Essay on Evolution The Destruction of Humanity - 1723 Words

Throughout human history mankind has seen itself as the most important creation in the universe. The only thing seen as greater than humanity was the gods. This is a common theme that is found in the histories of civilizations, cultures, and religions around the world. Any idea that said humans were different than this or that went against this notion was not only going against these respected institutions it was going against humanity itself. The theory of Evolution was one of the most revolutionary ideas to come forward. It used scientific research to explain how every animal adapted to its’ environment. The controversy of this idea came when Charles Darwin released his book the Descent of Man. In this book he explained how not only†¦show more content†¦A long time ago an aincent version of the tiger may not have had these stripes. Since the environment changed tigers without stripes would get killed easier. Under these conditions a few tigers must have been born wi th a few stripes on their coat. They were the ones that were fit to survive the circumstances better than the stripeless tigers. Overtime the tiger that is prevalent today is the product of natural selection, where the fittest survive. This idea in itself was not very controversial. In fact much of the scientific community at the time accepted Darwin’s 30 years’ worth of research in different continents around the world.(Darwin Bio ) The reason there was not a huge backlash against this idea at the time was that mainly scientists were the ones who understood and read it. The other reason, and the biggest one, was that Darwin left out his theory of humans evolving from animals. It wasn’t until he released The Descent of Man that governments, religious bodies, and society started to backlash. While the backlash seemed huge, it was overly exaggerated. A vast majority of people accepted the theory of evolution a few decades after it was presented by Darwin. Religiou s institutions were one group that fought back against the idea of Evolution from the beginning. However overtime, organizations such as the Catholic Church have accepting the theory. The late pope, Pope John Paul II formally stated, â€Å"†¦new knowledge leads us toShow MoreRelated Deforestation and the Elimination of Natural Habitats Essay1741 Words   |  7 Pages The more forests that are destroyed, the more harm that is brought upon every species in existence, including humanity. The worlds last rain forests are vanishing. Despite a determined international campaign waged for years by an array of conservation and government organizations, the irresistible forces of population growth and rural poverty are consuming the lush tropics as never before. 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The Time Traveller ventures into a future world that is home to only two living creatures, the Eloi and Morlocks. The Time Traveller considers these creatures to be descendants of humanity. Going off of that assumption, Wells is illustrating the impact society has on the species’ progress due to the fact that the Eloi and Morlocks have seemingly gone backwards. The Time Traveller inhibits an ethnocentric use of technologyRead MoreWill Artificial Intelligence Replace Mankind? Essay728 Words   |  3 Pagesbeing, will supersede human brain capacity. According to some, this event will lead to the extermination of mankind as humans are deemed obsolete. Y et others are projecting a mergence between A.I. and Humanity, a gradual conversion of man and machine. Will the projected apex of our technical evolution be a gradual or abrupt end of mankind? The Technological singularity is defined by three concepts: 1.) the moment when an artificial intelligence becomes super intelligent, capable of improving itselfRead MoreCrimes Against Humanity : Genocide1414 Words   |  6 Pages Crimes against Humanity final Name: Institution: â€Æ' Crimes against humanity Introduction The law is credited with ensuring that people get justice and fair treatment in the legal system. The law prohibits the occurrence of different forms of crimes by prosecuting people that are found to participate in such incidences. One of the areas that have continued to have significance across the globe is international legal systems. Different crimes have been experienced in some parts of theRead MoreFeuerbach and Nietzsche877 Words   |  3 Pagesthat religion was a crutch for humans because of our inability to be perfect. Religions especially Christianity (Jesus) have their own destruction built in to them because of the humanity aspect. Though Feuerbach and Nietzsche agreed upon this they had very different opinions on how it would come about. Feuerbach believes that religion has it’s built in destruction and that it will give way to humans being able to believe in our own capabilities. He writes,If man is to find contentment in God, heRead MoreEvolution And Development Within Our Society1256 Words   |  6 PagesDesigned Humanity You cannot tell which one is which, as they all look to be average. But then you see the identical ones, the ones with technology infused artificial joints, or the ones whom poses a slight fluorescent skin. And by the time you notice it, they are everywhere and you are the only true â€Å"human† left. 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Bloodlines Chapter Eleven Free Essays

