Philip IIs relationship with the Papacy Essay

Philip was called the ‘most Catholic King’, however his relationship with the Papacy was never as good as his title may imply. Philip acknowledged that the Pope was God’s representative on earth, but he still kept control of the church in Spain. He could reject Papal Bulls and took a percentage of the church’s revenue. When Jesuits emerged to try and reconvert people Philip initially welcomed them but soon became annoyed as they swore allegiance to the Pope. He even arrested and imprisoned a Jesuit leader until the Pope demanded his release. The Pope, being an Italian prince, always felt threatened as he was surrounded by Philip’s possessions in Italy. The Pope even made an alliance with Philip’s greatest enemy, France, to try and drive Philip out of Italy. Philip acted first when he heard the plans and sent the Duke of Alva who led and army and surrounded Rome. Although Philip did no ask for any conditions for withdrawal, the relations with the Pope deteriorated further. Philip’s father Charles had already sacked Rome before in 1527, and these events led to the Pope increasingly fearing Philip. This fear of Spanish dominance led to the pope rejecting Philip’s claim to become protector of French Catholics after the death of Henry III, making matters difficult for Philip and worsening relations. The Pope and Philip did cooperate on occasions, such as when the Holy League was formed against the Turks. Philip, although reluctant, obliged to join the League and they achieved a great military victory at Lepanto, inflicting the Turks’ worst naval defeat. However the celebrations did not last as to the pope’s annoyance, Philip made peace with the Muslim Turks. Overall Philip’s relations with the Papacy were never very good, despite there being numerous different popes during Philip’s reign. However with their common faith the two were never in serious direct conflict, as they together faced the common enemy of Protestantism. ii) Philip’s reign saw two serious internal rebellions within Spain. These were the revolt of the Moriscos and Aragon, each partly caused by Philip’s actions but also by other factors. Moriscos were descended from the Moors who had been driven out of Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella. Moors were Muslims and Moriscos were converts who had converted to Christianity. However the people of Spain were still suspicious of them, and the vast majority of Inquisition cases were against Moriscos. Many Moriscos did secretly still practise their own religion and more and more laws were creating suppressing Moorish culture such as banning Moorish literature. The Moriscos were often seen as traitors with links to Turkey and Barbary Corsairs who raided Spanish coastlines. This meant they never fitted into Spanish society and felt alienated. The Moriscos were also experience economic difficulty. Their main trade, silk, was heavily taxed and also facing competition from other sources. They were also prohibited from owning slaves and after government investigation large areas of Morisco land were confiscated. This led to Moriscos feeling even more oppressed and in financial difficulty. These increasing tensions let to the Inquisitor General Espinosa being given control of the Moriscos in 1567 and by the end of 1568 the Moriscos were in revolt. Although Philip’s troops recaptured over 180 villages, trouble increased with news that Espinosa intended to deport all Moriscos from Granada. Philip then appointed his half brother Don John as commander of the army. This worsened matters as Don John’s undisciplined troops raped and murdered victims, causing the revolt to flare into civil war with 30,000 rebels. Some rebels dealt cruelly with Christians and Don John responded with massacres of some town. Philip finally realised that he could not win by force and cancelled the deportation orders. Instead he ordered Moriscos to be dispersed throughout Spain and free pardons were offered to those who surrendered. This was his first wise strategy and eventually brought the revolt to an end. However if the Moriscos Revolt can be seen as less of Philip’s personal fault and more because of tension building through the years, the Aragon was much more to do with Philip’s personal actions. Philip resided in Castile and did not visit other parts of his empire, which was resented by other provinces as they felt neglected and suspected Philip of trying to Castilise the whole of Spain. Philip had largely left Aragon alone, but in 1590 there was the announcement of government troops arriving to help secure the border with France in order to keep out Huguenots. The Aragon nobles feared for their freedom and began a small revolt. This was not serious but the situation changed when Antonio Perez fled to Aragon at his fall from power. He insisted on being trialled in Aragon as it was his native province. Whilst in Aragon Perez spread royal secrets including Philip’s involvement in the murder of Escobedo. Philip ordered his arrest to be tried in an Inquisition court but the Aragonese nobles saw this as breach of their rights and protests turned into uncontrollable riots. Philip quickly responded by sending troops to the Aragon border and demanded the handover of Perez. More riots broke out and Perez managed to escape. However the call for the Aragonese people to declare war on Philip received little support and Philip’s troops were able to crush the revolt. In both cases, Philip was partly responsible for the revolts. The Moriscos revolt was largely due to the build up of tension through the years, but Philip’s decision to appoint Espinosa did not help matters and his reliance on Don John worsened the rebellion. His main faults lay with the people he appointed and this contributed to triggering the revolt. The Aragon revolt was more personally against Philip as he never visited but still attempted to assume to control over the area. There had been resentment of Castile amongst the Aragonese nobles and Philip’s insistence in the capture of Perez sparked off the revolt, so in this case Philip was largely responsible for the revolt.

Unification of Spain

Unification of Spain: the Good, the Bad, and the Really Ugly | Alexis Wilson | The Europeans wanted to expand their minds and their wealth with what the â€Å"unknown† world had to â€Å"offer†. When I say offer, I mean what they could take and run with without consequence. The Europeans wanted to â€Å"expose† and â€Å"enlighten† the new world people with their religion. When I say â€Å"expose† and â€Å"enlighten†, I mean force the new world people to convert to Christianity or they would be slowly tortured to death or burned at the stake.Portugal, one of the all mighty Iberian Sates, was in a hard-hitting competition with Spain, another Iberian State. According to the textbook, Portugal was losing manpower and resources needed to control a vast empire of three continents. Spain on the other hand, depleted their newfound wealth on wars and other unnecessary things when they should have been developing their economy (Wallbank et al. 482). Portugal and Spain were battling for greatness, immortality if you will. They would have done anything to get it, even if it meant eradicating peoples and their cultures.Unfortunately, that was exactly what Portugal and Spain did. Spain and Portugal were trading across the â€Å"known† world. Spain exported olive oil, asparagus, conserved fish and more. That was how they received their funds and their power. The Iberian States had a general idea that there were more lands to discover and more money to make. So they set sail to discover and take over anything that were in their way, with their bibles in their pockets and swords in their hands, fueled by the desire of unthinkable wealth and power.According to Juan Pimentel, Portugal and Spain entered the sixteenth century with an advantage in nautical technology and navigation relative to other European nations (20). â€Å"The overseas enterprises of Spain expanded dramatically following the first voyage of Christopher Columbu s in 1492. Even before this historic Atlantic crossing, Spaniards had begun the conquest of the Canary Islands which served as a base and proving ground for the invasion and conquest of Spanish America, known as the Indies† (Andrien 55).Even though Christopher Columbus was not from Spain, he set sail for them because the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain were the only ones that agreed to fund for the exploration that made Christopher Columbus famous, the exploration that Christopher Columbus dreamed of. â€Å"Spain became strongly centralized under an assertive and aggressive monarchy in 1479, when Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon began a joint rule that united the Iberian Peninsula except for Navarre, Portugal, and Granada† (Wallbank et al 455).Portugal was known as incredible competition relative to Spain. Columbus wanted to prove that he could find a shorter and cheaper way to sail to India and China by taking the unknown west route. While Columbu s was looking for a shorter route to reach the country of India and China, he inadvertently discovered America. Columbus was oblivious to the fact that he â€Å"discovered† America, and he did not reach his intended destination of India. Columbus called the inhabitants â€Å"Indians†. He had his men capture the â€Å"Indians† and made them slaves.When Columbus came to America he came with diseases. The inhabitants did not have a strong enough immune system to fight off, which decimated the inhabitants of America. Even though the people were sick, it is safe to say that Columbus did not show mercy and still made the slaves work so he would be able to bring gold, spices and other new world items he promised to the King and Queen of Spain, in high hopes that they would fund for more explorations . He did not wish to disappoint the very people that invested in him.After â€Å"discovering† the diversity of the Indies, intellectuals of Spain argued over the hum anity and proper social role of the indigenous people they have come to encounter and the offspring of the men that Columbus traveled and the women of the Americas. Intellectuals of Spain struggled with what to call the indigenous people and their illegitimate offspring. They were not sure whether or not to call them â€Å"beasts†, â€Å"barbarians†, or â€Å"brothers† (Andrien 59). Columbus, being the pocketful of sunshine he is, forced the inhabitants to convert to Christianity to ensure that the land was for Spain, all of Spain practiced one religion.If the inhabitants did not agree to convert they severely punished, as mentioned before (Wallbank et al 482 ). The Catholic Majesties were smart to invest in Christopher Columbus. Without his exploration and â€Å"discoveries† of gold, slivers, spices and slaves, they would not have been able to replenish their wealth and rebuild the broken economy. Back in Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand is working on unify ing Spain and sharing the crowns of Castile, Aragon and Spain (â€Å"History of Spain†). Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon planned on making Spain the best it has ever been.They wanted their beloved country to be unified in everything they did, especially in religion. That is where the legendary Spanish Inquisition comes into action. The â€Å"Catholic Majesties†, as the pope titled King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, set out to establish effective royal control in all of Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand started the Spanish Inquisition, for the pope allowed. Not only did they have power over Spain, they had power over the church also. They were able to have power over the church by making it the law for the monarchs of Spain to have power over the church.The Spanish court of inquisition seized the property of many converters (Jews and Muslims who were afraid of the inquisition and avoided persecution) and terrified the Christian clergy and laity into accepting ro yal absolutism as well as religious orthodoxy (Wallbank et al 455). Not only did they force religion on the peoples of the new world, Isabella and Ferdinand forced religion on their own people as well, without mercy may I add. Spanish absolutism, defined by Isabella herself as â€Å"one king, one law, one faith† (Wallbank et al 455).Terrified but still determined to practice their faith, the â€Å"converters† practiced their religion in secret. Without a doubt, the Spanish Inquisition strengthens the Spanish crown. It also caused many people to leave Spain. Inquisitors made sure the King and Queen of Spain knew that people where performing acts of heretic and suggested to the King and Queen of Spain all those who were unwilling to convert to Christianity must leave the country, needless to say they agreed and the Inquisitors went into action and rid the country of Spain of non-converters (Wallbank et al 455).In 1492, the same year Columbus set out to sail to India and China, about 150,000 Spanish Jews left the country and resided in the Netherlands, England, North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire (Wallbank et al 455). About 10 years later same demands are made for the Spanish Muslims. Spain used to be one the most tolerant of religions, but under the rule of the â€Å"Catholic Majesties†, Spain became the most intolerant country when it came to terms of religion (â€Å"History of Spain†). King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella did not stop there. They set out to clear surrounding countries of non-converters and expand their empire even more.One of the most notable successes of the Catholic Majesties was the completion of the Reconquista with the defeat of Granada, the last Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. With a few more defeats of surrounding countries, the unification of the Spanish nation-state was complete in 1516, right before King Ferdinand died, a dozen years after queen Isabella died (Wallbank et al 456). In my opinio n, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella‘s policies did work for them in the long run, in every sense. Do I agree on how they executed their plans for progressing Spain? No, I absolutely do not agree with the Catholic Majesties tactics.But, they reached every goal they set. Their goal was improving Spain and broadening their empire. With Isabella inheriting the crown of Castile and Ferdinand inheriting the crown of Aragon, the couple had a lot of power that made it possible for them fully convert and unify their empire (â€Å"History of Spain†). In the textbook it explains that Ferdinand and Isabella controlled the church, with the grace of the Pope, and they took control of surrounding countries, rid them of non-converting heretics and converted them to Christianity. King Ferdinand fought against the non-converters until his dying breath (Wallbank et al 456).People lost their lives, their homes and the freedoms to express themselves and their religions because the King and Queen wanted to â€Å"unify† their country and empire. They wanted to do what the rulers before them were not be able to do. They were rough and ruthless in a sense to achieve their goals of expanding their country and spreading their religion. They had to be if they wanted their country to be unified and practicing one religion. I guess it is safe to say that they would agree with Machiavelli’s renowned book The Prince. â€Å"It is better to be feared than to be loved†¦the end justifies the means†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Machiavelli’s The Prince).Works Cited Andrien, Kenneth J. , Atlantic History: A critical Appraisal. New York. Oxford University Press. 2009. The Spanish Atlantic System. Print History of Spain Historyworld. net. N. p. n. d. History of Spain. Web. 10 Feb. 2013 Pimental, Juan. The Iberian Vision: Science and Empire in the framework of the universal monarchy, 1500-1800. Vol. 15 issue 1. 2000. Wallbank, Walter T, Alastair M. Taylor, Nels M. Bailkey, C lyde J. Lewis, Palmira Brummett. Civilizations Past and Present. Twelfth Edition. Volume 2. Pearson Education 2008. Spain: Ferdinand and Isabella and the Reconquista, The Iberian Age. Print.

