Lord of the Flies :: essays research papers

"It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways." (Buddha) Is man basically good or is man basically evil? In the popular novel, Lord of the Flies, William Goldings shows that man is basically evil, but that man can overcome those instincts if he tries. Simon, Ralph, and Piggy are prime examples of keeping their good character. In each of them there is a desire to do good. They show throughout the novel that it is possible, even when surrounded by evil, to put aside desires and keep good morals. Simon is the morally good boy. His selflessness and goodness comes from within. He is kind to the little boys, and helps the outcasts. For example, when none of the boys want to give Piggy meat from the first pig, Simon steps up and takes him meat. "Simon†¦wiped his mouth and shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy†¦"(p.74) While everyone else is cruel to the young ones, he helps the "lil'uns" grab meat from the trees when they can't reach. "Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest†¦passed them back to the endless, outstretched hands." (p.56) Simon helps those whom no one else is kind to, perhaps remembering that he was looked down upon once. He realizes what it's like to be scorned and to be the "little one", so he tries to make it less miserable for the outcasts by being kind to them. He wants to always help others, so when he discovers the beast is inside of everyone, not external, as they had imagined, he instantly runs down the mountain to tell him. He helps others even to the point of death. Simon is not the only one to demonstrate selflessness in the book. Ralph is the shows his kindness and goodness at the very beginning of the book. As leader, he desires for all of the boys to be safely rescued and for them to be taken care of. "If this isn't an island we might get rescued straight away†¦everyone must stay around here and wait and not go away." (p. 22) He starts out with the best intentions in mind, and wants to have the best for everyone. As the novel continues, and evil intensifies, Ralph won't participate in the wickedness of others. He keeps away from evil by having quiet times by himself and keeping his goal, to be rescued, in front of himself.

The Cultural Politics of Pokemon Capitalism :: Entertainment Games Collectors Papers

The Cultural Politics of Pokemon Capitalism It is fall 1999 and a jet from Japan has just pulled up to its berth at LAX airport in Los Angeles. Immediately a crowd of kids excitedly gathers by the window to view what appears to be a huge flying Pikachu: the yellowy cute, electrically charged mouse-type pocket monster of what was then the biggest kid’s craze of the decade, Pokemon. Even parents recognize this iconic figure, familiar as they are with the basics of the phenomenon. Starting out as a gameboy game in Japan in 1996, it grew quickly to a multi-stranded empire: comic books, cartoon, movies, trading cards, toy figures, video games, tie-in merchandise. And, starting in 1997, Pokemon got exported, hitting the U.S. in August 1998. The principle of the game, duplicated in the plotline of the movies, cartoons, and comics, is to become a pokemon master by trying to capture all 151 monsters (expanded to 251 in recent editions) inhabiting the playscapes of Poke-world. In this world, any child can become a master lik e Satoshi (Ash in English) who, in the story versions, is the 11 year old protagonist traveling the world with his two buddies, Misty (an 11 year old girl) and Brock (a 15 year old teenage boy). All one needs to do is keep playing: maneuver one’s controls to move through this game space, discovering and catching (mainly by fighting) new monsters whom consequently become pocketed as one’s own. Hence, the name â€Å"pocket monster.† Pocketed monsters are trained to fight new monsters therefore becoming both the medium and end of this game. The logic here is acquisition; â€Å"gotta catch ‘em all† is the catchword of Pokemon. But entwined into this, as Benjamin noted about commodity fetishism at the dawn of modernity, is enchantment. The monsters to be gotten are not only things, possessions, and tools but also enchanting beings akin to spirits, pets, or friends. Pikachu iconizes this weave of relationality taken, I will argue, to the age of millennial postmodernity. With its electric powers, Pikachu is a tough, therefore prized, pokemon. But, with its smallish, yellow body, Pikachu is also cuddly and cute: features played up on screen whe re it becomes the best buddy pokemon of the lead character, Ash. This monster is at once property and pal, capital and companion: the key features in a form of intimate or cute

Haiti Earthquake Essay

