Wednesday, October 30, 2019
How does the plate tectonics theory help explain the existence of Essay
How does the plate tectonics theory help explain the existence of fossilized marine life in rocks atop the Ural Mountains Be sure to include a description of the specific process(es) - Essay Example With time, the fossils collected and accumulated on the sea bed. Geologists describe the area on which the mountains exist to be at the edge of two active tectonic plates: Baltica and Siberia. The tectonic plates are considered to be constructive plates. The two tectonic plates collided and their forces pushed the plates against one another in a constant force. The force was so intense that it pushed the earthââ¬â¢s crust beyond its elastic limit. With time the earthââ¬â¢s crust got compressed as folded upwards resulting to the Ural Mountains. This was a gradual process that lasted for many years. The area that was formerly covered by the Palaeoralic Ocean was now part of the Ural Mountains. It took with it the fossil remains that was on the sea bed. The water that was contained in the ocean was displaced as result of rise in altitude of the area. Considering that the fossils had been in existence for over millions of years and that they were several of kilometers deep, it was impossible for the environmental factors like rain to completely wear out the fossil remains (Wright, 1977). In addition, the weight of the water along with other forces had compacted together the fossils forming semimetal rocks which currently exist on the top of Ural Mountains. This theory unlike other theories is credible and fully arguable especially in its endeavor to explain the existence of sedimentary rocks atop the Ural
Monday, October 28, 2019
Identifying Illogical Fallacy And Arguments Philosophy Essay
Identifying Illogical Fallacy And Arguments Philosophy Essay Have you wondered the truth behind some peoples logic when considering why they believe what they do or why they believe it is true based upon their own interpretation? In almost every aspect of life there is some underlying reason that people conform or believe in things, whether its regarded as truth or fallacy. Most people would argue that there is a higher power in terms of religion while most or others will disagree that there is no such existence because they have not seen him personally. An argument can be said to be the exchanging of opposing views by means of persuasion in asserting that a view or purpose is true or false; right or wrong. Philosophers in history have argued that there is error in reasoning in the causation of life and this is can be referred to as a fallacy. A fallacy can be an intentional act or unintentional act or line of reasoning. There are several illogical fallacies beginning with a mere assertion. Mere Assertion: An illogical fallacy based up on the belief that an argument is true because you believe in it. In other words, if you argue that the sky is black ant is something that you believe or feel strongly about, and then it is presumed true. Clearly, any other person would note that the sky is never black and is in fact blue at all time. However, in this case, it is true because you believe it. Circular Reasoning: circular reasoning is the argument that suggests that whatever the argument may be, as long as the conclusion of an argument supports the premise (justifiable claim) then it is true. In simpler terms, the reason for the argument is also the reason in the conclusion. There must be evidence to prove that what you are arguing is a valid argument. For example: Reading is an excellent practice in learning as it helps to enhance ones knowledge. It is clear that reading does assist in learning new things but reading alone does not promote being more knowledgeable but it does assist in the learning processes. Ad Hominem: Ad Hominem is an arguments reasoning associated with demeaning the opposition relevant to the argument. My 4 year old I famous for this because whenever he does something he is not supposed to do or I asked him not to do, and I get on him because of his behavior, he attempts to divert my attention away for the purpose of preventing himself for getting a spanking or yelled at. He may say things like I just love you so much or Mommy can I give you a hug. Another example is when my mother and I get into arguments about the rude ways she speaks to me; she brings up the topic of money because she wants to control my income. Because we are already in a heated argument, she includes other things in the argument that are irrelevant to her rude ways when conversing. Red Herring: A form of drawing attention away for means of confusion and irrelevant subjects within an argument. Red herring is a part of an argument where the parties intend to manipulate the argument by including irrelevant reasoning and allow the opposing party to consider the irrelevant information pulling away from the initial reason for the argument. For example: An employee is in trouble with his boss for not completely assignments timely and being rude to clients. The employee mentions other employees who mingle in the workplace and take personal calls pretending to be talking business with clients. In this situation, the employee is attempting to influence