Chapter 3 With Damon behind me, I raced through the forest, jumping over felled branches and skipping over stones. I leaped over the waist-high iron gate of the cemetery, turning briefly to make sure Damon was still following. We zigzagged deep into the woods, the gunshots sounding like fireworks in my ear, the shrieks of the townspeople like breaking glass, their heavy breathing like low-rolling thunder. I could even hear the footfalls of the crowd pursuing me, each step sending vibrations through the ground. I silently cursed Damon for being so stubborn. If hed been willing to drink before today, hed be at full strength, and our newfound speed and agility would have already taken us far away from this mess. As we cut through the thicket, squirrels and voles scattered from the underbrush, their blood quickening in the presence of predators. A whinny and a snort sounded from the far edge of the cemetery. â€Å"Comeon.† I grabbed Damon by the waist and hoisted him to his feet again. â€Å"We have to keep moving.† I could hear the blood pumping, smell the iron, feel the ground shaking. I knew the mob was more afraid of me than I of them; but still, the sound of gunshots caused my mind to whirl, my body to lurch forward. Damon was weak and I could only carry him so far. Another gunshot cracked, closer this time. Damon stiffened. â€Å"Demons!† Jonathan Gilberts voice sliced through the woods. Another bullet whizzed past me, grazing my shoulder. Damon flopped forward in my arms. â€Å"Damon!† The word echoed in my ears, sounding so much like the worddemonthat it startled me. â€Å"Brother!† I shook him, then began awkwardly dragging him behind me again toward the sounds of the horses. But despite having just fed, my strength wouldnt last forever, and the footsteps were coming closer and closer. Finally we reached the edge of the cemetery, where several horses were tied to the iron hitching posts. They pawed at the ground, pulling on the ropes that tethered them so hard that their necks bulged. One coal-black mare was none other than my old horse, Mezzanotte. I stared at her, mesmerized at how desperate she appeared to be to get away from me. Just a few days earlier, I was the only rider shed trusted. Footfalls sounded again. I tore my gaze away, shaking my head at being so sentimental. I pulled Fathers old hunting knife from the top of my boot. It had been the one thing Id taken when Id walked through Veritas, our family estate, one last time. Hed always had it with him, although Id never seen him use it. Father had never been one to work with his hands. Still, in my minds eye, the knife conveyed the power and authority that everyone had associated with my father. I put the blade to the rope that tied Mezzanotte, but it didnt make even the smallest cut. Looking down, I saw the knife for what it was: a dull blade that could barely cut through twine, polished to look important. It was well suited to Father, I thought in disgust, throwing the knife to the ground and yanking at the ropes with my bare hands. The footsteps came closer and I looked wildly behind me. I had wanted to free all the horses so Jonathan and his men couldnt ride them, but there simply wasnt time. â€Å"Hey, girl,† I murmured, stroking Mezzanottes elegant neck. She pawed the ground nervously, her heart pounding. â€Å"Its me,† I whispered as I swung myself onto her back. She reared up, and out of surprise, I kicked her so hard in the flanks that I heard the snap of a rib breaking. Instantly, she yielded in submission, and I trotted her to Damon. â€Å"Come on,† I yelled. A flicker of doubt passed across Damons eyes, but then he reached over Mezzanottes broad back and hoisted himself up. Whether it was fear or instinct, his willingness to flee gave me hope that he was not resolved to die, after all. â€Å"Kill them!† a voice yelled, and someone threw a burning torch toward us that arced and landed on the grass at Mezzanottes feet. Instantly, the grass began to burn, and Mezzanotte bolted in the opposite direction of the quarry. Hoofs thudded behind us–the men had leaped on the other horses and were now fast on our tail. Another gunshot rang out behind us, followed by the twang of a bow. Mezzanotte reared up, letting out a high whinny. Damon slipped, grappling to hold on to the underside of Mezzanottes neck, while I tugged at the leather straps, trying to keep us upright. Only after a few steps backward did all four of Mezzanottes hooves get back on the dirt. As Damon righted himself, I saw a slim wooden arrow jutting out from the horses haunches. It was a clever tactic. At a distance, the mob had a far better chance of slowing down our horse than of striking one of us straight through the heart. Hunched low over Mezzanotte, we galloped under branches and pressed on. She was a strong horse, but she favored her left side, where the arrow had gone in. A wet streak of my own blood was streaming down my temple and onto my shirt, and Damons grip on my waist was dangerously loose. Still, I urged Mezzanotte forward. I was relying on instinct, on something beyond thinking and planning. It was as if I could smell freedom and possibility, and just had to trust that Id lead us to it. I pulled the reins and steered out of the woods and into the field behind Veritas Estate. On any other rainy morning there would have been lights in the window of our old home, the lamps giving the bubbled glass an orange-yellow look of sunset. Our maid, Cordelia, would have been singing in the kitchen, and Fathers driver, Alfred, would be sitting sentry by the entrance. Father and I would be sitting in companionable silence in the breakfast room. Now the estate was a cold shell of its former self: the windows dark, the grounds completely silent. It had only been empty for a week, yet Veritas looked as though it had been abandoned for ages. We leaped over the fence and landed unsteadily. I just barely managed to right us with a hard tug on the reins, the metal of the clacking against Mezzanottes teeth. Then we thundered around the side of the house, my skin clammy as we passed Cordelias plot of vervain, the tiny stalks ankle-high. â€Å"Where are you taking us, brother?† Damon asked. I heard three sets of splashing hooves as Jonathan Gilbert, Mayor Lockwood, and Sheriff Forbes cut along the pond at the back of our property. Mezzanotte wheezed, a peach froth lining her mouth, and I knew that outriding them wouldnt be a possibility. Suddenly, the throaty wail of a train whistled through the morning, blocking out the hooves, the wind, and the metallic rasp of a gun reloading. â€Å"Were getting on that train,† I said, kicking Mezzanotte in the flanks. Bearing down, she picked up speed and sailed over the stone wall that separated Veritas from the main road. â€Å"Cmon, girl,† I whispered. Her eyes were wild and terrified, but she ran faster down the road and onto Main Street. The charred church came into sight, blackened bricks rising up like teeth from the ashen earth. The apothecary had also been burned to the ground. Crucifixes were affixed to every single doorframe in town; vervain sprigs were hung in garlands over most. I barely recognized the place Id lived all my seventeen years. Mystic Falls wasnt my home. Not anymore. Behind us, Jonathan Gilbert and Mayor Lockwoods horses were approaching faster and faster. Ahead of us, I could hear the train drawing nearer, grinding against the rails. The froth at Mezzanottes mouth was turning pink with blood. My fangs were dry, and I licked my parched lips, wondering if this constant desire for blood came with being a new vampire, or if I would always feel this way. â€Å"Ready to go, brother?† I asked, yanking Mezzanottes reins. She halted, giving me just enough time to jump off before she collapsed onto the ground, blood rushing from her mouth. A shot rang out, and blood spurted from Mezzanottes flank. I yanked Damon by the wrists and hurled us onto the caboose just before the train roared out of the station, leaving Jonathan Gilbert and Mayor Lockwoods angry cries far behind.