January 12, 2010 became the moment of tragedy for the population of Haiti: an earthquake of terrible force stroke the small island, killing and injuring thousands of people. The earthquake turned into a devastating power, destroying everything in the epicenter and miles beyond. It was the most powerful earthquake in Haiti in more than 100 years. Now, several months after the tragic event, Haitian authorities still work to restore the economic and social stability in the region. Earthquakes are difficult to predict – the Haiti earthquake did not have any warning signs or foreshocks. It was equally unexpected and powerful. The aftershocks that followed confirmed the complexity of the natural processes that usually occur during earthquakes. The terrible earthquake that stroke Haiti on January 12th, 2010 affected around three million people, with between 100,000 and 200,000 dead (Physics Today, 2010). Measured 7. 0 according to the earthquake magnitude, the Haiti quake became the most powerful and the most devastating in the region over the last 100 years (Physics Today, 2010). 7.  0 earthquakes are believed to be large, but not huge, and the Haiti earthquake was not the strongest and the most tragic in the human history. For the regions with high seismic activity, 7. 0-8. 0-magnitude earthquakes are a norm of life which, despite its power and negative consequences, is impossible to escape. In case of the Haiti earthquake, three essential factors contributed to the human and material losses: first, the epicenter was in 10 miles from the capital city, Port-au-Prince (Physics Today, 2010). Second, the earthquake was shallow by itself; in other words, it was only 10-15 kilometers below the land’s surface (Physics Today, 2010). Third, given the state of the Haitian economy and the level of poverty in the region, most of the local buildings were not designed to withstand the pressure of an earthquake and simply collapsed (Physics Today, 2010). The three mentioned factors turned the Haiti earthquake for the worst-case scenario for its people (Physics Today, 2010). A belief persists that the current state of technology facilitates the prediction of earthquakes. Today, thousands of people are confident that seismologists could have predicted the course of events in Haiti. Yet, the reality is quite different. Notwithstanding the recent technological advancements, predicting earthquakes (especially, in the long run) is still far from possible. No, that does not mean that seismologists do not monitor tectonic activity. Monitoring zones like Haiti â€Å"around the world to get a general sense of where the next such pops may happen is not that difficult, mostly because tectonic activity is hard to conceal completely† (Kluger, 2010). Scientists have information and technologies necessary to make predictions about where on the landscape earthquakes are the likeliest to occur, but forecasting in the long term is problematic and rarely objective (Kluger, 2010). During the 18th Caribbean Geological Conference in March 2008, five scientists presented their paper, stating that the tectonic zone on the southeastern side of the island was a serious seismic hazard (Griggs, 2010). The scientists had been increasingly concerned about the fault zone which, eventually, became the source of the major problems and the epicenter of the earthquake. Professionals justify the lack of attention toward the report by the fact that such strikes and zones can remain dormant for hundreds of years (Griggs, 2010). Given the difficulties which seismologists usually experience in the process of predicting earthquakes, the reliability of their reports is often questionable. The findings presented on the 2008 Conference followed the 2004 study in the Journal of Geophysical Research, which reported an increased earthquake risk in the Septentrional fault zone near Haiti, not far from the Dominican Republic (Griggs, 2010). However, because Haiti is fairly regarded as one of the most active seismic zones in the world, even the heightened seismic activity does not necessarily imply that the region is facing an earthquake threat: the nearest strike can occur years and decades later. The Haiti earthquake was unique in the sense that it was not preceded by any evacuations or warning signs. The earth in Haiti did not give any sign of a foreshock and did not send either a water or an electrical signal (Kluger, 2010). Even the P wave equipment, which seismologists use to detect vibrations, did not display any changes in the tectonic activity in the region (Kluger, 2010). People did not have a chance to foresee the events that would follow the first shake. The earthquake stroke at 21:53 UTC, January 12, 2010, in South Haiti, not far from the capital Port-au-Prince (RMS, 2010). The quake was felt across the Haiti region, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Southern Bahamas, up to the northeast and southeast coasts of Cuba (RMS, 2010). The two cities closest to the epicenter, Port-au-Prince and Jacmel, experienced up to 7. 