IT Strategy and the Overall Business Strategy Essay

I-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction Business strategies were basically developed as weapons in the competition. However, with the rapid change in business environment, competition roles have changed forcing companies to redefine their way in order to compete. With the evolved role of IT, organizations started to think to use IT as a strategic weapon either as a competitive advantage or even as an enabler for growth. However, unfortunately IT solely was not enough to take that role. So, organizations needed to rethink and reinvent new management or business best practices in order to maximize the obtained IT value. As a result, organizations adopted best practices such as IT business alignment to align IT with their business strategic goals in order to survive and succeed in the competition. The aim of this paper is to determine whether an IT strategy focused on maintaining a cutting-edge position is the most effective way to support any kind of overall business strategy or not. The main hypotheses of the research are that (1) IT strategy focused on maintaining a cutting-edge technology position isn’t enough (or isn’t the most effective way) to support the overall business strategy because (2) it has to be aligned with the overall business strategy. The paper first of all defines the term â€Å"IT business alignment†, then analyzes the current situation, and finally it ends with a conclusion. II-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Definitions Before analyzing the current situation, it is necessary to define an important term such as â€Å"IT Business Alignment†. Tapia, R. S. (2006) gives a simple straight-to-the-point definition for the term ‘IT Business alignment’ â€Å"the problem of matching services offered by IT with the requirements of the business†. (p.1) III-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Situation Analysis In order to test the research hypotheses or to prove that an IT strategy focused on maintaining a cutting-edge technology position is not the most effective way to support any kind of overall business strategy, this section will analyze the current situation of IT projects and the relationship with their business strategic goals and requirement. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IT projects fail to deliver a value Research showed that the gap between IT and business strategic goals still significantly exists. A significant percentage of IT projects fail to deliver a value as shown in figure (1). According to Needmuchwala, A. A., [2008], â€Å"41% of IT projects failed to deliver the expected value†. And he presented another interesting fact such as: â€Å"more than  ¼ of IT projects were canceled† (p.3) not to mention that â€Å"only 11% of organizations consider technology as a strategic weapon† (p.3) Figure (1): Failure types of IT projects (Sample size: 800 IT managers in 8 countries) Source: Dynamic Markets Limited (2007). IT Projects: Experience certainty (cited in Needmuchwala, A. A., [2008]. Evolving IT from ‘Running the Business’ to ‘Changing the Business†)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another survey conducted by Shpilberg, D. & Berez, S. & Puryear, R. & Shah, A. (2007) showed that a hug percentage of IT projects (three-quarters of companies as shown in figure: 2) â€Å"failed to deliver as expected and drifted in the ‘maintenance zone’ where IT projects were disconnected from the overall strategic goals and objectives’. (p.52) Whereas the 11% companies in the alignment trap shown in this survey even failed to deliver results on time or on budget and spent 13% more than the average and had 14% lower revenue growth.† (p.52) Figure (2): IT alignment Survey results (Sample size: more than 500 senior and IT executives worldwide) Source: Shpilberg, D. & Berez, S. & Puryear, R. & Shah, A. (2007). Avoiding the Alignment Trap in Information Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, the current situation tells us that IT strategies focused only on maintaining cutting-edge technology position, away from business strategy, are not the effective way to support the overall business strategy. Another way to prove that is to prove that the strategic alignment between IT strategy and business strategy is the effective way to support the overall business strategy and to deliver a business value. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IT Business alignment proved to deliver value 2.1 The Need for Strategic Alignment Before mentioning any facts about IT business alignment, Figure (3) shows levels of relationship between IT and business strategy and the value offered in each alignment level. These development stages were suggested by Wyatt-Haines, R. (2007) and are chosen here to explain the necessity of the engagement between IT and business strategy. Facts show that â€Å"many IT functions fail to deliver even at the first basic level ‘following the business’† (Wyatt-Haines, R., 2007, p.6) and this is obviously happens when IT simply fails to understand ‘business needs’ or in another word, the basic engagement with business strategy. Figure (3): Levels of Relationship Between IT and Business Strategy Relationship with business IT Development Stages (Levels of Alignment) 1. Following 2. Enabling 3. Leading Goals/Functions of IT in each development stage/ alignment level Reacts to business needs Maximizing value  Ã‚   predicting, resourcing priorities    Extremely aligned, a key player in leading thinking and planning Relationship with business strategy    Understanding of business needs Understanding of business strategy Understanding of business environment Business Results/Value (Alignment Impact) Delivering value Strategic success Creating strategic opportunities    Source: Development Stages (Following-Enabling-Leading) were adopted from: Wyatt-Haines, R. (2007). Leadership Impact Through IT    Also, Jahnke, A. (2004) assured that â€Å"the full participation and engagement of the business is the only guarantee to turn IT capabilities into business benefits†. So, the strategic alignment in this case is considered to be a necessity not a luxury. Now, after realizing the fact that IT alignment is a necessity to obtain a business value, it’s time to analyze the IT business alignment current situation. First of all, research findings showed that â€Å"management practices such as strategic alignment contributes to higher levels of IT business value†. (Tallon, P. P. & Kraemer, K. L. & Gurbaxani, V., 2001, p.1: Sample size: 304 business executives worldwide). Also, according to CIO update (2004), â€Å"96% of IT executives predict a positive impact of aligning IT strategy with the corporate strategy†. (As shown in figure: 4) 2.2 The ROI or the value of the Alignment To make sure that IT business alignment is an effective way to support the business strategy, this section also will focus on the situation of the successfully aligned companies to make sure that the strategic alignment enables companies to obtain a value or ROI. First, Holmes, A. (2007) found these companies who succeeded in aligning IT with the business strategy generated â€Å"a new revenue stream more than twice as often as other companies who said they were not aligned†. Figure (4): IT alignment survey results (Impact and Challenges) Source: CIO update (2004). Aligning IT & Business Strategies Still Elusive Also, the survey –mentioned before- conducted by Shpilberg, D. & Berez, S. & Puryear, R. & Shah, A. (2007) showed that the successfully highly aligned highly effective companies (7% of respondents as shown in figure 2) â€Å"recorded a compound annual growth rate –over three years- 35% higher than the survey average†. (p.53) These companies successfully -as the authors described them- â€Å"have put IT where it belongs ‘at the heart of the business processes’ that define organization’s position in business environment or the marketplace†. (p.58) So, IT in these companies didn’t focus on the cutting-edge technology position but it focused on how to support the business strategic position by aligning IT strategy with the overall business strategy. IV-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion Now, after analyzing the current situation of IT projects, it is obvious that an IT strategy focused only on maintaining a cutting-edge technology position is not enough (or not the most effective way) to support any kind of overall business strategy, because facts say that IT disconnected and isolated strategies failed to support business overall strategies and even became a heavy burden on their organizations. On the other hand, aligned IT strategies proved to deliver a value and this value differs and are maximized depending on the engagement level with business strategy. In another word, the first success factor is to strategically align IT with the business goals and requirements meaning to support the business strategic position and not the cutting-edge technology position. Finally –upon these findings- the crime –as described by Jahnke, A. (2004) is the lack of alignment because â€Å"the lack of alignment represents a waste of money, a waste of effort, and wasted opportunities.† References CIO update (2004). Aligning IT & Business Strategies Still Elusive. CIO. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.cioupdate.com/insights/article.php/3328551 Holmes, A. (2007). The ROI of Alignment. CIO. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.cio.com/article/27969/The_ROI_of_Alignment/ Jahnke, A. (2004). Why is Business-IT alignment So Difficult?. CIO. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.cio.com/article/32322 Needmuchwala, A. A. [2008]. Evolving IT from ‘Running the Business’ to ‘Changing the Business†. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.tcs.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/White%20Papers/DEWP_05.pdf Shpilberg, D. & Berez, S. & Puryear, R. & Shah, A. (2007). Avoiding the Alignment Trap in Information Technology. MIT Sloan Management Review, Fall 2007, 49(1) pp. 51-58. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://sloanreview.mit.edu/wsj/insight/pdfs/49102.pdf Tallon, P. P. & Kraemer, K. L. & Gurbaxani, V. (2001). Executives’ Perceptions of the Business Value of Information Technology: A process-oriented approach. Journal of Management Information Systems, 16(4), 145-174. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://repositories.cdlib.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=crito Tapia, R. S. (2006). A Value-Based Maturity Model for IT Alignment in Networked Businesses, Netherlands. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://eprints.eemcs.utwente.nl/2778/01/Subprojectproposal.pdf Wyatt-Haines, R. (2007), Leadership Impact Through IT, Business Leadership Review IV:IV, October 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from  Ã‚   http://mbaguide.mbaworld.com/downloadblrarticle/1047/index.htm