BEFORE CLASS THE NEXT DAY, I left a message with someone at the Alchemists’ office, telling them I needed â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Melrose† to send a note excusing Jill from PE – or at least from outdoor activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Bloodlines Chapter Eleven or any similar topic only for you Order Now I hoped they’d move quickly on this. The Alchemists were fast when they wanted to be, but they sometimes had odd ideas of what took priority. I hoped they didn’t have the same attitude toward Jill’s misery as Keith did. But I knew not to expect any action that day, so Jill had to suffer through another PE class – and I had to suffer through watching her suffer. What was really terrible was that Jill didn’t whine or try to get out of anything. She didn’t even show any sign of last night’s breakdown. She came in with determination and optimism, as though maybe this would be the day the sun wouldn’t affect her. Yet, before long, she began to wane just as she had last time. She looked sick and tired, and my own performance faltered a little because I kept watching her, afraid she’d pass out. Micah was the saving grace. Once again, he fearlessly switched teams – this time from the very start of class. He covered for her just as he had last time, allowing her to escape the notice of teacher and classmates – well, except for Laurel, who seemed to notice – and get annoyed by – everything he did. Her eyes flicked angrily between him and Jill, and she kept flinging her hair over her shoulder to get his attention. I was a little amused to note that Micah’s attention remained solely on keeping the ball away from Jill. Micah also jumped immediately to her side when class ended and had a water bottle ready, which she accepted gratefully. I was grateful too, but seeing his concern for her dredged up all my old worries. She was good to her word, however. She returned his attentions in a friendly way, but you definitely couldn’t call it flirting. He made no secret of his intentions, though, and I still worried that it would be better if she didn’t have to deal with them. I’d meant it when I said I trusted her, but I couldn’t help but think it’d be a lot easier on everyone if he laid off in his advances. This would require A Talk. Dreading what I had to do, I caught up with Micah outside the locker rooms. We were both waiting for Jill to finish up, and I took advantage of the alone time with him. â€Å"Hey, Micah,† I said, â€Å"I need to talk to you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hey,† he returned brightly. His blue eyes were wide and excited. â€Å"I had an idea I wanted to run past you. If you guys aren’t able to get a note for her, maybe you could see about getting her schedule switched around? If she took PE first period, it wouldn’t be nearly as hot out yet. Maybe it wouldn’t be as hard on her. I mean, she seems like she’d like to participate in some of this stuff.† â€Å"She would,† I said slowly. â€Å"And that’s a really good idea.† â€Å"I know some people who work in the office. I’ll ask them to run some options and see if it’s even possible with the rest of her classes.† He faked a pout. â€Å"I’ll be sad not to have her in class, but it’d be worth it to know she’s not so miserable.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed weakly, suddenly feeling at a loss. He really had come up with a good idea. He was even unselfish enough to give up the chance to be with her in order to promote the greater good. How could I have â€Å"the talk† with him now? How could I suddenly say, â€Å"Leave my sister alone,† when he was going out of his way to be so nice? I was as bad as Eddie, avoiding confrontation with Micah. This guy was too likable for his own good. Before I could manage a response, Micah then went off in an unexpected direction. â€Å"You really should get her to a doctor, though. I don’t think she has a sun allergy.† â€Å"Oh?† I asked in surprise. â€Å"Have you not been watching her suffer through class each day?† â€Å"No, no, believe me, she’s definitely got an issue with the sun,† he assured me quickly. â€Å"But she might be misdiagnosed. I read up on sun allergies, and people usually get rashes with them. This overall weakness she gets†¦ I don’t know. I think it might be something else.† Oh no. â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"I don’t know,† he mused. â€Å"But I’ll keep researching theories and let you know.† Wonderful. PE also gave me my first glimpse at one of Amberwood’s metallic tattoos in action. Greg Slade was impossible not to watch during class, and I wasn’t the only one who got distracted. Just as Kristin and Julia had said, he really was faster and stronger. He made dives no one else was quick enough to react to. When he hit the ball, it was a wonder we didn’t hear a sonic boom shortly thereafter. This earned him praise at first, but soon, I noticed something. There was a sloppy edge to his game. He was filled with ability, yes, but sometimes it was unfocused. Those powerful hits didn’t always help because he’d blast the ball out of bounds. And in running to make a shot, he rarely considered those around him. When a guy from my English class got knocked down flat on his back, simply for being in the path of Slade and the ball, Miss Carson stopped the game and roared her displeasure about Slade’s aggression. He took it in with a sulky smirk. â€Å"Too bad Eddie’s not in this class,† Jill said afterward. â€Å"He’d be a total match for Slade.† â€Å"Maybe it’s better no one notices,† I remarked. Eddie, from what I’d heard, was already a shining star in his PE class. It was part of a dhampir’s natural athleticism, and I knew he was actually working hard not to be too good at everything. I checked in with Ms. Terwilliger after PE, happy to find my teacher fully stocked with coffee of her own. I spent most of the period going through the book and taking notes on my laptop. Partway through, she came over to check my work. â€Å"You’re very organized,† she said, looking over my shoulder. â€Å"Headings and subheadings and sub-subheadings.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said. Jared Sage had been very particular in teaching his children research skills. Ms. Terwilliger took a sip of coffee and continued reading the screen. â€Å"You didn’t list the ritual and spell steps,† she pointed out moments later. â€Å"You just summarize them in a couple lines.† Well, yes, that was the point of note-taking. â€Å"I cite all the page numbers,† I said. â€Å"If you need to check the actual components, there’s an easy reference.† â€Å"No†¦ go back and put all the steps and ingredients in your notes. I want to be able to have them all in one place.† You do have them in one place, I wanted to say. In the book. Notes were about condensing the material, not retyping the original text word for word. But Ms. Terwilliger had already wandered away, staring at her filing cabinet absentmindedly as she muttered to herself about a misplaced folder. With a sigh, I flipped back to the beginning of the book, trying not to think about how this was going to set me back. At least I was only doing this for credit and not a grade. I stayed past the late bell in an effort to make up some lost time. When I got back to my room, I had to wake up Jill, who was sound asleep after her exhausting day. â€Å"Good news,† I told her as she blinked at me with sleepy eyes. â€Å"It’s feeding day.† Definitely words I never thought I’d say. I also didn’t think I’d be excited for it. And sure, I certainly wasn’t thrilled about the idea of Jill biting into Dorothy’s neck. I was, however, feeling pretty bad for Jill and was glad she’d get some nourishment. Being on such a limited supply of blood had to make things doubly hard for her. We met up with Eddie downstairs when it was time to go. He looked Jill over worriedly. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"I’m fine,† she said with a smile. She looked nowhere near as bad as she had earlier. I shuddered to think what Eddie would’ve done if he’d actually been in our class and seen her at her worst. â€Å"Why is this still going on?† he asked me. â€Å"Weren’t you going to talk to Keith?† â€Å"We’re a little delayed,† I said evasively, leading them to where Latte was parked in the student lot. â€Å"We’ll make it happen.† If the Alchemists didn’t come through with the note, I was going to try to act on Micah’s suggestion and get her switched into morning PE. â€Å"We know you will,† said Jill. I could just barely pick out the sympathy in her voice, reminding me that she knew about my fight with Keith yesterday. I hoped she wouldn’t mention it in front of Eddie and was saved when she switched to a more random and surprising topic. â€Å"Do you think we can pick up some pizza along the way? Adrian doesn’t want any more of Dorothy’s cooking.† â€Å"How terrible for him,† remarked Eddie, getting into the backseat and letting Jill ride shotgun. â€Å"Having a personal chef on hand to make him whatever he wants. I don’t know how he gets by.† I laughed, but Jill seemed outraged on Adrian’s behalf. â€Å"It’s not the same! She cooks really super-gourmet stuff.† â€Å"Still waiting for the problem,† said Eddie. â€Å"She tries to also make it really healthy. She says it’s better for Clarence. So, there’s never any salt and pepper or butter.† Jeez, how often did she and Adrian talk? â€Å"There’s no flavor or anything. It’s driving him crazy.† â€Å"Everything seems to be driving him crazy,† I remarked, remembering his plea for new lodging. â€Å"And he can’t have it too bad. Didn’t he go to LA last night?† Jill’s only answer was a frown. Nonetheless, I had a feeling we’d be hanging out at Clarence’s for a while, and I personally didn’t want to eat anything prepared in that house. So, it was more for selfish reasons that I agreed to stop at a takeout place en route and buy a few pizzas. Adrian’s face was radiant when we entered the sitting room, which – pool games aside – seemed to be his primary hangout at Clarence’s. â€Å"Jailbait,† he declared, leaping up. â€Å"You’re a saint. A goddess, even.† â€Å"Hey,† I said, â€Å"I’m the one who paid for them.† Adrian carried off one of the boxes to the couch, much to Dorothy’s dismay. She hurried off muttering about plates and napkins. Adrian gave me a conciliatory nod. â€Å"You’re okay too, Sage,† he said. â€Å"Well, well, what have we here?† Clarence came tottering into the room. I hadn’t noticed before, but he used a cane to get around. It had a crystal snake head on top, which was both impressive and scary. Just the kind of thing you’d picture for an old vampire. â€Å"Looks like a party.† Lee was with him, greeting us with smiles and nods. His eyes lingered briefly on Jill, and he made a point of sitting near her – but not too near. Jill perked up more than she had in days. Everyone was just starting to dive into the pizza when Dorothy appeared in the doorway with a new guest. I felt my eyes widen. It was Keith. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked, keeping my voice neutral. He winked. â€Å"Came to check in on everybody and make sure all’s well. That’s my job – to look after everyone.† Keith was chipper and friendly as he helped himself to the pizza, with no indication of the fight we’d gotten into last time. He smiled and talked to everyone as though they were all best friends, leaving me totally bewildered. No one else seemed to think anything odd about his behavior – but then, why would they? None of them had my history with Keith. No – that wasn’t quite true. Despite being deep in conversation with Eddie, Adrian paused to give me a curious look, silently asking about yesterday’s fight. He glanced at Keith and then back to me. I shrugged helplessly, letting him know I was just as confused by the change of heart. Maybe Keith regretted his outburst from yesterday. Of course, that would’ve been much easier to accept if it had come with, oh, an apology. I nibbled on a piece of cheese pizza, but mostly I observed the others. Jill was animatedly recounting her first couple of days to Adrian, noticeably leaving out any of the negative parts. He listened to her indulgently, nodding and interjecting with occasional witty quips. Some of the stuff she told him was pretty basic, and I was surprised it hadn’t come up in their phone conversations. Maybe he just had so much to say at those times that there’d been no chance for her. As it was, he made no mention of his boredom or other grievances. Clarence occasionally chatted with Eddie and Lee, but his eyes constantly strayed to Jill. There was a wistful look in his gaze, and I remembered that his niece had only been a little older than Jill. I wondered if perhaps part of the reason he’d been so willing to take us all on was in an effort to reclaim some part of the family life that had been lost to him. Keith had sat down near me, at first making me uncomfortable but then later giving me a reason to pick his brain. Seeing the others engaged in conversation, I asked him softly, â€Å"Have you ever heard of knockoff Alchemist tattoos making it into the general population?