Sterilization Essay Example

Sterilization Essay The acceptance of birth control or sterilization with the purpose is eradicating disease or other debilitating medical issues, might be urged in different angles by different people or societies. For example some may urgue in preference of the individual autonomy, while others will urgue in favour of the communities or societies benefits.Forced sterilization and birth control methods, is an ideal that steamed up from the existing diseases and medical issues. This idea was brought about to cater for several situations .One of them being the phenomena of HIV/AIDS, which was threatening to wipe population in various parts of the world. Using this method was thought to prevent its spread since it is sexually transmitted. Not only HIV/AIDS but also other venereal like gonorrhea, and syphilis. Other medical situations believed to have resulted to development the idea of forced sterilizations is existence of diseases related to reproduction system, threatening the women’s or men†™s lives.Forced birth control and sterilization as a method serving the purpose of eradicating disease   or other debilitating medical issues is acceptable since though a few in the society will lose their reproductive autonomy, many are its benefits to the society . Some of the benefits of this method is preventing of spread venereal disease like HIV/AIDS. By use of birth control methods like condoms ensure that the spread of sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, syphilis and others. The population will be ensured of safety from the venereal diseases. A health society is able to work hand in all economic sectors, including agriculture and business. This way the countries economy is guaranteed of improvementsAnother advantage is avoiding misery to innocent and blameless young children. For example in   case where someone who is HIV/AIDS positive, the child live a miserable and expensive life. Since human life is precious and can not be disposed before the maker claims it. The family and the society in general may use a lot of money to maintain the live of such a child.In cases where the involved persons life is in danger, forced to abort inorder to safe her life,is advantageous to the society as well as to herself, since the society population is saved from reduction . Other health problems that may result to sterilization are cases where the individual has got a disease related to reproductive system. A good example is when the individual is suffering either ovarian and uterian cancer. It may result to sterilization the effort safe such as a person’s life. In this case although the individual may lose his or her reproductive outonomy both the society and the individual benefit from it.There are some cases where the family or an individuals have got long records of giving birth to children with certain medical problems, doctors may order a forced sterilization or forced birth controls to curb the spread of such a problem which is noted to be hereditary.Although the benefits of the forced sterilization and birth control to the society in comparison to the individuals reproductive autonomy are evident, it has been opposed by opponent thinkers who urgue that the personal individual outomy is important and should be followed and never to be forced at all. The urgument continues by indicating that it is an abuse of human right. It is women who use most of the birth control.Studies indicate that women are the major uses of birth control methods. It is also them who suffer from disease related to reproduct live systems like cancer though not confirmed. So by imposing birth control methods is like abusing women right to decide whether   to use birth control methods or not. Also the decision of which method to use lies to her. By forcing them to objects with no right decision making concerning their body.Most of the birth control measures have side effects to the individual using them. Women who are the main users of the bi rth control methods as per the argument before and by being forced to use birth control measures exposes them to a lot of pain. A good example is a woman is sterilized for the reasons concerning her health, either eliminating or removing ovarian/uteri an cancer may develop other medical complications later in her life. For instance she might have an ectopic pregnancy (a situation where the fertilized egg attaches itself and grows outside the womb/ uterus,) which might require a closer medical attention and expensive at the some time.Being forced to use a condom as a way of preventing venereal diseases might also be costly to the society in terms of the population reduction. Although the primary purpose of using condoms in this case is to prevent spread of venereal diseases like gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS at the same time, it prevents s conception.Another reason that makes forced birth control and sterilization unacceptable is because it is used to discriminate women in the soc iety. It is a system used by men to discriminate against them, this is according to CEDAW defination of violence to women since it involves imprisonment and punishment to those found violating its requirement i.e. the acceptance of birth control method and sterilization.The application of forceful birth control methods and sterilization is opposed, since it is seen to deny women access to information concerning different contraceptives, and also voluntary use without punishment or charges of offense.Although the individual’s autonomy is important, his /her health matters are important as well. Sometimes the individual’s health is important as compared to their freedom. A freedom to make decisions concerning their health might affect the society negatively. For example in case where an individual who is a victim of HIV given the freedom to choose either to use birth control measures or not may end up making a decision not to use which might result to spread of HIV/AIDS to the society hence endangering the population growth and health.In conclusion the forced birth control or sterilization is acceptable if the purpose is to eradicate disease or other debilitating medical issues since although a few individuals in the society will lose the freedom to make decision over their reproductive systems the wider society will benefit greatly. Women who are victims of the lose freedom to their reproductive systems, the whole society benefit which is made up of men and other members who are either directly related to the women. Effort should be made to create awareness on why and how it is important use birth control method or sterilization. It is my argument that though the importance of sterilizing for the safety of one’s life, like in the case of removing ones ovaries to safe her life, is clearly seen by everyone the decision should be left to the person in question.   It should not be imposed on him or her but the opportunity should be offered to the victim to decide whether she/he wants it or not, whether she or he is ready to face the risks and the challenges or not. Venereal diseases in Iran: (2006) pp 260-278).In eradication of disease and other debilitating medical issue. Create emphasis should be given to women whose violate the use of birth control method s and sterilization because ignorance and lack of information. This will avoid what is defined by CDWA as violation of women rightsThe effect of forced birth control measures or sterilization though negative at the beginning, produce positive long –lived results, promotion of health and economy of the country. These birth control measures or sterilization produce positive results hence worthy to be forced in cases where they are violated though against human freedom and rights. Awareness should be created about their importances in order to enhance voluntary use later, since can never understand their importance by imposing or forcing them along knowledge emp owers. In order to make the policy of forced birth control methods or sterilization, women should be involved in the decision making since the issue touches on them directly; otherwise the policy will be resisted. For example preventing HIV/AIDs in the population.   It has been noted that Aids as a disease is wiping the world’s population at a very high speed, so it follows that everyone sees the dangers involved.   What should be done is creating awareness on the importance, and then the decision should be left to an individual.

