Essay about Feminism and Changing Perceptions of Motherhood

Societal perceptions of motherhood in North America have changed drastically over the last century and continue to change. Due to prescribed traditional gender roles, the concept of motherhood has historically been latent in the concept womanhood, in that a woman’s ability to reproduce was seen to be an inherent part of her identity. Thus there existed societal pressures not only for women to become mothers, but to fit into the impossible standard of being the â€Å"perfect mother†. However, as the feminist movement gained more ground and women were increasingly incorporated into the workforce, these traditional views of gender roles and in turn motherhood were challenged. As the family dynamics that exist today are much more diverse, what†¦show more content†¦They argue that this media driven debate pins working mothers against stay-at-home mothers in order to â€Å"divert the dialogue away from the real issues such as affordable health care, quality childcar e, gender and racial equality, fathers’ roles in parenting, media effects, fair wages and benefits, and family-friendly work arrangements† (204). They state that in this culture of mother-blame, mothers have been blamed for causing problems in regards to childhood development such as, â€Å"epilepsy, colitis, asthma, ulcers, arthritis, anorexia nervosa, and a multitude of more severe problems in children† (207). However, they argue that it is now â€Å"accepted that these disorders are in fact not caused by poor mothering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (208). Another issue with the Mommy Wars debate is that it portrays a universal kind of woman – white, affluent, and heterosexual – ignoring the fact that there are many different kinds of mothers of all backgrounds, sexualities, and economic statuses – which can make those who are not reflected as the â€Å"average† mother, feel inadequate. The authors further argue that these messages that working mot hers are harming their children are what discourage women from economic participation and achievement and can have a negative impact on a mother’s perception of herself - which in turn can affect her performance as a parent. It seems that theShow MoreRelatedGender Equality And The Movement For Women s Rights On A Global Scale1174 Words   |  5 Pagestwo controversial perceptions of the meaning of feminism and what feminists stand for. For many years, feminism is considered a series of mere actions exhorting for only women, which is anti-men and overaggressive. Recently, there is a gradual change in the understanding of what feminism is. It is all about the equality that every living human should be treated regardless of gender, race, religion or class. My essay will analyze in-depth the case study of Emma Watson’s feminism campaign, HeforSheRead MoreThe Woman Behind the New Deal813 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Frances Perkins life up until her early years as the Secret ary of Labor under President Roosevelt. She was not only a vital labor advocate but a womans suffrage leader. Her up-bringing, education, influences, alliances, work history, and the changing world around her shaped her into an extraordinary person. She is an outstanding example of the â€Å"New Women† in the progressive era. She lived her life like a calculated chess player; practically every step that she took whether it be personal, professionalRead MoreFeminism And The Social Movements Of The Twentieth Century1413 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Methodology: Unquestionably, feminism will be seen by historians as one of the strongest social movements of the twentieth century. Ideas that the rights of women should be included among the rights of all people existed as a coherent set since the late 1860s and culminated in women’s right to vote in the early twentieth century (Stromquist, 2009). Since the current research is addressing the issue of gender equity in higher education in Egypt, it is using the Feminist theory as a theoreticalRead MoreGlass Ceiling in the Australian Work Force1506 Words   |  7 PagesGlass ceiling in the Australian work force is still an issue in today’s society. 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Although Matrix are notable for authoring urban design criticism (with publications such as 1984’s Making Space: Women and the Man Made Environment), theyRead MoreThe Book Flapper by Joshua Zeitz1169 Words   |  5 Pagesblurred the gender roles by taking on a more masculine lifestyle. They wore their hair short, drank and smoked frequently, and explored their sexuality. With this behavior, it didn’t destroy their femininity; it just simply provided the society’s perception of what a woman should and should not be. The story starts off with a hopelessly romantic side. It all begins by learning about a seventeen year old girl named Zelda and a First Lieutenant named Francis Scott Fitzgerald who is known to who theyRead MoreCooking The Revolution During The Nineteenth Century2957 Words   |  12 PagesEach family had its own house and its own land where their own food was produced and their own clothes were sewn by the enslaved housewife: the whole system was based in isolation (Hayden, 1982). It is curious to notice how Woman s History started changing around design iterations of this once oppressive space. In the mid-1800, names like Ernest Engels, Charles Fourier, Melusina Fey Peirce, the Beecher sisters and Louise Bourgeous started to propose different organisations. The Material Feminists

Social Variables Of Race, Gender, Class And Health

Sociology, according to Giddens Sutton (2010) is still vibrant, has a wider range and is exciting academic enterprise in the 21st century. Sociology today is different from that of 1950s and 1980s, this is because it is currently more diverse both theoretical and in terms of its subject matter. It has for instance incorporated more areas of social life using specialized fields of inquiry (Giddens Sutton, 2010). Browne (2005) argues that sociology in simpler terms is planned and organized study of human groups and social life in modern societies, more so concerned with social institution. Contribution of sociologist in understanding human behavior is remarkable. The aim of this paper is to explain how sociologist views the relationship between the key social variables of race, gender, class and health. The relationship between key social variables of race, gender, class and health is important for sociologist. Intersection of race, class and gender can help predict health related outcomes. According to Henslin (2014) sociologist stress the need to use sociological imagination in understanding how personal troubles are related to changes in society. This sociological perspective makes people aware of how social context influences things such as ideas behaviors and personal troubles. This also introduces the idea of social problems and its characteristics in society which sociologist believe that that it has both objective and subjective condition , are dynamic in natureShow MoreRelatedGender And Gender Violence1482 Words   |  6 PagesGender-based violence is the unequal power relationships between men and women. It includes rape, sexual assault and harassment, domestic abuse, and stalking. Gender violence reflects the idea that violence is often used to uphold structural gender inequalities. Gender violence includes all types of violence against men, women, children, gay, lesbian, and transgender people. Gender violence may be experienced differently based on the social variables of race, age, gender, social class or anotherRead MoreSocial Context and Tobacco use1239 Words   |  5 PagesA person’s social context affects many aspects of their lives, including the usage and non-usage of tobacco (Poland et al, 2006). An individual’s social context includes the following: race, gender, resources, education, income, neighborhood, employment, occupation and many more aspects of their environment (Hints). Tobacco use and social context go hand and hand as one affects the other since there is high relevance between the two (Poland et al, 2006). In order to see the broader dilemma of tobaccoRead MoreWe Can Not Deny Society s Progression Of Social Equality Essay1187 Words   |  5 Pagesprogression of social equality, however, it is imperative tha t we not only understand the inequalities that are presently riddled in our social framework, but also understand how inequalities effect people at both micro and macro levels and how they intersect. Acquiring some base knowledge of institutionalized inequalities is fundamental to any attempts in rectifying (or easing) social injustices. Using Patricia Hill Collins’ Intersectionality theory, along with Omi and Winants’ theories on Race ProjectsRead MoreThe Field Of Psychosocial Epidemiology Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pagesrequires an understanding of independent, moderating, and dependent variables as they relate to health outcomes. What makes this challenging is that these variables are often multifactorial in nature. Using Figure 15-1 in your textbook as a guide (Friis and Sellers, 2009), develop a model that describes the independent, moderating and dependent psychosocial variables associated with a chronic health condition. Obesity is a chronic health condition characterized by presence of excess of body fat. ObesityRead MoreThe Impact Of Social Stratification On Minorities1195 Words   |  5 Pagesinequality†¨Introduction †¨During the course of this class I have learned about social problems within the society in which we live and around the world. It is disturbing to learn that poverty, social inequality, race and cultural discrimination, gender stratification, environmental damage, population growth, and urbanization are among the social problems and controversial issues that still exist in the United States. What is Social Stratification Social stratification is defined as a system by whichRead MoreWhat Factors Affect Crime Occurrence? Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pagesindividuals have a higher chance of committing crime due to a lack of social values. It is difficult to figure out what causes affect crime occurrence and until recently there has not been many successful research findings. The purpose of this research proposal is to facilitate understanding of what different factors may affect crime occurrence. In this proposal, several independent variables such as age, race, social class, and gender will be examined to see how they affect crime occurrence. AdditionallyRead MoreGender Is Not So Much Determined By God Nor By Biology Essay1618 Words   |  7 Pagesemulate behaviour that’s expected of from one’s allocated gender is not biologically processed. Instead it is a result of social modification. In this essay, one particular theme will be used in order to demonstrate that gender is not so much determined by God nor by biology. Firstly the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ will be defined before the relationship between them is explored in relation to the theme chosen. Secondly evidence that shows that gender is socially constructed will be discussed. The themeRead MoreLeisure And Leisure Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pages Leisure activities contribute to our personal well-being through physical, social, emotional, psychological and spiritual ways. Factors affect the choices of our leisure activities especially constraints. Everyone experiences constraints to leisure such as interpersonal, intrapersonal or structural constraints. Other factors that affect leisure choices and experience are gender stereotypes, ethnicity, disability, class etc. I have experienced and currently experience certain benefits from leisureRead MoreThe Impact Of Culture On Mental Health Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesTHE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW THIS CAN AFFECT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEN THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND THE CLIENT Introduction The importance of a cross-cultural understanding in Psychology is imperative to successful care and assistance of mental health. Understanding and acknowledging the complexities of different cultures is the beginning of a more informed approach to mental health. Cultural factors and questions play a fundamental role, however, simply acknowledging culturalRead MorePublic Safety Evaluation : An African American Issues1181 Words   |  5 Pagesthem and their race. But we do not just stop there, no we have to have biases against minorities, women, age, or GLBT communities. Why are we doing this? This learner will never comprehend. Bryant Mohai, Bullard (1992, 1994a) states that many economically impoverished communities are exposed to greater issues including health on the jobs, than their affluent counterparts. Why? Is it because we just keep putting them into a box, and label them as an oppressed group in our social structure? This