his boss to consider the quality of others work in order to reduce the tension between the boss and himself. Pseudo Questions: Pseudo questions can be defined as rhetorical questions which mean that they cannot be answered. Pseudo question can be simple question that are hard to answer because the person who supposed to answer has no knowledge of the topic. A question by Billy Corgon asks If practice makes perfect and no one is perfect, then why practice? Or George Corlin asks Why do doctors call the work a practice? Isnt what they learned a skill? False Cause: False cause is a fallacy that suggests that something is the result of something else. This fallacy is similar to determinism where every event has a cause. An example of false cause: Tyler Perry became famous, a great writer and actor because he gained experience from living on the streets and being homeless. If this were true, then all homeless people would become actors because they lived on the street thus gaining experience. Sweeping generalizations: The fallacy that says if one assumes that all incidents of reason are applied to every situation. Furthermore, sweeping generalizations accepts the sense that there are no exceptions to generalization. For example: People who dont eat pork are Muslims. You are a Muslim because you dont eat pork. In this case, not eating pork can be for religious purposes but also can apply to the fact that the person is a vegetarian thus invalidating the argument because there is an exception to this argument. Slippery Slope: Suggests that a cause of events will continuously occur because one thing causes another. In other words, by chance one thing will finally lead to the last. Consider the slippery slope fallacy in this situation. Not wearing a coat in the winter will cause you to catch a cold eventually. How does this occur? Well first you get the sniffles and maybe allergy like symptoms (i.e. stuffy nose, clogged ears, runny eyes) following maybe changes in your body temperature then eventually you will cough which signifies that you have caught a cold. Any human knows that if you act carelessly in the winter, you will be subjected to catching a cold and being sick. Being sick is not fun right? Equivocation or Changing Means: Altering the meaning of a word in the course of an argument. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is a time of happiness therefore the birth of Jesus Christ must too be full of happiness. This example signals that both implications of the argument produces happiness (i.e. Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ); Jesus himself being full of happiness because his birth was full of happiness.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Hamlet - Shakespeares Ophelia as Modern Icon Essay -- Hamlet essays
Hamlet - Shakespeare's Ophelia as Modern Icon Shakespeare's Ophelia is not lacking in attention. As one of Shakespeare's most popular female characters she has enjoyed many appellations from the bard. '"Fair Ophelia." "Most beautified Ophelia." "Pretty Ophelia." "Sweet Ophelia." "Dear Ophelia." "Beautiful Opheliaâ⬠¦sweet maidâ⬠¦poor wretch." "Poor Ophelia."' (Vest 1) All of these names for Ophelia can be found in Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Since Shakespeare's incarnation of Ophelia many have felt the need to offer their opinions of Ophelia as a character. '"Poor wispy Ophelia." "Devastated and emotionally exhausted Ophelia." "Pensive, fair-haired, blue-eyed daughter of the north." "Ophelia the young, the beauteous, the harmless, the pious." "Clumsy Opheliaâ⬠¦open-hearted but light-brainedâ⬠¦incapable either of understanding or of curing." "A weak creature, wanting in truthfulness, in purpose, in force of character, and only interesting when she loses the little wits she had."' (Vest 1 ) These are only a few of the hundreds. For a character that only appears in five of the 20 scenes in Hamlet, Ophelia has garnered a great deal of attention from analysts, critics, artists, actresses, fiction writers, psychologists, and adolescent girls alike. Readers are consistently struck by her character that seems relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Ophelia is many times viewed as only important in relation to Hamlet and the effect she has on him. Ophelia is not just important in this respect, but also in respect to what she tells us about the society she came out of and the society we live in today. First analyzing Shakespeare and his precursors then concentrating on the modern day prominence of ... ...s Write About Their Search For Self. New York: Harper Collins, 1999. Vest, James M. The French Face of Ophelia from Belleforest to Baudelaire. Lanham: University Press of America, 1989. Appendix 1 "Ophelia's Legs (Voyeur in a Small Town)" From Dead Snakes, Cats and the IRS, Poetry of Rock and Rebellion I watch eyes thinking of an old free man's story, seeing slanted gilts of light cat-backed mountains bristling in the distance there is an Ophelia's legs softer than blood in the trail she's unfolded toward crossed by dove's flight and spider tip-toeing- the angle determines what will notice- each's earth fingers reach through as quietly as they must be found. I see this woman, her lovers, some have been mine. The days damn here, filigreed as hair or knowing -Theresa Courtney Gillespie
