Thursday, October 31, 2019
International Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
International Nutrition - Essay Example There are a number of factors that lead to either a high or low entry of international companies in a country. First, a heavy tax system that is highly regulated is one of these factors. While many people hold the belief that strict tax laws require a review to allow for foreign investors, others argue that they are adequate to cater for the needs of the citizens of the state as well as protect the local companies. The reality is, however, not true. Because of strict laws in many countries, many companies find it difficult to start up business in these countries. However, the market is open to allow competition to take place. Trading in a free and fair market, International Nutrition Company enjoys the laws of competition. Its products perform well in such regions due to their high quality. Although priced higher than some of the local commodities, the market still highly regards quality feeds from International Nutrition. The reduction in the level of market regulations and internat ional tariffs by countries is a result of globalization. This has also contributed to the decrease in the level of market control. As countries increase the level of doing business with one another, the result is open markets free to compete with one another. For healthy competition to take place, many governments allow their markets to operate freely, offering companies freedom of entry into and exit from the country. This allows both local and international investors to battle out in the market arena with the products or services being the top of their priorities. In most countries in the African continent, regulation takes place at one level, i.e., the national government. Africa provides a number of fast growing markets for any company to invest in, and especially agricultural companies such as International Nutrition. In Africa, emerging markets such as Sub-Saharan Africa offer a great opportunity for the company to exploit. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya act as an investment destiny in Sub-Saharan Africa. In West Africa, countries such as Ghana and Nigeria are an example of the markets where the company has business and records increased growth. Nigeria relies mostly on its oil, while Ghana highly relies on agriculture. Increasingly though, the Nigerian government has encouraged
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Nike Corporation as a corporate tyrant Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Nike Corporation as a corporate tyrant - Article Example A person reading the authorââ¬â¢s view that has no knowledge whatsoever of what Nike is all about mind get the erroneous idea that Nike is an evil empire. This essay evaluates Nike Corporation to determine if their practices are hurting or helping workers and other stakeholders. The way the author describes Nike is a bit bias and solely based on some isolated incidents in the past when Nike had true sweetshops in certain locations where they violated the human rights of its workers. These events took place in the late 1990ââ¬â¢s and the company had to pay the consequences of their actions. The bad press associated with these events hurt the companyââ¬â¢s brand image and corporate sales. Since then Nike Corporation has continued its presence in many developing nations. It is true that Nike pays what would seem to an American citizen like the daily salary of an American citizen in the 1900, but we must consider the reality of the cost of living of many of these developing nations. One US dollar in places like the developing nation of Vietnam can probably provide three meals for an entire family during a day. In the US with a dollar you can buy one hamburger. Nike is also bringing others benefits to the Vietnamese workers and their economy in general. Wo rkers receive benefits such as free or subsidized meals, professional devilment, stability, and educational opportunities. The state benefits when multinational corporations such as Nike penetrate their marketplace from technology transfers, additional taxing revenue, and infrastructure improvements. The article then moves on to describe an alternative perspective of Nike based on the views of Vietnamese citizens. For the author does not agree with the perspective of the Vietnamese people. Despite that fact the author provides a good unbiased description of their feelings and overall perspective about Nike. The average monthly salary of a Vietnamese worker working for Nike is $54 a month.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
History of Geodesy
History of Geodesy Assignment 1 History of Geodesy Complete the following timeline by providing one important figure in the history of geodesy for each designated time period. Please include their name, nationality, and scientific contribution/importance. [18 points] 600 BC 200 AD Name : Eratosthenes Nationality: Greek (Born in town of Cyrne which is now the town in Libya) Contribution: founder of Geodesy; measured size of the Earth; obliquity of spin axis; map of the world; one interconnected ocean 100 1500 AD Name : Giordano Bruno Nationality: Italian Contribution: proposed that the stars were just distant suns surrounded by their own exoplanets and raised the possibility that these planets could even foster life of their own , the universe is in fact infinite and could have no celestial body at its center, burned at the stake in Rome on February 19, 1600 for belief in heliocentric theory and other ideas 1600 AD Name : Tycho Brahe Nationality: Danish Contribution: improved observational methods; used triangulation in 1589 to determine distance to island. 1700 AD Name : Newton Nationality: British Contribution: theory of gravitation; predicted Earth should be oblate 1800 AD Name : Foucault Nationality: French Contribution: gyroscope; pendulum; demonstrated Earth spins on axis. 1900 AD Name : Einstein Nationality: German Contribution: General Theory of Relativity; concept of gravity as the geometry of space-time Provide a brief description of each of the following international geodetic organizations. At a minimum, include their website and why they are important. [8 points] International Federation of Surveyors(FIG) This international organization was established in 1878 with the aim to ensure that surveying disciplines and all those associated with surveying meet the needs of the markets and communities. This organization represents the interest of worldwide surveyors which provides an international forum for discussion and professional development. Currently, it represents more than 120 countries The vision of FIG is A modern and sustainable surveying profession in support of society, environment and economy by providing innovative, reliable and best practice solutions to our rapidly changing and complex world, acting with integrity and confidence about the usefulness of surveying, and translating these words into action. Website: www.fig.net International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics(IUGG) This international organization is dedicated to the promotion and coordination of scientific studies of earth which includes physical, chemical and mathematics study and its environment in space which includes shape, dynamics, gravity, and magnetic fields, tectonic and earthquakes etc. It was established in 1919 and is one of the 32 scientific union within International Council for Science. Website: http://www.iugg.org International Association of Geodesy(IAG) This promotes scientific cooperation and research in geodesy on a global scale. It is one of the active member of IUGG which is one of the 32 scientific union within international council for science. The mission of the Association is the advancement of geodesy. Website: http://www.iag-aig.org International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems andReference Systems Service(IERS) This international organization was established in 1987 by the international Astronomical union and the international union of Geodesy and geophysics. It was renamed to International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service in 2003.The objectives of the IERS are to serve astronomical, geodetic, and geophysical communities by providing standards, constants and models, geophysical data to interpret time /space variation, earth orientation parameters required to study earth orientation variation, and international Celestial Reference System and international