Drinking Age Essay

The drinking age was moved from 18 to 21 for a reason. The higher drinking age of 21 has saved many lives, helped reduce the amount of underage drinking, and therefore should not be lowered. Many studies from a large variety of sources have proven higher drinking ages have a positive effect on society. Alcohol is harmful to the development of younger people. Research has shown that an adult is less likely to binge drink (have five or more drinks in a row). According to statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, teens become intoxicated twice as fast as adults. Because the teens get drunk faster they are less likely to know when to stop and to go past their limit, causing harm to themselves and others. The Human brain continues to develop after adolescence and into our 20’s. According to a study on the neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students, drinking is harmful to the brain. Since the brains of all people under 21 are still developing, and most are in college, alcohol can prove very detrimental to the development of their brain and can harm their studies, and thus their futures. Underage drinking also largely contributes to many social problems include those such as: impaired driving, fighting, sexual activity, and smoking (Pediatrics 2006; 119:76-85). People have proposed that a 40 hour educational course should entitle people under 21 to drink. Research shows that educating youth drivers does not prevent youth crashes, however restrictions such as a limitation on the amount of passengers a youth driver can have, and curfews do help restrict the amount of youth crashes. The same philosophy applies to drinking. Educating young people about drinking responsibly, and the damage that drinking can do will not prevent alcohol related incidents, or underage â€Å"binge† drinking, but restrictions like the current laws will help prevent these (National Institutes of Health , â€Å"Fact Sheet: Underage Drinking†). Alcohol has a direct effect on the amount of car crashes and crime levels around the world. Studies show that since the legal age was change from 18 to 21 the number of vehicle related accidents has  dropped 16 percent (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Other studies have shown that since the legal drinking age was raised over 25,000 live were saved (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). Many European countries have lower drinking ages, and many people say that their system is better. Since alcohol is more readily available in these nations there are more underage drinkers than other countries where alcohol is more limited. Studies have also shown that alcohol cause more problems in Europe than America (DiClemente, Ralph J.:Pediatrics 107). These issues include underage drunkenness, injury, rape, and school problems. â€Å"The concept that a person becomes a full adult at age 21 dates back centuries in English common law; 21 was the age at which a person could, among other things, vote and become a knight. Since a person was an official adult at age 21, it seemed to make sense that they could drink then, too† (Ethan Trex: http://www.mentalfloss.com /article/19437/why-drinking-age-21). Certain European nations and states allow drinking with a parent’s consent or drinking in the privacy of the home. Many people claim that this helps reduce underage binge drinking by introducing youths to alcohol at an earlier age in a controlled environment. Research has shown that this is not true (Fell, James: Debating Reform), because the youths feel they have their parent’s permission to drink they are more likely to believe it is okay for them to drink in situations outside the home, which can lead to intoxicated driving, and other harmful acts. Some argument for lowering the drinking age claim that alcohol is more enticing to youths when they can’t have it, and if the legal age was lowered there would be less underage drinking problems. Studies and history have proven this wrong (Fell, James: Debating Reform). Before the drinking age was raised in the U.S. there was a larger underage drinking problem, and over twice as many fatal alcohol related accidents as today. Sources: European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. DiClemente, Ralph J. et al â€Å"Parental Monitoring: Association With Adolescents’ Risk Behaviors† Pediatrics 107: 6 June 2001, 1363-1368 Fell, James. From â€Å"Chapter 2: Federalism: Resolved, the Federal Government should restore each State’s freedom to set its drinking age.† in Ellis, Richard and Nelson, Michael (eds.) Debating Reform. CQPress Publishers, Fall 2009. Fell, J.; â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Age Policy Knowledge Asset,† website created by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Substance Abuse Policy Research Program; March 2009. Fell, James C. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Oct. 2008 â€Å"An Examination of the Criticisms of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 Laws in the United States from a Traffic-Safety Perspective† National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis â€Å"Lives Saved in 2007 by Restraint Use and Minimum Drinking Age Laws† DOT HS 811 049 A Brief Statistical Summary November 2008. National Institutes of Health , â€Å"Fact Sheet: Underage Drinking† National Institutes of Health, â€Å"Fact Sheet: Alcohol-related Traffic Deaths† National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Statistics on Underage Drinking National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, â€Å"Research Findings on Underage Drinking and the Minimum Legal Drinking Age† National Institutes of Health, Alcohol Policy Information System â€Å"The 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act† Shults, Ruth A., Elder, Randy W., Sleet, David A., Nichols, James L., Alao, Mary O. Carande-Kulis, Vilma G., Zaza, Stephanie, Sosin, Daniel M., Thompson, Robert S., and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. â€Å"Reviews of Evidence Regarding Interventions to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving.† Am J Prev Med 2001;21(4S). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Unde rage Drinking 2007. Zeigler DW, Wang CC, Yoast RA, Dickinson BD, Mccaffree MA, Robinowitz CB, et al. The Neurocognitive Effects of Alcohol on Adolescents and College Students. Prev Med 2005 Jan;40(1):23-32. http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html

Changing Role and Key Skills to Be Acquired-Myasssignmenthelp.Com

What Is the My Changing Role and Key Skills to Be Acquired? I am working for an apparel manufacturing company, EthnicCharisma, dealing in personalized fashion garments, essentially for women. We have only two outlets in the Dubai and we cater mostly to the local buyers including tourists. At present several tourists buy traditional scarves and garments as souvenirs for their families back at home. However our focus is not on exports. At present we are making moderate sale especially during the winters. Our company focuses on brick and mortar based point of sales rather than e-commerce. Also the tastes are changing and hence competition from online transactions is increasing becoming our threats. UAE is one of the key textile markets globally and was worth USD13 billion in 2011. The apparel and footwear segments went through slow growth compared to 2015. This is due to falling prices of oil and gold since 2014. The retailers are coming up with innovative offers in order to compensate the situation and maintain some kind of positive growth (Euro Monitor International, 2017). The pressure is higher due to slowing economies, budget constraints and salary cuts. So the key factor is innovative ways of marketing and adapting to changing westernized tastes and preferences. Also the more the firm can diversify the better. In my company where I mainly look after the marketing and customer relations, the focus is essentially on traditional women’s wear. They are presently contemplating diversification into kids’ and men’s wear. However I personally think that instead of considering garments, the venture could stream into gems and jewelries or accessories like bags and designer watches. The products should also match the changing tastes and be knitted into more fashionable light and close fit garments instead of loose and heavy work ethnic embroideries. The first change driver would be the marketing department. Also a research team might be required in order to carry out some market survey to know the tastes and preferences from potential customers’ feedbacks. I also believe the company’s presence in social media and e-commerce is essential. All these aspects can help in improving the ways of marketing. All these would require proper training, fresh hiring of young and technical people. Skills should be upgraded. Company can hire a professional fashion designer if required. So leader’s change related action, change-related training and aligned human resources practices are the key change drivers (Whelan-Berry and Somerville, 2010). This will obviously take its toll on the cost burden but the investment should pay off in long term. Some of the old staff might feel vulnerable and at risk. The company needs to figure out some ways of using the old people as well instead of wasting too much time training them. Other companies might take advantage of this disturbance if the change is not managed well and attempt to takeaway our market share. This is the main threat. Maintaining consumers’ confidence in the face of rising international brands like H&M, Zara, Next and Matalan is a major challenge but the new strategies should also bring more opportunities to cater to the global market now (Euro Monitor International, 2017). This will be a phase of proactive change which could be difficult as well as an opportune change process for us (Nadina, 2011). My role would perhaps shift from more talking to more typing and less talking. There is a chance that I will need to develop content for marketing through social media. The website needs to be developed attractively. I may need to get involved in some market research before launch of new product line for men and kids. Also its will be important to play as the linkage between customers and the designers and tailors. By the end of the module I expect to be able to apply the theories to practice. In fact I am already associating the theoretical terms more commonly relevant to the business I am familiar with. I also believe I will be more tolerant and confident in dealing with consumers. It is at times important to think like the owners in order to perform better. One needs to expect the worst and work for the best. Keeping a backup plan is very important to face drastic changes. I should be able to do this more efficiently as the module ends. Euro Monitor International, (2017), Apparel and Footwear in the United Arab Emirates, Country Report. Retrieved from: https://www.euromonitor.com/apparel-and-footwear-in-the-united-arab-emirates/report Nadina, R.R.(2011). METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION OF THE NEED FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AS BEING OPPORTUNE, West University of Timioara, Retrieved from: https://ideas.repec.org/a/ora/journl/v1y2011i2p707-712.html Whelan-Berry, K.S. and K.A. Somerville, (2010), Linking Change Drivers and the Organizational Change Process: A Review and Synthesis, Journal of Change Management, 10( 2), 175– 193 .com is an Australia-based assignment help services that aims to fulfill students' requests 'can someone do my assignment online '. We have hired best-qualified and experienced assignment helper to assist students in crafting premier quality academic papers. Students are guaranteed to receive high-quality assignment writing assistance at an affordable price. This is why, we are considered as the best assignment solver . You are required to write a researched argument essay that convinces persuades the reader of your position / stance. This is an academic, researched and referenced do... Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to elaborate the factors which are considered by individuals before selecting an occupation. Choosing an occupati... 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Issues involving the assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity Research Paper