The House Rules free essay sample

Firstly I don’t expect to treat you like a child and I don’t plan on acting like a mother figure who tells you what to do like clean your room, not to go out, wash the dishes etc. I expect you to know or to simply use your common sense as to what you should be doing when you’re staying here. eg being clean and cleaning after yourself when you eat or use the bathroom or use anything else in the house. So please respect our wishes and rules of the house. Don’t take advantage of our offer as we are trying to help you with accommodation to benefit you. If you decide that you don’t want to follow our rules or respect us amp; our wishes we’ll simply kick you out. * Don’t bring drugs to our house * Don’t bring any of your friends to our house including boyfriends because we’re not going to accept it. We will write a custom essay sample on The House Rules or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I’m not saying that you can’t have a boyfriend just saying that I/we don’t want him here in our house. If you want to stay with friends or boyfriends go to their house and stay with them. No one is allowed to stay here, no friends can sleep over, NO ONE†¦.. * Don’t expect me to drive you everywhere. We aren’t going to be taxi drivers for you. If we’re going somewhere and you need a lift in the same direction then of course we’ll drop you off, but if you need a ride somewhere and we’re doing something or if you ask and we say ‘no’ then don’t keep asking us because it’s just annoying and we don’t want to just drop what we’re doing just to take you somewhere. Try to be reliant on yourself, because although you stay here the deal you have with us by being here is good enough already so just try not to expect too much * Make sure you clean up after yourself – when you eat, after you have a shower and just keep your room a bit tidy coz Dons clothes are still in the room * Don’t wear any of the clothes shoes or anything that’s in Dons closet * Do your own washing Buy your own toiletries. You can use the shampoos, conditioners, soaps, toothpaste, washing powder, but everything else will have to be provided by yourself so don’t use our stuff unless you ask us first * Don’t take or steal anything of ours that isn’t yours * If you want to borrow omething, or use something of ours or wear something that isn’t yours please ask us before you decide to take/wear/borrow * You can use the computer when we’re not using it but don’t think that you can just use it all the time when you’re here because I work on the computer and you should consider the fact that Don also lives here and likes to use the computer too * Saturdays we clean and we might ask you to help out sometimes but we won’t usually expect you to help us because it’s just a thing that we like to do when Siarrahs not here. The hot tap in the shower has to be turned off slowly and not hard coz otherwise it won’t work * Don’t have loud music in the house * Cooperate with our wishes if we ask you to do something * Don’t ask us for money * Your rent is $20 per week * We pay for the rent, bills, water, food * We go food shopping every week and I usually cook dinner, but if I don’t then make yourself something to eat and help yourself to whatever food you want. If there’s something you want to eat and we don’t have it, then buy it yourself * We watch big brother every night at 7 and please be aware that this is our house and not yours. We’re giving you the benefit to stay here and would just like it if you could follow our ways and rules of doing things * We don’t want to change the way we are just because you’re staying here and I/we don’t want you to change your ways just by living here too. Do your usual thing that you do, go out, see your friends but when you are here we will all have to compromise with each other as to how we are all going to settle in with each other * You’ll be given a key for the front door, so don’t lose it and don’t give it to anyone else * You don’t have curfews, you don’t have chores but being here we have rules and just hope that you will abide by them * When you finish your course we want you to look for a full time job and to look for a place for yourself to live * Thanks

Title; A Day Without Electricity Essay Example For Students

Title; A Day Without Electricity Essay If their were no electricity their would be o way to create batteries or any machinier to use everything would be man made. When waking up in the morning their would be no alarm or heat or even ari conditioning to keep you cool or warm during the night. Getting to school would be another thing cars would not be drivable due to gas being pupmed by electricity.So you would probably have to ride a home made bike or use a horse but then your school would not have a way to run its self either.So their would not be a way to send a massage or recieve one. NO automatic pencil sharpener either nothing. The school would have to have many windows just to keep the room lit or, a latern. Their would be no intercoms no internet youe would have to use a printing press to copy anything. All meat would spoil due to lack of cooling same tih milk meat would have to be eatin right away or turned into beef jerky. We will write a custom essay on Title; A Day Without Electricity specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now No entertainment possible just play football or other out door sports witch to me i would be to tired after getting to school.No movies video games,T.V nothing. And that would be a day in the life with out electricity. the end.

The Dead

As we saw in the movie The Dead, the main element of the plot centers on the connection between life and Death, the living and the Dead, and the connection between the past and present. Throughout the film, this connection is made apparent either directly through the reminiscing of characters, young and old, or by external factors within the story. One major factor that hasnt been mentioned, is the importance of music throughout this film. It intertwines its essence amongst practically ever major character, linking one small story to the next, hinting towards a great mystery to be revealed at the end of the movie. As you yourself wrote, Prof. Roman, in your article about Joyces written short story, He constructed his tale almost as if it were a musical piece: the notes, the melodies, the pauses (spaces) and rhythms evolving from his words coming from description, dialogue, the intellectual connections to the reader, the fine details of character, object and occurrence.(Roman, Irish Echo, 12/26/87) I hope to show you how from the beginning to end, music exists, not just in the background, but as a basis for character development throughout the film as well as embodying the climax of this movie by Huston, and story by James Joyce. Three areas of focus within the house, as far as music is concerned, are the scenes within the Parlor (living room), Dinning Room, and of course on the Stairs. The first major connection of music with characters exists when the niece of the Morkan Sisters, Mary Jane, is asked to play a piece of music on the piano. Huston gives us a quick glance at somewhat shady emotional connection between Molly Ivers and Gabriel when she gives him a wink. Later on during some dancing through conversation we see that they know one another and are at opposite ends, politically, with regards to the Irish Question. It becomes clear that there maybe at o...

Demystifying Multiculturalism essays

Demystifying Multiculturalism essays Response to Demystifying Multiculturalism Multiculturalism is one of the most controversial issues in education, I believe. Not only is it used in education anymore but also used in government, corporate leaders, and even media. Linda Chavezs, Demystifying Multiculturalism best describes how multiculturalism is used in the United States. It describes the ways that people are being judged by the color of the skin. People arrived in the United States that had a different racial or ethnic background; they were thought of as a disadvantage compared to the white American men. Discrimination is the unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice. White American people are being discriminated against, because of affirmative action. I agree with her about white people being discriminated against. In the court case, University of California vs. Bakke, Bakke filed a law suite against the University for not allowing him to attend medical school. The university, because of affirmative action, had to accept a certain number of non-white students before accepting any other white students. Bakke scored higher on his test then most of the non-white student, but was not accepted. Bakke was more qualified to enter college but was not admitted. His case won, and he was allowed to attend medical school, but it didnt change the policy of affirmative action. Bakkes case showed that a white student was being discriminated against. Chavez also writes that most of the people are not of full-blood race, and that they are mixed blood. Lots of Hispanics marry non-Hispanic whites, and that is also true of other races. Why do they get almost the same treatment as a true immigrant? We all came from an ancestor that was once an immigrant; so shouldnt we all get the same treatment? The Government spends billions of money on teaching immigrants how to speak the native language i...