Terrestrial reference system. Website: https://www.iers.org Read an article from a geodesy journal that you find interesting and provide a one to two paragraph summary of the article including a proper reference and citations. Upload a PDF of the original article to the assignment #1 drop box. [24 points] The recent discoveries of many other earth like exoplanets have raised a question about Earth being only living planet in the universe. Are there any other planets which are suitable for life to start? The requirement of life on any planet is water. Living organism cannot exist without water. Pressure and temperature on the planet should be in a specific range to get the liquid water. Pressure must be significantly higher and the temperature should be between freezing and boiling point. This condition is much more impossible in other existing planets or yet to be discovered. Various classes of habitable planets are classified where class I habitats represents Earth like planet where stellar and geophysical conditions allow water and sunlight to be available. Class II habitats do not have ability to sustain liquid water on their surface due to geophysical conditions, e.g. Mars and Venus. Class III habitats are planet where water exists below the surface which Interact directly with si licate-rich core. The interaction of silicate and hydrothermal activities are assumed to be very important for the origin of life in such planets, e.g. Europa and one of Jupiters satellites. And class IV habitats are very rich in water with oceans lying above a solid ice layer. The oceans are thought to be enclosed between ice layers where the possibility of life is very thin. The other condition to be a habitable planet is being at the right distance from a star and having the right atmosphere. It must have an atmosphere which keeps the pressure and temperature in the right range. However, the experience of mankind is not yet sufficient to estimate the nature and habitual conditions of many others planets. The Earth, in the other hand has a combination of favorable conditions among other planets for the life. It will be possible in the future to learn more about the exoplanets atmosphere because of the projects like earth-based telescopic observations, the James Webb Space telescop e. However, discovering and characterizing the atmosphere of habitable planets will remain challenging. (Forget, 2013) Reference Forget, F. (2013, July). On the probability of habitable planets. International Journal of Astrobiology, 12(3), 177-185. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550413000128
Friday, October 25, 2019
Teaching: A Commitment to Lifelong Learning Essay -- Teaching Educatio
Teaching: A Commitment to Lifelong Learning Education is an ever-changing part of society. A classroom teacher is faced with new challenges and obstacles that have never been dealt with before. Students come to the classroom with different life stories. Every student has strengths and weaknesses that surface in the classroom environment. Teachers must understand and focus on utilizing each student's strengths and work to improve weaknesses. Students learn in a variety of ways. The classroom must be a safe zone that appreciates student's viewpoints and allows room for mistakes. When topics in the classroom are related to "real-life" experiences, the information is more likely to be retained. Students learn from one another. The ideas and perspectives that each student brings to the classroom can bring insight into what is being learned. Students have to be allowed to explore new ideas, try them to see if they work, and sometimes fail. When students are encouraged to explore, they begin the process of becoming lifelong learners. The teacher in the classroom encompasses several roles. Resource, facilitator, and mentor are three of them. The teacher must be a resource that provides ideas and lessons to be learned. The teacher also must be a facilitator that encourages creative thinking, exploration, and mastery. The teachers is responsible for what needs to be learned. The subject matter that is taught is based on both curriculum as well as the world that students live i...
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Women and Environment
That the relationship between people and the environment is not gender-neutral became clear in the mid-1980s. Some organizations, focusing on the day-to-day lives of communities, argued that the position and concerns of women were invisible in environmental debates and programmers. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE based in New Delhi, India, in their The State of Indiaââ¬â¢s Environment Report ââ¬â or the Second Citizens Report of 1984-1985 argued that: Probably no other group is more affected by environmental destruction than poor village women.Every dawn brings with it a long march in search of fuel, fodderand water. It does not matter if the women are old, young or pregnant: crucial household needs have to be met day after weary day. As ecological conditions worsen, the long march becomes even longer and more tiresome. Caught between poverty and environmental destruction, poor rural women in India could well be reaching the limits of physical endurance. (CSE 1985) In that same year of 1985, the second UN Decade for Women Conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya.The Environment Liaison Centre (presently the Environment Liaison Centre International or ELCI) organized a series of workshops on women, environment and development at the NGO Forum. These workshops were aimed at developing a better understanding of the relationship between women and the physical environment. More than 25 women leaders from all parts of the world ââ¬â with an audience of women and men many times more ââ¬â presented their local and regional case studies on women and the global environmental crisis, as well as on women and forests, energy, agriculture, and water management at local level.One of the main conclusions from the workshops was that women bear the highest costs of the environmental crisis because of their roles in providing water, food and energy at family and community levels. On the other hand, it was shown that women could potentially also make a larg e contribution to the solution of the crisis, precisely due to their role in the management of those primary resources. The increase in womenââ¬â¢s power and the sustainability of development are ecologically tied.It is therefore imperative that women are enabled to participate and be involved at all levels of development planning throughout the industrialized and developing worlds, according to the ELC statement to the UN Womenââ¬â¢s Conference in 1985. Female Participation in the Labor Force over the last century, the issue of women in the workplace has been a tumultuous one. Early in the 20th century, few women participated in the labor force. A woman's place was at home, taking care of the family and managing the domestic world.It was seen as unfit for women to be in certain professions, and most women did not work, other than going about their daily chores around the house. The Great Depression magnified this fact, as unemployment reached its highest levels in history but women, more than ever, stayed home to look after their husbands who now found themselves without work. World War II brought a complete reversal to this trend. Productivity boomed and the men left their homes, some to work, most to join the war effort.Women, in large masses for the first time, also hit the labor market. Dubbed ââ¬Å"Rosie the Riveterâ⬠, these women worked at manufacturing plants and at other technological industries that had previously seen only male employees. With the men off at war, these companies needed women to fill their shoes, and women streamed into the business. Since then, they have not looked back, as women employment in the labor force grew steadily in the four decades after World War II. It was not until very recently that female employment growth rates have leveled out.I hope to explain why this has happened, as well as examining different sectors of the economy and comparing women employment and men employment. Just after World War II the civil ian labor force participation for women was a paltry 32%. Today, however, some six decades later that rate has climbed in excess of 70%. For four solid decades after the war, this rate increased at an astounding rate. Early in the 1990s, however, this rate leveled off. This brought about much speculation as to whether or not women were