† He gave me a startled look in return. â€Å"I don’t even know what that means.† â€Å"At Amberwood, there’s this trend. There’s apparently someplace in town that gives metallic tattoos, and they have special properties – kind of like ours. Some just kind of give off a high. Others kind of have a steroid effect.† He frowned. â€Å"They’re not bound with gold, are they?† â€Å"No. Silver and copper. So, they don’t last. Probably so the people giving them can make more money.† â€Å"But they can’t be ours, then,† he argued. â€Å"We haven’t used those metals for tattoos in centuries.† â€Å"Yeah, but someone may be using Alchemist technology to create these.† â€Å"Just to get people high?† he asked. â€Å"I wouldn’t even know how you’d go about that with metallic agents.† â€Å"I have some ideas,† I said. â€Å"And let me guess. They involve narcotic mixtures.† When I nodded, he sighed and gave me a look like I was ten years old. â€Å"Sydney, it’s most likely someone’s found a crude tattooing method that’s like ours but has no connection. If so, there’s nothing we can do about it. Drugs happen. Bad things happen. If it isn’t mixed with Alchemist business, then it isn’t our business.† â€Å"But what if it is connected to Alchemist business?† I asked. He groaned. â€Å"See? This is why I was worried about you coming, this tendency you have of running off with tangents and wild theories.† â€Å"I don’t – â€Å" â€Å"Please don’t embarrass me,† he hissed, casting a glance at the others. â€Å"Not with them, not with our superiors.† His rebuke silenced me, mostly from surprise. What did he mean about this â€Å"tendency† I had? Was he actually suggesting he had made some deep psychological analysis of me years ago? The idea that I would embarrass him was ludicrous†¦ and yet his words planted a seed of doubt in me. Maybe the tattoos at Amberwood were just an unrelated fad. â€Å"How’s PE?† Adrian’s words dragged me from my own thoughts. He was still getting the summary of school from Jill. She made a face at the question. â€Å"Not great,† she admitted, giving a recap of some of the worse moments. Eddie shot me a meaningful look, similar to the one from earlier. â€Å"You can’t go on like that,† exclaimed Lee. â€Å"The sun around here’s brutal.† â€Å"I agree,† said Keith, of all people. â€Å"Sydney, why didn’t you tell me how bad it was?† I think my jaw hit the floor. â€Å"I did! That’s why I was trying to get you to contact the school.† â€Å"You didn’t really give me the whole story.† He flashed one of his sugary smiles at Jill. â€Å"Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this for you. I’ll get in touch with school officials – and the Alchemists.† â€Å"I already talked to them,† I argued. But I might as well have not said anything. Keith had already switched topics and was talking to Clarence about something irrelevant. Where had this about-face come from? Yesterday, Jill’s discomfort had been low priority. Today, Keith was her knight in shining armor. And in the process, he was suggesting that I was the one who’d screwed up. That’s his plan, I realized. He doesn’t want me here. He never has. And then something even worse occurred to me. He’s going to use this to start building a case against me. Across the room, Adrian caught my eye again. He knew. He’d been eavesdropping when I talked to Keith in the driveway. Adrian started to speak, and I knew he was going to call Keith out on his lie. It was gallant but not what I wanted. I would deal with Keith myself. â€Å"How was LA?† I asked quickly before Adrian had a chance to say anything. He looked at me curiously, no doubt wondering why I wouldn’t let him be a witness to my case. â€Å"You went there with Lee last night, right?† Adrian looked confused, but a grin smoothed over his face. â€Å"Yeah,† he said at last. â€Å"It was great. Lee showed me college life.† Lee laughed. â€Å"I wouldn’t go that far. I don’t know where you were half the night.† Adrian got this look on his face that was somehow charming but made me want to slap him at the same time. â€Å"We parted ways. I was getting to know some of the other Moroi in the area.† Even Eddie couldn’t stay silent at that. â€Å"Oh, is that what you call it?† Jill abruptly stood up. â€Å"I’m going to get my blood now. Is that okay?† There was a moment of awkward silence, largely because I don’t think anyone really knew who she was asking permission from. â€Å"Of course, my dear,† said Clarence, stepping into his role as host. â€Å"I believe Dorothy’s in the kitchen.† Jill gave a curt nod and hurried out of the room. The rest of us exchanged puzzled glances. â€Å"Is something wrong?† asked Lee, looking worried. â€Å"Should I†¦ should I go talk to her?† â€Å"She’s still just stressed,† I said, not daring to mention the screaming or crying episodes. â€Å"I thought of something that might be fun for her†¦ for all of us to do,† he said tentatively. He glanced around and then settled his gaze on me. I guess I was the designated mother here. â€Å"If you think it’s okay. I mean†¦ it’s kind of silly, but I thought we could go mini-golfing in the evening. They’ve got all these fountains and pools on the course. She’s a water user, right? She must be missing it out here.† â€Å"She does,† said Eddie, frowning. â€Å"She mentioned it yesterday.† I shivered. Keith had been texting on his phone and froze. No matter our differences, we still shared a core of similar training, and both of us were uneasy with the idea of Moroi magic. â€Å"She’d probably like that a lot,† said Adrian. He sounded reluctant to admit it. I think he was still uneasy with the idea of Lee being interested in Jill, no matter how friendly the two guys were. Lee’s idea was both innocent and conscientious. Hard to find fault with. Lee tilted his head thoughtfully. â€Å"You have a later curfew on the weekends, right? Do you want to go tonight?† It was Friday, granting us an extra hour extension at our dorm. â€Å"I’m game,† said Adrian. â€Å"Literally and figuratively.† â€Å"If Jill’s there, I’m there,† said Eddie. They looked at me. I was trapped. I wanted to go back and catch up on homework. Saying that sounded pathetic, though, and I supposed I had to represent as Jill’s only female chaperone. Besides, I reminded myself, this assignment wasn’t about me and my academics, no matter how much I pretended it was. It was about Jill. â€Å"I can go,† I said slowly. Thinking that this sounded very much like fraternizing with vampires, I glanced uneasily at Keith. He’d gone back to texting now that magic wasn’t being discussed. â€Å"Keith?† I asked by way of permission. He looked up. â€Å"Huh? Oh, I can’t go. I have to be somewhere.† I tried not to grimace. He’d misread me and thought I was inviting him. On the bright side, he also wasn’t objecting to the rest of us going. â€Å"Ah, how nice,† said Clarence. â€Å"An outing for you young people. Perhaps you’ll share a glass of wine with me first?† Dorothy was just entering with a bottle of red wine, Jill trailing behind her. Clarence smiled at Adrian. â€Å"I know you’d like a glass.† Adrian’s expression said he most definitely would. Instead, Adrian took a deep breath and shook his head. â€Å"I’d better not.† â€Å"You should,† said Jill gently. Even after a short drink of blood, she looked full of life and energy. â€Å"Can’t,† he said. â€Å"It’s the weekend,† she told him. â€Å"It’s not that big of a deal. Especially if you’re careful.† The two locked gazes and then at last, he said, â€Å"All right. Pour me a glass.† â€Å"Pour me one too, please,† said Keith. â€Å"Really?† I asked him. â€Å"I didn’t know you drank.† â€Å"I’m twenty-one,† he countered. Adrian accepted his from Dorothy. â€Å"Somehow, I’m thinking that’s not Sage’s concern. I thought Alchemists avoided alcohol the same way they do primary colors.† I glanced down. I was wearing gray. Keith was wearing brown. â€Å"One glass won’t hurt,† said Keith. I didn’t argue with him. It wasn’t my place to babysit Keith. And the Alchemists didn’t have rules against drinking per se. We had strong religious beliefs about what it meant to live a good and pure lifestyle, and drinking was generally looked down upon. Was it forbidden? No. It was a custom, one I considered important. If he didn’t, I guessed that was his choice. Keith was just bringing the glass to his lips when Adrian said, â€Å"Mmm. O positive, my favorite.† Keith sprayed out the wine he’d just drunk and promptly started coughing. I was relieved that none got on me. Jill burst into giggles, and Clarence stared at his glass wonderingly. â€Å"Is it? I thought it was a cabernet sauvignon.† â€Å"So it is,† said Adrian, straight-faced. â€Å"My mistake.† Keith gave Adrian a tight smile, like he too thought it was a funny joke, but I wasn’t fooled. Keith was mad at having been mocked, and no matter how friendly he pretended to be with everyone, his views against vampires and dhampirs were as harsh as they’d ever been. Of course, Adrian probably wasn’t helping matters any. I thought it was pretty funny, honestly, and worked to hide my smile so that Keith wouldn’t get mad at me again. It was hard to do because shortly thereafter, Adrian flashed me a secret, knowing smile that seemed to say, That’s payback for earlier. Eddie glanced at Jill. â€Å"I’m glad you got your blood today. I know you’ve been wanting to learn some defense moves, but I wanted to wait until you were back up to strength.† Jill lit up. â€Å"Can we do it tomorrow?† â€Å"Of course,† he said, looking nearly as delighted by this as she did. Keith frowned. â€Å"Why should she learn to fight when she’s got you around?† Eddie shrugged. â€Å"Because she wants to, and she should have every edge she can get.† He didn’t specifically mention the attempts on her life – not in front of Lee and Clarence – but the rest of us understood. â€Å"I thought Moroi weren’t good at fighting, though,† said Keith. â€Å"Mostly because they haven’t trained for it. They aren’t as strong as us, sure, but their reflexes are better than yours,† explained Eddie. â€Å"It’s just a matter of learning the skills and having a good teacher.† â€Å"Like you?† I teased. â€Å"I’m not bad,† he said modestly. â€Å"I can train anyone who wants to learn.† He elbowed Adrian, who was reaching for the wine and a refill. â€Å"Even this guy.† â€Å"No, thank you,† said Adrian. â€Å"These hands don’t sully themselves with fighting.† â€Å"Or with manual labor,† I remarked, recalling past comments of his. â€Å"Exactly,† he said. â€Å"But maybe you should have Castile show you how to throw a punch, Sage. It might come in handy. Seems like a skill a plucky young woman like yourself should possess.† â€Å"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m not really sure when I’d need it,† I said. â€Å"Of course she needs to learn!† Clarence’s exclamation caught all of us by surprise. I’d actually thought he was dozing off since he’d had his eyes closed moments ago. But now, he was leaning forward with a zealous expression. I cringed under the intensity of his stare. â€Å"You must learn to protect yourself!† He pointed at me, then moved on to Jill. â€Å"And you. Promise me you’ll learn to defend yourself. Promise me.† Jill’s light green eyes went wide with shock. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, though it was tinged with uneasiness. â€Å"Of course, Mr. Donahue. I’m trying to. And until then, I’ve got Eddie to protect me from Strigoi.† â€Å"Not Strigoi!† His voice dropped to a whisper. â€Å"The vampire hunters.† None of us said anything. Lee looked mortified. Clarence squeezed his wineglass so tightly that I worried it would break. â€Å"No one talked about this back then – about defending ourselves. Maybe if Tamara had learned something, she wouldn’t have been killed. It’s not too late for you – for either of you.† â€Å"Dad, we’ve been over this,† said Lee. Clarence ignored him. The old man’s gaze flicked between me and Jill, and I wondered if he even knew I was human. Or maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe he just had a slightly deranged protective instinct toward all girls the same age as Tamara. I kind of expected Keith to tactlessly point out that there were no such things as vampire hunters, but he was uncharacteristically quiet. Eddie was the one who finally spoke, his words soothing and kind. He so often gave off the impression of a do-or-die warrior that it was surprising to realize he was actually very compassionate. â€Å"Don’t worry,† said Eddie. â€Å"I’ll help them. I’ll keep them safe and make sure nothing bad happens to them, okay?† Clarence still looked agitated but focused on Eddie hopefully. â€Å"You promise? You won’t let them kill Tamara again?† â€Å"I promise,† said Eddie, in no way indicating how weird the request was. Clarence studied Eddie a few more seconds and then nodded. â€Å"You’re a good boy.† He reached for the wine bottle and topped off his glass. â€Å"More?† he asked Adrian, as though nothing had happened. â€Å"Yes, please,† said Adrian, holding out his glass. We continued the conversation as though nothing had happened, but the shadow of Clarence’s words continued to hang over me. How to cite Bloodlines Chapter Eleven, Essay examples