Issues involving the assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD - Research Paper Example This stage of assessment is not common in general clinical practice. It requires assessment conducted by Health Professionals trained in Medicine, Psychology, Psychophysiology and Clinical Neuroscience or Nutritional and Environmental medicine. The assessment may include brain function evaluation through neuro-imaging, investigation of diet, nutrition and sensitivities to food. Tests may be conducted to determine the causes of metabolic dysfunctions, recurrent abdominal upsets and chronic ear, nose and throat infections which are probable causes of brain dysfunction and consequently abnormal behaviors and attention deficits (Brown, 2005, p. 21). Rating scales and check lists Rating scales and checklists assist clinicians to obtain information from teachers, parents and others about functioning and symptoms in different settings, which is important for a sufficient assessment for ADHD and monitoring its treatment. The symptoms must be manifested in more than one environment for instan ce in school and at home in order to meet DSM-IV criteria in diagnosing for the condition (Barkley, 2005, p.96). This is only one of many components of a comprehensive evaluation that should include interviews and medical examination. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the most commonly used scales are: the Child Behavior Checklist completed by the parent, Teacher Report Form (TRF), Barkley Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ), ADD-H: Comprehensive Teacher Rating Scale (ACTeRS), Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales and the Barkley School Situations Questionnaire (SSQ). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), says that ADHD-specific rating scales produce more accurate results when distinguishing between children whether a diagnosis of ADHD was initially conducted or not compared to global rating scales and nonspecific questionnaires that assess a variety of behavioral conditions (Barkley, 2005, p. 103).   Behavioral assessments N ot all inattentive, overly hyperactive, or impulsive persons have an attention deficit disorder. This is because most people will at times unintentionally blurt out things, randomly shift between tasks, or become forgetful and disorganized (Jensen & Cooper, 2002, p. 41). To assess for ADHD, several critical questions are put into consideration. Some of these questions include: are the behaviors long-term, excessive and pervasive? Do they happen more frequently than in other persons the same age? Is it a problem that is continuous or just a reaction to a situation that is temporary? Do the behaviors manifest in different settings or only in a specific place? The behavior pattern of the person is then compared against a set criteria and characteristics of the disorder (Brown, 2005, p.33). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version IV (DSM-IV) manual contains these characteristics and criteria. Disorders with symptoms similar to ADHD One of the difficulties of us ing a questionnaire in diagnosing ADHD is that the condition is often accompanied by other disorders. Quantitative EEG which is an examination of brain function can do a better job in differenting between the disorders that have a lot of behavioral overlaps. The following are several of such disorders. Learning Difficulties: Many ADHD children also have a learning disability (LD). This means

McMartin Preschool Trial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

McMartin Preschool Trial - Essay Example The discretion in the picture apart from the sexual abuse allegation by the victims, they also claimed to have witnessed flying, travelled in hot-air-balloon, some other claims by the victims were that they went through an underground tunnel. The most hilarious claim by the victim was that actor Chuck Norris abused him. After seriously investigating the theories given by the children, there was no substantial evidence to back such allegation. A conflicting goal in this case is cited when a witness who had earlier before the court case admitted to be mentally unstable, the victim is assessed through the prosecutor and the result of his mental status is ruled to have been caused by the events of the trial. He goes ahead in alleging that Raymond Bucker was sexually assaulting schoolchildren and was capable of flying. Politics play a role in this case when the initial prosecutor Mr. Glenn Stevens uses his position to influence the court case by forming the victim’s statement, the parents and teachers play a role in formulating their children’s statement during the interview. The defense team together questioned the reliability of such an act could happen to multiple student secretly without nobody having an hint of what is going on for such a long period of time. The presence of the media at the courtroom as they try to capture every single detail about the sex scandal that hit the pre-school also made the situation to be such a huge scandal. The prosecutor denied the defense attorneys team some very vital investigative information that could help the aid their evidence. The defense attorneys changed the public’s opinion by arguing that a major crime caused was by the media to give an opinion poll concerning Buckey since he deserved a fair trial at the courts of law. The other issue was the successful removal of a judge through a court motion. This made the public have another view on the case. The prosecutor, press

Control abandoned dogs and cats by student Essay

Control abandoned dogs and cats by student - Essay Example This has raised eyebrows on what to do with this increasing number of stray animals in the USA. There is the need to educate people on how to handle their animals so as to reduce the population of dogs and cats which eventually becomes unwanted. There is also the need of having laws that condemn cruelty of animals and ways of ensuring that every cat and dog is well taken care of by having vets check on the regularly (Calum N. L. MacPherson page 5). Students should be advised on the benefits of having dogs and cats, how to take care of them, what is required of them from time to time to ensure that the animals are well protected. They should also be informed of the difficulties of owning an animal and what to do if they cannot keep up with the pressure of keeping the same. This will reduce stray animals in the streets as all measures will be taken if the students are well informed. The main problem that is causing stray dogs and cats to increase rapidly in USA is that they do not know that animals need as much attention as human beings. They have no idea that owning an animal requires extra source of income or having to do away with some things to be able to take care of the animals (Office of Technology Assessment page 320). There will be need to squeeze in extra time for the dog or the cat and that’s why it reaches a point where they have to let go the animals if they cannot handle the stress they bring along. There is also the problem of a family being able to take care of one animal but later on the gives birth, and there are more animals where there are forced to let go the extra burden and the easiest place to send animals is the streets. People should be educated on ways of controlling animal’s births and the importance of the same. This can be through neutering and spaying the animals after giving birth to number of off springs the owner can manage without abandoning the cats or the dogs to

Scientific Discovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientific Discovery - Essay Example trick B Sharp discusses how Wells had established the connection of atomic bomb in his book Savage Perils where Wells extrapolated the work of British chemist named Frederick Soddy, who worked on radioactivity. It was remarkable that Wells has mentioned that term on the pages of his book ‘The World Set Free’ in 1914, which made it obvious that the forecast of the writers may prove to be very accurate. Dr. Patrick B. Sharp quoted that the term â€Å"atomic bomb† was coined by H. G. Wells and he was the one who popularized the same. The fiction of Wells led to a scientific breakthrough. The application of principles in atomic energy and radioactivity combined to create the â€Å"Atomic Bomb† that was used during World War II. The moral question was whether or not this astounding discovery is used for the betterment of the society or for destruction. It was analyzed by many groups that the contributions of the atomic bomb in military technology and misuse for war purposes, was real and could lead to death of millions of people. Despite the fact that it can be used as nuclear power to harness enormous energy, the moral responsibility of individual scientists in wartime was the bigger issue. The whole world is aware of what had happened when President Truman ordered to drop the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. Japan feels the radioactive effect of destruction even today after more than 60 years. Today there are many nations in the world who has nuclear power and there is no guarantee that they would not use this technology to over-power their enemy, which will surely jeopardize the pursuit of life, liberty, or happiness of the common people. The atomic bomb dropping of America on Japan after World War II is the best instance that can be cited to prove the evil of this astounding scientific discovery. During that time, only few nations had nuclear power but today most of the nations have nuclear power, which they can use for acts of terrorism.

The understanding of language learning Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The understanding of language learning - Article Example The view of learning as changing participation is radically different from theories of second language (L2) acquisition that frame language learning as a cognitive process residing in the mind-brain of an individual learner. Many scholars in the cognitive tradition have accepted a view of language as a set of clearly delineated and internally coherent structures that are best understood as a self-contained system. The methodology followed here is that of participatory research and the main limitation of the same is the possibility of bias of the researcher owing to his or her involvement. Not enough is said about the unbiased nature of the method though we find that the researcher learns in the process. Moreover, a cross-sectional analysis would have led to a more justifiable and generalized set of results. The method followed here is a specific case though structured longitudinally. Also, the main limitation of the study is the inability to capture the ethnic or racial differences r eflected in the discursive practice because the study is based on a Vietnamese learner. The representations of the findings and the final analysis or conclusion of the researchers are presented in a complex manner and at times the observations are repetitive in nature. Even considering all limitations, the purpose and findings of the study are interesting and revealing in the area of discursive practice and the interactional process of research. ... The methodology followed here is that of participatory research and the main limitation of the same is the possibility of bias of the researcher owing to his or her involvement. Not enough is said about the unbiased nature of the method though we find that the researcher learns in the process. Moreover a cross sectional analysis would have led to a more justifiable and generalized set of results. The method followed here is a specific case though structured longitudinally. Also the main limitation of the study is the inability to capture the ethnic or racial differences reflected in the discursive practice because the study is based on a Vietnamese learner. The representations of the findings and the final analysis or conclusion of the researchers are presented in a complex manner and at times the observations are repetitive in nature. Even considering all limitations, the purpose and findings of the study are interesting and revealing in the area of discursive practice and interacti onal process of research. Capturing the over time changes in communication is the most significant part of the research. Again study explores both verbal and non verbal methods of communication which makes it more complete though not very inclusive in terms of sample choice. Excerpts i. Just before the opening of revision talk in the first conference, in Excerpt 1 â€Å"the instructor and student discuss a tragic event in the student’s life that he had written about in his paper. Years before, he had stepped on a land mine in his native country of Vietnam and, as a result, lost part of a leg. Although the event was mentioned in the student’s paper and, thus, we could say the topic of their interaction emerged from the text, their conversation focuses on topics not mentioned

Reasons for and Against Intervention in Syrian Civil War Essay

Reasons for and Against Intervention in Syrian Civil War - Essay Example The intricate state of affairs in the Middle East has encouraged President Al-Assad to cling onto power and instigate a bloody onslaught against his populace. The Syrian citizenry has continuously demanded that been demanding that President Al-Assad steps down, in order to facilitate the setting up of a government with a solid democratic foundation. Even though President Al-Assad has lost a solid power base, it is apparent that he has exploited the intricate regional state of affairs which has destabilized the capacity of the United Nations (U.N) to firmly counter the Syrian crisis 2. In order to comprehend the complex state of affairs, it is appropriate to take a broader look at this region. This may help in understanding why the U.N seems incapable of being decisive against President Al-Assad. However, as the president of the world’s superpower, there is urge of considering whether to intervene or not and save the Syrian people. This crisis that started on 15th March 2011, h as claimed very many lives as protesters all over the country call for the resignation of president Bashar Al-Asad in favor of political rights and freedom. However, Bashar has consistently ignored the grievances of the people and continuously used violence to protesters as well the rebels with the urge of overthrowing the government 3. Therefore, the United States of America should not and cannot stay oblivious to the abominable mass killings in Syria. It is thus with this regard that the government needs a strong and firm decision on the Syrian crisis so as to restore peace and stability in a country where the two attributes have long been forgotten. Moreover, The Syrian regime’s violent reaction to protests since March 2011 has led to the death of approximately 5,400  people, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).  

