Arab American Identity over Time

Arab American Identity over Time Historical immigration of Arabs to United States The relations between the Arabs and the Americans continue to remain vivid even though the Americans first moves to contain the continually immigrating Arabs led to a rift between the two countries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Arab American Identity over Time specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The working together of the two countries dates back to the mid 18th century when the first group from the Arab countries immigrated into the United States (Peacock, Thornton Inman, 2007). The main objective of these immigrants was to run from the continued famine in their land due to the collapse of Silk Company. Therefore, they opt to move to the border of the United States to seek assistance over their deteriorating economic status. However, they never followed the set procedures of entry into America making America regard them as intruders into their land. Over time, the p eople remained unrecognized and therefore did not receive any help from the American government. Shipler (2004) notes that earlier on before the personalized attempts by the Arabs to immigrate to America, the Spanish had earlier transported some of the Arabs from their country to work as slaves in America. Therefore, by the earlier 15th century some of the Arabs had settled in the some of the American states such as California. Upon the transportation of these slaves back to their country, the other slaves who had already settled in different unknown places especially the slums of California acted as an avenue to absorb more Arabs into the region in the later centuries.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from the slaves brought to America by the Spanish explorers, the first attempt to immigrate from Arab to America was made in the mid 18th century by the Wahab Famil y as they moved to occupy the outer banks of the Northern part of California. During this time, a king from Arab in the Wahab family set to go to the land of America and establish an Islamic religion. This acted as an avenue to spread Islamic religion to all other regions that did not practice the Islamic religious beliefs (Shipler, 2004). Therefore, the king together with his family and other members of the Arab family accompanied him to an island in the North of California where he bought a colonial land and settled. Thereafter, they built the first Islamic mosque and gathered as a family to worship. Ocracoke Island called Island Inn, a hotel that still exists up to date. The group established a Wahab village of Muslims that later absorbed more immigrants o America. Visibility of the Arab immigrants after Palestine/Israel war Later on between 1828 and 1902, other immigrants moved to America in different missions. A Christian missionary, Hadj Philip Tedro, made his way into America through the Camel Driver Experiment in an attempt to establish a route from Texas to California during the Gold Rush period (Rothbart Korostelina, 2006). In his attempt to spread Christianity during this period, he establishes in California as an immigrant. Later, his family to settle there follows him. In 1840, Ahmad Bin Na’man landed on the New York City through a ship. In 1880s, large groups from Arab landed in America.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Arab American Identity over Time specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The group majorly comprised Christians from Greater Syria who flee their country in search of economic assistance. Shipler (2004) asserts that the Arabs who lived as peddlers since they lacked education and skills remained poor and confined to their own churches and other societies not to mingle with the Americans. Nevertheless, their number increased highly with records showing that by late 1930s, they had hit the 350, 000 mark in population. Regardless of the increasing number of the Arab immigrants, they remained invisible for long periods until the onset of the Palestine/Israel war. This was mainly because, first, the Americans viewed them as a source of cheap labor for their industries and therefore did not want them leaving their countries since they recorded increased output in their production. Moreover, the immigrants being unknowledgeable did not regard the mistreatments they received from the Americans as tough compared to the Ottoman regime in Arab in which the king and the empire treated its citizens ruthlessly. Therefore, they found peace in the daily duties, getting sufficient needs for each passing day. In addition, the Arab immigrants remained vigilant and diligent to the American law, always abiding with the law in all their operations. Nevertheless, late in the years they became violent breaking the moments of invisibility in them. The onset of the vi sibility of the Arab migrants dates back to the 19th century when the Palestine and Israel started scrambling over land, an incidence that led to war between the two countries. Regardless of the two countries having different religious beliefs, they did not discriminate over one another.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The war on whom to control the land at the border between the countries brought distinct differences which each maintaining possession of the same. The Jewish argued from the biblical perception that the land is their promised land according to the scriptural reading while the Palestine residents maintain that they have been the inhabitants of the land and therefore, they are the official owners of the land. This led to war between the two countries between 1948 and 1949 (Shipler, 2004). The European continent later developed a scheme to identify people as countries in the nineteenth century and therefore already established countries in Europe traced their members around the world registering them and concentrating them in their land. The proportionality of the land given depended on the population density of the area and therefore most leaders ensured they get as much population of their members as possible. Upon tracing of their members in America, the Americans came out to estab lish the number of Arab immigrants in the area. Through this, the Arab immigrants became visible in America, leading to implementation of a law to guide further immigration of Arabs into America. This affected the lives of the Arabs living in America since most of them lived in the area illegally. The records from the registration recorded an approximated number of 10, 000 Arab-American immigrants. The massive onset of immigration of the Arabs occurred between 1921 and 1939, when other countries such as Germany and Britain planned a war against the Ottoman Empire through the preparation of Husayn bin Ali to take over the empire. During this period, Palestine defended the Ottoman Empire creating a rift between Israel and Palestine. Britain and France later built a declaration to weaken the Ottoman Empire, created several provinces and promoted division of power among other kingpins of the Arab kingdom. The war made most of the Israel inhabitants to fly to America to seek refuge raisi ng the number of refugees to a notable proportion of the American population. Arab became a country of continued terrorism up to the later days of 1939 when the United Nations developed a partition plan of the land. The fighting between Palestine and Israel between 1947 and 1949 saw massive number of refugees move to America. Volkan (1997) records that an approximated number of 700, 000 refugees flee to different places out of Arab during the operation by the Zionist militia. Out of this group, approximately 75% flee to America increasing the number of immigrants in the region. Fortunately, through the action of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) the immigrants receive settlement in various areas providing them with the basic needs required. The bombing of the World Trade Centre of 1993, left Arab-American immigrants insulted and threatened. The government of America believed that the Arab community was behind the terror especially Israel and therefore targeted the I slamic immigrants. The Arabs denounced both the terror and the harsh judgment to the Americans and offered prayers to the fallen Americans in the incidence (Peacock et al., 2007). However, the American government maintained that the immigrants be transported back to their country, until the election of George Bush as the president of America, who issued a passionate plea for the Arab immigrants. Post 9/11 discrimination and further visibility of Arab immigrants The number of hate crimes towards the Muslim Americans increased in the September 11, 2001. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the number of such cases increased greatly by 1,700 per cent (Peacock et al., 2007). The inhabitants of America developed negative stereotype and attitude towards the Muslim Arab immigrants. Therefore, the Muslim Arabs continued to experience threats and discrimination from other groups in the region especially regarding racial and religious animosity. According to Peek (2011), mo st Americans regarded most Muslims as terrorists, therefore, rarely involved them in their operations. Since then the lives of the Arab immigrants continued to deteriorate with the American government threatening to depot them to their country. The Americans further believed that the monolithic group act, think, and behave in the same manner leading to the keeping of distance from any Muslim regardless of their proof to be harmless. The cultural visibility of the Muslims led to further discrimination from the Americans since none of the people wanted to associate with them. The aftermath of September 2011 left heightened the rate of discrimination of Arab Muslims even though such discriminations were evident in the early years (Peek, 2011). Furthermore, the aftermath proved a growing number of the Arabs in American recording 1.6million in the year that ended 2010. Different people express different point of argument concerning the growing number of Arab immigrants relating it to the frequent incidences in America. Muslims come out in large numbers to defend themselves against the claims of terrorism indicating the rising number of the immigrants (Volkan, 1997). This raised concerns from the Native Americans who clash with the Muslims, accusing the government of inability to control the rising incidences of terrorism by the Arab-Americans. References Peacock, J. L., Thornton, P. M., Inman, P. B. (2007). Identity matters: Ethnic and sectarian conflict. New York: Berghahn Books. Peek, L. A. (2011). Behind the backlash: Muslim Americans after 9/11. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Rothbart, D., Korostelina, K. V. (2006). Identity, morality, and threat: Studies in violent conflict. Lanham: Lexington Books. Shipler, D. K. (2004). The working poor: Invisible in America. New York: Knopf. Volkan, V. D. (1997). Bloodlines: From ethnic pride to ethnic terrorism. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