Australian Food Trends in 2017-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Based on Current Australian food trends in 2017 what is your view point of trends in 2018 and beyond. Answer: Introduction The food industry in Australia had humble beginnings and with the arrival of Anglo-australians agriculture and animal husbandry started about 200 years ago. The indigenous people remained hunter gatherers before joining the mainstream. The use of meat, dairy, wheat, vegetables and fruit was the mainstay of the Australian diet. Much of the progress in the food market occurred after automation happened in the post world war II period, the advent of railways, motor vehicles and refrigeration allowed the food industry to process foods on a large scale. The convergence of people from several countries on Australian soil saw the restaurant industry catering to a clientele that wanted to try a variety of cuisines. Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, Japanese and other cuisines were appreciated and continue to remain in demand. Television commercials promoted marketing of processed foods and continues to influence people's food choices. Trends in food change every year and sustainable foods , healthy foods and foods that customer's demand have to be provided by the industry. Indigenous foods have also begun to appear on dining tables across Australia. History of Australian food The indigenous people were hunter gatherers and not known for culinary skills. Their food is referred to as Bush Tucker and is known for its benefits in prevention of disease Most of the history of Australian food began when the British settlers arrived. They knew how to domesticate animals and plants and brought culinary skills from their land. The rations on the first fleet were straight from the English grocers and included bread, cheese and oatmeal, vinegar, dried peas and salted meat. In the coming years these were replaced by foods from countries closer to Australia and India, China and the south east countries shipped sugar, tea, flour and salted meat with local spirits. The only recipe guide from in1864 was authored by Caroline Chisholm that gave recipes for seven different ways to combine meat and flour. Upto 1880, most of the food other than meat was imported, but then the railways opened up the possibility of transporting agricultural produce - wheat, sugar, fruit and milk became freely available. Before the refrigerator became common, milk, bread, green grocery, meat and even ice were delivered to homes. Then came the era of the first processed foods. Rosella's tomato sauce, IXL jams, Arnott's biscuits, Small's and MacRobertson's chocolates and the white flour from Roller mills came into the Australian markets and then households. Beer gained the status of the national drink around 1888, when the American beer sold under the brand of Foster's, sold their product bottled and pasteurized. Baking gained status when the raw ingredients - eggs, flour, butter, desiccated coconut, cornflakes and cookbooks with recipes on cakes and puddings became commonplace. Gas-fired and wood-fired ovens became common in households and baking at home caught the fancy of Australians. Lamingtons, shepherd's pie and Irish stew made popular Sunday lunches. these developments occurred in 1900. Cooking in homes did not change much until the 1950s when in the post world war II era, the ammunition factories started manufacturing refrigerators and cars for domestic use. By 1955, according to records from Kelvinator, 70% homes had a fridge. this brought in the era of frozen foods. Supermarket aisles now had the refrigerated sections and since then a multitude of frozen foods invaded the Australian tables. Cars facilitated the transport of food to homes. Consumption must have soared around the same time. How has multiculturalism impacted on hospitality and food industries Around the same time Australians began to travel for leisure and brought home food experiences from Italy, France and the rest of Europe. Cookbooks featuring foreign cuisines became routine and the restaurant industry took off, a 12-14% growth in the eating out industry started taking place by the 1960s. The next innovation that had taken the then food industry by storm was- television, that became common during the 1956 Olympic games. Marketing, packaging, advertising and increasing diversity of available foods saw the major food chains start operations and take-away food became common. The use of zucchinis, capsicums, artichokes, garlic and eggplants began in the 50s due to Italian and Greek influences. The 60s saw the advent of frozen meals and McDonald's, Kentucky and Pizza Hut into Australia. The influence of American food culture had entered the continent and large portions, family packs, sugared beverages, high fat chips and patties were soon becoming staples of the new generation. Since then Australian food has evolved and has its own cuisine. The meat pie, the Pavlova - the dessert meringue and the Anzac (Australia and New Zealand Army Core- World War I) biscuits are uniquely Australian in origin. Due to its proximity to Asia, many Asians settled in Australia and brought in their food influences. Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian restaurants dot cityscapes - from street food to fine dining, to please customer palates as they cater to an Australia that has become increasingly multicultural. Japanese, Greek, Lebanese and Malaysian cuisine in restaurants became common place. Most of these restaurants marked the presence of immigrants from these countries, with many being run by ethnic restaurateurs. Later, the arrival of the Syrians, the Turkish, the Greek and the Germans added their culinary traditions (Symons, 2014). Many food outlets now cater to what is termed as the contemporary Australian gourmand. Kiwifruit, sun-dried tomatoes, pork belly and spices such as, star anise were first adopted by culinary chefs, found favour with home cooks and now have become integral to the Australian food scene and are stocked in supermarkets. The celebrity chefs and their expertise has catapulted the gastronomic scene to dizzying heights. The use of food ingredients from all parts of the world and the techniques used for cooking are an area of dynamic growth and delight food lovers and relay new ideas to viewers of shows such as MasterChef. Current food trends The modern Australian may even be an advocate of sustainable food choices. As broilers chicken is replaced with free range ones, growing herbs on window sills is a trend that signals a return to roots. The changed food pyramid that has vegetables and fruit in place of cereals signals an era of changed food choices for health reasons. Sugary beverages are on their way out and are being replaced with fermented beverages, such as, ginger beer, coconut kefir and kombucha (Boys, 2017). Their probiotic benefits are a big hit with a generation that wants to prevent cancer, diabetes and obesity with foods. In 2017, Mediterranean cuisine saw an upswing in the culinary market due to the healthy 'tag' on olive oil, fruit, salads, and use of fresh produce. Lean meat alternatives of smoked elk, carpaccio and venison tartare replaced the red meats. The techniques of charring, smoking and blistering are a current rage on the chef's menus. Cardamom, cumin and turmeric are the heroes among the spices , largely due to their novelty and health benefits. The use of cayenne pepper in chocolates and ice-creams has taken experimental palates to a different zone. Cocktails have derived inspiration from the South American continent (Finedininglovers, 2017). Vegan food made a weak beginning but the variety of food and the insistence of the clients, the food industry has responded with a rich variety of vegan foods. The health benefits have helped people fight and prevent lifestyle diseases (Ausfoodnews, /top-foodie-trends-for-the-remainder-of-2016.html, 2016). The demand for healthy food and beverages at restaurants has forced chefs to revamp menus and introduce fare that has healthy ingredients (Ausfoodnews, restaurants-feel-pinch-healthy-food-hits-takings.html, 2016). It may have lowered their profits due to the high costs of healthy ingredients, but the trend is here to stay. The competitiveness of the restaurant industry may not allow profit margins to increase just yet (Ausfoodnews, /food-trends). Based on current food trends what will be the food trends in 2018 and beyond Considering the food trends that have dominated the food scene in 2017, 2018 is likely to continue with the trend for healthy food from across the world cuisines. Vegetarian food may become a trend and faux meat made with vegetarian ingredients could become a trend. Use of ancient grains, such as, lesser known millets from around the world could be used in food and fermented for beverages. Coconut could continue being the super food ingredient for 2018 and much of its potential can continue to be explored. Consumption of sugar by consumers may hit an all time low and more and more processed food with savoury tastes may hit shelves. The demand for authentic food from distant locales may require that chefs trained in authentic food preparation will be in demand. Preference for organic foods will see demand increase for foods without chemical additives. Fancy foods from areas that remain unexplored could become a new craze. Indulging in lean foods could be the new fad. Recommendations: Will Australians embrace Australian food? It is only now that some acceptance to indigenous food choices is emerging among the settlers. Consumption of Kangaroo meat is now legal and is stocked in supermarkets. Since it is a lean meat it conforms to the present day trend of eating healthy meat. Consumption of beef has gone down, due to exports owing to its popularity in the Asian market and because chicken is considered healthier than beef. Several other foods from the Bush tuck has made inroads into mainstream cuisine (Symons, 2014). This trend of rediscovering cuisine from their own land is rather unique to Australia. As the world goes local with their preferences for food, Australia's hidden gems in 'local' are being experienced for the first time ever (Newton Ashton, 2016). Quangdongs, akudjura or bush tomatoes have only recently been tried by the Anglo-australians, who otherwise have become not just multicultural but multiculinary as they embrace the food brought in by immigrants from all over the world (Sbs, 2015). Conclusion In conclusion, the evolution of the food industry in Australia has been interesting. The continent has been a melting pot of several cultures and this has impacted the food scenario. Like all countries, Australia moved from a society that had to bear food rations to a time of plenty. The multitude of available food choices from all over the world have evolved the market for raw, cooked and processed food into a mature market that boasts of variety and quality. The current trend of sustainable agriculture, preference for meat from free range farm animals has replaced that of mechanisation in food production. Healthy foods and low sugar consumption are the newer trends that the food industry is fast adapting to. References Ausfoodnews. (n.d.). /food-trends. Retrieved from https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/: https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/tag/food-trends Ausfoodnews. (2016, August 29). /top-foodie-trends-for-the-remainder-of-2016.html. Retrieved from https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au: https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2016/08/29/top-foodie-trends-for-the-remainder-of-2016.html Ausfoodnews. (2016, October 17). restaurants-feel-pinch-healthy-food-hits-takings.html. Retrieved from https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au: https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2016/10/17/restaurants-feel-pinch-healthy-food-hits-takings.html Boys, C. (2017, January 5). food-and-drink-predictions-for-2017-20161219-gte8kh. Retrieved from https://www.goodfood.com.au: https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/food-and-drink-predictions-for-2017-20161219-gte8kh Finedininglovers. (2017). food-and-drink-trends-2017/. Retrieved from https://www.finedininglovers.com: https://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/news-trends/food-and-drink-trends-2017/ Newton, J., Ashton, P. (2016). /opinion-can-we-be-australian-without-eating-indigenous-food/. Retrieved from https://www.australiangeographic.com.au: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2016/05/opinion-can-we-be-australian-without-eating-indigenous-food/ Sbs. (2015, May 20). about-native-australian-food. Retrieved from https://www.sbs.com.au: https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2008/07/01/about-native-australian-food Symons, M. (2014). /australias-cuisine-culture-a-history-of-food. Retrieved from https://www.australiangeographic.com.au: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2014/06/australias-cuisine-culture-a-history-of-food

