Essay --

Lung Cancer Screening With CT Karyn Terry Pima Medical Institute February 12, 2014 â€Æ' Lung Cancer Screening With CT Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer within the United States with tobacco smoking being the biggest risk factor. In 2012, more than 220,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer and approximately 150,000 died from the disease. â€Å"Lung cancer rates in the United States climbed dramatically throughout much of the 20th century, as smoking became more popular, and peaked in the 1980’s before declining in the 1990’s† (Furlow, 2014, p. 298). Screening of high risk people for lung cancer has been extending patients’ lives with early detection with the use of computed tomography (CT). Likewise, lung cancer affects people who have never smoked due to the presence of radon and household pollutants. Radon has contributed to 10% of all lung cancer deaths and is considered second to smoking. There is no way to predict who will get cancer, but inherited genetic risk factors make some people more vulnerable to carcinogenic exposures than others. Lung cancer starts whenever there is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal tissue cells that affect the normal function within the lungs. As these abnormal cells grow they form tumors which can block the oxygen exchange within the body. (Lungcancer.org, 2014). Original screening for lung cancer was done with the use of standard radiographs, but recently computed tomography (CT) is being used because it offers greater sensitivity in detecting pulmonary nodules. â€Å"The capability of low-dose spiral CT to visualize lung structure using low doses of radiation has greatly improved in the past two decades because of refinements in detector resolution, microprocessor ... ...th chest x-ray does not reduce rate of lung cancer deaths. (2011). Health & Medicine Week, 3314. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/901356988?accountid=89121. Lungcancer.org. (2014). What is lung cancer? Retrieved from http://www.lungcancer.org/find_information/publications/163-lung_cancer_101/265-what_is_lung_cancer. Ostrow, N. (2011). Screening for lung cancer with chest x-ray doesn’t cut deaths, study finds. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-26/screening-for-lung-cancer-with-chest-x-rays-doesn-t-cut-deaths.html. Pyenson, B. S., Sander, M. S., Jiang, Y., Kahn, H., & Mulshine, J. L. (2012). An actuarial analysis shows that offering lung cancer screening as an insurance benefit would save lives at relatively low cost. Health Affairs, 31(4), 770-9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1009893765?accountid=89121.

Are We Free to Make Our Own Choices in Life?

1st essay Are we free to make our own choices in life? Although it sounds appealing to make one's own decision freely, it is actually an impractable goal as the society has exerted significant influence and restrictions on individuals and has shaped one's value of what they should do and what they should not do. In today's society, people are more free to make our own choices than we were before, but it is true that we canno indulge our interests at the cost of transgressing the basic rules of the society.The first example is about the choice of curriculum. Nowadays, we are much less limited when choosing extracurriculum activities and collegial groups than people were before; however, there are basic disciplines which must not be neglected such as Mathematicis, English Literature, Physics and Chemistry. These disciplines are compulsory because they will greatly assist your future career and well-being, while choosing to ignore these compelling courses will undoubtedly result in a gr eat obstable since you are not equipped with some of the most basic skills.Furthermore, you will be less likely to enroll in an outstanding university or college, which can be attributed to your choice of not taking these basic disciplines. Actually, everyone is provided with a concrete and immutable schedule for daily couses whcih will not be altered by any individual student withour a reasonable application and cogent explanation. From this example, we can see that there are courses that we hove to choose to study. In other words, we cannot make a choice totally freely on which courses to take. Another example is about filial responsibility.Turning to Chinese society, it is a written law that every grown-up should look after his or her parents if economically permitted. One of my neighbour is a vile women, always shouting against her parents and asking her parents for money. I usually herar augument with her parents on economic issues. In fact, she does not shoulder the responsibi lity of a daughter to take care of her elderly parents; instead, she throws herself in the cyberspace, not willing to take on a job to â€Å"act as† a daughter. She may not be punished by law; however, every family in our community has acknowledged her notorious reputation and malicious behaviour.As she decides not to take care of her parents, she has broken the basic law of the society–conscience. Her case indicates that people who make choices regardless of the rules of society will be injurious to not only the people around them but also themselves. In conclusion, we are more or less limited by the rules of society when making decisions. However, as far as I am concerned, these rules should bot by regarded as obstacles, but should rather be considered as contribution to the stability and harmony of the hole society. 2nd EssayWhat must we do to truly understand ourselves? As an old saying goes, ‘It is always being difficult for people to judge themselves evenha ndedly. ‘ And I agree that many people do not have general idea what he or she is like in others' eyes. Therefore, from my perspective, to communicate with other people, discuss some common topics, or even argue about something can not only help people have truly understandings of others but also themselves. Two characters, Elizabeth and Mr Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice, a far-reaching novel, can serve as an example.Their first interaction was on a ball where Mr Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth, who regarded him as a person with rude and pride personality ever since. After that, another officer, Wickham's accusations enhanced Elizabeth's prejudice about Darcy. Both of them, Elizabeth and Darcy, have the idea that the other is proud while have no idea about their own personalities. Nevertheless, as time goes by, Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth and expresses his feelings to her. He is astounded by her prejudice about him.He sends Elizabeth a letter telling everything happened between him and Wickham. Thought their communication, they learnt each other's personality, realized the damage they have made in both of their hearts and finally became couples. Darcy's pride of status is founded on social prejudice while Elizabeth's initial prejudice against him is rooted in pride of her own perception. But their true communications afterwards made both of them correct their ideas about each other's characteristic as well as their own personalities. Another example is in the movie of Titanic.Rose was a girl with notable social status and she would be married with a business man, Carl. Though she did not love him, and was tired about the sybaritic life of upper classes, she lived against her own heart. When saved by Jack, and had conversations with him about their distinct life, Rose realized hat she did not want to be a upper class anymore. She finally acknowledged her love with Jack and decided to live with him forever. Jack's discretions prevented Rose from jumping into the ocean and also encourages Rose to be brave and act in accordance with her heart.Communication is the very way that made Rose to change and understands herself as a woman. I agree that the meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances and insist that communicate helps people to recognize themselves. 3rd essay Is censorship sometimes justifiable? Human rights include freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Based on this definition, many people believe that censorship is a flagrant infringement on human rights, and thus it should not be tolerated. However, I believe that censorship can be justified.Through a discussion of censorship of history textbooks in Japan, censorship against racism in Singapore and move ratings, this essay seeks to show the benefits of censorship to the community. The censorship of Japan's war crimes in Japan's history textbooks shows us that censorship is necessary to preserve national pride. In all histo ry textbooks used in Japan, atrocious war crimes such as their cruelties in World War II, most notably the systemised raping and pillage of Japanese soldiers in the rape of Nanking, China, are only briefly mentioned as parts of the wars, all the grotesque details prohibited.Though China accuses Japan of distorting history, this is necessary to maintain the national pride in Japanese students, especially for those younger students whose opinions and impressions of the country are still in the shaping. Therefore, the censorship can be justified if it is used wisely for the good of the nation. Censorship is also justified in Singapore to ensure social cohesion and racial harmony. In a multi-racial country like Singapore, a caustic racist remark can trigger conflict that threatens the social cohesion that took Singapore decades to cultivate.As such, the Media Development Authority (MDA) prohibits the use of derogatory language or insensitive remarks against any races in any form of medi a, be it printed media like newspapers or the new media- the Internet. This ensures the mutual respect between different races, and thus protects social cohesion in a fragile society like Singapore. Therefore, in cases like this, censorship should be justified. The movie ratings system is the most common type of censorship, and it is reasonable as it protects the minds of the young against violence and sexually explicit materials shown in movies.Massive research done on movies containing violence, foul language and sexually explicit materials has shown that exposure to such materials at a young age can lead to psychological instability for viewers and make them more prone to committing juvenile delinquency. As such, the movies are often rated from Parental Guidance to NC17, M18 and in some countries R21, to protect viewers from viewing dangerous materials unsuitable for their age. The movie ratings system thus is a necessary form of censorship to bar the young from being exposed to harmful materials through movies.Overall, censorship is justified in many cases, as it seeks to maintain social stability, racial harmony and to protect the young minds from dangerous materials in movies. However, once misused, censorship can violate human rights principles of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Due to the complexity of censorship, the government needs to be prudent in using censorship to the best interest of the society. 4th Essay What two options are the most difficult to choose between? The most difficult choice is neither between life and death nor between love and freedom, but between truth and lie.Although I have to admit that it really takes a lot of courage to decide to die when one still have chance to live and it is harder to give up one's beloved to pursue the mental world of freedom, it is the choice of insisting on the truth that takes the greatest bravery. Louis Pasteur is such an example who bravely challenged the majority's opinion in order to hold the truth. Before him, people commonly believed that life comes directly from the lifeless matter. This theory is called spontaneous theory which was synthesized by Aristotle, the unshakable authority at that time.Hence, people from common ones to experts all deeply believed in this theory. However, Pasteur threw doubt on this commonly believed theory after conducting a series of experiments. Seeing is believing. What was shown in the experiments definitely disproved Aristotle's old theory. Here came the choice. He could publish the result of his discovery to insist on the truth or support the old wrong theory to lie to his heart. If he chose the first one, there would be lots of critics waiting for him. No one will exactly know what those crazy people will do who championed the spontaneous theory for so many years.His friends even warned him about the quagmire lain on the endless truth chasing path. On the contrast, if he chose the latter one, he will suffer from the tortur e of consciousness instead of the one from others. Finally, he decided to choose the first choice. Pasteur publicized his discovery in 1864 and brought a controversy immediately. Countless people found fault with Pasteur's experiments but soon people gradually were persuaded by the fact of the experiments. Because of this choice, Pasteur became one of the founders of the microbiology.Unlike to choose death or freedom, people never know what they will get after holding the truth. Perhaps one can earn famous during his or her life time, like Louis Pasteur, or he or she can be punished to die without understanding from other people. For instance, Giordano Bruno donated his life to pursue the truth. While at his contemporary, he was considered as a heretic because his belief of Copernican model offended the authority of the Catholic Church. In the end he was burned at the stake by civil authorities in 1600.Still lucky, his idea was understood by several people and recorded in text form so that his descendants could recover his opinion and memorize him forever. And those people who had no supporters for their persistence or did not record their opinion would be forgotten by generations. In conclusion, either pursuing truth or giving in to lie needs plenty of bravery to chose. However, we have to make decision between them. This was because he was the gold medalist. 