Funny in Farsi Commentarry Essays

Funny in Farsi Commentarry Essays Funny in Farsi Commentarry Paper Funny in Farsi Commentarry Paper Essay Topic: Funny My expectations for Funny In Affairs were set very high. I predicted that it would be a deep, profound book that was enlightening and revealed a lot about Persian culture. I was surprised to find a witty, light hearted book Instead, that focused a lot more on the transition Into the American culture, rather than the Iranian culture Itself. However, Im still really Liking the book;lets delicately written, with great hints of sarcasm and humor, to the point where It had me actually laughing out loud. The only aspect that bothers me a bit is that the story seems a bit jumbled; events that spread years apart are put together in one page, and then a few paragraphs later, the story flies back to third grade memories. L find myself desperately trying to reorient myself, but sometimes I simply cannot and have to reread the whole page. But despite the constant time acclimatization, I really did appreciate Frozen Dumas writing style. Another aspect that has really stood out to me, were the characters Frozen presents. I understand that these are actual people, Firehouses family in fact, UT I am still so amazed by the depth and flirtatiousnesss these characters are written In. The fosterers about Firehouses father are especially well written and really present his personality well. However, (In my opinion) Follower mother was not described/written well. : She seems a very bland character, who Is only mentioned for silly things and chores so far, which Is fine, but I really hopes the author would elaborate on this important character later in the book, but I never came to see her with the depth that other characters had. Another thing Ive been thinking about a lot s how Frozen herself feels about her parents and heritage. Not technically relationship wise, but how she sees her parents and culture. Obviously, now at her age, and writers view, she writes in a neutral, proud way, making us question prejudices and discrimination, but I feel like though some humorous remarks are expressed relating this topic, I have not found a clear stance in how she had felt about her culture as a child. Was she truly embarrassed at any point? The memoir really focuses on Follower and her family, but did she at any time, like most children, eel a higher desire to fit In with friends and peers, rather than her family? I am Just surprised that such a big problem has mostly only affected her family pride representation in the big picture. I feel like Frozen memoir was a detailed focus on her family live, and not as much how it affected her life with her peers. Perhaps this has been done to really emphasize how important her family has been in her life, and how much of her focus it took up. All this really made me think of the importance of family in the US compared to middle eastern cultures.

A perfect Utopia in the words of John Lennons song Imagine Personal Statement

A perfect Utopia in the words of John Lennons song Imagine - Personal Statement Example There are several little fishing villages dotted around its coast, contributing to a thriving industry.   The climate is Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild winters.   Although the rock formation is volcanic, there are ancient and effective irrigation and desalination systems in place that help maintain its lush vegetation. While there are no forests, the island is full of many varieties of wildflowers and is ablaze with color and light. The farming and fishing produce surpluses and the revenue go towards maintaining two modern hospitals, free education for all, utilities, and goods not manufactured on Utopia.   Traditional crafts such as lace making, pottery, and winemaking also contribute to the commonwealth of a shared economy. Children are valued and treated as the most important asset in society, not just for the joy they bring to individual families.   They are perceived as the future, the greatest wealth.   Older people are cared for within the family or com munity as a whole and valued for their wisdom.   The elders ensure that laws and customs are passed down, so helping to maintain the moral and ethical structures that have existed here for over 2000 years, leading to peace and happiness for all citizens. Religious beliefs vary, with no specific limits; it is about personal choice; but the overall law of â€Å"Do no harm, and if harm is done, ask forgiveness and make reparation.† has taken on religious significance.  Ã‚  ... There are no age or gender limitations for being a senator, anyone over 14 can take the post, once chosen by their community. It is customary to share goods, skills and labor. There are no prisons as crime is virtually non-existent. Disputes are settled by discussion, resolved with the help of the participants, their families and senate representatives, who together agree a way forward, in line with the rule of law. All children have free education, and those who wish to, can attend university on Utopia and have funding for foreign studies, all from the common purse. Hospitals too are free, and experts in all fields necessary for this society, are available as a result of the education policies. People give of their time, earn a living salary and nobody is left without the means for a happy, healthy life. The atmosphere is happy and relaxed; people really care about each other, looking out for each other's welfare. Divorce is minimal and the extended family provides great physical and emotional support for all. Utopia operates like a big family, and celebrating and sharing suffering together is the norm. Strangers and visitors are welcomed and easily absorbed, just so long as they keep to that one law, and are willing to share their talents and skills for the good of all. As More's vision of Utopia is Greek for "no place", this perfect island and its society might only be a dream. It would be so great if such a dream were to become reality. But as John Lennon pointed out, "You may say I'm a Dreamer, But I'm not the only one"so maybe, just possibly, there is hope for a true Utopia one day.

Business Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Business Decision Making - Essay Example However, the introduction of internet made it necessary for technology companies to design products which would help people to access this vast space of information. That is when these companies came up with innovations such as smart phones and tablets. Since then the number of people using these products have sky rocketed. With the use of these products people have also craved for other peripherals such as Bluetooth speakers, external headphones, wired speakers, Bluetooth microphones and so on and so forth. It is with regards to these requirements that our company is endeavouring to introduce a Bluetooth enabled speaker which has unmatched quality of sound output and also comes at a very low price. This product is set to compete with the likes of products manufactured by Sony, JBL and Sennheiser. The underlying rationale of this market research plan is to learn about needs and requirements of the target audience. This will help the company’s managers to have a holistic view of the market as well as learn about the expectations of its target market. Moreover the analysts will also be able to make an estimation of the price that should be placed for this particular product. The objective of this market research is to conduct a detailed study of the target market (tablet users in UK) which in turn will help the organizational managers to understand the factors that will serve as a key determinant of the product’s success. In order to conduct this research in an appropriate manner, a mix method approach needs to be adopted where the researcher will be conducting surveys as well as interviews with households in the UK. The higher income households will be interviewed while the households within the lower income range will be included within the survey. The underlying reason behind the application of a mixed method approach is to have a holistic view of the issues that is being researcher. It will enable the researcher to have an in-depth idea about the needs

Sandwich Blitz Unit 6 Essay Example for Free

Sandwich Blitz Unit 6 Essay According to the four step control process, the first step would be to set performance standards. In this scenario Lei would first need to update the employee handbook. Updating the handbook would clearly set new employee standards. Lei would also need to make it mandated that every manager review the new updated version with their staff. Measuring performance is the next step. With this process Lei would need to sit down with the management team and conduct an evaluation on the employees. This would allow them to see who was upholding the rules and regulations in the handbook. This will lead to areas of opportunity and also areas of correction. Buy measuring the performance level this would give the team the ability to give recognition to those that deserve it. Step three is comparing the performance, this step will be challenging for the team. The team will need to evaluate the performance of the employees before the updated handbook. This will give the management team the ability to discuss what further changes need to be made. Also in the evaluation they will be able to evaluate the employees that did not need to make an adjustment with-in the new handbook. Step four is to take action to correct problems and reinforce successes. In my opinion this is the last and most critical step. The individual incorrectly imputed wrong working time, or time that they did not work. This can be handled in a number of ways. They can have the employee make up the hours, and not get paid for them. Another option is that they can deduct the time paid out of their paycheck. This will allow the other employees to be aware that this type of action will not be overlooked. The manager should also be held accountable for his or her action. A manager should not authorize any action that is not cleared or allowed in the handbook. The only way to be fair on both sides is to write the manager up.