Higher Health Insurance Premiums This Year Blame ObamaCare Essay - 1

Higher Health Insurance Premiums This Year Blame ObamaCare - Essay Example This year, the average premium for a family hit $15,073 — $1,303, or 9%, higher than the year before. And that’s on top of increases of 5% in 2009 and 3% in 2010. Employees are picking up a substantial portion of that tab. They paid an average of $4,129 for their family insurance premiums this year — more than double what they shelled out 10 years ago. And that figure doesn’t include out-of-pocket health expenses.( Pipes, â€Å"Higher Health Insurance Premiums This Year? Blame Obamacare†) Her facts are easy to verify. Just talk to any family that recently paid up their health insurance premiums and you will get the same answer from them. I agree with her findings as well because my family just recently paid up their share of insurance premuims, which went up because their companies told them they had to shoulder more of the cost if they wanted shared coverage, and the total cost we paid means we are facing a very bleak Christmas this year. Mostly because they had to cover me under the â€Å"slacker mandate† of the law. Because of me, and other under 26 kids out there, parents are having to shell out an extra 3% on their premiums. ( Pipes, â€Å"Higher Health Insurance Premiums This Year? Blame Obamacare†) She presents solid and valid arguments as to why Obamacare must be repealed such as the cost of family healthcare jumping 9% higher than last year and the fact that American families barely have any disposable income left. $95 left over after paying bills ( Pipes, â€Å"Higher Health Insurance Premiums This Year? Blame Obamacare†) will not even cover a full day of expenses for an average family. The bottom line is that Obamacare is a failed policy and as Pipes puts it, must be repealed before it can cause any further irreparable damage to families and their already dwindled

Relationships with community, family and between male and female are a Essay

Relationships with community, family and between male and female are a constant source of inspiration for Irish writers. Discuss with reference to examples from three genres - Essay Example We would also note that it was indeed Declan Kiberd, the famous professor, author and literary theorist, who criticized the concept of ‘Inventing Ireland’, stating that the literary structure of Ireland was much more than a mere dumping ground of various colonial views. Considered Ireland’s foremost intellectual, Professor Kiebred, who also happened to be an expert in the old Celtic culture and a renowned speaker of the Irish language, argued that the colonial view was superimposed by the English literary class and that there was no truth in their implications. Inventing Ireland was often considered an antidote to the political oppression of a dominant imperial culture and was in reality a fractured theory of a post colonial era which had lesser facts and more farce. The text of ‘Inventing Ireland’ is a comprehensive study of almost all Irish writers and has a large section which is reserved exclusively to highlight the importance of Irish women write rs. (Kiberd, 1997) James Joyce, the author of Dubliners, took cue from the rising Irish Nationalism and depicted his characters as those in search of a national identity. The book discloses the dilemma of the characters that are left standing at a crossroad which has ideas and influences converging through various streams. Out here, confusion reigns supreme and the character is forced to have a better self understanding. The narration, which has children as protagonists, progresses to elderly couples as the stories advance. It highlights the lives and the relationships between males and females and has a direct impact on the author’s intellect to help him provide a true picture of the lives of the Irish Middle Class in the 20 century. The books are incidentally centered on Dublin and provide an insight into the lives and the relationships of a family with the outer world. Considered one of the most

Violent media Essay Example for Free

Violent media Essay Violence is the act of injuring and killing someone. Exposure of young people to the media violence makes them to be more violent and this will be highly seen when they become adults. Children can watch movies in the television that may influence them negatively. The cartoon violence and the violence committed by real people are different. Movies will also consume productive time for the children. Instead of doing other productive work like reading children may spend a lot of time watching television. Programs in the television are addictive hence most people especially the children spend most of their time watching them. This also kills the persons, abilities to articulate any issue which relates to their life. There is also the tendency of the young people to be ineffective in solving any problem which they encounter in the real point of view. They instead attend to it as per the said actions in the media programs. This is a very serious issue which need to be addressed and adequate measures taken to get a permanent solution of the matter. There are several instances of psychological torture as a result of the video games, TV, films, and even music. People need to concentrate on the effective management and control of the accessibility of the violent media so as to build the effectiveness of personal performance (Ruben, 2006). Discussion TV contains programs that can be watched by children. These programs may include cartoon network. Cartoons can be educational as well as entertaining to children. Children can be entertained by watching TV. This cuts the cost of buying entertainment material by parents who would not have afforded them. Entertainment can be music, movies and plays. Type of music a child watches may influence his or her character. Music available in TV can be of different types that is gospel music, rock, pop, jazz, hip hop and many other types. Watching music can inspire a child to like music and may want to pursue that career later in life. These are some positive attributes of watching TV and other media which are not violent. Control should be exercised in a manner which ensures that the children and other people have access to the media which do not instill violence in them or any kind of behavior which is not appropriate to them. The society we live in is totally polluted with such issues which do not assist the inhabitants hence the resulting case is the one of violence as per what they get from the media. Utilization of adequate measures which are not restraining is very important. Media plays a major role in the passing of information to all the viewers but others love irrelevant scenes which do not help them but instead destroy their well being. A human beings psychology is very important and should be adequately feed with information which is positive in the ways of living. Contrary to this is very disastrous and a person will be affected negatively. The thinking of a person will be seriously affected as a result what is obtained from the media (Perse, 2001). Media Violence is also aired in television and it negatively affect in the young children. Exposure of young people to the media violence makes them to be more violent and this will be highly seen when they become adults. Violence is the act of injuring and killing someone. Children can watch movies in the television that may influence them negatively. The cartoon violence and the violence committed by real people are different. The cartoon violence does not have much effect as compared to the actual violence committed by real people as they seem unrealistic. Young people develop such unrealistic attitudes of approaching and solving problems encountered. The society as well is not convincing as such hence there is need for the society to address such problems. The people who encounter these issues are the young who do not know how to control such matters hence they have the psychological torture. There is need for the young to be under critical check-out for any issue which will enable them access the media which is not violent. This will enable them facilitate the media content well with their way of life. This will help them stay connected with the reality other than the media misconceptions which does not help them at all in the real life situations. Other TV channels may air movies which have some sexual and violence scenes. When children watch this kind of movies, their behavior is greatly influenced hence their thinking is also adversely affected. This has great effects to the children throughout their lives which are not appropriate since they will not act accordingly. This is further indicated on the future growth of the children when they are grown ups as they execute things which in an inappropriate manner. Watching violent movies may make children act violently. This influence the way they relate with people and the way they think. They may also end up earning a living from actions which are not worthwhile and not according to the laid down societal norms and the existing laws (Wilkins Christians, 2009). Horror movies may instill fear in children. This also affects them throughout their lives and in the way they view things. They will always be on the negative or unique and most weird position in addressing their issues and attending to their daily duties. Media can be such destructive to the viewers especially those who are not able to control what they want from it. Violent media is not appropriate to the people who are easily moved by the actions as they will put such in practice without their actual realization. It’s important for all the people to take charge of their access to media so as to avoid those which are violent. The people who are keen of that music which are very emotional also are at risk since their actions will be measured by how much they believe in the media. If they put all their trust in the media, then they will be acting as per what they get from it. There should be adequate care and control over the access to the media. Movies will also consume productive time for the children. Instead of doing other productive work like reading children may spend a lot of time watching television. Programs in the television are addictive and there should be appropriate measures which should be taken for the children to adequately in check and operating within the programs which can be productive to them. It can make someone forget everything when being aired since they concentrate so much on them without actually taking care of what they should be attending to at their time. It causes what we call zombie in children. They should be made to watch those programs that are good for them at all times. Care and control should be excised over the media access by the children as it will enable them get accessed to what is relevant to their age. There should also be those which are very educative so as to instill knowledge and creativity to them. This is very important as the children’s mind is very young and needs to be build-up in the appropriate manner. The kind of media access should be regulated to those which fits every person and the age limits of all the people so as to discourage the bad and disturbing networks and programs (Freedman, 2002). Children should be encouraged to watch good programs in television because they are educational as well as entertaining. Parents should choose the programs that are to be watched by their children. This is important as it will allow only good programs to be watched. Children should not be allowed programs and songs that may contain some sexual and violence scenes. Watching these programs may affect them later in their lives. Horror movies may make children terrified which may affect them negatively throughout their lives (Kirsh, 2006). Research has been conducted on the degree of violence before and after the introduction of television. It was found that after the introduction of television, people have become more violent. This is due to the exposure to the violent media. People tend to apply to their real life what was done on the movie. It may even make one to be remorseful when they do something bad. This is very bad and it injures the viewers yet it does suppose to be entertainment on their part. Applying such acts is very destructive to an individual and to other people as well as there has to be some one to fell the impact. People need to be educated about the contents of the media. There is need to inform them that its being acted by people like them and its meant for entertainment not to be implemented in real life situations. The films can be so divisive to the viewers and hence the power of information is important on the meaning of the media content so as no to affect the people psychologically (Bryant Oliver, 2009). Video game is another type of media violence that has a great effect on children. Most of the games that are produced have some form of violence in it and this may psychologically affect the young people. Researches that have been conducted shows that the children who play violent games are most likely to act violently. These are very serious situations to have the children exposed to. The games which are violent are supposed to be avoided by the children. Most of the children will start implementing such actions they have been playing with others on the streets so as to be seen as the most person who really knows how to do as it has been acted. This ends up being psychological torture to the concern persons hence there is need to adequately limit the access to such media by the children (Cesarone, 1994). Time should be planned well for children so as to avoid wasting too much of their productive time. They should be able to do school homework and have time with their family. They should also find some time to play with their friends. This will help them grow well and be physically fit. Parents should manage time for their children well. Time planning will also ensure that some programs which are irrelevant to children are not watched. In general TV is important to children and should be allowed to watch it. However, parents should control the programs in the television that their children watch. Parents should select the programs that she knows are helpful to their children. However programs which children may really want to watch should be considered if good they can be allowed (Gentile, 2003). Children should be encouraged to watch good programs in television because they are educational as well as entertaining. Parents should choose the programs that are to be watched by their children. This is important as it will allow only good programs to be watched. Children should not be allowed to watch programs and listen to songs which may contain some sexual and violence scenes. This instills a bad sexual behavior in the lives of people. This is the main cause the current state of marriage problems and high rate of divorce. The youths also are implementing such bad sexual behaviors and injuring one another for no appropriate reason (Preiss, 2007). There are several break-ups and misconducts which lead to devastating psychological problems. These psychological problems are hard to clean or clear up in the live of a person but ends up being a source of disturbance on the person all through his or her life. This is also the main source of making irrational decisions which are not helpful at all in our lives since people think and reason with emotions as a result of the psychological instability and torture. People even tend to fix their marriages as per the programs which they have watched. This is due to their lack of adequate knowledge on the relevance and the irrelevance of such scenes. The emotional pats are very disturbing and hence most people who watch them ends up getting carried away and in most cases, they also ask themselves questions as to the reasons why any ugly scene happened. This is a clear indication that it’s a real source of psychological disturbance on the individuals. There is therefore need for people to control what they watch and limit also their thoughts to entertainment not to be carried away by them and being violent. Watching these programs may affect them later in their lives. Horror movies may make children terrified which may affect them negatively throughout their lives (Kirsh, 2009). Conclusion It was found that after the introduction of television, people have become more violent. This is due to the exposure to the violent media. People tend to apply to their real lives what was done on the movie. It may even make one to be remorseful when they do something bad. Media violence is also aired in television and it negatively affects the young people. Exposure of young people to the media violence makes them to be more violent and this is highly seen when they become adults. Violence is the act of injuring and killing someone. Children can watch movies in the television that may influence them to kill or even get affected by the site of a dead person. There is need to adequately control what is being watched by people so as to avoid the psychological torture from such violent media. Video game is another type of media violence that has a great effect on people. Most of the games that are produced have some form of violence in it and this may psychologically affect the young people. There should be a means of counterchecking any form of game so that the children may not develop the same attitudes as what is being played. References Bryant, J. Oliver, M. B.(2009). Media effects: advances in theory and research. 3rd ed. Kentucky: Taylor Francis Cesarone, B. (1994). Video Games and Children. New York: Cengage Learning Freedman, J. L. (2002). Media violence and its effect on aggression: assessing the scientific evidence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press Gentile, D. A. (2003). Media violence and children: a complete guide for parents and professionals. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group Giles, D. (2003). Media psychology. New York: Routledge Kirsh, S. J. (2006). Children, adolescents, and media violence: a critical look at the research. New York: SAGE Publications Kirsh, S. J. (2009). Media and Youth: A Developmental Perspective. New York: John Wiley and Sons Ruben, B. D. (2006). Communication Yearbook. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers Perse, E. M. (2001). Media effects and society. New York: Routledge Preiss, R. W. (2007). Mass media effects research: advances through meta- analysis. London: Routledge Wilkins, L. Christians, C. G. (2009). The handbook of mass media ethics. New York: Taylor Francis