thus starting to leave the labor force and, if so, what the causes of that might be.In order to look at this hypothesis more closely, we first need to break down the women in the labor force by age: 16-24 year olds, 25-34 year olds, 35-44 year olds, 45-54 year olds, and 55+ years. In the mid 1940's, 35-44 year olds were engaged in the labor force more than any other age group. In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, this was still the case. Over the last 25 years, however, the younger age groups have exploded onto the work scene, drastically shooting up from a percentage (of women that age in the labor force) of 40 percent in 1970 to nearly 75 per cent in the early 1990s.Until the 1970's, a graph of female participation rates in the labor force would look like an ââ¬Å"Mâ⬠, with a large dip coming between the early 20's until the later-child bearing years, the mid 30's. However, with all age groups now actively participating in the labor force, that graph now looks like an upside down ââ¬Å"Uâ⬠. In the early 1990s participation rates of women abruptly flattened out. Initially much thought was given to the fact that more mothers were exiting the labor force temporarily in order to look after their children or become homemakers.Thus analysts turned to specific age groups. They found that there was a significant drop off in labor force participation rates of women ages 16-24. Historically, rates of this age group did follow business cycles, so why the sudden change? The explanation was that more females that age were enrolling in schools. School enrollment between 1987 and 1993 increased nearly 28 percent, and women in school were less likely to be employed in the labor force. Other age groups continued their slightly upward trend, with the only exception being the 16-24 year olds.One explanation as to why these women decided to attend school rather than remain in the labor force is the recession of the early 1990s. There was a recessionary job market, so the younger, less stable women chose to go back to school rather than seek alternate employment. Since the early 1990s, however, the growth of women entering the labor force has resumed. The makeup of the group of women in the labor force has been influenced more recently than ever before on family structure. In the last ten years, mothers have accounted for most of the rise in women's overall labor force rate.For mothers with children between the ages of 6 and 17, an astonishing 77 percent are in the labor force. With children under 6, this percentage understandably dips to 62 points, but both largely higher than a decade ago. For mothers wit h infants less than a year old, the percentage entering the labor force has grown nearly 20 percent over the last decade. This trend is a strong reflection of today's societal norms: working for pay is an integral part of many women's lives, as opposed to early in the 20th century when housework was the norm.The 1996 Welfare Reform Bill passed by Congress had an effect on poor and single mothers in the workplace. By trying to move women from welfare to work, the bill encouraged these women to find jobs, thus entering the labor force. Additionally, the real wages of met earning lower incomes has remained stagnant or even slightly fallen in recent years. The cost of a wife sitting around the house and taking care of the children has risen, so the wives have much more incentive, and need, now to go out and earn on their own. This, in turn, also puts pressure on single mothers to go out and work as well.These women do not necessarily work full-time year-round, but their entrance into th e marketplace is a positive for not only them but the women's movement in general. It has gotten to the point, however, that marriage and children (except a pre-school aged child, where mothers tend to stay at home or work minimal hours) now have little effect on whether a not a woman works, and for how long she works. This is the societal norm, although access to other income (e. g. husband's earnings, single vs. married woman) still has a large effect on a woman's employment options.Women now spend a couple of hours more in the workplace per day than they do caring for their children as opposed to 20 years ago, yet many mothers are still not committed to full-time year-round employment. Throughout the entire 20th century, women's wages have constantly lagged behind men's wages. If a woman and mad were both hired to do the same task, the man would be paid more than the women. That has been and continues to be the trend in the American capitalist state. One explanation has always be en that the men are not only more qualified at the jobs but more efficient.Thus, the argument goes, they should be paid at a higher premium. Today, however, the wage gap is still existent, and very few would find that argument valid. So why do women still earn less than men, and why are women often discriminated against in the workplace? When a child enters a family, it is the woman who, much more often than not, stays at home and cares for the new baby. When the women exits the labor force, she does not gain the seniority that she would have otherwise gotten had there been no child.When women return to the labor force, they are less likely to receive on the job training, and thus less like to increase their productivity and thus level of pay. The absence from the work force, even if only for several months to take care of a newborn child, can depreciate the job skills of women, so when they return back to work they are not as sharp and take some time to regain pre-birth efficiency in the office. Knowing this, employers are less likely to hire women who are in their prime years for giving birth. This also stands for women applying for new jobs; if they left the labor force nce before for a child, chances are good that they might do it again. An employer will see this and thus shy away from hiring the woman, instead perhaps deferring to a man who would remain at work. Employers may even view those who do not take time away from work as more dedicated than women who do, regardless of the reason, and this could be reflected in reduced promotion possibilities, different job assignments, and other actions that could have salary implications. This is certainly not fair to women: it is not their fault that they are biologically the ones who give birth and must frequently look after the children.Regardless, the trend is that those women who do take time off from work often are overlooked for more competitive jobs and receive less pay. I have just established that wome n are now in the labor force more than ever before. But now that they are working, what kinds of jobs are they doing? In private industry, the breakdown of women compared to men is interesting. In 2000 there were 44 million workers in private industry in the United States, 23. 5 million of which were male, 20. 5 million female. A more specific breakdown, however, shows some astounding differences.There were twice as many male officials and managers than there were females (3 million as opposed to 1. 5 million). Officials and managers are described as ââ¬Å"occupations requiring administrative and managerial personnel who set broad policies, exercise overall responsibility for execution of these policies, etc. â⬠Yet the number of workers defined as ââ¬Ëprofessionals' gives females the numeric advantage, 3. 6 million to 3. 