5th essay Do we need knowledge of the past to fully understand the present? People live in the present. They plan for and worry about the future.The knowledge of the past gives us all the demands that press in from living in the present and anticipating what is yet to come, why bother with what has been? Knowledge of the past gives us all the desirable and available branches of knowledge. It is why we insist to learn knowledge of past such as history. I agree with what Rosamond MacKitterick told us. He said that a sense of the past is an essential past of our identity . The past is in many respects a for eign country, but on the premise that travel broadens the mind, this is all the more reason to go there.Any subject of study needs justification: Most widely accepted subjects—and history is certainly one of them—attract some people who simply like the information and modes of thought involved. I know that you may have more doubtful about why to bother need to know what the purpose is. In a society that quite correctly expects education to serve useful purposes, History is in fact very useful, actually indispensable, but the products of historical study are less tangible, sometimes less immediate, than those that stem from some other disciplines.In the past history has been justified for reasons we would no longer accept. For instance, one of the reasons history holds its place in current education is because earlier leaders believed that a knowledge of certain historical facts helped distinguish the educated from the uneducated; the person who could reel off the date of the. Knowledge of historical facts has been used as a screening device in many societies, from China to the United States, and the habit is still with us to some extent.Unfortunately, this use can encourage mindless memorization—a real but not very appealing aspect of the discipline. History should be studied because it is essential to individuals and to society, and because it harbors beauty. There are many ways to discuss the real functions of the subject—as there are many different historical talents and many different paths to historical meaning. All definitions of history's utility, however, rely on two fundamental facts. We could borrow knowledge of the past to understand the present situation better in any field.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Nine

â€Å"Well, at least I didn't get taken over,† Bonnie said. â€Å"But I'm sick of this psychic stuff anyway; I'm tired of the whole thing. That was the last time, absolutely the last.† â€Å"All right,† said Elena, turning away from the mirror, â€Å"let's talk about something else. Did you find anything out today?† â€Å"I talked with Alaric, and he's having another get-together next week,† Bonnie replied. â€Å"He asked Caroline and Vickie and me if we wanted to be hypnotized to help us deal with what's been happening. But I'm sure he isn't the Other Power, Elena. He's too nice.† Elena nodded. She'd had second thoughts about her suspicions of Alaric herself. Not because he was nice, but because she had spent four days in his attic asleep. Would the Other Power really have let her stay there unharmed? Of course, Damon had said he'd influenced Alaric to forget that she was up there, but would the Other Power have succumbed to Damon's influence? Shouldn't it be far too strong? Unless its Powers had temporarily burned out, she thought suddenly. The way Stefan's were burning out now. Or unless it had only been pretending to be influenced. â€Å"Well, we won't cross him off the list just yet,† she said. â€Å"We've got to be careful. What about Mrs. Flowers? Did you find out anything about her?† â€Å"No luck,† said Meredith. â€Å"We went to the boardinghouse this morning, but she didn't answer the door. Stefan said he'd try to track her down in the afternoon.† â€Å"If somebody would only invite me in there, I could watch her, too,† Elena said. â€Å"I feel like I'm the only one not doing anything. I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused a moment, considering, and then said, â€Å"I think I'll go by home-by Aunt Judith's, I mean. Maybe I'll find Robert hanging around in the bushes or something.† â€Å"We'll go with you,† Meredith said. â€Å"No, it's better for me to do it alone. Really, it is. I can be very inconspicuous these days.† â€Å"Then take your own advice and be careful. It's still snowing hard.† Elena nodded and dropped over the windowsill. As she approached her house, she saw that a car was just pulling out of the driveway. She melted into the shadows and watched. The headlights illuminated an eerie winter sight: the neighbors' black locust tree, like a bare-branched silhouette, with a white owl sitting in it. As the car roared past, Elena recognized it. Robert's blue Oldsmobile. Now, that was interesting. She had an urge to follow him, but a stronger urge to check the house, make sure everything was all right. She circled it stealthily, examining windows. The yellow chintz curtains at the kitchen window were looped back, revealing a bright section of kitchen inside. Aunt Judith was closing the dishwasher. Had Robert come to dinner? Elena wondered. The yellow chintz curtains at the kitchen window were looped back, revealing a bright section of kitchen inside. Aunt Judith was closing the dishwasher. Had Robert come to dinner? Elena wondered. Elena wished she could see more than just her aunt's profile in the flickering light of the TV. It gave her a strange feeling to look at this room, knowing that she could only look and not go in. How long had it been since she realized what a nice room it was? The old mahogany whatnot, crowded with china and glassware, the Tiffany lamp on the table next to