Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Gay Bashing

In 2008, 190 gay people were killed in Brazil, one like clockwork, known as a 55 percent expansion on the earlier year. The yearly report on murders of gay people, as indicated by the Grupo Gay da Bahia from Brazil, says that 64 percent of the casualties were gay men, 32 percent were transvestites, and four percent were lesbians. This is totally bewildering. Despite the fact that gay people have picked an elective way of life, they despite everything have the right to carry on with an ordinary existence without being defrauded of physical damage for their choices.Homosexuality isn't â€Å"normal† in organic terms. In the event that it were typical, at that point everyone would be gay and that is plainly obvious. Gay people are effectively endeavoring to persuade us that homosexuality is â€Å"normal,† however they befuddle recurrence and nature with typicality. The present world is increasingly acquainted with gay people, their notoriety, their battles, their status in the populace, yet that doesn't change the basic science: homosexuality isn't â€Å"normal. We are largely individuals. Individuals who love, cry, eat and inhale simply like every other person does. On the off chance that homosexuality isn't â€Å"normal,†, at that point what's going on here? Gay people, and hetero also, contend that it's anything but a decision, yet intrinsic to what their identity is. With specific capabilities for individuals of confounded distinguish, it is worthy to accept that homosexuality is established in science, and that the individual doesn't pick it. The American scientist Dean Hamer distributed exploration that appeared to demonstrate that gay direction could be hereditarily transmitted to men on the x chromosome, which they get from their mothers† (Am I Gay? ). In the event that it is established in science, and isn't typical, at that point thusly, homosexuality must be a hereditary characteristic, a hereditary change that makes an indivi dual have a sexual personality that is intrinsically in logical inconsistency with that individual's physical self and with the common nature to pass one's qualities to the cutting edge through reproduction with an individual of the inverse sex.If science demonstrates homosexuality is inborn, is there any premise to deny gays equivalent treatment †including the option to wed? Be that as it may, if researchers unwind the foundations of sexual direction, will it some time or another be conceivable to â€Å"fix† individuals who don't fit the standards or prematurely end hatchlings prone to be brought into the world gay? † (Doughton). In our way of life, the casualty of gay slamming is viewed as the miscreant. That is the reason so frequently the wrongdoings against gay people go unpunished until somebody is discovered beaten, copied and attached to a fence post. There is a pat mental answerâ€gays are threatening to us on account of gay propensities incorporated wit h the human mind, which alarm us and which we should take care of from us†¦at whenever, in any culture it is by all accounts helpful to have a gathering of individuals who can be slandered and excluded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Stop Bashing Gay People). The verbal insults and abuse of individuals on account of their sexual direction are so ordinary they set up for killers who believe it's no wrongdoing to abhor gays and to follow up on that despise. â€Å"It is that instinctual dread of assault that drives a lot of homophobia.Straight men regularly instinctually consider gay to be as a danger, and they instictively dread that danger. It's a dread of lost control, of strength, of status† (Bidstrup). As should be obvious, the chance to be undermined, mortified and to live in dread of being pounded the life out of is the main â€Å"right† our way of life gives on gay people. On the off chance that you tuned in to the rivals of laws assigning gay slamming as a despise wrongdoing , you'd think there truly was some essential distinction between being a dark man, who is beaten and hauled behind a truck, and being a gay man, who is beaten, his skull squashed, and left attached to a fence to pass on. Gay slamming likewise sends the message that whether an individual is really lesbian, gay, androgynous, transgendered, or eccentric, on the off chance that they are seen by others as being in this way, a negative (and conceivably brutal) response may occur† (Matzner). The main genuine contrast is the epithet the executioners use to portray the person in question. The one utilized for the dark man is viewed as a vulgarity so horrifyingly hostile, it can't be composed, printed, or anticipated verbally. The one utilized for the gay man is a typical statement. It's recognizable in schools, parody schedules, the media, and on city intersections all over America.There is the recognition that gay people are a socially satisfactory objective. Thusly, when youngsters a re asked, they will legitimize and safeguard focusing on gay individuals as substandard. â€Å"Gaybashing is the most socially satisfactory, and presumably the most well-known, sort of despise wrongdoing, particularly among male youngsters and youthful adults† (Matzner). There's a conviction these days that it's not all that cool to attack racial minorities. It's not all that cool to attack ladies, Blacks or Jews. In any case, ambushing gays is really something entertaining to a great deal of youngsters. It's most likely the last socially satisfactory gathering to assault.Part of it is identified with the way that victimization gays is still authorized and encoded. That makes an impression on youngsters that, if gays don't have equivalent rights in business, lodging, kid guardianship, the military, or marriage, at that point there's a major issue with them, and no one's going to mind on the off chance that we have a great time to their detriment. As per insights discharged by the