Impact of the Internationalisation of Renminbi (RMB)

Impact of the Internationalisation of Renminbi (RMB) Impacts of the Internationalisation of renminbi (RMB) on global economic order Bryan Tan Xian Zhen China is currently the largest goods trading nation and has the second largest economy in terms of GDP after United States (US). Goldman Sachs in 2011 stated that China could overtake US in terms of GDP as earliest as 2019.In the following essay, I will like to focus more on the positive impacts of China’s currency, renminbi being internationalised and the effects on the prevailing economic order which US is leading the pack. A country’s currency which has â€Å"reserve currency† status will be able to influence the global economy and politics which also in turn reflect its global strength. Since financial crisis 2009, Chinese government started to promote more eagerly and widely the internationalisation of renminbi which is currently not fully convertible yet. Internationalising the currency means renminbi will be used as a medium of exchange across China’s borders and as the store of value as a reserve currency. We must acknowledge that there will be positive impacts from the internationalisation of renminbi. Nevertheless, internationalisation of renminbi will also caused negative repercussions namely on current global economic order as spill-over effect. One of the negative impacts is that China’s exports will become less competitive and relatively less cheap as renminbi is prone to revaluation if the currency is internationalised. China’s current account may deteriorate and trade surplus will decrease. Besides, liberalisation of China’s capital market by internationalising the renminbi could lead to massive amount of inflow or outflow of capitals which will destabilise the economy and being vulnerable to global speculative attacks which caused the Asian Financial Crisis 1998. Drastic and rapid financial reforms like internationalisation of renminbi could also risk the internal stability and the governing position of communist party of China (CPC) as China’s local state owned enterprises (SOE) will suffer the most since they over rely on the state regulated low renminbi exchange rate, this could possibly create a downward spiral when SOEs start to lay off their workers to reduce cost. On the other hand, renminbi being internationalised will have positive impacts on the world economy and enhance China’s position in the global economic order. China could embrace the opportunity as the world largest trading nation by internationalising renminbi. Presently, renminbi is underutilised with only 0.24% world payment settled in renminbi (CNY) against its importance in world trade which China accounts 11.4%. With renminbi being more widely used in cross border trades, it facilitates more business transactions and trades with China’s onshore companies and the rest of the world; this will also lead to more capital inflow and foreign direct investment from abroad which are beneficial as fund for economic growth. For example, small medium enterprises (SME) in China benefit most since they can receive better rate of loans as well as more capital to expand their business while acquiring better equipments which will induce the economic productivity in long run. Moreo ver, cross border trade settlement also prevent excessive foreign exchange cost and risk due to fluctuation in the foreign exchange open market. To illustrate, recently People’s Bank of China had expand the clearing and settlement of renminbi payment facilities to Frankfurt and London which promote more business transactions in Europe trading zone and more convenient to the corporations. Therefore renminbi being an international currency, could prevent China falling into middle income trap as a result of rising minimum wages, less competitive exports and less growth in productivity, by promoting the ease and convenience of investing and trading with China. This will in turn strengthened or at least maintained the position of China being one the leading power in the global economic order. Currently, US dollar has been shaping the global economic order as the dominant reserve currency for the last three decades which account approximately 60% of total foreign exchange reserves of countries. However since the collapse of Bretton Woods System 1971, US dollar is just a fiat money which is inconvertible to commodities such as gold. Thus, US dollar is vulnerable to lose its dominant reserve currency status particularly when the people lost confidence of its value due to the huge injections of US dollar into the market by the US Federal Reserve to ease the recession which in long run it might cause hyperinflation. This incident had make renminbi as a possible alternative to US dollar as a store of value in the route to become the next world key reserve currency which provides people with more choice and liquidity. Commodity is essential for every country’s economic growth including natural resources such as steel, natural gas and petroleum which are mostly linked to US dollar. Some also refer US dollar as petrodollar since members of OPEC (Organisation of the petroleum countries) are require to trade petroleum for US dollar, this in turn create a constant demand for US dollar regardless of US domestic economic condition since most countries need to import petroleum and this further reinforce US dollar status as the world reserve currency. However, USA had taken the opportunity to issue more debt denominated in USD and run large budget deficit without devaluing it drastically in view of US dollar being the â€Å"petrodollar†. Besides, US dollar tends to fluctuate more lately as the US economy is still in recession with high unemployment rate and weak domestic spending. As a result, companies and countries are force to hedge against the US dollar or even the commodity price; this i n turn caused higher transaction cost for hedging purposes and also less positive economic outlook which lead to lower business investment in the future. So, actually China could exert its power as a global economic powerhouse by permitting the trade of natural resources particularly with Africa to be settled in renminbi. China’s check and balance action could benefits itself and other countries by urging US policymakers to be more sensitive with the spill-over effects caused by their decisions and also strengthening China’s position in current global economic order. Despite, the Chinese government begun to promote vigorously the internationalisation of renminbi, currently China do not appear to possess the huge appetite to make renminbi as the next sole dominant reserve currency by replacing US dollar. Instead some experts believed that Chinese government will prefer to challenge the current global monetary system by having renminbi as one of the key reserve currencies alongside with Euro, Sterling Pound and Yen which will affect the current global economic order by strengthening the economic position of countries who are in a favourable situation due to this outcome while restraining the global economic influence of USA. Actually if Chinese government decided to carry out this plan, they could enjoy more benefits by having multiple currencies comprising equally in the total foreign exchange reserves of countries without bearing the huge sole responsibility of being the only dominant reserve currency. In addition, with China’s lack of strong sustainable economic growth in the coming years, it is unlikely for renminbi to claim the reserve currency status easily, as a result of China’s aging working population, growing income inequality among the lower middle class and the upper class, insufficient energy and food resources, rising political tension with its’ neighbouring countries like Vietnam and Japan due to disputable islands. Therefore, it is more practical for China to aim to become one of the key reserve currencies instead of the sole dominant reserve currency which will automatically enhance their role in the current economic order with more bargaining power at the world stage. In short, it is not difficult to write off the possibility of renminbi in replacing US dollar solely as the next largest global reserve currency since China having to face many challenges ahead ranging from regional political tension to China’s internal social unrest. However, China’s renminbi is more likely to become a international currency and also one of the key reserve currencies alongside Euro Pound in the coming years, if the Chinese government continue to advocate the development of renminbi internationalisation with credible commitment at the expense of China having cheaper price of exports. As a result, internationalisation of renminbi will have more positive impacts on the current economic order by being the medium of exchange as a international currency which facilitate and ease the trade settlement of goods and commodities with more liquidity. Besides, renminbi can be used to store the value of assets as one of the world key reserve currencies and also pro vide alternative to the people. Thus, Internationalisation of renminbi had established China as a force to be reckoned with, in the global economic order. (1405 words) References: Dr Zha Xiao gang, â€Å"The International Political Economy of Renminbi Internationalization†, Fifth session, IISS Seminar, 2012, pages 1-10. SWIFT, â€Å"RMB internationalisation: implications for the global financial industry†, white paper, 2011, pages 2-4. Richard Fisher, â€Å"Internationalization of the Renminbi†, report on the conference, 2012, pages 3-11.