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Formal Letter
Poor Maintenance of Taman JayadiriI am writing this letter on behalf of the residents of Taman Jayadiri to complain about the dismal conditions we have been putting up with for the past three months. 2. One of the main grouses of the residents concerns uncollected rubbish (point 1). Initially, rubbish was collected three times a week. However, since June this year the garbage collectors have only been coming once a week. Our litter bins are always filled to the brim and we have no choice but to leave our bags of rubbish next to the bins. The rotting waste causes a terrible stench (point 2). Worse still, stray cats and dogs scatter the rubbish (point 3) while looking for food. This is not only unpleasant but also unhealthy.3. Most of the drains in Taman Jayadiri are clogged (point 4) with rubbish resulting in the water becoming stagnant. It is not uncommon to see plastic bags, bottles and dry leaves in these drains. There is an urgent need to clear these drains as the stagnant water i s an idealbreeding ground for mosquitoes (point 5). The residents are worried as there has been a sharp increase in dengue cases (point 6) in the last two months.4. The street lights along several roads are also not working (point 7). This has caused several accidents at night (point 8), mostly involving motorcyclists as they are unable to see in the dark. Unfortunately, the dark streets have also led to another problem ââ¬â an increase in crime (point 9). Several residents, especially women, have fallen victim to snatch thieves. 5. The one and only playground in our area is also not well-maintained (point 10). The grass isà overgrown (point 11) as it has not been cut for almost three months. Besides, the playground equipment is damaged (point 12). Many of the see-saws and swings have been spoiled by vandals. I hope the council will look into our complaints and take prompt action to solve our problems. Thank you.Yours faithfully,Raisya Zahraa Binti Hairul Hisyam Suggestions On the Changes Need To Be Done To The LibraryMy intention of writing this letter is to inform you that our school library needs changesto attract more students to visit it. In relation to that, I would like to offer my suggestionson the changes need to be done to the library. 2. The number of novels should be increased as the fiction section lacks books. Manystudents feel disappointed because they cannot find their favourite novels in the library.Besides, the library needs to have dictionaries of the latest edition since the present dictionaries are not up to date and they are not really helpful to students in completing the English assignment 3. The shelves and furniture should be rearranged because the positions are notconducive to reading.During peak hours many students have to sit on the floor and between shelves and this hinder them from reading comfortably. The wall need to berepainted as well for the reason that the dull wall colour kills the studentsââ¬â¢ inter est inspending their free time in the library. Some said the colour encourages them to sleep while reading. 4. Apart from that, the library needs more fans or be air-conditioned due to à poor ventilation. Many students cannot stand the heat especially during the afternoon hours.Moreover, more librarians should be placed at the counter because of the long queue during recess.A few will miss their meals and might lose concentration later in class due to hunger. 5. It is my hope that you will view my suggestions and comments constructively anddo something to upgrade the conditions of the library in order to create a conducive reading environment. Thank you.Yours faithfully, Raisya (RAISYA ZAHRAA BT HAIRUL HISYAM)Letter of ComplaintRaju a/l Lingam, 123 A, Lorong Bahagia, Taman Sentosa, 07231 Bandar Baru Sentol, KelantanThe President, Bandar Baru Sentol Council, Kompleks Utama, 07200 Bandar Baru Sentol 16 JUNE 2011Dear Sir, Uncollected Rubbish and Clogged DrainsI am writing this letter is to attract your attention to the above title. As the representative of the community, I am calling to tell you that the 300 odd residents living in Taman Sentosa are extremely unhappy about the lackadaisical attitude of the local town council towards the uncollectedà rubbish and clogged drains in our area.2. The rubbish in our area has not been collected for more than a week. The rubbish is supposed to be collected on alternate days but this has not been the case. The town council workers collect the rubbish according to their own whims and fancies. The uncollected garbage has attracted not only flies and mosquitoes but also wild dogs which had attacked the residents on several occasions. These stray animals also scatter the rubbish and make the roads dirty and smelly. As a result, residents have to bear the discomfort of stench from the garbage and risk their health.3. We are also disappointed with the town council workers for not clearing the clogged drains which are filled with rubbish. The drains would usually overflow when there is heavy rain and the rubbish would then flow into the compounds of our houses. Besides, putting up with the unbearable stench emitted from them, the