Deliverance: A Study of Medicaid and Managed Care Essay -- Health Medi

Deliverance: A Study of Medicaid and Managed Care Since the inception of Medicaid in 1965, the program has seen extraordinary growth in expenditures and enrollment. From 1989 to 1992, the increases in Medicaid spending were the largest since the program began in. Enrollment in Medicaid by AFDC families grew from 3.8 million in 1990 to 4.4 million in 1992, almost a nine percent annual increase (Coughlin et al. 1994). During this period, states were also experiencing the effects of a nationwide recession. Rapidly rising expenditure levels stretched revenue streams to their limits. In efforts to save money, states looked primarily at the benefits of managed care, which was becoming a successful delivery and financing system (Ruggie 1996). Medicaid patients had a history of using emergency rooms for problems such as colds, flues, and other minor illnesses. Medicaid paid $75 for an emergency room visit in 1995, but only $29 for a physician’s office visit (Lutz 1995). Medicaid officials hoped that placing the patient in contact with a primary care physician would encourage the use of preventative medicine, thereby holding down costs. States began Medicaid managed care programs using the AFDC population as guinea pigs. With waivers allowed under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act, states restructured their Medicaid programs (Rotwein et al. 1995). This was the single largest Medicaid innovation of the 1990s (Couglin et al. 1999). Between 1991 and 1996, enrollment of Medicaid clients in managed care increased by a factor of six (Thompson and DiIulio 1998). Many reasons accompanied the assertion that the AFDC population would benefit the most from managed care. The women and children of AFDC could take advantage of the ... ...cience Review 67: 1174-1185. Key, V.O., Jr. 1999, reprinted. Southern Politics in State and Nation. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press. Lutz, Sandy. 1995. â€Å"For Real Reform, Watch the States.† Modern Healthcare 25: 31- 35. Rotwein, Suzanne, Maria Boulmetis and Paul J. Boben. 1995. â€Å"Medicaid and State Health Care Reform: Process, Programs, and Policy Options.† Health Care Financing Review 16: 105-120. Ruggie, Mary. 1996. Realignments in the Welfare State: Health Policy in the United States, Britain, and Canada. New York: Columbia University Press. Thompson, Frank J., and John J. DiIulio Jr., eds. 1998. Medicaid and Devolution: A View from the States. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. Walker, Jack. 1969. â€Å"The Diffusion of Innovations Among the American States.† American Political Science Review 63: 880-899.

