Sci 275 Week 8 Assignment Energy Resource Plan

Water Resource Plan Written by EMMANUEL MCCLAIN Axia University of Phoenix SCI 275 Instructor TED BREWSTER Eutrophication is the depletion of oxygen in an aquatic ecosystem. Eutrophication occurs when a body of water enriched with excess nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus from dead plant material and waste. Nitrogen pollution largely derived from agricultural fertilizers and emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. Phosphorus pollution comes from wastewater treatment and detergents. These elements and compounds make their way to coastal areas through the drainage networks of rivers and streams. This nutrient and phosphorus mix results in increased algae growth that makes water cloudy and unhealthy. There are two ways for eutrophication to occur; the first is artificial eutrophication through the release of sewage, fertilizers and grey water into natural waterways. The second occurs is naturally occurring over lakes and tributaries that flood and pick up dead vegetation, cattle manure and fertilizer. This can lead to loss of biodiversity, global warming, and pollution of drinking water, fish kills, acid rain, and ozone depletion. However, the main culprit behind human caused eutrophication is the phosphorus released from sewage, septic systems and fertilizers. This point source pollution enriches the water and causes a buildup of algae and cyanobacteria in the ecosystem. The process of photosynthesis then starts as the begin feeding on the nitrogen and phosphorus enriched environment leading to murky and hard to see through water this is a sign of eutrophication. My sustainability plan is to educate others on the causes of eutrophication and the effects it has on ecosystems. Increasing awareness will allow many to pinpoint possible sources and causes of eutrophication in their local ecosystems. My first step is to educate myself on the causes and effects of eutrophication. I will research the internet as well as peers reviewed articles. I will then develop an educational tool such as a PowerPoint Presentation to highlight how humans through artificial eutrophication add to the already naturally occurring process. I will include how eutrophication affects humans, animals, fish and plant life. I will then schedule a meeting with the community board members and invite local residents to discuss eutrophication. 1) I will spend the first three months studying and learning about the cause and effects of eutrophication on ecosystems. 2) I will use the library to research the topic to find peer reviewed articles. Using the internet to research magazine, newspaper articles, and DOH and EPA websites, I will gather information regarding how phosphorous and nitrogen get into ecosystems what it involves and how to stop them from forming. ) I will spend several weeks creating a PowerPoint presentation that explains what eutrophication is how it develops, what cause it, and how to prevent it. 4) In the final month, I will schedule the time and day of the presentation. 5) I will invite the community and homeowners. I will first spend time at home gathering the necessary information and research. I will then incorporate this data together to create a cohesive story involving eutrophicati on. I will then place all this into speaker notes and find scenes for use as pictures in the presentation. In order to schedule a meeting with the Homeowners Association I will first create time to introduce myself to the homeowner’s committee. I will use several friends and associates to make introduction easier. I will then request permission to present information to the committee at the next available meeting. After scheduling the meeting, I will proceed to invite fellow businesses and homeowners to attend. The research will require anywhere from 1-3 months to finish while the PowerPoint presentation will take anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Scheduling time with the homeowners association will be at the next scheduled meeting. Overall, it will be an ongoing process but should take no more than 5 months to complete altogether. The problems that may occur are that point source pollution is not the only cause of eutrophication. There can be several causes of eutrophication including nonpoint source pollution such as urban runoff. There are areas that have limited supplies of drinking water and count on areas infiltrated by eutrophication. The local vegetation that live and thrive in this infected ecosystems are choked and killed off. The dead vegetation allows many different species of algae to thrive and form. While the lack of oxygen created from the photosynthesis kills many species of fish. There is an upside to this plan the excess phosphorous taken from these areas can be placed into landfills. There is a shortage of phosphorus on land and this would help revitalize many fields. There are several limitations to the plan the plan would need the community as a whole to effectively combat eutrophication. This would require not only the cooperation of the local Home Owners Association but every local business in the community. Eutrophication also increases with the rising demand of meats and fossil fuels. Developed nations and developing nations alike will see a rise in eutrophication. The problem overall would be resources funding an operation to clean up local waterways and make local industry and sewage systems compliable can cost millions of dollars easily many cities and states are cash strapped and tightening their budgets. References Eisberg, N. (2009, August 10). Getting to the clean point of use. Chemistry & Industry , 11. retrieved from Pheonix University online library website Powersearch . Welch, M. A. (2009). Lake Clean up Plan Panned. Winnepeg Free Press , B. 2. retrieved from Pheonix University online library website Powersearch . Writers, S. (2009). Nutrient Pollution Chokes Marine And Freshwater Ecosystems. Space Daily . retrieved from Pheonix University online library website Powersearch .

Art History: Hall Of Bulls And Chinese Horses Essay

Art in the earliest of days was a bit interesting because of what we know now about art and its history. The first period/discovery of art was between 40,000 and 8,000 b.c.e or more known as the Path eolithic period, this period included artistic forms such as cave paintings and smaller objects used for legion purposes. One of the first caves to be discovered was Lascaux Cave in 1940, says to be dated from 15,000s b.c.e. This cave contains very important and rare drawings such as â€Å"Hall of bulls†, and â€Å"Chinese horses†. The next period was called the Neolithic Period dating back to 8000-2300 b.c.e, the reason this period is important is because it starts the art work of pottery, metal work and massive stone arrangement’s called Dolmens and Cromlech. One of the most remarkable stone arrangements on the southern shore of the Bay o Skaill in the west mainland parish Sand Wick is the Neolithic Village Brae called Skara Brae in 1850 it was hit by a massive storm and revealed the stoned village and thee ancient houses that was buried. Another massive stone monument was the burial mounds that were also discovered around this time, they include dolmens which are slab of stone used to support the vertical slabs creating support for all the stones that were placed on top of the mound. Dolmens were used for single burials, passage graves for communal burials. Another type of burial ground introduced around this era was the Newrange which was a kidney shaped mound covering one acre of land which retained curbstones, some even richly decorated ; it was constructed over 5,000 years ago, it was created by a farming community that proposed on the rich lands of the Boyne valley. This place was recognized to be much more than just a burial tomb. It was a place of astrologic, spiritual religious and ceremonial importance. As we talk about Art in the prehistoric past, you can’t forget to mention the art of the near east. This includes Mesopotamia: â€Å"between the river† Tigris and Euphrates and major trade routes. The specific areas are the Mediterranean coastal cities lapis lazuli and chlorite. The types of art the established here were Technical expertise and financial resources, and the basic building material were mud brick and half-timber construction. These mounds where located near water supply and near a source of raw material making it easier to build and cop with. All of these monuments and projects that were discovered in caves and building show that human culture back then had a sense of creativity, and was also a way to express yourself through drawings and paintings and also providing stories and memories. This type of art can also be known to communicate through different cultures and religion when talking about the way there culture buried people and the different types of ways they did it, Whether it was building dolmens to bury them into or just a burial underground.

Digital Divide Essay

Digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology, and those with very limited or no access at all. A total of 161 countries were examined over the 1999-2001 period to identify the determinants of cross-countries disparities in personal computers and internet penetration. Basically digital divide exist because of socio economic factors, geographical factors, educational, attitudinal and generational factors. A further gap between the developed and underdeveloped world in the uptake of technology is evident within the global community, and may be of even greater significance. Digital divide is classified under four (4) successive types of access: Motivational, physical, skills and usage is observed. A shift of attention from physical access to skill and usage is observed. In terms of physical the divide seems to be closing in most developed countries, concerning digital skills and the use of applications the divide persists. Developing countries are lagging behind in digital library research and development, due to the digital divide as well as the lack of appropriate resources required for search and development. As a result users in developing world are being deprived of digital library services. Global library development can be used by users in developing countries: subject gateways, digital reference services, free access to e-journals and e-books in many areas, also educating individuals about digital divide and also the internet. Having disconnected areas be connected to the network and distributing free useful devices e.g. laptops, phones etc to be up to date. www.emeraldinsight.com/journal.htm?articled=867166&show=abstract[->0] www.sciencedirect.com www.springlink.com/content/ [->0] – http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journal.htm?articled=867166&show=abstract

Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management - Assignment Example For example, the sales department had pointed out that there was inadequate support from the marketing department and for this reason, poor sales had resulted. On the other hand, according to the Director of the marketing department, the design and quality of the product were the major causes of the problem. In order to deal with the problems, a restructure plan was required to be formulated which would best suit the company. The following restructure model can be used: Source: 1 Chinese Apparel Industry Facts From the year 2003, there has been an increase in the market size of the Chinese apparel sector from USD 47,194 million to USD 78,459 million in the year 2009 at a CAGR of 8.8%. In the year 2009, there was a sharp decline in growth rate, where the market slumped due to economic chaos. From USD 95,540 million in the year 2008, the market declined to USD 78,459 million in the year 2009, which was estimated to be a decline of 17.9% of growth2. Diagnosis Internal Analysis of the Sp ortswear Company in China There were multifarious reasons that led the sportswear company in China to suffer losses such as lack of support from the marketing department and poor design and quality of the products. ... They should be aware of different rules and regulations imposed by the government including the taxation policy. Since the Sportswear Company in China is itself manufacturing the products, there is possibility of unfavorable changes in political and trade relations between Singapore and China. The political instability in China, increase in labor costs, or unfavorable weather conditions could considerably get in the way of the production and the shipment of the products of the company, which would in turn affect their operations and financial results. Economic: The sportswear company is also affected by the economy of the country. The stability of interest rate in the country is also a significant factor which can have an impact. A high rate of interest will result in the fall of demand of the product making the borrowings expensive and savings attractive. On the other hand, a low rate of interest leads to increase in the inflation. The company should also take the tax into considera tion. Mainly the taxes are of two types namely direct and indirect. Direct tax cannot be avoided and it affects the personal disposable income. People can avoid Indirect tax such as VAT by not purchasing the products. The high rate of interest in China has led to the fall in the demand of the products in the last two years thereby resulting in the losses for the company. But with the improvement in the living standards of the people of China and also changes in their consumption level, sportswear companies are becoming popular among the people, thereby enhancing the businesses of sportswear manufacturing companies in China. Social: The company should also take into consideration the