4 million. Professionals are described as ââ¬Å"occupations requiring either college graduation or experience of such kind. Thus even though the women la bor force tends to be slightly more educated than the male labor force, it is the males who, by a 2:1 ratio, are in managerial and authoritative positions! In other generic fields, there is also a stark contrast between males and females. Women outnumber men by roughly a 3:2 ratio in sales, and for office and clerical workers in private industry in the United States in 2000, there were over 5 million females and only slightly over 1 million males. This is no doubt a stereotype, the female secretary or clerical workers, but according to these statistics this stereotype seems to hold true.What reasons are there that so many more females are attracted to, or rather hold, secretarial jobs? There are many. On the flip side, however, there were six times as many male craft workers (skilled labor) than there were female craft workers in 2000. Perhaps females are not attracted to the demanding physical labor of such jobs, much the way males do not like clerical tasks. Historically, males ha ve been overwhelmingly dominant in the field of physical labor. When some women were forced to work in factories for personal financial reasons, they were often despised and treated unequally.This, I am sure, led many females to be extremely not attracted to such professions. Likewise, females have always dominant as office secretaries and the like. Back when women first entered the labor force, these were often the only types of jobs available so they took them. Today, women still flock to these clerical jobs. Looking at more specific job fields, these same general observations seem to hold true. In the field of engineering and management services, male office officials and managers greatly outweigh female managers.There are more than twice as many male technicians as female technicians, and over 12 times as many male skilled laborers than female skilled laborers. However, the number of female clerical workers is more than four times that of male clerical workers. Even male operati ves (semiskilled workers) outnumber by three times the number of female operatives. These numbers show overwhelmingly that the technical aspect of engineering is enjoyed more by males, while the women are still confined to the office. In the field of legal services, females outnumber males by a 1. 7:1 ration.Nearly two thirds of all females in this profession, however, are in fact office and clerical workers. Male professionals outnumber female professionals by a wide margin, and the trend shown in the general population holds true here, too. In the field of computers and office equipment, twice as many males as females hold jobs in this area. As usual, the number of female clerical workers greatly outweighs the number of male clerical workers. It comes as no surprise that, in the field of computers, male professionals, technicians, and skilled laborers greatly outweighs the number of female workers in these areas.The same trends can be seen in other areas such as communications. On e profession bucking this trend, however, can be found in hospitals. Women hospital employees outnumber male hospital employees by more than a 3:1 margin. Additionally, the number of female officials and managers, professionals, and technicians outweigh the numbers for the males, not just in raw numbers but also in terms of percentages. Males, however, still comprise the vast majority of skilled laborers in this area. It is nice to see, however, an area that goes against the general trend.Even though women seem to be dominant in a few fields of work and very scattered throughout many others, this is a change from a couple generations ago when most women were not even in the labor force. For women, this fact is definitely a step in the positive direction. Most women now hold jobs in the workplace, and are sustaining them for longer amounts of time than ever before. The next step is for women to immerse themselves in all fields of the labor force, rather than just concentrating on a s elective few.This brings responsibility to males, too, to allow for women to reach the upper echelons of the labor force. In a labor force that has been historically dominated by males, this proves to be an intriguing situation over the next decade as more and more women aspire to the officials and managers that they are not today. Women's education from past till now Social Relevance Education has been the stumbling block keeping women from attaining equal status in society, separating them from their male counterparts. It has also been the door to this elusive dream of equality.Before women gained the right and privilege of higher education they were believed to be lower-class citizens, not worthy of voting or owning property, or any number of other ââ¬Å"inalienable rightsâ⬠. It was not only men who believed that women should hold a lower position than they. Queen Victoria said: â⬠I am most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad , wicked folly of ââ¬ËWomen's Rights', with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feelings and propriety. Feminists ought to get a good whipping.Were woman to ââ¬Ëunsex' themselves by claiming equality with men, they would become the most hateful, heathen and disgusting of beings and would surely perish without male protection. ââ¬Å"(Victorian Station)à Without education to empower them, many women believed that they should not hold the power to influence politics or even make decisions about their own property. Women were stripped of their dignity and privileges by men of the community and even by their own husbands. However, they were finally able to break free from these social constraints through education. It is telling that most of he early feminists were set apart from their complacent sisters by education. They were educated, and through this knowledge gained a sense of self-worth and the power to change history. Higher education is the foundation of the empowered women of today. The struggle for womenââ¬â¢s education has been an uphill battle that has not yet reached its citadel. This journey took root in the Victorian period and branched even to modern times. During the mid-eighteen hundreds women were expected to live up to a feminine ideal. This ideology required women to be ââ¬Å"pure, pious, domestic and submissiveâ⬠(Eisenmann Apendix).None of these ideals would be achieved through education. In fact, receiving an education in the Victorian Period was considered an ââ¬Å"act of nonconformityâ⬠(Solomon xviii). A woman could not fill her preordained place in society if she wasting her time gaining knowledge. Education was thought to make women discontented with their current status, and possibly even irritated with men (McClelland 12). Education for women was thought to disrupt the social balance of the time. On the contrary, the earliest push for Victorian women to become educated was because they were mothers of men and eventually teachers of men (Solomon xviii).It was not until the twentieth century that women began to desire knowledge for themselves as individuals. History of Women in Education In order to understand the womenââ¬â¢s education movement, it is important to have a brief background of its history. During the time of the ideal subservient woman a few bold women and events stand out as milestones in history. The first is in 1833; Oberlin College was founded. It was the nations first university to accept women and black students. The next important event was the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. This convention added fuel to the flame of education and suffrage.The Seneca Falls Declaration has been called ââ¬Å"the single most important document of the nineteenth-century American womanââ¬â¢s movementâ⬠. At the convention a declaration concerning womenââ¬â¢s rights was adopted modeling the Declaration of Independen ce. Appearing in addition to issues of suffrage were issues of education and employment. The Declaration of Sentiments states: He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration. He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction, which he considers ost honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known. He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education ââ¬â all colleges being closed against her. (Schneir 77) This event is of utmost importance to the womenââ¬â¢s rights movement. It laid the foundation for future achievements even though suffrage was not achieved until 1920. After the Seneca Falls Convention women continued to achieve milestones in education. In 1877, Helen Magill became the first woman in the United States to earn her Ph. D.By 1880, women comprised eighty percent of all elementary school educators, and by 1910 women made up 39 percent of all collegiate undergraduate students and even 20 percent of all college faculty. Finally, in 1920 womenââ¬â¢s suffrage was achieved, giving women a secure foothold in society. In 1945, the first woman was accepted to Harvard Medical School, and by 1972 Title XI was passed to help end the discrimination based on sex for any educational program that received federal funding. In 1980 women equaled men in numbers enrolled in colleges with 51 percent.Finally, in 1996 Virginia Military Institute was forced by the Supreme Court to become coeducational (Eisenmann appendix). There are many other events along the path to education that helped women achieve the status they enjoy today. This brief chronology merely traces a few of the hundreds of thousands of victories women had to win in order to become