Aunt Judith, the needlepoint pillows on the couch, all seemed precious to her now. Standing outside, feeling the feathery caress of the snow on the back of her neck, she wished she could go in just for a moment, just for a little while. Aunt Judith's head was tilting back, her eyes shutting. Elena leaned her forehead against the window, then slowly turned away. She climbed the quince tree outside her own bedroom, but to her disappointment the curtains were shut tight. The maple tree outside Margaret's room was fragile and harder to climb, but once she got up she had a good view; these curtains were wide open. Margaret was asleep with the bedcovers drawn up to her chin, her mouth open, her pale hair spread out like a fan on the pillow. Hello, baby, Elena thought and swallowed back tears. It was such a sweetly innocent scene: the nightlight, the little girl in bed, the stuffed animals on the shelves keeping watch over her. And here came a little white kitten padding through the open door to complete the picture, Elena thought. Snowball jumped onto Margaret's bed. The kitten yawned, showing a tiny pink tongue, and stretched, displaying miniature claws. Then it walked daintily over to stand on Margaret's chest. Something tingled at the roots of Elena's hair. She didn't know if it was some new hunter's sense or sheer intuition, but suddenly she was afraid. There was danger in that room. Margaret was in danger. The kitten was still standing there, tail swishing back and forth. And all at once Elena realized what it looked like. The dogs. It looked the way Chelsea had looked at Doug Carson before she lunged at him. Oh, God, the town had quarantined the dogs, but nobody had thought about the cats. Elena's mind was working at top speed, but it wasn't helping her. It was only flashing pictures of what a cat could do with curved claws and needle-sharp teeth. And Margaret just lay there breathing softly, oblivious to any danger. The fur on Snowball's back was rising, her tail swelling like a bottle brush. Her ears flattened and she opened her mouth in a silent hiss. Her eyes were fixed on Margaret's face just the way Chelsea's had been on Doug Carson's. Margaret's face just the way Chelsea's had been on Doug Carson's. But the snow, settling like a blanket around her, seemed to deaden the words into nothingness. A low, discordant wail was started in Snowball's throat as it flicked its eyes toward the window and then back to Margaret's face. â€Å"Margaret, wake up!† Elena shouted. Then, just as the kitten pulled back a curved paw, she threw herself at the window. She never knew, later, how she managed to hang on. There was no room to kneel on the sill, but her fingernails sank into the soft old wood of the casing, and the toe of one boot jammed into a foothold below. She banged against the window with her body weight, shouting. â€Å"Get away from her! Wake up, Margaret!† Margaret's eyes flew open and she sat up, throwing Snowball backward. The kitten's claws caught in the eyelet bedspread as it scrambled to right itself. Elena shouted again. â€Å"Margaret, get off the bed! Open the window, quick!† Margaret's four-year-old face was full of sleepy surprise, but no fear. She got up and stumbled toward the window while Elena gritted her teeth. â€Å"That's it. Good girl†¦ now say, ‘Come in.' Quick, say it!† â€Å"Come in,† Margaret said obediently, blinking and stepping back. The kitten sprang out as Elena fell in. She made a grab for it, but it was too fast. Once outside it glided across the maple branches with taunting ease and leaped down into the snow, disappearing. A small hand was tugging at Elena's sweater. â€Å"You came back!† Margaret said, hugging Elena's hips. â€Å"I missed you.† â€Å"Oh, Margaret, I missed you-† Elena began, and then froze. Aunt Judith's voice sounded from the top of the stairs. â€Å"Margaret, are you awake? What's going on in there?† Elena had only an instant to make her decision. â€Å"Don't tell her I'm here,† she whispered, dropping to her knees. â€Å"It's a secret; do you understand? Say you let the kitty out, but don't tell her I'm here.† There wasn't time for any more; Elena dived under the bed and prayed. From under the dust ruffle, she watched Aunt Judith's stocking feet come into the room. She pressed her face into the floorboards, not breathing. â€Å"Margaret! What are you doing up? Come on, let's get you back in bed,† Aunt Judith's voice said, and then the bed creaked with Margaret's weight and Elena heard the noises of Aunt Judith's fussing with the covers. â€Å"Your hands are freezing. What on earth is the window doing open?† â€Å"And now there's snow all over the floor. I can't believe this†¦ Don't you open it up again, do you hear me?† A little more bustling and the stocking feet went out again. The door shut. Elena squirmed out. â€Å"Good girl,† she whispered as Margaret sat up. â€Å"I'm proud of you. Now tomorrow you tell Aunt Judith that you have to give your kitty away. Tell her it scared you. I know you don't want to†-she put up a hand to stop the wail that was gathering on Margaret's lips-â€Å"but you have to. Because I'm telling you that kitty will hurt you if you keep it. You don't want to get hurt, do you?† â€Å"No,† said Margaret, her blue eyes filling. â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"And you don't want the kitty to hurt Aunt Judith, either, do you? You tell Aunt Judith you can't have a kitten or a puppy or even a bird until-well, for a while. Don't tell her that I said so; that's still our secret. Tell her you're scared because of what happened with the dogs at church.† It was better, Elena reasoned grimly, to give the little girl nightmares than to have a nightmare play out in this bedroom. Margaret's mouth drooped sadly. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"I'm sorry, sweetie.† Elena sat down and hugged her. â€Å"But that's the way it has to be.† â€Å"You're cold,† Margaret said. Then she looked up into Elena's face. â€Å"Are you an angel?† â€Å"Uh†¦ not exactly.† Just the opposite, Elena thought ironically. â€Å"Aunt Judith said you went to be with Mommy and Daddy. Did you see them yet?† â€Å"I-it's sort of hard to explain, Margaret. I haven't seen them yet, no. And I'm not an angel, but I'm going to be like your guardian angel anyway, all right? I'll watch over you, even when you can't see me. Okay?† â€Å"Okay.† Margaret played with her fingers. â€Å"Does that mean you can't live here anymore?† Elena looked around the pink-and-white bedroom, at the stuffed animals on the shelves and the little writing desk and the rocking horse that had once been hers in the corner. â€Å"That's what it means,† she said softly. â€Å"When they said you went to be with Mommy and Daddy, I said I wanted to go, too.