0 intensity shaking on the MMI scale (RMS, 2010). The strikes of such intensity usually cause moderate damage to property (RMS, 2010). The earthquake was not followed by a tsunami, and no tsunami warning was issued (RMS, 2010). Seismologists tend to differentiate between the three different types of earthquakes. The dip-slip-fault means than one clashing plate slides under the other (Kluger, 2010). The reverse dip-slip fault implies that tectonic plates pull apart (Kluger, 2010). The strike-slip is associated with a sideways grinding of the plates (Kluger, 2010). The Haiti earthquake was of the strike-slip type, meaning that the two tectonic plates on the both sides of the fault moved in opposite directions – the Caribbean Plate went east, while the Gonvave Platelet moved to the west (Physics Today, 2010). The more interesting and important, however, what people are likely to experience during an earthquake of the magnitude similar to that in Haiti. A missionary from Haiti said: â€Å"It felt like a train was coming down the road. It (the house) wasn’t shaking, it was rocking. I went outside and the vehicle in the driveway was rocking, glass breaking all around the house† (Leach, 2010). Another witness described the beginning of the earthquake as the rumbling of the ground underneath his feet: he saw a 400sq m house collapsing on the ground, with people trying to pull an elderly woman out of the rubble (Leach, 2010). Everything was shaking, people were screaming, while houses kept collapsing (Leach, 2010). Like any other earthquake, the one that stroke Haiti threw people into the whirl of shaking, trembling, and noise. Within minutes after the strike, witnesses could see a huge cloud of dust and smoke rising from the Haiti capital (Leach, 2010). The moment of the first shock was only the beginning in a series of aftershocks that followed. By Friday, 22 January, seismologists noted 54 aftershocks between Mw 4. 0 and 7. 0 (RMS, 2010). The two largest aftershocks rated Mw 5. 9 (RMS, 2010). The first aftershock occurred minutes after the main quake and was located 20 miles southwest of the mainshock (RMS, 2010). The second stroke the island eight days after the mainshock, on January 20, 2010 (RMS, 2010). Seismologists report that both aftershocks could not reach intensity higher than V which, according to the MMI scale, would cause very light damage to buildings (RMS, 2010). However, buildings in Haiti had not been designed to withstand the pressure of an earthquake; moreover, by the time the aftershock occurred, they had already been weakened – as a result, the second aftershock could readily turn into another serious attack on the Haitian property. The aftershock that hit Haiti on January 20, 2010 frightened the Haitians, already traumatized by the devastating earthquake that had happened several days before (Murphy, 2010). Those who survived experienced the growing fear and concern about their lives and the property that had not collapsed during the mainshock. Yet, the aftershocks caused little or no additional damage (Murphy, 2010). It should be noted, that although 6. 1 and 7. 0 magnitude look almost similar, the difference between the two is much greater. Unlike temperature scales, in which units of increase are constant, the method used to measure earthquake magnitudes is logarithmic. What this generally means is that the amount of shaking [†¦] caused by a 5. 0 earthquake is 10 times less than that caused by a 6. 0 earthquake and 100 times less of that caused by a 7. 0 earthquake. † (Murphy, 2010) Earthquakes of the magnitude between 6. 0 and 7. 0 are not uncommon in the Haitian region, and the aftershocks that followed the devastating earthquake on the 12th January were not significant. The effects of the aftershocks were more emotional than physical which, given the seriousness and the consequences of the event, were natural and justified. Today, when Haiti struggles to eliminate the consequences of the quake and to restore the economic stability in the region, seismologists and scholars in geology science keep arguing about whether the Haiti earthquake could have been predicted. Whether seismologists could have predicted the Haiti earthquake is no longer important, and it is equally difficult to estimate the value and importance of the 2008 scientific report. Nevertheless, the Haiti earthquake teaches seismologists numerous lessons and once again emphasizes the need to develop sound technologies and systems, which would predict earthquakes and warn local populations about them. Conclusion The Haiti Earthquake hit the island on January 12, 2010. With the magnitude not higher than 7. 0, the quake turned out to be the worst-case scenario for Haiti, killing and injuring thousands of local residents. The quakes of such magnitude are believed to cause average damage to people and property, but Haiti historically lacked resources necessary to build houses, which would withstand an earthquake. As a result, buildings collapsed, killing thousands and injuring even more. No warning signs or evacuations preceded the earthquake; it was equally immediate and unexpected. People felt the land shaking and rumbling beneath their feet, with a cloud of smoke and dust rising above the capital. A series of aftershocks that followed did not cause much additional damage but became the source of serious emotional effects. The Haiti earthquake was another good lesson to seismologists, and once again emphasized the need to develop sound technologies which would predict earthquakes and warn populations about it.

