Politics&Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Politics&Society - Essay Example Historically, the father was the breadwinner and the primary responsibility of the mother or wife was ensuring that the domestic chores, as well as the domestic welfare of the husband and children were taken care of. With the introduction of new legislations and modern trends the position of that idea of family has been threatened, replacing it with different types of family structures. The gender role was intertwined with the different responsibility of the adult members. The father was seen as the aggressive member, expecting to hold certain jobs, while the woman was thought to be more submissive and docile. With numerous discoveries in science and technology and the improvement in modern medicine, the occurrence of extended families has become prevalent in many societies. Some writers contend that extended families are more common in agricultural societies than in urban situations (Sussman, Steinmetz and Peterson 99). There were some legal reforms in the 1960’s that led to greater diversity in family structures. In the United States for example, divorce was based on fault for a greater part of the twentieth century. In 1969, the state of California enacted The California Family Law Act which made it possible for couples to divorce based on irreconcilable differences. This eventually became possible in other states as well. The 1969 Divorce Reform Act of England also allowed for couples to divorce on a no fault basis. Although divorce is handled by religious institutions in many societies the legislative reforms in industrialized countries make it very easy for men and women to end their marriages. Compared to the beginning of the twentieth century divorce has become very popular. Currently, about fifty percent of all first marriages in the United States end in divorce (Erera 136). The sharp rise in divorce rates coincided with the legal reforms in the 1960s. This led to a transformation of marriages as well as families. These

Management Under Uncertainly Essay Example for Free

Management Under Uncertainly Essay I had been in Target as a temporary worker and one decision made by the manager left a deep impression on me. As one of the largest retail stores in Australia, Target can be found in the shopping centre of most area. The store I had worked is located in Leichhardt which had the expectancy was achieving a sales budget of $ 50,000 per day, and then the net profit would reach $6000. In order to make the expectation into reality, the manager of Target Leichhardt store from the point of view of cost savings decided to cut the shifts of employees. Originally, one shift had four cashiers, but now reduced to two cashiers. In addition, the manger made a decision to no longer use customer greeters. In Target store, the duty of greeter is not only greet customers into the store, but also check the bags of customers to avoid theft when they leave. The manager decided to reduce shift because he found this is a kind of waste when the store is not busy. On the other hand, he thought the customer greeter looks like a decoration because the phenomenon of pilferage was rarely. Although the manager made the adjustments, the result was still not satisfied and the outcome was the store has not achieved the budget. These decisions caused complaint from a lot of customers about the long queue when they went to the checkout. I had seen some customers drop off the commodities which they had selected because they do not like to wait for a long time. Beyond that, the two operators always feel tired and unfair when the store is very busy. Once they feel bored, they will not have enough energy and passion to serve customers. Furthermore, no longer use greeter also caused some negative effects. For example, tally clerk found that small and precious items had been lost regularly. Obviously, there were customers in the store for stealing and the action of theft reduced the budget seriously. Analysis of the Decision Teale, Dispenza, Flynn, Currie (2003) pointed out that the bounded rational decision making is refer to there are many options, but the decision maker only consider some of these, or from the long term, that is not a best decision but the most suitable for the current situation. Here is an example, a lady fell down along the road and break her stiletto heel, and then she quickly goes into a cheap shoe store and bought a pair of lip-flops that she had never worn before. If it is in normal circumstances, the lady will buy a pair of shoes that she likes at ordinary times, but now she is in a hurry and can not wear the shoes with broken heels. So, buy a pair of shoes that does not like usually become an appropriate choice. This can be called â€Å"satisfying†. People in most cases do decision like this, because sometimes we do not consider all the possibilities in order to save time (Campling, Poole, Wiesner, Ang, Chan, Tan Schermerhorn, 2008). Decision-makers always pick up the most useful one. In the Target Leichhardt store, because the manager chose the solution to reduce the costs in a short time, the decision can be defined as Satisfying. The decision of this store manager made just embodies the people’s bounded rationality in decision making process. The managers thought the store can increase budget by cutting costs. However, queuing for a long time can make customers have bad impression on the store. Finally, people thought for long lines when they mention this store, then they refuse to go to the store shopping instinctively. People should consider three processes that bounded rationality usually involve in. hey are simple search, simple stopping and simple decision rules. These three rules are also referred to as â€Å"heuristics†, it is used to describe â€Å"how normal people make decisions without calculating utilities and probabilities† (Gigerenzer Todd, 2012). In this case, the manager made decision without calculating the chance of various results by using the optimal and maximizing outcome. . In this situation, the manager didn’t use the optimal or maximizing outcome to calculate the probability of outcome occurring, he didn’t use the utility to calculate the expected happiness. There are many factors that can cause bounded rationality, such as emotion, knowledge and culture. According to Teale et al (2003), bounded rationality can also be interpreted as non-rational decisions. This is because people have limited knowledge level and lack of training. The lack of knowledge and training make people with narrow horizons, and then can not take a panoramic view of the situation and do not have a long-term view. In this Target store, the manager did not investigate and understand the situation of the store from all aspects carefully; it also can say he was lack of practical experience in management of decision making. His decision can only satisfy the short-term interest if it goes well. However, it turns out he did not achieve the short-term goals. In terms of the long time interest, invoice for a long time and occasionally steal phenomenon caused bad effect on the company’s image. On the other hand, decision-maker do not communicate smoothly and actively with others can also affect the decision making (McKee, 2010). According to my observation, the manager lack basic understanding of the store and he seldom communicated with employees and customers. Sometimes, he just organized the regular meeting, and the aim of meeting is to decorate task without exchange views with others. When someone makes decision by himself without communicate with others, bounded rationality can get a higher frequency of occurrence. Lacks of communication not only lead to make decision unwise, because the decision maker is likely to be emotional to make a decision, but also make the decision maker overconfidence. In real life, we meet some people who always think they are right (Hanson, Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2011). Beyond that, environment can cause bounded rationality. Today’s general environment is complicated and changefully, people can obtain information from various channels and ways. Not all information is appropriate, sometimes wrong information mislead decision maker to make an irrational decision. In this case, the general environment is the customers and sales performance are different and the manager eager to prove his ability. So he made a non rational decision and this decision does not have any benefit for a long term operation. Reflection Mckee (2010) show us The Eight Stage Decision Making Process Model. If I were the manager in this case, I would use the above mentioned model to help me to make a rational decision. First of all, I would collect all possible information about the sale budget and net profit for five years before. For example, check the financial annual report, the daily turnover and the net profit report. Form these reports, I could analyze and assess which part of work we need to adjust and improve. Our goal is to increase earnings; we can start this goal from attracting more customers rather than reduce shifts and layoff greeters. There are many ways to attract potential customers and make them become returned customers at the same time. One effective way is issue voucher; we can offer a five dollar voucher when the customers purchase more than 50 dollars. By that analogy, we can give ten dollar voucher when the customers purchase more than 100 dollars. In this way, we can ensure customers keep coming. Another way to attract customers is to do some promotions, such as buy three same items for two items price. When I use The Eight Stage Decision Making Process Model to make a decision, I would consider more on one of the elements that is to list alternatives (Mckee, 2010). In this case, arrange employees to the most suitable area according to their own ability and personality is an alternative decision. For instance, a employee with personality of patience and enthusiasm, I would arrange he to be a customer assistance. Put myself in customer’s position, I hope to get a better shopping guide and help. Moreover, Tolbert and Hall (2008) pointed out that the more person involve the decision process, the decision is more rational. Due to the feasibility of this theory, I would be honest to analyze the whole store operating condition and the goals to other managers and employees. Then, I will encourage them to actively participate in discussion and give advices. If I were the manager I would continue to use customer greeters. In order to make them not as decoration, I will arrange them some to do things to attract customers. For example, greeters can pass flyers to passers so that they have a better concept about what product will have a discount in which day. The following step we need to carry out decision, along with this step there may have some obstacles impede our progress. But, these are not serious problems, as long as we step by step; we are able to make sensible decisions (Kramar, Bartram, De Cieri, Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart Wright, 2011). This style of decision making can be described as the rational model. Only managers like a link, fasten all the employees together to make the decision, this decision can be good for long-term development of an organization.

Exploring Emotion Essay -- Psychobiology of Emotions

Emotions have developed along with the sophistication of the brain as an organ throughout the process of evolution. Instinctive feelings necessary for survival, such as thirst, hunger, and sex drive, are the oldest and most primitive â€Å"emotions†, and they are present in many non-human creatures. The monitoring systems in an animal’s body send signals to the brain when the body is in need of food or water, and this triggers the firing of neurons that in turn advise the creature to search for these necessities. Because these instinctual feelings are reflex related, they originate in the brain stem of primitive creatures (do Amaral). As animals progressed and their brains advanced from just a brain stem into the cerebellum and eventually the cerebral hemispheres, they began to experience more complex, affective emotions including love, friendship, and maternal care (Bekoff 861). Humans possess the most complex brains, and therefore it is believed that humans experience the widest range of emotions. Experimental evidence has shown that human emotions result largely from interactions between several different parts of the brain, known collectively as the limbic system (Thompson 29). The more psychological view of emotions claims an emotion is expressed in reaction to one’s individual interpretation of the surrounding environment. This explanation provides a slightly higher-level view of the issue at hand. However, how and why humans feel something during an emotional experience is still unknown and heavily debated. I believe that these feelings arise as part of the epiphenomenon of consciousness that is unique to living beings, and therefore the complete human emotional experience cannot be mechanically replicated.... ...ius of human life. Works Cited Anatomy of the Brain. American Health Assistance Foundation. 5 Dec. 2002 . Bekoff, Marc. â€Å"Animal Emotions: Exploring Passionate Natures.† Bioscience. Oct. 2000: 861-882. Boeree, Dr. C. George. Emotion. 2002 . do Amaral, Julio Rocha and Jorge Martins de Oliviera. Limbic System: The Center of Emotions. . Picard, Rosalind W. â€Å"Does HAL Cry Digital Tears? Emotions and Computers.† HAL’s Legacy: 2001’s Computer as Dream and Reality. Ed. David G. Stork. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996. Rolls, Edmund T. The Brain and Emotion. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Thompson, Jack George. The Psychobiology of Emotions. New York: Plenum Press, 1988.

