Sunday, January 19, 2020
Violence and Politics :: Political Government Essays
Violence and Politics Let's talk about absolutely ridiculous pronouncements people make that either ignore simple fact or border on insanity. How about this one: Violence is no way to settle anything! Evidence suggests that violence is a very effective way of settling things. How about a few examples? In 1776, violence settled whether the thirteen colonies would be independent or remain under King George's thumb. In 1865, violence settled whether there'd be a Confederacy and a Union or just a Union. Between 1941 and 1945, violence settled whether Japan would control the Far East and whether Germany would control Europe. Violence settled whether American Indians owned and controlled the land now call United States or whether it would be European settlers and their progeny. In fact, violence has settled the question of land use-rights virtually everywhere. Violence and the threat of violence not only settles questions of land use; it settles other matters as well. For example, I have no problem with paying for the constitutionally mandated functions of the Federal Government - those enumerated in the U.S. Constitution. But I disagree with my earnings being given to dependent farmers, failing banks and poor people. Who has use-rights to my earnings is settled through threats, intimidation and violence. The U.S. Congress in essence tells me, "Williams, if you do not permit us to give your earnings to dependent farmers, banks, poor people, and any one else we deem worthy of your earnings, we will use violence to take your earnings and anything else you possess. Some readers might think that I am being overly hyperbolic. What do you think would be the outcome of the following scenario? I write on my IRS 1040 form: "I gladly accept my responsibility to pay my share of constitutionally mandated functions of the federal government. That share comes to about one-third of what you say I owe. I will not pay for activities not authorized by the Constitution." What happens. The IRS, the agents of the U.S. Congress, levies a fine and demands that I pay all they say I owe. I refuse. Then the IRS says, "We're going to confiscate your house." I say, "No you won't; that's my house." Then they send agents with automatic weapons to take my house. I stand and defend my house. The agents of the U.S. Congress kill me. The truth of the matter is that violence is such an effective and valuable means of settling differences that most governments demand to have a monopoly on its use.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Blood Promise Chapter Sixteen
Denis and his two unpromised friends, Artur and Lev, were ecstatic that I was going to be part of their posse. But if they expected me to share their crazy enthusiasm for reckless Strigoi hunting, they were about to be sorely disappointed. In fact, it didn't take long after I joined them before they realized that I was approaching the hunt very differently than they were. Denis's friend Lev had a car, and we took turns driving to Novosibirsk. The drive was about fifteen hours, and even though we stopped at a hotel for the night, it was still a lot of continuous time to be cooped up in a small space with three guys who couldn't stop talking about all the Strigoi they were going to kill. In particular, they kept trying to draw me out. They wanted to know about how many Strigoi I'd slain. They wanted to know what the battle at the Academy had been like. They wanted to know my methods. Anytime my mind turned to those topics, though, all I could think of was blood and grief. It was nothing I wanted to brag about, and it took about six hours on the road for them to finally figure out that they weren't going to get much information from me. Instead, they regaled me with tales of their own adventures. To be fair, they'd slain several Strigoi-but they'd lost a number of their friends, all of whom had been in their teens, like these guys. My experiences weren't that dissimilar; I'd lost friends too. My losses had been a result of being outnumbered, though. Denis's group's casualties seemed to have been more due to rushing in to without thinking. Indeed, their plan once we got to Novosibirsk wasn't really that solid. They reiterated that Strigoi liked to hunt at places that were crowded at night, like dance clubs, or in remote places like alleys, that made for easy pickings. No one noticed as much when people disappeared from those kinds of places. So Denis's plans mostly involved trolling those hot spots in the hopes that we'd run into Strigoi. My initial thought was to immediately ditch this group and strike out on my own. After all, my main goal had been to simply get to Novosibirsk. With everything I'd learned now, it seemed logical that Siberia's largest city would be the next best place to look. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that jumping into the Strigoi scene alone would be as stupid as one of the unpromised gang's plans. I could use their backup. Plus, since I didn't actually know where Dimitri was yet, I had to come up with a method of getting some information. I'd need help for that. We made it to Novosibirsk at the end of the second day of driving. Despite hearing about its size, I hadn't imagined it would be anything like Moscow or Saint Petersburg. And true, it turned out to be not quite as large as they were, but it was still just as much a city, complete with skyscrapers, theaters, commuters, and the same beautiful architecture. We crashed with a friend of theirs who had an apartment downtown, a dhampir named Tamara. Her English wasn't very good, but from the sounds of it, she was another unpromised one and just as excited as everyone else to rid the world of Strigoi. She was a little older than the rest of us, which was why she had her own place, and was a cute brunette with freckles. It sounded as though she waited until whenever the guys came to town to hunt, which I took as a small blessing. At least she didn't go out alone. She seemed particularly excited to have another girl around, but like the others, she quickly picked up that I didn't share their enthusiasm. When our first night of Strigoi hunting came around, I finally stepped up into a leadership position. The sudden change in behavior startled them at first, but they soon listened with rapt attention, still caught up in my superstar reputation. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠I said, looking from face to face. We were in Tamara's tiny living room, sitting in a circle. ââ¬Å"Here's how it's going to work. We're going to hit the nightclub scene as a group, patrolling it and the alleys behind it for-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Wait,â⬠interrupted Denis. ââ¬Å"We usually split up.â⬠ââ¬Å"Which is why you get killed,â⬠I snapped. ââ¬Å"We're going as a group.â⬠ââ¬Å"Haven't you killed Strigoi by yourself, though?â⬠asked Lev. He was the tallest of the group, with a long and lanky figure that was almost Moroi-like. ââ¬Å"Yes, but I got lucky.â⬠That, and I also just thought I was a better fighter than any of them. Call me arrogant, but I was a damned good guardian. Or near-guardian. ââ¬Å"We'll do better with all five of us. When we find Strigoi, we've got to make sure we take care of them in an isolated place.â⬠I hadn't forgotten Sydney's warnings. ââ¬Å"But before we kill them, I need to talk to them. It'll be your job to restrain them.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠asked Denis. ââ¬Å"What do you have to say to them?â⬠ââ¬Å"Actually, it's what they have to say to me. Look, it won't take long. And you'll get to make your kill in the end, so don't worry about it. Butâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ This next part went against my grand plans, but I knew I had to say it. I wouldn't get them killed for the sake of my own quest. ââ¬Å"If we get ourselves in a situation where you're trapped or in immediate danger, forget the talking and restraining. Kill. Save yourself.â⬠Apparently, I seemed confident and badass enough that they decided to go along with whatever I said. Part of our plan involved going ââ¬Å"undercover,â⬠so to speak. Any Strigoi who was close or got a good enough look would immediately recognize us as dhampirs. It was important that we not attract any attention. We needed a Strigoi scanning for victims to pass right over us. We needed to look like other human club-goers. So we dressed the part, and I was a bit astonished at how well the guys cleaned up. Denis, crazy or not, was particularly good-looking, sharing the same dark gold hair and brown eyes that his brother Nikolai had. My few changes of clothes weren't quite up to partying standards, so Tamara delved into her wardrobe for me. She seemed to take a lot of delight in finding things for me to wear. We were actually similar in size, which was kind of amazing. With her tall, super-slim build, Lissa and I had never been able to share clothes. Tamara was my height and had a similar body type. She first offered me a short, tight dress that was so similar to the one Viktoria had worn that I just shook my head and handed it back. The memories of our argument still hurt, and I wasn't going to relive that night or in any way play blood whore dress-up. Instead, Tamara settled for dressing me in black jeans and a black tank