† Elena blinked hard. â€Å"Oh, baby. It's not time for you to go, so you can't. And Aunt Judith loves you very much, and she'd be lonely without you.† Margaret nodded, her eyelids drooping. But as Elena eased her down and pulled the bedspread over her, Margaret asked one more question. â€Å"But don't you love me?† Oh, stupid, stupid, Elena thought, forging through the banked snow to the other side of Maple Street. She'd missed her chance to ask Margaret whether Robert had been at dinner. It was too late now. Robert. Her eyes narrowed suddenly. At the church, Robert had been outside and then the dogs had gone mad. And tonight Margaret's kitten had gone feral-just a little while after Robert's car had pulled out of the driveway. Robert has a lot to answer for, she thought. But melancholy was pulling at her, tugging her thoughts away. Her mind kept returning to the bright house she'd just left, going over the things she'd never see again. All her clothes and knickknacks and jewelry-what would Aunt Judith do with them? I don't own anything anymore, she thought. I'm a pauper. Elena? With relief, Elena recognized the mental voice and the distinctive shadow at the end of the street. She hurried toward Stefan, who took his hands out of his jacket pockets and held hers to warm them. â€Å"Meredith told me where you'd gone.† â€Å"I went home,† Elena said. That was all she could say, but as she leaned against him for comfort, she knew that he understood. â€Å"Let's find someplace we can sit down,† he said, and stopped in frustration. All the places they used to go were either too dangerous or closed to Elena. The police still had Stefan's car. Eventually they just went to the high school where they could sit under the overhang of a roof and watch the snow sift down. Elena told him what had happened in Margaret's room. â€Å"I'm going to have Meredith and Bonnie spread it around town that cats can attack, too. People should know that. And I think somebody ought to be watching Robert,† she concluded. â€Å"We'll tail him,† Stefan said, and she couldn't help smiling. â€Å"It's funny how much more American you've gotten,† she said. â€Å"I hadn't thought about it in a long time, but when you first came you were a lot more foreign. Now nobody would know you hadn't lived here all your life.† â€Å"We adapt quickly. We have to,† Stefan said. â€Å"There are always new countries, new decades, new situations. You'll adapt, too.† â€Å"You'll learn, in time. If there is anything†¦ good†¦ about what we are, it's time. We have plenty of it, as much as we want. Forever.† † ‘Joyous companions forever.' Isn't that what Katherine said to you and Damon?† Elena murmured. She could feel Stefan's stiffening, his withdrawal. â€Å"She was talking about all three of us,† he said. â€Å"I wasn't.† â€Å"Oh, Stefan, please don't, not now. I wasn't even thinking about Damon, only about forever. It scares me. Everything about this scares me, and sometimes I think I just want to go to sleep and never wake up again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the shelter of his arms she felt safer, and she found her new senses were just as amazing close up as they were at a distance. She could hear each separate pulse of Stefan's heart, and the rush of blood through his veins. And she could smell his own distinctive scent mingled with the scent of his jacket, and the snow, and the wool of his clothes. â€Å"Please trust me,† she whispered. â€Å"I know you're angry with Damon, but try to give him a chance. I think there's more to him than there seems to be. And I want his help in finding the Other Power, and that's all I want from him.† At that moment it was completely true. Elena wanted nothing to do with the hunter's life tonight; the darkness held no appeal for her. She wished she could be at home sitting in front of a fire. But it was sweet just to be held like this, even if she and Stefan had to sit in the snow to do it. Stefan's breath was warm as he kissed the back of her neck, and she sensed no further withdrawal in Stefan's body. No hunger, either, or at least not the kind she was used to sensing when they were close like this. Now that she was a hunter like he, the need was different, a need for togetherness rather than for sustenance. It didn't matter. They had lost something, but they had gained something, too. She understood Stefan in a way she never had before. And her understanding brought them closer, until their minds were touching, almost meshing with each other's. It wasn't the noisy chatter of mental voices; it was a deep and wordless communion. As if their spirits were united. â€Å"I love you,† Stefan said against her neck, and she held on tighter. She understood now why he'd been afraid to say it for so long. When the thought of tomorrow scared you sick, it was hard to make a commitment. Because you didn't want to drag someone else down with you. Particularly someone you loved. â€Å"I love you, too,† she made herself say and sat back, her peaceful mood broken. â€Å"And will you try to give Damon a chance, for my sake? Try to work with him?† â€Å"I'll work with him, but I won't trust him. I can't. I know him too well.† â€Å"I followed Mrs. Flowers today.† Stefan's lip quirked. â€Å"All afternoon and evening. And you know what she did?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Three loads of wash-in an ancient machine that looked like it was going to explode any minute. No clothes dryer, just a wringer. It's all down in the basement. Then she went outside and filled about two dozen bird feeders. Then back to the basement to wipe off jars of preserves. She spends most of her time down there. She talks to herself.† â€Å"Just like a dotty old lady,† said Elena. â€Å"All right; maybe Meredith's wrong and that's all she is.† She noticed his change of expression at Meredith's name and added, â€Å"What?† â€Å"Well, Meredith may have some explaining to do herself. I didn't ask her about it; I thought maybe it was better coming from you. But she went to talk to Alaric Saltzman after school today. And she didn't want anyone to know where she was going.† Disquiet uncoiled in Elena's middle. â€Å"So what?† â€Å"So she lied about it afterward-or at least she evaded the issue. I tried to probe her mind, but my Powers are just about burnt out. And she's strong-willed.† â€Å"And you had no right! Stefan, listen to me. Meredith would never do anything to hurt us or betray us. Whatever she's keeping from us-â€Å" â€Å"So you do admit that she's hiding something.