University of New Mexico (UNM) Admissions Data

University of New Mexico (UNM) Admissions Data The University of New Mexico has an acceptance rate of 58 percent. Those with good grades and test scores are likely to get into the school. To apply, interested students will need to visit the schools website for the application form and complete admissions guidelines/instructions. Required materials to apply include official high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores. Be sure to contact the admissions office if you have any questions. Will you get in? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) University of New Mexico Acceptance Rate: 58 percentTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 470 / 600SAT Math: 480 / 600What these SAT numbers meanSAT comparison for New Mexico collegesMountain West SAT comparisonACT Composite: 19 / 25ACT English: 18Â  / 25ACT Math: 18Â  / 25What these ACT numbers meanACT comparison for New Mexico collegesMountain West ACT comparison University of New Mexico Description The University of New Mexicos 600-acre campus sits in the heart of Albuquerque. Its distinctive buildings are designed with Pueblo-style architecture, and the park-like campus features a duck pond and an impressive arboretum. In academics, Business is the most popular major, but the University of New Mexicos strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned the school a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Academics are supported by a good 19 to 1 student / faculty ratio. In athletics, the UNM Lobos compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 26,999Â  (21,023 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44Â  percent male / 56 percent female76 percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $7,340 (in-state); $21,929 (out-of-state)Books: $1,080 (why so much?)Room and Board: $9,472Other Expenses: $3,858Total Cost: $21,750 (in-state); $36,339 (out-of-state) University of New Mexico Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of Students Receiving Aid: 96 percentPercentage of Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 95Â  percentLoans: 38 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $6,157Loans: $4,626 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Biology, Business Administration, Elementary Education, General Studies, Nursing, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 80 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 16Â  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 44Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Football, Skiing, Tennis, Track and Field, Golf, Basketball, BaseballWomens Sports: Skiing, Swimming, Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball If You Like University of New Mexico, You May Also Like These Schools New Mexico State University: ProfileNorthern Arizona University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphFort Lewis College: ProfileTexas Tech University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphStanford University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Oregon: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Utah: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphColorado State University - Fort Collins: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Arizona: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Colorado Boulder: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Texas - Austin: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Ionic and covalent Bonding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ionic and covalent Bonding - Essay Example The element that loses electrons forms cations while the element that gains electrons forms anions and the opposite charges form the ions to constitute the bonding (Saha 2010, p. 4). Covalent bonding however defines attractive forces between atoms through sharing of electrons. Each atom in the bond is unstable but is requires high energy to either gain or lose electrons and therefore shares electrons with a nearby atom. Covalent bonding may occur between atoms of the same element or atoms of different elements. The shared electrons forms part of the energy levels of both of the atoms and the attraction to each of the atom’s nuclei forms the bonding (Khanna, Verma and Kapila n.d., p. 230). Ionic bonding works through attraction between the formed ions. The bond between sodium and chlorine to form sodium chloride illustrates this. Sodium atoms lose electrons from their outer most energy levels and therefore form ions with positive charges, sodium ions. Chlorine atoms gain the lost electrons into their outer most energy levels to form chloride ions with negative charges. The sodium and chloride ions then attract each other to form sodium chloride compound under ionic bond. The bond between chlorine atoms in a chlorine molecule however illustrates covalent bonding. Since the two atoms have high and equal affinity for an electron, they donate an electron each, that they share in the outer most energy level to attain stability (Saha 2010, p. 4; Khanna, Verma and Kapila n.d., p. 230). The main similarity between covalent and ionic bonding is the resultant bond that is created between atoms. Both ionic and covalent bonds also identify transfer of electrons across atoms towards formation of bonds (Vandermeer 2011, p. 157). Despite the similarities between the two types of bonds, they have many differences. The first difference is in the transfer of electrons in the