Acc 561 Week 2 Wiley Plus Assignment E13-5, E13-6, E13-9

E13-5| | The comparative balance sheets of Nike, Inc. are presented here. | NIKE INC. | Comparative Balance Sheets| May 31| ————————————————- ($ in millions)| Assets| 2007| 2006| Current assets| $8,076| $7,346| Property, plant, and equipment (net)| 1,678| 1,658| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 866| Total assets| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| |   |   | Liabilities and Stockholders' Equi ty| | | Current liabilities| $2,584| $2,612| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 973| Stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- 6,285| Total liabilities and stockholders' equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the horizontal analysis of the balance sheet data for Nike using 2006 as a base. (If amount decreases, use either a negative sign preceding the number, e. g. 45 or parenthesis, e. g. (45). Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) NIKE, INC. | Cond ensed Balance Sheet| December 31| ————————————————- ($ in millions)| |   |   | Increase or (Decrease)| | 2007| 2006| Amount| Percentage| Assets|   |   |   |   | Current assets| $8,076| $7,346| $ 730 | 9. 9 %| Property, plant and equipment (net)| 1,678| 1,658| 20 | 1. 2 %| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 866| ————————————————- 8 | ————————————————- 7. 9 %| Total assets| ———â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| ————————————————- $ 818 | ————————————————- 8. 3 %| |   |   |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders' equity| | | | | Current liabilities| $2,584| $2,612| $ -28 | -1. 1 %| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 973| 106 | 10. 9 %| Total stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- ,28 5| ————————————————- 740 | ————————————————- 11. 8 %| Total liabilities & stockholders' equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| ————————————————- $ 818 | ————————————————- 8. 3 %| | | | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the vertical analysis of the balance sheet data for Nike for 2007. (Round all of the percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. NIKE, INC. | Condensed Balance Sheet| ————————————————- May 31, 2007| | $ (in millions)| Percent | Assets|   |   | Current assets| $8,076| 75. 6 %| Property, plant and equipment (net)| 1,678| 15. 7 %| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 8. 7 %| Total assets| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- 100. 0 %| |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders' equity| | | Current liabilities| $2,584| 24. 2 %| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 10. 1 %| Stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- 65. 7 %| Total liabilities and stockholder's equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- 100. 0 %| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ————————————————- Top of FormBottom of Form| E13-6| | Here are the comparative income statements of Winfrey Corporation. | WINFREY CORPORATION| Comparative Income Statements| —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€ For the Years Ended December 31| | 2010| 2009| Net sales| $598,000| $520,000| Cost of goods sold| ————————————————- 477,000| ————————————————- 450,000| Gross profit| $121,000| $70,000| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 45,000| Net income| ————————————————- $41,000| ——†”—————————————- $25,000| | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the horizontal analysis of the income statement data for Winfrey Corporation using 2009 as a base. (Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) WINFREY CORPORATION| Condensed Income Statements| ————————————————- For the Years Ended December 31| | | | Increase or (Decrease)| | | | ————————————————- During 2010| | ————————————————- 2010| ————————————————- 2009| —â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Amount | ————————————————- Percentage | Net sales| $598,000| $520,000| $ 78,000 | 15. 0 %| Cost of goods sold | ————————————————- 477,000| ————————————————- 450,000| ————————————————- 27,000 | 6. 0 %| Gross profit| 121,000| 70,000| 51,000 | 72. 9 %| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 45,000| â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 35,000 | 77. 8 %| Net income| ————————————————- $41,000| ————————————————- $25,000| ————————————————- $ 16,000 | 64. 0 %| | | | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the vertical analysis of the income statement data for Winfrey Corporation for both years. (Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) WINFREY CORPORATION| Condensed Income Statements| ————————————————- For the Years Ended December 31| | ————————————————- 010| —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 2009| | ————————————————- $| ————————————————- Percent| ————————————————- $| ————————————————- Percent| Net sales| $598,000| 100. 0 %| $520,000| 100. 0 %| Cost of goods sold| ————————————————- 477,000| ——————————————â €”—- 79. 8 %| ————————————————- 450,000| ————————————————- 86. 5 %| Gross profit| 121,000| 20. %| 70,000| 13. 5 %| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 13. 4 %| ————————————————- 45,000| ————————————————- 8. 7 %| Net income| ———————â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- $41,000| ————————————————- 6. 8 %| ————————————————- $25,000| ————————————————- 4. 8 %| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ————————————————- Top of FormBottom of Form| | E13-9| | Armada Company has these comparative balance sheet data: ARMADA COMPANY| Balance Sheets| ————————————————- December 31| | 2010| 2009| Cash| $25,000| $30,000| Receivables (net)| 65,000| 60,000| Inventories| 60,000| 50,000| Plant assets (net)| ————————————————- 200,000| ————————————————- 180,000| | ————————————————- $350,000| ————————————————- $320,000| |   |   | Accounts payable| $50,000| $60,000| Mortgage payable (15%)| 100,000| 100,000| Common stock, $10 par| 140,000| 120,000| Retained earnings| ————————————————- 60,000| ————————————————- 40,000| | ————————————————- $350,000| ————————————————- $320,000| Additional information for 2010: 1. | Net income was $25,000. | 2. | Sales on account were $375,000. Sales returns and allowances amounted to $25,000. | 3. | Cost of goods sold was $198,000. | 4. | Net cash provided by operating activities was $48,000. | 5. | Capital expenditures were $25,000, and cash dividends were $18,000. Compute the following ratios at December 31, 2010. ( Round to 3 decimal places, e. g. 2. 515. ) Current|    3. 00 :1| Receivables turnover|    5. 6 times| Average collection period|    65. 2 days| Inventory turnover|    3. 6 times| Days in inventory|    101. 4 days| Cash debt coverage|    . 31 times| Current cash debt coverage |    . 87 times| Free cash flow | | | | | | Current ratio| =| ————————————————- $150,000| =| 3. 000 :1| | | $50,000| | | Receivables turnover| =| ————————————————- $350,000| =| 5. 600 times| | | $62,500(1)| | | (1) ($65,000 + $60,000) ? Average collection period = 365 days ? 5. 600 = 65. 179 days Inventory turnover| =| ————————————————- $198,000| =| 3. 600 times| | | $ 55,000(2)| | | (2) ($60,000 + $50,000) ? 2 Days in inventory = 365 days ? 3. 600 = 101. 389 days Cash debt coverage ratio| =| ————————————————- $48,000| =| 0. 310 times | | | ($160,000 + $150,000) ? 2 | | | Current cash debt coverage ratio| =| ————————————————- $48,000| =| 0. 873 times | | | ($60,000 + $50,000) ? 2| | | Free cash flow = $48,000 – $25,000 – $18,000 = $5,000