educated. Reasons for Oppression One of the main values that necessitated all of this arduous labor in order to simply become educated was that, people feared t hat the social system would break down if women were allowed to be educated.They worried that women would cease to fulfill their traditional roles if they received a higher education. It was even thought that a woman risked brain fever or sterility if she became educated (Delamont 109). These Victorian ideas seem ridiculous from a twentieth century perspective, but educated women today still have to deal with a certain measure of social stigma. It is often overlooked, however, because it has been adapted to fit the social constraints of today. They are forced at times to choose to live up to the dreams of their education or to live up to the societal implications of being a mother and wife (Solomon xix).This is only one of many reasons that the fight for adequate womanââ¬â¢s education is far from over. University of Texas Compared to Cambridge The fact that the need for reform in womenââ¬â¢s education is not over is illustrated in two parallel cases. During the early feminist movement and the beginnings of the reform of womenââ¬â¢s education, the best case to study is Cambridge in England. At the time this university had established authority in academia there was not a comparable university in the United States.Therefore, it is necessary to compare universities across the boundaries of nations. Women first gained notoriety at Cambridge when in the 1860ââ¬â¢s Emily Davies was successful in her campaign to allow women to attend Cambridge University. However, they did not have the same status as the male students there (Acker 51). Even though Cambridge was one of the first universities to encourage women to study they did not award women the same degrees as men upon completion of the same tests (Vicinus 117). This is a testament to the slow but steady progress of women in education.These women were dedicated and willing to study despite sub-par compensation upon completion of school. It was not until 1947 that women were admitted to Cambridge as equa l members (Acker 51). While it was a promising start for women in the Victorian period to even be allowed to study, it is necessary to evaluate the staggering length of time this progress took to occur. It took almost a century for women to gain the same recognition as men. In light of these facts, it is dangerous to assume that women today have equal educational opportunity.As little as fifty-five years ago women were celebrating the fact that they could finally earn a degree at Cambridge University. That is not a very distant past. When asked if women at The University of Texas still face issues of educational bias, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Women make up almost half of the undergraduate student population at forty-nine percent. Sadly, these women are outnumbered in fields that have traditionally been male-dominated such as architecture and medicine. However, the average grade point average of women is higher than men in every field of study(Office of Inst. . This makes it clear that it is not a discrepancy of ability that keeps women from pursuing these vocations.There must be some sort of lingering Victorian attitudes that keep women from living up to their potential. Women today aspire to more diverse areas of study and vocation. However, they are realistic about what the world has in store for them and therefore gravitate towards more typically female professions (Kramarae 489). Another important fact is that the percentage of women faculty is a meager 33 percent (Office of Inst. Research has found that students tend to seek out classrooms and vocations in which they will feel comfortable and successful. Some students report avoiding courses that are overwhelmingly male because of the unwelcome feeling they experience in the classroom. How can women feel comfortable pursuing any field of study when male mentors and educators surround them and when the only contributions taught are those of males (Kramarae 498)? The battle for womenââ¬â¢s educa tion will not be won until women feel free and comfortable to pursue any academic field.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-One
MIXING WHAT I NEEDED TO was easy. Getting it to where I needed took a couple of days. I first had to pay attention to what kind of shampoo Laurel used in the PE showers. The school provided shampoo and conditioner, of course, but she wouldn't trust her precious hair with anything so commonplace. Once I knew her brand, I hunted it down at a local beauty supply store and emptied its expensive contents down the drain. I filled bottles with my homemade concoction instead. The next step was switching it with Laurel's own bottle. I recruited Kristin for this. Her locker was next to Laurel's in PE, and she was more than willing to help me out. Part of it was that she shared our dislike of Laurel. But also, ever since I'd saved her from the tattoo reaction, Kristin had made it clear that she was indebted to me and had my back in whatever I needed. I didn't like the idea of her owing me, but her assistance did come in handy. She found a moment when Laurel looked away from her unlocked locker and covertly made the switch. We then simply had to wait for the next time Laurel used the shampoo to see the results of my handiwork. Meanwhile, my other lab experiment wasn't receiving quite the reaction I'd expected. Ms. Terwilliger accepted my report but not the amulet. ââ¬Å"I have no use for it,â⬠she remarked, glancing up from the papers I'd handed her. ââ¬Å"Wellâ⬠¦ I certainly don't either, ma'am.â⬠She set the papers down. ââ¬Å"This is all true? You followed every step precisely? I'd certainly have no way of knowing if you'd, ah, fudged some of the details.â⬠I shook my head. ââ¬Å"Nope. I followed every step.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, then. It looks like you have yourself a fire-making charm.â⬠ââ¬Å"Ma'am,â⬠I said, by way of protest. She grinned. ââ¬Å"What do the directions say? Throw it and recite the last incantation? Do you know it?â⬠ââ¬Ëâ⬠Into flame, into flame,'â⬠I said promptly. After having typed the spell initially for her notes and then re-creating it, it was hard not to have picked it all up. According to the book ââ¬â which was an English translation of a Latin text ââ¬â the language didn't matter so long as the words' meaning was clear. ââ¬Å"Well, there you go. Give it a try one of these days and see what happens. Just don't light any school property on fire. Because that's not safe.â⬠I held up the amulet by the string. ââ¬Å"But this isn't real. This is nonsense. It's a bunch of junk thrown together in a bag.â⬠She shrugged. ââ¬Å"Who are we to question the ancients?â⬠I stared, trying to figure out if she was joking. I'd known she was eccentric from day one, but she'd still always come across as a serious scholar. ââ¬Å"You can't believe that. Magic like thisâ⬠¦ it's not real.â⬠Without thinking, I added, ââ¬Å"Even if it was, ma'am, it's not for humans to mess around with powers like that.â⬠Ms. Terwilliger was silent for several moments. ââ¬Å"You truly believe that?â⬠I fingered the cross around my neck. ââ¬Å"It's how I was raised.â⬠ââ¬Å"Understood. Well, then, you may do what you like with the amulet. Throw it away, donate it, experiment with it. Regardless, this report's what I need for my book. Thank you for putting in the time ââ¬â as always, you've done more than was required.â⬠I put the amulet in my purse when I left, not really sure what to do. It was uselessâ⬠¦ and yet, it had also cost me a lot of time. I was disappointed it wasn't going to have a more meaningful purpose in her research. All that effort gone to waste. The last of my projects showed development the next day, however. In AP Chemistry, Greg Slade and some of his friends scurried into class just as the bell rang. Our teacher gave them a warning look, but they didn't even notice. Slade was preening over his eagle tattoo, baring it for everyone to see. The ink was gleaming silver again. Next to him, one of his friends was also proudly showing off another silver tattoo. It was a pair of stylized crossed daggers, which was only slightly less tacky than the eagle. This was the same friend who had been worrying earlier this week that he wouldn't be able to get a tattoo. Apparently, things had worked out with the supplier. Interesting. Part of holding off on reporting to the Alchemists had been to see if Nevermore would replenish what I'd stolen. ââ¬Å"It's amazing,â⬠Slade's friend said. ââ¬Å"The rush.