Time and Travel in The Dispossessed and Kindred Term Paper

Time and Travel in The Dispossessed and Kindred - Term Paper Example Butler would agree with Asimov; when asked to label her novel, she has called it â€Å"a grim fantasy.† How time travel occurs in Kindred is never explained; the novel’s protagonist Dana simply feels dizzy from time to time and travels back in time, to pre-Civil War America. It is a mystery to her and to her husband, but they try to deal with the situation they have found themselves in, anyway. The only way she is able to return back to her own time is to feel threatened and in danger of dying. She even tries slitting her wrists in order to return to her own time. Each time she travels back in time, her stay on the plantation becomes longer—at first only a few minutes, and then several days and months. She disappears from the present as she travels, but at first for a few seconds and then for several hours. It seems as if Dana time travels to the past every time Rufus is in some kind of mortal danger. The first time she travels, he is drowning; the second time, s he saves him from dying in a fire. She discovers that the reason he â€Å"calls† her to the plantation is that he is her ancestor and it is her duty to save him so that she is preserved in the future. At the end of the book, however, she ends up killing him and experiences horrible consequences as a result—the mangling of her arm when she returns to the present. Perhaps the real reason she has to time travel is because it is Rufus’ destiny to die, and there is nothing she can do to prevent it. Although Butler was already established as a successful science fiction writer, one of the few African Americans in a white male-dominated field, the time travel in Kindred, is incidental. It is simply something she uses to illustrate her thesis about the horrors of slavery. When the novel is shelved in libraries or bookstores, even though Butler is well known as a writer of science fiction, it tends to be placed with African American literature because that creates the sa me feelings as the works of other female African American writers. Like all science fiction, though, Kindred is speculative: What would happen if a modern person got the opportunity to experience slavery first-hand? Time travel is used as a literary device to pursue her thesis, and to investigate how a sympathetic modern character would react in the setting of slavery. An example is Dana’s reaction to seeing a slave being whipped: I shut my eyes and tensed my muscles against an urge to vomit. I had seen people beaten on television and in the movies. I had seen the too-red blood substitute streaked across their backs and heard their well-rehearsed screams. But I hadn’t laid nearby and smelled their sweat or heard them pleading and praying, shamed before their families and themselves (Butler 36). Even though it definitely science fiction/fantasy, Kindred has the feel and structure of a slave narrative. Dana, and Butler’s audience along with her, travels to the pas t so that they can experience it and understand the impact of history, and more specifically, of slavery. Dana travels from freedom to enslavement, like her ancestors did when they were taken from Africa and enslaved in America, never to return. She goes through the same horror as her slave ancestors, and the time travel she experiences is just as confusing as the voyage they experienced. Dana attempts to explain this to her white husband, after reacting to him with fear after she returns: â€Å"

Ansoffs Matrix Explanation Essay Example for Free

Ansoffs Matrix Explanation Essay Using the same product in the same market, however altering the looks or the style of the product to make is look new to encourage higher sales. E.g. Coca-Cola using different styles of coke and using different advertising campaigns to sell the same coke product. Product development When a new product is used in the same market. For example if coke sold juice, it would still be in the same drinks market however it would be a different product. New market Market development Selling the same product to a new market. It has a higher risk because it is a different set of customers. An example of this is Tesco’s expansion into petrol sales. Diversification A new product to be sold in a completely new market. This has a higher risk because it is a completely new idea and may not catch-up quickly which may lead to the company making a loss. A good example of the unrelated diversification is Richard Branson. He took advantage of the virgin brand and diversified into various fields such as entertainment, air and rail travel foods etc. Ansoff’s Matrix Main Definition: â€Å"The Ansoff Matrix is a strategic planning tool that provides a framework to help executives, senior managers and marketers devise strategies for future growth. It was created by Russian American, applied mathematician and business manager, Igor Ansoff† The Ansoff Growth matrix is a marketing planning tool that helps a business determine its product and market growth strategy

Does Business have Social Obligations? Essay -- Business Management St

Does Business have Social Obligations? In today's society people are being laid off or losing jobs everyday. Many times it is because a company is going out of business, or may not need as many employees. The company often times cannot afford to pay extra workers. During these circumstances, a question of responsibility and obligations begin to rise. Should businesses in today's free market economy have an obligation to be socially responsible for these actions which the businesses or company carries out? Businesses operating in a free market economy have limited obligation to be socially responsible. People who lose their jobs because a company is going out of business do not have a choice in the matter. They have not done anything wrong , but happen to be in the wrong place...