FBI, despise wrongdoings that are explicitly dedicated corresponding to the casualties sexual direction have ascended in the course of recent years. There were 1,017 announced in 2005, 1,195 out of 2006 and 1,265 in 2007.The FBI revealed a 6 % expansion in abhor violations against gay, lesbian and transgender individuals in 2008. A gay-slamming episode occurred in Vancouver in March of this current year. â€Å"He’s a faggot. He merited it. I’m not a fag. The faggot contacted me. He merited it,† the charged said to an observer. Richard Dowrey, a 62-year elderly person was punched in the face at a bar and has left him sticking to life in the emergency unit a nearby medical clinic. The power of the punch tossed him foundations, tumbling to the ground and hitting the rear of his head. â€Å"Most usually, respondents said that they were safeguarding themselves against sexual predation† (Franklin).The man will live with lasting cerebrum harm for an incredi ble remainder. Lamentably, this episode was silly to somebody. Imagine a scenario where you were the man who needed to live as a vegetable for an incredible remainder. No one should imagine that there isn't a chance of this occurrence the reverse way around. It may not be as likely, yet there is consistently that chance of a gay truly hurting a hetero only for being hetero. Gay slamming happens even among offspring of exceptionally youthful ages, and in this occasion, it was past the point of no return. multi year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover was discovered dead after he hanged himself prior this week by tying an electrical line around his neck that was attached to a help shaft in his home. The kid had suffering for quite a while of provoking with against gay slurs at the school he attended† (Hipps). Individuals don’t understand that they go excessively far with the intolerable provoking. Not exclusively may it lead to physical mischief, however it truly influences ind ividuals sincerely and to the point that they may dispense hurt upon themselves since they have lost their confidence. Being gay may not be the standard, however they are people simply like the remainder of the world.They have emotions too. Another case of a gay slamming catastrophe: the tragic story of Brandon Teena, a youthful transsexual killed in a despise wrongdoing, which occurred in the 90’s. Brandon was brought into the world naturally a female, however lived as a male. Along these lines, he was thusly mercilessly beaten, assaulted and killed. His biography and passing was later depicted in the Academy Award winning film, â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry. † This story was enlivened again for individuals to show the terrible activities that did and still happen in our bias society.It is expected to have these accounts known and fleshed out. Tragically our general public lives in a nation where loathe wrongdoing enactment isn't essential, yet it is. In the event that a wrongdoing is submitted in light of a common bias, that preference will possibly die down when we as a general public are having a functioning discussion to bring the issues out beyond any confining influence. The more they get pushed into the dull, the darker and increasingly frightful they become. Acts and laws should be passed so as to uncover these issues such that the media can't ignore.It would be the most ideal approach to both carry these violations to equity and achieve social change in our general public about a minority gathering. â€Å"The cost to society is gigantic, to the gay individual, yet to his family, his colleagues, his managers, and to society as a whole† (Bidstrup).Works Cited â€Å"Am I gay? Is it accurate to say that you are brought into the world gay? Would you be able to quit being gay? † Bidstrup, Scott. â€Å"Homophobia: The Fear Behind The Hatred. †The Nature of Homophobia. 3 September 2000. Doughton, Sandi. â€Å"Born gay? How s cience may driveorientation. † Seattle Times. 19 June 2005. Franklin, Karen. For what reason Do People Say Gay slam? † Assault onGay America. 1995-2008. Frayssinet, Fabiana. â€Å"RIGHTS-BRAZIL: Gay-Bashing Murders Up55 Percent. † IPS News on the Web. 22 April 2008. Hainsworth, Jeremy. â€Å"Community requests court treatgaybashing as an abhor wrongdoing. † Where Queers Conspire. 26March 2009. Hipps, James. â€Å"11 Year Old Hangs Himself Over Gay Slurs. †Gay Agenda. 2008. 11 April 2009. Matzner, Andrew. â€Å"Gaybashing. † Social Sciences. 2004. 19August 2005. Schneider, Walter H. â€Å"Gay Violence Statistics. † Fathers ForLife. 1998-2008. 1 April 1998. â€Å"Stop Bashing Gay People. †

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Sunset on the Sea Essay Example For Students

Nightfall on the Sea Essay The Sun starts to set gradually. The Orange red mass moves down the sky. The waves break tenderly into white froth on the dark sea shore. The little precious stones in the sand shimmer and shine splendidly orange, with the sunrays. The delicate sand pads the feet. The Now red sun is sliced down the middle by the delicate ocean. The shafts blush the coconut trees, which influence tenderly in the breeze. The seagulls ride with the breeze, dunking all through The Sea looking for food. The boats bounce like toys on the water. The sun at last sets and dimness crawls up like a thief.The animals of the night stir. We will compose a custom exposition on Sunset on the Sea explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now Little rodents run rapidly all through the greenery. Fire red mists turn over the obscuring sky. Lightning tears through air and lights up the earth for a second, and afterward squints out of presence. A stunning and ear-parting thunder crashes and blasts, at that point everything hushes up. The breezes stop, the waves stop, all animals stop. The sky currently goes completely dark. There is not any more light from the setting sun. At that point comes the downpour in driving and inclining sheets.