top. I consented to hair and makeup too, and studying myself in the mirror, I had to admit she did a good job. As vain as it was, I liked looking good. I especially liked that the guys looked at me in a way that was admiring and respectful-but not like I was some piece of meat. Tamara offered me jewelry too, but the only thing I'd wear was the nazar around my neck. My stake required a jacket, but she found a sexy leather one that didn't take away from the rest of the outfit's appeal. Setting out around midnight, I couldn't help shaking my head. ââ¬Å"We're the goddamned hottest vampire hunters ever,â⬠I muttered. Denis led us to a club where they'd found Strigoi before. It was also apparently where one of their unpromised friends had been killed. It was in a seedy part of town, which I guess added to its appeal for Strigoi. A lot of the people there were middle- and upper-class young people, apparently drawn in by the ââ¬Å"dangerousâ⬠aspect. If only they'd known just how dangerous it was. I'd made a lot of jokes to Dimitri about Russia and Eastern Europe being ten years behind in music, but when we entered, I discovered the ground-thumping techno song playing was something I'd heard in the U.S. just before leaving. The place was crowded and dark, with flashing lights that were actually a little annoying to dhampir eyes. Our night vision would adapt to the darkness and then be blasted when a strobe light kicked on. In this case, I didn't need my sight. My shadow-kissed senses didn't feel any Strigoi in the area. ââ¬Å"Come on,â⬠I said to the others. ââ¬Å"Let's dance for a while and wait. There are no Strigoi nearby.â⬠ââ¬Å"How do you know?â⬠asked Denis, staring at me in wonder. ââ¬Å"I just do. Stay together.â⬠Our little circle moved to the dance floor. It had been so long since I'd danced, and I was a bit surprised at how quickly I found myself getting into the rhythm. Part of me said I should have stayed ever vigilant, but my Strigoi alarm system would immediately snap me awake if any danger came. That nausea was kind of hard to ignore. But after an hour of dancing, no Strigoi had appeared. We left the dance floor and started circling the club's edges, then moved outside to sweep that area too. Nothing. ââ¬Å"Is there another club nearby?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Sure,â⬠said Artur. He was stocky, with close-shaved hair and a ready smile. ââ¬Å"A couple blocks over.â⬠We followed him and found a similar scene: another secret club hidden in a run-down building. More flashing lights. More crowds. More pounding music. Disturbingly, what started to bother me first was the smell. That many people generated a lot of sweat. I had no doubt even the humans could smell it. To us, it was cloying. Tamara and I exchanged looks and wrinkled our noses, needing no words to convey our disgust. We moved to the dance floor again, and Lev started to leave to get a drink. I punched him in the arm. He exclaimed something in Russian that I recognized as a swear word. ââ¬Å"What was that for?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"For being stupid! How do you expect to kill something that's twice as fast as you while drunk?â⬠He shrugged, unconcerned, and I resisted the urge to hit him in the face this time. ââ¬Å"One won't hurt. Besides, there aren't even any-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Be quiet!â⬠It was creeping over me, that weird stirring in my stomach. Forgetting my cover, I stopped dancing, scanning the crowd for the source. While I was relying on my senses to feel Strigoi, spotting them in the crowd was a bit harder. I took a few steps toward the entrance, and my nausea lessened. I moved toward the bar, and the feeling increased. ââ¬Å"This way,â⬠I told them. ââ¬Å"Act like you're still into the music.â⬠My tension was contagious, and I saw the anticipation sweep them-as well as a little fear. Good. Maybe they'd take this seriously. As we headed in the bar's direction, I tried to keep my body language oriented toward it, like I was seeking a drink. All the while, my eyes swept the crowd's periphery. There. I had him. A male Strigoi was standing off in a corner, his arm around a girl close to my age. In the dim lighting, he almost seemed attractive. I knew closer examination would reveal the deathly pale skin and red eyes that all Strigoi had. The girl might not have been able to see them in the darkened club, or the Strigoi might have been using compulsion on her. Probably both, judging from the smile on her face. Strigoi were able to compel others just as well as a spirit user like Lissa could. Better, even. Before our eyes, I saw the Strigoi lead the girl down a small, unnoticed hallway. At the end, I could just make out a glowing exit sign. At least, I presumed it was an exit sign. The letters were Cyrillic. ââ¬Å"Any idea where that door goes?