WINDOWS DEPLOYMENT PROPOSAL Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WINDOWS DEPLOYMENT PROPOSAL - Term Paper Example By using Windows Server 2012, Worldwide Advertising Inc. employees can store work folders in their PCs and retrieve them from any location; a feature that increases convenience for employees. This feature was only available in Windows 8.x and above. .Assuming that all the workstations used in the network are powerful enough to avoid incidences of network congestion; a total of 12 servers will be used in the Worldwide Advertising Inc. network. Eight of these servers will be located at Los Angeles main offices where network will be managed from. The rest four will be stationed at New York. The roles played by each server are as illustrated in Figure1. All the 95 workstations will run Windows 8.1 because of its support for Windows Server 2012 and its network operability. Five workstations will serve as backup for security and fault tolerance reasons. (Stanek, 2013) The network infrastructure will use Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter Edition. This is because this edition supports virtualized environments and unlimited license for supported instances. To improve security and reliability, Server Core will be used on all the 12 servers. Using Windows Deployment Service in a master workstation, all operating systems and servers will be automatically installed from images. Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) will be used in the installation of Windows System Image Manager (WSIM) which in turn will install all the answer files. To improve the efficiency of the network, there will be two domain controllers for the Worldwide Advertising Inc.; one for each Active Directory. Los Angeles main office will host the main domain controller while New York branch will have a Read Only Domain Controller (RODC) as the backup to the main domain controller at LA. The RODC is place at the NY site in order to reduce network traffic and improve its performance. The two

Youth Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Youth Justice - Essay Example nstructive and more productive members of the society. However, it also must be noted that Youth justice is currently being viewed in different perspectives than it used to be. Many view the current reforms in youth justice due to modernization of the governments and political systems to accommodate the issues like young justice however there is also another dimension to it also as the emergence of private practice into the youth justice have significantly contributed to this issue also. However one also need to consider the fact that these youth justice practices lack the effective quality assurance systems and procedures in place which can ensure that the practice is being done on more professional as well as ethical footings. This essay will argue the role of quality assurance system to be designed to measure the effective practice in youth justice and will attempt to explore the issue from different perspectives so that a balanced view of the same can emerge.... ion must also have been given to this issue so that a positive critic of the same could have helped provide a better understanding of the problems so that quality assurance of the same could have been attained. Youth Justice has been under the complex influences of various forces working within the society which put extra pressures even on the proceedings of the cases against youth therefore the argument has also been put forward to bring in an approach which requires that those who bring children to the legal proceeding should give it a more holistic and comprehensive view so that children who somehow commit crimes are better represented into the legal system within which they are brought in. This therefore requires that those who conduct their practice into the youth justice must make efforts to bring in more quality in their work. (Geraghty). The historical roots of the practice in youth justice are basically founded on two critical principles of justice and welfare appraoch suggesting a approach which demands that a child must be treated differently than an adult criminal thus ensuring equality into the system based on the pecular nature of the status of children within the society. (Stephenson, Giller and Brown) Youth Justice Practice It is believed that the recent emergence of literature on youth based practice and policy has concentrated on the evidence based effective practice. This evidence based practice has now spread almost all the areas of the youth justice and has been considered as an effective and efficient means of dealing with the issue. However one also need to understand the fact that youth based justice practice and the system largely depend upon the society as it has been argued that the society gets the youth justice system which it deserves as

Theorist Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Theorist - Research Paper Example According to Warren, humans acquire knowledge or rather learn using different communication patterns (Rhode, 2006). Studies show that, hypotheses help people understand certain life phenomena since hypothesis applies special degree of critical thinking and evaluation, which are suitable for elaborating and explaining different life issues. Leadership concept is confusing and ambiguous as some of the other explanations provided by certain scholars. Warren Bennis realized he could do better at expounding much on the topic by developing theories describing ways in which one can learn to be a leader, provide the meaning of the connotation leader and/or leadership, and show ways of shaping the facet of leadership in organization (Anbuvelan, 2006). In his Leadership theory, Warren points out that, ‘the concept of leadership is powerful as it eludes or turns people away from one form in order to taunt them on the with its complexity and slipperiness’ (Fitzgerald, 2002). As such, people with different level of thinking have come along with a wide range of words, which include domination, manipulation, rank, influence, control, prestige, authority, and power among others just to define the concept of leadership, yet there still no sufficient wording that can define it (Bennis & Biederman, 2009). Referring to his d escription of theoretical excerpts, it is seeable that Warren believes in rehearsal and dialectical emphasis of leadership, which has no bureaucracy or biasness (Hernon, 2010). Due to the existing welter of confusion, the coherent leadership theory seeks to address the complexity and value-laden potency, which tends to resist a final answer (Goethals, Sorenson, & Burns, 2004). Ideologically, Warren beliefs that learning or acquiring knowledge is simply adapting or changing what people thought to be accurate or true. In order for people to understanding the meaning

Choose a good topic for me Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Choose a good topic for me - Research Paper Example He argues that the long summer holidays can be compared to the extra tuition that other children get in other countries and this keeps our children lacking behind in a global race. In the article by Judith Burns, she has mentioned that Gove says, â€Å"If you look at the length of the school day in England, the length of the summer holiday, and we compare it to the extra tuition and support that children are receiving elsewhere, then we are fighting or actually running in this global race in a way that ensures that we start with a significant handicap†. I disagree with the proposition put forward by Michael Gove. Although school hours are a significant part of the child’s learning and cognitive development but time spent with family and at home is also equally important. Children nowadays are faced with a lot of peer pressure, academic challenges and burdensome school assignments. Starting from school they are working really hard to get into good colleges to secure their futures. I strongly feel that although it is of importance to keep up with the global changes and prepare for the challenges put forward by the world, children need time to relax and enjoy things in life other than arithmetic and English literature. Summer holidays prove as a good opportunity for the children to have some time away from the daily burdensome routines and relax their minds. This is of great significance for the normal and healthy development of the

Volunteer tourism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 1

Volunteer tourism - Assignment Example Of course, the procedure will entail doing research and continuously improving product features that the firm offers. Motivations of this subject are varied with results such as experiencing new things, having fun and skill development among others. This paper seeks this impression of change further as it examine and explore the impact that volunteer tourism organizations play, Speciessaver in particular, for the advancement of humanities and understanding. The paper is developed for Australian intended tourism terminus in Truong Son, in Vietnam. As will be stated in the body of the paper, application methods are researched on and availed at the convenience of willing participants. Tourism is mobile vocational trip that one goes for to enjoy leisure or for business purpose. Increasing personal earnings and arising awareness due to the emergence of technology are just a few factors to mention that have contributed to tourism. Currently, the rate at which financial independence is contracting has promoted the lookout for volunteers in a variety of endeavours (Li-Ju & Joseph 2010). Lyons and Wearing (2008) suggested that the volunteer tourists be those individuals who are driven by internal desire to contribute towards the development and to gain more insight on things through learning new skills. Such persons are dedicated to a reduction of poverty and for the betterment of environmental conditions as well as saving the animal species (Lyons & Wearing 2008). Many companies have since gained insight in advancing the same through linking and facilitating these groups. Management of these groups is essential for efficient delivery of services they would volunteer to provide. This paper probes the classification of these potential volunteers in view of their basic and immediate perception of offering voluntary work in collaboration of attaining

Confucius Biography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Confucius Biography - Research Paper Example His father was commander and died three years after the birth of Confucius. Nevertheless, Confucius got a good education and married at the age of 19. He also became a father of one son and two daughters. (Confucius Biography) Early Occupations During his youth he had to learn so many skills because fortunes of his family had declined. Confucius belonged to the aristocratic family then known as the shih. Confucius in his first occupation is said to have worked as keeper of the Lu granary. After working as a keeper in the market, he worked as a farm worker taking care of farm animals. He also gave his services to the governor of his district. Through his politeness, fairness and love for learning he quickly earned a good reputation for himself. His mother died in 527 B.C.E and then he involved himself in his most beloved pursuit of teaching. It was the period of zhou (Chou) dynasty when moral values prevailed at its nadir. Confucius criticized the disorder and deplored the moral stand ards prevailed within the society. (Ann-ping) When he was 35, ruler Duke Zhao of Lu initiated a war; however, he shifted himself to the neighboring country of Qi. Duke Zhao continued to take his advice but due to opposition of one of his council minister he refused to grant him the land and also stopped taking his advice. (Kotelnikov, Vadim) Teacher He firmly believed that old precepts of the sages can bring back the people to the high moral standards. His fame and name spread across the masses. Confucius became famous in Lu because he made sayings which were full of wisdom. People learned through his teachings. He also helped and advised the emperor on effective and fruitful ruling. He also came into contact with Lao Tzu; however, Lao criticized him for his arrogance. His course or lessons used to be mainly history, music, and poetry. He spent his lot of time on developing the ideas regarding the art of government. Gradually, he acquired a large following. Though many of his follow ers returned to Lu and continued accepting the positions with the Chi clan. It is construed that because of these followers he was invited to Lu. (Kotelnikov, Vadim) Effective Administrator When he was 50, the Baron of Qi approached him and sought his help against a rebellion but he refused to comply. New Duke of Lu then made him a city magistrate. The city prospered under his governance and he got promoted several times and finally became a Grand Secretary of justice and then at the age of 56, became chief minister of Lu. He was quite successful in his administration, introduced the reforms and dispensed the justice quickly. As a result, crimes were almost eliminated. (Kotelnikov, Vadim) Neighboring countries started worrying that Lu would become much powerful. They distracted the duke by sending gifts and dancers. On duke's improper behavior, Confucius resigned and left the country. (Kotelnikov, Vadim) A Great Traveler Confucius visited nearby states and travelled a lot in the hop e that some other ruler would take his heed and undertake measures of reform; however, all his efforts went in vain. Confucius wandered China with his disciples for 5 years and realized that his presence is not well tolerated. Once he was arrested and put into jail for five days. He was also pursued into the countryside by a group of soldiers arranged by jealous nobles; however, he was rescued by the king of a neighboring country. A Political Leader His great emphasis is said to be on political