Extended School Day Essay Example for Free

Extended School Day Essay Imagine you are a seven-year-old whoses parents work until five each night. When you come home after school there is no one home with you. What could you get into? You might know right from wrong but you still might get yourself into some trouble. Just out of plain curiosity you might get into something or an accident could happen without you even being involved in it. But I say there is a way to stop this from ever happening. I think we should either keep schools open longer or introduce more after school programs. Many advantages would come from either of these ideas. For one the parents would not have to be in a state of worry about whether their child is safe at home or in trouble. Plus you always have that added guilt about not being able to help your kids with their homework. Now with either longer days or more after school programs a lot of stress could be taken away from your family. No more having to pay for sitters which could stress out a families finances. Also the dangers of the kids being home and getting into trouble would be cut down severely. And also with the longer days or more after school programs parents would be able to get home, at least one parent would be home, to pick their kids off the bus. I wanted to suggest some programs I feel would help out with the problem at hand. These programs would be a reading and math after school program. One program I would suggest is a reading after school program. It is said that today, too many children fail to read at a level we would expect for the grade they are in. In a study done in 1998, the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that, thirty eight percent of our nations fourth graders failed to read at the basic level. That fact alone says we must enforce more after school programs. Now they also found that sixty-four percent of African American and sixty percent of Hispanic American fourth graders read below the basic level. This shows we need to not only put these programs in suburban schools but also city schools. Research has shown that students who are behind in reading can catch up to grade level with additional reading instruction and tutoring after school and in the summer. And that is what I am trying to put in effect. We all know that to succeed in school all students need good reading skills, and thats just a fact. Another program that I think is good is a mathematics after school Program. I has been found that students who take rigorous mathematics courses are much more likely to go on to college and into promising careers than those who do not. And with technology becoming more prevalent in the workplace, the need for employees with mathematics backgrounds has greatly increased. In my research I have found that far too many students finish middle and junior high school without developing a solid foundation in algebra and geometry. Research done by the international comparative assessments said that U. S. student achievement in mathematics falls below the average in the middle grades. We need to help improve this. I think some other important facts help support my case for the longer school day and the after school programs in this little chart. Some reasons why the public supports after school programs: *Over 28 million school-age children have both parents or their only parent in the workforce. *At least 5 million children and possibly as many as 15 million are left alone at home each week. *Many children, especially low-income children, lose ground in reading if they are not engaged in organized learning over the summer. *Experts agree that school-age children who are unsupervised during the hours after school are more likely to receive poor grades and drop out of school than those who are involved in supervised, constructive activities. *Statistics show that most juvenile crime takes place between the hours of 2:00 and 8:00 pm, and that children are also at much greater risk of being the victims of crime during the hours after school. Here is another chart showing that after school programs enhance a childs academic achievement. *Participants in after-school programs:* *Show increased interest and ability in reading *Develop new skills and interests *Show improved school attendance, increased engagement in school, and reduced dropout rate *Turn in more and better quality homework and can spend more time on task. *Are held back or placed in special education classes less frequently *Show higher aspirations for the future, including intention to complete high school and go to college. These facts are real. This is why I picked trying to make a longer day and more after school programs. And with these two programs the numbers will go up. I plan on adding more programs to what I have wrote in here. But I think implementing a longer school day and these after school programs should help not only the parents of these children but the children themselves.

The Role of Homais in Madame Bovary

The Role of Homais in Madame Bovary Elixir for Decayed Corruption In Madame Bovary, Flaubert expresses the complications that give rise as a result of the unsatisfactory life of a young woman belonging to the socio-economic class. He directly introduces criticism of societys antics through many different characters in the novel, each of which play a significant role in delivering his message. One such character is Homais, an apothecary in the town of Yonville. Although this character appears to at first be a simply an insignificant, nosy character, his corrupt and self-serving nature continues to be revealed through his interactions with the people he meets. The purpose of Homais character in the novel is very direct as he represents the hypocritical and cowardly nature of the masculine middle class. His character also enables the society to behave in a corrupt fashion, supporting Flauberts interpretation of civilization as equally corrupt. Flaubert establishes Homais character in the novel as a device in delivering his criticism and ridicule of th e bourgeoisie and society as a whole during this time period. Initially, Homais character appears to act solely as a vehicle for Flauberts criticisms of the new, progressive middle class as cowardly and self serving. A significant manifestation of the corrupt and cowardly nature of Homais appears during a critical error he made causing the amputation of Hippolytes leg. Homais pretends that he wants to take rash actions to cure Hippolytes club foot purely for the benefit of Hippolyte, claiming that, its not for me. Its for you purely out of goodwill (174). However it is revealed that Homais simply wanted to use Hippolytes injury as a stepping stone for his flourishing in the journalism activity. Homais deceitful and sly nature appears as he attempts to convince Hippolyte by providing false hope of being more cheerful and agile and even hints that women would be more pleased after the procedure (174). Homais is essentially the catalyst for the downfall of Hippolyte by using him for his own benefit and becoming taken over by greed. Flaubert critic izes the nature of the middle class to only take action when benefit comes for them. He expands on the loss of human goodwill and shows the decay and corruption that replaces compassion and benevolence. This incident regarding Hippolyte also depicts the cowardly nature of the middle class in the face of confrontation. After the rapid decline of Hippolytes health, a different doctor was summoned in an attempt to find a cure for Hippolyte. The doctor begins the criticize Charles actions stating that he was an idiot who reduced an unfortunate man to such a state (180). He continues on to derail Charles character exclaiming that they load you down with remedies without worrying about the consequences(180). In the midst of the doctors condemnation of Charles, Homais does not defend Charles even though he was the propeller of the action and essentially lays down his dignity for his greater interests. Homais does not take responsibility for his actions and instead simply observes others ta ke the burden of the blame. His cowardly act manifests Flauberts interpretation of the nature of the middle class. Flaubert denounces how the priorities of the socio-economic class appears to be based on materialistic ideals rather than core human values such as dignity, pride, and honesty. Another incident that displays the corrupt self-serving nature of the middle class depicts by Flaubert is Homais treatment towards the blind beggar. Homais considers himself a cultured, intelligent, important man when in reality he is ultimately at the same level of the peasants and lower class he looks down on. Homais proceeds to regard the beggar with contempt describing him as a scrofulous infection and poses as an intelligent man by giving the beggar advice for his blind condition (280). A notable moment that exhibits the cowardly nature of Homais is the action he takes in retaliation to the blind beggar exposing the harmful actions Homais inflicts upon others in an attempt to add to his own benefit. Homais takes advantage of his resources to launch a secret campaign against the beggar, and ultimately succeeds in jailing the beggar in an asylum. His actions shows his resort to oppression of another mans civil liberties in an attempt to protect his own reputation. Homais character acts as a representation of the corrupt and cowardly aspects of the bourgeoisie. However, a depiction of Flauberts criticisms of society as a whole can be assumed to be an addition to the purpose behind the creation of Homais character. Ironically, Homais character is arguably one of the most corrupt in the novel, yet he is the only one who achieves his goal of social mobility. In comparison to characters who appear morally good such as Charles and Berthe Bovary who end up with tragic endings, Homais is able to achieve most if not all of his ambitions and goals. An example ofÂÂ   Homais success is the fact presented that he had just received the Legion of Honor (322). Flaubert presents this fact in a blunt style as the last line of the novel leaving a foul taste in the readers mouths. Homais achievement is not shown to be a beautiful event but rather a small gain in comparison to the corrupt actions he had taken leading up to his success. As a result, Flaubert criticizes society in its capitulation towards societys accolade to the most unethical figures. He condemns the mechanics behind society and essentially exposes the moral decay that is hidden underneath the gilded surface. Through Homais triumph in acquiring the Legion of Honor, Flaubert reveals the twisted nature of the mechanics behind society. He shows the disappointing reality that those who act in sly and immoral ways often times receive more benefit than those who live an honest life. Homais character depicts the segment of society through Flauberts perspective which prevents his evaluation from being truly objective. Moreover, Flaubert attempts to depict the raw corrupt nature of Homais character through a satirical argument between Homais and the priest: Yet, said Homais, it cant be both ways. Either she died in a state of grace (as the Church puts it), in which case she doesnt need prayers; or she died unrepentant (I believe thats the ecclesiastical term), and in that case- Bournisien interrupted, replying in an irritable tone that one needed to pray, no matter what. But, the pharmacist objected, since God knows all our needs, whats the use of prayer? What do you mean? asked the priest. Prayer! Arent you a Christian? I beg your pardon, said Homais. I admire Christianity. In the first place, it freed the slaves, introduced into the world a morality- Never mind about that! All the texts- Texts, bah! Open up the history books. We know they were falsified by the Jesuits. Charles came in and walked toward the bed. He drew the curtains back slowly. (305) In this piece of dialogue Homais engages in a argument with the priest about religion. This represents the clash in culture during the time between the new science ideas and the conservative ideas of centering life around religion. Homais continues to argue even in the presence of the deceased Emma Bovary. His disregard to the situation at hand shows how he doesnt appear to have any respect towards Madame Bovary. Flaubert creates the satirical conversation between Homais and Bournisien in order to reveal the hypocritical nature of Homais in asserting that he is a religious man but proceeding to denounce the essence of religion. He presents himself as a holy man yet he objects to the statement by the priest that prayer is needed no matter what. Homais claims to admire Christianity but advocates modern ideas including Voltaire and science. Through the dialogue, Homais character is seen once more in negative light as a representation of the middle class. The insensitivity of Homais to t he environment of the deceased is reflected in his insistence in continuing to partake in the squabble with the priest. Homais interrupts and blurts out his own uneducated ideas without giving consideration to the priests words. Another characteristic revealed is in how he disregards the dead in order to win the argument and therefore feel a sense of self-superiority. The childish antics performed by Homais shows the twisted order in his priorities to favor self over the traditional values of respect. As a result of Homais corruption, the moral decay has reached such a deep point in his character that he supports Flauberts intent in depicting the middle class as well as society. Finally, Madame Bovary brings to light Flauberts dissection of society as corrupt and immoral through the character Homais. Throughout the novel Homais perpetrates many unethical actions that displays the mechanics of society through a single person. He reveals his cowardly and corrupt actions which supports the conclusion that his character was essentially devised to be used as a device for Flauberts heavy condemnation towards civilization. The novel also paves way into Flauberts analysis of a specific group, the bourgeoisie, to be equally Madame Bovary reveals the actions that give rise to the decay within the community. Through this manifestation, Flaubert delivers his denunciation of society and the middle class to be impure.