residents have to spend hours cleaning their compounds of rotten vegetables, food leftovers and other rubbish.4. Due to dengue outbreak recently, we are really concerned about the residentsââ¬â¢ health especially the children. Fogging service also was not done accordingly to the schedule. The fogging authority only did their job whenever a case of dengue aroused. They even fogging the neighbourhood late at night that caused us to leave the residents. They need to consider the residents who have babies and also to those who need to wake up early in the morning for work. The fogging also caused the people to have breathing problem when we were not told the exact time of fogging.5. We have made numerous appeals to the Municipal Council to look into our complaints but to no avai l. We have been putting up with this predicament for more than a week. We hope the health authorities would do something to check these health hazards.Thank you.Yours faithfully,
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Two
CLARENCE DIDN'T WANT to talk to us about what had happened. In fact, he adamantly denied anything was wrong, claiming he'd scratched his neck while shaving. ââ¬Å"Mr. Donahue,â⬠I said as gently as I could, ââ¬Å"this was made by a surgical tool. And it didn't happen until Keith visited.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, no,â⬠Clarence managed in a weak voice. ââ¬Å"It has nothing to do with him.â⬠Dorothy stuck her head in just then, carrying a glass of juice. We'd called for her shortly after my arrival tonight. For blood loss, the remedies were the same for Moroi and human alike: sugar and fluids. She offered the glass to him with a straw, her lined face filled with concern. I continued my pleas as he drank. ââ¬Å"Tell us what your deal is,â⬠I begged. ââ¬Å"What's the arrangement? What's he giving you for your blood?â⬠When Clarence remained silent, I tried another tactic. ââ¬Å"People are being hurt. He's giving out your blood indiscriminately.â⬠That got a reaction. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Clarence. ââ¬Å"He's using my blood and saliva to heal people. To heal sick humans.â⬠Saliva? I nearly groaned. Of course. The mysterious clear liquid. Now I knew what gave the celestial tattoos their addictive high. Gross. Adrian and I exchanged glances. Healing certainly was a use for vampire blood. The tattoo I wore was proof of that, and the Alchemists had worked long trying to duplicate some of the blood's properties for wider medicinal use. So far, there was no way to synthetically reproduce it, and using real blood simply wasn't practical. ââ¬Å"He lied,â⬠I replied. ââ¬Å"He's selling it to rich teenagers to help them with sports. What did he promise you for it? A cut of the money?â⬠Adrian glanced around the opulent room. ââ¬Å"He doesn't need money. The only thing he needs is what the guardians wouldn't give him. Justice for Tamara, right?â⬠Surprised, I turned back to Clarence and saw Adrian's words confirmed on the old Moroi's face. ââ¬Å"Heâ⬠¦ he's been investigating the vampire hunters for me,â⬠he said slowly. ââ¬Å"He says he's close. Close to finding them out.â⬠I shook my head, wanting to kick myself for not having figured out sooner that Clarence was the blood source. It explained why Keith was always unexpectedly here ââ¬â and why he got so upset when I showed up without warning. My ââ¬Å"fraternizing with vampiresâ⬠had had nothing to do with it. ââ¬Å"Sir, I guarantee the only thing he's investigating is how to spend the money he's been making.â⬠ââ¬Å"Noâ⬠¦ noâ⬠¦ he's going to help me find the hunters who killed Tamaraâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I stood up. I couldn't stand to hear any more. ââ¬Å"Get him some real food, and see what he'll eat,â⬠I told Dorothy. ââ¬Å"If he's only weak from blood loss, he just needs time.â⬠I nodded for Adrian to follow me out. As we walked toward the living room, I remarked, ââ¬Å"Well, there are good and bad sides to this. At least we can be confident Keith's got a fresh supply of blood for us to bust him with. I'm just sorry Clarence had to get hit so ââ¬â ââ¬Å" I froze as I entered the living room. I'd simply wanted to go there because it would be a familiar place to discuss our plans, one that was less creepy than Clarence's bedroom. Considering how my imagination often ran wild while I was in this old house, I'd found that few things came as a surprise. But never in my wildest dreams had I imagined the living room would be transformed into an art gallery. Easels and canvas were set up all around the room. Even the pool table was covered by a big roll of paper. The pictures varied wildly in their content. Some simply had splashes of color thrown on them. Some possessed astonishingly realistic depictions of objects and people. An assortment of watercolors and oil paints sat around amidst the art. For a moment, all thoughts of Clarence and Keith disappeared from my head. ââ¬Å"What is this?â⬠ââ¬Å"Homework,â⬠Adrian said. ââ¬Å"Didn't youâ⬠¦ didn't you just start your classes? How could they have assigned this much?â⬠He walked over to a canvas showing a swirling red line traced over a black cloud and lightly tested to see if the paint was dry. Studying it, I tried to decide if I really was seeing a cloud. There was almost something anthropomorphic about it. ââ¬Å"Of course they didn't give us this much, Sage. But I had to make sure I nailed my first assignment. Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection.â⬠He paused to reconsider that. ââ¬Å"Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try.â⬠I couldn't help a smile. After watching Adrian's moods oscillate so wildly in the last couple weeks, it was nice to see them on the upswing. ââ¬Å"Well, this is kind of amazing,â⬠I admitted. ââ¬Å"What are they? I mean, I get that one.â⬠I pointed to a painting of a woman's eye, brown and long-lashed, and then to another one of roses. ââ¬Å"But the others are open to, um, slightly more creative interpretation.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are they?â⬠asked Adrian, turning back to the smoky painting with the red streak. ââ¬Å"I figured it was obvious. This one is Love. Don't you see it?â⬠I shrugged. ââ¬Å"Maybe I don't have an artistic enough mind.â⬠ââ¬Å"Maybe,â⬠he agreed. ââ¬Å"Once we bust your buddy Keith, we'll discuss my genius art all you want.â⬠ââ¬Å"Right,â⬠I said, growing serious again. ââ¬Å"We need to search his place for evidence. I figured the best way to do that is if I lure him out and you break in while he's gone. To get through the lock ââ¬â ââ¬Å" Adrian waved me off. ââ¬Å"I can pick a lock. How do you think I got into my parents' liquor cabinet in middle school?â⬠ââ¬Å"Should've guessed,â⬠I said dryly. ââ¬Å"Make sure you look everywhere, not just in obvious places. He could have compartments hidden in the walls or in furniture. You want to find vials of blood or metallic liquid or even the tool that pierced Clarence.â⬠ââ¬Å"Got it.â⬠We hashed out a few more details ââ¬â including who he should call when he found something ââ¬â and were about to leave when he asked, ââ¬Å"Sage, why'd you pick me to be your partner in crime in this?â⬠I thought about it. ââ¬Å"Process of elimination, I guess. Jill's supposed to be kept out of trouble. Eddie'd be a good asset, but he needed to go back with her and Lee. Besides, I already knew you didn't have any moral qualms about breaking and entering.â⬠ââ¬Å"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me,â⬠he declared with a grin. We headed out to Keith's after that. All the lights were on in the first floor of his building, dashing a last-minute hope I'd had that maybe I wouldn't have to lure him out. I would've actually liked to help with the search. I dropped Adrian off and then drove to a twenty-four-hour restaurant that was outside the opposite side of town. I figured it would be perfect for keeping Keith away from his home. The driving time alone would provide Adrian with extra searching time, though it meant Adrian had to wait outside for a while until Keith left. Once I finally arrived, I got a table, ordered coffee, and dialed Keith's number. ââ¬Å"Hello?â⬠ââ¬Å"Keith, it's me. I need to talk to you.â⬠ââ¬Å"So talk,â⬠he said. He sounded smug and confident, no doubt happy at pulling off the last-minute tattoo sale. ââ¬Å"Not on the phone. I need you to meet me.â⬠ââ¬Å"At Amberwood?â⬠he asked in surprise. ââ¬Å"Isn't it after hours?â⬠It was indeed, but that was a problem for later. ââ¬Å"I'm not at school. I'm at Margaret's Diner, that place out by the highway.â⬠Long silence. Then: ââ¬Å"Well, if you're already out past curfew, then just come here.â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠I said firmly. ââ¬Å"You come to me.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why should I?â⬠I hesitated only briefly before playing the card I knew would get him, the one thing that would make him drive out here and not raise suspicions about the tattoos. ââ¬Å"It's about Carly.â⬠ââ¬Å"What about her?â⬠he asked after a moment's pause. ââ¬Å"You know exactly what.â⬠After a second's pause, Keith relented and hung up. I noticed that I had a voice mail from earlier in the day that I hadn't heard come in. I called and listened. ââ¬Å"Sydney, this is Wes Regan from Carlton College. Just wanted to go over a couple things with you. First, I'm afraid I have some bad news. It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to retroactively admit your brother from auditor status. I can enroll him next semester for sure if he stays in good standing, but the only way he can keep taking classes now is if he continues to do so as an auditor. He won't be able to get financial aid as a result, and in fact, you'll actually need to pay the auditing fee soon if he's going to stay in the classes. If he wants to drop altogether, we can do that too. Just call me and let me know what you'd like to do.â⬠I stared at the phone in dismay when the message was over. There went our dreams of sliding Adrian into fully enrolled student status, not to mention his dreams of getting financial aid and moving out of Clarence's. The next semester probably started in January, so Adrian was facing four more months at Clarence's. Adrian would also be facing four more months of bus-riding and taking classes without college credit. But were the credits and financial aid really the most important things here? I thought back to how excited Adrian had been after only a couple classes, how he'd thrown himself into the art. His face had been radiant when he stood in his ââ¬Å"gallery.