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 4

â€Å"Can I call you?† The Sorta-Seth-Lookalike lay naked in bed, still worn out even though he'd come hours ago. I stood near the door, fully dressed, slipping on my shoes. It turned out he was actually here on business from Seattle, and he'd been ecstatic to learn we lived in the same city. â€Å"Mmm.† I pursed my lips as though I were giving this a lot of thought. â€Å"I don't think that's such a good idea.† â€Å"Really?† His brief, happy look faded. He'd turned out to be as vulnerable and shy as I thought. I was only the second woman he'd ever slept with. â€Å"But I felt like†¦well, I felt like we really connected.† I fixed him with a cold look. That smothering rage from last night no longer consumed me, but I was still angry at the world and needed to lash out at anyone I could. â€Å"Our bodies connected. That's about it. The truth is, I already have a boyfriend.† His eyes widened. I realized then I should have mentioned having a boyfriend before we had sex. It would have doubled his guilt and given me a stronger fix. Still, the agony he now felt over sleeping with someone else's girlfriend was undoubtedly blackening his soul even as we spoke. â€Å"R-really?† â€Å"Yup. Sorry. This was just a way to pass the time. And honestly, baby? You want some feedback? You've still got a lot to learn. It really wasn't that great.† I left before I could see the full effect of my words. It would hurt, I had no doubt about that. Devastating him didn't really make me feel better, but it had frozen me up enough so that I didn't have to process any real emotions. I was numb, which was about the best I could hope for. Kristin was waiting for me at a coffee shop down the street so that she could drive me over to the cult leader's house. Her mousy brown hair was pulled up into a neat French twist, and her crisp suit reminded me of something Grace or Mei might wear, save that this was navy as opposed to their usual black or-on daring days-red. She drank what looked like a cappuccino and picked over the remains of a bagel, her eyes lost in thought as she no doubt pondered the coming day's wheeling and dealing. I bought a white chocolate mocha and slid into the chair opposite her. â€Å"Good morning,† I said. She looked me over, noting the glamour. â€Å"And a good night?† I shrugged. â€Å"Okay night.† â€Å"You ready to meet the Army of Darkness?† â€Å"Sure. I-wait. What did you say?† â€Å"The Army of Darkness. That's what the cult calls itself.† â€Å"They know that's a movie, right?† She shook her head. â€Å"Honestly, it's hard to say. They may have named themselves after the movie, for all I know.† â€Å"This is so absurd as to be unreal,† I told her. â€Å"It all sounds like a joke.† â€Å"If only,† she muttered. â€Å"Believe me, I'll be glad when you get rid of them. Aside from the fact that Cedric makes me talk to them, I have to file a ream of paperwork each time they do something stupid. It's really stressing him out. I keep trying to get him to do relaxation exercises, but he won't.† Her tone sounded genuinely concerned, almost as though she worked for Cedric out of true loyalty, rather than the forced servitude the rest of us bowed to. â€Å"Well, I'll see what I can do. Don't you guys have a succubus up here? Why isn't she working this group over?† â€Å"She's busy seducing the premier. Cedric didn't want her distracted.† â€Å"Whoa,† I said. It had been centuries since I'd had the initiative to go after a major politician. â€Å"I feel like a slacker.† Kristin cut me a look. â€Å"Mostly I hear that you're a troublemaker.† â€Å"I like to think I'm just misunderstood.† She snorted. â€Å"We're all misunderstood. You have no idea how many times people try to use that as a reason to break their contracts.† Between mourning Seth and being the target of Jerome's annoyance lately, I'd had little time to think about much else. Kristin's words suddenly triggered a memory, one I'd tried to keep buried for some time now. â€Å"How many times do people try to break their contracts over an error?† When Niphon had been here last winter, he'd gone to great pains to complicate my life and get me recalled to Hell. Since he'd been the one to trick me into selling my soul so long ago, I had plenty of reason to hate him. But why he'd hate me and want to ruin me? That had been-and still was-a mystery. Hugh had speculated that when an imp went to that much trouble to mess with their acquisition, there was usually a reason-specifically, a potential problem with the original contract. My casual air didn't fool Kristin. â€Å"You think there might be an error in yours?† I kept my nonchalance. â€Å"Hugh-my imp-thought there could be. But he wouldn't look it up.† His refusal to help me still stung. â€Å"He's smart. Looking into others' contracts can get us in big trouble. The vaults of Hell are not a place you want to get caught snooping around in. It would take a lot to get an imp to risk that.† I had no proof, but something told me that Kristin was older and higher-ranking than Hugh and that she might have more access than he did. I smiled sweetly. â€Å"What would it take for you to risk that?† â€Å"Nothing you can offer.† She flashed me a wry grin and slipped on sleek Oakley sunglasses. â€Å"Come on. Let's get this over with.† We ended up at a house out in suburban Vancouver. It was a lower middle-class area, not particularly polished but not the kind of place you had to worry about getting mugged either. Kristin parked on the street and led me up the house's driveway, her heels clicking on the concrete. Along the sides of the yard, someone had recently planted marigolds and geraniums. She rang the doorbell, and a moment later, a man in his mid-twenties answered the door. He had messy black hair, like maybe he'd just woken up, and possessed the friendly, low-key feel of someone who worked at Home Depot or Circuit City. â€Å"Hey, Kristin,† he said, voice cheerful and blas? ¦. â€Å"Come on in.† She stepped just inside the doorway, and I followed, offering the guy a friendly smile of my own. â€Å"I can't stay,† she told him crisply. â€Å"I'm just dropping her off. Evan, this is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kristin glanced at me, apparently waiting to see if I wanted to use my own name. I usually used different identities and shapes when seducing victims, but it didn't seem worth it for this. â€Å"Georgina,† I supplied. â€Å"Georgina,† said Kristin. â€Å"This is Evan.† He and I shook hands. â€Å"Georgina's one of the founders of a sister chapter in Seattle. She's here to see how things are done and possibly form some connections between the groups.† She tipped her head down, looking at him over the tops of her sunglasses. â€Å"I want you to show her every courtesy and involve her in your activities. It's very important.† He nodded, still looking mild and pleasant-but a little nervous at the strictness in her voice. â€Å"Absolutely.† Cedric had said Evan knew Kristin was a power player on Team Evil, and he clearly seemed to respect her. She supposedly didn't have the people skills to â€Å"deal with† this group, but from the way Evan regarded her, it didn't seem like it'd take much to get his attention. To me, Kristin said, â€Å"Call a cab when you're done. We'll expense it.† With that, she headed back out to her car, leaving me with the alleged general of the Army of Darkness. â€Å"You want anything to drink?† he asked, stifling a yawn. â€Å"I've got some RC in the fridge.† â€Å"No, thanks. I'm just anxious to learn how you do things up here.† He grinned. â€Å"Sure. I should probably show you the temple first.† I glanced around, taking in the flowered sofa and grandfather clock. â€Å"Temple?† â€Å"Yeah, it's in the basement. You sure you don't want something to drink?