External assesment of Snyder's lance inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

External assesment of Snyder's lance inc - Essay Example y has managed to grow that thrive despite the fact that the snack industry is highly competitive is greatly affected by changes in the external climate such as economic and political change. The company was able to survive the recent economic crises which crippled many organizations (Standard & Poors, 45). This paper analyzes the Snyder Lance Inc in terms of its competitors and carries out a SWOT analysis to determine the companies threat, opportunities, strengths and weaknesses. The company currently faces market risks that are linked to energy cost, packaging and ingredients. Since the company has to adhere to certain protocol set for the food industry in terms of packaging and ingredients, this is a potential for increase in costs. The company incurs interest on existing debts depending on the US dollar and the Euro rates of exchange (Poole & Daryl, 37). To manage the risk of exposure to changing exchange rates, the company has entered into interest swaps that ensure that there is balance between the variable rate and fixed rate debt. The company is as exposed to risk of losses arising from exchange rate variation through its operations in Canada where it has a subsidiary. Raw materials used in this subsidiary are obtained by the Canadian dollar while the revenue is dominated by the US dollar. The company is also exposed to credit risk associated with its debtors. The company has over the years engaged in offering credit services to her customers. There i s a need to continually evaluate the customer credit standing to prevent the company from getting into bad debts (Slonecker, 138). Increase in amount in the account receivable has the potential of making it impossible to pay dividends on time and repurchase common stock. We are living in an age where the consumers are aware of the company’s responsibility towards the environment and energy consumption. The company is thus required to adopt greener technologies but at the same time ensure that it maintains

Ownership in creationg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ownership in creationg - Essay Example Bringing the dream of the dreamer into he mind of the listener requires scores of unsung people that have all made a contribution to our favorite songs. In the medium of modern technology and the minds of the audience, the ownership of the creation belongs to all of us in some small way, but the profits belong to a record company. The public mistakenly believes that he latest hit song by a popular artist found its genesis in the mind of the artist, took form, and became an original work of art. In fact, the song had its beginnings years before as the songwriter was influenced by the music of the world around them. The artist will take the familiar sounds, forms, chord progressions, and melodies that they know and add their own dimension to come up with a new piece of music. Igor Stravinsky once commented that "A good composer does not imitate; he steals". From this standpoint, all music is a collaboration between the artist and the past, and no one has a title to its ownership. Once the artist has created the music, it becomes subjected to the process of reproduction and distribution. The artist will have an agent that will handle the business arrangements, contracts, and obligations as they work towards the goal of getting signed to a record label. The record company, known as the 'label', will get the song recorded, reviewed, promoted, and distributed for sale. By way of a contract, the record label and producer literally owns the artist and the music. While music is easily shared with everyone via reproduction and radio broadcasts, the label owns the artist, the music, and the profits. Getting a song from the artist to the public requires that it gets recorded in a studio and reproduced onto a compact disc (CD). The artist will go into a recording studio where the song is brought to life. Often, the artist writes the song on an acoustic guitar or piano, and without the full instrumentation that will later be heard by the public. These pieces are all added later in the studio. The recording of a hit song in a studio involves scores of singers, arrangers, and musicians that are often hired to work on a specific piece of music at an hourly rate of pay. Known as 'studio musicians', they are heard on hundreds of recordings, yet get little or no notoriety or fame for their performance. Recently, the union pay scale for a studio musician was $181 for a three-hour session (Baker). They also get no royalties or income from the future sale of the CD. The studio musicians own a part of the record, and it is a part of their soul, but they do not own the profits that it generat es. Engineering a song entails far more than simply placing a microphone in front of the singer and hitting the record button. Modern technology allows the recording engineer to record each individual part separately and mix it together at a later date. Known as 'tracks', the engineer may have hundreds of individual tracks that make up a song. Occasionally, the parts of a song may be recorded at different locations at different times. The legendary album All the Roadrunning by Emmy Lou Harris and Mark Knopfler was assembled a piece at a time with the help of engineer-mixer Chuck Ainlay, as well as guitarist Richard Bennett and Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher (Hill).

Media influence on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccines Research Paper

Media influence on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccines - Research Paper Example It can lead to cancer infection if the patient has stayed with the virus for a long time (Clifford, Rana, Franceschi, Smith, Gough & Pimenta, 2005). Active men and women can be infected with this virus in their lifetime. Media influence on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccines Bennett et al (2012) conducted a study on 143 college age women concerning their intentions to obtain the HPV vaccine. Participants were given a questionnaire, and the predictors showed positive attitudes towards the vaccine. The results indicated that personal beliefs were on the vaccine varied and that people who networked through social media increased their chances of getting vaccinated. This shows that women were able to share on vaccination through their social media networking which had an influence on the intentions on vaccination. Through the media, people are able to get informed and enlightened. They acquire information which may be relevant to their day to day life (Bennett et al 2012). Newspaper s, television, and the Internet have enabled human beings to connect to each other. The world has become a small village since people can connect and share ideas and concerns. It is on this point, which the study revealed that college age women relate with each other through the social media. Human beings have the ability to share and open up to their loved ones. This may be relatives or friends. Such discussions had a significant influence on the aspect of having intentions for HPV vaccination. Women are associated with beauty of their skin and cannot be comfortable with slumps on their bodies (Jamison, Kaplan, Hamman, Eagar, Beach & Douglas, 1995). This shows that such college women, who may be at the prime of their beauty, will develop positive intentions towards this vaccination. Betsch et al (2012) has contributed on this subject of media influence. They indicate that a significant number of people access the Internet. Such people use the Internet to acquire information regardi ng their health. The health information may include vaccines. People interact and share information that may promote vaccination intentions. They use the Internet to communicate theories of effective vaccination. It indicates that media has become a source of information in regard to vaccination. The study reflected that some people become skeptical on the efficiency of vaccine preventable diseases such as HPV. People become worried as a result of the side effects that may come with this activity. Individuals need to be healthy so as to propagate the economy. According to Betsch et al (2012), situations where one is not well informed, the personality may keep off from vaccination. However, the study suggests that such individuals can get their solutions from the Internet. This information may influence their perspective on vaccination from negative to positive. The Internet has some anti-vaccination information which may affect users negatively (Jenkins & Wold, 2012). Therefore, the public health communicators should provide effective information, which would facilitate customized communication. This can help users to access the public health communication websites in an easier way. Useful information enables one to make a rightful decision in regard to vaccination (Palefsky, Gillison & Strickler, 2006). This illustrates that lack of information can have an influence on the choices that

Digital Communication and Death of Print Journalism Essay

Digital Communication and Death of Print Journalism - Essay Example According to the paper findings, it can, therefore, be said that digital communication tools such as blogs and micro-blogging sites have taken journalism to a whole new different level. Digital journalism can be instantaneous and can spread news faster than any other mass media. Also, it gives the power of journalism to individuals not represented by any corporation. Individuals who are not professional journalists also can report news and put it out as the open source. Digital communication has built a platform for sharing unbiased news and at the same time getting numerous perspectives. More importantly, it is an interactive forum and allows for a debate on the news from the general public (Schultz, 1999).  Digital journalism is now starting to pose a serious threat to print journalism. Digital journalism has numerous advantages over traditional print journalism. Many daily newspapers are now starting to have a digital presence. In today’s world, people lead a high-tech an d busy life. People are always on the move and go to the internet for all they need. Print media is slowly losing reader base to digital journalism (Zafra, 2007). The one communication style and delay in reporting is all contributing to the decline of print journalism. It is definitely clear that in the near future print journalism will be completely replaced by digital journalism.

DQ1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

DQ1 - Essay Example Nowadays the lyrics which are being composed by the musicians revolve around different topics. At times these lyrics also consist of abusive, explicit and racist material which can harm the emotions and feelings of many. In my view the general public should be responsible to decide as to what lyrics should be allowed in music. The feelings and sentiments of the general public are affected most by these explicit lyrics. These lyrics also have an effect on the new generation as parents who want to save their children from abusive material cannot do anything when it comes to music. It has been seen that many children are grasping unusual stuff from these lyrics. At times these lyrics have also been known to be abusive towards certain religious groups and races. Hence it can be said that the entire decision power about the lyrics should be given to the general public. By general public here it is meant that all the individuals living in this world who are being represented by their chose n leader. If these lyrics are not kept a check on by the regulatory powers then in the future it is expected that many riots may occur only because of these lyrics. Music is an art which should be appreciated and not hated by people only because of the lyrics in the song. Musicians make music to entertain people and not to be hated. Thus the music should be of a sort which is liked by many and not despised or hated. The general public can make sure that the sentiments and feelings of people are not being affected by the lyrics and change them accordingly. Such an action would help the musicians to know more about the feelings and sentiments of the general public. In my opinion it is necessary for some power to keep a check on the music which is being created nowadays. Music is now simply being used as a tool for money because of which many musicians do not think about the feelings and sentiments of others when composing it. A check on

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - Essay Example For example, the general management will avail the resources required and give signatories to implement the strategy; hence they need to be aware of the strategy and its implications on the operations of the company. Providing all the information about the business strategy to the general management is vital in ensuring that they give a go ahead so that the strategy is implemented. The human resource organizational strategy, which will make their policies work, is one that divides the role of decision making among the employees, which is referred to as employee or labor relations (Abella, 2004). For example, different groups will be assigned different tasks, which they will be responsible for and ensure that the tasks they are assigned are accomplished. Sharing decision-making makes employees comfortable with their job since they will have a feeling of self worth. Consequently, this will enhance the operations of the company and productivity will rise. In addition human resource can use a compensation strategy, which will see that the hard working employees are given bonuses for the extra work they do. To be a stage 6 manager in the construction company, the manager needs ensure that their practices are directed towards achieving the goals the company has set within the time provided while taking care of the needs of every worker (Armstrong, 2008). The manager should use orientation where he will ensure that all the workers are protected in terms of justice and welfare, which will be the same for everyone in the company. The manager should ensure that every worker is entitled to a medical cover and incase of injury or sickness, they are treated promptly and in the best way. He should also ascertain that workers are entitled to joining unions, which will be responsible for forwarding their complaints to the management. Furthermore, the manager should ensure that his motives are moral and should be