Kraft Foods Group Strategies

Executive summary In the increasingly competitive food industry, it is imperative for companies to be alive to the changing markets. In order to meet this objective, it is important for companies to review their strategies regularly to align them with strategic choices.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Kraft Foods Group Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In some cases, the companies need to review the strategic choices to leverage on strengths and take advantage of the environmental advantages to gain competitive advantage. This paper explores the case of Kraft Foods with regard to its strategies. Introduction In any competitive market, companies that are almost certainly to achieve organizational goals are the ones with the capability to lead as opposed to trailing vicissitudes within the market. The managers of such companies require building an enterprise capable of reacting rapidly to variations in both customer needs and the enterprise environment. This demands for constant development of innovations, possess the capacity to launch them and developing strategies that will enable the business to effectively meet its organizational objectives. Businesses that succeed in the market are composed of different individuals united in a collective purpose through corporate vision, mission and goals. In any business organization, the essential component in ensuring that individuals are focused on the goal is an organizational strategy that develops the organization so that it adapts to changes and advance with time. This case study examines the strategies employed by Kraft Foods Group. It will propose ways in which the company may leverage its strengths and reinforce its weaknesses to gain competitive advantage. In order to achieve this, the study explores the company’s generic strategies and strategic choices.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Le t's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Main Body Product variety Kraft Foods engages in the development and selling of packed food and beverages. It operates in the increasingly competitive North American, European, Asian Pacific and Latin American markets. Over the years, it has managed to create a niche in the food and beverage industry thus ranking second in the world behind Nestle (Marketline, 2012). The company has a wide range of products including opportune meals, coffee and grocery products. It has an assortment of globally recognized brands. The food and beverage classes include breakfast, lunch and dinner. The products can be consumed in the food service outlets or at home. This caters for the wide range of customers with diverse preferences of consumption location. The brand portfolio includes nine strong brands ensuring that customers have a wide variety to choose from. In the fast changing market, having varieties of products w ithin the core brands ensure that the company enjoys a huge market share as all customers have their needs met. The number of products had initially reached twenty. An overhaul in strategy led to the reduction with the company adopting ‘fewer, bigger, and better’ approach (Watrous, 2013). Kraft Corporate Strategies In 2011, the company revealed organizational strategies aimed at driving the growth of the company during the yearly Consumer Analyst Group conference (Shah, 2014). The strategies include delighting its global consumers with unique snacks. The company would also release the power of its iconic brands through vigorous marketing and promotions. The company planned to create a performance-focused and principle-led organizational environment. These strategies would result in organic revenue growth of 5 percent. In devising these strategies, the company viewed itself in an apt position to achieve growth considering its worthy cycle. The main features of the worthy cycle were envisaged to accelerate growth at a higher rate than competitors and categories include renewing the power brands.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Kraft Foods Group Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is to be achieved through investment in research and development for innovation and advertising of the power brands. Additionally, the company would utilize its business management policies to enhance local brands. Another feature is the increment in the sales and marketing brilliance. It would also develop end-to-end cost control to attain record savings. This will be achieved through streamlining the supply chain and endeavor negative overhead development. The emphasis on the general organizational strategy is hence divided in two categories namely brand building (focus strategies) and cost reduction (cost leadership). The company is no longer developing new brands but is vigorously advertising and marketing the existing brands to create brand awareness among its customers. Subsequently, it will create brand loyalty to its products. The cost reduction strategy will help the company to increase the profit margin. The company is making efforts to ensure that the supply chain is aligned to the mission and vision of the company. By delivering the products to the consumer in a timely manner, the company will be viewed as the unquestionable leader in the food market. The customers will view the company as a requisite partner (Hill, 1988). Generic Strategy Kraft foods started with few product brands. As business increased due to vigorous marketing by the company staff, the number of products was increased. The company has developed sufficient brands and is no longer focused on developing beyond that. It is concentrating on ‘focus strategies’ to create strong position for the existing brands. It has developed a set of ‘fundamental values’ that assist in guiding employees. Among them is promoting teamwork and creating room for innovation among employees. There is unrelenting emphasis on the need for the staff from all backgrounds and expertise levels to work in unison in supporting the company’s core brands.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to attain this goal and eventually the company’s mission, the company structures its business in ‘Category Teams’. This is focused on ensuring a cross-operational tactic to decision making. Strategic Choices For any company that seeks to integrate its innovations for growth, it must first plan on how it will integrate the innovations with the corporate vision and mission. Kraft’s mission is to gain recognition as the unquestionable leader in the world food market. In order to attain this vision, the company needs to ensure that the quality of foods and beverages it offers are healthy for the consumers. In the contemporary market, consumers are increasingly becoming health-sensitive regarding what they consume. The company is financially endowed. Its revenues exceed $1 billion (Noria, 2014). This is considered as the strength for this company. It is vigorously advertising and marketing its power brands globally particularly in highly competitive ma rkets to gain competitive advantage over market rivals and increase its market share. However, this does not completely align with the company’s generic strategy of cost leadership. The cost of advertising and marketing the brands are increasingly becoming higher. Additionally, the cost of supplying the products to markets outside the United States is higher. This means that the price of the products is still high. Furthermore, the delivery of products to these locations is not timely. The company may require setting up plants in these markets to ensure timely delivery for customer convenience and reduction of supply costs. Leveraging strengths Kraft Foods has a unique combination of refreshments and legacy brands. The company is financially stable. It should use this strength to market the power brands in the emerging markets. In order to reduce the supply costs, it should set up manufacturing plants near these markets. The marketing, advertising and promotions will help in creating the ‘perceived value’ by customers. It should endeavor to create a niche among consumers by selling directly to them as opposed to the current approach where it sells to retailers. The elimination of distributors and retailers will help streamline the supply chain and effectively lower the costs (Meeta, 2012). By entering new markets, the company will take advantage of the environmental opportunities. There are fewer competitors in the emerging markets. This will allow the company to create customer loyalty for its unique products. In most of the emerging markets, there is relative political stability with less favorable conditions for foreign investors as the countries seek to globalize and attract investors. The company should take advantage of incentives offered in such markets to grow its profitability. The company should alter its strategic choice of vigorously marketing in the existing competitive markets and concentrate on the emerging markets. Reconfirm ation of Kraft Foods vision and mission Kraft Foods’ mission of gaining recognition as the unquestionable leader in the world food market is enhanced by the fact that it engages expertise from diverse professional fields. This ensures that the company offers its consumers high quality and healthy assortments of foods and beverages. In pursuing this mission, the management creates an environment that enables a strong connection between the organizational strategies and the performance of its brands. The company builds its market performance through the engagement of competent managers and field personnel. The employees function within vividly defined strategies that are carefully designed by professionals. By creating a performance-focused and principle-led organizational environment, the company is able to deliver to its customers the services and products envisaged in the company’s strategic plan. The management structure of the company replicates the strong point of the management team. The team is able to positively influence the employees to devote to the achievement of the company objectives through meeting the expectations of the customers. In order to achieve cost leadership in the food industry, the company encourages the employees to participate in decision making. It encourages innovation among the employees through shared expertise. The creation of category teams enables the involvement of planning experts who take an active part in decision making. They help the employees to concentrate on adding value for the clients in an approach that progresses the competitiveness of the entire company. Conversely, to achieve the vision and mission of the company, the management has divided the entire organization into three key teams namely business divisions, collective services and the corporate core. Nevertheless, the corporate core is responsible for deciding on the overall strategy of Kraft Foods. It sets standards and manages talent as well as composing the business portfolio. This way, the company is able to remain focused on its mission. The corporate strategies and strategic choices require realigning instead of altering the mission statement. Conclusion Kraft Foods corporate strategy has been effective for years. However, the increasingly competitive food and beverage industry requires realignment of the company’s strategic choices to reflect on the delivery of the corporate mission. The company’s mission and objectives require no alteration. Instead, there is need for reviewing the generic strategy to enable the company to adapt to the changing market and create a niche in the food industry. The company should leverage its financial endowment and strong brand to gain competitive advantage. References Hill, C. (1988). Differentiation versus low-cost leadership or differentiation and low-cost: A contingency framework. Academy of Management Review, 13(1), 401-412. Meeta, I. (2012). Application of bowma n’s clock to Kraft foods ltd. Web. Noria, C. (2014). Kraft foods lay out new global growth strategy. Web. Shah, V. (2014). Kraft foods. Web. Watrous, M. (2013). Product development overhaul at heart of Kraft foods strategy. Web. This assessment on Kraft Foods Group Strategies was written and submitted by user Cuck00 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Analysis of The School by Donald Barthelme