Chinese and Australian Consumer Behaviour

These advantages can be gained through understanding what needs the Chinese place the cost Importance on In regards to the hierarchy and what type of brand personality can be created to most effectively target the Chinese market. Introduction: Cross Culture Analysis A cross-cultural study is a beneficial tool undertaken to effectively understand the foreign countries involved In exchanging goods Internationally. Marketers evidently desire to efficiently export large measures of goods and services to various developed countries.If the complex procedure of understanding the major alterations between China's and Australia's consumer behavior is effectively established; a result of costive outlooks and increased brand recognition will be identified. According to the Australian Embassy, ‘China is Australia's largest trading partner' thus allowing a beneficial exposure for further acknowledgment and marketing opportunities for an Australian exporter. China may be classified as a â₠¬Ëœcollectivist culture' (Horn, Merritt, Sun 2004).Collectivist cultures are defined by their ability to malignant strong connections within their groups and in order to belong, individuals are strongly influenced by other peers or family members to follow similarities within one society (Horn, Merritt, Sun 2004). They display a high need for social recognition and status and consume goods to communicate a symbolic expression of their status and prestige (Clans, Gambler, 2003). For example, the Chinese drink wine on special occasions to belong, but also to stress their status and prestige (Lulu, Murphy, 2007).As an exporting opportunity Australian marketers can capitalist on this by emphasizing their wine products to be a sign of prestige to target the Chinese collectivist culture. Australia on the other hand is viewed to have deferent cultural beliefs; the nation is ‘defined as a strongly individualistic culture'. This means individuals within Australia desire to express thei r unique traits with a minimum influence by others (Lee, Askance 2000) which Is In opposition to the Chinese.As an Individualistic culture, Australia has a greater tendency to be self-enhancing than collectivist cultures, and associates achievement with the individual rather than the group (which is typical of the Chinese culture) (Nevis 1983). Although these two countries have strong dissimilarities, marketers must take into account Australia's and China's similarities in consumer behavior, as there might be potential for an Australian exporter to succeed. Although In order to satisfactorily establish exporting analysis between the countries consumer behavior characteristics.The various differences in culture and personality must be used adequately to capture the target audience. Moscow Hierarchy of Needs and Consumer Behavior Mascots Hierarchy of Human Needs is a classification of five basic human needs ranking in order of most important to least important. The first is physiologi cal, which includes the need for food and water, followed by safety and security need (protection, stability), social needs (friendship and belonging), ego needs (status, restive) and self actualization (self-fulfillment) as the final need (Bedlam et al. 2010).This hierarchy can be applied to goods and services in determining what level of needs they satisfy and help marketers segment the on a needs basis. Most people in society express these needs, though in slightly different ways. Most needs could be classified under this hierarchy which makes it useful for marketers when segmenting (Bedlam et al. 2010). The theory of the hierarchy states that once lower levels needs â€Å"are satisfied, again new (and still ‘higher') needs emerge†¦ † To be fulfilled (Moscow, 943 p. 375). Which means that it is only once lower needs are satisfied, do higher needs emerge to be fulfilled (Bedlam et al. 010). For consumers this means that they will only buy products to fulfill high er needs once their lower needs have been satisfied. For marketers this becomes important when positioning on a needs basis as the demographics of the country may not allow those people to fulfill their higher social needs if their basic physiological needs aren't being met. Or it may mean that only a small percentage of the population would be marketable to if they hold most f the wealth of the country. Importantly if marketers design a product to meet the perceived needs of consumers, consumers are more likely to choose that product over competitors.In this way the needs hierarchy can be used as a basis on which to build the benefits the product can offer to the consumer, through fulfilling a need, making it more likely they will consume that product over competitors. Marketers can also bring about the arousal of needs through advertising, and the product they are trying to sell can become the consumer's goal specific product (Bedlam et al. 2010). This is ultimately the aim of the product. Therefore an understanding of Mascots hierarchy is important when segmenting the market.It can allow marketers to position to a segment on a needs basis and even create the arousal of need, of which the product can become a product specific goal. The Effect of Culture on Mascots Hierarchy of Needs As was described earlier, in the previous section, Mascots Hierarchy of Needs identifies the five basic levels of human needs. While generally accepted because it reflects the needs of most people in an individualistic society, it cannot be applied to all cultures. This is because despite the fact that most people express primary or physiological needs, acquired needs are leant in response to ones culture (Bedlam et al. 010). The Chinese and Australians will therefore place their needs with differing important to marketers when considering which needs basis to segment on. According to Nevis (1983), Mascots Hierarchy of needs is a reflection of an individualistic culture such as A ustralia and America, and therefore can't be applied to the Collectivist Chinese culture. Nevis (1983) proposes the Chinese culture subverts the traditional model by placing belongingness as the first basic need, allowed by physiological, safety needs and self-actualization in service of society at the top.This new hierarchy reflects the collectivist traits of the Chinese culture; high family and group orientation (Cyanic, Gambler, 2003), the expression of self as part of a group (brother, father, son, husband but never as ‘self') and gaining meaning through interaction with society. Belonging is therefore the basis of the Chinese society (Nevis 1983). For marketers this means positioning products in relation to the products acceptance by the targeted consumers social and family groups.This is an important approach to take regardless of what needs basis is segmented, as Chinese consumers will look to their social groups for guidance when buying a product rather than the offers and benefits presented to them before purchasing (Ability, Frank, Anemia, Achievement 2011). This is reflected in the pup commercial targeted at the Chinese consumer (See appendix 1). While the drink is targeting a psychological need in Mascots Hierarchy, a large part of the ad focuses on the acceptance of the drink by the family, which is reflecting the importance of family orientation to the Chinese nonuser and their need for belongingness.While the Chinese have self- actualization at the top like individualistic cultures, they differ to Australia, in that they fulfill this need through their success as being part of a group as opposed to being recognized individually (Cyanic, Gambler, 2003). This is echoed in their low individualism score of 20. Australia on the other hand has an individualism score of 90 and is reflected in its beliefs that an achieved goal is the result of the individual. Chinese culture also has a high degree of face, which is evident in the subverted Hierarc hy.Consumption in China has a strong social association because of its high degree of â€Å"face†; whereby Chinese consumers fulfill their needs through â€Å"placing more emphasis on publicly visible possessions†¦ † (ABA, Us, Chou, 2003, p. 737). This socio-cultural characteristic reflects the need for belongingness and acceptance by social and family groups. Furthermore, high face also means Chinese consumers are more likely to buy luxury products as a symbol of social status, and prestige of the family, rather than an expression of self as is common in individualistic societies such as Australia (Cyanic, Gambler, 2003).High face suggests a larger social need and indicates reference group influence is much larger in collectivist cultures than individualistic cultures, and this supports the subverted Hierarchy model with belongingness as the first need for the Chinese Collectivist culture (ABA, et al. 2003). The implications of this for marketers when exporting m eans centering products on their acceptance by the target market reference groups when segmenting on a needs basis.Positioning to the Chinese on product benefits is less important as they are more likely to look to the group when buying a product than the benefits it provides Cyanic, Gambler, 2003). Overall for marketers, understanding how culture affects the Hierarchy of needs is detrimental when positioning as not all cultures place the same emphasis on the same needs. â€Å"Brand personality is an association of a brand whereby it is imbued with human-like personality traits† (Bedlam et al. 2010 p. 108). Human personality traits are developed on the basis of an individuals behaviors, characteristics, beliefs, and demographic characteristics.However, brand personality traits are formed and influence by the consumers interaction with the brand, the culture from which the consumer comes long with the way that the marketers attempt to portray the brand in the eyes of its consu mers (Luau, Papua 2001). For marketers, the aim of creating a brand personality is to create an identity to which consumers can respond emotionally positively towards, and to extend themselves through the brand (Bedlam et al. 2010). If the brand closely reflects the personality of the consumer, they are more likely to respond positively towards that brand and buy from it (Wee, 2003).By extension, brand personality can be seen as a reflection of the cultures in which the brand is surrounded by (Gerhardt, Houston 2001). For example, the Chinese place emphasis on harmony and relationships (Nevis 1983) and this in tern is reflected in the brand personalities aimed at the Chinese. When Audio marketed their brand to China in a TV commercial (See Appendix 2) the car isn't shown until the very end of the ad, until after several happy relationships have been shown. The aim was to try and make a connection between the car and the relationships it allows people to have, creating a brand image of relationships and connectedness.Chinese brand personalities, which keep in consistency with heir cultural collectivist traits, tend to portray belongingness and the brand as an avenue to express their acceptance by society and group members (Luau, Papua 2001). Whereas in the Individualistic culture of Australia, brand image is much more likely to take on an individualistic approach as Australian consumers are more likely to â€Å"purchase brands they deem suitable for themselves†¦ † (Lam, Lee, 2005 p. 165). As a result Australian brand images take on a self-centered approach that stress sophistication and express the persons personality rather than acceptance by the group.Consumers in individualistic cultures are also less likely to switch brands (Lam, Lee 2005). This could be due to personality being relatively stable (Bedlam et al. 2010), so Australians are expected to keep expressing themselves through the same brand that matches their personality. Yet fashion and status are constantly changing within groups, so collectivist consumers (such as the Chinese) are more likely to switch brands to belong to the changing influences of their peer groups. (Luau, Papua 2001).For marketers this means creating a brand personality for collectivist cultures hat are primarily fashionable and seen as acceptable by the consumers peer groups, while in individualistic cultures the brand personality must align with the personality of the consumer to be received positively. This idea of brand personality influenced by culture is vital for marketers to position their product in the eyes of consumers. If a consumer associates a product in a different light to the way the marketers are promoting it, it can have detrimental effects towards the longevity of the good.Subsequently, the opposite can happen, whereby the consumers take a greater liking o the good, and increasing the marketability of the product. Global branding brings forth an exposure to an increasingly c ulturally-diverse audience. In order for Australian marketers to understand the distinctly unique dimensions of brand personality in the Chinese market, it is vital to consider the socio-cultural characteristics that underpin Chinese consumer behavior and preferences. Chant, Saunders, Taylor and SHCOON (2003 p. ) note that â€Å"consumers seek brands with congruent personalities (to their own), and use brands' personality to define their sense of self†. Furthermore, these unique needs of consumers and owe they identify, relate, and associate themselves to brand personalities; alongside the inextricably linked pressures of economic, lifestyle and cultural conditions, must be considered collectively in order for marketers to successfully market their firm's offerings (Bedlam et al. 2010). Hefted (2001) puts forth that the dimensions of China's cultural differences are shown by a high degree of long-term orientation and collectivism.Unlike individualistic societies such as Austr alia, collectivist cultures support and adhere to standards and consumption decisions on a group axis (family, extended family, network of friends and community); in effect, providing the framework within which Chinese individuals and households function. Confucianism, the dominant philosophical influence in China, is an ideology that reiterates this collective nature, as well as the importance of these interpersonal relationships and interactions, the notion of â€Å"face†, and the concept of hierarchy.In addition, education level, sex, age and standard of living all influence how foreign brands are perceived in the Chinese market (Chin (3)). A recent study conducted by Chug and Sung (201 1), identified a six dimensional framework of brand rationalities present in China. They consisted of ‘Competence, Excitement, and Sophistication' (Chug, Sung, 2001 p. L); notions matching with those found in individualistic societies like Australia, and culture-specific dimensions su ch as ‘Traditionalism, Joyfulness, and Trendiest'.Through this research, Chug and Sung (2011) demonstrate that through establishing a Chinese brand personality structure marketers are able to identify the coexistence of both Chinese traditionalism and the implementations of Western modernization on cultural values in modern China. This means that in the past three decades, the Chinese market has increasingly opened p to the West, in a way that does not conflict with deeply rooted cultural norms.This notion is reflected in the consumer behavior of today's â€Å"young middle-class aspiring Chinese consumers; whom are increasingly becoming the most affluent consumer class in china† (Powel, 2011 p. 40). Powel (2011) proposes â€Å"Mr.. And Mrs.. Middle Class† are increasingly extending their brand preferences as a result of breaking down the barriers between cultures. However, cultural transitions are not intended to comply with Confucianism, rather, the role of bran d personality becomes an avenue to express wealth, success, youth and the â€Å"modernity of institution†¦ (Chin (3) p. 8). It is through these cultural characteristics and ties with economic and social factors, that perceptions towards brand personality exists among consumers from a society that is more culturally conditioned. In order to maximize exporting opportunities, adaptation is a necessity. Successful brands have philosophy; a shift from the traditional marketing concept to the more appropriate conceptualization of societal marketing (Bedlam et al. 2010).Unlike Australians whom project high levels of uniqueness and individuality in their consumption patterns, Chinese consumers rely on the importance of social interaction in making consumer based decisions. â€Å"It is assumed that the recommendations and comments from others play a very important role in the choice of brand† (Chin (3) p. 7). This notion is reflected in the Chinese commercial for milk (See Appen dix 3) where it can be seen that the reciprocity of and importance of trust-based interpersonal relationships is highlighted.Set in a time in Chinese history where many could not afford to drink milk every day, the positioning of brother and sister, over the course of time, provides depiction of milk as a commodity of value of which one should be grateful to have. Years later when the young boy grows up, he realizes that his sister was only pretending to dislike milk so that she could give it to him. As a result, he vows to provide milk for the well-being of his future family.This ad highlights the need for marketers to show the Chinese consumers that the brand is a part of their relationships with others in order for the brand to be received positively. This is because, as the ad depicts, belonging and relationships is central to the Chinese. The societal marketing concept takes into account the importance of adopting a long-term outlook, that â€Å"all companies would be better i n a stronger, healthier society and that companies that incorporate ethical behavior and social responsibility in their business dealings will attract and maintain loyal customer support over the long term† (Bedlam et al. 010, p. 17). It is through adopting accordingly to these sensitive cultural subtleties that provides an opportunity for brands to tailor their marketing mix strategies to realize the best and most effective ways that meets their needs as ell as adequately adopting brand elements (images, advertising etc. ) that appeal to, relate and reflecting the consumer preferences of the Chinese market. Conclusion Overall it is detrimental for marketers to understand how Mascots Hierarchy and Brand Personality differs between Australia and China.Without an understanding of how Mascots Hierarchy is subverted by different cultures, marketers would miss the opportunity to position based on what different cultures base as their most intrinsic need. Without an understanding of culture and how it affects brand personality, arresters may not integrate a brand to be adopted positively by a different culture. In order for marketers to export successfully, they need to adapt their marketing approaches to take into account these differences caused by the different cultures, therefore an understanding of both these concepts and how they are affected by culture is vitally important.

Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Five

I HAD MOCKED KEITH when we first came to Palm Springs, teasing him for freezing up around Moroi. But as I stood there now, face-to-face with the stuff of nightmares, I knew exactly how he felt. I had no right to judge anyone for losing all rational thought when confronted with their greatest fears. That being said, if Keith was here, I think he would've understood why Moroi weren't as big a deal to me anymore. Because when compared to Strigoi? Well, suddenly the little differences between humans and Moroi became negligible. Only one difference mattered, the difference between the living and the dead. It was the line that divided us, the line that Adrian and I firmly stood together on one side of – facing those who stood on the other. I had seen Strigoi before. Back then, I hadn't been immediately threatened by them. Plus, I'd had Rose and Dimitri on hand, ready to protect me. Now? There was no one here to save us. Just ourselves. There were only two of them, but it might as well have been two hundred. Strigoi operated at such a different level than the rest of us that it didn't take very many of them to tip the odds. They were both women, and they looked as though they'd been in their twenties when they became Strigoi. How long ago that was, I couldn't guess. Lee had zealously gone on and on about how being Strigoi meant you were â€Å"forever young.† Yet in looking at these two monsters, I didn't really think of them that way. Sure, they had the superficial appearance of youth, but it was marred with evil and decay. Their skin might be wrinkle free, but it was a sickly white, far whiter than any Moroi. The red-ringed eyes that leered out at us didn't sparkle with life and energy, but rather an unholy sort of reanimation. These people weren't right. They weren't natural. â€Å"Charming,† said one, her blond hair in a pixie cut. Her facial structure made me think she'd been a dhampir or human before being turned. She was eyeing us the same way I'd often seen my family's cat watch birds. â€Å"And exactly as described.† â€Å"They're soooo pretty,† crooned the other, a lascivious smile on her face. Her height said she had once been Moroi. â€Å"I don't know which one I want first.† The blonde gave a warning look. â€Å"We'll share.† â€Å"Like last time,† agreed the other, tossing a mane of curly black hair over one shoulder. â€Å"No,† said the first. â€Å"Last time you made both kills. That wasn't sharing.† â€Å"But I let you feed from both afterward.† Before she could counter back, Lee suddenly recovered himself and staggered forward to the blond Strigoi. â€Å"Wait, wait. Dawn. You promised me. You promised you'd awaken me first before you do anything.† The two Strigoi turned their attention to Lee. I was still frozen, still unable to move or really react while being so close to these creatures of hell. But somehow, through the thick and overwhelming terror surrounding me, I still managed to feel small and unexpected pity for Lee. There was a little hate there too, of course, considering the situation. But mostly I felt terribly sorry for someone who truly believed his life was meaningless unless he sacrificed his soul for hollow immortality. Not only that, I felt sorry for him for actually thinking he could trust these creatures to give him what he wanted. Because as I studied them, it was perfectly clear to me that they were deciding whether or not to make this a three-course meal. Lee, I suspected, was the only one who didn't realize this. â€Å"Please,† he said. â€Å"You promised. Save me. Restore me to how I was.† I also couldn't help but notice the small red patch on his face where I'd hit him. I allowed myself to feel a bit of pride over that but wasn't cocky enough to think I possessed any noteworthy fighting skills to battle my way out of this situation. The Strigoi were too close, and our exits were too few. â€Å"I know where more are,† he added, beginning to look uneasy that his â€Å"saviors† weren't immediately jumping in to make his dreams come true. â€Å"One's young – a dhampir.† â€Å"I haven't had a dhampir in a while,† said the curly-haired Strigoi, almost wistfully. Dawn sighed. â€Å"I don't really care, Jacqueline. If you want to awaken him, go for it. I just want these two. He doesn't matter to me.† â€Å"I get the dhampir all to myself, then,† warned Jacqueline. â€Å"Fine, fine,† said Dawn. â€Å"Just hurry up.† Lee turned so radiant, so happy†¦ it was sickening. â€Å"Thank you,† he said. â€Å"Thank you so much! I've been waiting so long for this that I can't believe it's – ahh!† Jacqueline moved so quickly that I hardly saw it happen at all. One moment she was standing in the doorway, the next she had Lee pinned against the recliner. Lee gave out a semi-muffled scream as she bit into his neck, a scream that soon quieted. Dawn shut the door and nudged us forward. I flinched at her touch. â€Å"Well,† she said with amusement. â€Å"Let's get a good view.† Neither Adrian nor I responded. We simply moved into the living room. I dared a glance at him but could discern little. He was so good at hiding his true feelings in general that I supposed I shouldn't be surprised he could mask abject terror just as easily. He offered me no encouragement with either his expression or words, which I actually found kind of refreshing. Because really, I didn't see any good end to this situation. Up close, forced to watch Jacqueline's attack, I could now see the blissful expression that had settled over Lee's face. It was the most awful thing I'd ever witnessed. I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut or turn away, but some force beyond me kept me staring at the grisly spectacle. I'd never seen any vampire feed, Moroi or Strigoi, but I now understood why feeders like Dorothy could so willingly sign up for their lifestyles. Endorphins were being released into Lee's bloodstream, endorphins so strong that they blinded him to the fact that he was having his life drained away. He instead existed in a joyous state, lost in a chemical high. Or maybe he was just thinking about how happy he'd be once he was a Strigoi again, if it was possible to have any sort of conscious thought under these circumstances. I lost track of how long it took to drain Lee. Each moment was agonizing for me, as though I was taking the pain Lee should have been feeling. The process seemed to last forever, and yet there was also a weird sense of speed to it. It felt wrong that someone's body could be drained in so short a time. Jacqueline drank steadily, pausing only once to remark, â€Å"His blood's not as good as I expected.† â€Å"Then stop,† suggested Dawn, who was starting to look bored. â€Å"Just let him die and have these two with me.† Jacqueline looked as though she was actually considering it, again reminding me what a fool Lee had been to put his trust in these two. After a few minutes, she shrugged. â€Å"I'm almost done. And I really want him to get me that dhampir.† Jacqueline resumed drinking, but as she'd said, it didn't take much longer. By this point, Lee was nearly as pale as the Strigoi, and there was a strange, stretched quality to his skin. He was perfectly still now. His face seemed frozen in a grin that was nearly as much shock as it was joy. Jacqueline lifted her face and wiped off her mouth, surveying her victim with pleasure. She then pushed up her shirtsleeve and rested her nails on his wrist. Before she could tear her own flesh, however, she caught sight of something. â€Å"Ah, much neater.† She stepped away and leaned down, retrieving Lee's knife. It had slid under the love seat in our altercation. Jacqueline took it and effortlessly slashed her wrist, causing deep red blood to well out. Part of my brain didn't think their blood should look so similar to mine. It should be black. Or acidic. She placed her bleeding wrist against Lee's mouth and tipped Lee's head back so that gravity could help the blood flow. Every horror I'd witnessed tonight had been worse than the last. Death was terrible – but it was also part of nature. This? This was no part of nature's plan. I was about to witness the world's greatest sin, the corruption of the soul through black magic to reanimate the dead. It made me feel dirty all over, and I wished I could run away. I didn't want to see this. I didn't want to see the guy I'd once regarded as something like a friend suddenly rise up as some perversion of nature. A touch to my hand made me jump. It was Adrian. His eyes were on Lee and Jacqueline, but his hand had caught hold of mine and squeezed it, even though he was still cuffed. I was surprised at the warmth of his skin. Even though I knew Moroi were as living and warm-blooded as me, my irrational fears always expected them to be cold. Equally surprising was the sudden comfort and connection in that touch. It wasn't the kind of touch that said, Hey, I've got a plan, so hang in there because we're going to get out of this. It was more like the kind of touch that simply said, You aren't alone. It was really the only thing he could offer. And in that moment, it was enough. Then, something strange happened. Or rather, didn't happen. Jacqueline's blood was pouring steadily into Lee's mouth, and while we didn't have many documented cases of Strigoi conversions, I knew the basics. The victim's blood was drained, and then the killing Strigoi fed his or her blood back into the deceased. I didn't know exactly how long it took to work – it certainly didn't require all of the Strigoi's blood – but at some point, Lee should be stirring and getting up as one of the walking dead. Jacqueline's cool, smug expression began to change to curiosity and then became outright confusion. She glanced questioningly at Dawn. â€Å"What's taking so long?