† There was nothing I wanted to drink that was under 80 proof, so I declined once again. He led me down some rickety steps, pulling a chain at the bottom that turned on a bare lightbulb. We stood in an unfinished basement with rough cement floors and brick walls. Fold-up chairs were arranged in a semicircle around a low bookcase about as high as my waist. On top of the case was a propped up painting with an angel's black silhouette set against a gray and purple nebula. It looked like it had come straight off a sci-fi novel's cover. Half-burned red and black candles were scattered around the painting, along with an inverted cross. Off to the side of the room, more candles sat on top of a washer and dryer. Evan walked over to a light switch and turned it on. White Christmas lights twinkled to life on the brick walls. â€Å"Wow,† I said. My astonishment was not faked. â€Å"We aren't finished setting up here,† he said modestly. â€Å"We have to change our location a lot to avoid discovery. You know how it is. So, there's still some stuff we need to unpack.† He pointed over to a cardboard box in the corner. I couldn't see all of its contents, but I did make out a black feather boa and a glow-in-the-dark plastic skull. On the side of the box, black marker succinctly declared: TEMPLE STUFF . I counted the chairs. Fifteen. â€Å"How many members do you have?† I asked. â€Å"About a dozen. A little less than that that are truly active.† He sat down in one of the chairs and gestured for me to do the same. â€Å"And how long have you been meeting?† â€Å"Oh, about a year now.† I smiled, turning on the charm in an effort to not sound like an investigative reporter. â€Å"I've heard about some of the things you've done. Pretty impressive. Like the Bibles and the, um, spray paint.† He beamed at the praise. â€Å"You heard about that? Cool. We do as the Angel of Darkness directs us.† â€Å"What other things have you been directed to do?† â€Å"Well, there was the one time this Methodist church was having an ice cream social. We broke in beforehand and left all their ice cream outside the freezer to melt.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† â€Å"Then, this other time, we went to the petting zoo and hung pentagram collars on all the goats. We also painted their horns red and black. Let me tell you, that wasn't easy. They don't like to stand still.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† â€Å"Oh, and then we made all the TVs show Rosemary's Baby .† â€Å"Uh-TVs?† â€Å"Yeah, I work at Circuit City, and we have these big walls of TVs, so I synced them all up. My boss never suspected who did it.† On and on the litany went. About ten minutes later, I interrupted, unable to listen to any more. â€Å"Look, Evan, this is really amazing stuff you've been doing. I mean, this is stuff my people in Seattle would never, ever dream of doing in a million years.† â€Å"Really?† he asked happily. â€Å"Really,† I said flatly. â€Å"But, although it makes a big statement, wouldn't it be more in line with the, uh, Angel's purposes to work on securing souls for him?† â€Å"Her,† corrected Evan. â€Å"Her. Right.† Lucifer, Satan, the Devil, whatever. There were lots of names for what humans regarded as the supreme entity of evil, and I'd heard tons over the years. Considering the popular idea of Lucifer being a fallen angel, this â€Å"Angel of Darkness† thing didn't surprise me, but the female part did. â€Å"Sorry,† I told him. â€Å"We know the Angel as male.† â€Å"It's okay,† he replied. â€Å"The Angel is all things to all people.† â€Å"Right. So, anyway, I mean, the ultimate goal is to convert as many people to her as possible, right? To lead them down the left-hand path. It doesn't seem like melting ice cream would do that-not that that isn't cool,† I added hastily. â€Å"I'm just wondering if you should be more focused on leading people into temptation instead.† Evan didn't seem bothered by my criticism in the least. â€Å"Maybe that's what your group is directed to do. But this is what ours is supposed to do. We all serve different purposes in the greater plan.† I was sure I had an idiotic look on my face, so I tried to shift back to the alluring, seductive mode that had landed me this job in the first place. Surely it couldn't be that difficult to sway him, particularly considering how fresh my succubus glamour was. Reaching out, I took his hand and delicately stroked it with my fingers. â€Å"You're doing amazing things,† I reiterated, moving closer. â€Å"Really amazing. But maybe it's time to move on to the next level, to truly bring darkness to the world.† His eyes studied my hand for a moment, then looked back up. His breath caught as the full effect of my glow enchanted him. He swallowed nervously. â€Å"Perhaps. But not now. This is our purpose for the time being.† â€Å"Only because you haven't tried something else. Maybe that's why I'm here, why the Angel sent me: to expand your influence.† I leaned my face close to his, lips only inches away from the side of his face. â€Å"I can teach you things. All sorts of things.† Zealous or no, I was definitely affecting him. He took another deep breath, trying to steady himself. â€Å"We're already doing what the Angel wants.† I ran my lips across his check, letting my tongue flick out. â€Å"Are you sure? Let me show you how we honor the Angel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shot up abruptly and put his back to me. After several deep breaths-honestly, he was in danger of hyperventilating-he turned around to look at me. Warring desires danced in his eyes. He still had that crazy yes-man zealot look, but he also looked like he was already envisioning me naked. It was intriguing that his devotion to a largely fictitious entity could stand up to my charms, but religious fanatics had a history of being tenacious. â€Å"You're very†¦sweet,† he said at last. â€Å"Very. But I can't-we can't. I mean, this is what we do. What the Army does. We can't change that, not without talking to the others.† Progress. I kept the smile turned on, wondering if I should keep pushing on him now or try to enthrall the whole group. I opted for the latter, largely because I could think of few things more unarousing than having sex on the black Ozzy Osbourne plush rug on the floor. Especially if Evan decided to turn on any black lights. â€Å"Of course,† I purred. â€Å"When can I meet them?† He raked a hand through his hair, still a little hot and bothered. â€Å"Well†¦you should come to our next meeting. It's Saturday at ten a.m. Over at the big Tim Hortons on Broadway.† â€Å"Okay, I'll be-† I blinked, my sultry fa;ade faltering. â€Å"Did you say Tim Hortons?† He recovered himself and returned to his upbeat nature. â€Å"Oh, yeah. You guys don't have them, do you? They're these donut shops and-â€Å" â€Å"No, I know what they are. I'm just surprised, that's all.† Aside from seeming like a mundane place for a Satanists' meeting, Canadians going to Tim Hortons was like the biggest stereotype ever. â€Å"Are you kidding? Their coffee's the best.† I left after that, my head reeling. These weren't Satanists. These were frat boys doing hazing pranks. They probably smashed beer cans on their foreheads at their dark ceremonies. Kristin wasn't at her desk when I returned to Cedric's office across town. Presumably she was off doing imp things. Or maybe she was at lunch. His door was closed, making me think he must be busy, but honestly, I didn't have time to pay much attention to that. Something else immediately caught my attention. There was a demoness in his waiting room. A full-fledged archdemoness, actually. I recognized her, even though we'd never formally met. Nanette, Portland's archdemoness. â€Å"Hi,† I said, too stunned for much more than that. I might backtalk Jerome, but other demons were an entirely different matter. She glanced up from her magazine like she'd just noticed me, though I knew she'd sensed me long before this. â€Å"Hello. Georgina, right?