Summary Module 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary Module 7 - Essay Example on should follow both the theological and philosophical nature to shade the light on the truth by reducing the difference between the west and the east as far as Christianity perspectives are concerned. The Encyclical Redemption mission calls the church to make it known to all that the Gospel is the truth through definitive word of Jesus in full. This is because the beliefs by other religions about Jesus, which are not true, and they should be ignored. Obedience, faith and the truth should be the guidance to the church when proclaiming the word of God as Jesus died after instructing us to do so. The church should understand that the word is the true picture of revelation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This as seen in the New Testament shows that God sent Jesus to the world to die for us and that whoever wants to see God has to pass through Christ. Initially, children who die before baptism were believed to go to hell because of the inherited sins from their parents as per Augustine’s thought. This is a changed belief in the Catholic, as the penalty of sin will be burdened to the actual sinner. The children will enjoy peace with God according to pope Innocent III. Since we live in the world of faith and hope, we should have hope for the better of the children who die due to abortion. In the Bible Jesus point out that, children will inherit the kingdom of God and they should not be prohibited from coming to the Christ as per the book of Mathew in the New Testament. Evangelism vita by John Paul II indicates that children while still in the wombs of their mothers are Godly objects of Fatherly loving. This means that they are blessed before they are born. It is illogical to judge the fate of unbaptized children as it is only the jurisdiction of the Creator. From the New Testament, Jesus teaches about going to heaven to be entailing knowing Jesus and being born again. In patristic period, it gave a provision for salvation outside the church only to those

Achieving the American Dream Essay Example for Free

Achieving the American Dream Essay One would think that purchasing your first home would be a very fascinating experience; after all it is one of the most major purchases of your entire life. In America, home ownership ties in with the American Dream and the spirit of working hard to one day earn through hard work a home with a white picket fence. My husband and I felt that it was time for us to reward ourselves for all the hard work we have been putting in over the years by purchasing our first home, which was well overdue. I quickly learned the process of purchasing your first home can be very frustrating and stressful. However, if you survive the home buying process the reward is priceless once you move into your â€Å"American Dream.† Before we started shopping for our home we both agreed it was important for us to have a mortgage loan preapproval. Although I assumed that obtaining a preapproval would be the most challenging part of purchasing a home, it happened to be the easiest part of the entire process. I was able to be preapproved by my bank over the phone in a matter of minutes pending certain guidelines. Acquiring the preapproval was so easy I was sure the remainder of the process would be effortless. I was startled to learn that I would be faced with many obstacles to overcome in order to complete the process of buying our first home. Next, it was time for us to shop for a new home. I was excited and anxious to shop for our first home. Unfortunately, I was unaware that the housing market in Houston, TX was flourishing and it was very competitive. On my quest for the perfect house, I looked at several beautiful homes. I found one in particular that I liked, and it was a foreclosure. I decided to place an offer on the home. However, only a few days later I was informed that I was outbid by another buyer. Since this was the first home I placed an offer on I did not foresee the outbidding being a major issue. We decided that we would continue our search for our â€Å"American Dream.† The next home I fell in love with was a model home; however, I soon learned that it was a short sale. A short sale can take up to six months to be approved, and I did not have time for that ,because, my existing lease had already expired on my rental home. I begin to work with a realtor who was also an investor. She had a lovely home for sale in a beautiful neighborhood. I extended an offer to her on the home, and she said that she would need to talk it over with her husband. She later contacted me to advise me that she had agreed to accept a cash offer on the home. I continued to look for the perfect home and was not having much success. I soon discovered that the realtor had a new house on the market in the same beautiful neighborhood. I contacted her right away and made an offer on the house. Once she accepted my offer we signed and faxed the contract to the bank right away. The realtor and I both agreed on a closing date which was 45 days from the date we signed the contract. At this point, it was time to make sure that we met all of underwriting guidelines. It was not only important for us to meet all of the bank stipulations but the actual house had to meet bank standards in order for the bank to approve the loan. Shortly, after faxing the contract over to the bank I was contacted by my loan processor, her name was Emily. She told me everything that I needed and I emailed Emily the requirements within 24 hours. The only thing that was pending to my knowledge was the appraisal on the house which I had completed within one week. After, I faxed over the appraisal I did not hear from Emily until three days before my 1st closing date. Emily was contacting me to make me aware that the underwriting department was requesting that a 2nd appraisal on the home be completed before we could close on the home. I was very disappointed that three weeks had passed and I heard nothing from her and now three days before closing she was contacting me to relay this information to me. However, I was not about to give up. I got the appraisal and sent it to the bank, only to have Emily contact me a few days later to tell me that the underwriter was now requiring a termite inspection. We were already well past our 1st closing date and quickly approaching our 2nd closing date, I contacted a termite inspector and had the termite inspection performed right away. Emily then informed me that she was sending all of our information over to the title company so they can arrange a closing date. She gave me the title company’s contact information and told me to contact the title company for my closing date. I contacted the title company and was very surprised to discover I could not close on the house until the seller returned from the Bahamas because she needed to sign a release form. The seller returned from the Bahamas two weeks later and I finally got a real closing date which was October 18, 2012. Finally, I said to my husband we have an actual closing date. I was beyond excited. My husband and I went to the title company on October 18, 2012 to finalize our purchase on our home. I can’t explain the feeling we felt as we signed the mortgage papers on our new home. After signing what felt like a million papers we got the keys to our new home. When we got in our car we had to take a moment to give thanks to God, for not only allowing us to purchase our first home but for letting our first home be our dream home. Why was the process so difficult and complicated to purchase my first home? I can imagine it was due to the housing crisis in America. I believe that banks require so much now because they are trying to prevent homebuyers from losing their homes to foreclosure. They are making every effort to make sure that homebuyers are not overpaying for homes and making every attempt to ensure that homebuyers can afford the homes. Although, I was very frustrated I want prospective homebuyers to know that it was worth all of the trouble. I think homeownership is the American dream and encourage everyone to work towards achieving the American dream by not giving up or becoming frustrated. I think it is very important for prospective homebuyers to focus on the final prize-homeownership. Reflections Paragraph The step I found to be the easiest was major revisions. It was easy because I was able to tie in my conclusion with my introductory paragraph. I am hoping that will grab the readers’ attention and keep them more interested in my essay. The step I found the hardest was proofreading. While I was proofreading I noticed that many sentences did not sound correct. I did my best to try and correct the sentences that did not sound correct. I learned that writing by revising your essay allows you the opportunity to make your essay even better. I still have many errors for improvement; however, I am confident that with practice I will become a great writer.

Milo Yiannopoulos and Freedom of Speech

Milo Yiannopoulos and Freedom of Speech On the first of February, Milo Yiannopoulos was supposed to be giving a planned speech at the University of California. This speech was cancelled, due to the protesters setting fires, throwing objects, and becoming violent. Milo is known for his extreme expression of his views, stating that feminism is a cancer, and also uses racially backed up language. Many are debating whether the cancellation was the right thing to do or not, considering our country is protesting freedom of speech right now, and that is exactly what they revoked from Milo. Like I said before, people are really debating whether cancelling his speech was the right thing to do or not. Although he is a very extreme person, he should have gotten the chance to express his opinion at the campus. He has had past offenses, like when he was banned from twitter for harassing Leslie Jones. He doesnt have a good track record, and his voice of opinion can get very hostile at times. Although he hasnt had a good track record for his actions, I dont believe that the actions by the college were ethical. Milo was not trying to make them believe him, or even tell them thats the way it was. Milo was simply just going to talk about his speech and then leave, but the college did not want to accept that, and got violent. I have said this before, but yes, Milos rights to free speech are indeed being violated. He has expressed his voice a little too freely in the past, but at that college all he was going to do was talk. He has been called a racist before, and a lot of people dont accept his views. That being said, he is a citizen just like all of us, and for him to be denied of a speech by a violent and vicious crowd is absurd. He should have been able to present his speech, and if people didnt like it, then they shouldnt have been there to listen to him give it. Trump had sent a tweet about the incident and basically stated that Milos freedom of speech was being violated. No matter what Milo did in the past or has been doing, he still has the right to a freedom of speech and that shouldnt be revoked because of an angry crowd. I do believe a school or business should be allowed to say who can present or give a speech at their business or campus. It was their choice to let Milo present himself there, and the school should take responsibility for what had happened at the protest. It had said that there were rocks being thrown at the police, windows being smashed, and fire being lit; all resulting in damage of $100,000. Milo was welcomed at that campus, and had no control of the type of people or happenings that would begin there. It was the campus responsibility to control the crowd, in which didnt happen; Milos speech just got cancelled which wasnt fair because it wasnt his fault. People didnt like what he had to say, but the protesters there was completely unnecessary, especially to have broken down the police barricades. If people didnt like Milo or what he was going to say; which they actually had no idea what his topic of speech would be about; they didnt have to show themselves at least not in that man ner. In conclusion, I think that Milo Yiannopoulos was extremely revoked of his freedom of speech. He wasnt doing anything wrong in my opinion, and what the college kids at the campus did was wrong in my eyes. It wasnt fair that he didnt even get to present his speech; and even though a lot of people strongly disagree with his viewpoints on touchy subjects, he should have had the chance to at least present his speech. In my opinion, I do not like the type of person that Milo is showing to everyone. He has been very disrespectful and people do have the right to freedom of expression; which is in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, BUT they didnt have to take it as extreme as they did. Doing this report has just made me realize that there are a lot of horrible people in the world, and not everyone can be happy. The people at the campus were mostly protesters, and I agree that they do have the right to be upset at Milo. That being said, everyone has the right to freedom of speech, eve n the worst of people. Milo Yiannopoulos did state that he would be coming back to the campus, but he should have had the right to present his speech at that campus on the day he wanted; in my opinion.