Analysis of 'The School' by Donald Barthelme Donald Barthelme (1931- 1989) was an American writer known for his postmodern, surrealistic style. He published more than 100 stories in his lifetime, many of which were quite compact, making him an important influence on contemporary flash fiction. The School was originally published in 1974 in The New Yorker, where it is available to subscribers. You can also get a  free copy of the story at National Public Radio (NPR).  Ã‚   Spoiler Alert Barthelmes story is  short- only about 1,200 words- and really funny and darkly funny, so its worth reading on your own. Humor and Escalation The story achieves much of its humor through escalation. It begins with an ordinary situation everyone can recognize –  a failed classroom gardening project. But then it piles on so many other recognizable classroom failures that the sheer accumulation becomes preposterous. That the narrators understated, conversational tone never rises to the same fever pitch of preposterousness makes the story even funnier. His delivery continues as if these events arent really so unusual –  just a run of bad luck. Tone Shifts There are two separate and significant tone changes in the story. The first occurs with the phrase, And then there was this Korean orphan [†¦] Until this point, the story has been  amusing. But the phrase about the Korean orphan is the first mention of human victims. It lands like a punch to the gut, and it heralds an extensive list of human fatalities. What was funny when it was just herbs and gerbils isnt so funny when were talking about human beings. And while the sheer magnitude of the escalating calamities does retain a humorous edge, the story is undeniably in more serious territory from this point forward. The second tone shift occurs when the children ask, [I]s death that which gives meaning to life? Until then, the children have sounded more or less like children, and not even the narrator has raised any existential questions. But then the children suddenly voice questions like: [I]snt death, considered as a fundamental datum, the means by which the taken-for-granted mundanity of the everyday may be transcended in the direction of   The story takes a surreal turn at this point, no longer trying to offer a narrative that could be grounded in reality but instead addressing larger philosophical questions. The exaggerated formality of the childrens speech only serves to emphasize the difficulty of articulating such questions in real life – the gap between the experience of death and our  ability to make sense of it. The Folly of Protection One of the reasons the story is funny is discomfort. The children are repeatedly faced with death the one experience from which adults would like to protect them. It makes a reader squirm. Yet after the first tone shift, the reader becomes like the children, confronting the inescapability and inevitability of death. Were all in school, and school is all around us. And sometimes, like the children, we might begin to feel that maybe there [i]s something wrong with the school. But the story seems to be pointing out that there is no other school. (If youre familiar with Margaret Atwoods short story Happy Endings, youll recognize thematic similarities here.) The request from the now-surreal children for the teacher to make love with the teaching assistant seems to be a quest for the opposite of death an attempt to find that which gives meaning to life. Now that the children are no longer protected from death, they dont want to be protected from its opposite, either. They seem to be searching for balance. It is only when the teacher asserts that there is value everywhere that the teaching assistant approaches him. Their embrace demonstrates a tender human connection that doesnt seem particularly sexualized. And thats when the new gerbil walks in, in all its surreal, anthropomorphized glory. Life continues. The responsibility of caring for a living being continues even if that living being, like all living beings, is doomed to eventual death. The children cheer, because their response to death is to continue engaging in the activities of life.

Rhinoceros Facts

Rhinoceros Facts There are five species of Rhinoceroses- Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicos, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis- and for the most part, they live in widely separated ranges. By most counts, there are less than 30,000 rhinoceroses alive today, a steep plunge in population for a mammal that has existed on the earth, in one form or another, for 50 million years. Fast Facts: Rhinoceros Scientific Name: Five species are Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicos, Dicerorhinus sumatrensisCommon Name: White, Black, Indian, Javan, SumatranBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 4–15 feet tall, 7–15 feet long, depending on speciesWeight: 1,000–5,000 poundsLifespan: 10–45 yearsDiet:  HerbivoreHabitat: Subharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinentPopulation: 30,000Conservation Status: Three species are Critically Endangered (Javan, Sumatran, black), one is Vulnerable (Indian), one is Near Threatened (white) Description Rhinoceroses are perissodactyls, or odd-toed ungulates, a family of mammals characterized by their herbivorous diets, relatively simple stomachs, and ​an odd number of toes on their feet (one or three). The only other perissodactyls on earth today are horses, zebras, and donkeys (all belonging to genus Equus), and the strange, pig-like mammals known as tapirs.  Rhinoceroses are characterized by their large sizes, quadrupedal postures, and single or double  horns on the ends of their snouts- the name rhinoceros is Greek for nose horn. These horns probably evolved as a sexually selected characteristic- that is, males with bigger, more prominent horns were more successful with females during mating season. Considering how big they are, rhinoceroses have unusually small brains- no more than a pound and a half in the largest individuals, and about five times smaller than a comparably sized elephant. That is a common attribute in animals which have elaborate anti-predator defenses like body armor: their encephalization quotient (the relative size of an animals brain compared to the rest of its body) is low. WLDavies/Getty Images   Species There are five extant rhino species- the white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, Indian rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros, and Sumatran rhinoceros. The largest rhinoceros species, the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) consists of two subspecies- the southern white rhinoceros, which lives in the southernmost regions of Africa, and the northern white rhinoceros of central Africa. There are about 20,000 southern white rhinoceroses in the wild, the males of which weigh over two tons, but the northern white rhinoceros is on the brink of extinction, with a mere handful of individuals surviving in zoos and nature reserves. No one is quite sure why C. simum is called white- this may be a corruption of the Dutch word wijd, which means wide (as in widespread), or because its horn is lighter than that of other rhinoceros species. Actually brown or grey in color, the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) used to be widespread across southern and central Africa, but today its numbers have dwindled to about half those of the southern white rhinoceros. (In Greek, bicornis means two-horned; an adult black rhinoceros has a larger horn toward the front of its snout, and a narrower one directly behind.) Black rhinoceros adults rarely exceed two tons in weight, and they browse on shrubs rather than grazing on grass like their white cousins. There used to be a bewildering number of black rhinoceros subspecies, but today the International Union for the Conservation of Nature recognizes only three, all of them seriously endangered. The Indian or greater one-horned rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis, used to be thick on the ground in India and Pakistan until a combination of hunting and habitat destruction restricted its numbers to the puny 4,000 or so individuals alive today. Full-grown Indian rhinos weigh between three and four tons and are characterized by their long, thick, black horns, which are prized by unscrupulous poachers. On a historical note, the Indian rhinoceros was the first rhino to be seen in Europe, a single individual shipped to Lisbon in 1515. Plucked from its natural habitat, this unfortunate rhino quickly died, but not before it had been immortalized in a woodcut by Albrecht Durer, the sole reference point for European  enthusiasts until another Indian rhino arrived in England in 1683. One of the rarest mammals in the entire world, the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicos) consists of a few dozen individuals living on the western edge of Java (the largest island in the Indonesian archipelago). This cousin of the Indian rhinoceros (same genus, different species) is slightly smaller, with a comparably smaller horn, which has not, sadly, prevented it from being hunted to near-extinction by poachers. The Javan rhinoceros used to be widespread across Indonesia and southeast Asia; one of the key factors in its decline was the Vietnam War, in which millions of acres of habitat were destroyed by incendiary bombing and poisoning of vegetation by the herbicide called Agent Orange. Also known as the hairy rhinoceros, the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is almost as endangered as the Javan rhinoceros, with which it once shared the same territory of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Adults of this species rarely exceed 2,000 pounds in weight, making it the smallest living rhinoceros. Unfortunately, as with the Javan rhinoceros, the relatively short horn of the Sumatran rhinoceros hasnt spared it from the depredations of poachers: The powdered horn of a Sumatran rhino commands over $30,000 per kilogram on the black market. Not only is D. sumatrensis the smallest rhino, but its also the most mysterious. This is by far the most vocal rhino species and herd members communicate with one another via yelps, moans, and whistles. Habitat and Range Rhinoceroses are native to Subharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, depending on their species. They live in a variety of habitats, including tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands, tropical moist forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands. Diet Rhinos are all herbivores, but their diets depend on their habitat: Sumatran and Javan rhinos feed on tropical vegetation, including some fruits, while black rhinoceros are primarily browsers that feed on herbs and shrubs, and Indian rhinos feed on both grasses and aquatic plants. They require a great deal of time to forage and spend most of their active time doing that. Rhinos can be active day or night and generally regulate their activity depending on the weather. If its too hot or too cold, they will stay near water. Behavior If theres one place the average person does not want to be, its in the path of a stampeding rhino. When startled, this animal can hit top speeds of 30 miles per hour, and its not exactly equipped to stop on a dime (which may be one reason rhinos evolved their nasal horns as they can absorb unexpected impacts with stationary trees). Because rhinos are basically solitary animals, and because they have become so thin on the ground, its rare to see a true crash (as a group of rhinos is called), but this phenomenon has been known to occur around watering holes. Rhinos also have poorer eyesight than most animals, another reason not to linger in the path of a four-ton male on your next African safari. The closest rhinoceros bond is between a mother and her offspring. Bachelor rhinos congregate in small crashes of three to five, and sometimes as many as 10, to cooperate against predators. Rhinos may also gather around limited resources, water pools, wallows, feeding areas, and salt licks, always staying one body length apart. Reproduction and Offspring All rhinoceroses are polygamous and polyandrous- both sexes seek multiple mates. Courting and mating can occur at any time during the day. During courtship, males engage in mate-guarding behavior until the female is in full estrus and will permit males to approach her. Indian male rhinos whistle loudly to announce reproductive condition and location, six to 10 hours before breeding activity. Gestation takes 15–16 months, and by two months of age, calves are weaned and may be left alone while the female forager a few feet away. When separated temporarily, the female and her calves stay in contact through vocalizations. Calves suckle until the calf is two or the mother conceives again; they become completely independent at three years. Females become sexually mature at 5–7, and males at 10 years. Rhinos typically live between 10 and 45 years, depending on the species.   mantaphoto/Getty Images Evolutionary History Researchers trace the evolutionary lineage of modern rhinoceroses back 50 million years, to small, pig-sized ancestors that originated in Eurasia and later spread to North America. A good example is Menoceras, a tiny, four-footed plant-eater that sported a pair of small horns. The North American branch of this family went extinct about five million years ago, but rhinos continued to live in Europe until the end of the last Ice Age (at which point Coelodonta, also known as the woolly rhino, went extinct along with its fellow mammalian megafaunas like the woolly mammoth and the saber-toothed tiger). One recent rhinoceros ancestor, Elasmotherium, may even have inspired the unicorn myth, as its single, prominent horn struck awe in early human populations. Daniel Eskridge/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Conservation Status All of the five species of rhinoceroses are listed as endangered or vulnerable ty the IUCN. Three are listed as Critically Endangered (Javan, Sumatran, and black rhinos); one is Vulnerable (Indian), and one is Near Threatened (white).   Ã‚  Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images Threats Rhinoceroses have been continually driven relentlessly to the brink of extinction by human poachers. What these hunters are after is rhino horns, which, when ground up into powder, are valued in the east as aphrodisiacs (today, the largest market for powdered rhino horn is in Vietnam, as Chinese authorities have recently cracked down on this illicit trade). Whats ironic is that the horn of a rhinoceros is composed entirely of keratin, the same substance that makes up human hair and fingernails. Rather than continuing to drive these majestic animals into extinction, perhaps poachers can be convinced to grind up their toenail clippings and see if anyone notices the difference! Sources Emslie, R. Ceratotherium simum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T4185A16980466, 2012.-. Diceros bicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T6557A16980917, 2012.  Hutchins, M., and M. D. Kreger. Rhinoceros Behaviour: Implications for Captive Management and Conservation. International Zoo Yearbook 40.1 (2006): 150-73. Print.Talukdar, B.K. et al. Rhinoceros unicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19496A8928657, 2008.  van Strien, N.J. et al. Rhinoceros sondaicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19495A8925965, 2008.van Strien, N.J., et al. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T6553A12787457, 2008.