Persona Responsibility Essay Essay

Personal responsibility, in this context, is an important concept composed of these parts: Fist, what the words personal responsibility means to you? Second, what relationship exists between personal responsibility and college success? Last but not least, what preliminary plan do you have to practice personal responsibility in your education? Personal responsibility is a decision that you make to live up to your own ideals and expectations. It also means that you would be accountable for what you say, do, or think. It can also mean self awareness of a person towards the success of one’s life. Personal responsibility starts inside us and move outwards. We should not blame others for our mistakes. We should start blaming our self if something went wrong that way we can find ways to fix it and move on our life. Also, don’t postpone doing what you can do today, because tomorrow has it own problem to solve; if you can, today is the perfect day to develop your talents. Many students believe that it is a responsibility of the instructors or other students to help them succeed in college. I believe it is me and only me who can achieve my own success. Personal responsibility is accepting what ever consequences come from my actions and understanding how to improve and make necessary changes. By setting personal goals, staying focused, and time management skills, I can achieve college success. A good way to improve my college career is to stay organized. Often times in college, the schedule of classes, and making time for things other than school can be extremely challenging. This requires me to have a good time management skills, keep a detailed schedule of all future deadlines, and to have whatever resources and supplies available and ready to use. The Journal  of College Admission says: â€Å"The student would benefit from using organizational tools, such as planners, calendars, to-do-list, folders, blinders, and dividers† (Prevatt, Huijun, & Welles, 2011, para.). Also, every society, like every family has their rules. If you want to live a better life with no troubles, you have to follow those rules. Following the rules makes your life easier and happy. When it comes to relationship between personal responsibility and college success, we all need to think twice. There is correlation between personal responsibility of the student and their success in college. This relationship exists because personal responsibility directly affects issues that are pertinent to ones life such as family, relationships, education, as well as physical and spiritual well-being of an individual. Personal responsibility determines the success of the student in college for a number of reasons (Charles, 2008). The first, and I think one of the most important, is self-discipline. Personal responsibility is the ability to be in control of ones life in terms of actions, emotions, etc†¦. Students who do not have personal responsibility concerning their lives are prone to influences of doing what others are doing by just following them without proper reasons. This lack of self-control comes about because any individual without a sense of personal responsibili ty will always be irresponsible. A student without personal responsibility will blame the lecture for failing in the exam when a responsible student with personal responsibility will rather analyze the reasons behind his/her failure and decide to take action to pass the exam. This explains why students who have a sense of personal responsibility have higher scores than those without personal responsibility (Bourbon, 1994). The other factor that makes students who take personal responsibility to succeed in college more than the others who do not take personal responsibility is that they do not allow circumstances to hinder their progress in life. They do have a high sense of self-esteem, which makes them to confront issues critically rather than emotionally. Students who feel that they are not in control pity themselves when they have issues to deal with in their lives thus affecting their physical health negatively. This may lead to absenteeism from classes and even suicidal cases (Charles,  2008). Students who are aware of the words personal responsibility also manage to delay gratification; it’s the ability to deny oneself pleasure in pursuit of a particular goal. Personal responsibility enables a student to stick out or to persevere in pursuit of academic excellence thereby delaying the enjoyment of pleasures, which may affect the concentration, or peace of mind in pursuit of excellence. Th e delay gratification of pleasures such as drug abuse, sexual relationships, and hooliganism are known to affect student’s academic performance (Bourbon, 1994). Studying at university is not just about learning a lot of things that are fascinating in themselves but, preparing your future in a work place. At the same time as you develop your knowledge of your subject and the skills required to perform well in it, you’re actually developing a whole range of skills and intellectual abilities that can be transferred to other areas of life, including your future employment. To reach that goal, you have to be hard on yourself; you have to set a study time and respect it no mare what, Study individually is good, but, group study is better because you have more than one ideas and a lot of experiences to take advantage of. You also need an appropriate place with no noise around to be concentrate and do your work. Be strict on your school schedule like you are for the one at wor k. Make sure to do all your assignments on time and make sure that you respect the time you set for your studies. College demand extra work to do. You have to manage your time between your work, your family members, your friends and so on †¦ Time managing is very important if you want to succeed in college. Planning thing ahead can help thing get done early so that you can have enough time to do your school work. As work responsibilities, school has his part too. Study, do assignment on time, participle in group activity, find a good place and time to study. Discipline is a key word I Think to succeed in college. A person cannot succeed if there is not a personal responsibility for what he/she is doing. In order for me to practice my personal responsibility in my education, I need to do my own assignment, do my work on time; don’t wait for someone else to do it for me. If I’m having troubles understanding a subject, I can as my instructor or a classmate for help for more explanations instead of letting someone else do it for me. Doing your own assignment helps understanding your courses and be successful at the end. References – Charles, Chester (2008). Building Classroom Discipline Boston: Pearson Education – Bourbon, Thomas (1994). Discipline at Home and School: New York: Brandt