The role of congress in monitoring events in Iraq Essay Example for Free

The role of congress in monitoring events in Iraq Essay The war against Iraq was perpetrated by the US and the UK with the UN playing passive and reluctant role. The attack has provoked protests all over the globe including in the US and the UK with many groups as well as individual condemning the attack and terming it as unwarranted. Furthermore, the attack was carried out without the approval of the security council. The attack has earned the US more foes than friends especially in the Muslim world. It has also served to fuel animosity against Americas efforts to institute a democratic government in those who view these efforts as interferences in the affairs of the country as a denial of Iraq’s sovereignty . This has led to rebellion against the authorities in Iraq as well as increasing the threat of terrorist attack on America. The Bush presidency and administration seems to believe that the way towards peace is through war and violence especially returning fire with fire. This notion can be at best misguided and at worst catastrophic. It is therefore imperative that the congress recognizes its duty as an organ and act to check any excuses on the part of the government as well as developing solutions that will lead to the reduction of rebellion and consequently the terrorist attacks within Iraq. This section will look at the possible role of congress in ensuring that the tension between Iraq and the US/UK subsides and also allow the US to shed the image of a ‘big bully’ interfering with the affair of a sovereign state. It is worth noting that at this juncture that the congress ahs made some good moves like giving 97 million dollars to support a program pushing for change of regime. This was a step in the right direction, however, this need to be sustained and increased. This organization offers some suggestions for your consideration, ladies and gentlemen. Pursue the Truth. The congress has a responsibility of seeking to reveal the truth so that decisions are based purely on sound intelligence. One of the biggest mistakes that the congress and the media have made was allowing themselves to be fed on misinformation and to act upon that misinformation without making due effort to seek the confirmation of the relevant intelligence agencies. The 2003 invasion on Iraq was based upon unsubstantiated reports that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Other reports allegedly justifying the invasion include Saddam-Osama association and that the war was welcome by the Iraqi citizens. The general feeling is that the congress did not do enough to get to the truth of those reports by the Bush administration . With the benefit of hindsight we know that all these reports were false. The congress has an obligation to launch a full congressional inquiry in order to give the American people the truth because America is founded on truth which we believe will set us free . It follows then that the congress needs to be at the forefront of finding facts before endorsing sensitive decisions regarding the events in post Saddam Iraq. Support the Iraq liberation act- when the bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, there were some well intentioned proposals that included developing a program that would support a transition to democracy. Even though Saddam Hussein was to be the removed from power without the use of military force, all is not lost and the congress could pursue some of the proposals like financing activities that promote democracy in Iraq. By now it should be clear that the U. S cannot continue having soldiers in Iraq because it is not sustainable. The congress should support those measures aimed at recalling US soldiers out of Iraq and allowing the transition government to run the affairs of Iraq. Right now that sounds dangerous but in the end it will prove less costly than maintaining US soldiers in Iraq. The congress had earlier passed an act to give 97 million dollars for the purpose of supporting regime change. The Act also suggested that those suffering from Saddam’s regime’s brutalities be assisted. Emphasize on empowering the transition government’s capacity to deal with internal insurgence. This can be done through the training of military personnel as well as giving financial support to this government for reconstruction. This is sustainable because only Iraq will be able to fully end the problems it is facing. Much of the terrorist attacks within Iraq are just an extension of a rebellion against the Bush administration. This suggests that the perpetrators of the internal insurgence are still fighting the US by fighting against the US assisted governments. However the reduction of US occupation will shift the focus somehow. Play a more active role in holding the administration accountable. The congress has in the past been accused of being the puppets of President George Bush. A congressman has been named for his role in spreading hearsay that led to the congress’ endorsement of the invasion on Iraq. However the congress is still strategically placed to provide leadership and help check the excesses of the current administration. There are some obviously bad mistakes that the Bush administration has made in the entire affair. However the voice of the congress has not been heard as it should have in efforts to lead the country in the right direction. Now that Saddam is gone and Iraq more than ever requires level headed support which the US can provide, the congress ought to speak on matters regarding the nature of support and the quantity to be given. All in all the congress should be seen playing a more active role in providing checks and balances to the administration. Last but not least is a collective request for all the members of congress to act in accordance to pure conscience. There have been cases in the past especially before the invasion when the congress has been less than active in fulfilling its constitutional role. Instead of initiating a full congressional inquiry, many of the congressmen decided to shut up and not do anything to hold the administration accountable even when they new all was not well. Decisions regarding Iraq’s progress need to be made by exercising discretion and oversight as well. Holding open discussions is what allows for prudent decisions as well as bringing the truth to the surface. As leaders we have a solemn duty to ensure that all future decisions are never again to be based on false impressions. This organization that should the congress abide by the above suggestions, then it can begin to help shape the outcome of what has been an sensitive but costly issue to the whole of America. Thank you.

Code of Conduct Essay Example for Free

Code of Conduct Essay As a consultant for the merger between UWEAR and PALEDENIM, I have gathered much information pertaining the creating and implementation of a code of conduct. There are many different ways this code of conduct can be implemented and delivered. While understanding that each company will have different preferences as to how to implement the code, I will submit an outline of what I believe is the best and most efficient way to deliver the code of conduct for both companies equally. A code of conduct will create a framework or visual of how employees and clients will view the company as a whole. â€Å"The existence of the codes seem to frame how the companies and their activities are understood.† (Frostenson, Helin, Sandstrà ¶m, 2012, p. 269) The code of conduct for UWEAR and PALEDENIM will include four main components: Our Code and Responsibility, Violations and Consequences, Law Compliances and Regulatory Orders, and Policies and Procedures. Our Code and Responsibilities This would be the first section of the code of conduct. It should include the overview of the code, the responsibilities the code provides to the company, and those persons who must abide by the code. The responsibilities of the code are to serve as a guide to help employees, officers, and board members in making informed and ethical decisions. All persons including third parties, business partners, and contractors must know and understand the code and act in a way that is consistent with the code. Violations and Consequences Violations and consequences will be listed in this section, but will not be limited to the written communications here. Employees will be encouraged to know and understand each violation listed and its consequences. They will also be expected to report any observed accounts of unethical behavior. Consequences would include but wouldn’t be limited to separation of employment. Law Compliances and Regulatory Orders The information listed here would be mostly useful to management and executive level officers. However, employees must maintain knowledge and  understanding of this section in order to remain compliant at the door level. All federal regulations will be stated in this portion of the code of conduct. For example, the policy created to implement the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to monitor internal auditing policies would be stated in this section. Here is where the human resources department will verify the company’s compliances with federal regulatory acts such as the Sarbanes- Oxley Act. Policies and Procedures The policies and procedures section will include all policies that employees, managers, and board members must follow. There will be sections to separate the policies that apply to each individual level. Although board members and managers are ranked higher than door level employees, they must still abide by the policies and procedures of the lower level employees. For example, the No Gift policy as stated in previous works, will be listed under a section for door level employees but must still be followed by all employees of the company. This will guarantee a fair level of work and maintain employee moral as far as ethics and behaviors are concerned. Consistency across the board for all employees and work levels, is the goal in stating the policies and procedures. Non-compliance to policies and procedures will be stated in the violations and consequences section. After the code of conduct is fully compiled and voted on by the ethics board, it must be delivered. Although having a creative way to present the code of conduct to the company, it is more important to understand the client and their expectations. Preparation as a speaker would be my main focus in delivering the code. â€Å"As much as technology has advanced and improved the quality of audiovisuals aids in presentations, it is important to review the basics of being a better speaker.† (Lucente-Cole, 2004, p. 42) Preparing myself to deliver the code of conduct in a way that generates feedback from the audience, will allow me to verify understanding and knowledge of the code. The code would be delivered in a new employee handbook and reviewed in all new hire orientations. Each new hire would be required to sign for receipt and understanding of the communications in the code of conduct. As for existing employees, they will review and sign for receipt during the next quarterly mee ting. There are other additional policies that haven’t been listed or discussed but should definitely be included. One of the most common policies that hasn’t been established is attendance. The attendance policy would be carried out or listed in different stages. For example, if an employee is tardy, there would be a verbal counseling to address stage one of the tardy policy in attendance. If that employee is tardy again, they will be disciplined according to stage two of the attendance policy. Disciplinary actions can be reduced or removed from an employees record after that employee exemplifies compliance with the policy for six months. Last but certainly not least, UWEAR and PALEDENIM should have a policy addressing sexual harassment. Sexual harassment occurs very often in the workplace. UWEAR and PALEDENIM must state explicitly, the expectations and consequences of sexual harassment. â€Å"Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.† (Sexual Harassment, n.d., para. 2) They, UWEAR and PALEDENIM, must make sure each employee understands what could be considered as sexual harassment in order to maintain compliance to this policy. Due to the fact that major lawsuits can be created from an occurrence of sexual harassment, this policy will be listed under Law Regulations and it must be strongly enforced. References Frostenson, M., Helin, S., Sandstrà ¶m, J. (2012). The internal significance of codes of conduct in retail companies. Business Ethics: A European Review, 21(3), 263-275. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8608.2012.01657.x Lucente-Cole, G. (2004). Delivering An Effective Presentation. Public Relations Quarterly, 49(4), 42. Sexual Harassment. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm

The History Of Behaviourism Psychology Essay

The History Of Behaviourism Psychology Essay During the decades 1930-1960, behaviourism represented the mainstream of experimental psychology (Jean-Claude Lecas, 2006). Central idea of behaviourism simply means A science of behaviour is possible (William M. Baum, 1994). While, behaviourists are group of individual which have diverse views about what this proposition means, and particularly about what science is and what behaviour is. Most of the behaviourist agrees that there can be a science of behaviour (William M. Baum, 1994). Behaviourists call the science of behaviour as behaviour analysis and are part of the psychology and this result the contention happen among behaviourist and psychologist due to many psychologists disagree psychology is a part of science while those regard it as a science consider its subject matter something other than behaviour. After the debate, behaviourism has been consider as a philosophy of science which related to a manner why we do, what we do, and what we should and should not do. In a more d irect way, behaviourism is an approach which offers an alternative view that often runs counter to traditional thinking about action (William M. Baum, 1994). Early Behaviourist There are some of the famous early behaviourist which contributes for the early behaviourism such as John Watson, Edwin Guthrie, Clark Hull, Edward Lee Thorndike, Ivan Petrovitch Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner. 1. Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949) Edward Thorndike started young and continued his scientific output until his death at nearly 75 years old. He was a type of people dislike any abstract discussion not tied closely to concrete facts because what he wrote was based directly on data, usually on new data. Thorndike had made a superior undergraduate record at Wesleyan University, 1891-95 (Robert s. Woodworth. 1952). After that he went to Harvard for his graduate study. In the second year of his graduate study, Thorndike undertook a research project of the experimental study of the instinctive and intelligent behaviour of young chicks. Through his laboratory study of animal learning, demonstrate that animal behaviour observed under experimental conditions could help solve the general problems of psychology. The first published paper by Thorndike was Animal Intelligence which announced a new law of learning, additional to the old standard laws of association, and emerges of theory of learning. On his study, Edward placed ch icks, cats or dogs in a problem situation where alternative responses were possible and the first response was unlikely to be successful. The question of this study was whether the animal, perhaps after much trial and error, would learn to do the right thing in the situation-and how rapid his learning might be. Through this study, understand that in a series of trials the unsuccessful responses would fade out and the correct response would occur more and more quickly. The effect or outcome of any response was thus a powerful factor in its elimination or establishment (Robert s. Woodworth. 1952). Apart from the first study, Thorndike carry out a series of other study, one of it was transfer experiment. On this study, he give a person intensive training in some narrow field and then test that persons abilities in a more inclusive field and determine how much improvement could be demonstrated beyond the limits of the special training. Through this experiment, it showed a meager transfer effect, the ability developed by training in one line of work was specific and did not spread to other lines of work except when what had been learned could be utilized in a concrete way. Both of his study mention above led up to Thorndikes celebrated theory of the specificity of abilities (Robert s. Woodworth. 1952). 2. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) Pavlov was a physician which worked as an experimental laboratory scientist. On 1883, Pavlov had developed his theory of nervism which he defined as a physiological theory which tries to prove that the nervous system controls the greatest possible number of bodily functions. Apart from that, he had won the Nobel Prize in 1904 due to their publication on the developed of a small part of the stomach called the Pavlov pouch as well as chronic external-salivary, biliary, and pancreatic fistulae for his fundamental study of gastric physiology. Pavlov also involves himself on the research of human psychophysiology and psychopathology. This led to a new psychology oriented school of physiology and stimulated ideas of many aspects of human behaviour. 3. B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Skinner was an American psychologist,  behaviourist and  social philosopher (Smith, L. D., Woodward, W. R., 1996). Skinner called his philosophy of science as radical behaviourism. He argued that psychology should be the study of behaviour. From the point of view of Skinner, he defined behaviour as anything the organism does. This view diverges from the point of view of psychologist who thinks the proper subject matter of psychology is the stream of consciousness. He called his philosophy of science as radical behaviourism was because radical can mean root, and he that his behaviourism was through going, deep behaviourism (William T. ODonohue   Kyle E. Ferguson, 2001). Behaviourism is not the science of human behaviour; it is the philosophy of that science. Some of the questions it asks are these: Is such a science really possible? Can it account for every aspect of human behaviour? What methods can it use? Are its law as valid as those of physics and biology? Will it lead to a technology, and if so, what role will it play in human affairs? (Skinner, 1974) Skinner (1970) also stated that Behaviourism is a formulation which makes possible an effective experimental approach to human behaviour. It is a working hypothesis about the nature of a subject matter. In conclusion, radical behaviourism is not a scientific law; it is a metascientific which attempts to define what the science of behaviour should look like and it is important to be clear what is radical behaviourism and what is not (William T. ODonohue   Kyle E. Ferguson, 2001). 4. John B. Watson (1878- 1958) He had introduced the term behaviourism in the early part of the twentieth century. Watson emphasized the need for focusing scientific inquiry on observable behaviours rather than thinking which defined as non-observable phenomena by him. Apart from that, he also opposes the study of internal mental events as well as denied any existence of the mind. His thinking was greatly influenced by Pavlov. He had adopted the classically conditioned S-R (Stimulus-Response) habit as the basic unit of learning and extended it to human learning (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). Watson had proposed two laws which describing how S-R habit develop. The first law was law of frequency and second law was law of recency. The first law concern on the importance of repetition which bring the meaning of the more frequently a stimulus and response occur in association with each other, the stronger that S-R habit will become. While the second law concern on the importance of timing which mean the response that has most recently occurred after a particular stimulus is the response most likely to be associated with that stimulus (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). In conclusion, from the point of view of Watson, he believed that the past experience of an individual accounts for virtually all behaviour. He was a extreme environmentalist, which denied that hereditary factors had any effect on behaviour (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). 5. Edwin R. Guthrie (1886-1959) Guthries famous with his contiguity theory which had similar perspectives as Watson approach which placed S-R connections at the center of the learning process. An organism responds to a particular stimulus in a particular way on one occasion, the organism will make the same response the next time it encounters the same stimulus and this called habits. Guthrie also shared Watsons belief that recency is critical in learning: An organism will respond to a stimulus in the way that it has most recently responded to that stimulus (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). 6. Clark L. Hull (1884-1952) Hull had introduced an organismic characteristic which bring the meaning of characteristics unique to different individuals. He brings this approach into behaviourist learning theory. He had maintained the S-R habits approach by Skinner and agreed with Thorndike and Skinner behaviourists approach. However, Hull partially agree with the statement by Thorndike and Skinner which stated that presence of a particular stimulus and ones past experiences will affect the behaviour of an individual. In his approach, he believed those stimuli are not the only determinants of whether a particular response will occur or how strongly it will be made. There are some other factors called intervening variables which affect the individual response or behaviour toward certain stimulus. Example of intervening variables are habit strength, organism drive (an internal state of arousal that motivates one behaviour), and inhibitory factors (e.g. fatigue). Hulls theory was predominant throughout the 1940s an d 1950s (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). Hawthorne Studies The Hawthorne effect is often mentioned as a possible explanation for positive results in intervention studies. It is used to cover many phenomena, not only unwitting confounding of variables under study by the study itself, but also behavioural change due to an awareness of being observed, active compliance with the supposed wishes of researchers because of special attention received, or positive response to the stimulus being introduced (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). Hawthorne studies was introduced by Frederick Taylor in the year of 1911 which influenced by the principles of scientific management. It is first be practice on the year of 1924 by the management of the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. The studies look into the relationship between illumination and productivity of the workers. The similar studies was repeated between year 1927 and 1933 in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University which concerned with the effects of changes in rest pauses and work hours on productivity (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). For the first studies done on 1924, the methodology involve was decreased the illumination step by step for the experimental subjects, while the controls received the same illumination. Both group of subjects slowly but steadily increased their performance of inspecting parts, assembling relays or winding coils. This experiment showe d that there were not significant relationships between the lighting with the productivity of the workers in the criteria as long as the lighting was kept at a reasonable level. However, there was some other factor more important to affect the productivity of the worker (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). Other variables were later being study such as physical factors causing fatigue and monotony, assembly, mica splitting and bank wiring. After complete the series of experiment it found that assembly test as well as the others 3 variables did not explain the continuous increase in productivity observed during the test. The individuals named Roethlisberger Dickson which compile this study report suggested that the most important factor behind the continuous increase in output was the improved personal relations between workers and management. This statement was supported based on the explanations of the informally expressed opinions of the workers participating in the experiment and also based on the general thought of the investigators (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). By this study, the investigators conclude that the unintentional manipulations caused the subjects to improve their overall productivity and thus results the appeared of the term called the Hawthorne effect. This term will introduced apparently in French on 1953 which highlighted that the marked increase in production related only to special social position and social treatment. Many of the other articles had deduced that the increased on productivity may result from one the causes stated below, e.g. morale, attitude, supervision, teamwork, cohesiveness, informal organization, interpersonal relationships, social unity, and awareness of being in an experiment, acquiring skill, or continuous feedback while working in a group (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). In conclusion, the Hawthorne effect is simply referred to as an increase in productivity. The increase in productivity may due to one or more of the factor below, e.g. relief from harsh supervision, receiving positive attention, learning new ways of interaction, possibilities to influence work procedures, rest pauses, higher income, or threat of losing ones job. All of these factors, or any combination of them, may result an observable increased in the productivity.

The Merchant Of Venice - Shylock: Villain Or Victim? Essay -- Merchant

Many people are villainous in the way they behave. Their villainous acts may be attributed to their desire to destroy others and in turn elevate themselves to a higher financial or social level. However, the root cause of their villainy may be a response to the treatment they have endured at the hands of others. In short, they have been taught villainy, rather than it being an integral part of their personality. In such instances, revenge can be a key motivator in inspiring them to act in a villainous way. It is on such occasions, where villains have themselves been exposed to villainy, that the distinction between villain and victim becomes blurred. Victims are usually characterised in the way that they are persecuted for circumstances, which are beyond their control for example their appearance. In plays and novels, the victim is sometimes a character included to highlight the prejudices and pre-conceptions of the social climate in which the play or novel was written. In the †˜Merchant of Venice’ it can be argued that Shylocks character undergoes a metamorphosis from villain to victim. However, in this essay I hope to discuss whether in fact Shylock can be defined as either villain or victim and to form an opinion of what Shakespeare intended. First we shall look at the aspects of the text that portray Shylock as a villain. We are first introduced to Shylock in Act I Scene iii where we learn of his usury. It is in this scene that Bassanio seeks Shylock out and asks to borrow money from him in Antonio’s name. Also in this scene do we learn of Shylock’s hatred for Antonio and the Christians: ‘ How like a fawning publican he looks! / I hate him for he is a Christian; ’ (Act I Scene iii) Shylock also displays elements of belligerence in his refusal to ever forgive the Christians. We also learn of his intent regarding Antonio’s life: ‘ If I can catch him once upon the hip, / I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.’ (Act I Scene iii) Shylock also shows himself to be devious and cunning by hiding his hatred beneath a faà §ade of friendship in order to entice Antonio to become indebted to him, not just with money but with his life. Antonio is very naà ¯ve regarding the terms of the bond taking the ‘pound of flesh’ clause to be a show of friendship not hatred: ‘ The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.’ (Act I Scene iii) Perhaps he receives the terms... ...uted among his sworn enemies. Although Shylock pursues his revenge fervently he still has the audience’s sympathy because of the unfair and harsh punishment he receives. It strikes a modern day audience as grossly unfair that the severity of his punishment reflects not his crime, but his race. He is a victim of the Christians’ intolerance of other races and ideas. In conclusion, I feel that ultimately Shylock is a villain. The way he treats those he is close to, for example his daughter Jessica exposes his vindictive and ultimately evil character. He lets his lust for vengeance engulf all other aspects of his life and his complete lack of mercy towards Antonio renders him a villain in the eyes of the audience. We can only guess at the way in which Shakespeare intended Shylock to be portrayed. I feel that Shakespeare intended Shylock to be victim, he was created to challenge the pre-conceptions and ideologies of the Elizabethan era. Having said this, I feel personally that it is not productive for us to simply categorise Shylock as either victim or villain. Through Shylock, Shakespeare explores the way in which the line between the oppressed and the oppressor can become blurred.

Exposing the Truth in There Are No Children Here :: There are No Children Here Essays

There Are No Children Here – Exposing the Truth  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Since I find myself most interested and concerned with the problems of children in our country I have decided to focus on one area densely populated by children who suffer from numerous disadvantages. The modern day ghetto is rampant with violent crime, gang activity, and death. From 1985 to 1993 the amount of children who died as a result of violent death got ten percent worse. Rather than believe otherà ­s opinions as to why this is true I have decided to investigate the situation myself. Rather than just blaming the individuals within the affected areas I would like to expose the reason behind the behavior so as to find where the real fault lies and what the solution is.    Los Angeles is a city where fear of crime and criminals is arguably the single most important social and political issue for the majority of citizensà ® (Zimring Hawkins 46). In other words in Los Angeles there is so much crime and violence that it is the primary concern for the citizens of the area, according to numerous sources it is safe to say this of many urban areas of low socio-economic status. South Central Los Angeles as well as many other ghettos have such widespread gang activity. Gang activity has essentially taken over the normal way of life. Innocent people are no longer safe in their neighborhood. With gang members as young as ten years old, many people wonder, what makes children so violent and deviant at such a young age? Where do people like Kody Scott, an LA gang member notorious for his extreme violence and brutality, come from? Is he to blame? Are his parents to blame? Are these type of people born with violent minds, do they watch too much violent television, a re they influenced by violent friends It seems as though the answer to this question could be one of a million different possibilities.    However, after all the research and reading that I have done regarding this issue I feel as though violent children of the ghetto are not à ¬badà ® at all, but a product of their bad neighborhood. The difference between these two explanations is: A. where the blame lies and B. what are the solutions. It is not only frustrating to me to hear someone blame the individuals for their deviant behavior but it accomplishes nothing.

Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence Essay

Adolescence is a developmental phase with issues that have repercussions throughout adult life. It is a period of vast change, more aptly described as a series of phases that mark the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is also a period of life in which several forms of sociopathy and psychopathology often appears. Adolescence is both a biological process and a social-cultural transition. The juvenile organism undergoes a process of growth and maturation as it moves toward adult size and functional capacity, and, more or less concurrently, the individual must pass through a transition from the status and conduct of a child to the responsibilities of the adult. The suitable adjustment of these processes, each to the other, and the appropriate direction and timing of the demands made by adults upon the developing adolescent are important factors in the ease and adequacy of growing up in our culture. Physical Development in Adolescence The normal human life span may be considered as divisible roughly into three epochs: the first, which extends from conception until past the age of twenty, is the time required to attain adulthood; the second is the variable, but usually very brief, period during which the individual enjoys the peak of his physical efficiency; and the third is the period of physical deterioration, a process which begins insidiously as early as the late twenties and, gathering speed as the years go by, effects his eventual senility and dissolution. Thus, the first twenty-odd years of life are spent in achieving physical maturity and a degree of physiologic equilibrium which is lost, at least in part, almost as soon as it is attained. If this seems an exaggerated statement, one need only recall that the baseball player is usually past the peak of his physical efficiency at thirty and that the pugilist’s legs have already begun to slow him down some years earlier. Viewed in this way, it is, perhaps, not too much to say that man has scarcely begun to live when he begins to die. Adolescence begins early in the second decade and is usually considered as ending at about the twenty-second or twenty-third year in boys and somewhat earlier in girls. It covers, therefore, approximately the last ten years of what was just referred to as the first epoch of life, the period extending from conception to adulthood. The physical changes which occur during this early period of life include both growth and development: growth, in the sense of an increase in mass, volume, and external dimensions, and development, in the sense of becoming progressively more complex. These two processes, growth and development, do not proceed at the same absolute rate or at the same relative rate throughout this early period of life. There are intervals during which the body is increasing in size more rapidly than it is growing in complexity, and them are other times at which this relationship is reversed. Some of the developmental changes which occur during adolescence are, perhaps, best appreciated when viewed in the light of some events which have preceded them. When we speak of things which are determined by heredity in the human body, such traits as eye color, hair color, hair form, skin color, or such defects as hemophilia, red-green color blindness, etc. , suggest themselves. We are likely to lose sight of the fact that, in addition to determining a vast number of what may more or less properly be called â€Å"unit characters† such as those which were just enumerated, there is also in the germ plasm some mechanism which controls larger aspects of development and which insures, for example, that human beings give rise only to other human beings and that elephants continue to produce only elephants. The genetic constitution of man, like that of other forms, controls another important aspect of development. It not only determines within rather narrow limits what the end product of development will be, but it also prescribes quite definitely the stages to be followed in attaining that end. (Blos, P, 1967). It has become increasingly evident that the growth and development of the child is a more or less orderly sequence or process which, for convenience, we classify into various arbitrary steps or periods. It is also clear that each individual child moves through this sequence at his or her own rate of progress and attains dimensions of structure, function, and behavior that are idiomatic to the individual. Thus, while we observe a certain order and regularity of process, we may also note a wide diversity of products, as exhibited by groups of individuals who differ in size, shape, and capacity, although of the same chronological age. As a result of these pronounced differences in rates of growth and maturation, the number of years a person has lived is in many situations of less significance than the level of physiological and social maturity he has attained. Differences in the time of maturing are sometimes of great importance to the individual. The early-maturing child has a shorter period of prepuberal development than the late-maturing child. Conversely, the child with early puberty may have a prolonged period in which to make adolescent social adjustments, while the late maturing may have to compress these adjustments into a shorter interval before reaching adulthood. Preceding and accompanying sexual maturation the child undergoes a transformation in size and body form of greater or Im degree, with a lengthening of the legs that sometimes producesan almost sudden change in height. Some rapidly growing boys and girls may â€Å"shoot up† and within a brief period of eighteen months or two years attain nearly their full adult stature. Others may grow slowly but continuously over a longer period. It has become evident that puberty is merely an early stage in adolescent development. It may be two or three years after the first menstruation before the girls will ovulate and attain full sex maturation and the capacity for procreation. Less is known about the male, and at present it is not possible to say when spermatogenesis or production of motile, functionally potent sperm does occur. At this point we should also note that recent studies show that every individual is bi-sexual, with the power of producing both male and female sex hormones. These male and female hormones have been found in the urine of boys and girls as early as five or six years of age; they increase in quantity as children approach puberty. Initially, the female sex hormones (estrogens) are more significant for puberal development even in the male, who develops only somewhat later a characteristic preponderance of male hormones (androgens). This balance of male and female hormones directs or controls the sex maturation of the boy and girl and the appearance of the secondary sex characteristics–breasts, pubic and axillary hair, beard, voice changes, etc. Esman, A. H, 1975). One important aspect of adolescent development is that the growth of other dimensions and of the several organ systems may lag behind growth in stature. The very tall boy of fifteen or sixteen may still have juvenile, undeveloped gonads, while his heart and circulatory system, the respiratory system, and the gastrointestinal tract may still be relatively immature and progressing only slowly toward the size and functional capacity appropriate to his stature. Conversely, the boy or girl who reaches puberty at an earlier age apparently grows and develops more as a whole, with fewer biological discrepancies and organic imbalances. But this earlier puberty has its disadvantages as well as advantages, especially in view of the social consequences of â€Å"outgrowing† former friends and associates. A simple analogy may serve to illustrate this. We can imagine a hundred boys and a hundred girls starting from New York to California. A small number of them will travel by airplane, arriving there quickly. Another and larger group will travel by fast limited express trains and arrive soon after the first group. A still larger group will travel by trains operating on the usual time-schedules; some will go by bus, others by hitch-hiking, and a very few will attempt to trudge across the continent on foot. Not all of the two hundred will reach their destination, for some will be lost en route. Those who do arrive will bear the evidence of how they traveled-including the discomforts and dangers of each mode of travel. Similarly, in the course of child development, each mode of travel, each pattern of growth and maturation, involves its peculiar biological and personality risks. Just because the whole organism is changing, in organ systems and functions as well as in external size and shape, impairment often occurs in the ability to maintain homeostasis, or physiological stability. Especially during the period when various parts of the organism are showing their maximum discrepancies in rates of growth, we may find that some functional sotivities are imperfectly integrated. If these interacting functions become seriously out of balance, as may sometimes happen as a result of neglect, overstrain, inadequate nutrition, or other adverse factors, it in possible that the residual effects of this adolescent disturbance will be carried over to influence, when they emerge, the physiological patterns and homeostatic capacity of the adult. (Freud, A, 1958). Boys or girls who complete their growth within a relatively short time may experience only a brief period of instability and may therefore be able to go forward to adult status with less internal incongruity. On the other hand, a brief period of growth may entail disturbances of various kinds merely because of the sudden, unexpected increase in size. During this brief period the adolescent must revise his image of the body and try to become accustomed to a new body size and form. Moreover, many of the eye-hand co-ordinations and other patterns of muscular co-ordination built up over the years of childhood may be rendered obsolete by these changes, so that the individual may find himself clumsy and painfully incapable of even simple activities. Cognitive Development in Adolescence Adolescence is a time in which cognitive process is ever expanding, reminiscent of the child’s shift from being a nonreader to being a reader. Suddenly, the world opens up to that child. What once appeared as jumbles of letters now appears as words: messages, directions, communications of all kinds. For adolescents, it is the abstract world that is now open: the world of ideas and concepts. Adolescents can think about thinking, think through hypotheses, think ahead. This is what allows them to use the defense of intellectualization, which A. Freud (1958) identified in â€Å"Adolescence. Adolescents can think instead of taking action as a way to discharge energy and reduce conflict. With the development of the capacity for abstract thinking, adolescents can think beyond the present; they can conceptualize a past. This is how they can leave â€Å"childhood,† an abstraction, behind while they live in the present and, eventually, begin to contemplate a future. In her 1937 article, Katan described â€Å"object removal† as a process that involves a directional change for adolescents wherein they leave old ways of looking at important people behind. This takes place in the context of an adolescent’s ability to conceptualize a â€Å"past. When analytic thinking develops, the social, political, aesthetic, and religious spheres open up for the adolescent’s exploration. Adolescents develop theories about how these spheres should be and then try to validate their theories by looking at the world around them. According to Inhelder and Piaget (1958), this represents an important change in the direction of thinking: Children look at the world and develop hypotheses to explain what they see; adolescents think about what is possible and then look out to see whether they are correct. Reality is secondary to possibility. This is described as the change from concrete to formal operations. In Piagetian theory, adolescence marks the transition from the concrete operational thinking characteristics of school aged children to formal logical operations. Formal operations include the ability to manipulate abstraction such as algebraic expressions, to reason from known principal, to way many points of view according to varying criteria, and to think about the process of thinking itself. Some early adolescence demonstrates formal thinking, others acquire the capability later, and others don’t acquire at all. Young adolescents may be able to apply formal operations to school work but to not to personal dilemmas. When the emotional stakes are high, magical thinking, such as the conviction of invulnerability, may interfere with higher order cognition. The ability to treat possibilities as real entities may affect critical decision, such as whether or not to have unprotected intercourse or engage in other risk taking behavior. Some theorists argue that the transition from concrete to formal operations follows from quantitative increases in knowledge, experience, and cognitive efficiency rather than a qualitative recognition of thinking. Consistent with this view are data showing a steady rise in cognitive processing speed from late childhood through early adulthood, associated with a reduction in synaptic number (pruning of less used path ways) and progressive maturation of electroinsephalographis results. It is unclear whether or not the hormonal changes of puberty directly affect cognitive development. The development of moral thinking roughly parallels general cognitive development. Mostly adolescents perceive right and wrong as absolute and unquestionable. Taking a loaf of bread to feed are starving child is wrong because it is â€Å"Stealing†. Adolescents often question received morality, embracing the behavior standards of the peer group. Group membership may allow them to displays guilt feelings for perceived moral infractions from themselves to the group. With the transition to formal operational thought, middle adolescents question and analyze extensively. Questioning of moral conventions fosters the development of personal codes of ethics. Such codes often appear design to justify the adolescent’s sexual apatite: â€Å"anything I want is right†. In other cases, adolescents may embrace a code that is more strict than that of there parents, perhaps in response to the anxiety engendered by the weakening of the conventional limits. An adolescent’s new flexibility of thought has pervasive effects on relationships with self and others. In late adolescents sexual experimentation decreases as they adopt more stable sexual identities. Cognition tends to be less self-centered, with increasing thoughts about concepts such as justice, patriotism, and history. Older adolescents are often idealistic but also may be absolutist and intolerant of opposing views. Religious or political groups that promise answers to complex question may hold great appeal. According to Kohlberg and Gilligan (1971) looked at whether the Piagetian stages of cognitive development corresponded to Kohlberg’s six stages of moral development. They found correspondence in childhood and established that it was only with the attainment of formal operations that Kohlberg’s last stages of moral development could be achieved. Adolescents delight especially in consideration of that which is not, a capacity that develops in the move from concrete to formal operations. They show a marked preference for abstraction. This may be what permits adolescents to deidealize their parents, a necessary component of the second individuation process that takes place at this time (Blos, 1967). Early adolescents can see that other parents are different from theirs; by midadolescence, they are able to criticize their parents for things that they have not done or ways that they have not been. Both of these serve the adolescent disengagement process. According to Esman (1975) the state of anomie in which adolescents find themselves once the deidealization of their parents takes place. They go through a mourning process in which they may search for alternative â€Å"gods† in politics, religion, or ideology. This process may also simply serve to motivate a search for values, political and religious beliefs, or ethics. This search often brings the adolescent into contact with different groups. The group involvement diminishes some of the anomie that results from the disengagement from the family of origin. That to which people aspire is denoted as their ego ideal. As people approach this ego ideal, self-esteem rises. Blos posited that there is a maturation of the ego ideal during adolescence given that adolescents develop the capacity and the motivation to formulate values and goals that are different from those of their parents. It is the move toward autonomy that permits goals and values to be examined and reformulated. Adolescents look to the world around them for both people and ideas that may be transiently used to aid them in forming these new goals and values. Thinking about, through, ahead, and beyond are all forms of exercising new potential and gaining mastery over both internal and external reality. These contribute to the adolescent’s achievement of greater competence. An adolescent does not have to look to others for explanations of that which is not immediately comprehensible; hypotheses can be generated and tested. This contributes to the adolescent’s sense of greater autonomy. Researchers on the development of a concept of self during adolescence note that there is more differentiation evident over time. This is seen as a direct result of adolescents’ increasing cognitive ability. The components of their self-concept become more and more complex, both quantitatively and qualitatively. This is very much in keeping with the second individuation theory of Blos (1967), which posits that adolescents have an increased capacity to see and define themselves. In their major study of sex differences, Maccoby and Jacklin (1974) established that the effect of children’s cognitive skill is greater than the influence of their parents’ attitudes and behavior on the development of sex roles. This suggests that it is the greater cognitive skill of adolescents that leads them to be more aware of and responsive to sex differences. A major psychoanalytic characterization of self or identity is that people form mental pictures or representations of themselves. The representations of adolescents must include images of their now more mature bodies. This gives them a sense of ownership of their bodies. It is no longer the caretaker of bodily needs from childhood who is responsible for â€Å"seeing to† the body; it is the adolescent. These mental representations of the body must include images of the genitals as functioning organs for the adolescent to feel identified as male or female, or potential father or mother.