Explore the Medicinal Benefits of Green Tea :: Essays Papers

Explore the Medicinal Benefits of Green Tea Tea, especially green tea, has been touted in many sources as having a plethora of medicinal properties. Much of the hype surrounding tea is in fact true. Tea is not a wonder drug, but it can combat some of the causes of the most deadly diseases in the United States. For over 4000 years it has been used as a medicine in China (Cheng 2397). By taking a cue from the Asian cultures, we in America are beginning to discover the benefits of this drink. Since green tea is not fermented, and thus enzymes do not destroy many of the polyphenolic compounds, it contains more beneficial compounds than either oolong or black tea. Tea is so powerful in fighting disease because the polyphenolic compounds it contains work as antioxidants. There are thousands of antioxidants compounds that help to inhibit the oxidation reactions caused by free radicals. The antioxidants latch onto free oxygen particles in the body and prevent them from doing damage to cells or tissue. The most prevalent antioxidant in green tea is a compound called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (Voelker 262). Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is unique because in lab tests it induced cell death in cancer cells, but left healthy cells unharmed. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio exposed it to cancerous skin, lymph, and prostate cells from both humans and mice and to healthy human skin cells. The compound killed the cancerous cells, and left the healthy cells untouched. Present in just 2 mg of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate is a powerful chemical (Voelker 262). Green tea doesn’t always have to be ingested to combat cancer. A study published in the August 2000 issues of the Archives of Dermatology found that green tea polyphenols have both anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties on the skin (Katiyar, et al. 989). Experimental studies conducted on mouse skin found the polyphenols afforded protection against both chemical carcinogensis as well as photocarcinogenis (Katiyar, et al. 989). This information could be big news for those worried about the detrimental effects of the sun and daily chemical exposure on their skin.

Essay --

This is the story of one company, but two businesses, trying to do business in China, a country which can be very difficult even in the best of times. It is even more difficult when those two businesses are in conflict with each other. Much has been made of Google’s entry to and exit from the China market because of Chinese hacking and censorship. Other media companies, such as the New York Times, have also had issues with Chinese censors. But few companies are facing the dilemma that is currently facing Bloomberg LP, which recently became the world’s largest distributor of financial news and data (Elkind, 2013). This dilemma is placing its large money-making business side against its smaller media side, forcing them in some ways to fight head-to-head. And while the winner of this fight may be determined by where the money is, how the company chooses to handle this sensitive situation will speak volumes about both its ethical and business priorities. The business side consists of Bloomberg’s financial data unit, which includes its famous data terminal. That terminal is a part of investment offices around the world and responsible for 85 percent of the company’s $8.3 billion in annual revenue (Elkind, 2013). The media side consists of Bloomberg News and its 2,400 journalists, which includes its worldwide cable television channel, web page and other outlets such as Bloomberg Business Week. This part of Bloomberg brings in just 4 percent of the company’s revenue (Jager, 2013). This push-and-pull between the news and business sides of Bloomberg’s China operations dates back to 2012, when Bloomberg News published a series of stories about the personal wealth of China’s new president Xi Jinping and his family (â€Å"Xi Jinping Millionaire... ...and not journalism. It can choose to change its journalism model in order to preserve its financial data business model. Evidence of this shift is already taking place. The company recently laid off about 40 news staffers, and executives say Bloomberg will shift its focus away from certain areas, including its investigative unit. â€Å"We must have the courage to say no to certain areas of coverage in order to have enough firepower in areas we want to own,† Winkler said in a memo to his staff (Chozick, 2013). It is also my opinion that this is a wise course of action. While political conditions in China are far from ideal, it is possible those conditions will change in China over the course of years. Bloomberg is not compromising the ethics of its core business, and will leave itself in a position to quickly take advantage of any loosening of China’s censorship policies.

An Exposition of Kant’s, Arendt’s, and Mill’s Moral Philosophy Essay

An Exposition of Kant’s, Arendt’s, and Mill’s Moral Philosophy Immanuel Kant adheres to Deontological ethics. His theory offers a view of morality based on the principle of good will and duty. According to him, people can perform good actions solely by good intentions without any considerations to consequences. In addition, one must follow the laws and the categorical imperative in order to act in accordance with and from duty. Several other philosophers such as Hannah Arendt discuss Kant’s moral philosophy. In her case study: â€Å"The Accused and Duties of a Law-Abiding Citizen†, Arendt examines how Adolf Eichmann’s actions conformed to Kant’s moral precepts but also how they ran of afoul to his conception of duty. In contrast, John Stuart Mill adopts a teleological view of moral philosophy. He exposes his view of consequentialism and utilitarianism to argue that an action is morally right only to the extent that it maximizes the aggregate happiness of all parties involved regardless of the motive. In the present p aper, I will expose Kant’s moral precepts and the importance of duty in his Deontological principles. Then, I will evaluate Arendt’s report on Adolf Eichmann to analyze the ways in which his actions were in accordance to or against Kant’s moral philosophy. I will conclude my discussion with an evaluation of Mill’s approach to morality in order to examine the differences between his teleological philosophy and Kant’s ethical principles. Kant’s moral philosophy is based on the categorical imperative (CI), good will, and duty. According to the CI, it is an absolute necessity, a command that humans should accord with universalizable maxims to treat people as ends in themselves and exercise their will without any concerns ab... ... In conclusion, Kant, Arendt, and Mill hold different moralities. The three philosophers all have different ways to analyze and perceive ethical principles. They all base their views on varying concepts of morality. Kant’s deontological ethics is grounded on concepts of duty, the categorical imperative, and good will. Similarly, Arendt utilizes Kant’s categorical imperative and idea of duty to share her account of Adolf Eichmann’s trial. She recognizes that even though Eichmann attempted to live according to a Kantian definition of duty, his behavior did not fit Kant’s moral precepts. Mill, contrastingly, holds a teleological philosophy and uses the concept of consequentialism and utilitarianism to argue against Kant’s morality. In any case, the three philosophers bring thoughtful ethical philosophical concepts which provide new ways to analyze moral conflicts.