Sunday, August 9, 2020

A view from the class Isabella Gristani V., MPA 15 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

A view from the class Isabella Gristani V., MPA ’15 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog For this weeks  SIPA student story, were sharing the background of a young woman whos gained a lot of experience in energy issues in Venezuela. Isabella Gristani V., MPA ’15, is in the economic policy management program (energy track) at SIPA. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas, Venezuela and completed the International Hydrocarbon Business Management Program at the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA) in Caracas, Venezuela. The last position she held was working as an analyst at the CAF â€" Development Bank of Latin America, where she simultaneously worked in the Energy Department and for the Executive Vice-President of CAF. Prior to this role, Isabella served as the CFO Associate at Inelectra S.A.C.A. and wrote a research paper describing the institutional framework of the energy sectors of Venezuela and Uruguay for the Energy Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under the supervision of Ramon Espinasa â€" Lead Oil and Gas Specialist. Isabella seeks to grow as well as learn in a respected institution that will challen ge her professionally and offer knowledge based information for decision making. She collaborates in a Women’s Issues blog and speaks English, Spanish, and French. We look forward to Isabellas year at SIPA!

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Marketing Plan - Cold Stone - 16618 Words

Contents Product Statement.....................................................................................................4 Analysis of the External Environment.........................................................................5 Industry Trends.......................................................................................................5 Competitive Trends.................................................................................................7 Brand Competitors...............................................................................................7 Product Competitors............................................................................................7 Generic†¦show more content†¦..................................33 Technical Capabilities........................................................................................33 Available Resources...........................................................................................33 Pr oduction Capacity...........................................................................................33 Career Opportunities..........................................................................................34 SWOT Analysis..........................................................................................................35 Strengths...............................................................................................................35 Weaknesses..........................................................................................................37 Opportunities........................................................................................................38 Threats..................................................................................................................39 Marketing Goals and Objectives...............................................................................40 Goals................................................ .....................................................................40 Objectives.............................................................................................................40 MarketingShow MoreRelatedCold Stone Creamery: Marketing Strategy1541 Words   |  7 PagesMarketing is the key to a successful business and in todays economy every organization should have a marketing plan in place. The organization discussed in the following paper is Cold Stone Creamery, the paper will entail a brief overview of the organization, and a description of a new product that Cold Stone Creamery will introduce. Since marketing is so important there is an explanation of how marketing is important to the success of Cold Stone Creamery and an analysis of the strengths, weaknessesRead MoreStrategic Management and Cold Stone Creamery1255 Words   |  6 PagesMBA 6601 Unit V Unit V Discussion Board Write an international mini-plan for a company that interests you (or a product/service that you want to sell yourself). Address the following in your mini-plan: * Location of value-added functions—The choice of where to locate each of the functions that comprise the entire value-added chain, from research to production to after-sales servicing * Location of sales target—The allocation of sales among countries and the level of activity in each, particularlyRead MorePaper of Mgt 611895 Words   |  4 PagesBaskin-Robbins Brand Officer Ken Kimmel felt it was important to conduct this study because the frozen-food retailing industry had become more hostile to Baskin-Robbins in recent years. A few entrants