† â€Å"Yes,† Elena said reluctantly. â€Å"But it's nothing that will hurt us, I'm sure. Meredith has been my friend since the first grade†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Without knowing it, Elena let the sentence slip away from her. She was thinking of another friend, one who'd been close to her since kindergarten. Caroline. Who last week had tried to destroy Stefan and humiliate Elena in front of the entire town. And what was it Caroline's diary had said about Meredith? Meredith doesn't do anything; she just watches. It's as if she can't act, she can only react to things. Besides, I've heard my parents talking about her family-no wonder she never mentions them. Elena's eyes left the snowy landscape to seek Stefan's waiting face. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† she said quietly. â€Å"I know Meredith, and I trust her. I'll trust her to the end.† â€Å"I hope she's worthy of it, Elena,† he said. â€Å"I really do.†

Biography of Black Bart Roberts, Successful Pirate

Biography of 'Black Bart' Roberts, Successful Pirate Bartholomew Black Bart Roberts (1682–Feb. 10, 1722) was a Welsh pirate and the most successful buccaneer of the so-called Golden Age of Piracy, capturing and looting more ships than contemporaries such as Blackbeard, Edward Low, Jack Rackham, and Francis Spriggs combined. At the height of his power, he had a fleet of four ships and hundreds of pirates to go with his organizational skills, charisma, and daring. He was killed in action by pirate hunters off the African coast in 1722. Fast Facts: Bartholomew Roberts Famous For: Highly successful pirateAlso Known As: Black Bart, JohnBorn: 1682 near  Haverfordwest, WalesDied: Feb. 10, 1722 off the Guinea coast Early Life Little is known of Roberts early life, other than that he was born near  Haverfordwest, Wales in 1682 and his real first name was possibly John. He took to sea at a young age, proving himself a competent sailor, as by 1719 he was second mate on the slave ship Princess. The Princess went to Anomabu, in present-day Ghana, to pick up slaves in mid-1719. That June, the Princess was captured by Welsh pirate Howell Davis, who forced several crew members, including Roberts, to join his band. Only six weeks after Black Bart was forced to join the crew, Davis was killed. The crew took a vote, and Roberts was named the new captain. Although he was a reluctant pirate, Roberts embraced the role of captain. According to contemporary historian Capt. Charles Johnson (who might have been Daniel Defoe), Roberts felt that if he must be a pirate, it was better being a commander than a common man. His first act was to attack the town where Davis had been killed in order to avenge his former captain. Rich Haul Roberts and his crew headed for the coast of South America to look for booty. After several weeks they found a treasure fleet bound for Portugal getting ready in All Saints Bay off northern Brazil. Waiting nearby were 42 ships and their escorts, two massive men-of-war with 70 guns each. Roberts sailed into the bay as if he were part of the convoy and took one of the ships without anyone noticing. He had the ships master point out the richest ship at anchor, then sailed up and attacked. Roberts captured the ship and both vessels sailed away; the escort ships couldnt catch them. Double-Crossed Soon after, while Roberts was chasing another prize, some of his men, led by Walter Kennedy, made off with the treasure ship and most of the loot. Roberts was infuriated. The remaining pirates devised a set of articles and made newcomers swear to them. They included payments for those injured in battle and punishments for those who stole, deserted, or committed other crimes. The articles excluded Irishmen from becoming full members of the crew, most likely because of Kennedy, who was Irish. Overwhelming Ships Roberts quickly added weapons and men to reach his former strength. When authorities in Barbados learned that he was nearby, they outfitted two pirate hunter ships to bring him in. Roberts saw one of the ships and, not knowing it was a heavily armed pirate-hunter, tried to take it. The other ship opened fire and Roberts was forced to flee. After that, Roberts was always harsh to captured ships from Barbados. Roberts and his men made their way north to Newfoundland in June 1720 and found 22 ships in the harbor. The crews and townspeople fled at the sight of the pirates flag. Roberts and his men looted the ships, destroying and sinking all but one, which they commandeered. They then sailed out to the banks, finding several French ships and keeping one. With this small fleet, Roberts and his men captured many more prizes in the area that summer. They then returned to the Caribbean, where they captured dozens of vessels. They changed ships often, selecting the best vessels and outfitting them for piracy. Roberts flagship was usually renamed  Royal Fortune, and he would often have fleets of three or four ships. He began calling himself the Admiral of the Leeward Islands. He was sought out by two ships of would-be pirates looking for pointers; he gave them advice, ammunition, and weapons. Roberts Flags Four flags are associated with Roberts. According to Johnson, when Roberts sailed to Africa, he had a black flag bearing a skeleton, representing death, that held an hourglass in one hand and crossbones in the other. Nearby were a spear and three drops of blood. Another Roberts flag  also was black, with a white figure, representing Roberts, holding a flaming sword and standing on two skulls. Beneath them was written ABH and AMH, standing for A Barbadian Head and A Martinicos Head. Roberts hated the governors of Barbados and Martinique for sending  pirate hunters  after him and was always cruel to ships from either place. When Roberts was killed, according to Johnson, his flag featured a skeleton and a man with a flaming sword, signifying defiance of death. The flag most commonly associated with Roberts  was black and displayed a pirate and a skeleton holding an hourglass between them. Deserters Roberts often faced discipline problems. In early 1721, Roberts killed one crew member in a brawl and was attacked later by one of that mans friends. This caused a division among the already disgruntled crew. One faction wanted out, convincing the captain of one of Roberts ships, Thomas Anstis, to desert Roberts. They did, setting out on their own in April 1721. Anstis proved to be an unsuccessful pirate. Meanwhile, the Caribbean had become too dangerous for Roberts, who