† I nodded, wondering if I should shake her hand or something. She didn't seem like she was keen to get up, so I simply sat in another chair. Why was Portland's archdemoness waiting to see Cedric? And why was she waiting, period? That wasn't in demonic nature at all. They were too impatient. Nanette wore a short, peach-colored shift dress that showed off long, shapely legs. Her blond hair fell just over her shoulders, smooth and sleek from a flat iron-or, well, from demonic magic. She was beautiful, but it was edged in the cold fierceness demons so often had, like the way a cobra or a katana is beautiful. I wasn't afraid to talk to people. Striking up conversation was part of what I did. But I wasn't entirely sure what to say to her. Demons were prickly about how they interacted with lesser immortals. Some were quite snobby about it. I didn't know too much about Nanette or how she might react. I knew she was less powerful than Jerome and that the two didn't have much contact. I'd never heard of her being particularly bitchy or trigger-happy, so I took that as a good sign. My concerns about what to say were put to rest when she spoke first. â€Å"Boy,† she said. â€Å"I wouldn't want to be you for the world.† â€Å"I-I beg your pardon?† â€Å"This.† She gestured toward Cedric's closed door with a French manicured hand. â€Å"All of this. I presume you've been out to see his little Army of the Night?† â€Å"Darkness,† I corrected. â€Å"Army of Darkness.† â€Å"Whatever. Those nuisances. Jerome sent you here to ‘help' because Cedric wanted an infiltrator?† â€Å"Something like that.† I wondered how this news had spread so fast. Nanette shook her head in mock sympathy. â€Å"You're going to be the one to take the fall if something goes wrong. If things go bad between Jerome and Cedric or if that cult won't play ball†¦well, like I said, I wouldn't want to be you. You're being played from every angle and don't even realize it.† â€Å"What's there to play? I just got here. And I don't see how things can go wrong,† I said slowly. â€Å"I mean, this group just does stupid stunts.† I recalled how even a little seduction had affected Evan. If I'd started stripping on the Ozzy rug, I was certain he wouldn't have been able to hold back. â€Å"They're no real threat to Cedric, and I don't think they're going to be that hard to rein in. And as for him and Jerome†¦I mean, they patched up their differences already, right?† â€Å"Come now. You're what, a millennium old? Millennium and a half? So young.† She smiled. â€Å"Georgina, demons never settle their differences. Even you should know that. Do you really think things are stable around here? With the way Cedric's let this cult run wild? And after the way Jerome's barely been able to keep control in Seattle?† I thought about Jerome booting me to Canada in less than twenty-four hours. â€Å"Jerome seems like he's got control to me.† She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, blue eyes gleaming. â€Å"Jerome has had three nephilim in his territory in the last six months. Three. Do you know how unheard of that is? I'm guessing you'd never even run into a nephilim your entire life before this. Not in all those years.† â€Å"No,† I admitted. Nephilim were the children of humans and angels-well, angels who had fallen and were now demons, seeing as having kids was a breach of Heaven's employment agreement. Considered abominations by both good and evil alike, nephilim were the scourge of the immortal world. They had a lot of power and were pissed off at the way greater immortals treated them. They were unruly, destructive, and given to killing sprees. Jerome had actually fathered two nephilim, twins who were among the three Nanette was referring to. One of them, Roman, had been my boyfriend for a bit while he secretly wiped out immortals on the side. I'd been instrumental in his undoing-something I was certain he was still pissed off about, particularly since it had resulted in the death of his sister. We hadn't seen Roman since then. Shortly thereafter, a nephilim named Vincent had come to Seattle, following an angel he loved. Vincent was actually a very sweet nephilim, though I wasn't sure how kind he was feeling these days since Heaven had kicked out his girlfriend when she killed another angel to save him. Vincent too had disappeared. â€Å"Three nephilim,† repeated Nanette. â€Å"And two got away. Sloppy, very sloppy.† â€Å"It wasn't Jerome's fault,† I said loyally, a bit unsure how you'd even assign blame in that situation. It had never occurred to me that our unexpected visitors could be seen as a sign of Jerome's weakness or his inadequacy as archdemon. â€Å"The angels could have done something. It's their territory too.† â€Å"Not in the eyes of our superiors,† she said slyly. I frowned, losing a bit of my timidity. â€Å"With all due respect, what are you doing here?† Her smile grew. â€Å"What do you think? I have two demons in my backyard who are in an arms race. Both are getting attention from demons outside the Northwest.† I didn't like the sound of that and recalled Cedric affirming as much. â€Å"You think I want to be involved in that? You think I want to be played the way everyone's playing you? My territory's small, and I'm weaker than both Jerome and Cedric. I don't want them to decide to annex Portland while they play their cosmic game of Risk. I want them to leave me alone.† Her voice was hard, but I heard a bit of worry in there too, and I realized what was going on. â€Å"You're here to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I considered â€Å"suck up† or â€Å"beg† but thought better of it. â€Å"†¦negotiate with Cedric. For protection. To keep you out of it.† Nanette looked away, unwilling to acknowledge this in front of a succubus. Just then, the door opened and Cedric stepped out. He glanced around. â€Å"Kristin's still gone? I wish she'd hurry up and bring back those donuts.† â€Å"Tim Hortons?† I guessed. He gave me an incredulous look. â€Å"Of course.† He turned to Nanette. She'd stood up, and he kissed her hand in a polite, antiquated way. â€Å"Sorry. Phone call with Tech Support. You know how that is.† To me he said, â€Å"We'll talk later.† I took it as a bad sign that he said â€Å"later† and not â€Å"soon.† Settling into my chair, I braced myself for patience. Ten magazines later, Cedric opened the door again. Nanette was nowhere in sight, so I presumed she must have teleported back to Portland. I took my same chair in Cedric's office, noting that his screen showed Match. com rather than Wikipedia today. When he saw what I was looking at, he hastily minimized his Web browser. â€Å"So, what have you found out?† I gave him a report of my morning with Evan. â€Å"They're ridiculous,† I declared as my final assessment. â€Å"I already knew that,† he said. â€Å"You think you can put an end to this? Soon?† The impatient sound in his voice made me wonder if he'd expected me to cinch things up already. I thought about it. â€Å"Yeah, pretty sure I can as soon as I meet the others. This guy looked like he might crack on his own. But I won't see them until Saturday.† Cedric tipped back in his chair, face thoughtful. â€Å"All right. They probably won't do anything before then anyway. Go to their meeting and work over the rest of them. In the meantime, you might as well head back home.† I straightened up in my chair. â€Å"Really?† He shrugged. â€Å"No point in you sticking around unless you want to sightsee. Just come back Saturday.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. â€Å"Jerome sent me here because he was mad and didn't want to deal with me. If I go back and he doesn't want me there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cedric snapped his chair forward and sat up. â€Å"He can take it up with me. I'll tell him I didn't want you here either.† There was something mischievous in his eyes, like he almost hoped Jerome might pick a fight. Uneasily, I remembered Nanette's words. You're being played from every angle and don't even realize it. â€Å"Okay,† I said finally. â€Å"Thanks.† Cedric glanced toward the door, his expression lightening. â€Å"Ah, Kristin's back.† A few moments later, I sensed the imp's signature as well. I stood up, and he gestured me to the door with a smile. â€Å"Have a good drive. And grab a donut on your way out.†