such as Cold Stone Creamery and others had popularized the in-store experience. Cold Stone Creamerys sales were now almost 75 percent of Baskin-Robbins sales. The contest has changed since the mid-1980s. Customers are more demanding about the hospitality experience. They earn more money and theyRead MoreCold Stone Marketing2919 Words   |  12 PagesCold Stone Creamery Marketing Leroy Dowdy Walden University Dr. Bari Courts 30 September 2011 Abstract Cold Stone Creamery operates approximately fourteen hundred stores worldwide. Their premium ice cream products have kept them at the apex of the ice cream industry. An audit of Cold Stone’s marketing approach revealed flaws in areas that are critical to organizations in today’s marketplace. A first person interview revealed Cold Stone’s lack of innovative technology and a failure to incorporateRead MoreCold Stone Creamery2046 Words   |  9 PagesEntrepreneurship: Cold Stone Creamery was founded by Donald and Susan Sutherland in an effort to make perfect ice cream that was neither soft serve nor hard packed. What makes them stand out compared to many other ice cream stores is that all their stores make ice cream fresh daily in the store. The company was founded in 1988 and had its first store in Tempe, Arizona (which is still operating), they also moved there headquarters to Scottsdale, Arizona from Tempe, Arizona in 1997. Their name Cold Stone CreameryRead MoreCold Stone Creamery Start Up Businessplan3684 Words   |  15 PagesBusiness Plan Bishkek Sergey Rubtsov ID: 3193 Raul Leon ID: 4814 Nazira Rysbekova ID: 4319 Svetlana Puchina ID: 3608 Bishkek December, 2010 Description of Business: Cold Stone Creamery ® will be the first creamery in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to offer from unique ice cream creations, to smoothies, cakes and shakes. Cold Stone Creamery ® Bishkek starts with using the highest quality ingredients and ends with Cold Stone signature process for preparing custom creation on a frozen granite stone. ColdRead MoreCold Stone Creamery Start Up Businessplan3698 Words   |  15 PagesBusiness Plan Bishkek Sergey Rubtsov ID: 3193 Raul Leon ID: 4814 Nazira Rysbekova ID: 4319 Svetlana Puchina ID: 3608 Bishkek December, 2010 Description of Business: Cold Stone Creamery ® will be the first creamery in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to offer from unique ice cream creations, to smoothies, cakes and shakes. Cold Stone Creamery ® Bishkek starts with using the highest quality ingredients and ends with Cold Stone signature process for preparing custom creation on a frozen granite stone. Cold StoneRead MoreMaintaining Good Government Relations And Business Ethics Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesMake strategic plans, including setting your mission, strategic objectives, and strategies. 5. Make operational plans, including setting policies, budgets, standards, procedures, and methods, and planning the many aspects of producing and marketing the product. 6. Make financial plans, including estimating income and expenses, estimating initial investment, and locating sources of funds. 7. Develop these plans into a detailed business plan. 8. Implement the plan. While no business plan is 100% foolproofRead MoreThe Pumpkin Spice Latte: A Cultural Experience1268 Words   |  6 Pages The Pumpkin Spice Latte: A Cultural Experience Seasons often invoke a series of sentimental images. White sandy beaches and ice cold glasses of lemonade are reminiscent of summer, while warm cozy fires and well-crafted snowmen remind us of winter. In the September 2013 edition of Rolling Stone, the Starbucks Coffee Company portrays its seasonal drink, the pumpkin spice latte, as a key component and emotional ingredient of autumn. Starbucks skillfully employs a combination of warm brown colorsRead MoreWhat You Ever Had A Miraculous Idea?1626 Words   |  7 Pagessuccess of an idea comes in all sorts of varieties. For example, Californian advertising executive Gary Dahl, was the first to create the ordinary grey stones bought at a supply store and convinced that they were alive – Pet Rocks. The marketing strategy was built around a fad that lasted only six months, yet he made millions and got out. Marketing is way to get your name out to others. McDonald spent 963 million dollars in adverting in 2015? In the video â€Å"Super-size me† they had held up pictures

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Classical Period Of Music - 864 Words