The Indigo Spell Chapter Thirteen

WADE TOLD ME EVERYTHING he knew. It was all useful, but I didn't know if it would be enough. First, I had to get to St. Louis . . . and that was going to be tricky. I braced myself for the phone calls I'd have to make, hoping I had enough Alchemist wiles to pull them off. Before I took on that task, I just wanted the normality and comfort of my own room. Eddie and I drove back to Amberwood, analyzing every detail of our meeting. He was chomping at the bit to make progress, and I promised I'd keep him in the loop. I had just reached my door when my phone rang. It was Ms. Terwilliger. I swear, sometimes I thought she had a sensor outside my room so that she'd know the instant I returned. â€Å"Miss Melbourne,† she said. â€Å"We need to meet.† My heart stopped. â€Å"There hasn't been another victim, has there? You said we have time.† â€Å"We do,† she replied. â€Å"Which is why we need to meet sooner rather than later. Reading up on spells is one thing, but you require some hands-on practice. I refuse to let Veronica get to you.† Her words triggered a mix of emotions. Naturally, I had my knee-jerk reaction against practicing magic. It was quickly squashed by the realization that Ms. Terwilliger cared about me and was so concerned about keeping me safe. My own personal desire to not be in a coma was also a strong motivator. â€Å"When do you want to meet, ma'am?† I asked. â€Å"Tomorrow morning.† I realized tomorrow was Saturday. Already? Where had the week gone? I was driving Adrian to pick up his car in the morning, which hopefully wouldn't take a long time. â€Å"Could we meet at noon? I've got an errand to run.† â€Å"I suppose so,† said Ms. Terwilliger, with some reluctance. â€Å"Meet me at my place, and then we'll go out to Lone Rock Park.† I was about to lie back on my bed and froze. â€Å"Why do we have to go out to the middle of the desert?† Lone Rock Park was remote and rarely saw many tourists. I hadn't forgotten how terrifying it was the last time she'd brought me out into the wilderness. At least this time we'd be in daylight. â€Å"Well, we can hardly practice on school grounds,† she pointed out â€Å"True. . . .† â€Å"Bring your book, and the components you've been working on.† We disconnected, and I jotted out a quick text to Adrian: Need to be fast tomorrow. Meeting Ms. T at 12. His response wasn't entirely unexpected: Why? Adrian naturally needed to know everything that was going on in my life. I texted back that Ms. Terwilliger wanted to work on magical protection. This time, he did surprise me: Can I watch? Wanna know how she's protecting you. Wow, Adrian actually asked? He had a history of simply inviting himself along on outings. I hesitated, still confused after our heated moment at the sorority. He'd never mentioned it again, though, and his concern now touched me. I texted back that he could come along and was rewarded with a smiley face. I didn't entirely know what to wear to â€Å"magical training,† so I opted for comfortable layers the next morning. Adrian gave me a once-over when he got into Latte. â€Å"Casual mode, huh? Haven't seen that since the Wolfe days.† â€Å"I don't know what she has in mind,† I explained, doing a U-turn on his street. â€Å"Figured this was best.† â€Å"You could have worn your AYE shirt.† â€Å"Wouldn't want to get it dirty,† I said, grinning. That was partially true. I still thought the fiery heart he'd painted was exquisite. But each time I looked at the shirt, too many memories seized me. What had I been thinking? That was a question I'd asked myself a hundred times, and every answer I came up with sounded fake. My preferred theory was that I'd simply been caught up in how serious Adrian had been about his art, how the emotion and passion had seized hold of him. Girls liked artists just as much as bad boys, right? Even now, something stirred in my chest when I thought about the enraptured look on his face. I loved that he possessed something so powerful in him. But, as I told myself constantly, that was no excuse for climbing all over him and letting him kiss me – on my neck. I'd bought and downloaded the â€Å"bad boy† book online, but it had been completely useless in advising me. I finally decided the best way – if not the healthiest one – was to act like the moment had never happened. That didn't mean I forgot it. In fact, as I sat beside him in the car, I had a difficult time not thinking about how it had felt to be pressed up against him. Or how his fingers had felt entangled in my hair. Or how his lips had – Sydney! Stop. Think of something else. Conjugate Latin verbs. Recite the periodic table. None of those did any good. To Adrian's credit, he continued to withhold any commentary about that night. Finally, I found distraction in telling him about my trip to San Bernardino. Rehashing the conspiracy, rebel groups, and break-ins pretty much killed any passionate feelings I still had. Adrian didn't like the idea of Alchemists working with Warriors or of the tattoo controlling me. But he also didn't like me walking into danger. I tried to downplay the near impossibility of breaking into the St. Louis facility, but he clearly didn't believe me. Ms. Terwilliger texted me twice not to be late to our meeting. I kept an eye on my watch, but the care of a Mustang was not something I took lightly, and I had to take my time at the mechanic's shop to make sure the Mustang was in pristine condition. Adrian had wanted to go with basic tires, but I'd urged him to upgrade, convincing him the extra cost would be worth it. And once I inspected them, I congratulated myself on the choice. Only after I was satisfied the car hadn't been unnecessarily scratched did I finally allow him to pay. We drove both cars back to Vista Azul, and I was pleased to see my timing was perfect. We weren't late, but Ms. Terwilliger was waiting on her porch for us. We designated Adrian as our carpool driver. â€Å"Jeez,† I said when she hurriedly got in the car. â€Å"Do you have somewhere to be after this?† The smile she gave me was strained, and I couldn't help but notice how pale she looked. â€Å"No, but we do have a schedule to follow. I cast a large spell this morning that won't last forever. The countdown is on.† She wouldn't say any more until we reached the park, and that silence unnerved me. It gave me the opportunity to imagine all sorts of frightening outcomes. And although I trusted her, I suddenly felt relieved that Adrian was along as a chaperone. Although it wasn't the busiest place, Lone Rock Park still had the occasional hiker. Ms. Terwilliger – who was actually in hiking boots – set off across the rocky terrain, searching for a suitably remote space to do whatever it was she had in mind. A few stratified rock formations dotted the landscape, but I couldn't really appreciate their beauty. Mostly I was aware that we were out here when the sun was at its fiercest. Even if it was almost winter, we'd still be feeling the heat. I glanced over at Adrian as we walked and found him already looking at me. From his jacket pocket, he produced a bottle of sunscreen. â€Å"I knew you'd ask. I'm nearly as prepared as you are.† â€Å"Nearly,† I said. He'd done it again, anticipating my thoughts. For half a heartbeat, I pretended it was just the two of us out on a pleasant afternoon hike. It seemed like most of the time we spent together was on some urgent mission. How nice would it be to just hang out without the weight of the world on us? Ms. Terwilliger soon brought us back to our grim reality. â€Å"This should do,† she said, surveying the land around her. She had managed to find one of the most desolate areas in the park. I wouldn't have been surprised to see vultures circling overhead. â€Å"Did you bring what I asked for?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† I knelt on the ground and rifled through my bag. In it was the spell book, along with some herbal and liquid compounds I'd mixed up at her request. â€Å"Take out the fireball kindling,† she instructed. Adrian's eyes went wide. â€Å"Did you just say ‘fireball'? That's badass.† â€Å"You see fire all the time,† I reminded him. â€Å"From Moroi who can wield it.† â€Å"Yeah, but I've never seen a human do anything like that. I've never seen you do anything like that.† I wished he didn't look so awestruck because it kind of drove home the severity of what we were about to attempt. I would've felt better if he'd treated it like it was no big deal. But this spell? Yeah, it was kind of a big deal. I'd once performed another spell that involved throwing a painstakingly made amulet and reciting words that made it burst into flames. That one had a huge physical component, however. This spell was another of those mental ones and essentially involved summoning fire out of thin air. The kindling Ms. Terwilliger had referred to was a small drawstring bag filled with ashes made from burnt yew bark. She took the bag from me and examined its contents, murmuring in approval. â€Å"Yes, yes. Very nice. Excellent consistency. You burned it for exactly the right amount of time.† She handed the bag back. â€Å"Now, eventually you won't need this. That's what makes this spell so powerful. It can be performed very quickly, with very little preparation. But you have to practice first before you can reach that point.† I nodded along and tried to stay in student mode. So far, what she was saying was similar to what the book had described. If I thought of all this as a classroom exercise, it was much less daunting. Not really scary at all. Ms. Terwilliger tilted her head and looked past me. â€Å"Adrian? You might want to keep your distance. A considerable distance.† Okay. Maybe a little scary. He obeyed and backed up. Ms. Terwilliger apparently had no such fear for herself because she stayed only a few feet away from me. â€Å"Now then,† she said. â€Å"Apply the ashes, and hold out your hand.† I reached into the bag, touching the ashes with my thumb and forefinger. Then I lightly rubbed all my fingers together until my whole palm had a fine gray coating on it. I set the bag down and then held out my hand in front of me, palm up. I knew what came next but waited for her instruction. â€Å"Summon your magic to call the flame back from the ashes. No incantation, just your will.† Magic surged within me. Calling an element from the world reminded me a little of what the Moroi did, which felt strange. My attempt started off as a red glimmer, hovering in the air above my palm. Slowly, it grew and grew until it was about the size of a tennis ball. The high of magic filled me. I held my breath, scarcely able to believe what I had just done. The red flames writhed and swirled, and although I could feel their heat, they didn't burn me. Ms. Terwilliger gave a grunt that seemed to be equal parts amusement and surprise. â€Å"Remarkable. I forget sometimes what a natural you really are. It's only red, but something tells me, it won't take long before you can produce blue ones without the ashes. Calling elements out of the air is easier than trying to transform one substance into another.† I stared at the fireball, entranced, but soon found myself getting tired. The flames flickered, shrank, and then faded away altogether. â€Å"The sooner you get rid of it, the better,† she told me. â€Å"You'll just use up your own energy trying to sustain it. Best to throw it at your adversary and quickly summon another. Try again, and this time, throw it.† I called the fire once more and felt a small bit of satisfaction at seeing it take on more of an orange hue. I'd learned in my very first childhood chemistry lessons that the lighter a flame was, the hotter it burned. Getting to blue anytime soon still seemed like a long shot. And speaking of long shots . . . I threw the fireball. Or, well, I tried. My control of it faltered when I attempted to send it off toward a bare patch of ground. The fireball splintered apart, the flames disappearing into smoke that was carried off by the wind. â€Å"It's hard,† I said, knowing how lame that sounded. â€Å"Trying to hold it and throw it is just like an ordinary physical thing. I have to do that while still controlling the magic.† â€Å"Exactly.† Ms. Terwilliger seemed very pleased. â€Å"And that's where the practice comes in.† Fortunately, it didn't take too many attempts before I figured out how to make it all work together. Adrian cheered me on when I successfully managed to throw my first fireball, resulting in a beautiful shot that perfectly hit the rock I'd been aiming for. I flashed Ms. Terwilliger a triumphant look and waited for the next spell we'd be moving on to. To my surprise, she didn't seem nearly as impressed as I expected her to be. â€Å"Do it again,† she said. â€Å"But I've got it down,† I protested. â€Å"We should try something else. I was reading the other part of the book – â€Å" â€Å"You have no business doing that yet,† she scolded. â€Å"You think this is exhausting? You'd pass out attempting one of the more advanced spells. Now.† She pointed at the hard desert floor. â€Å"Again.† I wanted to tell her that it was impossible for me not to read ahead in a book. It was just how I operated with all my classes. Something told me now was not the best time to bring that up. She made me practice the throw over and over. Once she was convinced I had it down, she had me work on increasing the fire's heat. I finally managed to get up to yellow but could go no farther. Then I had to work on casting the spell without the ashes. Once I reached that milestone, it was back to practicing the throws. She picked various targets for me, and I hit them all effortlessly. â€Å"Just like Skee-Ball,† I muttered. â€Å"Easy and boring.† â€Å"Yes,† Ms. Terwilliger agreed. â€Å"It's easy hitting inanimate objects. But moving targets? Living targets? Not quite so easy. So, let's move on to that, shall we?† The fireball I'd been holding above my hand vanished as shock shattered my control. â€Å"What do you mean?† If she expected me to start aiming at birds or rodents, she was in for a rude awakening. There was no way I was going to incinerate something alive. â€Å"What am I supposed to hit?† Ms. Terwilliger pushed her glasses up her nose and backed up several feet. â€Å"Me.† I waited for the punch line or at least some further explanation, but none came. I glanced behind me at Adrian, hoping perhaps he might shed some light on this, but he looked as astounded as I felt. I turned back to the singed ground where my earlier fireballs had struck. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger, you can't ask me to hit you.† Her lips twitched into a small half smile. â€Å"I assure you, I can. Go ahead, you can't hurt me.† I had to think a few moments for how to phrase my next response. â€Å"I'm a pretty good shot, ma'am. I can hit you.† This earned an outright laugh. â€Å"Hit, yes. Hurt, no. Go ahead and throw. Our time is running out.† I didn't know how much time had passed exactly, but the sun was definitely lower in the sky. I looked back at Adrian, silently asking for help in dealing with this insanity. His only response was a shrug. â€Å"You're a witness to this,† I told him. â€Å"You heard her tell me to do it.† He nodded. â€Å"You're totally blameless.