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Six

Vickie's house was on a corner, and they approached it from the side street. By now the sky was filled with heavy purple clouds. The light had an almost underwater quality. â€Å"Looks like it's going to storm,† Matt said. Bonnie glanced at Damon. Neither he nor Stefan liked bright light. And she could feel the Power emanating from him, like a low thrum just under the surface of his skin. He smiled without looking at her and said, â€Å"How about snow in June?† Bonnie clamped down on a shiver. She had looked Damon's way once or twice in the barn and found him listening to the story with an air of detached indifference. Unlike Stefan, his expression hadn't changed in the slightest when she mentioned Elena-or when she told about Sue's death. What did he really feel for Elena? He'd called up a snowstorm once and left her to freeze in it. What was he feeling now? Did he even care about catching the murderer? â€Å"That's Vickie's bedroom,† said Meredith. â€Å"The bay window in the back.† Stefan looked at Damon. â€Å"How many people in the house?† â€Å"Two. Man and woman. The woman's drunk.† Poor Mrs. Bennett, thought Bonnie. â€Å"I need them both asleep,† Stefan said. In spite of herself, Bonnie was fascinated by the surge of Power she felt from Damon. Her psychic abilities had never been strong enough to sense its raw essence before, but now they were. Now she could feel it as clearly as she could see the fading violet light or smell the honeysuckle outside Vickie's window. Damon shrugged. â€Å"They're asleep.† Stefan tapped lightly on the glass. There was no response, or at least none Bonnie could see. But Stefan and Damon looked at each other. â€Å"She's half tranced already,† Damon said. â€Å"She's scared. I'll do it; she knows me,† said Stefan. He put his fingertips on the window. â€Å"Vickie, it's Stefan Salvatore,† he said. â€Å"I'm here to help you. Come let me in.† His voice was quiet, nothing that should have been heard on the other side of the glass. But after a moment the curtains stirred and a face appeared. Bonnie gasped aloud. Vickie's long, light brown hair was disheveled, and her skin was chalky. There were huge black rings under her eyes. The eyes themselves were fixed and glassy. Her lips were rough and chapped. â€Å"She looks possessed,† Bonnie whispered back, unnerved. Stefan just said, â€Å"Vickie, open the window.† Mechanically, like a windup doll, Vickie cranked one of the side panels of the bay window open, and Stefan said, â€Å"Can I come in?† Vickie's glazed eyes swept over the group outside. For a moment Bonnie thought she didn't recognize any of them. But then she blinked and said slowly, â€Å"Meredith†¦ Bonnie†¦ Stefan? You're back. What are you doing here?† â€Å"Ask me in, Vickie.† Stefan's voice was hypnotic. â€Å"Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a long pause and then: â€Å"Come in.† She stepped back as he put a hand on the sill and vaulted through. Matt followed him, then Meredith. Bonnie, who was wearing a mini, re-mained outside with Damon. She wished she'd worn jeans to school today, but then she hadn't known she'd be going on an expedition. â€Å"You shouldn't be here,† Vickie said to Stefan, almost calmly. â€Å"He's coming to get me. He'll get you too.† Meredith put an arm around her. Stefan just said, â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Him. He comes to me in my dreams. He killed Sue.† Vickie's matter-of-fact tone was more frightening than any hysteria could have been. â€Å"Vickie, we've come to help you,† Meredith said gently. â€Å"Everything's going to be all right now. We won't let him hurt you, I promise.† Vickie swung around to stare at her. She looked Meredith up and down as if Meredith had suddenly changed into something unbelievable. Then she began to laugh. It was awful, a hoarse burst of mirth like a hacking cough. It went on and on until Bonnie wanted to cover her ears. Finally Stefan said, â€Å"Vickie, stop it.† The laughter died into something like sobs, and when Vickie lifted her head again, she looked less glassy eyed but more genuinely upset. â€Å"You're all going to die, Stefan,† she said, shaking her head. â€Å"No one can fight him and live.† â€Å"We need to know about him so we can fight him. We need your help,† Stefan said. â€Å"Tell me what he looks like.† â€Å"I can't see him in my dreams. He's just a shadow without a face.† Vickie whispered it, her shoulders hunching. â€Å"But you saw him at Caroline's house,† Stefan said insistently. â€Å"Vickie, listen to me,† he added as the girl turned away sharply. â€Å"I know you're frightened, but this is important, more important than you can understand. We can't fight him unless we know what we're up against, and you are the only one, the only one right now who has the information we need. You have to help us.† Stefan's voice was unyielding. â€Å"I have a way to help you remember,† he said. â€Å"Will you let me try?† Seconds crawled by, then Vickie gave a long, bubbling sigh, her body sagging. â€Å"Do whatever you want,† she said indifferently. â€Å"I don't care. It won't make any difference.† â€Å"You're a brave girl. Now look at me, Vickie. I want you to relax. Just look at me and relax.† Stefan's voice dropped to a lulling murmur. It went on for a few minutes, and then Vickie's eyes drooped shut. â€Å"Sit down.† Stefan guided her to sit on the bed. He sat beside her, looking into her face. â€Å"Vickie, you feel calm and relaxed now. Nothing you remember will hurt you,† he said, his voice soothing. â€Å"Now, I need you to go back to Saturday night. You're upstairs, in the master bedroom of Caroline's house. Sue Carson is with you, and someone else. I need you to see-â€Å" â€Å"No!† Vickie twisted back and forth as if trying to escape something. â€Å"No! I can't -â€Å" â€Å"Vickie, calm down. He won't hurt you. He can't see you, but you can see him. Listen to me.† As Stefan spoke, Vickie's whimpers quieted. But she still thrashed and writhed. â€Å"You need to see him, Vickie. Help us fight him. What does he look like?† â€Å"He looks like the devil!† It was almost a scream. Meredith sat on Vickie's other side and took her hand. She looked out through the window at Bonnie, who looked back wide eyed and shrugged slightly. Bonnie had no idea what Vickie was talking about. â€Å"Tell me more,† Stefan said evenly. Vickie's mouth twisted. Her nostrils were flared as if she were smelling something awful. When she spoke, she got out each word separately, as if they were making her sick. â€Å"He wears†¦ an old raincoat. It flaps around his legs in the wind. He makes the wind blow. His hair is blond. Almost white. It stands up all over his head. His eyes are so blue-electric blue.† Vickie licked her lips and swallowed, looking nauseated. â€Å"Blue is the color of death.† Thunder rumbled and cracked in the sky. Damon glanced up quickly, then frowned, eyes narrowed. â€Å"He's tall. And he's laughing. He's reaching for me, laughing. But Sue screams ‘No, no' and tries to pull me away. So he takes her instead. The window's broken, and the balcony is right there. Sue's crying ‘No, please.' And then I watch him-I watch him throw her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Vickie's breath was hitching, her voice rising hysterically. â€Å"Oh, please, no-Sue! Sue! Sue!† â€Å"Vickie, stay with me. Listen. I need just one more thing. Look at him. Tell me if he's wearing a blue jewel-â€Å" But Vickie was whipping her head back and forth, sobbing, more hysterical each second. â€Å"No! No! I'm next! I'm next!† Suddenly, her eyes sprang open as she came out of the trance by herself, choking and gasping. Then her head jerked around. On the wall, a picture was rattling. It was picked up by the bamboo-framed mirror, then by perfume bottles and lipsticks on the dresser below. With a sound like popcorn, earrings began bursting from an earring tree. The rattling got louder and louder. A straw hat fell off a hook. Photos were showering down from the mirror. Tapes and CDs sprayed out of a rack and onto the floor like playing cards being dealt. Meredith was on her feet and so was Matt, fists clenched. â€Å"Make it stop! Make it stop!† Vickie cried wildly. But it didn't stop. Matt and Meredith looked around as new objects joined the dance. Everything movable was shaking, jittering, swaying. It was as if the room were caught in an earthquake. â€Å"Stop! Stop!† shrieked Vickie, her hands over her ears. Directly above the house thunder exploded. Bonnie jumped violently as she saw the zigzag of lightning shoot across the sky. Instinctively she grabbed for something to hang on to. As the lightning bolt flared a poster on Vickie's wall tore diagonally as if slashed by a phantom knife. Bonnie choked back a scream and clutched tighter. Then, as quickly as if someone had flicked a power switch off, all the noise stopped. Vickie's room was still. The fringe on the bedside lamp swayed slightly. The poster had curled up in two irregular pieces, top and bottom. Slowly, Vickie lowered her hands from her ears. Matt and Meredith looked around rather shakily. Bonnie shut her eyes and murmured something like a prayer. It wasn't until she opened them again that she realized what she had been hanging on to. It was the supple coolness of a leather jacket. It was Damon's arm. He hadn't moved away from her, though. He didn't move now. He was leaning forward slightly, eyes narrowed, watching the room intently. â€Å"Look at the mirror,† he said. On the glass surface of the bamboo mirror two words were scrawled in Vickie's hot coral lipstick. Goodnight, Sweetheart. â€Å"Oh, God,† Bonnie whispered. Stefan turned from the mirror to Vickie. There was something different about him, Bonnie thought-he was holding himself relaxed but poised, like a soldier who's just gotten confirmation of a battle. It was as if he'd accepted a personal challenge of some kind. He took something out of his back pocket and unfolded it, revealing sprigs of a plant with long green leaves and tiny lilac flowers. â€Å"This is vervain, fresh vervain,† he said quietly, his voice even and intense. â€Å"I picked it outside Florence; it's blooming there now.† He took Vickie's hand and pressed the packet into it. â€Å"I want you to hold on to this and keep it. Put some in every room of the house, and hide pieces somewhere in your parents' clothes if you can, so they'll have it near them. As long as you have this with you, he can't take over your mind. He can scare you, Vickie, but he can't make you do anything, like open a window or door for him. And listen, Vickie, because this is important.† Vickie was shivering, her face crumpled. Stefan took both her hands and made her look at him, speaking slowly and distinctly. â€Å"If I'm right, Vickie, he can't get in unless you let him. So talk to your parents. Tell them it's important that they don't ask any stranger inside the house. In fact, I can have Damon put that suggestion in their mind right now.† He glanced at Damon, who shrugged slightly and nodded, looking as if his attention was somewhere else. Self-consciously, Bonnie removed her hand from his jacket. Vickie's head was bent over the vervain. â€Å"He'll get in somehow,† she said softly, with terrible certainty. â€Å"No. Vickie, listen to me. From now on, we're going to watch your house; we're going to be waiting for him.