Turning Passion into a Career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Turning Passion into a Career - Essay Example This paper tells that as with all careers that constantly undergo advancement and changes, the field of medicine is such that an individual needs to keep themselves abreast of the times. You have to keep learning new things and incorporate new developments and techniques in your day to day working. So the learning phase never actually ends. One can choose to shift it from the more informal ‘learning on the job’ level to a more formal ‘guided study’ one. My working environment is ideal to allow me the opportunity to further enhance my career and take it to the next level. I am planning on doing a Master’s Degree in Nursing to combine two of my passions together: teaching and nursing. Knowledge spreads through sharing and teaching a subject that you really love enhances the overall experience. A bit like sharing a hobby with the rest of the world. It adds to the pleasure. I would love to share my knowledge and experience in my field with others and faci litate new students as much as I can to help them become good nurses. It is not arrogance to believe that I would prove to be a good teacher. I have always found it to be a better experience learning from teachers whom I felt had a genuine passion for the subject. That passion and the joy of sharing makes you sincere with what you do. While working, I have picked up a few best practices here and there that help me tremendously with my tasks. I am sure more people can and will benefit from these. I know I would have if someone had offered me these bits of advice instead of me having to learn the hard way! I am at a point in my career where I can choose the path ahead for myself, both in terms of which route to take and also as far as workloads are concerned. It is of the paramount importance for me to choose my path with care. I currently have the option to take up a managerial role in our expanding laboratory or become a divisional leader. To take on new responsibilities in a new ro le, I feel it is important for me to augment my education by enrolling in a Master’s program. After giving it much thought, I have chosen to go with the clinical track since apart from helping me out in a new role, it will help me fulfill my dream of teaching nursing at college- or university level. When I was considering my options and planning for the future, I extensively searched through institutions and courses that suited me, browsing the web extensively as well as going through every prospectus I could get my hands on. I went through Norwich University’s website and liked it. I read through course-lists and any pertinent information on offer. Particularly, after watching the webinar, I was convinced that Norwich University would be the perfect place for me to embark on the next phase of my professional journey. As I have previously mentioned, right now is the ideal time for me for this undertaking: I have full support of my family and coworkers; I have been work ing long enough to be very comfortable with time management, prioritizing work and meeting deadlines; and I have no other obligations, commitments or hurdles that would keep me from devoting ample time to my studies. My working environment is conducive to learning as I am well-liked by my colleagues. Since I am always willing to pitch in and help out a colleague wherever I can, I get the same treatment in return.

The Rise and Influence of Nationalism in Japan around WWII Essay

The Rise and Influence of Nationalism in Japan around WWII - Essay Example WWII strengthened such ideologies as Bushido (the way of the warrior) and religious ideology of Shinto, ideas of the "New Structure’ and "Consensus State†. These different forms of nationalism were mutually acceptable. The â€Å"New Structure† was a necessary component of nationalism, and new institutions had to be imported as a means of linking all Japanese to one national bureaucracy for political and economic centralization. The very act of importing these institutions, the values upon which they were based on a direct support to the social and cultural traditions formed the essence of the Japanese nation. In contrast to other states preached individualism, Japanese nationalism was based on the idea of collective identity and objectives which helped to unite the nation against ‘outside’ world. The emperor did not play a dominant role in political and social life. Critics suppose that control over the countries and its political strategies were esta blished by the military, formed by the Emperor and Government. During the WWII, Japanese practiced kamikaze as one of the main national traditions. They had special kamikaze units in the Japanese Fleet who made a great damage to enemies. Because Japanese believe that the world in which they lived and the political world were two separate entities, it was difficult to get the public to identify with the state and political institutions. The social system had a higher importance in Japan than the political system, and political institutions had very little cultural meaning to Japanese. As occurred in the Meiji period, Japan's defeat led to a wholesale rejection of prewar institutions and a wholehearted adoption of most of the occupation reforms as a means of ridding Japan of its inferior status.

Shakespeares & Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay The two films are very different from each other even though they are based on the same play written by William Shakespeare  From the beginning, the settings differ from each other. The Zeffirelli film, which was filmed in 1968 starts in a courtyard there is a market place, which looks like it represents Verona. The style is set between the 12th and 13th century, medieval and renaissance period. It also a lot more conventional to the Shakespeare play. The surrounding area is a walled town with narrow streets and high buildings, which creates tension. There is also a scene, which is on a beach; there is a proscenium arch. This is where Benvolio gets shot and dies; Benvolio was Romeos friend The Luhrman film, which was filmed in 1997, was set in an American Coastal city, it had a statue of Jesus Christ between two skyscrapers, a lot of traffic, hustle and bustle and skyscrapers around. One of the settings in the film was in a petrol station, which is busy and noisy; it is called Phoenix Gas. This has a symbolic meaning to it, which is Rise from the ashes. This is ironic as the station is about to be set alight. At the beginning of the films you can see that the two films contrast with each other by the opening music, sounds, and images. The Luhrmans opening is Loud, and Zeffirellis is quite and peaceful. The first we see of the two families in the Luhrman film is when the Montague Boys arrive in an open top car and the Capulets arrive in a gangster looking car. Abra Capulet has metal caps on his teeth with the word Sin engraved on them this is to create a gangster image. The market place in Zeffirellis film was much calmer than the petrol station in the Luhrman film. Luhrman used the petrol station because this is where people may encounter each other and it is part of a modern life. The Zeffirelli film was made in 1968 in a time where Hippies, love and peace, was around. You can see that this is reflected in this film because it does not seem as violent as the 1997 version. In the Luhrman film there was a lot more violence, the film was faster, louder, livelier because that was how peoples lives were at the time the film was made which is reflected in the film. Also people were used to action films and Luhrman wanted to make it relevant for a modern audience. As soon as both films begin there is immediate tension between the two different families. In the Luhrman film there is a news report, which explains what is happening between the two families. There were several different newspapers, which come up, Capulet Vs Montagues, and In Fair Verona. These headings reflect the lines from the prologue, which are being read as the news. This gives the first impression that the two families are feuding with each other. In both films religion plays a part in the films In the Luhrman film Tybalt has a picture of Jesus on his waistcoat. Throughout the film there is religious images. For example in the montage at he beginning there are religious images flashed. Also there is a scene, which in which you see two skyscrapers one which is the Montagues and the other is the Capulets in between there is a statue of Jesus Christ. This shows that they think they are bigger than God and more important than religion, however religion still plays a part in their lives. In both of the films the main characters are Romeo and Juliet. The actors give the impression that their characters are natural, young and in love. In both of the films there are also two main families that are feuding with each other, the Montagues, which is Romeos family, and the Capulets, which is Juliets family.