† I took a deep breath and summoned my next fireball. I was so frazzled that it started off red, and I had to work to heat it up. Then I looked up at Ms. Terwilliger and braced myself for the shot. It was more difficult than I expected – and not just because I was worried about hurting her. Throwing something at the ground required almost no thought. The focus there was on aim and little else. But facing a person, seeing her eyes and the way her chest rose and fell while breathing . . . well, she was right. It was entirely different from hitting an inanimate object. I began to tremble, unsure if I could do it. â€Å"You're wasting time,† she warned. â€Å"You're sapping energy again. Throw.† The command in her voice jolted me to action. I threw. The fireball flew from my hand, straight at her – but it never made contact. I couldn't believe my eyes. About a foot in front of her, it hit some kind of invisible barrier, smashing apart into small flames, which quickly dissipated into smoke. My jaw dropped. â€Å"What is that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"A very, very powerful shielding spell,† she said, clearly enjoying my reaction. She lifted up a pendant that had been hanging under her shirt. It didn't look like anything special, just a piece of unpolished carnelian wrapped in silver wire. â€Å"It took incredible effort to make this . . . and requires more effort still in order to maintain it. The result is an invisible shield – as you can see – that's impervious to most physical and magical attacks.† Adrian was by my side in a flash. â€Å"Hang on. There's a spell that makes you invulnerable to everything, and you only now just thought to mention it? You've been going on this whole time about how Sydney's in danger! Why don't you just teach her this one? Then your sister can't touch her.† Although it didn't seem like Adrian was about to attack her as he had Marcus, he was almost just as upset. His face was flushed, his eyes hard. He had clenched his fists at his side, but I didn't even think he noticed. It was more of that primal instinct. Ms. Terwilliger remained strong in the face of his outrage. â€Å"If it were that simple, then believe me, I would. Unfortunately, there are a number of problems. One is that Sydney, prodigy that she is, is nowhere near strong enough to cast this. I'm hardly strong enough. The other problem is that it has an extremely short time frame, which is why I've been so adamant about a schedule. It only lasts six hours and requires so much effort that you can't just cast it and permanently keep it on you at all times. I'm already worn out and will be even more so once it fades. I won't be able to cast it – or hardly any other magic – for at least another day. That's why I need Sydney to be prepared at all times.† Neither Adrian nor I said anything right away. I'd taken note of her weary state when she got in the car but hadn't thought much more about it. As we'd continued to practice out here, I'd observed her sweating and looking more fatigued, but I'd written it off to the heat. Only now could I fully appreciate the extent of what she had done. â€Å"Why would you go to so much effort?† I asked. â€Å"To keep you alive,† she snapped. â€Å"Now, don't make this a waste. We've only got one more hour before it wears off, and you need to be able to aim at someone without thinking twice. You hesitate too much.† She was right. Even knowing that she was invulnerable, I still had a difficult time attacking her. Violence just wasn't something I embraced. I had to push down all my inner worries and treat it exactly like Skee-Ball. Aim, throw. Aim, throw. Don't think. Soon, I was able to fight past my anxieties and throw without hesitation. She even tried moving around a little, just to give me a better feel for what it'd be like with a real foe, but I didn't find it to be much of a challenge. She was simply too tired and unable to run around or dodge me. I actually started to feel bad for her. She looked like she was about ready to pass out, and I felt guilty sizing up my next shot and – â€Å"Ahh!† Fire arced from Ms. Terwilliger's fingertips just as I released my fireball. My shot went wide, the ball disintegrating before it got anywhere near her. The fire she'd released passed me, about a foot away. With a weary grin, she sank to her knees and exhaled. â€Å"Class dismissed,† she said. â€Å"What was that?† I asked. â€Å"I don't have a magic shield on me!† She didn't display my same concern. â€Å"It was nowhere near you. I made sure of that. It was simply to prove that no matter how ‘boring and easy' this seems, all bets are off when someone is actually attacking you. Now then. Adrian, would you be kind enough to bring me my bag? I have some dried dates in there that I think both Sydney and I would appreciate right about now.† She was right. I'd been so caught up in the lesson that I hadn't noticed how exhausted I had become. She was in worse shape, but the magic had definitely taken its toll on me. I'd never worked with amounts this big for so long, and my body felt weak and drained as the usual blood sugar drop occurred. I began to understand why she kept warning me away from the really difficult stuff. I practically inhaled the dried dates she'd brought for us, and although the sugar helped, I was desperate for more. Adrian gallantly helped us both walk back to the parking lot at the park's entrance, keeping one of us on each arm. â€Å"Too bad we're out in the middle of nowhere,† I grumbled, once we were all in Adrian's car. â€Å"I think you'd be amazed at how much I could eat right now. I'll probably faint before we're back to some civilization and restaurants.† â€Å"Actually,† said Adrian. â€Å"You might be in luck. I think I saw a place not far from here when we were driving in.† I hadn't noticed anything, but I'd been too preoccupied worrying about Ms. Terwilliger's upcoming lesson. Five minutes after we were back on the highway, I saw that Adrian was right about a restaurant. He exited onto a drab little road, pulling into the gravel parking lot of a small but freshly painted white building. I stared at the sign out front in disbelief. â€Å"Pies and Stuff?† â€Å"You wanted sugar,† Adrian reminded me. The Mustang kicked up dust and gravel, and I winced on behalf of the car. â€Å"And at least it's not Pies and Bait or anything like that.† â€Å"Yeah, but the ‘Stuff' part isn't exactly reassuring.† â€Å"I thought it was more the ‘Pie' part that had you upset.† Despite my misgivings, Pies and Stuff was actually a cute and clean little establishment. Polka-dot curtains hung in the windows, and the display case was filled with every pie imaginable as well as â€Å"stuff† like carrot cake and brownies. We were the only people under sixty in the whole place. We ordered our pie and sat down with it in a corner booth. I ordered peach, Adrian had French silk, and Ms. Terwilliger went with pecan. And of course, she and I had the waitress bring us coffee as soon as humanly possible since we'd had to abstain, painfully, for the magic. I took a sip and immediately felt better. Adrian ate his slice at a reasonable rate, like a normal person, but Ms. Terwilliger and I dug in as though we hadn't eaten in a month. Conversation was irrelevant. Only pie mattered. Adrian regarded us both with delight and didn't try to interrupt until we'd practically licked the plates clean. He nodded toward mine. â€Å"Another piece?† â€Å"I'll take more coffee.† I eyed the sparkling plate and couldn't help but notice that inner voice that used to nag me about calories was quiet these days. In fact, it didn't seem to be around anymore at all. I'd been so angry about Adrian's food â€Å"intervention,† but his words had ended up having a bigger impact than I'd expected. Not that it had anything to do with him personally, of course. Lightening up my dieting restrictions was just a reasonable idea. That was it. â€Å"I feel pretty good now.† â€Å"I'll get you another cup,† he told me. When he returned, he even had a mug for Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Figured you'd want one too.† She smiled in appreciation. â€Å"Thank you. You're very astute.† As she drank, I couldn't help but notice she still looked tired, despite the fact that we'd just replenished with sugar. She no longer seemed in danger of passing out, but it was obvious she hadn't recovered as quickly as I had. â€Å"Are you sure you're okay?† I asked her. â€Å"Don't worry, I'll be fine.† She sipped more coffee, her face lost in thought. â€Å"It's been years since I performed the shield spell. I forgot how much it takes out of me.† I was again struck by all the trouble she'd gone through for me. Ever since she'd identified me as a potential magic user, I'd done nothing but resist her and even be antagonistic. â€Å"Thanks,† I told her. â€Å"For everything . . . I wish there was a way I could make it up to you.† She set her cup down and stirred in more sugar. â€Å"I'm happy to do it. There's no need to reciprocate. Although . . . once this is all over, I'd like very much if you'd meet my coven. I'm not asking you to join,† she added quickly. â€Å"Just to talk. I think you'd find the Stelle very interesting.† â€Å"Stelle,† I repeated. She'd never called them by name before. â€Å"The stars.† Ms. Terwilliger nodded. â€Å"Yes. Our origins are Italian, though as you've seen already the magic we use comes from a number of cultures.† I was at a loss for words. She'd gone to so much trouble for me . . . surely it wasn't a big deal just to talk to the other witches, right? But if it was such a small thing, then why was I terrified? The answer came to me a few moments later. Talking to others, seeing the larger organization, would kick my involvement with magic up to the next level. It had taken me a long time to come around to the magic I already used. I'd overcome many of my fears, but some part of me treated it as just some sideline activity. Like a hobby. Meeting other witches would change everything. I would have to accept that I was part of something so much bigger than just the occasional dabbling. Meeting a coven seemed official. And I didn't know if I was ready to be considered a witch. â€Å"I'll think about it,† I said at last. I wished I could give her more, but my protective instincts had seized me â€Å"I'll take what I can get,† she said with a small smile. Her phone chimed, and she glanced down. â€Å"Speaking of the Stelle, I need to talk to one of my sisters. I'll meet you at the car.† She finished her coffee and headed outside. Adrian and I followed a few minutes later. I was still troubled about the coven and caught hold of his sleeve to keep him back. I spoke softly. â€Å"Adrian, when did I reach this point? Trying to crack open the Alchemists and practicing magic in the desert?† Last summer, when I'd been with Rose in Russia, I couldn't even tolerate the idea of sleeping in the same room with her. I'd had too many Alchemist mantras running through my mind, warning me of vampire evils. And now, here I was, in league with vampires and questioning the Alchemists. That girl in Russia had nothing in common with the one in Palm Springs. No, I'm still the same person at heart. I had to be . . . because if I wasn't, then who was I? Adrian smiled at me sympathetically. â€Å"I think it's been a culmination of things. Your curious nature. Your need to do the right thing. It's all led you to this point. I know the Alchemists have taught you to think a certain way, but what you're doing now – it's not wrong.† I raked my hand through my hair. â€Å"And yet, despite all of that, I can't bring myself to have one tiny conversation with Ms. Terwilliger's coven.† â€Å"You have boundaries.† He gently smoothed one of my wayward locks. â€Å"Nothing wrong with that.† â€Å"Marcus would say it's the tattoo holding me back.† Adrian dropped his hand. â€Å"Marcus says a lot of things.† â€Å"I don't think Marcus is trying to deceive me. He believes in his cause, and I'm still worried about mind control . . . but honestly, it's hard to believe I'm being held back when I'm out here doing stuff like this.† I gestured outside, to where Ms. Terwilliger was. â€Å"Alchemist dogma says this magic is unnatural and wrong.† Adrian's smile returned. â€Å"If it makes you feel better, you actually looked natural out there – back in the park.† â€Å"Doing . . . what? Throwing fireballs?† I shook my head. â€Å"There's nothing natural about that.† â€Å"You wouldn't think so, but . . . well. You were . . . amazing, throwing that fire like some kind of ancient warrior goddess.† Annoyed, I turned away. â€Å"Stop making fun of me.† He caught my arm and pulled me back toward him. â€Å"I am absolutely serious.† I swallowed, speechless for a moment. All I was aware of was how close we were, that he was holding me to him with only a few inches between us. Almost as close as at the sorority. â€Å"I'm not a warrior or a goddess,† I managed at last. Adrian leaned closer. â€Å"As far as I'm concerned, you're both.† I knew that look in his eyes. I knew because I'd seen it before. I expected him to kiss me, but instead, he ran his finger along the side of my neck. â€Å"There it is, huh? Badge of honor.† It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the hickey It had faded but wasn't entirely gone. I pulled away. â€Å"It is not! It was a mistake. You were out of line doing that to me.† His eyebrows rose. â€Å"Sage, I distinctly remember every part of that night. You didn't seem that unwilling. You were practically on top of me.† â€Å"I don't really remember the details,† I lied. He moved his hand from my neck and rested a fingertip on my lips. â€Å"But I'll stick to just kissing these if it makes you feel better. No mark.† He started to lean toward me, and I jerked away. â€Å"You will not! It's wrong.† â€Å"What, kissing you, or kissing you in Pies and Stuff?† I glanced around, suddenly aware that we were creating a dinner show for the senior citizens, even if they couldn't hear us. I backed up. â€Å"Both,† I said, feeling my cheeks burn. â€Å"If you're going to attempt something inappropriate – something you said you wouldn't do anymore – then you could at least pick a better place.† He laughed softly, and the look in his eyes confused me further. â€Å"Okay† he said. â€Å"The next time I kiss you, I promise it'll be in a more romantic place.† â€Å"I – what? No! You shouldn't try at all!† I began moving toward the door, and he fell in step with me. â€Å"What happened to loving me from a distance? What happened to not, um, bringing up any of this stuff?† For someone who was allegedly just going to watch from afar, he wasn't doing a very good job. And I was doing an even worse job of being indifferent. He moved in front of the door and blocked my way. â€Å"I said I wouldn't – if you don't want me to. But you're kind of giving me mixed signals, Sage.† â€Å"I am not,† I said, amazed that I could even say that with a straight face. Even I didn't believe it. â€Å"You're presumptuous and arrogant and a whole lot of other things if you think I've changed my mind.† â€Å"You see, that's just it.† There he was again, moving into my space. â€Å"I think you like the ‘other things.'† I shook off my daze and pulled away. â€Å"I like humans.† Another Alchemist lesson came to mind. They look like us, but don't be deceived. The Moroi don't display the malice of the Strigoi, but creatures who drink blood and manipulate nature have no place in our world. Work with them only as you must. We are not the same. Keep your distance as much as possible. It's for the good of your soul. Adrian didn't look like he believed this either, but he stepped away and headed outside. I followed a few moments later, thinking I'd played with fire more than once today.