† Dawn asked. â€Å"I don't know,† Jacqueline said, turning back to Lee. With her free hand, she nudged Lee's shoulder as though that might serve as a wake-up call. Nothing happened. â€Å"Haven't you done this before?† asked Dawn. â€Å"Of course,† snapped Jacqueline. â€Å"It didn't take nearly this long. He should be up and moving around. Something's wrong.† I remembered Lee's words, describing how all his desperate attempts at taking innocent lives hadn't converted him back. I only knew a little about spirit – and even less about it restoring Strigoi – but something told me there was no force on earth that would ever turn Lee Strigoi again. Another long minute passed as we watched and waited. At last, disgusted, Jacqueline backed away from the recliner and rolled up her sleeve. She glared at Lee's motionless body. â€Å"Something's wrong,† she repeated. â€Å"And I don't want to waste any more blood figuring out what it is. Besides, my cut's already healing.† I wanted nothing more than for Dawn and Jacqueline to forget I existed, but the next words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. The scientist in me was too caught up in a revelation. â€Å"He was restored – and it affected him permanently. The spirit magic left some kind of mark, and now he can't be turned again.† Both Strigoi looked at me. I cringed under those red eyes. â€Å"I never believed any of those spirit stories,† said Dawn. Jacqueline, however, was still clearly puzzled by her failure. â€Å"There was something wrong with him, though. I can't explain it†¦ but the whole time, he didn't feel right. Didn't taste right.† â€Å"Forget him,† said Dawn. â€Å"He had his chance. He got what he wanted, and now I'm moving on.† I saw my death in her eyes and tried to reach for my cross. â€Å"God protect me,† I said, just as she lunged forward. Against all odds, Adrian was there to stop her – or, well, try to stop her. Mostly, he just got in her way. He didn't have the speed or reaction time to effectively block her and was especially clumsy with his cuffed hands. I think he'd just seen what I had, that she was going to attack, and had preemptively moved in front of me in some noble but ill-fated attempt at protection. And ill-fated it was. With one smooth motion, she shoved him aside in a way that looked effortless but knocked him halfway across the room. My breath caught. He hit the floor, and I started to scream. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain against my throat. Without a pause, Dawn had promptly grabbed me and nearly lifted me off my feet to get access to my neck. I mustered another frantic prayer as that pain spread, but within seconds, both prayer and pain disappeared from my brain. They were replaced by a sweet, sweet feeling of contentment and bliss and wonder. I had no thoughts, except that I was suddenly existing in the happiest, most exquisite state imaginable. I wanted more. More, more, more. I wanted to drown in it, to forget myself, to forget everything around me – â€Å"Ugh,† I cried out as I suddenly and unexpectedly hit the floor. Still in that blissful haze, I felt no pain – yet. Just as quickly as she'd grabbed me, Dawn had dropped and pushed me away. Instinctively, I reached out an arm to break my fall but failed. I was too weak and disoriented and sprawled ungracefully on the carpet. Dawn's fingers were touching her lips, a look of outrage twisting her already-horrific features. â€Å"What,† she demanded, â€Å"was that?† My brain wasn't working properly yet. I'd only had a brief taste of endorphin, but it was still enough to leave me addled. I had no answer for her. â€Å"What's wrong?† exclaimed Jacqueline, striding forward. She looked from me to Dawn in confusion. Dawn scowled and then spit onto the floor. It was red from my blood. Disgusting. â€Å"Her blood†¦ it was terrible. Inedible. Foul.† She spit again. Jacqueline's eyes widened. â€Å"Just like the other one. See? I told you.† â€Å"No.† Dawn shook her head. â€Å"There's no way it could be the same. You would never have been able to drink that much of her.† She spit again. â€Å"It didn't just taste weird or bad†¦ it was like it's tainted.† Seeing Jacqueline's skeptical look, Dawn punched her on the arm. â€Å"Don't believe me? Try her yourself.† Jacqueline took a step toward me, hesitant. Then Dawn spit again, and I think that somehow convinced the other Strigoi that she wanted no part of me. â€Å"I don't want another mediocre meal. Damn it. This is becoming absurd.† Jacqueline glanced at Adrian, who was standing perfectly still. â€Å"At least we've still got him.† â€Å"If he's not ruined too,† Dawn muttered. My senses were coming back to me, and for half a second, I wondered if there was some insane way we might survive this. Maybe the Strigoi would write us off as bad meals. But no. Even as I allowed myself to hope that, I also knew that even if they didn't feed off of us, we weren't going to leave here alive. They had no reason to simply walk off. They'd kill us for sport before they left. With that same remarkable speed, Jacqueline sprang toward Adrian. â€Å"Time to find out.† I screamed as Jacqueline pinned Adrian against the wall and bit his neck. She only did so for a few seconds, just to get a taste. Jacqueline lifted her head up, pausing and savoring the blood. A slow smile spread over her face, showing her bloody fangs. â€Å"This one's good. Very good. Makes up for the other.† She trailed her fingers down his cheek. â€Å"Such a shame, though. He's so cute.† Dawn stalked toward them. â€Å"Let me try before you take it all!† Jacqueline ignored her and was leaning back toward Adrian, who had gone all glassy-eyed. Meanwhile, I was free enough of the endorphins that I was thinking clearly again. No one was paying attention to me. I tried to stand and felt the world sway. Staying low, I managed to crawl toward my purse, lying forgotten near the living room's edge. Jacqueline had drunk from Adrian again, but only briefly before Dawn pulled her away and demanded a turn so that she could wash the taste of my blood out of her mouth. Startling myself with how fast I moved, I rustled through my cavernous purse, looking desperately for anything that might help. Some cold, logical part of me said there was no way we could get out of this, but there was also no way I could just sit there and watch them drain Adrian. I had to fight. I had to try to save him, just as he'd tried for me. It didn't matter if the effort failed or if I died. Somehow, I had to try. Some Alchemists carried guns, but not me. My purse was huge, full of more stuff than I really needed, but nothing in the contents resembled a weapon. Even if it did, most weapons were futile against Strigoi. A gun would slow them down but not kill them. Only silver stakes, decapitation, and fire could kill a Strigoi. Fire†¦ My hand closed around the amulet I'd made for Ms. Terwilliger. I'd shoved it in my purse when she gave it to me, unsure what I should do with it. I could only assume blood loss and scattered thoughts made me draw it out now and consider the possibility of using it. Even the idea was ridiculous. You couldn't use something that didn't work! It was a trinket, a worthless bag of rocks and leaves. There was no magic here, and I was a fool to even think along those lines. And yet, it was a bag of rocks. Not a heavy one, but surely enough to get someone's attention if it hit her in the head. It was the best I had. The only thing I had to slow Adrian's death. Drawing back my arm, I aimed at Dawn and threw, reciting the foolish incantation like a battle cry: â€Å"Into flame, into flame!† It was a good shot. Miss Carson would have been proud. But I had no chance to admire my athletic skills because I was too distracted by the fact that Dawn had caught on fire. My jaw dropped as I stared at the impossible. It wasn't a huge fire. It wasn't like her entire body was engulfed in flames. But where the amulet had struck her, a small blaze ignited, spreading rapidly through her hair. She screamed and began frantically patting her head. Strigoi feared fire, and for a moment, Jacqueline recoiled. Then, with grim determination, she released Adrian and grabbed a throw blanket. She wrapped it around Dawn's head, smothering the flames. â€Å"What the hell?† Dawn demanded when she emerged. She immediately began charging toward me in her anger. I knew then the only thing I'd accomplished was to speed up my own death. Dawn grabbed ahold of me and slammed my head against the wall. My world reeled, and I felt nauseous. She reached for me again but froze when the door suddenly burst open. Eddie appeared in the doorway, a silver stake in his hand. What was truly amazing about what followed was the speed. There was no pausing, no long moments to assess the situation, and no snarky banter between combatants. Eddie simply charged in and went for Jacqueline. Jacqueline responded with equal quickness, rushing forward to meet her one worthy foe here. After she'd released him, Adrian had slumped to the floor, still in the throes of the Strigoi endorphins. Keeping low to the ground, I scurried over to his side and helped drag him back to the â€Å"safety† of the far side of the living room while Eddie clashed with the Strigoi. I spared them only a moment's glance, just enough to take in the deadly dancelike nature of their maneuvering. Both Strigoi were trying to get a grip on Eddie, probably in the hopes of breaking his neck, but were careful to stay away from the bite of his silver stake. I looked down at Adrian, who was dangerously pale and whose pupils had reduced to the size of pinpoints. I had only a sketchy impression of how much Jacqueline had drunk from him and didn't know if Adrian's state was more from blood loss or endorphins. â€Å"I'm fine, Sage,† he muttered, blinking as though the light hurt. â€Å"Quite the high, though. Makes the stuff I've used seem pretty soft-core.