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† Vickie said. â€Å"You can't stop him.† She began to laugh and cry at the same time. â€Å"We're going to try,† Stefan said. He looked at Meredith and Matt, who nodded. â€Å"Right. From this moment on, you will never be alone. There will always be one or more of us outside watching you.† Vickie just shook her bent head. Meredith gave her arm a squeeze and stood as Stefan tilted his head toward the window. When she and Matt joined him there, Stefan spoke to all of them in a low voice. â€Å"I don't want to leave her unguarded, but I can't stay myself right now. There's something I have to do, and I need one of the girls with me. On the other hand, I don't want to leave either Bonnie or Meredith alone here.† He turned to Matt. â€Å"Matt, will you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Everyone looked at him, startled. â€Å"Well, it's the logical solution, isn't it?† Damon seemed amused. â€Å"After all, what do you expect one of them to do against him anyway?† â€Å"They can call for me. I can monitor their thoughts that far,† Stefan said, not giving one inch. â€Å"Well,† Damon said whimsically, â€Å"I can call for you too, little brother, if I get into trouble. I'm getting bored with this investigation of yours anyway. I might as well stay here as anywhere.† â€Å"Vickie needs to be protected, not abused,† Stefan said. Damon's smile was charming. â€Å"Her?† He nodded toward the girl who sat on the bed, rocking over the vervain. From disheveled hair to bare feet, Vickie was not a pretty picture. â€Å"Take my word for it, brother, I can do better than that.† For just an instant Bonnie thought those dark eyes flicked sideways toward her. â€Å"You're always saying how you'd like to trust me, anyway,† Damon added. â€Å"Here's your chance to prove it.† Stefan looked as if he wanted to trust, as if he were tempted. He also looked suspicious. Damon said nothing, merely smiled in that taunting, enigmatic way. Practically asking to be mistrusted, Bonnie thought. The two brothers stood looking at each other while the silence and the tension stretched out between them. Just then Bonnie could see the family resemblance in their faces, one serious and intense, the other bland and faintly mocking, but both inhumanly beautiful. Stefan let his breath out slowly. â€Å"All right,† he said quietly at last. Bonnie and Matt and Meredith were all staring at him, but he didn't seem to notice. He spoke to Damon as if they were the only two people there. â€Å"You stay here, outside the house where you won't be seen. I'll come back and take over when I'm finished with what I'm doing.† Meredith's eyebrows were in her hair, but she made no comment. Neither did Matt. Bonnie tried to quell her own feelings of unease. Stefan must know what he's doing, she told herself. Anyway, he'd better. â€Å"Don't take too long,† Damon said dismissively. And that was how they left it, with Damon blending in with the darkness in the shadow of the black walnut trees in Vickie's backyard and Vickie herself in her room, rocking endlessly. In the car, Meredith said, â€Å"Where next?† â€Å"I need to test a theory,† said Stefan briefly. â€Å"That the killer is a vampire?† Matt said from the back, where he sat with Bonnie. Stefan glanced at him sharply. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"That's why you told Vickie not to invite anyone in,† Meredith added, not to be outdone in the reasoning department. Vampires, Bonnie remembered, couldn't enter a place where humans lived and slept unless they were invited. â€Å"And that's why you asked if the man was wearing a blue stone.† â€Å"An amulet against daylight,† Stefan said, spreading his right hand. On the third finger there was a silver ring set with lapis lazuli. â€Å"Without one of these, direct exposure to the sun kills us. If the murderer is a vampire, he keeps a stone like this somewhere on him.† As if by instinct, Stefan reached up to briefly touch something under his T-shirt. After a moment Bonnie realized what it must be. Elena's ring. Stefan had given it to her in the first place, and after she died he'd taken it to wear on a chain around his neck. So that part of her would be with him always, he'd said. When Bonnie looked at Matt beside her, she saw his eyes were closed. â€Å"So how can we tell if he's a vampire?† Meredith asked. â€Å"There's only one way I can think of, and it isn't very pleasant. But it's got to be done.† Bonnie's heart sank. If Stefan thought it wasn't very pleasant, she was sure she was going to find it even less so. â€Å"What is it?† she said unenthusiastically. â€Å"I need to get a look at Sue's body.† There was dead silence. Even Meredith, normally so unflappable, looked appalled. Matt turned away, leaning his forehead against the window glass. â€Å"You've got to be kidding,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I wish I were.† â€Å"But-for God's sake, Stefan. We can't. They won't let us. I mean, what are we going to say? ‘Excuse me while I examine this corpse for holes'?† â€Å"Bonnie, stop it,† Meredith said. â€Å"I can't help it,† Bonnie snapped back shakily. â€Å"It's an awful idea. And besides, the police already checked her body. There wasn't a mark on it except the cuts she got in the fall.† â€Å"The police don't know what to look for,† Stefan said. His voice was steely. Hearing it brought something home to Bonnie, something she tended to forget. Stefan was one of them. One of the hunters. He'd seen dead people before. He might even have killed some. He drinks blood, she thought, and shuddered. â€Å"Well?† said Stefan. â€Å"Are you still with me?† Bonnie tried to make herself small in the backseat. Meredith's hands were tight on the steering wheel. It was Matt who spoke, turning back from the window. Bonnie tried to make herself small in the backseat. Meredith's hands were tight on the steering wheel. It was Matt who spoke, turning back from the window. â€Å"There's a viewing of the body from seven to ten at the funeral home,† Meredith added, her voice low. â€Å"We'll have to wait until after the viewing, then. After they close the funeral home, when we can be alone with her,† said Stefan. â€Å"This is the most gruesome thing I've ever had to do,† Bonnie whispered wretchedly. The funeral chapel was dark and cold. Stefan had sprung the locks on the outside door with a thin piece of flexible metal. The viewing room was thickly carpeted, its walls covered with somber oak panels. It would have been a depressing place even with the lights on. In the dark it seemed close and suffocating and crowded with grotesque shapes. It looked as if someone might be crouching behind each of the many standing flower arrangements. â€Å"I don't want to be here,† Bonnie moaned. â€Å"Let's just get it over with, okay?† Matt said through his teeth. When he snapped the flashlight on, Bonnie looked anywhere but where it was pointing. She didn't want to see the coffin, she didn't. She stared at the flowers, at a heart made of pink roses. Outside, thunder grumbled like a sleeping animal. â€Å"Let me get this open-here,† Stefan was saying. In spite of her resolve not to, Bonnie looked. The casket was white, lined with pale pink satin. Sue's blond hair shone against it like the hair of a sleeping princess in a fairy tale. But Sue didn't look as if she were sleeping. She was too pale, too still. Like a waxwork. Bonnie crept closer, her eyes fixed on Sue's face. That's why it's so cold in here, she told herself staunchly. To keep the wax from melting. It helped a little. Stefan reached down to touch Sue's high-necked pink blouse. He undid the top button. â€Å"For God's sake,† Bonnie whispered, outraged. â€Å"What do you think we're here for?† Stefan hissed back. But his fingers paused on the second button. Bonnie watched a minute and then made her decision. â€Å"Get out of the way,† she said, and when Stefan didn't move immediately, she gave him a shove. Meredith drew up close to her and they formed a phalanx between Sue and the boys. Their eyes met with understanding. If they had to actually remove the blouse, the guys were going out. Bonnie undid the small buttons while Meredith held the light. Sue's skin felt as waxy as it looked, cool against her fingertips. Awkwardly, she folded the blouse back to reveal a lacy white slip. Then she made herself push Sue's shining gold hair off the pale neck. The hair was stiff with spray. â€Å"No,† said Stefan oddly. â€Å"But there's something else. Look at this.† Gently, he reached around Bonnie to point out a cut, pale and bloodless as the skin around it, but visible as a faint line running from collarbone to breast. Over the heart. Stefan's long finger traced the air above it and Bonnie stiffened, ready to smack the hand away if he touched. â€Å"What is it?† asked Meredith, puzzled. â€Å"A mystery,† Stefan said. His voice was still odd. â€Å"If I saw a mark like that on a vampire, it would mean the vampire was giving blood to a human. That's how it's done. Human teeth can't pierce our skin, so we cut ourselves if we want to share blood. But Sue wasn't a vampire.† â€Å"She certainly wasn't!† said Bonnie. She tried to fight off the image her mind wanted to show her, of Elena bending to a cut like that on Stefan's chest and sucking, drinking†¦ She shuddered and realized her eyes were shut. â€Å"Is there anything else you need to see?† she said, opening them. â€Å"No. That's all.† Bonnie did up the buttons. She rearranged Sue's hair. Then, while Meredith and Stefan eased the lid of the casket back down, she walked quickly out of the viewing room and to the outside door. She stood there, arms wrapped around herself. A hand touched her elbow lightly. It was Matt. â€Å"You're tougher than you look,† he said. â€Å"Yes, well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She tried to shrug. And then suddenly she was crying, crying hard. Matt put his arms around her. â€Å"I know,† he said. Just that. Not â€Å"Don't cry† or â€Å"Take it easy† or â€Å"Everything's going to be all right.† Just â€Å"I know.† His voice was as desolate as she felt. â€Å"They've got hair spray in her hair,† she sobbed. â€Å"Sue never used hair spray. It's awful.† Somehow, just then, this seemed the worst thing of all. He simply held her. After a while Bonnie got her breath. She found she was holding on to Matt almost painfully tightly and loosened her arms. â€Å"I got your shirt all wet,† she said apologetically, sniffling. â€Å"It doesn't matter.† Something in his voice made her step back and look at him. He looked the way he had in the high school parking lot. So lost, so†¦ hopeless. â€Å"Matt, what is it?† she whispered. â€Å"Please.† â€Å"I'm not so sure.† Bonnie didn't even think she wanted to. It was too scary. But she was overwhelmed by an urge to comfort him, to wipe that lost look from his eyes. â€Å"Matt, I-â€Å" â€Å"We're finished,† Stefan said from behind them. As Matt looked toward the voice the lost look seemed to intensify. â€Å"Sometimes I think we're all finished,† Matt said, moving away from Bonnie, but he didn't explain what he meant by that. â€Å"Let's go.†