Spirit Bound Chapter Ten

AND ONE OF THEM†¦ ONE OF THEM†¦ â€Å"No,† I breathed, even as I sprang toward the one closest to me–a woman. There appeared to be three Strigoi around us. Eddie was in motion too, and both of us were trying to shove the Moroi behind us. They didn't need much urging. At the sight of Strigoi, the Moroi had begun to back up–creating sort of a bottleneck. Between Eddie's instant reflexes and the Moroi panic, I was pretty sure no one had noticed what I already had spotted. Dimitri was among them. No, no, no, I said, this time to myself. He'd warned me. Over and over, he'd said in his letters that as soon as I was out of the safety of the wards, he would be coming for me. I'd believed him and yet†¦ seeing the reality of it was a totally different thing. It had been three months, but in that instant, a million memories ran through my mind in crystal clear sharpness. My captivity with Dimitri. The way his mouth–so, so warm, despite his cold skin–had kissed mine. The feel of his fangs pressing into my neck and the sweet bliss that followed†¦ He looked exactly the same too, with that chalky white pallor and red-ringed eyes that so conflicted with the soft, chin-length brown hair and otherwise gorgeous lines of his face. He even had a leather duster on. It had to be a new one, seeing as his previous coat had gotten pretty torn up in our last fight on the bridge. Where did he keep getting them? â€Å"Get out!† I yelled. My words were to the Moroi, even as my stake bit into the female Strigoi's heart. The momentary confusion with all of us in the hall had been more of a detriment to her than me. I got a good line of sight on her, and it was clear that she hadn't expected me to be so fast. I'd killed a lot of Strigoi because they'd underestimated me. Eddie didn't have my luck. He stumbled when Victor shoved past him, allowing the other Strigoi–a guy–near the front to backhand Eddie against the wall. Still, that was the kind of thing we faced all the time, and Eddie responded beautifully. He immediately came back from the hit, and with the Moroi out of the way now, Eddie was able to lunge toward the Strigoi and engage him fully. And me? My attention was on Dimitri. I stepped over the fallen Strigoi without even looking at her. Dimitri had hovered near the back, sending his minions into the front lines of battle. Maybe it was because I knew Dimitri so well, but I suspected he wasn't surprised that I'd take out the one so quickly and that Eddie was giving the other a tough time. I doubted Dimitri cared whether they lived or died. They were just distractions for him to get to me. â€Å"I told you,† said Dimitri, eyes both amused and sharp. He was watching my every move, each of us subconsciously mirroring the other as we waited for an opening to attack. â€Å"I told you I'd find you.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, trying to ignore the grunts of Eddie and the other Strigoi. Eddie could take him. I knew he could. â€Å"I got the memos.† A ghost of a smile curled up Dimitri's lips, showing the fangs that somehow triggered a mix of both longing and loathing in me. Instantly, I shoved those feelings aside. I'd hesitated before with Dimitri and nearly died because of it. I'd refused to let it happen again, and the adrenaline pumping through my body served as a good reminder that this was a do-or-die situation. He made the first move, but I dodged it–almost having sensed it coming. That was the problem with us. We knew each other too well–knew each other's moves too well. Of course, that hardly meant we were an even match. Even in life, he'd had more experience than me, and his Strigoi abilities tipped the scale. â€Å"Yet here you are,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"Foolishly stepping outside when you should have stayed in the safety of Court. I couldn't believe it when my spies told me.† I said nothing, instead attempting a swipe with my stake. He saw that coming too and sidestepped it. His having spies didn't surprise me–even in the daytime. He controlled a network of Strigoi and humans alike, and I'd known he had eyes and ears observing Court. The question was: How the hell had he gotten into this hotel in the middle of the day? Even with human watchers at the airport or monitoring credit cards as Adrian had done, Dimitri and his Strigoi friends should have had to wait until nightfall to get here. No, not necessarily, I realized a moment later. Strigoi occasionally had work-arounds. Trucks and vans with dark, completely sealed cabins. Underground entrances. Moroi wanting to casino-jump from the Witching Hour knew about secret tunnels connecting certain buildings. Dimitri would have known about all this too. If he'd been waiting for me to come outside of wards, he would have done whatever it took to get to me. I knew better than anyone else how resourceful he was. I also knew he was trying to distract me with talking. â€Å"And strangest of all,† he continued, â€Å"you didn't come alone. You brought Moroi. You've always taken risks with your own life, but I didn't expect you to be so hasty with theirs.† Something occurred to me then. Aside from the faint hum of the casino on the other end of the hallway and the sounds of our fight, everything else was silent. We were missing an important noise. Say, like, the alarm from a fire door. â€Å"Lissa!† I yelled. â€Å"Get the hell out of here! Get them all out of here.