† He blinked, as though fighting to wake up. His pupils dilated to a more normal size and then seemed to focus on me. â€Å"Good God. Are you okay?† â€Å"I will be,† I said, starting to stand. Yet even as I spoke, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I swayed. Adrian did his best to support me, though it was pretty awkward with his bound hands. We leaned against each other, and I almost laughed at how ridiculous the situation was, both of us trying to help the other when neither of us was in any condition to do it. Then something caught my eye that chased all other thoughts away. â€Å"Jill,† I whispered. Adrian immediately followed my gaze to where Jill had just appeared in the living room's entry. I wasn't surprised to see her. The only way Eddie could be here was if Jill had told him what was happening to Adrian through the spirit bond. Standing there, with her eyes flashing, she looked like some fierce, battle-ready goddess as she watched Eddie spar with the Strigoi. It was both inspiring and frightening. Adrian shared my thoughts. â€Å"No, no, Jailbait,† he murmured. â€Å"Do not do anything stupid. Castile needs to handle this.† â€Å"She knows how to fight,† I said. Adrian frowned. â€Å"But she doesn't have a weapon. Without one, she's just a featherweight in this.† He was right, of course. And while I certainly didn't want Jill endangering her life, I couldn't help but think if she were properly equipped, she might be able to do something. At the very least, a distraction might be a benefit. Eddie was holding his ground all right against the two Strigoi, but he wasn't making any progress against them either. He could use help. And we needed to make sure Jill didn't rush into this with only her wits to defend her. Inspiration hit me, and I managed to stay on my feet. The world was spinning even more than before, but – despite Adrian's protests – I managed to stagger to the kitchen. I just barely was able to get to the sink and flip the faucet on before my legs gave out underneath me. I caught hold of the counter's edge, using it to keep me upright. â€Å"Jill!† I yelled. She turned toward my shout, saw the running water, and instantly knew what to do. She lifted her hand. The stream coming from the faucet suddenly shifted, shooting out of the sink and across the living room. It went to Jill, who collected a large amount of it between her hands and magically forced the water into a long cylindrical shape. It held itself in the air like that, a rippling but seemingly solid club of water. Gripping it, she hurried toward the fight and swung her weapon of water into Jacqueline's back. Drops flew off of the â€Å"club,† but it held on to its rigidity enough for her to get a second hit in before completely exploding into a spray of water. Jacqueline spun around, her hand swinging out to strike Jill. Jill had expected as much and dropped to the floor, dodging in exactly the way I'd seen Eddie teach her. She scurried backward, out of Jacqueline's way, and the Strigoi pursued – giving Eddie an exposed shot on her back. Eddie took the opportunity, evading Dawn, and plunged his stake into Jacqueline's back. I'd never given it much thought before, but if shoved hard enough, a stake could pierce someone's heart just as easily from the back as the chest. Jacqueline went rigid, and Eddie jerked his stake out, just managing to avoid the full force of a strike from Dawn. She still caught him a little, and he stumbled briefly before quickly regaining his footing and setting his sights on her. Jill was forgotten and hurried over to us in the kitchen. â€Å"Are you okay?† she exclaimed, peering at both of us. That fierce look was gone. She was now just an ordinary girl concerned for her friends. â€Å"Oh my God. I was so worried about you both. The emotions were so strong. I couldn't get a fix on what was happening, just that something was horribly wrong.† I dragged my gaze to Eddie, who was dancing around with Dawn. â€Å"We have to help him – â€Å" I took two steps away from the counter and started to fall. Both Jill and Adrian reached out to catch me. â€Å"Jesus, Sage,† he exclaimed. â€Å"You're in bad shape.† â€Å"Not as bad as you,† I protested, still worried about helping Eddie. â€Å"They drank more from you – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but I don't have a bleeding arm wound,† he pointed out. â€Å"Or a possible concussion.† It was true. In all the excitement, I was so full of adrenaline that I'd all but forgotten about where Lee had stabbed me. No wonder I was so dizzy. Or maybe that was from getting my head smacked into the wall. It was anyone's guess at this point. â€Å"Here,† said Adrian gently. He reached for my arms with his cuffed hands. â€Å"I can take care of this.† A slow, tingling warmth spread through my skin. At first, Adrian's touch was comforting, like an embrace. I felt my tension and pain begin to ease. All was right in the world. He was in control. He was taking care of me. He was using his magic on me. â€Å"No!† I shrieked, pulling away from him with a strength I didn't know I had. The horror and full realization of what was happening to me was too powerful. â€Å"Don't touch me! Don't touch me with your magic!† â€Å"Sage, you'll feel better, believe me,† he said, reaching toward me again. I backed away, clinging to the edge of the counter for support. The fleeting memory of that warmth and comfort was being dwarfed by the terror I'd carried my entire life for vampire magic. â€Å"No, no, no. No magic! Not on me! The tattoo will heal me! I'm strong!† â€Å"Sage – â€Å" â€Å"Stop, Adrian,† said Jill. She approached me tentatively. â€Å"It's okay, Sydney. He won't heal you. I promise.† â€Å"No magic,† I whispered. â€Å"For God's sake,† growled Adrian. â€Å"This is superstitious bullshit.† â€Å"No magic,† Jill said firmly. She took off the button-up shirt she'd been wearing over a T-shirt. â€Å"Come here, and I'll use this to wrap it so that you don't lose any more bl – â€Å" An earsplitting shriek jerked us all back toward the living room. Eddie had made his kill, driving his stake right into the middle of Dawn's chest. In my brief scuffle with Adrian and Jill, Dawn must have gotten some shots in on Eddie because there was a large red mark on one side of his face, and his lip was bleeding. The expression in his eyes was hard and triumphant, however, as he pulled the stake out and watched Dawn fall. Through all the confusion and horror, basic Alchemist instincts took over. The danger was gone. There were procedures that needed to be followed. â€Å"The bodies,† I said. â€Å"We have to destroy them. There's a vial in my purse.† â€Å"Whoa, whoa,† said Adrian as both he and Jill restrained me. â€Å"Stay where you're at. Castile can get it. The only place you're going is to a doctor.† I didn't move but immediately argued with that last statement. â€Å"No! No doctors. At least, you have to – you have to get an Alchemist one. My purse has the numbers – â€Å" â€Å"Go get her purse,† Adrian told Jill, â€Å"before she has a fit here. I'll bind the arm.† I gave him a warning look. â€Å"Without magic. Which, by the way, could make this ten times easier.† â€Å"I'll heal on my own,† I said, watching as Jill retrieved my purse. â€Å"You realize,† added Adrian, â€Å"you're going to have to get over your dieting fixation and consume some major calories to fight the blood loss. Sugar and fluids, just like Clarence. Good thing someone bagged up all this candy on the counter.† Eddie walked over to Jill, and she paused as he asked if she was okay. She assured him she was, and although Eddie looked like he could kill about fifty more Strigoi, there was also a look in his eyes†¦ something I couldn't believe I'd never noticed before. Something I was going to have to think about. â€Å"Damn it,† said Adrian, fumbling with bandages. â€Å"Eddie, go search Lee's body and see if there's a key for these goddamned handcuffs.† Jill had been caught up in talking to Eddie but froze at the words â€Å"Lee's body.† Her face went so pale, she could have been one of the dead. In all the confusion, she hadn't noticed Lee's body in the chair. There'd been too much movement with the Strigoi, too much distraction by the threat they presented. She took a few steps toward the living room, and that's when she saw him. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out right away. Then she sped forward and grabbed his hands, shrieking. â€Å"No,† she cried. â€Å"No, no, no.† She shook him, as though that would wake him. In a flash, Eddie was by her side, his arms around her as he murmured nonsensical things to soothe her. She didn't hear him. Her whole world was Lee. I felt tears spring to my eyes and hated that they were there. Lee had tried to kill me and then had summoned others to kill me. He'd left a trail of innocents in his wake. I should be glad he was gone, but still, I felt sad. He had loved Jill, in his insane way, and from the pain on her face, it was clear she'd loved him too. The spirit bond hadn't shown her his death or role in our capture. Right now, she simply thought he was a victim of Strigoi. Soon enough, she'd learn the truth about his motives. I didn't know if that would ease her pain or not. I was guessing not. Weirdly, an image of Adrian's Love painting came back to me. I thought of the jagged red streak, slashing through the blackness, ripping it apart. Staring at Jill and her inconsolable pain, I suddenly understood his art a little bit better.