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know.â⬠Slade gave him a fist bump. ââ¬Å"Just in time for tomorrow.â⬠Trey was watching them, his expression dark. ââ¬Å"What's tomorrow?â⬠I whispered to him. He eyed them contemptuously for a few more moments before turning back to me. ââ¬Å"Do you live under a rock? It's our first home game.â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course,â⬠I said. My high school experience wouldn't be complete without the quintessential football hype. ââ¬Å"A lot of good it'll do me,â⬠he muttered. ââ¬Å"Your bandages are off,â⬠I pointed out. ââ¬Å"Yeah, but Coach is still making me take it easy. Plus, I'm kind of deadweight now.â⬠He nodded toward Slade and his friend. ââ¬Å"How come they don't get in trouble for those? They're not making any effort to hide them. This school has no discipline anymore. We're practically in anarchy.â⬠I smiled. ââ¬Å"Practically.â⬠ââ¬Å"Your brother should be on the team, you know. I've seen him in PE. He could be a star athlete if he bothered trying out for anything.â⬠ââ¬Å"He doesn't like drawing attention to himself,â⬠I explained. ââ¬Å"But he'll probably go watch the game.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are you going to go to the game?â⬠ââ¬Å"Probably not.â⬠Trey arched an eyebrow. ââ¬Å"Hot date?â⬠ââ¬Å"No! But I'm justâ⬠¦ well, not into watching sports. And I feel like I should stay with Jill.â⬠ââ¬Å"You won't even go to cheer me on?â⬠ââ¬Å"You don't need my cheers.â⬠Trey gave me a disappointed look as a response. ââ¬Å"Maybe it's just as well,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Since you really wouldn't get to see me performing to my full level of awesomeness.â⬠ââ¬Å"That is a shame,â⬠I agreed. ââ¬Å"Oh, stop with the sarcasm already.â⬠He sighed. ââ¬Å"My dad's going to be the most upset. There are family expectations.â⬠Well, that was something I could relate to. ââ¬Å"Is he a football player too?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nah, it's less about football itself than keeping yourself in peak physical shape. Excelling. Ready to be called upon in a moment's notice. Being the best on the team's been a way to keep him proud ââ¬â until these tattoos started.â⬠ââ¬Å"You're good without any tattoo help. He should still be proud,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"You don't know my father.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, but I think I know someone just like him.â⬠I smiled. ââ¬Å"You know, maybe I do need to go to a football game after all.â⬠Trey simply smiled back, and class started. The day passed calmly, but Jill ran up to me as soon as I entered the locker room for PE. ââ¬Å"I heard from Lia! She asked if I could come by tonight. She's had regular practices with the other models but thought I could use a special session of my own since I don't have any experience. Of course, the thing is, Iâ⬠¦ you know, need a ride. Do you thinkâ⬠¦ I mean, could youâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"Sure,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"It's what I'm here for.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thank you, Sydney!â⬠She threw her arms around me, much to my astonishment. ââ¬Å"I know you don't have any reason to help me after everything I've done, but ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"It's fine, it's fine,â⬠I said, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. I took a steadying breath. Think of it as Jill hugging me. Not as a vampire hugging me. ââ¬Å"I'm glad to help.â⬠ââ¬Å"Would you two like to be alone?â⬠sneered Laurel, striding in with her entourage. ââ¬Å"I always knew there was something weird about your family.â⬠Jill and I split apart, and she blushed, which only made them laugh more. ââ¬Å"God, I hate them,â⬠she said when they were out of earshot. ââ¬Å"I really want to get them back.â⬠ââ¬Å"Patience,â⬠I murmured. ââ¬Å"They'll get what's coming to them someday.â⬠Eyeing Laurel's locker, I thought that ââ¬Å"somedayâ⬠might come sooner rather than later. Jill shook her head in amazement. ââ¬Å"I don't know how you can be so forgiving, Sydney. Everything just rolls right off of you.â⬠I smiled, wondering what Jill would think if she knew the truth ââ¬â that I wasn't quite as ââ¬Å"forgivingâ⬠as I appeared. And not just when it came to Laurel. If Jill wanted to think of me that way, so be it. Of course, my facade as a kindly, turn-the-other-cheek person was shattered when Laurel's shriek's filled the locker room at the end of class an hour later. It was almost a repeat of the ice incident. Laurel came tearing out of the shower, wrapped in a towel. She ran to the mirror in horror, holding her hair up to it. ââ¬Å"What's wrong?â⬠asked one of her friends. ââ¬Å"Can't you see it?â⬠cried Laurel. ââ¬Å"There's something wrongâ⬠¦ it doesn't feel right. It's oilâ⬠¦ or I don't know!â⬠She took out a blow dryer and dried a section while the rest of us watched with interest. After a few minutes, the long strands were dry, but it was hard to tell. It really was like her hair was coated in oil or grease, like she hadn't washed it in weeks. That normally gleaming, bouncy hair now hung in lank, ugly coils. The color was also off a little. The bright, flaming red now had a sickly yellow hue. ââ¬Å"It smells weird too,â⬠she exclaimed. ââ¬Å"Wash it again,â⬠suggested another friend. Laurel did that, but it wasn't going to help. Even when she figured out that her shampoo was causing the problem, the stuff I'd made wasn't going to come out of her hair easily. Water would continue fueling the reaction, and it was going to take many, many scrubbings before she fixed the problem. Jill gave me astonished look. ââ¬Å"Sydney?â⬠she whispered, a million questions in my name. ââ¬Å"Patience,â⬠I assured her. ââ¬Å"This is just the first act.â⬠That evening, I drove Jill down to Lia DiStefano's boutique. Eddie went with us, of course. Lia was only a few years older than me and nearly a foot shorter. Despite her tiny size, there was something big and forceful about her personality as she confronted us. The shop was filled with elegant gowns and dresses, though she herself was dressed ultra-casual, in ripped jeans and an oversized peasant blouse. She flipped on the closed sign on her door and then confronted us with hands on her hips. ââ¬Å"So, Jillian Melrose,â⬠she began. ââ¬Å"We have less than two weeks to turn you into a model.â⬠Her eyes fell on me. ââ¬Å"And you're going to help.â⬠ââ¬Å"Me?â⬠I exclaimed. ââ¬Å"I'm just the ride.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not if you want your sister to shine in my show.â⬠She stared back up at Jill, the difference in their heights almost comical. ââ¬Å"You have to eat, drink, and breathe modeling if you're going to pull this off. And you have to do it all ââ¬â in these.â⬠With a flourish, Lia grabbed a nearby shoe box and produced a pair of glittery purple shoes with heels that had to be at least five inches high. Jill and I stared. ââ¬Å"Isn't she tall enough already?â⬠I asked at last. Lia snorted and thrust the shoes at Jill. ââ¬Å"These aren't for the show. But once you master these, you'll be ready for anything.â⬠Jill took them gingerly, holding them up to study them. The heels reminded me of the silver stakes Eddie and Rose used to kill Strigoi. If Jill really wanted to be prepared for any situation, she could just keep these around. Self-conscious of our scrutiny, she finally kicked off her brown flats and fastened the many elaborate straps of the purple shoes. Once they were on, she slowly straightened up ââ¬â and nearly fell over. I hastily jumped to catch her. Lia nodded in approval. ââ¬Å"See? This is what I was talking about. Sisterly teamwork. It's up to you to make sure she doesn't fall and break her neck before my show.â⬠Jill shot me a look of panic that I suspect was reflected on my own face. I started to suggest that Eddie be Jill's spotter, but he had discreetly moved off to the side of the shop to watch and seemed to have escaped Lia's notice. Apparently, his protective services had limits. While Jill simply attempted not to topple over, I helped Lia clear space in the store's center. Lia then spent the next hour or so demonstrating how to properly walk for fashion, with emphasis on posture and stride in order to display clothing to its best effect. Most of those fine details were lost on Jill, though, who struggled to simply walk across the room without falling. Grace and beauty weren't concerns as much as staying upright. Nonetheless, when I glanced over at Eddie, he was watching Jill with a rapt look on his face, as though every step she were taking was pure magic. Catching my eye, he immediately resumed his wary, protective guardian face. I did my best to offer Jill words of encouragement ââ¬â and yes, stop her from falling and breaking her neck. Halfway through the session, we heard a knock at the glass door. Lia started to scowl and then recognized the face on the other side of the door. She brightened and went to unlock it. ââ¬Å"Mr. Donahue,â⬠she said, letting Lee in. ââ¬Å"Come to see how your starlet's doing?