A Rose for Emily: Emily as a Tradition, a Duty and a Care Essay

Emily Grierson is the title character in the short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† The narrator portrays Emily as a â€Å"tradition, a duty, and a care,† (Faulkner,79) but in her actions, it is obvious that Emily is a true outsider. She shuts out the townspeople, only allowing them to see certain aspects of herself and leaves them to speculate the rest. She lives with her father until his death. Any chance at love for Emily was denied due to her father driving potential men away so that he could have her all to himself. Having been sheltered and secluded by her father, she continues to lead that kind of lifestyle after his death. Miss Emily’s home fits in with her character. Both are dark and mysterious. Emily rarely lets people into her life to see the real her so she remains dark and mysterious. Her home is also closed off to the townspeople. She rarely allows people into her home, and those that do find it layered with dust. The house is also falling into decay which also coincides with Emily’s aging and bloated and pallid appearance. It is clear that Mr. Grierson was extremely controlling of Emily. He showed this in his attempt to drive potential suitors away. After his death, Emily attempts to take control by denying that he has passed and refusing to give up his body. Before they can resort to using the law to take his body, Emily finally gives in and releases the body to them so that he can be buried properly. The townspeople are not surprised by her actions. They felt it was something she needed to do because she had nothing left, so she had to cling to the one thing she did have, and that was her father. Miss Emily follows her own rules. She does not abide by the law like everyone else. A deal had been made that she didn’t owe any taxes. Colonel Sartoris told her it was because her father had loaned the town money and therefore the taxes were remitted. When a new generation took over and sent her a bill, she either ignored it or sent back the bill with a note. When they came to her home to talk to her about it, she still adamantly refused to pay the bill, telling them she owed none and to speak to Colonel Sartoris about it. Even though the Colonel had been dead for ten years and there was nothing in the books to show that the taxes were remitted, she refused to accept the new authorities and has them shown out. She also refuses to put numbers on her mailbox when federal mail is put into place and in stating why she is buying the poison. No one ever pushes her and forces her to follow the law, it is as if they are afraid to question her or just ignore her eccentricity. They even refused to bring the multiple complaints of a bad smell to her attention and instead snuck into her yard at night, breaking open the cellar door to sprinkle lime in there as well as in all the outbuildings. No one wanted to â€Å"bother† Miss Emily. Eventually a man named Homer Barron comes to town. He begins to spend time with Miss Emily. At first the townspeople are happy that someone has piqued her interest. Many thought that they would eventually marry, even though Homer states that he is not the marrying kind. Many feel that she will find a way to persuade him to marry even though it seems as though he is interested in men. Eventually, the townspeople all believe that they will soon be married because of items that Emily buys for Homer. Homer leaves at one point while Miss Emily has family visiting. The townspeople see him return, but it is the last they see of him. This is when Emily’s failure to follow the law takes a turn. She was never questioned on why she needed the arsenic. It of course gets around town that she has purchased it, and they all believe she will kill herself. Even though Homer is never seen again and even though her home is mainly closed up until her death, except for the few years she teaches china painting, no one ever thinks that the arsenic is being used in a more sinister way. After Miss Emily’s death, the townspeople come to pay their respects. The men do so more out of respect while the women are more interested in seeing her home after all these years. It is soon discovered that Homer Barron’s dead body is lying in a bed in one of the rooms. Next to his body, on the pillow, it is clear that Miss Emily has spent time laying there beside him. It is clear that Miss Emily couldn’t bear the thought of Homer abandoning her, so she poisoned him so that she would always have him with her. She clung to him just as she had her father, but this time she found a way to make sure Homer would not be removed from her home. No one ever calls Miss Emily crazy, even though she had a great aunt that had gone crazy. All her actions are just thought of as part of her eccentric ways. No one thinks to question her or what she does. It is clear that Emily is suffering from some sort of mental illness. She clearly shows she has abandonment issues after being sheltered by her father. She refuses to accept or reveal his death until forced to do so. It is also clear in her actions of poisoning Homer Barron. After her father’s death, the narrator states that â€Å"she was sick for a long time after that.† It seems as if maybe she had some sort of mental breakdown after she is left alone. If only her father hadn’t sheltered her so much and refused to allow her to find love and seek friendship, she would not have acted in such desperate ways. If she could have gotten help to get over her fears or was able to talk to someone about it, maybe Homer would not have been poisoned. Although her actions and the outcome were tragic, in a way you have to feel bad for her because she was following the example that her father set for her. He desperately clung to her and in turn, she desperately clung to the men she cared for.

Children with Special Needs and How They Interact

As numerous people have stated before, â€Å"if you want to understand someone, take a walk in their shoes. â€Å" From this, one is not able to truly comprehend the feelings someone may have or how many difficulties a person endeavors on a day-to-day basis, unless they spend time with them. The topic that I helped research as a group for our senior project was how students with special needs cooperate with others like them, and then how they interact with people in society that do not have these needs. While researching this project, I kept one question in mind, what similarities and differences occur with these children when they are brought into these situations with new people. Through our mentor, we were able to interact with the special needs children at our school, one by observing from a distance, not to interfere with how they may regularly go about their school day, and then engaging in the tasks of assisting the students with whichever task they had at hand. Numerous children each year are born with disabilities that classify them with needing certain attention in various areas unlike children who do not have these needs. The statistics show that 1 out of every 5 children born will have some sort of impairment that requires the attention of a specialist in that disability. However, until one has been through the types of activities those children have been, it is quite difficult to learn how it is to have these disabilities, and how socializing with others that they are not familiar with can be altered from how one would normally act around others of the same needs. Most of these children are nervous or shy themselves away from regular students at the school, mostly because they either don’t want to try to make friends with them or that they are too afraid that they might be criticized for how they truly are. When our mentor, Mrs. Rang was interviewed, we asked her a series of questions to try to get a better understanding of how these children are, and what she thought of our idea for a possible senior project. Through this interview, we we’re able to find out numerous things about how things in the classroom work for these students. For instance, when asked how often and when the students interacted with students unlike them at the school, we were given the answer of that the interactions were very limited, these times came during physical education classes, bake sales, and fundraisers. Additionally, we also were informed on how well the children cooperate with each other in the classroom, and it was apparent that there was almost a family-like bond between the children. However, based on research, some children with disabilities have a fear of reaching out to socializing with others. These fears can come about from numerous sources, either through mostly experience or what can be seen or heard through the media. The most powerful source of getting news across the world is through the media, where within the chaos, numerous stories are said to be factual, when only the story is false, and people will only read it if it is intriguing to society. One of these stories includes how children with disabilities are being treated at a certain institute in Canton, Massachusetts, by using shock therapy. Whether or not these reports are true does not matter to the reporters, however if a child with special needs sees this story, it would result in them only wanting to surround themselves with other children that are like them due to the safety they may feel with them. Bullying is another form of socialization that may trigger the child’s abilities to break out of their shell and interact with others. With many children feeling like that they won’t be accepted due to their disabilities, their socialization skills deplete and children become more introverted. However, there are numerous websites and books that are help to assist one with their child’s needs in order for them to benefit from the factors of regular children. Certain aspects like greeting a new person everyday will allow them to not be intimidated by the children that are not like them. With proper guidance and support, these children with disabilities can be able to interact with other children unlike them in a comfortable environment. Furthermore, it has been seen in many instants where children with disabilities are able to interact with similar children with ease than to that of others. A variety of reasons can be held accountable for this explanation, such as how much time is spent with comparable children, and the emotions that are felt during these time periods. For example, during our interview, our mentor was able to inform us on how caring the children are for one another, which I feel takes into account where they spend the majority of their day in school together, and those students are the children that they interact with almost everyday. Additionally, many will say that the more time you spend with a person, the more you get to know them and care for them, which is proof with these children. Some however, may not want to branch out and socialize with other children, which even though I feel these students would benefit from the experience, people can not be pressured into something they are not comfortable doing. When doing this sort of project, there are certain risks and learning experiences that come with the opportunity we were presented with. In order to fully commit myself to this project, a certain level of commitment and connection had to be made with the task at hand. Before this project was assigned, I had volunteered time at the Nursing Home where there are numerous patients with disabilities that after listening to their stories, had numerous troubles growing up. It was evident that just like the children now, some wanted to socialize with others, while some rather stay locked up in their rooms all day in a groggy mood. As a result, it inspired me to find out why people with disabilities are sometimes stubborn to interact with others, while still establishing friendships with those who desired companionship in the home, especially those who made connections with others who had similar disabilities. Due to the level of this project, there were also numerous risks and successions that are related to the action of the assignment. After discussing that the group desired to work with the special needs children in Mrs. R & Mr. Dami’s class, we knew that we did not want the students to feel like they were just an assignment, where they would only be talked to for a month or two, and then once the class was over, the connection that was made would slowly disappear. If that was the case, no one would benefit from this project, I knew that we had to make sure that we got to know the students, how their personalities were, what their interests are, and other such aspects. The risk being taken was that when going into this project, we were not aware of how the students might feel with us being in their classroom. Being uncomfortable in a safe environment is one of the factors that we as a group wanted to make sure would not happen, however studying their behavior with others would allow us to benefit for the task at hand. Success would be able to be achieved, only if our interactions were carried out properly. From this, our success would be finding out the difference between the socialization that children with disabilities use when they are surrounded with different people. Moreover, failure would also be expected when we were spending time with the children because as Benjamin Disraeli once said, â€Å" All my successes have been built on my failures†. From this, we were not expecting perfection the first time we met the children, but hopefully, a bond would slowly start to form between us and eventually they would become more comfortable to talk to us when they ever saw in the hallways or during lunches. This is able to relate to civics, where from our education throughout the years in socializing with others, not bullying, and always making other feel welcome, we are able to take the lessons that we have already learned, and apply them to the task at hand and hopefully make new friends along the way. The experiences that I have had so far have been very beneficial to not only me, but my group as a whole. We were able to discover that some of the children with special needs wanted friends, but were too afraid to due to lack of socializing when they were younger. On another note, some children were able to talk to anyone that was willing to listen, while others unfortunately did not wish to make new friends than the ones that they already had currently in the classroom. Different personalities were able to shine through while we visited the students during different blocks, and friendships were able to begin being built. However, more information on why parents and others do not try to socialize their children with disabilities would be helpful when working on this project, however, the best is being made with the research we have. Throughout the experience however, it reminded me of being with the patients at the nursing home, as if those patients younger selves were able to interact with me now, and it was able to give my more insight into their everyday lives, even though I may not have been able to walk a mile in them. To end off though with these friendships and the positive effects they will hopefully have on these children, as Francis Bacon once stated, â€Å"This communicating of a man’s self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth grief’s in half†. Where joy is able to be experienced by those who enjoy the companionship of a good friend, and the grief they may have suffered is no longer that big of a burden for them to handle.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 10