Bliss †Katherine Mansfield Essay

Bertha Young felt the bliss in her soul, family, and everything that surrounded her. There were sunny days, happy faces, smiles everywhere and it was this purity that let the bliss flow around her, fulfilling her house and her anima day and night. Bertha’s mirror reflected only the image of innocence and blind happiness! Thirty years facing this world, Bertha and reality were two strangers who lived together never realizing it. Sometimes the innocence or purity may only correspond to one aspect of a character’s personality or background, but not in Bertha’s case. She is oblivious to the mysterious reaction of her new â€Å"best† friend, to the reasons why her husband, Harry, did not like her friend, and also to this sudden realization of the bliss in her family! â€Å"Oh Nanny, do let me finish giving her supper while you put the bath things away.† â€Å"Well, M’m, she oughtn’t to be changed hands while she’s eating.-said Nanny† (Mansfield 201). The character is so incredibly happy without knowing why, not asking questions about the nanny’s possessive nature with her child, or why her life seems so simple. It is in the way she looks at the fruit on the table, matching the carpet so well that her heart is filled with absurd joy. â€Å"I’m too happy – too happy!† (Mansfield 203). It is almost sad the way the woman never questioned her fate, just accepted it and rushed headlong into the worst possible scenario of her life- namely her husband in the arms of another woman. Her entire house of cards falls. The woman, mostly alone with her thoughts and deeds eventually comes to the realization that every preconceived notion she had about her life is in direct conflict with the truth and everything she held dear is worthless. This foundation on which she had built her life is now shattered, irretrievable, and it will force the woman to ask why she had never wondered about her life. â€Å"Harry and she were as much in love as ever, and they got on together splendidly and were really good pals† (Mansfield 203). It is obvious that her innocence prevented her from realizing her husband’s true feelings! He committed adultery in a very cruel way, pretending to dislike her new â€Å"best† friend! He knew how naà ¯ve his wife was, and he took advantage of it, fooling her the way he did! Loyalty is such an important virtue among relationships, no matter what kind they are! If there is no honesty, loyalty, trust, and faith then there is no reason for the relationship to keep going! Most of the time, it is quite possible for a woman to be able to tell when her husband is not fully satisfied, or when he is seeing someone else, but poor naà ¯ve Bertha never worried about; it did not even cross her mind! This innocence and lack of experience, later corrupted and manipulated by the evil hands of adultery, shaped her life the way it did, hitting her harder than she would have ever imagined, giving her the experience she lacked! Bliss is not a story about sadness; although that is the first reaction- it is the story about achieving adulthood and independent thought. For this woman will never again go around blindly, accepting the social norms of what has been dictated to her from birth. The point of the story is the imagined next day of this woman, who has been so shaken to her core, and how she will survive the knowledge of hypocrisy in the world. So this poor woman is actually a hero- she has gone through her adolescence a bit later than one would hope of a modern day woman, but nonetheless, she has achieved her own independence. So in reality, it is a story of triumph.