â⬠I asked the others. The guys shrugged, and Denis repeated my question to Tamara. She answered back, and he translated. ââ¬Å"There's a small alley out back where they keep trash. It's between this building and a factory. No one's usually there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can we get to it by going around the club?â⬠Denis waited for Tamara's response. ââ¬Å"Yes. It's open on both sides.â⬠ââ¬Å"Perfect.â⬠We hurried out of the club by the front door, and I divided our group into two. The plan was to come at the Strigoi from both sides and trap him in the middle-provided he and his victim were still out back. It was possible he could have led her elsewhere, but I thought it more likely he'd want to subdue her and get his blood right there, particularly if it was as deserted as Tamara said it usually was. I was right. Once my group had split off and peered around behind the club, I saw the Strigoi and the girl lurking in the shadow of a trash can. He was leaning over her, mouth near her neck, and I silently swore. They didn't waste any time. Hoping she was still alive, I came charging down the alley, the others on my heels. From the alley's other side, Denis and Lev also came running. As soon as he heard the first footfall, the Strigoi reacted instantly, his staggeringly fast reflexes kicking in. He immediately dropped the girl, and in the space of a heartbeat, he chose Denis and Lev over Artur, Tamara, and me. Not a bad strategy, really. There were only two of them. Because he was so fast, he probably hoped to incapacitate them quickly and then turn on us before we could flank him. And it almost worked. A powerful hit sent Lev flying. To my relief, a couple of trash cans blocked him from the building's wall. Hitting them wouldn't feel good, but if I had the choice, I'd rather hit metal cans than solid bricks. The Strigoi pounced on Denis next, but Denis proved remarkably fast. Unfairly, I'd assumed none of these unpromised had any real fighting skills. I should have known better. They'd had the same training as me; they just lacked discipline. Denis dodged the blow and struck out low, aiming for the Strigoi's legs. The hit landed, though it wasn't strong enough to knock him over. A flash of silver showed in Denis's hands, and he managed to partially swipe the Strigoi's cheek just before a backhanded slap knocked the dhampir into me. A cut like that wouldn't be lethal to the Strigoi, but the silver would hurt, and I heard him snarl. His fangs gleamed with saliva. I sidestepped Denis quickly enough that he didn't knock me over. Tamara grabbed his arm, holding him so that he wouldn't fall either. She was fast too and had barely steadied him before leaping up at the Strigoi. He swatted her away but didn't manage to hit her hard enough to push her far. Artur and I were on him by that point, our combined force knocking him against the wall. Still, he was stronger and the pinning was brief before he broke free. A responsible voice in my head-that sounded suspiciously like Dimitri's-warned me that that had been my window to kill him. It would have been the smart and safe thing to do. I'd had the opening, and my stake was in my hand. If my crazy interrogation plan failed, the others' deaths would be on my head. As one, Artur and I leapt out again. ââ¬Å"Help us!â⬠I yelled. Tamara threw herself against the Strigoi, landing a swift kick to the stomach as well. I could feel him starting to shake us off, but then Denis joined in too. Between the four of us, we wrestled the Strigoi down so that he lay back-first on the pavement. But the worst wasn't over. Keeping him down wasn't easy. He thrashed around with incredible strength, limbs twisting everywhere. I heaved myself up, trying to throw my body's weight across his torso while the others restrained his legs. Another set of hands joined us, and I looked up to see Lev lending his strength too. His lip was bleeding, but his face was determined. The Strigoi hadn't stopped moving, but I felt satisfied he wouldn't break away anytime soon, not with all five of us holding him. Shifting forward, I placed the point of my stake at his neck. It gave him pause, but he soon resumed his struggle. I leaned over his face. ââ¬Å"Do you know Dimitri Belikov?â⬠I demanded. He shouted something incomprehensible at me that didn't sound very friendly. I pressed the stake in harder and drew a long gash against his throat. He screamed in pain, pure evil and malice shining out from his eyes as he continued swearing in Russian. ââ¬Å"Translate,â⬠I demanded, not caring who did it. ââ¬Å"What I said.