I woke to blackness. Blackness and suffocation. I was in a small room, a box really, crammed in so tightly that my arms wrapped around me and my knees were drawn to my chest. Weirdly, my limbs seemed too long. My whole body did, actually. My body changed all the time with shape-shifting, but this wasn't what I'd been wearing with Roman. This was different. For a moment, that horrible space seemed to close in around me. I couldn't breathe. With great effort, I tried to calm myself down. There was enough air. I could breathe. And even if I couldn't have, it wouldn't have mattered. The fear of suffocation was a human instinct. Where was I? I didn't remember anything after the bedroom. I recalled the light and the music and Roman bursting in too late. I'd felt his power build up, like he was about to take action, but I hadn't seen the conclusion. And now, here I was. Before my eyes, two identical luminescent forms suddenly appeared, like torches being lit in the darkness. They were tall and thin, with willowy, androgynous features. Black cloth wrapped around their bodies, seeming to glow with a light of its own, and long black hair flowed from their heads, blending in and losing itself in the cloth. Their eyes were a startling radioactive blue, too blue for any human, and seemed to bug out of those long, pale faces that were neither male nor female. It was weird too because it was like they stood before me in a large room, as though they were ten or so feet away from me. Yet, I was still crammed into the confines of my box and its unseen walls, barely able to move. Aside from them, everything else was pure, unfathomable blackness. I couldn't even see my own body or any other features of the room. My brain couldn't get a grip on this spatial hypocrisy. It was all too surreal. â€Å"Who are you?† I demanded. â€Å"What am I doing here?† I saw no point in wasting time. The duo didn't answer right away. Their eyes were cold and unreadable, but I saw a bit of smugness in their lips. â€Å"Our succubus,† one said. His – my brain decided to assign them a gender – voice was low and raspy, with a lisp that reminded me of a snake. â€Å"Our succubus at last.† â€Å"Harder to catch than we thought,† added the other, voice identical. â€Å"We thought you would have succumbed long ago.† â€Å"Who are you?† I repeated, anger kindling. I squirmed in a futile attempt at escape. My confines were so tight that I didn't even have the space to beat my fists against the nonexistent walls. â€Å"Mother will be pleased,† the first one said. â€Å"Very pleased,† confirmed the other. The way they alternated phrases reminded me of how Grace – Jerome's former lieutenant demoness – and Mei used to interact. That had had a charming, moderately creepy The Shining feel to it. This†¦this was something else. Something terrible and icy, burning my senses like nails on a chalkboard. â€Å"Mother will reward us,† the first said. I decided to call them One and Two for the ease of mental processing. â€Å"She will reward us when she is free, when she escapes the angels.† â€Å"Who's your mother?† I asked. A troubling suspicion was beginning to form. â€Å"We will avenge her until she can do it herself,† said Two. â€Å"You will suffer for betraying her.† â€Å"Nyx,† I murmured. â€Å"Nyx is your mother. And you're†¦you're Oneroi.† They said nothing, which I took as affirmation. My head reeled. Oneroi? How had this happened? Oneroi were a type of dream demon – but not demons like the ones I interacted with. Heaven and Hell were forces in the universe, but there were others, others that mingled with and often ran parallel to the system I existed in. Nyx was one such force, an entity of chaos from the beginning of time, when the world had been created from disorder. And the Oneroi were her children. I knew a few things about them but had never seen them – or ever expected to. They visited dreams, feeding on them. Nyx had done this too, but the manner had been a little different. She had manipulated people into seeing the future in their dreams – a twisted version that didn't unfold the way the dreamer expected. It had led to crazy actions that spawned chaos in the world, allowing her to grow stronger. She'd also fed on my energy directly, taking it in its purest form and distracting me with dreams of my own. But Oneroi fed on the dreams themselves, deriving their power from the emotions and realities fueled by the dreamer. My understanding was that they also had the power to manipulate dreams but rarely had reason to. Humans provided plenty of hopes, dreams, and fears on their own. They needed no outside help. That was the extent of my Oneroi knowledge, but it was enough. Feeling even a little informed about the situation empowered me. â€Å"That's what this is about? You took me because of Nyx? I wasn't the one who caught her. The angels did.† â€Å"You helped them,† said One. â€Å"Led them to her.† â€Å"And then refused to save her,† added Two. With a pang, I remembered that horrible night, when Carter and his cronies had recaptured Nyx after her devastating free-for-all in Seattle. An angel had died that night. Another had fallen. And Nyx had promised to show me a future and family with a man I could love, if only I would give her the rest of my energy and let her break free. â€Å"She was lying,† I said. â€Å"She was trying to make a deal when she had nothing to offer.† â€Å"Mother always shows the truth,† said One. â€Å"Dreams can be lies, but truth is truth.† I decided pointing out the redundancy of that statement was useless. â€Å"Well, I'm sure she'll appreciate the Mother's Day gift, but you're wasting your time. Jerome will come for me. My archdemon. He won't let me stay here.† â€Å"He won't find you,† said Two. This time, I could definitely see smugness. â€Å"He can't find you. You no longer exist for him.† â€Å"You're wrong,† I replied, with a bit of my own smugness. â€Å"There's no place in this world you can take me where he can't find me.† That was, of course, assuming they hadn't managed to hide my immortal aura. To my knowledge, only greater immortals could do that. I wasn't sure where Oneroi fell in. One actually smiled. It was not attractive. â€Å"You aren't in the world. Not the mortal world. This is the dream world.† â€Å"You're one of many dreams,† Two said. â€Å"One dream among all the dreams of humanity. Your essence is here. Your soul. Lost in a sea of countless others.† My fear stopped me from offering commentary on his sudden shift into metaphor. The metaphysics of the universe and its layers and creation were beyond me. Even if someone had explained them to me, it was something past the comprehension of a mortal, lesser immortal, or any other being who was made-not-born. I had enough understanding, though, to recognize some truth in their words. There was a world of dreams, a world without form with nearly as much power as the physical one I lived in. Was it possible to trap my essence in it and hide me from Jerome? I was unsure enough that I couldn't write it off. â€Å"So, what?† I asked, attempting haughtiness but mostly sounding as uneasy as I felt. â€Å"You'll just keep me in this mime box and feel better about yourselves?† â€Å"No,† said One. â€Å"You're in the world of dreams. You will dream.† The world dissolved again. It was my wedding day. I was fifteen years old, jailbait in the twenty-first century but more than old enough to be a wife in fourth-century Cyprus. And more than tall enough too. The Oneroi had sent me into a memory or a dream of a memory or something like that. It was a lot like the dreams Nyx had put me in. I was watching myself like a movie†¦yet at the same time, I was in myself, experiencing everything quite naturally. It was a disorienting feeling, made worse by the fact that I had never wanted to see my human self again. Selling my soul had come with obvious downsides, but there had been perks too: the ability to shape-shift and never again have to wear the body that had committed such grievous sins in my mortal life. Yet, there I was, and I was unable to look away. It was like being in A Clockwork Orange. My younger self had been about five feet ten inches tall by today's standards and a giant of a woman in an era where people had been shorter. When dancing, I'd been able to put that long body and all those limbs to good use, moving gracefully and effortlessly. In everyday life, though, I'd always been painfully conscious of my height, feeling awkward and unnatural. Watching my old self walk now, from the outside, I was astonished to see I didn't appear as clumsy as I'd always believed. That didn't negate the revulsion I felt at seeing the thick, waist-long black hair or passably pretty face. Still, it was kind of a surprise to watch reality (if this was reality) and memory meshed. It was just after dawn, and I was carrying a large amphora of oil out to a storage house beyond my family's home. My steps were light, careful not to spill any of it, and I again marveled at the way I moved. I set the vessel down beside others inside the shed and started to head back toward the house. I'd barely taken two steps outside when Kyriakos, my husband-to-be, appeared. There was a covert expression on his face, one that instantly told me he had sneaked over here to find me and knew perfectly well that he shouldn't have. It was an uncharacteristically bold move for him, and I chastised him for the indiscretion. â€Å"What are you doing? You're going to see me this afternoon†¦and then every day after that!† â€Å"I had to give you these before the wedding.† He held up a string of wooden beads, small and perfectly formed with tiny ankhs engraved on them. â€Å"They were my mother's. I want you to have them, to wear them today.† He leaned forward, placing the beads around my neck. As his fingers brushed my skin, I felt something warm and tingly run through my body. At the tender age of fifteen, I hadn't exactly understood such sensations, though I was eager to explore them. My wiser self today recognized them as the early stirrings of lust, and†¦well, there had been something else there too. Something else that I still didn't quite comprehend. An electric connection, a feeling that we were bound into something bigger than ourselves. That our being together was inevitable. â€Å"There,† he said, once the beads were secure and my hair brushed back into place. â€Å"Perfect.