† She should have known better. They all should have known better. That door led to the upper floors–and outdoors. The sun was still out. It didn't matter if the alarm brought hotel security down on us. Hell, that might scare the Strigoi off. What mattered was that the Moroi fled to safety. But a quick check of my bond told me the problem. Lissa was frozen. Stunned. She'd suddenly seen who I was fighting, and the shock of it was too much. Knowing Dimitri was a Strigoi was one thing. Seeing it–really, really seeing it–well, that was different. I knew from personal experience. Even after being prepared, his appearance still unnerved me. She was blindsided, unable to think or move. It only took me a heartbeat to assess her feelings, but in a fight with a Strigoi, a single second could be the difference between life and death. Dimitri's chatter had worked, and although I watched him and thought I had my guard up, he got through and shoved me against the wall, hands pinning my arms so painfully that I lost my grip on the stake. He put his face right up to mine, so close that our foreheads touched. â€Å"Roza†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he murmured. His breath was warm and sweet against my skin. It seemed like it should have smelled like death or decay, but it didn't. â€Å"Why? Why did you have to be so difficult? We could have spent eternity together†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My heart thundered in my chest. I was afraid, terrified of the death that I knew had to be seconds away. And at the same time, I was filled with sorrow over having lost him. Seeing the features of his face, hearing that same accented voice that even now wrapped around me like velvet†¦ I felt my heart breaking all over again. Why? Why had this happened to us? Why was the universe so cruel? I managed to flip the switch again, once more shutting out the fact that this was Dimitri. We were predator and prey–and I was in danger of being eaten. â€Å"Sorry,† I said through gritted teeth, shoving hard–and failing–to break his grip. â€Å"My eternity doesn't involve being part of the undead mafia.† â€Å"I know,† he said. I could have sworn there was sadness in his face but later convinced myself I must have imagined it. â€Å"Eternity will be lonely without you.† A piercing shriek suddenly rang in my ears. Both of us winced. Noises intended to startle humans were hell on sensitive hearing like we had. Yet I couldn't help but feel relief. The fire door. Finally, those idiots–and yes, I had no qualms about calling my friends idiots when they were acting that way–had left the building. I felt sunlight through the bond and took comfort in that as Dimitri's fangs neared the artery that would spill the life's blood from my neck. I hoped the alarm would distract him, but he was too good. I struggled once more, hoping I could use surprise on him, but it was to no avail. What did surprise him was Eddie's stake plunging into the side of his stomach. Dimitri snarled in pain and let go of me, turning on Eddie. Eddie's face was hard, unblinking. If seeing Dimitri fazed him, my friend didn't show it. For all I knew, Eddie wasn't even registering this as Dimitri. Probably all he saw was a Strigoi. It was the way we were trained. See monsters, not people. Dimitri's attention was off me for the moment. He wanted to draw out my death. Eddie was simply an annoyance he needed to rid us of so that he could continue the game. Eddie and Dimitri engaged in a dance similar to the one I'd been in with Dimitri earlier, except that Eddie didn't know Dimitri's moves like I did. So Eddie wasn't able to completely avoid Dimitri grabbing him by the shoulder and shoving him to the wall. The maneuver had been intended to crush Eddie's skull, but Eddie managed to shift enough so that it was his body that took the brunt of the impact. It still hurt, but he was alive. All of this took place in milliseconds. And in those fleeting moments, my perspective shifted. When Dimitri had been looming over me, about to bite me, I had managed to overcome that impulse to think of him as Dimitri, the person I'd once known and loved. Continually forced into a victim position, with my life about to end, I had kept kicking myself into fight-fight-fight mode. Now, watching someone else battle Dimitri†¦ seeing Eddie's stake snake out at him†¦ well, suddenly, I lost that cool objectivity. I remembered why I'd come here. I remembered what we'd just learned from Robert. Fragile. It was still all so fragile. I'd sworn to myself that if we reached a moment where Dimitri was about to kill me and I hadn't learned more about saving Strigoi, I would do it. I would kill him. And this was my chance. Between Eddie and me, we could take Dimitri down. We could end this evil state, just as he'd once wanted. Yet†¦ less than a half hour ago, I'd been given a small piece of hope that a Strigoi could be saved. True, that part about a spirit user doing it was absurd, but Victor had believed. And if someone like him had believed†¦ I couldn't do it. Dimitri couldn't die. Not yet. I shot out with my stake, a hard strike that raked the silver point against the back of Dimitri's head. He let out a roar of rage and managed to turn and push me off while still fending Eddie away. Dimitri was that good. But Eddie's stake was getting closer to Dimitri's heart, and my friend's gaze was unwavering, intent on his kill. Dimitri's attention flitted between the two of us, and in one small lapse–only half a breath long–I saw Eddie get his stake in the zone, ready to take a shot at Dimitri's heart. A shot that looked like it might succeed where mine had failed. And that was why, in one smooth motion, I struck out with my stake, swiping it across Dimitri's face and knocking Eddie's arm aside as I did. It was a beautiful face. I hated to mar it but knew Dimitri would heal. As I made that attack, I pushed past him, shoving into Eddie so that he and I stumbled toward the fire door that was still shrieking its warning. Eddie's stony face registered surprise, and for a moment we were deadlocked: me pushing him to the door and him pushing back toward Dimitri. I saw the hesitation, though. The positioning was off, and Eddie was on the verge of shoving me into a Strigoi, which his training wouldn't allow. Dimitri