headed for Africa. Africa Roberts neared Senegal in June 1721  and began raiding shipping along the coast. He anchored at Sierra Leone, where he heard that two Royal Navy ships, the  Swallow  and the  Weymouth, had been in the area but had left a month before. They took the  Onslow, a massive frigate, renamed her the  Royal Fortune,  and mounted 40 cannons. With a fleet of four ships and at the height of his strength, he could attack anyone with impunity. For the next few months, Roberts took dozens of prizes. Each pirate began amassing a small fortune. Cruelty In January 1722, Roberts showed his cruelty. He was sailing off Whydah, a well-known slaving area, and found a  slave ship, the  Porcupine, at anchor. The captain was ashore. Roberts took the ship and demanded a ransom from the captain, who refused to deal with pirates. Roberts ordered the Porcupine burned, but his men didnt release the slaves on board. Johnson describes the slaves miserable choice of perishing by fire or water, writing that those who jumped overboard were seized by sharks and tore limb from limb alive ... A cruelty unparalelld! Beginning of the End In February 1722, Roberts was repairing his ship when a large vessel approached. It turned to flee, so Roberts sent his consort vessel, the  Great Ranger, to capture it. The other ship was actually the  Swallow, a large man-of-war that had been looking for them under the command of Capt. Challoner Ogle. Once they were out of Roberts sight, the Swallow  turned and attacked the  Great Ranger. After a two-hour battle, the  Great Ranger  was crippled and her remaining crew surrendered. Ogle sent the  Great Ranger  limping away with the pirates in chains and went back for Roberts. Final Battle The  Swallow  returned on Feb. 10 to find the  Royal Fortune  still at anchor. Two other ships were there: a tender to the  Royal Fortune  and a trading vessel, the  Neptune. One of Roberts men had served on the  Swallow  and recognized it. Some men wanted to flee, but Roberts decided to fight. They sailed out to meet the  Swallow. Roberts was killed in the first broadside as grapeshot fired from one of the  Swallows cannons tore out his throat. Obeying his standing order, his men threw his body overboard. Without Roberts, the pirates lost heart and within an hour they surrendered. One hundred and fifty-two pirates were arrested. The  Neptune  had vanished, but not before looting the abandoned smaller  pirate ship. Ogle set sail for Cape Coast Castle on Africas west coast. A trial was held at  Cape Coast Castle. Of the 152 pirates, 52 Africans were sold back into slavery, 54 were hanged, and 37 were sentenced to serve as indentured servants and sent to the West Indies. Those who could prove they had been forced to join the crew against their will were acquitted. Legacy Black Bart Roberts was the greatest pirate of his generation: it is estimated that he took 400 ships during his three-year career. He isnt as famous as some contemporaries, such as Blackbeard,  Stede Bonnet,  or  Charles Vane, but he was a much better pirate. His nickname seems to have come from his dark hair and complexion instead of a cruel nature, although he could be as ruthless as any contemporary. Roberts owed his success to many factors, including his charisma and leadership, his daring and ruthlessness, and his ability to coordinate small fleets to maximum effect. Wherever he was, commerce came to a halt; fear of him and his men made merchants stay in port. Roberts is a favorite of true pirate buffs. He was mentioned in  Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island. Iin the movie The Princess Bride, the name Dread Pirate Roberts refers to him. He often appears in pirate video games and has been the subject of novels, histories, and movies. Sources Cordingly, David. .Under the Black Flag  Random House, 1996.Johnson, Capt. Charles (Defoe, Daniel?). A General History of the Pyrates. Dover Publications, 1972/1999.Konstam, Angus.  The World Atlas of Pirates.  Lyons Press, 2009.Bartholomew Roberts: Welsh Pirate. Encyclopedia Brittanica.

Prioritize

Prioritize Prioritize Prioritize By Maeve Maddox Some speakers hate to hear people use the word prioritize, complaining that â€Å"it’s a made-up word that shouldn’t be used.† Prioritize is a fairly new word, coined in the 1950s, and growing in popularity since the early 1960s. Speakers use it to mean: to give priority to to designate something as worthy of special attention to arrange items to be dealt with in order of importance to establish priorities to establish priorities for a set of tasks Here are some examples of its use online: KMT, CCP agree to prioritize service trade agreement How to Prioritize Your Debts Council Approves Two Projects That Prioritize Pedestrian and Bike Safety Four Must Know To-Do Lists To Prioritize Tasks Strengthening parliaments in nascent democracies: the need to prioritize legislative reforms As late as 1982, twenty years after prioritize entered the language, the OED acknowledged its existence, but included an apologetic note, saying, â€Å"prioritize is a word that at present sits uneasily in the language.† Thirty-two years later, the OED site employs the word prioritizing unapologetically in a discussion of the term â€Å"network neutrality†: This concept [network neutrality] has been the subject of much debate in recent years, reflecting something axiomatic for many Internet users; that all data on the net should be treated equally by Internet service providers, without favouring particular formats, products, or web sites by charging extra fees, prioritizing or blocking data of certain types, and so on. Speakers who still want to hold the line against prioritize could replace it with the phrase â€Å"to set priorities†: KMT, CCP agree to set service trade agreement priorities Council Approves Two Projects that set Priorities for Pedestrian and Bike Safety How to set priorities for your debts People who don’t like prioritize shouldn’t use it, but trying to stop other people from using it is futile. I’ll be happy to recommend a much more worthy target of opprobrium. How about the use of gift as a verb when we already have the perfectly serviceable word give: Lands gifted by donors are the foundation of SSU Preserves programs. The Greeks have gifted the world with many things. Teradata in the fall of 2010 gifted the Walton College of Business with a new Teradata 2650 system.   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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.Empathy "With" or Empathy "For"?Empathic or Empathetic?