â⬠A moment later, Denis said something in Russian, presumably my question since I heard Dimitri's name in there. The Strigoi growled back a response, and Denis shook his head. ââ¬Å"He says he isn't going to play games with us.â⬠I took the stake and slashed at the Strigoi's face, widening the gash Denis had made earlier. Again, the Strigoi cried out, and I prayed club security wouldn't hear any of this. I gave him a smile filled with enough malice to match his own. ââ¬Å"Tell him we're going to keep playing games with him until he talks. One way or another, he dies tonight. It's up to him whether it happens slowly or quickly.â⬠I honestly couldn't believe those words had come out of my mouth. They were so harshâ⬠¦ so, well, cruel. I'd never in my entire life expected to be torturing anyone, even a Strigoi. The Strigoi gave Denis's translation another defiant response, and so I kept on with the stake, making gashes and cuts that would have killed any human, Moroi, or dhampir. Finally, he shot off a string of words that didn't sound like his usual insults. Denis immediately translated. ââ¬Å"He said he's never heard of anyone named that and that if Dimitri's a friend of yours, he'll be sure to kill him slowly and painfully.â⬠I almost smiled at the Strigoi's last effort at defiance. The problem with my strategy here was that the Strigoi could be lying. I'd have no way of knowing. Something in his response made me think he wasn't. He'd sounded like he thought I was referring to a human or a dhampir, not a Strigoi. ââ¬Å"He's useless then,â⬠I said. I leaned back and glanced at Denis. ââ¬Å"Go ahead and kill him.â⬠It was what Denis had been dying to do. He didn't hesitate, his stake striking hard and swift through the Strigoi's heart. The frantic struggling stilled a moment later. The evil light faded from the red eyes. We stood up, and I saw my companions' faces watching me with apprehension and fear. ââ¬Å"Rose,â⬠asked Denis at last. ââ¬Å"What are you hoping to-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Never mind that,â⬠I interrupted, moving over to the unconscious human girl's side. Kneeling down, I examined her neck. He'd bitten her, but not much blood had been taken. The wound was relatively small and bled only a little. She stirred slightly and moaned when I touched her, which I took as a good sign. Carefully, I dragged her away from the trash can and out into the light where she'd be most noticeable. The Strigoi, however, I dragged into as dark a place as I could, almost completely obscuring him. After that, I asked to borrow Denis's cell phone and dialed the number I'd kept crumpled in my pocket for the last week. After a couple of rings, Sydney answered in Russian. She sounded sleepy. ââ¬Å"Sydney? This is Rose.â⬠There was a slight pause. ââ¬Å"Rose? What's going on?â⬠ââ¬Å"Are you back in Saint Petersburg?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yesâ⬠¦ where are you?â⬠ââ¬Å"Novosibirsk. Do you guys have agents here?â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course,â⬠she said warily. ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠ââ¬Å"Mmmâ⬠¦ I've got something for you to clean up.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh dear.â⬠ââ¬Å"Hey, at least I'm calling. And it's not like me ridding the world of another Strigoi is a bad thing. Besides, didn't you want me to let you know?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, yes. Where are you?â⬠I put Denis on the phone briefly so that he could explain our specific location. He handed the phone back to me when he finished, and I told Sydney about the girl. ââ¬Å"Is she seriously injured?â⬠ââ¬Å"Doesn't look like it,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"What should we do?â⬠ââ¬Å"Leave her. The guy who's coming will make sure she's okay and doesn't go telling stories. He'll explain it when he gets there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Whoa, hey. I'm not going to be here when he arrives.â⬠ââ¬Å"Rose-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"I'm out of here,â⬠I told her. ââ¬Å"And I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else that I called-say, like, Abe.â⬠ââ¬Å"Rose-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Please, Sydney. Just don't tell. Or elseâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I hesitated. ââ¬Å"If you do, I'll stop calling when this happens. We're going to be taking down a few more.