People versus Persons

People versus Persons People versus Persons People versus Persons By Daniel Scocco Felix asks, â€Å"I was just wondering when it was appropriate to use people as opposed to persons.† There is some confusion regarding the two terms, especially because their meaning and usage suffered a mutation along the centuries. Both derive from Latin, but from different words. Person derives from persona, which refers to an individual. People, on the other hand, derives from populum, and it refers to a group of persons sharing a culture or social environment. Person is a singular form, and its plural is persons. Over the time, however, many writers started to adopt people as the plural form of person, and nowadays it is widely accepted. Notice that legal and very formal texts still use persons as the plural form. One distinction that was proposed was to use persons as long as there was a countable number of individuals (e.g., 67 persons left the school) and people when such a number was large and indefinite (e.g., the people left the stadium quickly). The rule did not catch on, though, and some writers still use people even when there is a definite or small number of individuals. Finally, people can also be used in the plural form (e.g., the peoples of Asia) when it refers to the different cultural groups that live in a certain region. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Use a Dash for Number Ranges40 Words Beginning with "Para-"

Free Essays on I Felt A Funeral

The poem I felt a funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson is a dream about the speaker’s death. This is evident because of the capitalization of brain in the line â€Å"I felt a funeral in my Brain,† In the poem the speaker does not only discuss the physical aspects of dying but also the process of mourning. Emily Dickinson herself loved earth and was unsure about letting go of it to move on to heaven. This poem shows the speaker mourning the loss of her connection with earth rather than a person. The poem follows a traditional New England funeral. The people begin to enter the church for the service. The repetition of the word treading and to and fro gives the reader a repetitive feeling. The repetition of the rhythm of the mourners going back and forth annoys the speaker. The noise of her friends and family alive and her dead and disconnected bothered her. Then they tread â€Å"till it seemed/ That Sense was breaking through- â€Å" the capitalizes word sense illustrates the dreamer almost waking up. In the next stanza the mourners are seated for the service, this line shows that the dreamer has gone back to sleep. The service is described to be like a drum and that is â€Å"†¦beating- beating- till I thought/ My Mind was going numb- â€Å" Again, the repetition and the word numb shows how as they speak about her life the poet is aggravated that she has to leave it behind. The next stanza the dreamer hears â€Å"them lift a Box† the box is capitalized and is used to describe the coffin. Box also sounds more confined than a coffin and the dreamer is feeling confined from the world. The line â€Å"With those same Boots of Lead, again,† is showing that once again she is feeling separated from life. Boots of Lead is a heavier phrase than the others describing the feeling. Dickinson did this because she wanted to show the feeling of solitude becoming stronger as the dreamer is closer to being buried, and separated from life forever. ... Free Essays on I Felt A Funeral Free Essays on I Felt A Funeral The poem I felt a funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson is a dream about the speaker’s death. This is evident because of the capitalization of brain in the line â€Å"I felt a funeral in my Brain,† In the poem the speaker does not only discuss the physical aspects of dying but also the process of mourning. Emily Dickinson herself loved earth and was unsure about letting go of it to move on to heaven. This poem shows the speaker mourning the loss of her connection with earth rather than a person. The poem follows a traditional New England funeral. The people begin to enter the church for the service. The repetition of the word treading and to and fro gives the reader a repetitive feeling. The repetition of the rhythm of the mourners going back and forth annoys the speaker. The noise of her friends and family alive and her dead and disconnected bothered her. Then they tread â€Å"till it seemed/ That Sense was breaking through- â€Å" the capitalizes word sense illustrates the dreamer almost waking up. In the next stanza the mourners are seated for the service, this line shows that the dreamer has gone back to sleep. The service is described to be like a drum and that is â€Å"†¦beating- beating- till I thought/ My Mind was going numb- â€Å" Again, the repetition and the word numb shows how as they speak about her life the poet is aggravated that she has to leave it behind. The next stanza the dreamer hears â€Å"them lift a Box† the box is capitalized and is used to describe the coffin. Box also sounds more confined than a coffin and the dreamer is feeling confined from the world. The line â€Å"With those same Boots of Lead, again,† is showing that once again she is feeling separated from life. Boots of Lead is a heavier phrase than the others describing the feeling. Dickinson did this because she wanted to show the feeling of solitude becoming stronger as the dreamer is closer to being buried, and separated from life forever. ...

How To Design The Best Blog Graphics With Free Tools

How To Design The Best Blog Graphics With Free Tools Writing awesome content for your blog is essential to earning your readers trust and attention.  Yet there’s another overlooked element that can largely increase your blog traffic: design. Studies have found that 60% of us are visual learners, while only 46% of blogs are actually using visual content. Design often gets a bad rap for just â€Å"making things look pretty† (which it should, don’t get me wrong), but more importantly, it guides your reader in their overall experience. In fact, design can even guide your readers decisions since 67% of consumers consider images to carry more weight than customer ratings, reviews, and product descriptions. What do you want their first impression to be? How can you make your reader read more content? What do you want your reader to take away? All of these questions can be answered by using the tool of design. How To Design The Best Blog #Graphics With Tools Anyone Can Use #blogging Have you ever tried any of these tools to design your blog graphics? Adobe color wheel for complementary colors. Aviary for imagery, editing, and more. Bannersnack  for banner ads and promotion. Buncee for combining visuals and text with your images. Canva  for awesome blog graphics, imagery, and more. Chisel for writing words on images. Da Button Factory  for... um... buttons. Freebiesbug for free fonts. Google Drawings  for sketching out a thought. Haiku Deck for turning words into graphics and presentations. imgflip for generating memes. infogr.am  for infographics. Magdeleine for imagery. Matthew Kosloski's hexbook for complementary colors. Online Image Editor for... editing images online. Paint Shop Pro  for sketching out your thought. Phonto for layering text on images. Photoscape  for editing images. Photoshop  for editing images (and a lot more). Picasa  for small graphics you could use on your blog. Picmonkey for free online photo editing. Piktochart  for infographics, reports, charts, and presentations. Pixel Buddha for fonts and icons. PixTeller for making awesome posters. Placeit  for free iPhone and iPad mockups. PowerPoint  for smaller graphics. Prezi  for animated presentations. Quotes Cover for making visual quotes. Recite for turning quotes into graphics. Sellfy for awesome fonts. Visage for  turning your data into beautiful graphics and charts. Visual.ly for imagery and brand creative services. Word Swag for adding visual words to images. Bonus: Skillshare for design classes. Note: Many of these are free, some of the more robust tools require just a bit of investment. This post will help you use any of these tools even better to make sure your blog graphics  are awesome and not just... a visual to have on your blog. The better the visual, the more social shares you'll get. The more shares you get, the more traffic you get. And the more traffic you get, the more opportunities you have to convert your readers into paying subscribers of your brand. 33 Design Tools That Will Help You Create  Awesome Blog Graphics #blogging1. Remember Your Audience And Purpose When you start a design, it's easy to get caught up in all the fun options you have: color, layout, typography, and tons of others.  But instead, you should begin by  focusing on who your audience is and what you want them to learn. Begin by doing some research. What are other people in your industry doing visually? What are they doing well? What are they doing poorly? Are there certain colors that your audience likes or dislikes? These questions will keep your attention on your audience, while guiding you into the beginning stages of design. Design for your audience, not just to have a visual on your blog. #blogging #contentmarketing2. Every Good Design Starts With A Good Idea It's easy to forget that every good design begins with a great idea. Before even getting into the design, consider what your blog topic should be, do some research, and create an outline. It’s really important to have your idea before designing, because without it, your graphics will either have nothing to point to or your graphics will only be an excuse to cover up your not-so-great idea, which never works. Find your idea and make sure it’s a good one so that your design can take it to the next level. Use design to take your  blog  idea to the next level. #blogging3. Design To Draw Attention To Your Content Your reader is probably drawn to your blog because they love the content, so rather than distracting them with the design, let it highlight your work! You’ve spent hours researching, editing, and refining your content- so the last thing you need is a distracting graphic flashing in the sidebar. In order to draw attention to your content, keep the design simple. Find a layout that keeps your line lengths short (about 50–75 characters) and contains a straightforward call to action in the sidebar. Next, find a color scheme that is easy on the eyes, rather than one that’s flashy and neon. This way, the design will direct your readers to the beautiful text, rather than distract. Good design helps  your content stand out. #blogging4. Practice The Fundamental Design Concepts Within the design world, there’s a few general principles that are known to help any design work to the best of its ability. Here’s a few I’d like to share with you. Number 1: Consistency Everyone enjoys what’s familiar. They find it to be safe and comfortable, which is exactly why it produces trust and dependability.  Just as producing consistent content is important, so is creating consistent design. Just as producing consistent content is important, so is creating consistent design.Within your blog, try to have similar styles for things such as your headline, main points, body text, and so on. You can use color, different typefaces, and size to organize your text while making it visually consistent so your reader can read uninterrupted. Just remember to choose a style, and then stick to it. This consistency will encourage your reader to read more content, which then develops familiarity and overall trust. Number 2: Repetition Everyone learns through repetition. I think we’ve all studied for school or practiced for a sporting activity. The more we do or see something, the more we learn. In the case of you blog, using repetition in your design can help the reader learn more from your content. By using repetition, they'll be able to begin recognizing certain visual cues and patterns that guide them through the content in a very successful way.   Number 3: Alignment While some of us may not be organized by nature, nobody wants to stay over at a messy house. The same applies to your blog. With alignment, you can create a grid in your layout that keeps things clean and tidy. A grid  will break up each section of your blog into different parts, making it structured and easier for your reader to find what they’re looking for. This  also keeps your blog consistent from post to post as they’ll have the same layout. By keeping everything organized, your reader will easily be able to read through your blog without tripping over a shoe. Number 4: Hierarchy This is a really fancy word for ‘order’. Within your content, there will be some things that matter more than others, such as your headline. Your headline is very important for drawing your readers in, and making a connection before even entering the blog. Using design, you can make your headline shine visually by making sure it's larger than your body text. You can also add a color that directs the reader’s attention to the headline right away. Within your content, you can create order with your headers and sub points simply by adjusting the sizes and colors. Another option is text formats. If the header is more important, try bolding it. If you have a list you’d like the reader to pay attention to, indent it. These are all ways to create order within your content. Number 5: Proximity â€Å"You are who you surround yourself with.† This is a common thing we all hear growing up, and  it's also true with design. We naturally make associations with things that are next to each other and separate things that are far away. Using blog design, you can make it easier to draw connections within your content if you become intentional with placement and white space. For example, if you have a main point within your blog, and then have a graphic to emphasize that point, keep them somewhat close together. Your reader can then draw a connection from the two combined because even though they’re different in format, they’re close together and have the same message. Then let’s say you want to move onto your next main point. Make sure to include some white space so that the reader can rest, and know you’re moving on. White space works as a period and space, breaking up each idea. While white space can be one of the most overlooked design tools, I highly encourage using it in order to let your reader relax and take a breather. Number 6: Color Everyone has their favorite color, but beyond our general opinion, colors have direct psychological implications. Color can make us feel loved, sad, embarrassed, or excited. Color can even make us feel overwhelmed or super relaxed.  Either way, color is a great way to visually communicate to your readers. Here’s a couple tips: First, don’t use bright colors. Instead choose ones that are more subtle, and have the brighter colors as accents for links and buttons.  Second, less is more. I generally recommend using two to three colors in order to have enough variety, while also staying consistent. Remember, color should be used to draw attention to your content, not distract. Number 7: Imagery In today’s culture, photos, videos, infographics, and charts, are all extremely popular and a great option for helping your audience understand your topic. Sometimes the imagery can even do a better job explaining the content than the text itself since  some of us are more visually orientated. Either way, there are a few guidelines to using your imagery successfully: Use human faces.  One of the first things a baby notices is the human face. Science has shown we’re naturally drawn to faces, so take advantage and use that in your imagery. Second, be creative. Stock photography is a very popular option, but that also means it’s often far less unique. Your audience wants to find gems and takeaways, not something they’ve seen before. In today’s mass-media culture, it's more important than ever to be genuine and unique. Plus, there  are  tons of  great tools out there that can help you in this! (Just check out that list at the beginning of this post.) Lastly, make sure you have the right proportions. Nobody enjoys a squished face or a fat word that’s hard to read. Keep it the right size, and you’ll be all set! Number 8: Icons Icons are a great way to communicate complex ideas super fast. They are little, simplified visuals that represent something greater. We can see them every day driving home, shopping at a grocery store, or on our social media platforms. While icons  don’t go into depth like your content will, they do begin the conversation and get your reader on the same page. Icons can also be a great way to mix up your imagery with some variety!   Number 9: Typography Did you know that some typefaces are easier to read than others? Government documents and traffic signs have a specific typeface for this very reason. In a blog, the ability to read your content is one of the most important parts, if not the most important, so make sure to choose a simple typeface that is easy to read. It’s also great to find one that has different styles such as bold and italic so you can stylize your different headers. In fact, some of the best typefaces are those that are known to be ‘invisible’ because they allow the readers to focus on the content rather than the appearance. Use typography to make your content as legible as possible. The best typefaces are invisible. They help  readers focus on content, not  appearance.Those are the fundamentals you should know about great design. While some of these concepts might seem more complex than others, if you use  them one by one, you’ll soon learn just how complementary they are.  By using a grid with alignment, you’re also creating consistencies†¦ and by using typography you can create an awesome hierarchy within your content, and so on. They overlap more than we think, so just take one step forward, begin with one or two, and watch them do their thing. 9 design fundamentals you need to know for #blogging5. Push Through Creative Block In every creative project, you'll most likely  experience what is known as creative block at some point. This happens for writers as well as designers. It's as if all your wonderful ideas have suddenly ran out, and no matter how hard you think, you feel like a new idea will never come. But don’t worry†¦ here are a few tips that I’ve found to be successful. First, change your atmosphere. Find a new room, new colors, new people to surround yourself with so your brain can switch gears and think along a different track. Second, try putting that aside and work on something totally different. Sometimes thinking through a different project will give you an idea for your previous one. If that doesn’t work, come back to it the next morning. Just as our bodies need rest each night, so does your design brain.  Take a break, relax, and come back with a refreshed mind. And if all else fails, just push through. I've found some of my best solutions because I forced myself to just keep going, reworking each option, until I finally found the solution. While creative block is something we all experience, there are ways to work through it and find awesome solutions. 6.  Here's a challenge for you. There are several awesome resources out there that can help you in your design endeavors. If you feel overwhelmed, just start small. Try out one of these tools and see how it goes. Maybe start incorporating one or two images in your first few posts, and see how it goes. For those of you who are familiar with your blog design, try taking it to a new level. Instead of purchasing your imagery, make something yourself. Get creative and see how far you can go. Finally, if you’re ready to go all in, try creating a graphic that you can give to your readers as a free download. Your readers will love the resource and you’ll get even more traffic. Bonus Tip: Repurpose your graphics for social media!  Tweets with graphics get up to 150% more click-throughs than those that don’t.