The Islamic Golden Age Of Baghdad

The Islamic Golden Age Of Baghdad The Islamic civilization has been a victorious civilization dating back towards the 7th century; Islam was first originated in the Arabian Peninsula at the time. Just like any other religion and/or empire there was a Golden age which had formed in year 800-1200, throughout history Islam has encountered downfalls and achievements, however throughout the ups and downs it has been one of the most well-known empires in history. The reason why the Golden Age was a key element in the Islamic Civilization was because it was the period in which mathematicians, scientists, agriculture, politics, and philosophy began to originate. During which time the Abbasid Empire was centered in Baghdad which had promoted political stability, economic growth, and cultural awareness. The Abbasids were particularly Arabs however the Abbasid government was Persian and had many Persians involved with the army and administration. Baghdad became one of the most economically stable cities in the world during the Islamic Golden Age by expanding and introducing new levels and diverging people of various ethnicities such as the Chinese, Indian, and Africans. Baghdad deriving from the Persian word God Given 1 was a small Persian village located in the Middle East, close to the capital Ctesiphon during the Golden Age of Islam, the city was a part of the Persian Empire. Baghdad was known as the center of the trade industry, and had many connections across the world especially Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean region. People from those regions would come to Baghdad to visit and gain more knowledge from the House of Wisdom and to trade crops 2. In the year 762 a man by the name of Abbasid caliph al-Mansur began to construct the capital of Baghdad 3. Mansurs architects built the city as a round circle and in the center stood the main mosque of the city to worship Prophet Muhammad; the city had three walls around each wall had a different structure one of the walls had the army headquarters for protection4. Eventually, the city had developed onward toward the eastern bank of Tigris; unfortunately about 4 centuries later as Baghdad began to ex pand the Mongols came into the city in the year 1258 which set a decline in the Abbasid Empire.5 In the 9th century one of the biggest establishments had been created in Baghdad known as the Bayt al- Hikma (The House of Wisdom), it was educationally influential toward Baghdad and Islam as a whole; it was promoting literary and scientific methods. Scholars from around the world whether being Muslim or any sort of religion would gather the knowledge not only of the world but the universe, the House of Wisdom was founded to have a research library for all subjects such as; linguistics, science, math, and astronomy.6 Plenty of the research which was done at the House of Wisdom had been translated from different languages like Farsi, Latin, Turkish, which had translated to Arabic. This was known as the translation movement; many mathematics, medicine, and astronomy which had been researched by Pahlavi from Persia were translated into Arabic.7 Plato, Aristotle, and Galen very well-known philosophers there works were sent in to the House of Wisdom for translation to the Arabic language .8 Many different people from around the world at that time would travel to the house to gain knowledge and bring the knowledge back to their home country which consisted of Mesopotamia, China, Egypt, and Greek civilizations. The medical works which had been done in the medical school of Jundishapur of Sasamids had been transferred into the House of Wisdom; in the 9th century paper was introduced to the city of Baghdad.9 The Golden Age during the rise of the Islamic civilization had a major transformation in agriculture, which had an environmental impact at the time. Muslim traders changed the trade industry by the dispersion of harvesting the crops and distributing these crops to various parts of the Middle East, which had led to the major transformation of economy, population, and circulation. Worldwide crops were grown and delivered to the Middle East from numerous countries such as: China would deliver citrus fruits to the Islamic lands and new food crops were created in India like date palms, spinach, bananas, eggplant, rice, and lemons.10 These would be delivered to Iraq, at that time due to the climate and location of the Middle East which would not be able to produce these crops. One of the major discoveries was sugar production which turned into one of the biggest industries of the Golden Age, sugar plantations and refineries began to be established in the 8th century and distributed worldwi de.11 Gold Abbasid Coins were used as money known as Gold Dinars; on the coins it says In the name of God, there is no deiry except god alone. 12 In the 8th century the expansion of trade and industry began where long distance caravan trade routes would be developed and expanded. Trade with India was very popular in the Golden Age because they developed many crops such as bananas, date palms, and rice. The trade would be delivered through the Persian Gulf to Iraq; this is when the creation of an international market started to begin with southeast Asia, Spain, India, and the Mediterranean lands. Iraq was the center of trade worldwide, and a prosperous population of about 500,000 people13 the influences which took part were: peace, resources, wealth, and efficient laws. Moving towards a political standpoint in the golden age of the Islamic empire, the city of Baghdad was ruled by Abbasids from 750-1258 and the Abbasids were culturally Arab.14 However, the Grand Vizier and Vizier which means the Prime Minister and Minister was culturally Persian15. The Abbasids were Muslim both Shiite and Sunni; they provided economic growth and helped Baghdad to be a persevered city and known worldwide for their agriculture, people, culture, and intelligence. They provided cultural richness and political stability to ensure the population of approx. 500,000 remained prosperous. The administrative policy in Baghdad were involving local governors appointing Caliphs also known as Muslim rulers who were people to be believed a demonstrative Allah on earth.15 Toward the conclusion of the Islamic Civilization during the Golden age, there were plenty of reasons why Baghdad as a city filled with so much potential is able to make them known worldwide for their agriculture, culture, political stability, and intelligence. For every choice which was made in Iraq was a step further toward an empire filled with wealth, happiness, and economically stable. The Abbasids and Persians built an impressive House of Wisdom for the world to admire; I can conclude that the Islamic civilization was one if not most successful civilization by making people from around the world visit Baghdad and diversify in peace. Endnotes: Mirzai, Behnaz. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Lecture, Empires and Revelutions from Brock University, St. Catharines, October 31, 2012. Mirzai. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Mirzai. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Mirzai. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Goodwin, Jason. The Glory That Was Baghdad. The Wilson Quarterly (1976) 27, no. 2 (2003): 24-28. Mirzai. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Bennison, Amira K.. The great caliphs: the golden age of the Abbasid Empire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009. Goodwin, Jason. The Glory That Was Baghdad. Goodwin, Jason. The Glory That Was Baghdad. Mirzai. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Goodwin, Jason. The Glory That Was Baghdad. Mirzai. Various ethnic groups contributed to the creation of the Abbasid Golden Age. Lapidus, Ira M. The golden age: The political concepts of Islam. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (1992): 13-25. Lapidus, Ira M. The golden age: The political concepts of Islam.

Classical vs. Operant Conditioning :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Classical Vs. Study done at home showing the effects of operant and classical conditioning. Operant Conditioning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my first experiment I tried to induce a startled response in my roommate by using Classical Conditioning. Since we have a lot of traffic in and out of our apartment I decided that every time someone opened or closed the front door I would clap loudly in his ear and he would startle. After a couple of times I discontinued this behavior to see if he would still startle when someone opened the door. The unconditioned stimulus is the loud clapping noise. The unconditioned response is the startled response. The door opening or closing starts out as the neutral stimulus, but becomes the conditioned stimulus capable of producing the conditioned â€Å"startled† response. The experiment was partly successful. Instead of being startled my roommate seemed more upset by me clapping in his ear. When I stopped the behavior and the door opened he would just look at me to see if I was going to perform the clapping action. I could say the actual response he gave of bein g angry would be the conditioned and unconditioned response rather than being startled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the next part of the experiment I conditioned behavior using operant conditioning. The behavior I conditioned was for one of my roommates to clean the apartment. I offered to go to the store and buy some groceries if one of my roommates would clean the house. When I got back from the store the house was clean.

Jane Eyre :: English Literature

Jane Eyre What do you learn from Jane's arrival at Thornfield and her first meeting with Mr Rochester? When Jane first arrives at Thornfield she is greeted by Mrs Fairfax, she receives a warm welcome and an inquiry into whether she is cold and a subsequent offer to warm by the fire. This something Jane is not used to, in the past at the Reed's house, Gateshead, and certainly at Lowood her reception had been quite cold and harsh. At Gateshead Jane was treated badly and received no love. Bessie the servant was the only person who even showed some sort of interest in her. In my opinion Bessie cared for Jane as her own, reading to her many times out of the books by the window seat. Of course the 'Reed' children were treated much more fairly and there was biases towards them, but this was down to Mrs Reed's dislike for Jane, which is stated later in the story just before she dies. In chapter three Jane has been in the red room as a punishment and when she comes out she has suffered greatly and needs to see a doctor. However Mrs Reed only sends for a apothecary, if one of her own children had been ill a proper doctor would have been called, which again shows Mrs Reeds poor treatment of Jane. When finally Jane is sent to what Mr Lloyd thinks will be a better place for her, Lowood School, she is faced with more distant relationships and hard conditions. However Miss Temple and Helen Burns are of great contrast to the main theme at Lowood and provide at last someone Jane can trust and relate to. Miss Temple has a kind character and concerns herself with Jane's well being when she arrives at the school. She later becomes the closest Jane gets to a role model in life. Helen is Jane's first friend and has a profound effect on her in many ways as well as being a counterbalance to Jane's character and teaching her to be self-controlled and well disciplined and studious to get on in life. As I put earlier when Jane first comes to Thornfield she is meet by Mrs Fairfax. As always Jane is quick to form impressions in her mind which as readers we learn and can appreciate. She describes her as "the neatest imaginable little elderly lady." Which you see as quite a likeable and welcoming character. She then goes on to say "A more reassuring introduction for a new governess could scarcely be conceived." This shows the perfect setting for Jane at last, which is