â⬠Lee smiled, his gray eyes instantly seeking out Jill. Jill met his gaze, grinning just as widely. Lee hadn't been around at the last feeding, and although they talked constantly on the phone and IM, I knew she had been pining to see him. A glance at Eddie's face showed me he wasn't nearly as delighted by Lee's presence. ââ¬Å"I already know how she's doing,â⬠said Lee. ââ¬Å"She's perfect.â⬠Lia snorted. ââ¬Å"I wouldn't go that far.â⬠ââ¬Å"Hey,â⬠I said, inspiration striking me. ââ¬Å"Lee, do you want to be in charge of keeping Jill from breaking her neck? I need to run an errand.â⬠Unsurprisingly, Lee was more than willing, and I knew I didn't need to fear for her safety with Eddie on watch. I left them, hurrying two streets over to Nevermore. Ever since I'd heard Slade and his friends confirm the tattooists were in business again, I'd wanted to pay an in-person trip. Not a covert one, though. My stolen goods had already yielded their evidence. Except for the clear liquid, I had identified all the other substances in the vials. All the metallics were exact matches for Alchemist compounds, meaning these people either had an Alchemist connection or were stealing. Either way, my case got stronger and stronger. I just hoped it'd be enough to redeem me and keep Zoe out of here, particularly since the clock was ticking on her arrival. We were almost a week away from when my father had said she'd be replacing me. My plan was to see how willing Nevermore was to give me a tattoo. I wanted to know what warnings (if any) they gave out and how easy it was in the first place. Adrian's conversation hadn't yielded much info, but probably his on-fire-biker-skelet-on-with-a-parrot tattoo request hadn't done much to help his credibility. I was armed with cash today, which I hoped would get me somewhere. As it was, I never needed to flash any. As soon as I walked in, the guy behind the counter ââ¬â the same one Adrian had spoken to ââ¬â looked relieved. ââ¬Å"Thank God,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Please tell me you have more. These kids are driving me crazy. When we got into thisâ⬠¦ I had no idea it was gonna get this big. The money's good, but Christ. It's crazy to keep up with.â⬠I kept my confusion off of my face, wondering what in the world he was talking about. He was acting as though I was in on his scheme here, which made no sense. But then his eyes flashed to my cheek, and suddenly, I understood. My lily tattoo. It was uncovered, since school was over. And I knew then, with absolute certainty, that whomever he was working with to get his supplies was also an Alchemist. He'd assumed my tattoo made me an ally. ââ¬Å"I don't have anything with me,â⬠I said. His face fell. ââ¬Å"But the demand ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"You lost the other batch,â⬠I said haughtily. ââ¬Å"You let it get stolen right out from underneath you. Do you know how much trouble we go to in order to get that?â⬠ââ¬Å"I already explained that to your friend!â⬠he exclaimed. ââ¬Å"He said he understood. He said he'd taken care of the problem and that we didn't have to worry anymore.â⬠There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. ââ¬Å"Yeah, well, he doesn't speak for all of us, and we're not sure we want to continue. You were compromised.â⬠ââ¬Å"We're careful,â⬠he argued. ââ¬Å"That theft wasn't our fault! Now, come on. You have to help us. Didn't he tell you? There's a huge demand for tomorrow because those private school kids have a game. If we can deliver, we'll make double the money.â⬠I gave him my best icy smile. ââ¬Å"We'll discuss it among ourselves and get back to you.â⬠With that, I turned around and began to leave. ââ¬Å"Wait,â⬠he called. I spared him a haughty glance. ââ¬Å"Can you make that person stop calling?â⬠ââ¬Å"What person?â⬠I asked, wondering if he meant some persistent Amberwood student. ââ¬Å"The one with the weird voice who keeps asking if any tall, pale people are showing up around here. Ones that look like vampires. I figured it was someone you knew.â⬠Tall, pale people? I didn't like the sound of that but kept my face blank. ââ¬Å"Sorry. Don't know what you're talking about. Must have been a prank.â⬠I left, making a mental note to investigate that further. If someone was inquiring about people who looked like vampires, that was a problem. It wasn't, however, the immediate problem. My mind raced as I processed what else the tattooist had told me. There was an Alchemist supplying Nevermore. In some ways, that shouldn't be a surprise. How else were they going to get ahold of vampire blood and all the metals necessary for their tattoos? And apparently, this rogue Alchemist had ââ¬Å"taken care of the problemâ⬠that led to the theft of their supplies. When had my father called saying I was being pulled because of Keith's reports? Right after I'd broken into Nevermore. I knew who the rogue Alchemist was. And I knew that I had been ââ¬Å"the problem.â⬠Keith had taken care of me, making moves to get me out of Palm Springs and bring in someone new and inexperienced who wouldn't interfere with his illicit tattoo operation. It was why he'd wanted Zoe in the first place. I was aghast. I didn't have a great opinion of Keith Darnell, not by any means. But never, never had I thought he'd stoop to this level. He was an immoral person, but he'd still been raised with the same principles I had about humans and vampires. For him to abandon those beliefs and expose innocents to the dire side effects of vampire blood for his own material gainâ⬠¦ well, it was more than a betrayal of the Alchemists. It was a betrayal of the whole human race. My hand was on my cell phone, ready to call Stanton. That's all it would take. One call with the kind of news I had, and Alchemists would swoop in on Palm Springs ââ¬â and on Keith. But what if there was no hard evidence to connect Keith? It was possible another Alchemist might go in and play the same game I had, getting the tattooist to think that they were part of Keith's team. Keith was the one I wanted to bust, however. I wanted to ensure that there was no way he could slip out of this. I made my decision, and rather than the Alchemists, I called Adrian. When I arrived back at Lia's shop, I found the training session winding down. Lia was giving Jill some last-minute instructions while Eddie and Lee lingered nearby. Eddie took one look at my face and instantly knew something was wrong. ââ¬Å"What's the matter?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing,â⬠I said blandly. ââ¬Å"Just a problem I'm going to fix soon. Lee, would you mind taking Jill and Eddie back to the school? I have a couple errands I need to run.â⬠Eddie frowned. ââ¬Å"Are you okay? Do you need someone to protect you?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll have someone.â⬠I reconsidered, seeing as I was about to meet up with Adrian. ââ¬Å"Well, kind of. Anyway, I'm not in trouble. Your job's to keep an eye on Jill, remember? Thanks, Lee,â⬠I added, seeing him nod. A thought suddenly struck me. ââ¬Å"Waitâ⬠¦ I thought this was one of the days you had a night class. Are we keeping youâ⬠¦ orâ⬠¦ well, what days do you have class?â⬠I hadn't thought much about it, only noticing that some days Lee was around and other days he was in Los Angeles. But in looking back, there was no real pattern. I saw realization light Eddie's face as well. ââ¬Å"That's true,â⬠he said, eyeing Lee suspiciously. ââ¬Å"What kind of schedule are you on?â⬠Lee opened his mouth, and I sensed a ready story coming. Then he stopped and cast an anxious look at Jill, who was still talking to Lia. His face fell. ââ¬Å"Please don't tell her,â⬠he whispered. ââ¬Å"Tell her what?â⬠I asked, keeping my voice low as well. ââ¬Å"I'm not in college. I mean ââ¬â I was. But not this semester. I wanted some time off butâ⬠¦ didn't want to disappoint my dad. So, I told him I was just going part-time, which is why I was around more.â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you do in LA during all that time, then?