The Classical period of music has also been called the â€Å"Rococo† period. The Classical time period was between the 18th and 19th centuries. Spanning the years of 1750-1820. The transition from the Baroque period to the Classical took the music from polyphonic to homophonic where even though it seems like that would make the music less complex we look at a whole different type of complexity. The music typically contained two different melodies and a contrast in sections. This made the chords in the music much more defined and the tonal part of the music became more defined. The Classical period had a significant influence on several aspects of music. Chamber music had a sonata form. This means it had an exposition, a transition, and a recapitulation. Composition in the Classical time was mainly dominated by eclecticism which made the music more diverse. Concerto was driven at first by the Italians. They started the idea of the solo concerto. Orchestration was mainly develo ped during this musical time period. This is partly due to some of the most talented musicians that lived during this time. They did a lot of work in making the orchestra mainly string instruments. Some of these being the violin, viola, cello, and the contrabass, just to name a few. All of these things had a great influence in the way the music made the transition from the Baroque period to the Classical period. Some of the great composers during this time were Franz Josef Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,Show MoreRelatedMusic During The Classical Period Essay1833 Words   |  8 PagesThe term classical generally refers to something that has a wide and long lasting appeal. In music, it indicates the music written from about 1750 to 1825. Balance and order were two of the most important qualities of the music of this period. Simplicity, diversity and elegance prevailed in contrast to what was seen as the excessive, complex characteristics of Baroque music. The seeds of the Classical age were sown by a number of composers whose names are now, for the most part, forgotten. TheyRead MoreThe Music Of Beethoven : The Period Of Classical And Romantic Eras1129 Words   |  5 Pagesbaptized by the name of Ludwig Van Beethoven. Born in Bonn, Germany, Beethoven was well known for expanding the ideas of symphonies, sonatas, quartets, and concertos. Moreover, the music of Beethoven paved a way, as he became one of the most predominant and influential musical figures within the transitional period of classical and romantic eras. Growing up, life wasn’t easy for Beethoven, he suffered from the loss of his mother at the age of 16 and his father, who was a court singer, was well knownRead MoreThe Importance Of Being Used During The Classical Period Of Music2056 Words   |  9 PagesIn the first movement of Wolfgang Mozart’s piece Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, it presents numerous features of what is being used during the classical period of music. The recording that was made by the Prague Chamber Orchestra is a good way to hear all of the classical features in the first movement. The first movement is the first track on the album that was published in 1985. While it has an excellent recording of the movement, it is not a traditional quartet but a larger ensemble. Along withRead MoreThe Influences of the Classical Period Essay582 Words   |  3 PagesAustrian composer who was one of the most prominent during the Classical Period. His signature place in this Period was shared with other great compo sers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven. The music during the Classical Period significantly changed after the Baroque Period. The techniques and tastes during this Period changed from loudly expressive and ornate, to simply beautiful and straightforward. The music of the new Period was light and clear, and it was not alone. As it alwaysRead MoreTransition of Music from Classical Era to the Postmodern Era1058 Words   |  5 PagesClassical to the Post-Modern Eras In this essay, I’m going to trace the development of Classical Music from the late 1750s to the Post-Modern era in the 2000s and provide a brief history of music, and how they link together to form what we have today. There are many preconceptions of what the history of music is. Some people think it is mainly a biography of composer’s lives, but they are wrong. The history of music is primarily the history of musical style. In order to appreciate this, it is essentialRead MoreHistory Of Music Has Been Around For Many Years1272 Words   |  6 PagesMrs. Cooke Period 1 English 10 March 2017 History of Music Music has been around for many years. I, for one, have been listening to music for my entire life and I know many people who grew up listening to music. Music influences people and people shape their life around music. Music can brighten anyone’s day. The great thing about music is that it comes in many different styles: Pop, Jazz, Classical, Country, Blues, Rock and Roll, Rap, Hip Hop and Techno, to name a few. How did music originate?Read MoreEssay on The Great Classics of the Classical Period505 Words   |  3 PagesBaroque period, the Classical period is one of the greatest musical eras in history. The style flowed directly off of its Baroque predecessors, smooth, but differing in the tempo. Many of the greatest composers emanated from the Classical era, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven among them. This time period transformed the course of not just musical history, but that of the entire modern western world. Johann Sebastian Bach was the Alpha and the Omega of the Baroque period. Classical music, as we referRead MoreThe History of Music Styles1362 Words   |  5 Pageshistory of music styles brings to the fore two distinct periods, Baroque and Classical. The purpose of this essay is to provide a comparison between the two musical eras through the exploration of two different composers