â⬠God, what next? First torture, now threats. Worse, I was threatening someone I liked. Of course, I was lying. I understood why Sydney's group did what they did, and I wouldn't risk the exposure. She didn't know that, though, and I prayed she'd think I was just unstable enough to risk revealing us to the world. ââ¬Å"Rose-â⬠she tried yet again. I didn't give her the chance. ââ¬Å"Thanks, Sydney. We'll be in touch.â⬠I disconnected and handed Denis the phone. ââ¬Å"Come on, guys. We're not done tonight.â⬠It was clear they thought I was crazy to be interrogating Strigoi, but considering how reckless they were sometimes, my behavior wasn't quite weird enough for them to lose their faith in me. Soon they grew enthusiastic again, high on the idea of our first kill on this trip. My uncanny ability to sense Strigoi made me even cooler in their eyes, and I grew confident they'd pretty much follow me anywhere. We caught two more Strigoi that night and managed to repeat the procedure. The results were the same. Lots of insults in Russian. No new information. Once I was convinced a Strigoi had nothing to offer us, I'd let the unpromised go in for the kill. They loved it, but after that third one, I found myself growing weary both mentally and physically. I told the group we were going to go home-and then, while cutting around the back of a factory, I sensed a fourth Strigoi. We jumped him. Another scuffle occurred, but we eventually managed to pin him as we had the others. ââ¬Å"Go ahead,â⬠I told Denis. ââ¬Å"You know what to-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"I'm going to rip your throat out!â⬠the Strigoi snarled. Whoa. This one spoke English. Denis opened his mouth to begin the interrogation, but I shook my head. ââ¬Å"I'll take over.â⬠Like the other Strigoi, he swore and struggled, even with the stake against his neck, making it hard for me to talk. ââ¬Å"Look,â⬠I said growing impatient and tired, ââ¬Å"just tell us what we need to know. We're looking for a dhampir named Dimitri Belikov.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know him.â⬠The Strigoi's voice was smug. ââ¬Å"And he's no dhampir.â⬠Without realizing it, I'd called Dimitri a dhampir. I was tired and had slipped up. No wonder this Strigoi was so pleased to talk. He assumed we didn't know about Dimitri turning. And like any arrogant Strigoi, he was happy to tell us more, clearly in the hopes of causing us pain. ââ¬Å"Your friend has been awakened. He stalks the night with us now, drinking the blood of foolish girls like you.â⬠In a split second, a thousand thoughts raced through my head. Holy crap. I'd come to Russia thinking it would be easy to find Dimitri. I'd had those hopes dashed in his hometown, nearly causing me to give up, and I'd swung the other way, resigning myself to the near impossibility of my task. The thought that I might be close to something here was staggering. ââ¬Å"You're lying,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"You've never seen him.â⬠ââ¬Å"I see him all the time. I've killed with him.â⬠My stomach twisted, and it had nothing to do with the Strigoi's proximity. Don't think about Dimitri killing people. Don't think about Dimitri killing people. I said the words over and over in my head, forcing myself to stay calm. ââ¬Å"If that's true,â⬠I hissed back, ââ¬Å"then I've got a message for you to deliver to him. Tell him Rose Hathaway is looking for him.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not your errand boy,â⬠he said, glowering. My stake slashed out, drawing blood, and he grimaced in pain. ââ¬Å"You're anything I want you to be. Now go tell Dimitri what I told you. Rose Hathaway. Rose Hathaway is looking for him. Say it.â⬠I pressed the point to his neck. ââ¬Å"Say my name so I know you'll remember.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll remember it so I can kill you.â⬠The stake pressed harder, spilling blood. ââ¬Å"Rose Hathaway,â⬠he said. He spit at me but missed. Satisfied, I leaned back. Denis watched me expectantly, stake poised and ready. ââ¬Å"Now we kill him?â⬠I shook my head. ââ¬Å"Now we let him go.ââ¬
Friday, January 3, 2020
Block Grant Essay - 921 Words
Block Grants Definition: Money granted by the federal government that a local authority can allocate to a wide range of services. Significance: This allows the state/city governments to use the money in a general sense, so they can spend it where they need to. Categorical Grants Definition: Money granted by the federal government to state and local governments, with strict limitations on how it is to be spent. Significance: This forces the states to comply to the governmentââ¬â¢s regulation if they want money. Contract with America Definition: A document released by the Republican Party in the 1994 Congressional election.The key points were: decentralizing federal authority: deregulation, cutting taxes, reforming social