Advantages and Disadvantages of Entertainment Essay

Present day entertainments are either good or bad or ugly. Advantages: good ones with pure fun, frolic, knowledge dissemination through various media keep us in good moods, healthy thoughts and entertained. Bad ones can be ignored by matured audience or readers but nonetheless, they leave a bad impression on our minds. The ugly ones are those that border on vulgarism like hard core porno entertainments, horror movies or badly worded books or comics. Disadvantages: All the above will be of great disadvantage if any form of entertainment is not used moderately and on a selective basis by those who seek fun and laughter. Any kind of entertainment, good or bad, will be bad for children who get addicted to any kind of habit, become couch potatoes and finally end up with obesity, lack of interest in studies and finally become a burden to the society. Portable entertainment devices, such as: Mp3 or DVD-players, which allow people to listen to music or watch films, are now commonplace. What do you think are the main advantages anddisadvantages of this development? Nowadays, products of hi-tech like a Mp3 or DVD-players become to be parts of the humans’ life. In my opinion, these technologies have merits and demerits. People use these modern techniques everywhere and any time because they are portable, compact and may contain a lot of info compared with diskets or tape recording. For example, we can take Mp3 or DVD-players with us during the travelling or going to somewhere. And these devices don’t claim more place than oldest. Moreover, we are able to record not only music or movies, but also educational programmes. These type of technologies have some opportunities. For instance, it can work without electricity and it is easy to handle. Besides, they have additional devices earphones in order not to distract other people. On the other hand, Mp3 or DVD-players have some drawbacks. I mean, they cause sometimes incidents (stray off the environmental around). As an example, while crossing the street or driving transport facilities, which even be reason for an accident. To sum up, I agree that today Mp3 or DVD-players play a great role in human’s life. And these easy movable techniques have both advantages and disadvantages. However, I think that there are more merits than demerits. Nowadays, hi-tech products such as Mp3 or DVD-players have become a part of the human life. In my opinion, these technologies have merits and demerits. People can use these modern techniques everywhere and at any time because they are portable, compact and contain a lot of information compared to older versions such as diskets or tape recorders. For example, we can take Mp3 or DVD-players with us while travelling . And these devices don’t require much space as required by older portable entertainment devices. On the other hand, Mp3 and DVD-players have some drawbacks. , they sometimes cause incidents (stray off the environmental around). For example, while crossing the street or driving transport facilities, what can be reason for an accident. To sum up, I agree that today Mp3 or DVD-players play a great role in human life. And these easy movable techniques have both advantages and disadvantages. However, I think that there are more merits than demerits (give an evidence) Nowadays, hi-tech products like Mp3 players or DVD-players have become common parts of human life. I made some changes. I also made it so that â€Å"human† is used as an adjective. It is not wrong the way you did it, but this change makes it sound nicer. You can always just say â€Å"going somewhere† and not going to somewhere. For example, we can take Mp3 or DVD-players with us during the travelling or going somewhere. As an example, while crossing the street or driving, these products may even become the causes of an accident. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet In the history of mankind, the Internet is the greatest development in the domain of communication industry. Similar to each and every invention, the Internet carries a number of advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, the advantages of the Internet are so huge in number that they outperform the disadvantages quite easily. What is Internet? According to the definition provided by Oxford dictionary, the Internet is an arrangement of connected computers, which lets the computer users all over the globe exchange data. At the present time, approximately 33% of the world population has accessibility to the Internet. The Internet is an extraordinary entertainment and learning tool that may be utilized in a number of modes to increase the ability of a user to collect information. The principal components of the Internet are the World Wide Web (WWW) and e-mail. With the passage of time, the Internet has become the most effective business tool in the contemporary world. It can be described as a global meeting place where people from every corner of the world can come simultaneously. The advantages of Internet Following are the advantages provided by the Internet: 1) Information The biggest benefit offered by the Internet is information. It functions as a valuable resource of information. You can find any type of information on any subject with the help of the search engines like Yahoo and Google. 2) Communication The primary goal of the Internet is communication. It has done extremely well in this field, however the development process is still going on to make it more dependable and quick. By sending an e-mail, we can contact a person who is physically present thousand miles away within the fraction of a second’s time. 3) Entertainment Internet functions as a popular medium of entertainment. A wide variety of entertainment including video games, music, movies, chat room, news and others can be accessed through the Internet. 4) E-commerce E-commerce is the idea that is implemented for any form of commercial strategy or business transactions that entails transmission of data from one corner of the world to another. E-commerce has become a fantastic option through which you can shop anything. 5) Formation of communities Internet helps in formation of communities or forums. Here a number of people can participate in different types of debates and discussions, express their views and gather valuable knowledge. 6) Services A variety of services are offered via Internet, for example job searching, online banking, buying movie tickets, hotel reservations and consultation services etc. When you avail these services offline, they become more expensive. The disadvantages of Internet Following are the disadvantages of Internet: 1) Spamming: Spamming denotes distribution of unsolicited e-mails in large numbers. They are meaningless and they unnecessarily block the whole system. These activities are treated as illegal. 2) Theft of personal details While using the Internet, there is high probability that your personal details like name, address and credit card number may be accessed by con artists and used for fraudulent purposes. 3) Pornography: Pornography is definitely harmful for your children. There are numerous pornographic sites available over the Internet and watching any of those can have very bad influence on the mental health of your children. 4) Virus threat Virus is a program that interrupts the usual operation of your personal computer system. PCs linked to the Internet have high probability of virus attacks and as a result of this your hard disk can crash, giving you a lot of trouble. Advantages and Disadvantages of Entertainment Units Entertainment devices are usually used in a room and they are big pieces of furniture, a TV, DVD player, game console, DVD and so on will stop. You need entertainment systems and keep them out of sight when not in use. For example, if you watch TV you must open the doors on the front panel. If you update your living room or TV room, consider buying a drag entertainment device. To help you decide, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of element. Pro – there are so many different kinds of entertainment devices that have no trouble finding someone to be the style or theme of your room to be adjusted. For example, if you are looking for a modern design a single, high-gloss black or gloss white, clean and tidy appearance. Con – if you do not have much space in your living room furniture of this type can not be a good choice. Most entertainment units are quite large because they are intended, shelves, drawers, etc.. Although this represents a significant premium for many people a disadvantage when space is tight in your home. It is possible, but this kind of unity, which is slightly less to find, so if you have your heart set on a not abandon your search Pro – modern furniture, as it is more and more popular with people who want a clear look into her room to create. When televisions and other electrical equipment, as well as DVDs, etc. are just entertainment devices away for a very good choice for those who do not like the messy look, which sometimes can make these objects are stored. By the way, closed its doors a device like this and have a high quality furniture, in stead of TV stands, DVD racks and boxes of toys is a definite plus point. Con – it could be difficult for a device like this that come in a finish other than wood to get. For example, a glass, if you’re a fan of devices that you will not find one suitable. This is because these devices are designed to keep objects out of sight when not in use, and if any part of them were destroyed by the glass, this effect will be. As you can see there are various pros and cons of entertainment devices. But the drawbacks of these products are really on their size and the materials from which they were instead based their functionality or design. These devices are a good choice for anyone who wants their TV, DVD player, game console, etc. out of sight when not in use Advantages and disadvantages of entertainment online There are plenty of options available for entertainment online, particularly due to the onset of internet and the fast speeds which keep increasing these days. While it is reasonable for parents to be concerned about some aspects of this entertainment online, it is important to note that the internet offers plenty of choices that are both useful and knowledgeable for kids both young and old. For instance, toddlers can enjoy music and pictures online. However, for older kids, parental control is obviously always advised to limit the entertainment online to those selections which are appropriate for the kids’ ages. Like everything else, entertainment online has both advantages and disadvantages. The goal of all parents and guardians must be to use it for educational and appropriate entertainment purposes and have some control on the sites that the kids can browse. Not only will this help them to learn how to use the internet in a positive way, but it will also build healthier relationships between you and your kid. Internet will be inevitably used by your child as he or she grows. Instead of rejecting its use completely while they are still young, why not use them suitably and make them aware of what you approve? Studying, researching, school assignments all require google and other search engines. Therefore, showing your child the ways of the internet and how to locate information can be extremely useful for their future.