and their works, namely Antonio Vivaldi and his Four Seasons ‘Spring’ in the maximized Baroque era and the minimalist approaches of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony. Moreover this essay will review the unique social, cultural, technological an musical elements of each period to determineRead MoreBeethoven and the Classical and Romantic Periods Essay1700 Words   |  7 Pages1993. The performance piece is a sonata which is defined by Kerman as â€Å"a chamber-music piece in several movements† (Kerman, 427) The thirty-first sonata came to be in an interesting way. Moritz Schlesinger, in the summer of 1819, had made a request to Ludwig van Beethoven. Schlesinger was in search of some music and thought that Beethoven would be perfect for the job. He asked Beethoven to compose the desired music for him and would pay Beethoven in return. The two agreed in the May of 1820 thatRead MoreSimilarities Between Music And Classical Music921 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom the Classical Era. Classical music originated in Ancient Egypt but as time went by in became less popular. Then around the late 1700`s it became very popular in areas of the world like Europe, Italy, Austria, Germany. The period from 1750 to 1810 was known as the Viennese Classic. Classical music is kind of western music with a twist. At this point in time art literature was very popular, so when people first heard of classical music they were very interested in it. Classical music is very

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Hunters Phantom Chapter 16 Free Essays

He walked for a long, long time, though it seemed his surroundings never changed. The same dim light filtered through a constant cloud of ash. He plodded on through grime, through mud, through ankle-deep pools of dark water. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 16 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Occasional y, he unclenched his fist and gazed again at the locks of hair. Each time, the magic liquid cleaned them a little more, changing a scrap of fibrous blackness to two locks of shining hair, red and gold. He walked on. Everything hurt, but he couldn’t stop. If he stopped he would sink back below the ash and mud, back to the grave back to death. Something whispered around the edges of his mind. He didn’t know quite what had happened to him, but words and phrases spun in his head. Words like abandoned, words like alone. He was very cold. He kept walking. After a while, he realized he was mumbling. â€Å"Left me al alone. They’d never have left him here.† He couldn’t remember who this him was, but he felt a sick sort of satisfaction from the glow of resentment. He held on to it as he continued his march. After what felt like an unchanging eternity, something happened. Ahead of him he could see the gatehouse he had imagined: spired like a fairy-tale castle, black as night. He walked faster, his footsteps shuffling through the ash. And then the earth opened suddenly beneath his feet. In the space of a heartbeat, he was fal ing into nothingness. Something inside him howled, Not now, not now. He grabbed and clawed at the earth, his arms holding him afloat, his feet swinging into the emptiness below him. â€Å"No,† he moaned. â€Å"No, they can’t†¦ Don’t leave me here. Don’t leave me again.† His fingers slipped, mud and ash sliding beneath his hands. â€Å"Damon?† an incredulous voice roared. A great muscular figure stood above him, silhouetted against the moons and planets in the sky, his chest bared, long, spiraling tangles of hair spil ing over his shoulders. This statue of a man reached down and grasped him by the arms, lifting him up. He yelped in pain. Something beneath the earth had latched onto his legs and was pul ing him back down. â€Å"Hold on!† The other man grunted, muscles rippling. He strained and heaved against whatever was clinging onto Damon – Damon, the man had cal ed him, and that felt right, somehow. The other man gave a great tug, and final y the force below released him, and he shot out of the earth, knocking his rescuer backward. Damon lay panting on the ground, spent. â€Å"You are supposed to be dead,† the other man told him, climbing to his feet and holding out a hand to steady Damon. He pushed a long lock of hair away from his face and gazed at Damon with serious, troubled eyes. â€Å"The fact that you are not†¦ wel , I am not as surprised as I should be.† Damon blinked at his savior, who was watching him attentively. He wet his lips and tried to speak, but his voice wouldn’t come. â€Å"Everything has been disturbed here since your friends left,† the man said. â€Å"Something essential has shifted in this universe. Things are not right.† He shook his head, his eyes troubled. â€Å"But tel me, mon cher, how does it come to be that you are here?† Final y Damon found his voice. It came out rough and quavering. â€Å"I†¦ don’t know.† The man immediately was al courtesy. â€Å"I think the situation cal s for some Black Magic, oui? And some blood, perhaps, and a chance to clean up. And then, Damon, we must talk.