online dating essays

online dating essays Email is an easier way to meet people because there is less stress placed on an encounter. A person can say what they want, how they want, and not have to worry about it being taken the wrong way. A person can also send a picture after they have started talking. Communication is the most important aspect in any relationship. Cyber communication is just an innovative form of beginning a relationship. In Ed Bolands article, In Modern E-Mail Romances Trash is Just a Click Away, Sherry Amatenstein states that email has changed every aspect of dating. The article states that the new technology used in dating has both positive and negative consequences. The use of email correspondence in dating has only improved the chances of finding love. However, keeping love may find new challenges and obstacles that lie within the realm of online dating. A mother of two divorced a number of years ago and not more than a year after she found herself hopelessly in love with a new man. They shared everything together and could have gotten married except for a few unmentionable details. Needless to say that after a fourteen year marriage and then a five year relationship, this woman felt alone and panic stricken that she would be alone for the rest of her life. Months passed and she did what she could to date; a guy from a bar here, or an employee from the company next door there. She felt out of luck and consumed by her inability to find a companion. After another unsuccessful date a friend of hers suggested an online dating service, something completely foreign and quit frightening for her. She stressed about everything from the questions she would be asked to the picture they would take of her. She did not want to sound too needy for a boyfriend in her answers and she also wanted to look physically appealing to onlookers in her photo. She was paranoid that this would lead to yet another failure. ...

Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet Timeline

Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet Timeline Zheng He is justly famous as the commander in chief of seven voyages of Ming Chinas treasure fleet, between 1405 and 1433. The great Muslim eunuch admiral spread the word of Chinas wealth and power as far as Africa and brought countless emissaries and exotic goods back to China. Timeline June 11, 1360- Zhu Di born, fourth son of future Ming Dynasty founder. Jan. 23, 1368- Ming Dynasty founded. 1371- Zheng He born to Hui Muslim family in Yunnan, under birth name of Ma He. 1380- Zhu Di made Prince of Yan, sent to Beijing. 1381- Ming forces conquer Yunnan, kill Ma Hes father (who was still loyal to the Yuan Dynasty) and capture the boy. 1384- Ma He is castrated and sent to serve as a eunuch in the Prince of Yans household. June 30, 1398-July 13, 1402- Reign of the Jianwen Emperor. August 1399- Prince of Yan rebels against his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. 1399- Eunuch Ma He leads Prince of Yans forces to victory at Zheng Dike, Beijing. July 1402- Prince of Yan captures Nanjing; the Jianwen Emperor (probably) dies in palace fire. July 17, 1402- The Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, becomes the Yongle Emperor. 1402-1405- Ma He serves as Director of Palace Servants, the highest eunuch post. 1403- Yongle Emperor orders the construction of a huge fleet of treasure junks at Nanjing. Feb. 11, 1404- Yongle Emperor awards Ma He the honorific name Zheng He. July 11, 1405-Oct. 2 1407- First voyage of the Treasure Fleet, led by Admiral Zheng He, to Calicut, India. 1407- Treasure Fleet defeats pirate Chen Zuyi at Straights of Malacca; Zheng He takes pirates to Nanjing for execution. 1407-1409- Second Voyage of Treasure Fleet, again to Calicut. 1409-1410- Yongle Emperor and Ming army battle the Mongols. 1409-July 6, 1411- Third Voyage of Treasure Fleet to Calicut. Zheng He intervenes in a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) succession dispute. Dec. 18, 1412-August 12, 1415- Fourth Voyage of the Treasure Fleet to the Straits of Hormuz, on the Arabian Peninsula. Capture of the pretender Sekandar in Semudera (Sumatra) on return trip. 1413-1416- Yongle Emperors second campaign against the Mongols. May 16, 1417- Yongle Emperor enters the new capital city at Beijing, leaves Nanjing forever. 1417-August 8, 1419- Fifth Voyage of the Treasure Fleet, to Arabia and East Africa. 1421-Sept. 3, 1422- Sixth Voyage of the Treasure Fleet, to East Africa again. 1422-1424- Series of campaigns against the Mongols, led by the Yongle Emperor. Aug. 12, 1424- Yongle Emperor suddenly dies of a possible stroke while fighting the Mongols. Sept. 7, 1424- Zhu Gaozhi, the eldest son of the Yongle Emperor, becomes the Hongxi Emperor. Orders a stop to the Treasure Fleet voyages. May 29, 1425- The Hongxi Emperor dies. His son Zhu Zhanji becomes the Xuande Emperor. June 29, 1429- The Xuande Emperor orders Zheng He to take one more voyage. 1430-1433- Seventh and final Voyage of the Treasure Fleet travels to Arabia and East Africa. 1433, Exact date unknown- Zheng He dies and is buried at sea on the return leg of the seventh and  final voyage. 1433-1436- Zheng Hes companions Ma Huan, Gong Zhen and Fei Xin publish accounts of their travels.

Reflective narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflective narrative - Essay Example At the age of fifteen years, I weighed 75 kg. I became obese. I would not say that my parents did not try to discourage me. Every single day, I would fight with mom and dad and would oblige them to give me money. As I kid, I was too difficult to control. My parents had no option but to grant me money so that I would relish the junk food. One or two times, mom and dad locked me up in a room, and I started to break things in the room! I was fanatic as a child. Gradually, as I went to high school, I began to realize that I needed to set certain things right in my life before it would be too long. My friends had a special role in making me realize my mistakes. I had a very good company in the school. With their influence, I started to behave myself and became obedient towards my parents. I apologized them for my misbehavior. It was not quite easy for me to stop eating junk food in the start. I tried a lot to keep away from it but I was addicted. I decided to start noting down everything I ate throughout the day on a piece of paper on daily basis. At the end of the day, I noted every thing along with its price. I began to realize that I was overspending. Moreover, I did not enjoy eating things as much as I began conscious after eating them thinking how much fat would it make me. I decided to spend nothing on food and would instead, eat whatever would be cooked in the home.