Making Habits

We want from our target market to make a habit of eating their meals in our restaurants. If we are able to reach them, this will help us to grow at the end of the first year. In addition to this, we have another objective which is to decrease the number of people who are not aware and people who are resisting to not purchase our goods. In this case, we are planning to encourage them to taste our products and take their opinions about them to adjust our goods according to their needs and wants. Stressing our competitive advantage to our target customers is our another goal which makes them loyal to our restaurants.Identify the marketing segment for the product and explain why this segment was selected. Because we are producing healthy fast foods for different diet programs, mass marketing does not fit our marketing strategy. Therefore we segment the market based on Demographics. For example, if gender is taken into consideration, woman and man should take different amount of calories per day in order to carry on their daily activities. Besides, amount of calories are taken by young people, adults, and elderly people changes as well according to their heights, weights, and activity levels.Therefore when our customers come to our restaurants, they should be able to find a food that best fits their diet in order to be satisfied. Moreover, we also segment the market based on geographic as well. In this case, we are planning to run our business in United States because there is a high demand for healthy foods since people want to live healthy and longer. Discuss the target market and why these customers will be targeted. We segmented market according to people’s ages and genders. We decided to target people whose ages are between 18 and 64 or more and tried to figure out the market size.According to US and World Population Clocks in the US Census Bureau web page, there are 309,092,421 people living in America now. Again, according to the report posted on US Census Bureau, Meyer (2001) stated that people whose age is under 18 is 26 percent, people whose age is between 18 and 64 is 62 percent and people whose age is more than 64 is 12 percent of US population. So if we assume that the percentage of people whose ages are between 18 and 64 or more remain unchanged from 2000 to 2010, the total population of young people, adults and elderly people is now 228,728,319. 62%+12%=74%, 309,092,421? 74%). Moreover, if we assume that 50 percent of this amount is woman and 50 percent of it man. So we have 114,364,159 men and 114,364,159 women whose ages are between 18 and 64 or more. This is a huge number and it seems that targeting this segment is profitable. Furthermore, this market size can grow in the future because in 2000 the total US population was approximately 281 million according to US Census Bureau 2000 report. (Meyer 2001). Today, as I mentioned above it is nearly 309 million. Conduct a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and treats analysis for company.One of our strengths is offering healthy foods. Our menu contains foods that they are rich in terms of protein, vitamins, mineral etc. which play an important role in the structure of human body. Secondly, while we are preparing our menu, we consult nutritionists about the ingredients, the types to enhance the variety and cooking techniques. In addition to this, our customers can benefit from the dietician service on every Mondays, and Fridays between 1-5pm. They can ask their questions and have a chance to take medical support. Moreover, we are using organic and fresh foods while we are cooking and these vegetables and ruits are produced and picked diligently. This is also one of our strengths that help us to meet our customers’ expectations. Unfortunately, we have also some weaknesses as well. One of the most important weaknesses of our healthy fast food restaurant is our prices. To produce organic vegetables and fruits is very costly. Therefore this is reflected in prices of those kinds of products. Because organic foods are crucial ingredients of our foods, we also have to reflect the prices of vegetables and fruits to our food prices in order to make profit.In addition to this, because we do not offer any unhealthy foods such as fried chicken, fried potato, hamburger etc. our foods may not fit the people’s tastes. Beside our strengths and weaknesses, we have also some opportunities coming from macro environment. Firstly, people love eating in Unites States and they like to know about different and new foods. In addition to this, United States is the best place to run a fast food restaurant because of being a home country of fast food industry. Secondly, number of obese people is increasing day by day in United States because of overeating fast foods.Since these kinds of meals are unhealthy and they can cause serious health problems, this makes people more conscious while they are making decision about food choices. Therefore they tend to eat more healthy foods. Thirdly, organic food industry is growing in Unites States and people tend to consume organic foods because of being healthful compared to regular vegetables and fruits. Furthermore, number one fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, etc. do not offer rich healthy meals alternative to unhealthy ones. In this case, consumers are in pursuit of healthy food restaurants.Lastly, in United States technology is advanced a lot to prepare fast and healthy foods. This leads fast food restaurants to work more efficient. We also have some threats caused by macro environment as well. For example, people may not have enough purchasing power to buy healthy foods. In this case unhealthy foods seems cheaper to them. Therefore they may tend to prefer unhealthy fast food restaurants. Besides, organic foods are expensive. As a result, restaurants that are not using organic foods charge lower prices to their meals compared to restaurants that use those kinds of egetables and fruits. Moreover, eating hamburger, fried potato, fried chicken, cheese burger, etc. can seem more attractive to customers. Therefore customers may prefer places that offer those foods. Describe the market position for your product and service When we are positioning our product, the quality and the price are taken into consideration and we compared our product with the one that is produced by our competitors. In the fast food market, we have many competitors; however our number one and well known competitors are McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy’s and others.In figure one, circles which are depicted closely represent our competitors and the upper circle represents our fast food company. The competitors’ circles are depicted closely because they are perceived more or less the same by consumers. For example, their menus and prices are more or less the same. They are using nearly same strategies. For instance, both Burger King and McDonalds have the dollar menus. Although our competitors offer some kinds of healthy foods such as salads, grilled chicken, etc. they are still selling unhealthy foods. On the other hand, our company’s number one strength is always serving healthy foods to our customers. Besides, we are offering free dietician service for our customers. Our customers can ask their questions and get a customized service. In light of these facts, our product quality is high relative to our competitors. price X’s Healthy Fast Food Restaurant Low qualityHigh quality Our competitors Figure 1 Perceptual Map In addition to our product quality, our products’ prices are also higher than the average prices as well. Because organic foods’ prices are high, we have to reflect this to our prices.According to figure 1 it can be seen that our competitors dominate us in terms of prices. However, we also dominate them in terms of product quality as well. Recommendations Service is an intangible product and X’s Healthy Fast Food Restaurants are producing both tangible product (i. e. food) and intangible product (i. e. dietician service). In service industry customer satisfaction is very important. If a company satisfies their customer’s needs and wants, they become loyal.Therefore management should know whether their customers are happy with the service provided or not. This is the case that X’s Healthy Fast Food Restaurant can be face with. Therefore we should do some surveys to measure the satisfaction level of our customers about the service quality. There are many tools to do this. For example, Winner (2004) stated that â€Å"One of the most popular approaches to measuring service quality is the SERVQUAL instrument† (p. 418). In this type of questionnaire there are several questions that measure the quality of service.If we put servqual surveys on customers’ table and request to fill them after they finish their meal we can measure the satisfaction level of our customers by looking the results and this helps us to improve our service quality. Because service is an intangible product, customers may not know what they are buying until they buy. One author said that â€Å"†¦the service provider’s task is to make the service tangible in one or more ways† (Kotler 1999 p. 648). In this case, we should find some ways to make our product tangible.For example, if we give importance to keep our restaurants clean, our customers may think that we prepare our foods diligently. Providing a qualified and quick service can be another way to make our product tangible. If consumers see how we deliver our service quickly, they always prefer us. ReferencesKotler, P. (1999). Principles of marketing. New Jersey: PrenticeHall Winner, S. R. (2004). Marketing management: New Jersey Pearson PrenticeHall Meyer, J. (2001). Age:2000. US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 8, 2010 from http://www. census. gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-12. pdf