Silver Ornaments - Holiday Chemistry Project

Silver Ornaments - Holiday Chemistry Project Use a chemical reaction to create a genuine silver  holiday ornament. The oxidation-reduction reaction silvers the inside of a glass ball, essentially forming a mirror inside the glass. Silver Ornament Materials distilled water5 ml acetone2.5 ml 0.5 M silver nitrate solution (AgNO3)2.5 ml 1.5 M ammonium nitrate solution (NH4NO3)5 ml 5% dextrose solution (C6H12O6)5 ml 10% sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH)clear glass ornament (2-5/8) Silver the Ornament Gently and carefully remove the metal ornament holder and set it aside. You should be left with a hollow glass ball with a short neck.Use a pipette to pour acetone into the ball. Swirl the acetone around and then pour it into a waste container. Allow the ornament to dry. The acetone step may be omitted, but it helps to clean the inside of the ornament to produce a better silver finish.Use a graduated cylinder to measure 2.5 ml of silver nitrate solution. Pour the silver nitrate solution into a small beaker. Rinse the graduated cylinder with water, discarding the rinse water.Use the graduated cylinder to measure 2.5 ml of ammonium nitrate solution. Add the ammonium nitrate solution to the silver nitrate solution. Swirl the beaker or use a glass stirring rod to mix the chemicals. Rinse the graduated cylinder with water and discard the rinse water.Use the graduated cylinder to measure 5 ml of dextrose solution. Pour the dextrose solution into the dry glass ornament. Rinse the graduated cylinder with water and discard the rinse water. Use the graduated cylinder to measure 5 ml of sodium hydroxide solution. Pour the silver nitrate and ammonium nitrate solution into the glass ball, followed immediately by the sodium hydroxide solution.Cover the opening of the glass ball with a piece of parafilm and swirl the solution, making certain the entire interior surface of the glass ball is covered. You will see a silver mirror coating from inside the ball.When the ball is evenly coated, remove the parafilm and pour the solution into the waste container. Important: Rinse the inside of the glass ornament with distilled water. Failure to rinse the ornament could result in the formation of a shock sensitive compound.Use a pipette to add about 2 ml of acetone to the inside of the ornament. Swirl the acetone around inside the ornament and then discard it in the waste container. Allow the ornament to air dry. Replace the ornament hanger and enjoy your silver holiday ornament!The waste material should be immediately rinsed away with water to prevent the formation of an unstable (potentially explosive) compound,

A Definition and Introduction to the Keiretsu System

A Definition and Introduction to the Keiretsu System In Japanese, the word keiretsu can be  translated to mean group or system, but its relevance in economics far surpasses this seemingly simple translation. It has also been literally translated to mean headless combine, which highlights the keiretsu systems history and relationship to previous Japanese systems like that of the zaibatsu. In Japan and now throughout the field of economics, the word  keiretsu refers to a specific type of business partnership, alliance, or extended enterprise. In other words, a keiretsu is an informal business group. A keiretsu has generally been defined in practice as a  conglomeration of businesses associated with cross-shareholdings which are  formed around their own trading companies or large banks. But  equity ownership is not a prerequisite for keiretsu formation. In fact, a keiretsu can also be a business network of comprised of manufacturers, supply chain partners, distributors, and even financiers, who are all financially independent but who work very closely together to support and ensure mutual success. Two Types of Keiretsu There are essentially two types of keiretsus, which have been  described in English as horizontal and vertical keiretsus. A horizontal keiretsu, also known as a financial keiretsu, is characterized by the cross-shareholding relationships formed between firms which are centered around a major bank. The bank will provide these companies with a variety of financial services. A vertical keiretsu, on the other hand, is known as a jump-style keiretsu or an industrial keiretsu. Vertical keiretsus tie together in partnership the suppliers, manufacturers, and distributor of an industry. Why Form a Keiretsu? A keiretsu may provide  a manufacturer the ability to form stable, long-term business partnerships which ultimately permit the manufacturer to remain lean and efficient while focusing mainly on its core business. The formation of this type of partnership is a practice that permits a large keiretsu the capability to control a majority, if not all, steps in the economic chain in their industry or business sector. Another aim of keiretsu systems is the formation of powerful corporate structure across related businesses. When member firms of a keiretsu are associated through cross-shareholdings, which is to say that they own small portions of equity in each others businesses, they remain somewhat insulated from market fluctuations, volatility, and even business takeover attempts. With the stability provided by the keiretsu system, firms can focus on efficiency, innovation, and long-term projects. History of Keiretsu System in Japan In Japan, the keiretsu system specifically refers to the framework of business relationships that arose in post-World War II Japan after the fall of the family-owned vertical monopolies that controlled much of the economy known as zaibatsu. The keiretsu system joined Japans big banks and big firms when related companies organized around a big bank (like Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Sumitomo) and took ownership of equity in one another and in the bank. As a result, those related companies did consistent business with one another. While the keiretsu system has had the virtue of maintaining long-term business relationships and stability in suppliers and customers in Japan, there are still critics. For instance, some argue that the keiretsu system has the disadvantage of reacting slowly to outside events since the players are partly protected from the external market. More Research Resources Related to the Keiretsu System Japans keiretsu system: the case of the automobile industryThe Japanese keiretsu system: an empirical analysis

Global Warming and Water Shortage Research Paper

Global Warming and Water Shortage - Research Paper Example The author of the paper states that the hydrology of all the major river basins all across the world are likely to be affected and changed by the warming process as well (Postel, 1999). Therefore, the fresh water supply of the world is very likely to be affected through altered precipitation patterns or hydrological systems. As a result, the possibility of fresh water supplies being affected adversely as a direct consequence of global warming emerges. Though there are critics who attribute likely global water supply shortages to more significant anthropogenic causes rather than global warming (see Golkany, 2003), the present essay shall consider global warming as a source of fresh water depletion as, though such anthropogenic causes may be significant in the short run, in the long run, climate changes are likely to have greater impacts. Thus, the implications of global water supply shortages for the future generations shall be explored assuming that they will be significantly contrib uted to by global warming. In what follows, we first briefly look into the present global water supply situation. The analysis of the implications of the further depletion of the present stock predicted for the generations to come is explored. On the basis of this, we then attempt to identify the true nature and the extent of the severity of the problem before attempting to discuss the possibility of prevention and finally concluding.