Theme of Duplicity in

THEME OF DUPLICITY IN THREE SHORT STORIES OF HENRY JAMES: THE LIAR, THE REAL THING, AND THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE Nazan Gokay Theme of Duplicity in Three Short Stories of Henry James: â€Å"The Liar,† â€Å"The Real Thing,† and â€Å"The Beast in the Jungle† The genius of Henry James manifests itself in duality of meaning in both his shorter and longer works. Appearance and reality provide for two levels of expression. On one level the theme is explicit as told by the narrator, but underneath lies the ambiguous meaning which is in a sense the main theme of the story. The ambiguity is usually embedded in the narrative; it is the task of the attentive reader to seek it out, understand it and enjoy it. James does not make this task easy for the reader. His style is subtle, vague, and demands a lot of attention. One clue to the real meaning of James’s stories is the irony employed. Most of James’s narrators are unrealiable in the sense that they are deceptive. Their unreliability is either a result of their blindness or unawareness of their situation and environment, or an egotistical engagement in their own affairs so as to distort reality. The unreliable narrator misleads the reader. The Jamesian irony clarifies the story, brings out the real meaning beneath the apparent and reveals the unreliable narrator. â€Å"The Liar† is a perfect example of the use of an unreliable narrator and the existence of two levels of meaning, the real and the apparent. Although the story is not told from a first person point of view, the narrator confines himself only to the mind of Oliver Lyon, a painter and former suitor of Mrs. Capadose. The events are recorded through Lyon’s mind and we perceive people through his eyes. According to Lyon, Colonel Capadose is a villainous liar who has to be exposed. Lyon’s conception of Capadose as a liar and his envy of the Colonel have blinded Lyon to appreciate him as an amiable human being which in fact he is. Lyon treacherously plans to expose the Colonel in a portrait he will paint as â€Å"the liar† and eventually renew his friendship with Mrs. Capadose. Lyon’s account of the event is the apparent and superficial meaning of the story. Colonel Capadose is the liar and he has corrupted his wife through their years of marriage, for at the end of the story she, too, lies in order to save her husband. Lyon, as the disillusioned hero, watches them depart from his life, thinking that â€Å"he had trained her too well. † On a deeper and more significant level, Oliver Lyon is the real liar. Although Colonel has been known as a liar, he is a harmless man who is only engaged in a social game. In society, in human relationships, one has to wear a mask. Lyon himself points out at the dinner party that people like others not because they are strictly honest but because they are skillful in deception. Lyon’s treachery is much more significant than Colonel’s social games. Lyon tries to violate the integrity of another man’s character; moreover, he plans to expose him to the public. Subtle but definitely present Jamesian irony brings out the essence of the story. The most obvious ironical device is the name Oliver Lyon, who is the real liar. The exposure of the couple at the end is ironically at the expense of Lyon who loses forever any chance he might have had with this ideal woman, the woman that he has loved for so long. Through the story Lyon plots against the Colonel, but in fact he is bringing about his own disillusionment. In this manner, the real meaning of â€Å"The Liar† emerges as a result of Lyon’s self-defeat, not from humiliation of Colonel Capadose as Lyon had anticipated. The circumstance of â€Å"The Real Thing† is slightly different than the â€Å"The Liar. † Although the theme of duplicity, dichotomy between the apparent and the real is still the central issue, there is no unreliable narrator. In â€Å"The Liar† the superficial is conveyed through accounts of the unreliable narrator and the real is embedded in the ironical and false character of Oliver Lyon. In â€Å"The Real Thing† the dichotomy between the real and the apparent is explicitly stated. In this story James is concerned with the mission of the artist who seeks for expressive and imaginative realism in potential nothings rather than in concrete, conventional real things. Mr. and Mrs. Monarch, as their names imply, are types or norms of a superior humanity. They are ideal, real, and aristocratic in life, but they are not right for art. When the painter tries to paint them, their portraits materialise as rigid, photograhic images. The painter-narrator discovers that Miss Churm and Oronte who are socially nothings prove to be the real things for art. They can adopt aristocratic poses better than those who are really aristocratic in life. On a social level Mr. and Mrs. Monarch, â€Å"a gentleman and a lady† as the porter’s wife announces them, are the real things. The social institution, their married life is perfect, they are devoted to each other. On an aesthetic level, the artist’s imagination is the real thing. On this level the reality of Monarchs is no longer valid; Miss Churm and Oronte replace them. The irony of the story rests on the fact that for the artist, the represented subject is more essential than the real thing. The Beast in the Jungle† is the story of a man who is haunted by fear and expectation simultaneously that something will happen to him. John Marcher is the typical blind hero of James. His self-indulgence prevents him from seeing the reality, thus his view, through which the story is narrated, is unreliable. John Marcher is similar to Oliver Lyon in that his self-deception resul ts in inflicting pain to others, although his motives are not aggressive like Lyon’s. Marcher is not a villain as Lyon is. He causes May’s and his own unhappiness unwittingly. His flaw is his blindness, but certainly not treachery. His situation is as ironic as Lyon’s in that he tries to be ordinary and hide his uniquenesss, while he is unaware that his uniqueness is that he is, in fact, ordinary. The double meaning is conveyed through the two characters of the story. John Marcher manifests the superficial and apparent aspect, while May Bartram presents the real and underlying theme. Most of the story is related through John Marcher’s point of view as the â€Å"The Liar† was told through Lyon’s point of view. The underlying theme is expressed in the dialogues with May Bartram, who is a very perceptive and intelligent woman. Soon after she has made his acquaintance, she sees his real issue. She comes to love him, but he is too engrossed in his expectations to notice her unquestioned presence and friendship. As years go by she sees â€Å"it† not happening. Finally, before she dies she tells him that â€Å"It has come†, but he is still unaware. His moment of recognition comes when he visits her grave and realizes that he has lost her forever, and that he is â€Å"the man, to whom nothing on earth was to have happened. As in the other two stories, the names of the characters are significant in stressing the theme of duplicity. Marcher is winter; May is spring. Marcher is fear; May is love. Marcher advances in a stately manner, but never reaches May in her lifetime. In â€Å"The Liar† and â€Å"The Beast in the Jungle† unreliable narrators are used to convey and st ress the double meaning. In â€Å"The Real Thing† the dichotomy between the real and the apparent is presented as a problem confronting the artist. In either case the theme of duplicity is employed to add richness and depth to the meaning of the stories. The double meaning, irony, and unreliable narrators have become indispensable elements of Jamesian fiction. BIBLIOGRAPHY Matthiessen, F. O. Henry James: The Major Phase. New York: Oxford University Press, 1963. Powers, Lyall H. Henry James: An Introduction and Interpretation. New York: Holt , Rinehart and Winston, Inc. , 1970. Stone, Edward, ed. Henry James: Seven Stories and Studies. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. , 1961. Tompkins, Jane P. , ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Turn of the Screw and Other Tales. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. , 1970.

Miracles – Philosophy

Philosophy- â€Å"A belief in miracles leads to the concept of a god who favors some but not all his creation† The problem with miracles is that it cannot be properly defined which means there is no absolute meaning for a meaning, instead my philosophers have attempted to define miracles in their own way. In these definition they are usually for or against the existence of miracles, for example take two contrasting definitions Ward and Hume. Ward says miracles are events which god intervenes because he only knows the consequences of the action.On the other hand, Hume is a philosopher who is totally against the idea of miracles, he says miracles do not exist because they violate the laws of nature. Knowing this, god cannot intervene because he would violate the laws of nature, humans have faith in experience and trust the laws this would be lost if miracles were deemed true. Another philosopher would had a problem with miracles was a man called Wiles. He basically said, to say god carries out these miraculous events is to say god is guilty of obituary and partisan.Any event where the natural flow is violated for a certain people raises the issue of fairness and consistency. Wiles also said the two idea of having an all loving god and the existence of miracles are two incompatible ideas so its easier to believe that god is all loving and reject the idea of miracles. If this was in reverse and miracles existed and god could intervene then why didn't he intervene is horrific events such as Auschwitz or Hiroshima instead he saves one persons life, this seems unfair and a contradiction of an all loving god.As for biblical miracles Wiles said we must take them in a symbolic sense rather than a literal sense. A strength of Wiles it that allows educated believers to keep faith with god and uphold their faith in natural laws. Many people agreed with what Wiles was saying for example a man called Bultman agreed that the miracles explained in the bible are not there to take literal, he says we get the true message behind the miracle if we demythologize them.For example he turned water into wine to prevent the embarrassment of the hosts which shows his care and wisdom. To believe that god favors some more than others through the existence of miracles is wrong, who says its god that these events originates? We have no evidence to suggest this, just because we cannot find this would doesn't mean we have to point it to god. Holland was another philosopher who didn't believe in the concept of miracles, well the name miracle he thought that they were more of a coincidence.He used the analogy of the train, what is some one was stuck on the track and the train had stopped right in front of the person, some people may call this a miracle but when we know the full picture someone in the train may have accidentally pressed the emergency stop or the driver could have passed out. So the concept of the whole miracles thing may just be one big coincidence. L ooking at Holland’s view it would make god innocent of being arbitrary and partisan, this is because these events are just coincidences it has nothing to do with god.As mentioned earlier, Hume was a man who rejected the idea of miracles due to being a violation of the laws of nature. Hume believes strongly in experiences and what we gain from them, as for this situation, the laws are something we have learnt about and follow. So when something happens that goes against these we deem them coming from god because we cannot define or justify them. All in all, Hume says the alert of miracles comes from the ignorant and barbarous nations. Knowing this, God would also be innocent because it is not god who intervenes so its not him which favors some and not others.There are events that are unexplained so they must come from some where, lets say for arguments sake tat they come from god. Us as humans are not on his level therefore we cannot say or he is this or that, he may have a re ason and we would find out when we die. All the events that are unexplained may paint a bigger picture but humans are outside of god knowledge and experience so we cannot really judge god. Irenaous was a philosopher who looked at the problem of evil, he would say god is being cruel to be kind and making humans into the image of god, this because events like miracles change people.To develop these emotions naturally have more significance than being drilled in at birth by god. Overall, I conclude that God does not favor some people over others. My reasons for this is because we cannot define miracle we can only speculate on what we think, for this reason how can we act upon such uncertainty? Also we cannot judge god because we have no knowledge of him or what he has planned, only him and him only knows the repercussions of his actions.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Harris Burgerron Essay

Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Dir. Don Siegel. Prod. Walter Wanger. Perf. Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan, Carolyne Jones. Allied Artist Picture Corporation, 1956. Film. , has much egalitarianism meaning as  Vonnegut, Kurt. â€Å"Harris Bergeron†. N. p. : Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, 1961. Print. These two great stories show us how the Cold War era was a time  when people would do anything to prevent themselves from being part of something they don’t want to be, for example, being a communist.During the Cold War Era, propaganda was displayed through the United States. With the message conveying that living under a communist country was a horrible thing. A few failed to recognize the threat, and fell to communism by betraying their country. But for the most part, the minds of Americans where set on stopping communism from spreading, and eventually getting rid of it at all costs. In The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dr. Hill, pla yed by Kevin McCarthy, took on the role of warning other people what is happening in the town of Santa Mira, California.Resisting to fall asleep at all cost. Eventually getting to his goal of warning other people what horrible things that are to come if they don't take action against the Body Snatchers. In â€Å"Harrison Burgeron†, by Vonnegut Kurt, Harrison Bergeron was a complete failure according to his egalitarist government. Wanting freedom for everyone, he tries to send a message to everyone how the government should really be. He takes off the restraints of musicians, a ballerina, and himself on live television.Showing that freedom to do what what you want, and showing the best you can do at something, is the way to live. While doing so Harrison was killed during his attempt to set and show the example to other people how they should live. He was killed by Diana moon Glamopers, the Handicapper General there were a set of laws, the 211th, 12th, and the 213th Amendments to the Constitution required the people to be the same. But Harrison shows we cannot live this way.