â⬠Jill's words also echoed through my mind, about how the art had given him something to channel his feelings into and made the bond easier for her to cope with. Those classes were good for both of them. How much was an auditing fee? I wasn't sure but knew it wasn't as much as tuition. It was also a onetime cost that I could probably slide into my expenses without raising the attention of the Alchemists. Adrian needed those classes, of that I was certain. If he knew financial aid wasn't an option this semester, there was a good chance he'd just drop them altogether. I couldn't allow that. He'd known there might be ââ¬Å"a delayâ⬠while the financial aid came together. If I could keep him going to Carlton a little longer, then maybe he'd get invested enough in the art that he'd stay on, even when the truth came out. It was a sneaky thing to do, but it would benefit him ââ¬â and Jill ââ¬â in the end. I dialed back Wes Regan's office, knowing I'd get his voice mail. I left him a message saying that I'd drop off a check for the auditing fee and that Adrian would stay on until he could be enrolled next semester. I hung up, saying a silent prayer that it would take a while for Adrian to find out any of this. The waitress kept giving me the evil eye over just having coffee, so I finally ordered a piece of pie to go. She had just set the carton down on my table when an irritated Keith entered the restaurant. He stood in the doorway, looking around impatiently until he saw me. ââ¬Å"Okay, what's going on?â⬠he demanded, making a big show of sitting down. ââ¬Å"What's so important that you felt the need to break school rules and drag me halfway across town?â⬠For a moment, I froze up. Looking into Keith's eyes ââ¬â real and artificial ââ¬â triggered all the conflicting feelings I'd had about him this last year. Fear and anxiety over what I was trying to pull off warred with the deep hate I'd long carried. Baser instincts wanted me to make him suffer, to throw something at him. Like the pie. Or a chair. Or a baseball bat. ââ¬Å"I ââ¬â ââ¬Å" Before I could say another word, my phone chimed. I looked down and read a text message from Adrian: GOT IT. CALL MADE. ONE HOUR. I slipped the phone into my purse and exhaled. It had taken Keith twenty minutes to get here, and during that time, Adrian had been dutifully searching the apartment. He'd apparently been successful. Now it was up to me to delay Keith until reinforcements showed up. One hour was actually a lot less time than I'd expected. I'd given Adrian Stanton's phone number, and she would've dispatched whatever Alchemists were closest. I'd figured that would mean Los Angeles, but it was hard to say with the scope of our jobs. If there were Alchemists on the east side of the city, they'd get here very quickly. It was also possible they could cut time by simply flying a private jet in. ââ¬Å"What's that?â⬠asked Keith irritably. ââ¬Å"A text from one of your vampire friends?â⬠ââ¬Å"You can stop the act,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"I know you don't really care about me ââ¬Ëgetting too close' to them.â⬠I hadn't intended this to be the topic that distracted him, but I'd take it. ââ¬Å"Of course I do. I worry about your soul.â⬠ââ¬Å"Is that why you called my dad?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Is that the reason you wanted me out of Palm Springs?â⬠ââ¬Å"It's for your own good,â⬠he said, putting on that holier-than-thou air. ââ¬Å"Do you know how wrong it was that you even wanted this job in the first place? No Alchemist would. But you, you practically begged for it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah,â⬠I said, feeling my anger rise. ââ¬Å"So Zoe wouldn't have to do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Tell yourself that if you want. I know the truth. You like these creatures.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why does it have to be so cut-and-dried? In your view, I either have to hate them or be in league with them. There's a middle ground, you know. I can still be loyal to the Alchemists and on friendly terms with vampires and dhampirs.â⬠Keith looked at me like I was ten years old. ââ¬Å"Sydney, you're such an innocent. You don't understand the ways of the world like I do.â⬠I knew all about his ââ¬Å"ways of the worldâ⬠and would've said as much if the waitress hadn't come by to take his drink order just then. When she was gone, Keith continued his spiel. ââ¬Å"I mean, how do you even know you're feeling the way you do? Vampires can compel, you know. They use mind control. Spirit users like Adrian are really good at it. For all we know, he's been using his powers to endear himself to you.â⬠I thought of all the times I'd wanted to shake some sense into Adrian. ââ¬Å"He's not doing a very good job, then.â⬠We bickered back and forth about this, and for once, I was glad of Keith's obstinacy and refusal to see reason. The longer he argued with me, the more time the Alchemists had to get to his apartment. If Stanton had told Adrian one hour, she probably meant it. Still, it was best to be safe. My breaking point came when Keith said, ââ¬Å"You should be glad I'm looking out for you like this. This is about more than vampires, you know. I'm teaching you life lessons. You memorize books but don't understand people. You don't know how to connect to them. You're going to carry this same naive attitude with you into the real world, thinking everyone means well, and someone ââ¬â some guy, probably ââ¬â will just take advantage of you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well,â⬠I snapped, ââ¬Å"you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?