The Golden Lily Chapter 21

I'D SEEN MOVIES where blindfolded people were able to tell where they were going, based on some innate talent to sense motion and direction. Not me. After a few turns, I couldn't have told you where in Palm Spring we were – especially since I suspected Trey was taking a slightly roundabout way in order to make sure there wasn't a tail. The only thing I was certain of was when we got on I-10, simply because of the feel of the freeway. I didn't know what direction we were headed and had no way to accurately time how long we traveled either. Trey didn't offer much in the way of conversation, though he did give short answers whenever I asked questions. â€Å"When did you join the vampire hunters?† â€Å"Warriors of Light,† he corrected. â€Å"And I was born into it.† â€Å"That's why you're always talking about family pressure and why so much is expected of you, isn't it? It's why your dad is so concerned about your athletic performance.† I took Trey's silence as an affirmative and pushed on, needing to get as much information as possible. â€Å"How often do you guys have your, um, meetings? Are you always having those brutal tests?† Until very recently, there had been nothing to suggest Trey's life was much different from any other high school athlete who kept up with his grades, a job, and an active social life. In fact, thinking of all the things Trey usually did, it was hard to imagine him having any time at all for the Warriors. â€Å"We don't have regular meetings,† he said. â€Å"Well, not someone at my level. We wait until we're called, usually because a hunt's under way. Or sometimes we conduct competitions, in order to test our strength. Our leaders travel around, and then Warriors gather from all different places in order to be ready.† â€Å"Ready for what?† â€Å"The day when we can end the vampire scourge altogether.† â€Å"And you really believe this hunt is the way to do it? That it's the right thing to do?† â€Å"Have you ever seen them?† he asked. â€Å"The evil, undead vampires?† â€Å"I've seen quite a few of them.† â€Å"And you don't think they should be destroyed?† â€Å"That's not what I've been trying to tell you. I don't have any love for Strigoi, believe me. My point is that Sonya's not one of them.† More silence. Eventually, I felt us exit the freeway. We drove for a while longer until the car slowed again and turned, onto a gravel road. We soon came to a stop, and Trey rolled down the window. â€Å"This is her?† asked an unknown man. â€Å"Yes,† said Trey. â€Å"You turned off her cell phone?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Take her in then. They'll do the rest of the search.† I heard a squeaking gate open, and then we continued on the gravel road until turning onto what felt like packed dirt. Trey stopped the car and turned it off. He opened his door at the same time someone on the outside opened mine. A hand on my shoulder nudged me forward. â€Å"Come on. Get out.† â€Å"Be careful with her,† warned Trey. I was led from the car into a building. It wasn't until I heard a door shut and latch that my blindfold was finally taken off. I was in a stark room with unfinished drywall and bare bulb lights in the ceiling. Four other people stood around Trey and me, three men and one woman. All of them looked to be in their twenties, and two were the guys who had stopped me at the cafe. Also, all of them were armed. â€Å"Empty out your purse.† It was Jeff, the guy with buzzed dark hair, wearing a gold earring of the antique sun symbol. I complied, dumping my purse's contents onto a makeshift table composed of plywood set on top of some cinderblocks. While they sifted through it, the woman patted me down for wires. She had hair with a bad bleach job and a perennial snarl on her face, but at least her frisk was professional and efficient. â€Å"What's this?† Blond Hair from the cafe held up a small plastic bag filled with dried herbs and flowers. â€Å"You don't look like the drug type.† â€Å"It's potpourri,† I said promptly. â€Å"You keep potpourri in your purse?† he asked disbelievingly. I shrugged. â€Å"We keep all sorts of things around. I took out all the acids and chemicals before I came here, though.† He dismissed the potpourri as harmless and tossed it into a pile with other cleared items, like my wallet, hand sanitizer, and a plain wooden bracelet. I noticed then that the pile also included a pair of earrings. They were round gold discs, covered in intricate swirls and tiny gems. They were beautiful – but I'd never seen them before. I certainly wasn't going to call attention to anything, however, particularly when the woman snatched up my cell phone. â€Å"We should destroy this.† â€Å"I turned it off,† said Trey. â€Å"She might turn it back on. It can be tracked.† â€Å"She wouldn't,† argued Trey. â€Å"Besides, that's a little paranoid, isn't it? No one has that kind of technology in real life.† â€Å"You'd be surprised,† she said. He held out his hand. â€Å"Give it to me. I'll keep it safe. She's here on good faith.† The woman hesitated until Jeff nodded. Trey slipped the phone into his pocket, and I was grateful. There were a lot of saved numbers that would be a pain to replace. Once my purse was deemed safe, I was allowed to put it back together and take it with me. â€Å"Okay,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"Let's go to the arena.† Arena? I had a hard time picturing what that would entail in a place like this. My vision in the silver plate hadn't shown me much of the building, save that it was single-story and had a ratty, worn look to it. This room seemed to be keeping right along with that theme. If the antiquated brochures were further proof of the Warriors' sense of style, I expected this â€Å"arena† to be in someone's garage. I was wrong. Whatever the Warriors of Light had lacked in other areas of their operation, they'd sunk it into the arena – or, as I was told its official name was, The Arena of Divine Radiance of Holy Gold. The arena had been built upon a clearing surrounded by several buildings. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a courtyard. It was bigger, and the ground was more of that sandy packed dirt we'd driven in on. This setup was far from polished or high tech, yet as I took it all in, I couldn't help but think of Trey saying the Warriors had come to town this week. Because for them to have put this together so quickly†¦ well, it was kind of impressive. And frightening. Two sets of rickety wooden bleachers had been erected on opposite sides of the space. One set held about fifty spectators, mostly men, of varying ages. Their eyes, suspicious and even hostile, were on me as I was led in. I could practically feel their gazes boring into my tattoo. Did they all know about the Alchemists and our history? They were all dressed in ordinary clothing, but here and there, I caught glimmers of gold. Many of them wore some kind of ornament – a pin, an earring, etc. – with either an ancient or modern sun symbol. The other bleachers were nearly empty. Three men – older, closer to my dad's age – sat side by side. They were dressed in yellow robes covered in golden embroidery that glittered in the orange light of the setting sun. Golden helmets covered their heads and were engraved with the old sun symbol, the circle with the dot. They watched me as well, and I kept my head high, hoping I could hide the shaking of my hands. I couldn't present a convincing case for Sonya if I seemed intimidated. Around the arena, draped on poles, were banners of all shapes and sizes. They were made of rich, heavy fabric that reminded me of medieval tapestries. Obviously, these weren't that old, but they nonetheless gave the place a luxurious and ceremonial feel. The banners' designs varied considerably. Some really did look straight out of history, showing stylized knights fighting against vampires. Looking at those gave me chills. I really had stepped back in time, into the fold of a group with a history as old as the Alchemists'. Other banners were more abstract, portraying the ancient alchemical symbols. Still others looked modern, depicting the sun on Trey's back. I wondered if that newer sun interpretation was meant to appeal to today's youth. All the while, I kept thinking, less than a week. They put all this together in less than a week. They travel around with all of this, ready to put it up at a moment's notice in order to conduct these competitions or executions. Maybe they are primitive, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous. Although the large crowd of spectators had a rough-and-tumble look to them, like some sort of backwoods militia, it was a relief that they didn't appear to be armed. Only my escort was. A dozen guns were still too many for my tastes, but I'd take what I could get – and hope that they mostly kept the guns for show. We reached the bottom of the empty stands, and Trey came to stand beside me. â€Å"This is the high council of the Warriors of Light,† said Trey. He pointed to each of them in turn. â€Å"Master Jameson, Master Angeletti, and Master Ortega. This is Sydney Sage.† â€Å"You are very welcome here, little sister,† said Master Angeletti in a grave voice. He had a long and messy beard. â€Å"The time for the healing of our two groups is long overdue. We will be much stronger once we put aside our differences and unite as one.† I gave him the politest smile I could and decided not to point out the Alchemists were unlikely to welcome gun-toting zealots into our ranks. â€Å"It's a pleasure to meet you, sirs. Thank you for allowing me to come. I'd like to talk to you about – † Master Jameson held up a hand to stop me. His eyes looked too small for his face. â€Å"All in good time. First, we'd like to show you just how diligently we train our youth to fight in the great crusade. Just as you encourage excellence and discipline in the mind, so too do we encourage it in the body.† Through some unspoken cue, the door we'd just come through opened. A familiar face walked out to the center of the arena: Chris, Trey's cousin. He was wearing workout pants and no shirt, giving a clear view of the radiating sun tattooed on his back. He had a ferocious look on his face and came to stand in the clearing's center. â€Å"I believe you've met Chris Juarez,† said Master Jameson. â€Å"He's one of the finalists in this last round of combat. The other, of course, you also know. Quite the irony that cousins should be facing off, but also fitting since both failed in the initial attack on the fiend.† I turned to Trey, my jaw dropping. â€Å"You? You're one of the†¦ contenders to kill Sonya?† I could barely get the words out. I turned back to the council in alarm. â€Å"I was told I'd have a chance to plead Sonya's case.† â€Å"You will,† said Master Ortega, in a tone that implied it would be a wasted effort. â€Å"But first, we must determine our champion. Contenders, take your places.† I noticed now that Trey was also in sweatpants, looking as though he could be going off to football practice. He stripped off his shirt as well and, for lack of anything else to do with it, handed it to me. I took it and kept staring at him, still unable to believe what was happening. He met my gaze briefly but couldn't hold it. He walked off to join his cousin, and Master Jameson invited me to sit down. Trey and Chris faced each other. I felt a little embarrassed to be studying two shirtless guys, but it wasn't like there was anything too sordid happening. My impressions of Chris since the first time I'd met him hadn't changed. Both he and Trey were in excellent physical shape, muscled and strong with the kinds of bodies that constantly worked and trained. The only advantage Chris had, if it was one, was his height – which I'd also noticed before. His height. With a jolt, memories of the alley attack came back to me. There'd been little of our attackers to see, but the one wielding the sword had been tall. Chris must have been the one originally assigned to kill Sonya. Another robed man appeared from the door. His robes were cut slightly differently from the council's and somehow sported even more gold embroidery. Rather than a helmet, he wore a headdress more in line with what a priest might have. Indeed, that's what he seemed to be as Chris and Trey knelt before him. The priest marked their foreheads with oill and said some kind of blessing I couldn't hear. Then, to my shock, he made the sign against evil on his shoulder – the Alchemist sign against evil. I think that, more so than any of the spiels about evil vampires or shared usage of ancient symbols, was what really drove home the fact that our two groups had once been related. The sign against evil was a small cross drawn on the shoulder with the right hand. It had survived among the Alchemists since ancient days. A chill ran through me. We really had been one and the same. When the priest was finished, another man came forward and handed each of the cousins a short, blunt wooden club – kind of like what police sometimes used in crowd control. Trey and Chris turned toward each other, locked in aggressive poses, holding the clubs in striking positions. A buzz of excitement ran through the crowd, as it grew eager for violence. Evening breezes stirred up dust devils around the cousins, but neither of them flinched. I turned to the council incredulously. â€Å"They're going to attack each other with those clubs?† I asked. â€Å"They could be killed!† â€Å"Oh no,† said Master Ortega, far too calmly. â€Å"We haven't had a death in these trials in years. They'll take injury, sure, but that just toughens our warriors. All of our young men are taught to endure pain and keep on fighting.† â€Å"Young men,† I repeated. My gaze moved down to the bleach blonde girl who'd brought me in. She was standing near our bleachers, holding her gun at her side. â€Å"What about your women?† â€Å"Our women are tough, too,† said Master Ortega. â€Å"And certainly valued. But we'd never dream of letting them fight in the arenas or actively hunt vampires. Part of the reason we do what we do is to keep them safe. We're fighting this evil for their good and our future children.† The man who'd handed out the clubs also announced the rules in a loud, ringing voice that filled the arena. To my relief, the Juarez cousins wouldn't be beating each other senseless. There was a system to the combat they were about to enter into. They could only hit each other in certain places. Hitting elsewhere would result in penalties. A successful hit would yield a point. The first person to five points was the winner. As soon as it started, however, it was clear this wasn't going to be as civilized as I'd hoped. Chris actually landed the first hit right away, nailing Trey so hard on the shoulder that I winced. Animalistic cheers and whoops rang out from the bloodthirsty crowd, echoed by hisses of dismay from Trey's supporters. Trey didn't even react and kept trying to hit Chris, but I could tell there'd be a nasty bruise there later. Both of them were pretty fast and alert, able to dodge a majority of the attempted blows. They danced around, trying to get through each other's guards. More dirt was kicked up, clinging to their sweaty skin. I found myself leaning forward, fists clenched in nervousness. My mouth felt dry, and I couldn't utter a sound. In a remote way, I was reminded a little of the way Eddie and Angeline trained. Certainly, they walked away with injury too. In their situation, however, they were playing guardian and Strigoi. There was a difference between that and two guys striving to inflict the most damage on other. Watching Chris and Trey, I felt my stomach twist. I disliked violence, particularly this barbaric display. It was like I'd been transported back to the days of the gladiators. The crowd's fervor continued to increase. It was on its feet cheering wildly and urging the cousins on. Their voices rang out in the desert night. Despite being struck first, Trey could clearly hold his own. I watched as he made hit after hit on Chris and wasn't sure which sickened me more: seeing my friend hurt or seeing him hurt someone else. â€Å"This is terrible,† I said, when I could finally find my voice. â€Å"This is excellence in action,† said Master Angeletti. â€Å"No surprise since their fathers are outstanding warriors as well. They sparred quite a bit in their youths, too. That's them, down in the front row.