was already seizing the opportunity, though. His hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder, trying to jerk me back. Eddie caught hold of my arm and pulled me forward. I cried out in surprise and pain. It felt like they were going to rip me in two. Dimitri was by far the strongest, but even stuck in the middle, my weight played a role, and I lent my force to Eddie's, which helped us gain some ground. Still, it was slow going. Like walking in honey. For each step I managed forward, Dimitri dragged me back. But Eddie and I were making slow–and very, very painful–progress toward the wailing door. A few moments later, I heard the clatter of feet and voices. â€Å"Security,† grunted Eddie, giving me a tug. â€Å"Shit,† I said. â€Å"You can't win,† Dimitri hissed. He'd managed to get both hands on my shoulders now and was overpowering us. â€Å"Oh yeah? We're about to have the entire Luxor Attack Squad here.† â€Å"We're about to have a pile of bodies here. Humans,† he said dismissively. Those humans reached us. I'm not sure what their impressions were. Some guy attacking teenagers? They shouted about us all letting go and facing them, directions the three of us ignored in our epic tug-of-war match. Then they must have laid hands on Dimitri. He was still gripping me, but his hold slackened enough that one huge pull from Eddie and a near-leap on my part broke me free. Eddie and I didn't even look back, though the security guards were now shouting at us too. They weren't the only ones shouting. Just before I pushed open the door, I heard Dimitri calling to me. There was laughter in his voice. â€Å"It's not over, Roza. Do you really think there's anywhere you can go in this world where I can't find you?† The same warning, always the same warning. I did my best to ignore the fear those words inspired. Eddie and I burst into smoggy desert air, as well as sunshine that was still hanging in there, despite being early evening. We were in the Luxor's parking lot–which wasn't crowded enough for us to hide in. With no spoken communication, he and I tore off toward the busy Strip, knowing our physical abilities would surpass those of any human pursuers and let us get lost in the mobs of people. It worked. I never saw how many followed us. My guess was the security staff were devoting their attention to the tall guy killing people in their hotel. The voices shouting after us faded, and Eddie and I finally slowed to a stop in front of New York-New York, and again, without even talking, we immediately turned inside the hotel. It had a twisted layout and was more crowded than the Luxor, and we easily blended in until we could find an empty spot of wall on the far side of the hotel's casino. The run had been hard even for us, and it took us a moment to catch our breath as we stood there. I knew things were serious when Eddie finally turned on me, and anger lit his features. Eddie was always the picture of calm and control, ever since his first abduction by Strigoi last year. It had toughened him, made him more determined to face any challenge. But oh, was he mad at me now. â€Å"What the hell was that?† exclaimed Eddie. â€Å"You let him go!† I put on my best tough face, but he seemed to be outdoing me today. â€Å"What, did you miss the part where I was slashing him with my stake?† â€Å"I had his heart! I had a shot, and you stopped me!† â€Å"Security was coming. We didn't have time. We had to get out of there, and we couldn't let them see us do the killing.† â€Å"I don't think any of them are left to report seeing anything,† Eddie replied evenly. He seemed to be trying to regain his composure. â€Å"Dimitri left a pile of corpses there. You know it. People died because you wouldn't let me stake him.† I flinched, realizing Eddie was right. It should have ended there. I hadn't gotten a good look at the number of security guards. How many had died? It wasn't relevant. Only the fact that innocent people had died mattered. Even one was too many. And it was my fault. My silence caused Eddie to press his advantage. â€Å"How could you of all people forget that lesson? I know he used to be your instructor–used to be. But he's not the same. They drilled that into us over and over. Don't hesitate. Don't think of him as a real person.† â€Å"I love him,† I blurted out, without meaning to. Eddie hadn't known. Only a handful of people knew about my romantic relationship with Dimitri and what had happened in Siberia. â€Å"What?† Eddie exclaimed with a gasp. His outrage had transformed to shock. â€Å"Dimitri†¦ he's more than my instructor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eddie continued staring at me for several heavy seconds. â€Å"Was,† he said at last. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"He was more than your instructor. You loved him.† Eddie's momentary confusion was gone. He was back to hard guardian now, no sympathy. â€Å"I'm sorry, but it's in the past, whatever was between you. You have to know that. The person you loved is gone. The guy we just saw? Not the same.† I slowly shook my head. â€Å"I†¦ I know. I know it's not him. I know he's a monster, but we can save him†¦ if we can do what Robert was telling us about†¦.† Eddie's eyes widened, and for a moment, he was dumbstruck. â€Å"That's what this is about? Rose, that's ridiculous! You can't believe that. Strigoi are dead. They're gone to us. Robert and Victor were feeding you a bunch of crap.† Now I grew surprised. â€Å"Then why are you even here? Why have you stuck with us?† He threw his hands up in exasperation. â€Å"Because you're my friend. I stayed with you through all of this†¦ breaking out Victor, listening to his crazy brother†¦ because I knew you needed me. You all did, to help keep you safe. I thought you had a real reason for getting Victor out–and that you were going to return him. Does it sound crazy? Yeah, but that's normal for you. You've always had good reasons for what you do.