â⬠Keith snorted. ââ¬Å"I have no interest in you, rest easy.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not talking about me! I'm talking about Carly.â⬠So. Here it was. The original purpose of our meeting. ââ¬Å"What's she have to do with anything?â⬠Keith kept his tone steady, but I saw it. The slightest flicker of anxiety in his eye. ââ¬Å"I know what happened between you guys. I know what you did to her.â⬠He became very interested in stirring ice around with his straw. ââ¬Å"I didn't do anything to her. I have no idea what you're talking about.â⬠ââ¬Å"You know exactly what I'm talking about! She told me. She came to me afterward.â⬠I leaned forward, feeling confident. ââ¬Å"What do you think my dad would do if he found out? What would yours do?â⬠Keith looked up sharply. ââ¬Å"If you're so certain something terrible happened, then why doesn't your dad already know? Huh? Maybe because Carly knows there's nothing to tattle on. Anything we did, she wanted to, believe me.â⬠ââ¬Å"You are such a liar,â⬠I hissed. ââ¬Å"I know what you did. You raped her. And you will never suffer enough for it. You should've lost both of your eyes.â⬠He stiffened at the reference to his eyes. ââ¬Å"That's harsh. And has nothing to do with any of this. What the hell's happened to you, Sydney? How'd you turn into such a bitch? Maybe making you associate with vampires and dhampirs has caused more damage than we realized. First thing tomorrow, I'm going to call Stanton and ask that they pull you now. No waiting until the end of the week. You need to be away from this dark influence.â⬠He shook his head and gave me a look both condescending and pitying. ââ¬Å"No, you need to be re-educated, period. It should've happened a long time ago, as soon as they caught you busting out that murderer.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't change the topic.â⬠I spoke haughtily, though he'd again woken a sliver of fear in me. What if Adrian and I failed? What if the Alchemists listened to Keith and hauled me away? He'd never have to worry about me again in a re-education center. ââ¬Å"This isn't about me. We were talking about Carly.â⬠Keith rolled his eyes in annoyance. ââ¬Å"I'm done talking about your slutty sister.â⬠That was when my earlier impulse to throw something at him won out. Lucky for him, it was only my coffee and not a chair. Also lucky for him: the coffee had cooled considerably. There was still a lot of it left, and it managed to splash everywhere, drenching his unfortunate choice of a white shirt. He stared at me in astonishment, sputtering to get his words out. ââ¬Å"You bitch!â⬠he said, standing up. As he started moving toward the door, I realized that my temper might have just blown the plan. I hurried over and caught hold of his arm. ââ¬Å"Wait, Keith. I-I'm sorry. Don't go.â⬠He jerked his arm away and glared at me. ââ¬Å"It's too late for you. You had your chance and blew it.â⬠I grabbed him again. ââ¬Å"No, no. Wait. There's still lots we have to talk about.â⬠He opened his mouth with some snippy remark and then promptly shut it. He studied me for several seconds, his face growing serious. ââ¬Å"Are you trying to keep me here? What's going on?â⬠When I couldn't muster a response, he pulled away and stormed out the door. I quickly ran back to the table and tossed a twenty on it. I grabbed the pie and told the bewildered waitress to keep the change. The clock in my car told me I had twenty minutes until the Alchemists were supposed to show up at Keith's. That was also the time it would take to get back there. I drove right behind him, making no effort to hide my presence. It was no secret now that something was going on, something I'd lured him away from home for. I blessed every red light that stopped us, praying he wouldn't arrive too early. If he did, Adrian and I were going to have to delay him. It wouldn't be impossible, but it also wasn't something I wanted to do. We finally made it back. Keith pulled into his building's tiny lot, and I parked uncaringly in a fire zone out front. I was only steps behind him as he ran to the door, but he hardly seemed to notice. His attention was on the lit-up windows of his building and the dark silhouettes barely discernible beyond the heavy drapes. He burst in through the door, and I followed a moment later, nearly running into him as he came to a complete standstill. I didn't know the three suited men there with Adrian, but I knew they were Alchemists. They had that cold, polished feel that we all strove for, and their cheeks were emblazoned with gold lilies. One was going through Keith's kitchen cupboards. Another had a notepad and was talking to Adrian, who was leaning against the wall and smoking. He smiled when he saw me. The third Alchemist was kneeling on the floor in the living room near a small storage cupboard in the wall. A tacky painting of a shirtless woman's back lay nearby, which apparently had been used to hide the compartment. Its wooden door had clearly been forcibly opened, and various contents were strewn haphazardly around ââ¬â with a few exceptions. The Alchemist was going to great pains to sort one pile of objects: metal tubes and needles used to drain blood, along with vials of blood and small packets of silvery powder. He looked up at our sudden entrance and fixed Keith with a cool smile. ââ¬Å"Ah, so glad you're here, Mr. Darnell. We were hoping we could take you with us for some questioning.â⬠Keith's face fell.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Analyzing Death and Justice essays