† I looked at where he indicated and saw two middle-aged men, side by side, with gleeful looks on their faces as they shouted encouragement at the cousins. I didn't even need Master Angeletti's guidance to guess that they were related. The Juarez family stamp was strong on these men and their sons. The fathers cheered just as avidly as the crowd, not even flinching when Trey or Chris got injured. It was just like my father and Keith's. Nothing mattered except family pride and playing by the group rules. I'd lost track of the points until Master Jameson said, â€Å"Ah, this will be good. Next point determines the winner. It always makes me proud when the contenders are so evenly matched. Lets me know we've done the right thing.† There was nothing right about this. Tears stung my eyes, but whether it was from the dry, dusty air or simply my anxiety, I couldn't say. Sweat was pouring off Trey and Chris now, their chests rising and falling with the exertion of battle. Both were covered in scrapes and bruises, adding onto old ones from days past. The tension in the arena was palpable as everyone waited to see who would land the final hit. The cousins paused slightly, sizing up each other as they realized this was the moment of truth. This was the blow that had to count. Chris, face excited and alight, acted first, lunging forward to land a hit on the side of Trey's torso. I gasped, jumping to my feet in alarm with most of the crowd. The sound was deafening. It was clear from Chris's expression that he could taste victory, and I wondered if he was already imagining the strike that would kill Sonya. Sunset bathed his face in bloody light. Maybe it was because I'd seen enough of Eddie to learn some of the basics, but I suddenly realized something. Chris's movement was too rash and sloppy. Sure enough, Trey was able to evade the strike, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I sank back down to my seat. Those who had been certain he was about to be taken out roared in outrage. That left Trey with a beautiful opening to get in on Chris. My tension returned. Was this really any better? Trey â€Å"winning† the right to take a life? The point was moot. Trey didn't take the shot. I frowned as I watched. He didn't exactly fumble, but there was something that didn't seem right. There's a rhythm to fighting, where instinct and automatic responses take over. It was almost as though Trey had purposely fought against his next instinctive move, the one that said strike now! And in doing so, Trey left himself open. He took a hit from Chris, which knocked him to the ground. I rested a hand on my own chest, as though I'd also felt the blow. The crowd went crazy. Even the decorous masters jumped up from their seats, screaming approval and dismay. I had to forcibly stay seated. Every part of me wanted to run down there and make sure Trey was okay, but I had a feeling one of the armed members of my escort would shoot me or knock me out before I took two steps. My worry faded a tiny bit when I saw Trey stagger to his feet. Chris clapped Trey good naturedly on the back, grinning from ear to ear as those assembled shouted his name. Trey soon retreated to the crowded stands, yielding the victor's spot. His father met him with a look of disapproval but said nothing. The man who'd given out the clubs approached Chris with the sword I'd returned. Chris held it over his head, earning more applause. Near me, Master Jameson stood up and bellowed, â€Å"Bring out the creature!† Creature was hardly how I'd describe Sonya Karp as four heavily armed Warriors dragged her out across the dusty arena. Her legs barely seemed to work, and even from this distance, I could tell she was drugged. That was why Adrian couldn't reach her in dreams. It also explained why she wouldn't have used any magic to attempt escape. Her hair was a mess, and she wore the same clothes I'd seen her in that last night at Adrian's. They were bedraggled, but otherwise, she didn't seem to have any signs of physical abuse on her. This time, I couldn't stop myself from standing up. The blonde girl immediately put a hand on my shoulder, forcing me down. I stared at Sonya, wanting so desperately to help her, but knew I was powerless. Swallowing back fear and rage, I slowly sat back on the bleachers and turned toward the council. â€Å"You told me I'd have a chance to talk.† I remembered their sense of honor. â€Å"You gave your word. Doesn't that mean anything?† â€Å"Our word means everything,† said Master Ortega, looking offended. â€Å"You'll have your chance.† Behind Sonya's guard came two more men hauling a huge block of wood with arm constraints on it. It looked like it had come straight out of a medieval movie set, and my stomach twisted when I realized it was for: decapitation. The shadows had increased, forcing the men to bring out torches that cast sinister, flickering light around the arena. It was impossible to believe I was in twenty-first-century California. I felt like I'd been transported to some barbarian castle. And really, these hunters were barbarians. One of Sonya's guards pushed her to her knees from behind, forcing her head against the block's surface while he bound her hands with the leather restraints. In her addled state, it didn't require nearly the level of force the guy put into it. I couldn't believe they could act so self-righteous when they were about to end the life of a woman who could offer no resistance, let alone even knew she was here. Everyone was screaming for her blood, and I felt like I was going to get sick. Master Angeletti rose, and a hush fell over the arena. â€Å"We have gathered here from all parts of the country for a great thing. It is a rare and blessed day when we actually have a Strigoi in captivity.† Because she's not a Strigoi, I thought angrily. They'd never be able to capture a live one. â€Å"They plague decent humans like ourselves, but today we shall dispatch one back to Hell – one who's particularly insidious because of her ability to hide her true nature and pretend to be one of the more benign fiends, the Moroi – whom we will deal with one day as well.† Murmurs of approval ran through the crowd. â€Å"Before we commence, however, one of our Alchemist brethren would like to speak out on behalf of this creature.† The approval vanished, replaced by angry mutterings and glaring. I wondered uneasily if the guards who kept their guns pointed at me would turn on one of their associates if I was attacked. Master Angeletti held up his hands and silenced them. â€Å"You will show our little sister respect,† he said. â€Å"The Alchemists are kin, and once, we were one. It would be a momentous event if we could once again join forces.† With that, he sat down and gestured to me. Nothing else was offered, and I assumed this meant the floor was mine. I wasn't entirely sure how I was supposed to make my case or where. The council made the decisions, but this seemed like something everyone should hear. I stood up and waited for the girl with the gun to stop me from moving. She didn't. Slowly, carefully, I made my way down the bleachers and stood in the arena, mindful not to go near Sonya. I didn't think that would go over well. I kept my body angled toward the council but turned my head in a way that would hopefully carry to others. I'd given reports and presentations before but always in a conference room. I'd never addressed an angry mob, let alone spoken to such a large group about vampire affairs. Most of the faces out there were swallowed by shadows, but I could picture all those mad, bloodthirsty eyes fixed on me. My mouth felt dry, and, in what was a very rare occurrence, my mind blanked. A moment later, I was able to push through my fear (though it certainly didn't go away), and remember what I'd wanted to say. â€Å"You're making a mistake,† I began. My voice was small, and I cleared my throat, forcing myself to project and sound stronger. â€Å"Sonya Karp is not a Strigoi.† â€Å"We have records of her in Kentucky,† interrupted Master Jameson. â€Å"Eyewitnesses who saw her kill.† â€Å"That's because she was a Strigoi back then. But she isn't anymore.† I kept thinking the tattoo would stop me from talking, but this group was already well aware of the vampiric world. â€Å"In the last year, the Alchemists have learned a lot about vampires. You must know that the Moroi – your so-called ‘benign fiends' – practice elemental magic. We've recently found out there's a new, rare kind of magic out there, one that's tied to psychic powers and healing. That power has the ability to restore Strigoi back to their original form, be it human, dhampir, or Moroi.† A few angry denials quickly rose to a frenzy. Mob mentality in action. It took Master Jameson to quiet them again. â€Å"That,† he said simply, â€Å"is impossible.† â€Å"We have documented cases of three – no, four – people this has happened to. Three Moroi and a dhampir who once were Strigoi and are now in possession of their original selves and souls.† Speaking about Lee in the present tense wasn't entirely accurate, but there was no need to clarify. Besides, describing a former Strigoi who wanted to become Strigoi again probably wouldn't help my case. â€Å"Look at her. Does she seem Strigoi? She's out in the sun.† There wasn't much of it left, but even these fleeting rays of sunset would kill a Strigoi. With the way I was sweating from fear, I might as well have been out under a blazing midafternoon sun. â€Å"You keep saying this is the work of some twisted magic, but have you ever, even once, seen her in Strigoi form here in Palm Springs?† No one acknowledged that right away. Finally, Master Angeletti said, â€Å"She defeated our forces in the street. Obviously, she turned back into her true form.† I scoffed. â€Å"She didn't do that. Dimitri Belikov did – one of the greatest dhampir warriors out there. No offense, but despite all the training, your soldiers were hopelessly outclassed.† I was met with more aggressive gazes. I realized that probably wasn't the best thing I could've said. â€Å"You've been deceived,† said Master Angeletti. â€Å"No surprise since your people have long since become enmeshed behind the scenes with the Moroi. You aren't like us, down in the trenches. You don't come face-to-face with the Strigoi. They're evil, bloodthirsty creatures who must be destroyed.† â€Å"I agree with that. But Sonya's not one of them. Look at her.† I was gaining courage, my voice growing stronger and clearer in the desert night. â€Å"You keep bragging about capturing some terrible monster, but all I see is a drugged, restrained woman. Nice work. Truly a worthy enemy.† None of the council looked nearly as tolerant of me as they had before. â€Å"We simply subdued her,† said Master Ortega. â€Å"It's a sign of our prowess that we were able to do so.† â€Å"You've subdued an innocent and defenseless woman.† I didn't know if driving home that point would help, but I figured it couldn't hurt if they had twisted, chivalrous views of women. â€Å"And I know you've made mistakes before. I know about Santa Cruz.† I had no idea if this had been the same group whose men had gone after Clarence, but I was gambling the council at least knew about it. â€Å"Some of your more zealous members went after an innocent Moroi. You saw the errors of your way then when Marcus Finch told you the truth. It's not too late to correct this mistake either.† To my astonishment, Master Ortega actually smiled. â€Å"Marcus Finch? You're holding him up as some kind of hero?† Not exactly, no. I didn't even know the guy. But if he was a human that talked these crazy people down, then he must have some kind of integrity. â€Å"Why wouldn't I?† I asked. â€Å"He was able to see right from wrong.† Even Master Angeletti chuckled now. â€Å"I would never have expected an Alchemist to praise his sense of ‘right and wrong.' I thought your own views of that were immovable.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† I didn't mean to get derailed, but these comments were too puzzling. â€Å"Marcus Finch betrayed the Alchemists,† explained Master Angeletti. â€Å"You didn't know? I assumed a rogue Alchemist is the last person you'd use to make your case.† I was momentarily speechless. Was he saying†¦ was he saying that Marcus Finch used to be an Alchemist? No. He couldn't be. If he had been, then Stanton would have known who he was. Unless she lied about not having any record of him, a voice in my head warned. Master Jameson had apparently heard enough from me. â€Å"We appreciate you coming out here and respect your attempt to stand up for what you believe is true. We're also glad you were able to see just how strong we've become. I hope you'll take this news back to your order. If anything, your attempts here have demonstrated what we've long known: our groups need each other. Clearly, the Alchemists have gleaned a lot of knowledge over the years that could be very useful to us – just as our strength could be useful to you. Nonetheless,† he glanced over toward Sonya and scowled, â€Å"the point remains now that whatever your intentions, you truly have been deceived. Even if there's some tiny impossible chance that you're right, that she truly is a Moroi†¦ we can't take the chance that she's still been corrupted. Even if she believes she's been restored, she may still have been subconsciously influenced.† Again, I was speechless – but not because I appeared to have lost my case. Master Jameson's words were nearly identical to what Keith's father had said, when he'd told me Keith would be taken back to Re-education. Mr. Darnell had echoed the sentiment, that they couldn't take the risk of even a subtle bit of influence affectin g Keith. Extreme actions had been required. We're the same, I thought. The Alchemists and the Warriors. Years have divided us, but we came from the same place – in both our goals and blind attitudes. And then Master Jameson said the most shocking thing of all. â€Å"Even if she is just a Moroi, it's no great loss. We'll come for them eventually anyway, once we've defeated the Strigoi.† I froze at those words. The blonde girl came forward and again forced me to sit down on the first row of the bleachers. I offered no resistance, too shocked at what I'd just heard. What did they mean they'd come for the Moroi? Sonya could just be the beginning, then the rest of my friends, and then Adrian†¦ Master Angeletti snapped me back to the present. He made a grand gesture toward Chris as he spoke. â€Å"By the divine power we have been granted to bring light and purity into this world, you are authorized to destroy this creature. Commence.† Chris raised the sword, a fanatical gleam in his eyes. A happy gleam, even. He wanted to do this. He wanted to kill. Dimitri and Rose had killed many, many times, but both had told me there was no joy in it. They were glad to do what was right and defend others, but they didn't take pleasure in bringing death. I'd been taught the existence of vampires was wrong and twisted, but what I was about to witness was the true atrocity. These were the monsters. I wanted to scream or cry or throw myself in front of Sonya. We were a heartbeat away from the death of a bright, caring person. Then, without warning, the silence of the arena was pierced with gunfire. Chris paused and lifted his head in surprise. I flinched and looked immediately toward the armed escort, wondering if they'd take it upon themselves to become a firing squad. They looked just as surprised as me – well, most of them. Two of them didn't show much emotion at all – because they were crumpled on the ground. And that was when Dimitri and Eddie burst into the arena.