Describe the methods used to calculate value added. How does value Essay

Describe the methods used to calculate value added. How does value added contribute towards understanding the connections betwee - Essay Example Since value makes the business propositions necessary to understand, it is imperative that emphasis on deriving value is always given the priority to achieve significant results. It will set the ball rolling in the right direction and ask of the stakeholders to believe in the premise of delivering value for the sake of the business and product markets. This paper studies the basis of value and how it is deemed as a very vital ingredient of any organization in this day and age. It also touches upon the aspects of calculating value added for the business industry and the manner under which distinctive actions and behaviors come about. This is so needed because it resolves the ambiguities involved with the connections that exist between the business and their product markets in different locations of the world. How value is added remains a very pivotal topic that one needs to comprehend. What this suggests is the fact that value should always be seen as an element which is being given t he fundamental basis by the organizational middle management as well as top tier. This is so done to make sure that the priorities are set on a solid footing and that there are no areas where a missing link exists. To calculate the real basis of value, one needs to focus on the gap that comes about when there is a problem related with making a profit within the business and product market contexts. ... Any business that exists in essence does its best to create value for everyone. Now how this value is deciphered by different entities is another point that must be understood. This value is for the overall comprehension of the people who are either the stakeholders of its different processes or the ones who will produce results. Value is an inherently positive factor which will bring in the goodwill of the people and give the company the mileage that it direly requires. What is most significant under such settings is an adherence towards doing things for the sake of the people for whom the business is in existence in the first place. It will set the basis for achieving a number of tasks and objectives, all under the discipline of value creation and strategic success. When value is derived from determinants of success, there is more reason why stakeholders should expect the fruits of labor coming in for the sake of the organization. This is apparent in the case of many organizations today that are making giant efforts to reach out to the people who can bring in value for the sake of all the stakeholders. These employees are most desired because they know the art of managing value and essentially the mannerisms which are related with its creation. A value-added accounting framework would serve the cause of the entire industry, irrespective of the takers. This value creation only allows the businesses to compete within an international context and look at the strategic perspective more than anything else. It gives a precise rundown on some of the most pivotal tasks and actions which can be completed to bring about success within the relevant and related methodologies. Company performance is dependent on how this value is carried forward and how its success

Importance of the Patient and Staff Satisfaction (PASS) Committee Essay

Importance of the Patient and Staff Satisfaction (PASS) Committee - Essay Example The opportunity to work with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) means that nurses have greater resources in researching for best evidence-based practices in order to upgrade the care provided to patients who rely on us to keep them healthy. There are always new ways being found to help with clinical processes and making them more efficient as well as determining better health solutions for patients who may have a myriad of problems (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt 2011). As part of providing better practices to patients, the establishment of the Patient and Staff Satisfaction (PASS) Committee through which practices are examined and critiqued for improvement if needed. This includes conducting reviews of case studies from the nurses who have attended patients and how they were able to provide solutions, or if there was an area that needed improving, such as how research was conducted to find the best solution (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber 2013; Webb 2011). It is important for nurses to know how to conduct research and what tools are available for them to do so. This includes using medical library databases such as Cochrane and MEDLINE/PubMed, a resource division of the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 149

Discussion - Essay Example It also noted failure by the colonial authority to respect the fundamental rights, a factor that led to the Spirit of ’76 and declared liberty of the states. The writing therefore uses the Spirit of ’76 as a basis for its independence declaration objective (The National Archives, N.d.). The Common Sense that Thomas Pain authored in the year 1776 called upon Americans to abandon dialogue and fight for independence. Even though Americans already laid some of its arguments down, the arguments reinforced the urge for a revolution as did the new arguments. Pain’s description of proponents of reconciliation such as men with self-interest who cannot be trusted, weak men, and men with prejudice are examples of argument that motivated revolution (Pain, 1776). Authored earlier in the year of the Spirit of ’76 and supporting existing ideas and proposing new ideas for revolution, the document is understood as a factor to the

Purpose for Educational Leadership Personal Statement

Purpose for Educational Leadership - Personal Statement Example With my master degree, I was credited with 3 Advanced Certificates in Management from the same university, to wit: Advanced Certificate in Information Management, Advanced Certificate in Telecommunication Management, and Advanced Certificate in Human Resource. My interest in educational leadership is an expected offshoot of an increased awareness in contemporary leadership theories gained from human resources management courses. I have started to remunerate on the development of leadership theories through time – mostly focusing on leadership styles and perspectives on motivating one’s followers. Despite the enormous amounts of theoretical framework on guidelines for effective leadership, there still exist conflicts in organizations that could not be resolved by the so-called leaders who have supposedly gained so much expertise on the field of human behavior in organizations which highlight modules on managing conflict, change, culture, diversity, and teamwork, among others. My educational background equipped me with conceptual frameworks on management and technology. I am aware that the history of education has evolved from a curriculum comprising of a simple theoretical framework to the complex structure we have today. The development of technology opened a whole spectrum of information and educational opportunities which enhanced the capabilities of individuals. Murphy, et.al. (2002) averred that â€Å"school leaders, educational administration faculty, and policymakers are endeavouring to redefine the profession in an era of ferment, during which the legitimacy of its knowledge base and the appropriateness of programs for preparing school leaders have been thrown into question†. More and more educational programs and institutions opt to apply leadership theories for diverse reasons. In this regard, I am interested to look into the increasing incidents for educational institutions’ use of adjunct faculty to augment teaching needs and requirements, not duly supported by full-time faculty members.     