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 32

Chapter 32 All for One, and†¦ Well, You Know They might have been the Magnificent Seven or the Seven Samurai. If each of them had been a trained professional, a gunfighter with a character flaw, or a broken warrior with a past – or if each had a secret reason for joining a suicide mission, an antihero's sense of justice, and a burning desire to put things right – they might have become an elite fighting unit whose resourcefulness and courage would lead them to victory over those who would oppose or oppress. But the fact was, they were a disorganized bunch of perpetual adolescents, untrained and unprepared for anything but throwing stock and having fun: the Animals. They sat on the registers as Tommy paced before them telling them about the vampire, about Simon's death, and giving them the call to action while the Emperor stood by quoting passages from Henry the Fifth's speech at the Battle of Agincourt. â€Å"The cops aren't going to believe it, and I can't do it alone,† Tommy said. The Emperor said, â€Å"‘We few, we lucky few†¦ â€Å" â€Å"So who's with me?† The Animals didn't say a word. â€Å"Barry,† Tommy said, â€Å"you're a scuba diver. You've got some balls, right? Sure, you're balding and going to fat, but this is a chance to make a difference.† Barry looked at this shoes. Tommy jumped to Drew, who hung his head so that his greasy blond hair covered his face. â€Å"Drew, you have the most complete knowledge of chemistry of anyone I've ever met. It's time to use it.† â€Å"We've got a truck to unload,† Drew said. Tommy moved to Clint; stared into his thick glasses, ruffled his curly black hair. â€Å"Clint, God wants you to do this. This vampire is evil incarnate. Sure, you're a little burned out, but you can still strike a blow for righteousness.† â€Å"Blessed are the meek,† said Clint. â€Å"Jeff!† Tommy said. The big jock looked up, as if the key to the universe lay in the fluorescent lights. â€Å"Jeff, you're big, you're dumb, your knee is blown out, but hey, man, you look good. We might be able to use that.† Jeff began whistling. Tommy moved on. â€Å"Lash, your people have been oppressed for hundreds of years. It's time to strike back. Look, you don't have your MBA yet – they haven't completely juiced you of your usefulness yet. Would Martin Luther King back down from this challenge? Malcolm X? James Brown? Don't you have a dream? Don't you feel good, like you knew that you would, now?† Lash shook his head. â€Å"I have to study in the morning, man.† â€Å"Troy Lee? Samurai tradition? You're the only trained fighter here.† â€Å"I'm Chinese, not Japanese.† â€Å"Whatever. You're a kung-fu guy. You can reach into a guy's pocket and take his wallet before he knows it's gone. No one has reflexes like you.† â€Å"Okay,† Troy said. Tommy stopped on his way to the next man. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Sure, I'll help you. Simon was a good friend.† â€Å"Wow,† Tommy said. He looked to Gustavo. â€Å"Well?† Gustavo shook his head. â€Å"Viva Zapata!† Tommy said. â€Å"Leave him alone,† Troy Lee said. â€Å"He's got a family.† â€Å"You're right,† Tommy said. â€Å"Sorry, Gustavo.† Troy Lee got up and stood in front of the other Animals. â€Å"But you fuckers. You worthless bags of dog meat. If Simon could see you he'd shoot every one of you. This could be the best party we ever had.† Drew looked up. â€Å"Party?† â€Å"Yeah,† Troy Lee said, â€Å"party. We drink some brews, kick some ass, dismember some monsters – maybe pick up some babes. Christ, Drew, who knows what kind of shit we could get into. And you're going to miss it.† â€Å"I'm in,† said Drew. â€Å"Me too,† said Barry. Troy looked at Jeff and Clint. â€Å"Well?† They nodded. â€Å"Lash, you in?† â€Å"Okay,† Lash said without conviction. â€Å"Okay,† Tommy said. â€Å"Let's throw the truck. We can't start until morning anyway. We'll figure out a plan and get some weapons then.† Troy Lee held up a finger. â€Å"One thing. How do we find the vampire?† Tommy said, â€Å"Okay, let's get to work.† Morning found the Animals in the Safeway parking lot, drinking beer and discussing the strategy for finding and disposing of a monster. â€Å"So, as far as you know, drugs don't affect them?† Drew asked. â€Å"I don't think so,† Tommy said. â€Å"Well, no wonder he's pissed off,† Drew said. â€Å"What about guns?† Jeff asked. â€Å"I've got Simon's shotgun at my house.† Tommy thought for a moment before answering. â€Å"They can be hurt; I mean, damaged. But Jody heals incredibly fast – this guy might even be faster. Still, I'd rather have a twelve-gauge against him than nothing.† Barry said, â€Å"A stake through the heart always works in the movies.† Tommy nodded. â€Å"It might work. We could try it. If we get that far, we can cut him up, too.† â€Å"Spearguns,† Barry said. â€Å"I've got three of them. A CO2 model and two that use elastics. They won't shoot far, but they might pin him down while we cut him up.† â€Å"I've got a couple of short fighting swords,† Troy Lee interjected. â€Å"Razor sharp.† â€Å"Good,† Tommy said. â€Å"Bring 'em.† â€Å"I'll bring the Word,† Glint said. He'd been shouting â€Å"Get thee behind me, Satan,† all night, putting the Animals on edge. â€Å"Why don't you just go home and pray,† Lash said, giving Glint a push. â€Å"We need some action here.† He turned from Glint and addressed the group. â€Å"Look, guys, spearguns and swords are great, but how do we find this guy? The cops have been looking for him for three months, and they obviously haven't had any luck. If he's really after Tommy, then the best thing we can do is ambush him at Tommy's apartment. And I'm not sure I want to face him when he's awake. Simon was my friend too, but he was also one of the quickest people I ever met and the vampire took him out like he was a baby. And the paper said that he was armed. I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He's right,† Drew said. â€Å"We're fucked. Anyone want to catch the ferry to Sausalito and terrorize some yuppie artists? I've got mushrooms.† â€Å"Shrooms! Shrooms! Shrooms!† the Animals chanted. Suddenly there was a staccato clanging, like someone banging on a garbage-can lid with a stick, which is pretty much what it was. The Emperor, who had been silent all night, stepped into the circle. â€Å"Before your spines go to jelly, men, take heart. I've been thinking.† â€Å"Oh, no!† someone shouted. â€Å"I think I have a way to find the fiend and dispose of him before sundown.† â€Å"Right,† Drew said sarcastically. â€Å"How?† The Emperor picked up Bummer and held out the little dog as if he were displaying the Holy Grail. â€Å"Pound for pound, a better soldier never marched, and a better tracker never sniffed out a sewer rat. I've been so stupid.† â€Å"Beg your pardon, Your Majesty,† Tommy said. â€Å"But what the fuck are you talking about?† â€Å"Until last night I didn't know that the lovely young woman with whom you share your abode was a vampire. Yet every time we passed your building Bummer went into a frenzy. He's been the same each time we've encountered the fiend himself. I believe he has a special sensitivity for the smell of vampires.† They all stared at him, waiting. â€Å"Gather your courage and your weapons, good fellows. We'll meet here in two hours and remove this evil from my city. And a little dog shall lead us.† The Animals looked at Tommy, who shrugged and nodded. They had a new leader now. â€Å"Two hours, guys,† Tommy said. â€Å"The Emperor's in charge.† Cavuto watched the Animals disperse though his field glasses. He was sitting in the parking lot at Fort Mason, a hundred yards from the Safeway. He put down the binoculars and dialed Rivera's number on his cellular phone. â€Å"Rivera.† â€Å"Anything happening there?† Cavuto asked. â€Å"No, I don't think that anything will now that it's daylight. The lights stayed off after the kid left, but I could hear a vacuum cleaner running. The girl's up there but she didn't turn on the light.† â€Å"So she likes to clean in the dark.† â€Å"I think she can see in the dark.† â€Å"I don't want to talk about it,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Not much. Some kids were dropping pebbles on me from the roof. The guys in the foundry below the kid's apartment are moving around now. A couple of bums are doing some close-order public urinating in the alley. What's happening there?† â€Å"The kid worked all night, drank some beers with the crew; they just split up but the kid and the wacko are still here.† â€Å"Why don't you call in some relief?† â€Å"I don't want this out of our hands until we know more. Stay by the phone.† â€Å"Anything from the coroner?† â€Å"Yeah, just got off the phone with him. Massive blood loss from the guy in the truck. None from the guy in the morgue. Heart attack. They still haven't found the girl's body.† â€Å"That's because she was cleaning house all night.† â€Å"Gotta go,† Cavuto said. Tommy and the Emperor were waiting in the parking lot when the Animals returned in Troy Lee's Toyota and began unloading equipment. â€Å"Stop, stop, stop,† Tommy said. â€Å"We can't run all over the City with spearguns and swords.† â€Å"And shotguns,† Jeff said proudly, jacking a shell into the chamber of Simon's shotgun. â€Å"Put that back in the car.† â€Å"No problem,† Drew said, holding up a roll of Christmas wrap. â€Å"Dallas, November 22, 1963.† â€Å"What?† Tommy said. â€Å"Lee Harvey Oswald walks into the book depository with a Venetian blind. Minutes later Jackie's scooping brains off the trunk of a Lincoln. Anybody asks, we're all giving Venetian blinds to our moms for Christmas.