† He sighed. â€Å"But this†¦ this is crossing a line. Letting Strigoi go in order to chase some idea–some idea that couldn't possibly work–is ten times worse than what we did with Victor. A hundred times worse. Every day Dimitri walks the world is another day that people are going to die.† I collapsed against the wall and closed my eyes, feeling sick to my stomach. Eddie was right. I had screwed up. I'd promised myself that I would kill Dimitri if I faced him before we could pursue Robert's solution. It all should have ended today†¦ but I had choked up. Again. I opened my eyes and straightened up, needing to find a new purpose before I burst into tears in the middle of this casino. â€Å"We have to find the others. They're out there unprotected.† It was probably the only thing that could have stopped Eddie's scolding just then. Instinctual duty kicked in. Protect Moroi. â€Å"Can you tell where Lissa's at?† My bond had kept me connected to her during our escape, but I hadn't allowed myself any deeper probing than confirming she was alive and okay. I expanded the link a little further now. â€Å"Across the street. At MGM.† I'd seen the ginormous hotel when we ran into this one but hadn't realized Lissa was there. Now I could feel her, hiding out in a crowd like us, scared but not injured. I would have rather she and the others opted to hang out in the sun, but instinct had driven her to the shelter of walls. Eddie and I spoke no more about Dimitri as we headed out and crossed the busy road. The sky was turning peach, but I still felt secure out there. Far more secure than in the Luxor's hallway. With the bond, I could always find Lissa, and without any hesitation, I led Eddie through MGM's twists and turns–honestly, the layout of these places just got more and more confusing–until we saw Lissa and Adrian standing near a row of slot machines. He was smoking. She spotted me, sprinted over, and threw her arms around me. â€Å"Oh my God. I was so scared. I didn't know what had happened to you guys. I hate that one-way bond.† I forced a smile for her. â€Å"We're fine.† â€Å"In a bruised kind of way,† mused Adrian, strolling over. I didn't doubt it. In the adrenaline of a fight, it was easy to not notice injuries and pain. Later, when the battle lust faded, you started to realize just what you'd put your body through. I was so grateful to see Lissa okay that I missed what Eddie had already noticed. â€Å"You guys, where are Victor and Robert?† Lissa's happy face crumpled, and even Adrian looked grim. â€Å"Damn it,† I said, needing no explanation. Lissa nodded, eyes wide and distraught. â€Å"We lost them.†

Research method critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research method critique - Essay Example Qualitative as well as quantitative research methodologies are regarded as two distinct approaches that need to interpret differently. In this regard, qualitative research is defined as an approach of exploring various issues, analysing facts, comprehending phenomena and responding to any question. Conversely, quantitative research is based on collecting data by undergoing through numerous statistical reports and other relevant data (Creswell, 2013). According to Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Conduct 2015, nursing research is regarded as the approach of enhancing public protection by ensuring the nurses as well as the midwives to remain fit into the practice in their respective careers. Specially mentioning, the importance of evidence-based practice with reference to NMC Code of Conduct 2015 lay in offering quality treatments as well as care to the patients by accessing valuable information and also considering past evidences or records regarding the above stated context (Nursing Times, 2014). The elements relating to robustness of the research fundamentally entail statement of the phenomenon, literature review, theoretical framework and ethical considerations among others (Ryan & et. al., 2007). Research work in medical field is executed from long course of time. The research work conducted by Lee (2013) focused upon generating greater level of awareness about good hygiene practices amid the nursing students. The research highlighted hands’ decontamination and usage of gloves as the better prevention measure for cross infection (Gray & et. al., 2013). The research work of Lee (2013) reveals about the decision-making procedure, which is used to evaluate the risks involved with nurses and other medical practitioners. Another aspect of Lee’s research is identified to make decisions as to when, where and how infections could be prevented by the nurses

Innovation to Sustainability of Lexus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Innovation to Sustainability of Lexus - Essay Example 2010, p.1). This paper will then critically discuss the sustainable innovation results of Lexus Company in relation to Lexus CT 200h series. Evaluative Points Innovation strategy Lexus has been amongst the highest ranked company in motor vehicle industry. The innovation of the name Lexus which is associated with luxury has attracted many customers to these products since it is a symbol status. The company has introduced some of the most advanced vehicle with modern features to meet the users’ needs. The company has open day sessions where they involve their clients in displaying their vehicles. The customers have had an opportunity to make their contributions on the brand of vehicle that they need. One of the important aspects of innovation in Lexus is to bring about competitive advantage within the market. The company conducts field study and assess the customers’ tastes and preferences so as to come up with vehicles that meet their needs. The innovation in this compan y has led to continuous improvements in the