programs, increasingâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦In the first federal system there were 13 states and it included over 87,000 state and local governments. Fiscal Federalism Definition: a concept of federalism where funding is appropriated by the federal government to the states with specific conditions attached. The legislation can be in the form of mandates. Significance: This type of government allows the federal government to hopefully become more efficient and effective at solving government financial problems. The federal government has the power to properly distribute income and to make the economy stable because it is more ââ¬Å"flexibleâ⬠. Formula Grants Definition: Money awarded to states that specifies a precise formula that is used in determining the amount of funding that a recipient is eligible to receive Significance: This type of grant that is awarded by the OSEP that allows children with disabilities to get a free public education from the ages three to twenty-one and supports early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities so they can get the help they may need. Mandates (Unfunded/Funded) Definition: Funded are regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states with federal funds to support them. Unfunded are regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states without federal funds to support them. Significance: Unfunded mandates allow the national government to tell the state government to doShow MoreRelatedFederalism in Welfare Programs Essay1628 Words à |à 7 PagesFederalism In Welfare Programs POL 201 August 15, 2013 Federalism and Welfare Programs This essay is to inform you of federal policy issues involving welfare causing conflicting debates between national, state, and local government and how these conflicting issues relate to federalism. Federalism is ââ¬Å"A government system where power and authority are shared by national and states governments, with the ultimate authority derived from the people. (Levin-Waldman, 2012). 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In this essay Crichton gives many examples of facts and real life situations in which gene patenting has negative effects on the medical population. Crichton uses tone and word choice to enforce his argument against gene patenting. An example of this manipulativeRead MoreThe Evolution of Federalism and Housing Policy Essay1452 Words à |à 6 PagesToday, states are called upon to address issues of social welfare such as abortion, gay marriage and public housing; yet, federal agencies and federal dollars are caught in the political crosshairs for legislative resolution to these issues. This essay will examine this evolution of Federalism and discuss the significance of it, as it relates to the current state of intergovernmental relations for public agencies involved in housing. Structure of Federalism The American concept of federalism impliesRead MoreThe American Dream1011 Words à |à 5 PagesBrie Alford HNRS 195H (01) Fall 2015 Short Essay #1 We, as humans, are meant for ââ¬Å"something more than mere survivalâ⬠(FDR Economic Bill of Rights). We are meant for complex ideas, groundbreaking inventions and technological advances, a sense of community, and a place where freedom and opportunity run rampant throughout the streets. We are meant for the American Dream. I fear, however, that as time has passed, America has lost sight of the true ideals entrenched in the idea of the American DreamRead MoreThe Reformation in Europe: Three Individuals that Made It Happen797 Words à |à 4 PagesNorthern European Renaissance lived a scholar by the name of Erasmus. Erasmus was particularly concerned with the corruption going on within the Church. Since he was so intrigued by the abuses of the church, he decided to write an essay titled, ââ¬Å"In Praise of Follyâ⬠. In this essay, Erasmus describes many different hypocritical actions and thoughts played out by the church. One of these included looking for guidance and inter session through statues, relics, specific prayers, idols, and saints. Erasmus didRead MoreTerminal Illness : Finding Acceptance And Closure1078 Words à |à 5 Pagesmechanism for petitioning an omnipotent divinity to grant physical healingâ⬠¦considerable number of studies have identified prayer as a frequent and favored coping strategy among patients, family caregivers, and eldersâ⬠(Taylor, 2003). ââ¬Å"Her Long Illnessâ⬠describes what a spouse goes through when dealing with his wifeââ¬â¢s terminal illness, cancer. ââ¬Å"The preparation for the death is associated with better psychological adjustment to the lossâ⬠(Maciejewski, Zhang, Block, and Prigerson, 2007). Partaking in activitiesRead