Free Essays on Edger Allen Poe

EDGAR ALLAN POE Best known for his poems and short fiction. Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most famous American poets. He deserves most credit for short suspenseful mysteries and he perfected the area of horror stories. He wrote many famous poems like "The Raven" and "The Bells". Poe was a genius and very meticulous in his stories every clue had to fit and that’s why he didn't make a lot of short stories but a small collection of great short stories. He was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. Both of his parents were touring actors; both died before Poe even reached three years old. A rich merchant named Mr. Allan in Richmond, Virginia took Poe in. His childhood was uneventful although he attended the University of Virginia in 1826 for only a year. Even thought he was a good student he ran up a large gambling dept that Allan refused to pay. This prevented his return to the university and broke-off his engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. Having no way to support himself he enlisted in the army. He had already written and printed (at his own expense) his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827). Allan secured Poe's release from the army and his appointment to West Point but refused to give him money. After six months Poe apparently got kicked out of West Point for disobedience. His friends, however, gave money to him for the publication of Poems by Edgar A. Poe ...Second Edition (1831), actually a third editionafter Tamerlane and Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems (1829). This book contained the famous "To Helen" and "Israfel," poems that show the restraint and the calculated musical effects of language that was characterizing his poetry. Poe next lived in Baltimore with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia, and turned to fiction as a way to support himself. In 1832 the Philadelphia Saturday Courier published five of his stories all comic or satiric. In 1833, "MS. Foun... Free Essays on Edger Allen Poe Free Essays on Edger Allen Poe EDGAR ALLAN POE Best known for his poems and short fiction. Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most famous American poets. He deserves most credit for short suspenseful mysteries and he perfected the area of horror stories. He wrote many famous poems like "The Raven" and "The Bells". Poe was a genius and very meticulous in his stories every clue had to fit and that’s why he didn't make a lot of short stories but a small collection of great short stories. He was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. Both of his parents were touring actors; both died before Poe even reached three years old. A rich merchant named Mr. Allan in Richmond, Virginia took Poe in. His childhood was uneventful although he attended the University of Virginia in 1826 for only a year. Even thought he was a good student he ran up a large gambling dept that Allan refused to pay. This prevented his return to the university and broke-off his engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. Having no way to support himself he enlisted in the army. He had already written and printed (at his own expense) his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827). Allan secured Poe's release from the army and his appointment to West Point but refused to give him money. After six months Poe apparently got kicked out of West Point for disobedience. His friends, however, gave money to him for the publication of Poems by Edgar A. Poe ...Second Edition (1831), actually a third editionafter Tamerlane and Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems (1829). This book contained the famous "To Helen" and "Israfel," poems that show the restraint and the calculated musical effects of language that was characterizing his poetry. Poe next lived in Baltimore with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia, and turned to fiction as a way to support himself. In 1832 the Philadelphia Saturday Courier published five of his stories all comic or satiric. In 1833, "MS. Foun...