industry. The vehicles are produced with specific features that suit specific tasks. The materials used to develop the vehicles are mixed with chemicals therefore making them more durable. The vehicllles manufactured are safe for most users. They use less fuel therefore conservint the environment and saving on fuel expenditure. (Pellissier, 2008, p.98) Although this can be achieved through many ways, the biggest problem or challenge is how to sustain it especially in the competitive auto world where cars are unveiled every year. The company products are being imitated by other companies therefore losing originality. The innovation comes with additional cost thus making the price of vehicles too high to the customers. The vehicles require regular It is important to have competitive markets but also it is equally important to look at the organization of firms. This is important for competitive advantage because organization is important in d etermining how resources are allocated and utilized. Lexus organization is similar to that of its mother company Toyota which is decentralized with each entity being autonomous (Stirman, Kimberly, Cook, Calloway, Castro, & Charns, 2012, p.1). Research and developments The company has carried out many researches to come up vehicles that suit the needs of different customers. The company conduct field studies to assess different terrain so that they can make vehicle for specific areas. In the materials used to make the vehicle they conduct tests to ascertain their durability and strength. The vehicles have evolved through many stages, designs and designs to meet the changing trends in consumer tastes and preferences. The company has grown into an international company exporting vehicles to all regions of the globe. The company has set up assembly subsidiaries in many parts of the world so as to meet the consumer needs wants and needs (Roy, 1994, p.103). The research and development ha ve led to dynamic transformation in the vehicles produced by the company. The vehicles of the company have been tailor made to adapt to various demographics. The researches have set up high standard on the quality of vehicle. The research and developments have led to an increase in market for the company products. The company has researcher for different matters therefore giving the company a competitive advantage since the researchers are specialized. The vehicles of Lexus are manufacture in accordance with the researchers’

Development and Evaluation of Participant-centered Biofeedback Essay

Development and Evaluation of Participant-centered Biofeedback Artworks - Essay Example Research Question: Is there biofeedback that is associated with rap and hip-hop visual art and which depicts different experiences and reactions among individuals? If there is or isn’t a reaction, how does it relate to the mind – body experience? ABSTRACT (your descriptive summary of what the research article is about – write last – and write as if this paragraph was to be included as part of a literature review for a research paper) The concept of physiopsychology is one which is now being approached in society as an essential component of experiences in art work. Specifically, it states that there is an association with art and everyday life, as well as how this relates to both the mind and the body, as well as associations with experience and how this changes specific influences (Khut 2006: 24). Examining the mind – body influence in different pieces of art work also creates a different understanding of the importance of art while questioning wha t types of effects it has on individuals and society. This paper examines the mind – body effect and experiences in rap and hip – hop visual art as a genre as well as how this affects the individual experiences, interactions and reactions within society. This examination will help to further designate the way in which this genre is associated with behaviors, characteristics and concepts that are associated with the physiopsychology of hip hop visual arts. OVERVIEW Detailed Content Summary Purpose The purpose of this study is to show how the mind and the body link together in the creation of artwork. It also shows how specific aesthetical techniques link to the mind – body relationships and create a sense of reflecting experiences through the use of aesthetics. This will be done specifically with the mind – body link to hip hop and African – American visual arts as a genre, specifically because it carries a specific type of interactions and messages to society that might work positively or negatively with the mind – body experience. References The references to be used will be based on others which have studied the mind – body relationship to various types of artwork. This will be combined with studies that have been given in relation to hip hop and rap visual art which have shown the mind – body relationship. There will also be references in terms of the overall ways in which the physiopsychology is linked to art work, specifically to define and show the relationship with art and everyday life, as well as how different components affect the mind and body. Theoretical Frameworks The first theory used will be based on biofeedback. This states that there is a direct relationship to the mind and body because of the aesthetics that are defined within a given art work (Khut, 2006: p. 18). There will also be reference to this same theory in terms of somaaesthetics, which states that there are influences within e xperiences and which shows that there are practical relationships which can be determined when interacting with various types of artwork (Khut, 2006: p. 29). Another set of theories will be based on the concepts of cultural identities. This forms the individual experiences, behaviors and attitudes which are created and also build a specific type o