Essay --

I am going into event planning, in the sector of the hospitality industry. Event planning industry is on the rise and is not glued to one specific genre, hence, there are several to choose from. Event planning is needed for all sorts of occasions such as, birthday parties, weddings, fundraisers, product launches, concerts, anniversaries, fashion shows, conferences, graduations, business meetings, and much more! It is an industry that will never stop growing and improving. Specifically, an event planner job includes working with clients, creating a positive self-image, networking with clients, and personal and financial gain. The job of an event planner is much more than hanging up streamers, laying table clothes down and checking the quality of the lights. Event planning requires tedious work and strenuous planning. Also called meeting and convention planners, they do everything involved with making sure these events go as anticipated. This includes, working with the client to choose a fabulous and affordable location, hiring quality caterers, selecting perfect entertainment, and even arranging lodging and transportation for attendees who are visiting from afar (McKay). The goal of an event planner is to make sure the event runs very much as anticipated, which includes multiple plans to combat what-if scenario, because no event will ever run exactly as planned. Event planning is a very personally rewarding career. Not only is it personally rewarding, but it also offers benefits such as gaining public recognition, and financial rewards. Besides that, event planning offers the individual flexibility, and independence (being able to start your own event planning business). Even though this job seems ideally easy and person... ...one’s business, but should also be included with the basic necessities like business cards and portfolios. From business conferences to weddings, there are events going on all around us, and where there are events there are event planners constructing it, putting it all together, while making everything run effectively. Event planning is always unpredictable and you need to be always ready for any problematic situation that may occur. When starting out there is a great chance that problems will occur that one will not prepared to face, but this is all a part of the improvement process. These situations should be looked at as a learning experience and should give you some ideas of how to improve one’s event planning skills and one’s own business. Because of all the hospitality, craziness, and personal gratification, I have chosen to become an event planner.

The bard by john martin

History paintings ere then considered as the grand style of painting even though these paintings never really caught on in the British market, mainly due to their huge dimensions. On the contrary, landscape was considered a low genre. Despite these impediments, both of them had successful careers and raised landscape to the height of historical paintings. Another characteristic both painters shared was the inclusion of the Sublime in their art, which was very popular at the time. According to E. Burke's definition, the Sublime focuses on darkness, vastness, magnificence, loudness and denseness.I will analyze how when commenting on the painting The Bard. Turner's paintings had greatly Impressed Martin but their approach to historical paintings was quite different. They both portrayed grandiose representations of history and told stories about the Immensity of nature compared with the smallness of men. But when Turner was more interested in fate and how men were powerless in the immens ity of nature,John Martin oriented his works towards the Divine and the representation of grand biblical themes inspired by the Old Testament.John Martin's paintings were mainly based on religious and fantastic subjects. His most celebrated works were â€Å"Pallbearer's Feast†, â€Å"The Great day of his Wrath†, the â€Å"Destruction of Stood and Sonogram† or the Seven Plagues of Egypt†, amongst others. The Bard does not belong to this category but is still one representation of his conception of his art. It Is based on ancient British history. Martin's Bard was first exhibited In 1817 and Is an Illustration off poem, the Bard, written In 1757 by Thomas Gray.The mom tells the story of the last surviving bard In Wales who climbed above a swirling river after Edward I and the English troops defeated the country. Martin Is telling us almost word for word the same story. This is both a poetical painting as the bard was the official poet of the ruler and his co urt and a political painting portraying the king and his troops. This painting is huge in size (it is over 2 meters high). The story told is divided by the river which creates a chasm between the two halves of the minting, one with its chiaroscuro side with the bard overcoming the other side with the military.In the left foreground the dwarfed figures of the king and his soldiers overpowered by the castle which despite the defeat still stands erect. On the right- hand side, there are rocky cliffs, on top of which the bard stands erect immobile on his two feet, proudly holding his harp. His also being In the foreground but so much higher conveys the moral disparity between the two parties. His left hand points towards the sky, the bard Is the prophet who he Is telling the king that punishment ill come, not through human hands but through the Delve.There are hardly any warm tones, only some dark red on the figures, linking them, there is no doubt that atmosphere and adds to the traged y of the story told. Although the figures are important in order to tell the story, the landscape is the focus of the story, it is the drama that overpowers all other impressions. The wild, chaotic landscape with its spectacular effects, the vastness of the scale and the power of the noble bard give a full representation of the sublime.Also, we, as risers, are safe but, like the soldiers, we are compelled to look up at the Bard and the Divine could also destroy us. We have great admiration for the Bard who, we know, will commit suicide, but we also fear what fate has in store for us. Although John Martin's paintings gradually fell into oblivion after his death, his paintings have recently been exhibited and commented upon. His works have inspired many film makers and he is now considered a cinematic painter. One example is C. B. De Mille, Moses in his film â€Å"the Ten Commandments† has a striking resemblance with the Bard.

Prayer in School Essay

John Knox Press, 1996. 45-218. In this book the author gives an epic description of the controversy surrounding the debate on prayer in public schools. It touches on the legal aspects as well as the interpretation of among other articles the first amendment. Alley uses history and preceding events to bring out his argument against prayer in public schools terming the practice as an abuse and harassment of the minority by the majority who are keen on imposing their own definition of faith. He asserts that the law on first amendment religion issues has adequately and consistently clarified the differences that exist between church and state. He cited some cases such as Barnette, McCollum, Everson, Engel and Schempp to mention but a few as having set precedence thus preventing future conflict. However, one reads anti Christianity overtones which bring up the question of objectivity due to his obvious bias. He has successfully presented one side of the debate with a personal tone. The book strongly opines that any form of religious inclinations in public schools is incompatible with the constitution as well as with the principle of democracy. Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow & Co, 1995. 11-97. In the first pages of his interesting book, Murray tells of his atheist past that was directed by his mother Madalyn Murray and how he, as a 14 year old was a plaintiff against the Baltimore School system. The suit led to the Supreme Court’s decision that outlawed public school prayer and bible reading. Murray later converts to Christianity and embarks on a mission aimed at undoing the ‘damage’ done by his past. He becomes a strong proponent of prayer in Schools arguing that this is the one way of rooting out the moral decay in the society. Among other arguments, he presents the debate as conflicting discomforts. ‘The discomfort of minority faiths or nonbelievers at hearing prayer in school versus the discomfort of Protestant Christians at being prohibited from public prayer’. He allows that the drafters of the constitution are misinterpreted by those who claim that they intended to eradicate prayer from public institutions. Rather, he cites influential figures such as John Locke and Tocqueville as strong believers in the value of prayer in providing positive guidance to the society. His recommendations are however weak since the freedom he seeks could be confused with what is provided for in the constitution. Again the founding fathers he cites are understood to have given us the current laws and so his enlisting them undermines his very argument. Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. 54, 67-75. In this book, Catherine Cookson delves into the issues of the law and the authority of state as laid down in the constitution on one hand and the obligations of conscience on the other. She embarks on a project to provide the solution for a recurrent problem. She examines the history of the Christian tradition as well as more contemporary political development of religious freedom (186). Her argument on the free exercise clause is vivid and thought provoking as she seeks the balance between the majority’s right to religious expression and public prayer and the minority’s discomfort arising from that kind of expression. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www. ed. gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance. html Accessed on 12. 04. 07. This article deals with the legal aspect of the debate on prayer in schools. The article endeavors to provide information on the current state of the law concerning constitutionally protected prayer in the public schools, and therefore spell out the extent to which prayer in public schools is lawfully protected. The Case against School Prayer. Available online at: http://209. 85. 135. 104/search? q=cache:RTckL_PUwSEJ:ffrf. org/nontracts/schoolprayer. php+prayers+in+school&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ke. Accessed on 12. 04. 07. In this article the author delves into the arguments against school prayer. The author advances the argument that prayers are private and yet there is nothing private about a public school. Therefore the two are incompatible and should not mix. He/She asserts that public schools cater for students with varying backgrounds and religious inclinations and they should not be subjected to rules that promote one form of religious expression. According to the author of the article, Public prayer leads to discrimination of the minority and a denial of their right to worship. The article refutes the claim that prayer in school has any value in checking societal excesses. The conclusion calls for total separation of church and state arguing that this is one way of preventing divisiveness in the society. Works Cited Campbell, Ted A. Christian Confessions: A Historical Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 . Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 . Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow & Co, 1995. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html Accessed on 12.04.07