Analyzing Death and Justice essays If your own flesh and blood were brutally murdered, would you want the culprit to live the rest of their life in a cell, or be forced to meet the same fate your innocent loved one did? This is the question that former New York City mayor, Edward I. Koch, addresses in his 1985 article, Death and Justice, which was printed in The New Republic, a magazine that generally publishes articles dealing with controversial political issues. Koch claims the death penalty is just and defends his statement by using his former public service as ethos, strong language and concrete examples as pathos, and by disproving capital punishment rebuttals as a means of developing logos. Because the readers of this magazine are usually actively involved in political issues, Koch does not have to soften up his paper. He is aiming to prove a point, and the politically sound readers are not going to be scared away by concrete examples and strong language. Appealing to pathos, this article is very upfront and immediately reveals the authors standing on the matter. In the first paragraph, he gives rather absurd examples of convicted murderers pleading for their lives. Robert Lee Willie (who raped and murdered an 18 year old woman) said that, Killing people is wrong...It makes no difference whether its citizens, countries, or governments. Killing is wrong. The pure ridiculousness of cold-blooded killers claiming killing is wrong makes the reader question anti-capital punishment views. Koch goes on to reiterate the absurdity of such claims saying: It is a curiosity of modern life that we find ourselves being lectured on morality by cold-blooded killers. He then reveals his standing by saying that he believes life is precious and that the death penalty reinforces its preciousness. The reinforcing of justice that the death penalty accomplishes is made clear by the example of a convicted killer, Luis Vera, sayin...
Monday, October 21, 2019
The Last Lecture- Reflection Essays - Educational Psychology
The Last Lecture- Reflection Essays - Educational Psychology The Last Lecture- Reflection Jose Martinez The preparation and work I did for the "teaching" The Last Lecture and the preparation I did for the creation of the web site are similar in many ways. I put a lot of effort and work into the creation of the presentation however I also put as much effort and work into the presentation or "teaching" part. Both jobs took time and effort however the presentation was a lot harder since I am not a good presenter to an audience. The experience of the personal web site produced a more learning for me personally because the creating of the personal website required me to go back into the book and do research on the topics I was suppose to present. It helped because it allowed me to absorb the information and not have it manipulated during the presentation as a different point of view. The following list describes all of the different reading, writing, speaking, and producing activities that helped me reached the final product. Re-reading the chapters Writing down key notes Discussing it with my group Arguing to see which form of presentation we should use The best form of becoming an expert of my section of the book was by rereading the section and becoming familiar with the information provided. Some information I learned from the book was the through perseverance and dedication anything is possible. No matter how much time it takes to leave a legacy it is worth leaving the right one that truly defines you as who you were. No matter how big the obstacle is it can always be overcome if you have the passion and dedication to overcome it. What I've learned from having to prepare a presentation that was responsible for the learning of my peers that no matter what you do you have to present the information in a way that they would understand. Although you might feel nervous about presenting to your peers its important to present the information in way that makes sense but also that the viewers are actually absorbing the material that you are presenting. I think that I learned more from this type of assessment than I would have if it were given to me in a more traditional "test" because my fellow classmates were the ones who presented the material in a way that I full understood the first time they said it. This made it easier to comprehend the full story while still being able to understand the moral of the story. The knowledge and the experience from this assignment will help me improve on better speech and better ways of research and presenting material to an audience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)