† He said nothing else after that. He didn't need to. His eyes told me all I needed to know, and I shivered. Until Kyriakos, no man had ever given me a second glance. I was Marthanes' too-tall daughter after all, the one with the sharp tongue who didn't think before speaking. But Kyriakos had always listened to me and watched me like I was someone more, someone tempting and desirable, like the beautiful priestesses of Aphrodite who still carried on their rituals away from the Christian priests. I wanted him to touch me then, not realizing just how much until I caught his hand suddenly and unexpectedly. Taking it, I placed it around my waist and pulled him to me. His eyes widened in surprise but he didn't pull back. We were almost the same height, making it easy for his mouth to seek mine out in a crushing kiss. I leaned against the warm stone wall behind me so that I was pressed between it and him. I could feel every part of his body against mine, but we still weren't close enough. Not nearly enough. Our kissing grew more ardent, as though our lips alone might close whatever aching distance lay between us. I moved his hand again, this time to push up my skirt along the side of one leg. His hand stroked the smooth flesh there and, without further urging, slid over to my inner thigh. I arched my lower body toward his, nearly writhing against him now, needing him to touch me everywhere. â€Å"Letha? Where are you at?† My sister's voice carried over the wind; she wasn't nearby but could no doubt show up if she sought me. Kyriakos and I broke apart, both gasping, pulses racing. He was looking at me like he'd never seen me before. Heat burned in his gaze. â€Å"Have you ever been with anyone before?† he asked wonderingly. I shook my head. â€Å"How did you†¦I never imagined you doing that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I learn fast.† We stood there, locked in time for a moment. Then, he pulled me back to him, his lips crushing mine once more. His hand returned to my dress, hiking it up over my waist. He held my bare hips firmly and pressed himself to my body. I felt him hard against me, felt my body respond to something that seemed both new and natural at the same time. The fingers of one hand slid over, feeling the wetness between my thighs. His touch felt like fire, and I moaned, wanting him to stroke me there more and more. Instead, he turned me around so that I faced the wall. With one hand, he kept the skirt of my dress up, and with his other, I had the vague impression of him fumbling with his clothes. Then, a moment later, he pushed himself into me. It was a shock, like nothing I'd experienced before. I'd meant what I'd said earlier: that I'd never been with another man. And even wet with desire, it still hurt to have him inside me that first time. He seemed too big and me too small. I cried out at the pain, an odd sort of pain that didn't diminish the fire that had been building within me. His thrusts were hard and urgent, no doubt fueled by feelings he'd long been holding back on. And after a while, the initial pain seemed irrelevant. Pleasure began to grow as he moved into me over and over, and I adjusted myself so that I bent over more and let him take me more deeply. He thrust more forcefully, and I again exclaimed in surprise and blissful pain. I heard a muffled groan, and then his body shuddered as he spent himself, his movements at last slowing down. When he was done, he pulled out and turned me around. It was the first time I'd seen him naked in all of this. There was blood and semen on both of us, which I tried to clean off my thighs before finally just letting my dress fall back over me. I'd be bathing before the wedding anyway. Kyriakos had just finished putting his clothes back on when we heard my name again. This time, it was my mother. He and I stared at each other in wonder, scarcely believing we'd just done what we had. I was aglow with love and the joy of sex and a whole host of new feelings I wanted to explore in more detail. Fear of my mother drove us apart. Stepping back, he grinned and pressed my hand to his lips. â€Å"Tonight,† he breathed. â€Å"Tonight we†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tonight,† I agreed. â€Å"We'll do it again. I love you.† He smiled at me, eyes smoldering, and then hurried off before we were caught. I watched him go, my heart filled with joy. The rest of the day went by in a dreamy haze, partially because of the flurry of wedding activity and partially because of what had happened with Kyriakos. I'd had a vague idea of what would occur on our wedding night, but my imaginings had never come close to the real thing. I practically danced my way through the rest of the day, impatient to truly be Kyriakos' wife and make love again and again. The wedding was taking place at our home, so there was enough work (along with my own preparation) to almost keep me distracted. As the ceremony time grew nearer, I was bathed and dressed in my wedding gown: an ivory tunic of fine material, wrapped with a flame-red veil. I had to kneel a little for my mother to adequately adjust the veil, earning a number of jokes about my height from my sister. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered except me and Kyriakos being together forever. Soon, guests began arriving, and my heart rate increased. Anticipation and the day's heat made me sweat, and I fretted about ruining the dress. Someone called out that Kyriakos and his family were approaching. The excitement in the air grew palpable, shared by everyone now. Yet, when Kyriakos arrived, he barged right into the house, going against the traditional procession and stately ceremony that should have taken place. For half a second, some girlish part of me thought that Kyriakos – in his burning love for me – couldn't wait through the drawn out process of a ceremony. I was quickly enlightened. With a face flushed with fury, he marched up to my father. â€Å"Marthanes,† Kyriakos growled, finger in my father's face. â€Å"You insult me if you think I'm going through with this wedding.† My father was clearly taken aback – not an easy thing to accomplish. People chastised me for my sharp tongue, but that was largely because I was a woman. I wasn't half as bad as my father, and he'd intimidated a lot of men twice his size. (It was a sad irony that while I was tall for a woman, my father was short for a man.) A few moments later, my father recovered his usual bluster. â€Å"Of course you are!† he exclaimed. â€Å"We've made the betrothal. We paid the dowry.† Kyriakos' father was there, and judging from his fine clothes and surprised expression, this was all news to him too. He set a hand on his son's shoulder. â€Å"Kyriakos, what's this all about?† â€Å"Her,† said Kyriakos, pointing his finger at me. His gaze swung to my face, and I flinched from its force, as though I'd been slapped. â€Å"I will not marry Marthanes' whore of a daughter!† There were gasps and murmurs from those around us. My father's face turned bright red. â€Å"You're insulting me! All of my daughters are chaste. They're all virgins.† â€Å"Are they?† Kyriakos turned back to me. â€Å"Are you?† All eyes turned to me, and I blanched. My tongue felt dry. I couldn't muster any words. My father threw up his hands, clearly exasperated by this nonsense. â€Å"Tell them, Letha. Tell them so that we can end this and get our dowry back.† Kyriakos had a dangerous glint in his eyes as he studied me. â€Å"Yes, tell them so that we can end this. Are you a virgin?† â€Å"No, but – â€Å" Chaos erupted. Men shouted. My mother wailed. The guests were a mix of stunned shock and delight over a new scandal. Desperately, I tried to find my voice and shout above the din. â€Å"It was only with Kyriakos!† I cried. â€Å"Today was the first time!† Kyriakos turned away from where he'd been telling my father the dowry would not be returned. He glanced over at me. â€Å"It's true,† he said. â€Å"We did it today. She spread herself as easily and knowingly as any whore, begging me to take her. There's no telling how many men she's offered her body up to – or how many she would even when married.† â€Å"No!† I exclaimed. â€Å"It's not true!† But no one heard me. There was too much arguing now. Kyriakos' family was raging over the insult. My family was bristling against the name-calling, and my father was trying his best to do damage control, though he knew perfectly well that my own admission had damned us. Premarital sex was not so out of the ordinary for lower classes, but as a tradesman's family, we modeled a lot of our customs on our betters among the nobility – or pretended to. A girl's virtue was a sacred thing, one that reflected on her father and family as a whole. This disgraced all of them – and had serious repercussions for me. As Kyriakos well knew. He had moved toward me so that I could hear him through the noise. â€Å"Now they all know,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"They all know you for what you are.† â€Å"It's not true,† I said through my tears. â€Å"You know it isn't.† â€Å"No one will have you now,† he continued. â€Å"No one worth having. You'll spend the rest of your life on your back, spreading your legs for whoever comes along. And ultimately, you'll be alone. No one will have you.† I squeezed my eyes shut to try to stop the tears, and when I opened them again, I was surrounded in blackness. Well, not entirely in blackness. Before me, the Oneroi glowed more brightly than before, lit from within by that eerie light. â€Å"An interesting dream,† said Two, with what I think passed for a smile. â€Å"One that gave us much to feed on.† â€Å"It's not true,† I said. There were tears on my cheeks in waking, just as there had been in sleep. â€Å"That wasn't true. It was a lie. That wasn't how things happened.† The dream was muddling my brain, almost making me question myself, but my own memories soon won out. I remembered that day. I remembered kissing Kyriakos by the building and how we'd then gone separate ways, strengthened by the knowledge that we would soon be man and wife, making our wedding night that much sweeter. And it had been. It hadn't been rushed against a wall. We'd taken time to learn and explore each other's bodies. He'd been on top of me, staring into my eyes – not my back. He'd told me I was his life. He'd told me I was his world. â€Å"It was a lie,† I repeated more firmly, fixing the Oneroi with a glare. â€Å"That's not how it happened. That's not how it happened.† I knew I was right, yet I felt the need to keep repeating it, to make sure the words were true. One gave a small shrug, unconcerned. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I told you: Mother shows the truth. But dreams? Dreams are dreams. They can be truth or lies, and all provide food for us. And you?† He smiled a smile that was the mirror of his twin's. â€Å"You will dream†¦and dream†¦and dream†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 