† â€Å"Oh,† Tommy said. â€Å"Okay.† Clint climbed out of the Toyota wearing a choir robe, a half dozen crosses hung around his neck. He held a Baggie full of crackers in one hand, a squirt gun in the other. â€Å"I'm ready,† he said to Tommy and the Emperor. â€Å"Snacks,† Tommy said, nodding to the Baggie. â€Å"Good thinking.† â€Å"The Heavenly Host,† Clint said. He brandished the squirt gun. â€Å"Loaded with holy water.† â€Å"That stuff doesn't work, Clint.† â€Å"O ye of little faith,† Clint said. Bummer and Lazarus had left the Emperor's side and were nosing up to Clint. â€Å"See, they know the power of the Spirit.† Just then Bummer jumped and snatched the Baggie, then took off around the corner of the store, followed closely by Lazarus, Clint, and the Emperor. â€Å"Stop him,† Clint shouted at an old man coming out of the store. â€Å"He's taken the body of Christ.† â€Å"Don't hurt him,† the Emperor shouted. â€Å"He's the only hope for saving the City.† Tommy took off after them. As he passed the bewildered old man, Tommy said, â€Å"Last week they were playing cards with Elvis.What can I say?† The old man seemed to accept this and hurried off. Tommy caught up with them behind the store, where the Emperor was holding Bummer in one hand and fending off Clint with his wooden sword with the other, while Lazarus licked the last few crumbs out of the torn plastic bag. â€Å"He ate the blessed Savior!† Clint wailed. â€Å"He ate the blessed Savior!† Tommy caught Clint around the waist and pulled him away. â€Å"It's okay, Clint. Bummer's a Christian.† Jeff rounded the corner, his size-fourteen Reeboks clomping like a quarter horse. He looked at the empty Baggie. â€Å"Oh, I get it. They freeze-dried him, right?† Drew came around the corner, followed by Lash and Troy Lee. â€Å"Do we have a partying platoon, or what?† Drew said. Jeff said, â€Å"I never knew that they freeze-dried Jesus, did you?† Lash checked his watch. â€Å"We've got less than six hours before it gets dark. Maybe we should get started.† Tommy released Clint and the Emperor lowered his sword. â€Å"We need something to give Bummer the scent,† the Emperor said. â€Å"Something that the fiend has touched.† Tommy dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out one of the hundreds that Jody had given him. â€Å"I'm pretty sure that he touched this, but it's been a while.† The Emperor took the hundred and held it to Bummer's nose. â€Å"It shouldn't matter. His senses are keen and his heart is righteous.† To Bummer he said, â€Å"This is the scent, little one. Find this scent.† He put Bummer down and the little dog was off with a yap and a snort. The vampire hunters followed, losing sight of Bummer as he rounded the store. When they came around to the front of the store, the manager was coming out, holding a snarling Bummer in his arms. â€Å"Flood, is this your dog?† â€Å"He's his own man,† the Emperor said. â€Å"Well, he just ran in and blew snot all over the cash in register eight. You train him to find money?† The Emperor looked down to the hundred-dollar bill in his hand, then at Tommy. â€Å"Perhaps we should find something else to put him on the scent.† â€Å"Where was the last place you saw the vampire?† Tommy asked. The gate guard at the Saint Francis Yacht Club wasn't buying a word of it. â€Å"Really,† Tommy said. â€Å"We're here to decorate for the Christmas party.† The Animals waved their gaily wrapped weapons to illustrate the point. â€Å"And the Archbishop has come along to perform midnight mass.† Tommy pointed to Clint, who grinned and winked through his thick glasses. â€Å"Deus ex machina,† Clint said, exhausting his Latin. â€Å"Shalom,† he added for good measure. The guard tapped his clipboard. â€Å"I'm sorry, gentlemen, I can't let you through without a membership or a guest pass.† The Emperor cleared his throat royally. â€Å"Good man, each moment you delay may be paid for with human suffering.† The guard thought that he might have just been threatened, hoped, in fact, that he had, so he could pull his gun, and was just letting his hand drop to his gun belt when the phone in the gate booth rang. â€Å"Stay here,† he instructed the vampire hunters. He answered the phone and nodded at it, then looked across Marina Boulevard to where a brown Dodge was parked. He hung up the phone and came out of the booth. â€Å"Go on in,† he said, obviously not happy about it. He pushed a button, the gate rose, and the Animals went in, headed for the East Harbor. Two minutes later the brown Dodge pulled up and stopped by the gate. Cavuto rolled down the window and flashed his badge. â€Å"Thanks,† he said to the guard. â€Å"I'll keep an eye on them for you.† â€Å"No problem,† said the guard. â€Å"You ever get to shoot anyone?† â€Å"Not today.† Cavuto said. He drove though the gate, staying just out of sight of the Animals. At the end of the dock the Animals and the Emperor stared forlornly at the big white motor yacht moored a hundred yards out into the harbor. Bummer was in the midst of a yapping fit. â€Å"You see,† said the Emperor, â€Å"he knows that the fiend is aboard.† â€Å"You're sure that's the boat that he came off of?† â€Å"Most definitely. It chills my spine to think of it – the mist forming into a monster.† â€Å"That's great,† Tommy said, â€Å"but how do we get aboard?† He turned to Barry, who was applying sunscreen to his bald spot. â€Å"Can you swim it?† â€Å"We could all swim it,† Barry said. â€Å"But how do we keep the gun dry? I could go get my Zodiac and take us all out there, but it'll take a while.† â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Maybe an hour.† â€Å"We've got four, maybe five hours until sunset,† Lash said. â€Å"Go,† Tommy said. â€Å"Get it.† â€Å"No, wait,† said Drew, looking at the rows of yachts in the nearby slips. â€Å"Jeff, can you swim?† The big power forward shook his head. â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Good,† Drew said. He took the Christmas-paper-wrapped shotgun from Jeff, then grabbed him by the arm and threw him into the water. â€Å"Man overboard! Man overboard! We need a boat.† The few owners and crew members who were performing maintenance on the nearby boats looked up. Drew spotted a good-sized life raft on the stern of a sixty-footer. â€Å"There, you guys, get that.† The Animals scrambled after the raft. The yacht's crew helped them get it over the side into the water. Jeff, flailing in the water, had slapped his way back to the dock. Drew pushed him away with the shotgun. â€Å"Not yet, big guy.† Over his shoulder he shouted, â€Å"Hurry, you guys! He's drowning!† Tommy, Barry, and Lash were paddling the rubber raft for all they were worth. The yachtsmen and the Emperor shouted instructions, while Drew and Troy Lee watched their friend trying not to drown. â€Å"He's doing really well for a non-swimmer,† Drew said calmly. â€Å"Doesn't want to get his hair wet,† said Troy with Taoist simplicity. â€Å"Yeah, can't waste that two hours of blow-drying.† Tommy moved to the front of the raft and held his paddle out to Jeff. â€Å"Grab it.† Jeff flailed and thrashed, but didn't grab the paddle. â€Å"If he stops paddling his head will go under,† Troy called. â€Å"You'll have to grab him.† Tommy whacked Jeff on the head with the plastic paddle. â€Å"Grab it!† The power forward slipped under for a second and bobbed to the surface again. â€Å"That's one!† Drew called. â€Å"Now grab it,† Tommy yelled. He raised the paddle as if to strike again. Jeff shook his head violently and reached for the paddle as he went under again. â€Å"That's two!† Tommy pulled the paddle up with Jeff on the end while Barry and Lash wrestled the big man into the boat. â€Å"Well done, men,† the Emperor said. The yachtsmen stood at the end of the dock, watching in amazement. Drew turned to them. â€Å"We're going to need that raft for a while, okay?† One of the crewmen started to protest and Drew jacked a shell into the shotgun, ripping the wrapping paper. â€Å"Big shark hunt. We need the raft.† The crewman nodded and backed away. â€Å"Sure, as long as you need it.† â€Å"Okay,† Tommy called. â€Å"Everybody in the raft.† Drew and Troy Lee helped the Emperor get into the raft, then handed over Bummer and Lazarus and climbed in themselves. The Emperor stood at the front of the raft as they made their way across the harbor to the Sanguine II. Twenty yards from the yacht Bummer began barking and bouncing around the raft. â€Å"The fiend is definitely on board,† the Emperor said. He picked up Bummer and shoved him into his pocket. â€Å"Well done, little one.† It took five minutes to get everyone on board and the life raft secured to the stern. â€Å"How we doing on time, Lash?† Tommy asked. â€Å"We're looking at four, maybe four and a half hours of daylight. Will he wake up at sunset or dark?† â€Å"Jody usually wakes up right at sunset. So let's say four.† â€Å"Okay, everybody,† Tommy said, â€Å"let's spread out and find the vampire.† â€Å"I don't know if that's a good idea,† said Jeff. He was dripping and his lips had gone blue with the cold. The Animals looked at him. He was embarrassed by the attention. â€Å"Well, in all of the horror movies, the people split up and the monster picks them off one by one.† â€Å"Good point,† Tommy said. â€Å"Everybody stay together; find this fucker and get it over with.† He raised a gift-wrapped spear-gun in salute. â€Å"For Simon!† â€Å"For Simon!† the Animals shouted as they followed Tommy below.