† He gestured toward the dark castle ahead of them. Damon hesitated for a moment, glancing at the emptiness and ash around them, then trudged after him toward the open doors. After Stefan swept out of the room so suddenly, everyone could only stare after him as the front door banged, signaling that he had left the house just as quickly. Bonnie hugged her arms around herself, shivering. A little voice in the back of her head told her that something was very, very wrong. Celia final y broke the silence. â€Å"Interesting,† she said. â€Å"Is he always so†¦ intense? Or is it a vampire thing?† Alaric chuckled dryly. â€Å"Believe it or not, he’s always seemed very low-key and practical to me. I don’t remember him being so volatile.† He ran a hand through his sandy hair and added thoughtful y, â€Å"Maybe it was the contrast with his brother that made him seem so reasonable. Damon was pretty unpredictable.† Meredith frowned thoughtful y. â€Å"No, you’re right. This isn’t the way Stefan usual y acts. Maybe he’s emotional because Elena’s threatened? But that doesn’t make sense†¦ she’s been in danger before. Even when she died – he was heartbroken, but, if anything, it made him more responsible, not wilder.† â€Å"But when Elena was dead,† Alaric reminded her, â€Å"the worst thing he could imagine had already happened. It’s possible that what’s making him so jumpy is that he doesn’t know where the threat’s coming from this time.† Bonnie took a sip of tea, zoning out as Meredith hmmmed thoughtful y, and Celia raised one skeptical eyebrow. â€Å"I stil don’t understand what you mean when you say Elena died. Are you suggesting she actual y rose from the dead?† â€Å"Yes,† said Meredith. â€Å"She was turned into a vampire, then she was exposed to sunlight and physical y died. They buried her and everything. Later – months later – she returned. She’s human again, though.† â€Å"I find al that very hard to believe,† said Celia flatly. â€Å"Honestly, Celia,† said Alaric, throwing up his hands in exasperation. â€Å"With everything you’ve seen since we got here – your scarf nearly choking you, then spel ing out a name, Bonnie having a vision, Stefan practical y flying to save you – I don’t know why you’re drawing the line now and saying you don’t believe a girl could come back from the dead.† He paused and took a breath. â€Å"I don’t mean to sound harsh, but real y.† Meredith smirked. â€Å"Believe it or not, it’s true. Elena came back from the dead.† Bonnie wrapped one long red curl around her finger. She watched as her finger turned white and red against the strand of hair. Elena. Of course they were talking about Elena. Everyone was always talking about Elena. Whether she was with them or not, everything they did or thought centered on Elena. Alaric turned to address the whole group. â€Å"Stefan seems convinced that ‘he wants you’ means Caleb, but I’m not sure that it does. From what I’ve seen of Bonnie’s visions, and what you guys have told me, they’re hardly ever about what’s right in front of her. Caleb’s appearance – if it even was Caleb – could have been a coincidence. Don’t you think so, Meredith?† Oh, don’t bother to ask me about the visions, Bonnie thought bitterly. I’m only the one who has them. Wasn’t that the way it always was, though? She was the one everyone overlooked. â€Å"It could be a coincidence,† Meredith said doubtful y. â€Å"But if it’s not Caleb she was talking about, who is it? Who wants Elena?† Bonnie glanced under her eyelashes at Matt, but he was staring out the window, apparently completely detached from the conversation. She could tel that Matt stil loved Elena, even if no one else knew. It was too bad: Matt was awful y cute. He could date anyone, but it was taking him a long time to get over her. But then, no one ever seemed to get over Elena. Half the boys at Robert E. Lee High School had gone around gazing wistful y after her, as if she might suddenly turn around and fal into their arms. Certainly most of the boys Elena had dated had stayed a little bit in love with her, even after Elena had more or less forgotten their names. It isn’t fair, Bonnie thought, twirling her hair more tightly around her finger. Everyone always wanted Elena, and Bonnie had never even had a boyfriend for more than a few weeks at a time. What was wrong with her? People always told her how cute she was, how adorable, how fun†¦ and then they looked past her to Elena, and it was like they couldn’t see Bonnie anymore. And while Damon, amazing, sexy Damon, had been fond of her, sometimes, when she wasn’t trying to kid herself, she knew he hadn’t real y seen her, either. I’m just the sidekick, that’s my problem, Bonnie thought glumly. Elena was the star; Meredith was a hero; Bonnie was a sidekick. Celia cleared her throat. â€Å"I have to confess I’m intrigued by the appearance of the names,† she said stiffly. â€Å"It does seem like they point to some kind of threat. Whether or not Bonnie’s purported vision comes to anything† – Bonnie shot her best nasty look at Celia, but Celia ignored it – â€Å"we should definitely investigate any background or context we can find for the unexplained appearance of the names. We should find out if there’s a recorded history of this kind of thing happening before. The writing on the wal , if you wil .† She gave a thin-lipped smile at her own joke. â€Å"But what would we investigate?