Navajo Soldiers World War II Code Talkers

Navajo Soldiers World War II Code Talkers World War II had no shortage of heroes, but the conflict likely would’ve ended on a completely different note for the United States without the efforts of the Navajo soldiers known as Code Talkers. At the onset of the war, the U.S. found itself vulnerable to Japanese intelligence specialists who used their English-speaking soldiers to intercept the messages issued by the U.S. military. Each time the military devised a code, Japanese intelligence experts deciphered it. As a result, they not only learned which actions U.S. forces would take before they carried them out but gave the troops bogus missions to confuse them. To prevent the Japanese from intercepting subsequent messages, the U.S. military developed highly intricate codes that could take more than two hours to decrypt or encrypt. This was far from an efficient way to communicate. But ​World War I veteran Philip Johnston would change that by suggesting that the U.S. military develop a code based on the Navajo language. A Complex Language World War II did not mark the first time the U.S. military developed a code based on an indigenous language. In World War I, Choctaw speakers served as code talkers. But Philip Johnston, a missionary’s son who grew up on the Navajo reservation, knew that a code based on the Navajo language would be especially difficult to break. For one, the Navajo language was largely unwritten at the time and many words in the language have different meanings depending on context. Once Johnston demonstrated to the Marine Corps how effective a Navajo-based code would be in thwarting intelligence breaches, the Marines set out to sign up Navajos as radio operators. The Navajo Code in Use In 1942, 29 Navajo soldiers ranging in age from 15 to 35 years old collaborated to create the first U.S. military code based on their indigenous language. It started off with a vocabulary of about 200 but tripled in quantity by the time World War II ended. The Navajo Code Talkers could pass messages in as few as 20 seconds. According to the official Navajo Code Talkers website, indigenous words that sounded like military terms in English made up the code. â€Å"The Navajo word for turtle meant ‘tank,’ and a dive-bomber was a ‘chicken hawk.’ To supplement those terms, words could be spelled out using Navajo terms assigned to individual letters of the alphabet- the selection of the Navajo term being based on the first letter of the Navajo word’s English meaning. For instance, ‘Wo-La-Chee’ means ‘ant,’ and would represent the letter ‘A.’† U.S. Triumphs With Code The code was so complex that not even native Navajo speakers comprehended it. â€Å"When a Navajo listens to us, he wonders what in the world we’re talking about,† Keith Little, the late code talker, explained to news station My Fox Phoenix in 2011. The code also proved unique because the Navajo soldiers weren’t allowed to write it down once on frontlines of the war. The soldiers functioned essentially as â€Å"living codes.† During the first two days of the Battle of Iwo Jima, the code talkers transmitted 800 messages with no mistakes. Their efforts played a key role in the U.S. emerging from the Battle of Iwo Jima as well as the battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Okinawa victoriously. â€Å"We saved a lot of lives†¦, I know that we did,† Little said. Honoring the Code Talkers The Navajo Code Talkers may have been World War II heroes, but the public didn’t realize it because the code created by the Navajos remained a top military secret for decades following the war. Finally in 1968, the military declassified the code, but many believed that the Navajos didn’t receive the honors befitting of war heroes. In April 2000, Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico sought to change that when he introduced a bill authorizing the U.S. president to award gold and silver congressional medals to the Navajo Code Talkers. In December 2000, the bill went into effect. â€Å"It has taken too long to properly recognize these soldiers, whose achievements have been obscured by twin veils of secrecy and time,† Bingaman said. â€Å"†¦I introduced this legislation – to salute these brave and innovative Native Americans, to acknowledge the great contribution they made to the Nation at a time of war, and to finally give them their rightful place in history.† Code Talkers Legacy The Navajo Code Talkers’ contributions to the U.S. military during World War II entered popular culture when the film â€Å"Windtalkers,† starring Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach, debuted in 2002. Although the movie received mixed reviews, it exposed a large swath of the public to World War II’s Native American heroes. The Navajo Code Talkers Foundation, an Arizona nonprofit, also functions to raise awareness about these skillful soldiers and celebrate Native American culture, history and heritage.

Aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Aging - Essay Example The questions have been in the mind of people for a century. However, despite the studies in the genetics and molecular biology, the mystery of controlling the lifespan of human is yet to be found (Nouwen & Gaffney, 2004). Many literatures have been put forward to explain the aging process, but none of them has been a success. The conventional aging literature believes that aging in not a genetically programmed. Modern theories in biological aging in humans can either be an error theory or a programmed theory. The programmed literatures believe that aging comes with a biological timetable, perhaps the continuous one in regulating the childhood development and growth. The regulation will depend on the expression of genes affecting systems that are responsible for defense response, maintenance, and repair. The damage theory emphasizes the assault of environment to the living organisms inducing the cumulative damage at different stages as the reason for aging (Cox, 2005). The programmed literature has three different categories; programmed longevity, endocrine theory, and immunology theory. According to programmed longevity, aging arises from sequential putting on and off for some of the genes. According to endocrine theory, the immune system can be programmed to decline with time, which arises to a rising vulnerability to diseases that are infectious and therefore aging and later death. It is researched that the immune system effectiveness peaks during puberty and slowly declines with the age advance. For instance, when a person grows older, the antibodies will lose effectiveness, and very few diseases will be combated by the body effectively, which leads to eventual death and cellular stress. The deregulated response of the immune has been connected to inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Although direct relationship is yet to

Marketing Communication for Startford Upon Avon Essay

Marketing Communication for Startford Upon Avon - Essay Example Proceedings will commence with guided tours around various sections of the facility including the redeveloped auditorium, the Swan Theatre, the Observation Tower and the â€Å"One-Room† (Chambers 2004, 67). This shall then be followed by the airing of an hour long documentary that follows the exceptional account of how the theatre came to be. Some of the plays that will later be performed during the day will include Shakespeare’s very own Othello and Romeo and Juliet. Other plays that are lined up for that day include the Revenger’s Tragedy, The Magic Flute, Camino Real and The War of the Roses. Some of these plays shall include names of famous Hollywood actors such as Candice Bergen, Ewan McGregor, Bradley Cooper and the lovely Emma Stone in the performances. Visitors can find food and drinks at the Rooftop Bar and Restaurant as well as the Riverside Cafe and Terrace. The Royal Shakespeare Company intends to increase cultural awareness of potential visitors with regards to the various activities and opportunities that is offered at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The company intends to raise both domestic and international tourist visits within the area by defining the product and services they offer and thereby providing a high standard of cultural and diplomatic repertoire through cultural interactions. Another objective of the event is to provide to the target audience a variety of social activities that they can enjoy while visiting the area (Fill & Hughes 2008, 266). Key stakeholders in the media fraternity have been invited to contribute towards the success of the event. Both local and international television channels have confirmed their attendance in what is considered a crucial step towards the revitalization of the country’s tourism sector. Several Radio stations and newspaper agencies have also been invited to cover the