Free Essays on The Long Voyage And Breathes There The Man

Poems: Compare/Contrast The love or hatred for one’s country has been placed in works of writing throughout the ages. Two examples of this can be found in two poems titled â€Å"The Long Voyage† and â€Å"Breathes There The Man.† In â€Å"Man,† the author portrays a person who does not love his country and rather would concentrate on himself than give to the land he lives on. In â€Å"Voyage,† the author portrays the complete opposite. Here, he speaks in first-person of loving his country with relief and tranquility. â€Å"Voyage,† due to its tone, the use of the senses, and sentence structure is the better poem. â€Å"Man,† on the other hand, has poor sentence structure, fails to use the senses, and the tone of the poem leaves the reader confused and hopeless. When the reader first reads â€Å"Breathes There The Man,† he may find himself short of breath. The reason for this is the choppy sentence structure and the overuse of commas. The sentences just do not flow. Instead the reader constantly finds himself short of breathe for the extremely long sentences, with constant pauses for the over twenty-five commas used in this sixteen line poem. Not only that, but the author fails to regard the senses, which in essence is the key to all good poetry. Most writers understand that is better to show the reader instead of just telling the reading. I am told of how this person in this poem feels; I never once actually feel what this man feels. How can I enjoy a poem of a person whom I do not understand? Instead I begin to despise this imaginary man in the poem, for the negative energy he expresses. With that, the tone of â€Å"Man† is very angry and unfulfilling. The author of the poem wanted to express anger through the poem, only making the poem more difficult for the reader to read and comprehend. After I read â€Å"The Long Voyage,† a sense of relief filled my body and soul. Each sentence within the poem flowed with the ... Free Essays on The Long Voyage And Breathes There The Man Free Essays on The Long Voyage And Breathes There The Man Poems: Compare/Contrast The love or hatred for one’s country has been placed in works of writing throughout the ages. Two examples of this can be found in two poems titled â€Å"The Long Voyage† and â€Å"Breathes There The Man.† In â€Å"Man,† the author portrays a person who does not love his country and rather would concentrate on himself than give to the land he lives on. In â€Å"Voyage,† the author portrays the complete opposite. Here, he speaks in first-person of loving his country with relief and tranquility. â€Å"Voyage,† due to its tone, the use of the senses, and sentence structure is the better poem. â€Å"Man,† on the other hand, has poor sentence structure, fails to use the senses, and the tone of the poem leaves the reader confused and hopeless. When the reader first reads â€Å"Breathes There The Man,† he may find himself short of breath. The reason for this is the choppy sentence structure and the overuse of commas. The sentences just do not flow. Instead the reader constantly finds himself short of breathe for the extremely long sentences, with constant pauses for the over twenty-five commas used in this sixteen line poem. Not only that, but the author fails to regard the senses, which in essence is the key to all good poetry. Most writers understand that is better to show the reader instead of just telling the reading. I am told of how this person in this poem feels; I never once actually feel what this man feels. How can I enjoy a poem of a person whom I do not understand? Instead I begin to despise this imaginary man in the poem, for the negative energy he expresses. With that, the tone of â€Å"Man† is very angry and unfulfilling. The author of the poem wanted to express anger through the poem, only making the poem more difficult for the reader to read and comprehend. After I read â€Å"The Long Voyage,† a sense of relief filled my body and soul. Each sentence within the poem flowed with the ...