Discussing the controversy of vaccines and their potential link to Essay

Discussing the controversy of vaccines and their potential link to disease such as autism - Essay Example This however has left a fear in parents of vaccinating their children. There has been a lot of research and information put forward since then to allay these fears. The conclusion of all the research done is that there is no empirical evidence to show a direct link between vaccine and autism. On the contrary there are more reports providing sufficient proof that vaccines are safe. It is understandable however that parents will remain skeptical and concerned. The major ingredient in these vaccines that has been cited as a possibility for causing autism is thimerosal. Multidose vaccines posed a potential threat of contamination to children many years ago. Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative, was therefore added to vaccines at low concentrations in the 1930s to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth and to protect the immunized from infections at the site of the immunization. However it is a mercury-based preservative. But it contains ethylmercury and not methylmercury. There have been no existing guidelines for the safe amount of ethylmercury in the human body and so the guidelines for methylmercury were used on the false assumption that the body handles them both in the same way. This led to confusion, believing that ethylmercury would have the same possibly harmful effects on humans as methylmercury. Around the same time a report from the California Department of Developmental Services indicated a rise in autism over the years which was later described as an epidemic. (Weber, 2008). This led to even firmer belief by some parents that there was a connection between the vaccines and autism, although there was still no scientific proof. As Weber states â€Å"A report in 2004 by the Institute of Medicine concluded that there is no association between autism and MMR vaccine, or between autism and thimerosal† She further states that, â€Å"there is no conclusive evidence that any vaccine or vaccine additive increases the risk of

The Kuwait-Iraq War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Kuwait-Iraq War - Research Paper Example The reasons which have gained worldwide acceptance are highlighted and scrutinized in this paper along with the horrifying socioeconomic and public harms sustained by Kuwait during and after the war. The discussion on this Iraqi invasion also revolves around the incredibly disparaging consequences Kuwait had to bear and the massive costs it paid as a result of this vicious war. The war did not die away on its own after some months, rather many countries had to step in this critical issue that was rapidly getting out of control. Some of those countries, the peaceful roles they played, and the facilitating measures taken by them to reestablish the Kuwaiti public also form a part of the discussion presented in this paper. 2. Introduction: The Kuwait-Iraq war has been the biggest conflict between Iraq and Kuwait yet and was based on a seven month long period that resulted in the loss of many lives and gigantic economic crisis. The Iraqi occupation on Kuwait ignited worldwide condemnation due to which Iraq had to face much resistance in making Kuwait one of its own states. Clear disapproval and fury was shown by all countries for Iraq and immediate removal of Iraqi forces was demanded. (China-embassy.org, 2004). This brutal invasion was followed by military intervention by United States. Otherwise, there seemed to be no end to the Iraqi invasion which acquired complete control over Kuwait forcing the Kuwaiti forces to run away and find refuge in other countries. The relentless actions of Iraq on one hand, and the â€Å"brief and feeble resistance† displayed by Kuwait’s own forces made Kuwait all the more vulnerable, which led to increased ruthlessness practiced by the Iraqi forces. (Worldology, 2009). Initially, Iraq made an allegation on Kuwait that it was illegally stealing the Iraqi oil reserves through slant drilling so that it could invade Kuwait. (Patterson, 2010). Then, rumors came up that Iraq suddenly took the decision to invade Kuwait because it had no other hope for paying the loan it had previously taken for financing war with Iran. Kuwait is blessed with over-productivity of oil and this proved to be an enchanting delight for Iraq, which already needed some relief from the huge loan. (Kelly, 2011). Within a few days of the attack, Iraq declared Kuwait to be one of its provinces thus taking advantage of the weak defense by Kuwait. 3. Economic and geographical causes of the Kuwait-Iraq war: Conflict over the financial debt of Iraq: Iraq was under severe pressure of the huge loan it had to return, which was taken for financing the too long war with Iran. Too much money and resources had been wasted by Iraq to continue the war, so taking loan became an essential step. The Iraqi president, Hussein, had become too isolated politically and economically after war with Iran. (Simon & Harak, n.d.) mention that â€Å"He (Hussein) was some 60 billion dollars in debt from the war, and the West had cut off his credits after he ha d a British reporter executed as a spy.† This loan became a major hurdle in the path of progress later, due to which Iraq raised oil prices in order to repay the massive debts. In response to this strategy, Kuwait vigorously took steps that ensured over-productivity