The American Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

The American Revolution - Essay Example The call for the formation of a legitimate government was a central pledge among the ideas advocated for by the colonists. The colonists opposed the monarchial power of the British colonizers to appoint political representatives. The colonists demanded for their rights to appoint political representatives. The notable degradation of human rights by the British, especially in the south, inspired the revolution movements. Contrary to the British, the colonists wanted an end to slavery. The call for consideration of women rights was vital in inspiring the colonists to push for the revolution movement. As opposed to the British government, the colonists wanted equality granted to the female gender’s legal rights. The revolution movement had its basis on the need to instill religious freedom. The colonists wanted an independent religious institution from the control of the state, as well. These ideas that inspired revolution movement erupted from intellectual theories held by revolutionists. Scientific empiricism also contributed highly in escalating the revolution movement. The colonists successfully defeated powers of their aristocratic colonizers, courtesy of the inspiration from the ideas that they had. The formation of the states after independence had its basis on these diverse ideas including the beliefs of the Americans and the principles that initiated the desire for freedom. The formation of the constitution was the most influential part of in the enactment of the ideas of the independent people that they pledged for during the revolution movement (Bailyn

Purpose for Educational Leadership Personal Statement

Purpose for Educational Leadership - Personal Statement Example With my master degree, I was credited with 3 Advanced Certificates in Management from the same university, to wit: Advanced Certificate in Information Management, Advanced Certificate in Telecommunication Management, and Advanced Certificate in Human Resource. My interest in educational leadership is an expected offshoot of an increased awareness in contemporary leadership theories gained from human resources management courses. I have started to remunerate on the development of leadership theories through time – mostly focusing on leadership styles and perspectives on motivating one’s followers. Despite the enormous amounts of theoretical framework on guidelines for effective leadership, there still exist conflicts in organizations that could not be resolved by the so-called leaders who have supposedly gained so much expertise on the field of human behavior in organizations which highlight modules on managing conflict, change, culture, diversity, and teamwork, among others. My educational background equipped me with conceptual frameworks on management and technology. I am aware that the history of education has evolved from a curriculum comprising of a simple theoretical framework to the complex structure we have today. The development of technology opened a whole spectrum of information and educational opportunities which enhanced the capabilities of individuals. Murphy, et.al. (2002) averred that â€Å"school leaders, educational administration faculty, and policymakers are endeavouring to redefine the profession in an era of ferment, during which the legitimacy of its knowledge base and the appropriateness of programs for preparing school leaders have been thrown into question†. More and more educational programs and institutions opt to apply leadership theories for diverse reasons. In this regard, I am interested to look into the increasing incidents for educational institutions’ use of adjunct faculty to augment teaching needs and requirements, not duly supported by full-time faculty members.     

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 18

Journal - Essay Example In these studies, chemical compounds in tobacco smoke seem to hasten follicular depletion (Soares 40). Moreover, qualitative impacts on follicular maturation, steroidogenesis, embryo development and fertilization have been documented. Exposure to cigarette substances in animals negatively impacts both pre- and post-impantation competence in embryonic development. For instance, tobacco inhalation in female mouse was demonstrated to be harmful to early development of the embryo and results into reduced fetal total weight. Direct nicotine injection in rats impedes cleavage of the embryo and considerably decreases the number of cells. It has been acknowledged women who smoke tobacco has a high probability of tubal barrenness and a noticeably a high danger of ectopic pregnancy. In a study, the ectopic pregnancy’s OR among smoking women was around 15.69. Tobacco smoking has been illustrated to negatively impact both the cellular and humoral immune systems. Moreover, it has been hypothesized that such changes may make tobacco smokers more liable to tubal contagions and ensuing infertility. Regarding the effect of tobacco smoking on male, Soares (42) contend that research demonstrate that normal conception in couples having a tobacco smoking spouse has a considerable decrease in fertility, with an elevated time-to-pregnancy, in situations where cigarette intake is greater than 15 per day. Tobacco smoking does not only alter variations in standard sperm limits, but also can impact the quality of the sperms. Also, biochemical alterations that can decrease the quality of sperms have been published in seminal liquid smokers, and tobacco genotoxicity is indubitable. In various groups analyzing DNA sperm fragmentation in tobacco smoking and nonsmoking males, it was established that an increased fragmentation rate in tobacco smokers was greatest in pre- and post swim-up

Evolution of the Human Hearing Essay Example for Free

Evolution of the Human Hearing Essay Evolution of the Human HearingIntroductionThe human ear has two major functions: ensuring body balance and sound detection. The balancing mechanism seems to have evolved earlier than the hearing mechanism. Early developing vertebrates had balancing organs, but they have no cochlea. A good example is fish. The basic function of the human ear is to sense sound. Sound is a compression of wave, which travels via a medium. For vertebrates, the medium perceived is air. Sound waves can travel through other mediums, such as water or ground. Hearing is a result of vibration of the surrounding medium that resonates parts of the body. The resonance is then transformed into electrical signals such that they can be interpreted by the human ear. The way human beings recognize sound has undergone changes since the discovery of the ear. Land vertebrates, birds, reptiles and mammals evolved primitively from amphibians, specifically the primitive fish. The formation of the inner ear started during the Devonian Period. There has been a debate whether the lateral line structure, a sensory system used to detect variations in pressure in amphibians, developed into the inner ear. Most scientists and researchers agree that the ear evolved from this lateral system. The lateral system is found beneath the skin of fish. It is a series of grooves and depressions with a group of hair cells, which lets the fish to adapt to variations in eddies and currents. According to (Duane, 1981) primitive fish possessed a simple sensory organ. The grooves evolved into the complex inner ear in vertebrates. The nerves cells in the human ear are adaptations of the earlier hair cells. In the course of evolution, a fish become more amphibious. Finally, it evolved into a land animal, which required a new sensory system to detect differences in air pressure. This was a way of improving their survival rates, such as danger recognition. According to (Clark, 2003) the Eustachian tube and the middle ear evolved from the respiratory mechanism of the fish, while the inner ear evolves from jaws. With time, the inner ear changed and developed. The part of the inner ear responsible for body balance evolved to the membrane of the oval window. The oval window is responsible for transmitting variations in air pressure. As this happened, the inner ear was growing bigger and bigger. In the fish, a tiny swell emerged in the vestibular of the ear. As the evolution progre ssed, the bulge evolved into a spiraled cochlea. This is what forms the hearing system of vertebrates. Gradually, fish evolved into amniotes, which are fully terrestrial vertebrates. Early amniotes did not have eardrums. According to (Gangestad, 2000) eardrums evolved six times in primitive amphibians, in anurans, in sysnapis, in diapsids (lizards, dinosaurs, and bids), in anapsids (turtles and its relatives), in reptiliomorphs and in temsnospondyls. According to paleontologists, our earliest ancestors breathed through their ears. According to (Gangestad, 2000) tubes that form the middle ear developed from gill-like structures that allowed sea creatures to breathe from back of their heads. Another study was done by ( Anthwal, 2012) which sought to examine 370-million-year old fossils, Panderichthyts. This is an immediate species between the amniotes and fish. The study reveals that Panderichthys had tiny bones in its skull that appeared similar to the early analogues of the gill system and the ear canals. The study suggests the canals are the ones which developed into true ears. This occurred after Panderichtys’s ancestors had become air breathers, freeing up their former gills structures for sensory functions. The study plays a critical role in understanding the evolution of the human ear. Our ability to ear relies on structures, which started as a gill opening in a fish, the study reveals. Human and all other vertebrates have special bones in the ear responsible for hearing. Ancient fish relied on the same structures to breath while in water. The study further argues that the human ear into a complex structure after animals established themselves on land. To draw valid conclusions, the study compared the fossil with its close cousin of the first land animals. In another fossil, Eustenopteron, a discovery of a small bone called hyomandibula was made. The bone later on developed a kink and blocked the gill opening. Furthermore, in early land animals like tetrapods Acanthostega, the bone receded, forming a larger opening. This is now a part of the middle ear in all vertebrates, including humans. A close study of the Panderichthys fossil offers scientists a crucial missing link between the ea rs and fish gill openings. According to (Anthwal, 2102) the characteristics are much more like those of tetrapods; there is no longer kink but the spiracle is widened and opened up. He found out that the hydomandibula is shorter, but rod-like in Eustenopteron. Another study of a hominid that was discovered in South Africa confirms that the human ear has undergone several changes. The fossil dated 1.9 million years was found to have several bones which are found on the modern human ear. However, the bones were not exactly the same. Three ear bones were identified. The malleus appeared to be human-like while the stapes and the incus appeared to resemble those of Chimpanzees. The study asserts that since the malleus of our early ancestors looks similar to ours, the changes of the bone must have occurred during our evolutionary history. The discovery is important in two ways. First, it suggests that ear ossicles are adult-sized and fully-formed at birth, but do not change in our lifetime. Second, the bones show that the hearing ability of ancient creatures was very different from that of modern humans. This is not necessarily, better or worse. But certainly, the hearing capability was different (Texas University, 2013). Following the discussion presented above, it can be noted that the human ear underwent several stages of evolution. The studies presented above clearly shows that the hearing capability of ancient creatures was different from that of modern humans. In addition to this, it can be noted that the human ear evolved from a simple gill structure all through jaw bones of a reptile. The following diagram summarizes our discussion. Diagram Adapted from: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evograms_05References Anthwal N. (2012). Evolution of the mammalian middle ear and jaw: adaptations and novel structures. Journal of Anatomy 221 (1): 1–96. Clark, A. G. (2003). Inferring nonneutral evolution from human-chimp-mouse orthologous gene trios. Science, 302(5652), 1960-1963. Duane T. Gish, The Mammal-like Reptiles, Impact, no. 102, December 1981. Gangestad, S. W. (2000). The evolution of human mating: Trade-offs and strategic pluralism. Behavioral and brain sciences, 23(04), 573-587.Texas AM University. (2013, May 13). Prehistoric ear bones could lead to evolutionary answers. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 22, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513174048.htm Source document