† Bonnie said, finding herself unwil ingly responding to Celia’s teacherlike manner. â€Å"I wouldn’t even know where to start looking for something like this. A book on curses, maybe? Or omens? Do you have anything like that in your library, Mrs. Flowers?† Mrs. Flowers shook her head. â€Å"I’m afraid not, dear. My library, as you know, is mostly herbals. I have a few more specialized books, but I can’t recal anything that might be helpful with this problem.† When she mentioned â€Å"more specialized books,† Bonnie’s cheeks got hot. She thought of the grimoire on communication with the dead, stil tucked under the floorboards in her bedroom, and hoped Mrs. Flowers hadn’t noticed it was missing. After a few seconds, her cheeks had cooled enough that she dared to glance around, but only Meredith was looking at her, one elegant eyebrow raised. If Meredith thought something was up, she wouldn’t rest until she got the whole story from Bonnie, so Bonnie gave her a bland smile and crossed her fingers behind her back for luck. Meredith raised her other eyebrow and looked at her with deep suspicion. â€Å"Actual y,† Celia said, â€Å"I have a contact at the University of Virginia who studies folklore and mythology. She specializes in witchcraft, folk magic, curses, al that kind of thing.† â€Å"Do you think we could cal her?† said Alaric hopeful y. Celia frowned. â€Å"I think it would be better if I went up there for a few days. Her library isn’t as wel organized as it could be – I suppose it’s symptomatic of the kind of mind that studies stories rather than facts – and it might take a while to discover if there’s anything useful there. I think it would be just as wel for me to get out of town for a while, anyway. After two brushes with death in two days† – she sent a pointed glance toward Meredith, who blushed – â€Å"I’m beginning to feel that Fel ‘s Church isn’t the healthiest place for me.† She looked at Alaric. â€Å"You might find her library of interest, if you’d like to come with me. Dr. Beltram is one of the best-known experts in her field.† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Alaric looked startled. â€Å"Thanks, but I’d better stay here and help Meredith. With her sprained ankle and everything.† â€Å"Mmm-hmmm.† Celia glanced at Meredith again. Meredith, who had been looking steadily more delighted every second since Celia had announced she was leaving, ignored her and smiled at Alaric. â€Å"Wel , I suppose I should give her a cal and get my things together. No time like the present.† Celia stood up, smoothed her sundress, and walked out the door, head high. As she passed, she brushed against the table near Mrs. Flowers’s chair, sending her knitting to the floor. Bonnie let out a breath as Celia left the room. â€Å"Wel , real y!† she said indignantly. â€Å"Bonnie,† said Matt warningly. â€Å"I know,† said Bonnie angrily. â€Å"She could have at least said ‘excuse me,’ right? And what was that with asking Alaric to come with her to UVA? He just got here, practical y. He hasn’t seen you for months. Of course he’s not going to leave again with her right now.† â€Å"Bonnie,† said Meredith, in a strangely choked voice. â€Å"What?† said Bonnie, catching the oddness in her tone and looking around. â€Å"Oh. Oh. Oh, no.† Mrs. Flowers’s knitting had fal en from its table, and the skein of yarn had rol ed across the floor, unwinding as it went. Now, in the curls of soft pale pink, they could al clearly read one word written across the carpet: bonnie How to cite The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 16, Essay examples

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Muse to my ears by Muse free essay sample

The highly popular band Muse, originally from Devon, have cause quite a stir in the music industry since 1994, releasing seven hit albums in their many years or rock stardom. Their music is popular, mainly with teens and young people, because it is original. Yes, original. None of the whiney, always-played-on-the-radio pop rubbish. Real, relatable music. The rocky edge to their music makes it enjoyable to listen and relate to. Matthew Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, and piano) is a very talented musician with an eye for detail when music is concerned, right alongside Christopher Wolstenholme (bass and backing vocals) and Dominic Howard (drums and percussion),who are also talented musicians. They’ve toured all over the world, won Grammy’s and other music awards and wiped out every other well- known band from the music kingdom. Black Holes and Revelations earned the band a Mercury Prize nomination and a third place finish in the NME Albums of the Year list for 2006. We will write a custom essay sample on Muse to my ears by Muse or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Muse have won many other music awards throughout their career, including five MTV Europe Music Awards, five Q Awards, eight NME Awards, two BRIT awards and four Kerrang! Awards. Muse gained their Alternative Rock stardom after having their song, Supermassive Black Hole, used in the twilight soundtrack released November 2008, causing an almighty stir among twilight fans. That certainly sounds like Muse to my ears, how about you?