â⬠asked Eddie. That was an excellent question, I realized. ââ¬Å"I still have friends there, and I need to keep my cover.â⬠Lee sighed. ââ¬Å"It's stupid, I know. Please ââ¬â let me be the one to tell her. I wanted so badly to impress her and to prove myself to her. She's wonderful. She just caught me at a bad time.â⬠Eddie and I exchanged glances. ââ¬Å"I won't tell,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"But you really should let her know. I mean, I guess there's no harm doneâ⬠¦ but you shouldn't have that kind of lie between you.â⬠Lee looked miserable. ââ¬Å"I know. Thank you.â⬠When he stepped aside, Eddie shook his head at me. ââ¬Å"I don't like him lying. Not at all.â⬠ââ¬Å"Lee trying to save face is the least weird thing going on here,â⬠I said. I found out then that Jill could walk from one side of the store to the other and back without falling over. It wasn't pretty, but it was a start. She was still a long ways from looking anything like the runway models I saw on TV, but considering she hadn't been able to stand in the shoes at first, I supposed she'd made considerable progress. She started to take off the heels, but Lia stopped her. ââ¬Å"No. I told you. You have to wear these shoes all the time. Practice, practice, practice. Wear them home. Wear them everywhere.â⬠She turned to me. ââ¬Å"And you ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"I know. Make sure she doesn't break her neck,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"She's not going to be able to wear those all the time, though. Our school has a dress code.â⬠ââ¬Å"What if they were in a different color?â⬠asked Lia. ââ¬Å"I don't think it's just the color,â⬠Jill said apologetically. ââ¬Å"I think it's the stiletto part. But I promise to wear them outside of class and practice in our room.â⬠That was good enough for Lia, and after a few more words of advice, she sent us on our way. We promised to practice and come back in two days. I told Jill I'd meet up with her later, but I don't know if she heard. She was so caught up in the idea of Lee driving her home that pretty much everything else went past her. I drove over to Clarence's and was met at the door by Adrian. ââ¬Å"Wow,â⬠I said, impressed at his initiative. ââ¬Å"I didn't expect you to be ready so quickly.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I need you to see something right now.â⬠I frowned. ââ¬Å"Okay.â⬠Adrian led me deeper into the house, beyond where I normally went, which made me nervous. ââ¬Å"Are you sure this can't wait? This thing we've got to do is kind of urgentâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"So is this. How did Clarence seem the last time you saw him?â⬠ââ¬Å"Weird.â⬠ââ¬Å"But health-wise?â⬠I thought about it. ââ¬Å"Well, I know he's been tired. But usually he seemed okay.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, well, he's not ââ¬Ëokay' now. It's gone beyond just tired. He's weak, dizzy, and confined to his bed.â⬠We reached a closed wooden door, and Adrian stopped. ââ¬Å"Do you know what caused it?â⬠I asked, alarmed. I'd been worried about the complications of a sick Moroi but hadn't expected to deal with it so soon. ââ¬Å"I have a pretty good idea,â⬠said Adrian, with surprising fierceness. ââ¬Å"Your boy Keith.â⬠ââ¬Å"Stop saying stuff like that. He's not ââ¬Ëmy boy,'â⬠I exclaimed. ââ¬Å"He's ruining my life!â⬠Adrian opened the door, revealing a large, ornate canopied bed. Walking into a Moroi bedroom wasn't something I was comfortable with, but Adrian's commanding look was too powerful. I followed him in and gasped when I saw Clarence lying on the bed. ââ¬Å"Not just yours,â⬠said Adrian, pointing at the old man. Clarence's eyes fluttered at the sound of our voices and then closed again as he shifted into sleep. It wasn't his eyes that held my attention, though. It was the pale, sickly pallor of his skin ââ¬â that, and the bloody wound on Clarence's neck. It was small, made with just one prick, like it had come from a surgical instrument. Adrian looked at me expectantly. ââ¬Å"Well, Sage? Do you have any idea why Keith would be draining Clarence's blood?â⬠I swallowed, scarcely able to believe what I was seeing. Here was the last piece. I knew that Keith had been supplying the tattooists, and now I knew where Keith was getting his ââ¬Å"supplies.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠I said at last, my voice small. ââ¬Å"I have a very good idea.ââ¬
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Free Essays on Shakespeare And Olds Poetry Comparison
The way in which people handle growing old can be very different. William Shakespeare and Sharon Olds, however, have very similar ideas of losing youth. In ââ¬Å"Sonnet 73,â⬠Shakespeare discusses what growing old means to him and ends with a plea to the person he wrote the poem to. ââ¬Å"35/10â⬠is a comparison poem of a daughter coming of age and a mother who is leaving that time behind. The metaphors and similes used in the imagery and careful word choice used by Shakespeare and Sharon add to the images and feel in their discussions of growing old. The exercise of metaphors and similes is vital to the full meanings of the poems because they are used to give the reader very strong images. Each author uses several to make their feelings of growing old more impacting. Sharon Olds uses them in the way that she compares her daughterââ¬â¢s youth to her lack of youth. The poem chronologically goes through the process of the mother realizing and understanding that while she loses her youth, her daughter gains it. The first image she uses is stated very well and gives the reader a good understanding of the poem right of the bat. ââ¬Å"Why is it/ just as we begin to go/ they begin to arrive.â⬠(line 4-6) Then Olds starts to compare the daughter to the mother. ââ¬Å"The fold in my neck/ clarifying as the fine bones of her hips sharpen.â⬠(line 6-8) This image is important because it signifies that the young girl is starting to grow into her womanly figure by developing more pronounced hips. The next image describe s the motherââ¬â¢s skin star! ting to go and the daughterââ¬â¢s skin starting to bloom ââ¬Å"like a small/ pale flower on the tip of a cactus.â⬠(line 9-10) The simile used here provides a very descriptive image, making it easier to picture how the daughter is blossoming into her youthful stage of womanhood. Then Olds continues to describe this through the next image. ââ¬Å"As my last chances to bear a child/ are falling through my bod... Free Essays on Shakespeare And Olds Poetry Comparison Free Essays on Shakespeare And Olds Poetry Comparison The way in which people handle growing old can be very different. William Shakespeare and Sharon Olds, however, have very similar ideas of losing youth. In ââ¬Å"Sonnet 73,â⬠Shakespeare discusses what growing old means to him and ends with a plea to the person he wrote the poem to. ââ¬Å"35/10â⬠is a comparison poem of a daughter coming of age and a mother who is leaving that time behind. The metaphors and similes used in the imagery and careful word choice used by Shakespeare and Sharon add to the images and feel in their discussions of growing old. The exercise of metaphors and similes is vital to the full meanings of the poems because they are used to give the reader very strong images. Each author uses several to make their feelings of growing old more impacting. Sharon Olds uses them in the way that she compares her daughterââ¬â¢s youth to her lack of youth. The poem chronologically goes through the process of the mother realizing and understanding that while she loses her youth, her daughter gains it. The first image she uses is stated very well and gives the reader a good understanding of the poem right of the bat. ââ¬Å"Why is it/ just as we begin to go/ they begin to arrive.â⬠(line 4-6) Then Olds starts to compare the daughter to the mother. ââ¬Å"The fold in my neck/ clarifying as the fine bones of her hips sharpen.â⬠(line 6-8) This image is important because it signifies that the young girl is starting to grow into her womanly figure by developing more pronounced hips. The next image describe s the motherââ¬â¢s skin star! ting to go and the daughterââ¬â¢s skin starting to bloom ââ¬Å"like a small/ pale flower on the tip of a cactus.â⬠(line 9-10) The simile used here provides a very descriptive image, making it easier to picture how the daughter is blossoming into her youthful stage of womanhood. Then Olds continues to describe this through the next image. ââ¬Å"As my last chances to bear a child/ are falling through my bod...
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