MoreThe Sex Offender Registration And Notification Act1382 Words à |à 6 Pagesdiscriminate against them for something their partner did. I agree it is important to have the location in which the offender resides available to the community, but maybe not the exact house number, rather just the block, for example it could read: ââ¬Å"William, residing on the 100 block of main streetâ⬠, this way it can protect the family, but it does allow the public to know the name and area of the registered offender. This change in the system would be an effective way to refrain from the stigmatizationRead MoreThe New Deal and American Federalism885 Words à |à 4 PagesDepression of 1929 greatly weakened the nationââ¬â¢s economic systems. President Roosevelt made many changes in the relationship between the national and state governments, thus revolutionizing our understanding of federalism, through the New Deal. This essay seeks to explore the changes and attributes that define post-New Deal federalism. Prior to the New Deal, the United States practiced the traditional interpretation of dual federalism. The two forms of government were sovereign and had different partsRead MoreThe Power Struggle of the States and Federal Government in the United States1536 Words à |à 7 Pagesfederalism by the ââ¬Ëfounding fathersââ¬â¢ which were developed in order to escape from the overpowered central government. However, federalism in the United States is hitherto uncertain where the power lies in the contemporary political system. In this essay I will outline and explain how power relationship alternates between states and federal government. Moreover I will also discuss my perspective by weighing the evidence based upon resources. Based on these resources, it will aid me to evaluate the
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Notes On Avatars And Chat Bots - 844 Words
Short paper on Avatars and Chat bots By Bhagya Lakshmi Vegiraju IT-660 Artificial Intelligence Avatars and Chat bots: In todayââ¬â¢s world, computers are all about text input and output. Our way of communication with computer is pointing the mouse, menus and commands. Chat-bots is an end point to such text input-output kind of communication with a computer. Chat-bots enables you to converse with a computer in such a way that you usually talk to a person and it talks back ,which seems realistic as if you were talking to a real person. Chat-bot is basically a program that converse in a natural language with the user. Avatar on the other hand, is a visual character operated by a person or a chat-bot. Do you think these technologies are realistic? I think these technologies are realistic because they respond to you in a such a manner as if you are talking to a real person. A lot of research shows that users develop more of a relationship with a chat-bot or avatar than they do with pages of text and images because they seem realistic. Chat-bots allow users to access the information as though they had someone to assist them. The chat-bot can take general language queries, give general language responses, and show users the parts of the content they were searching for on the internet ,for example ââ¬ËSiriââ¬â¢ technology. I tried a conversation with few of theShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Digital Identification : An Analysis Of Virtual Surrogacy3268 Words à |à 14 Pagesactively constructed presentation of oneself. In some online contexts, including Internet forums, online chats, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), users can represent themselves visually by choosing an avatar, Avatars are one way users express their online identity. Microsoftââ¬â¢s XBOX, a popular video gaming brand, has moved a step further from creating and designing Avatars. They have now not only provided multiplayer features but have also enabled gamers to communicate with
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
The Proclamation For Equal Authority - 977 Words
RHETORICAL ESSAY The Proclamation for Equal Authority It has now come a time that the quandary of authority or political power is unrightfully justifiable in the thick of selfdom, as opposed to equality. Its domination by whom sworn duties of moral respect are inalienable for human rights. Public figures have proven to take advantage from the privileges of their titles in the form of vanity, towards the outnumbered citizens of our city, state and government It is evitable that we are all created equally by earthly signs of justifiable evidence, with permissible authorship directly from the source of our creator, and it is also written by the standing Forefathers of this country with respect and truth. Yet, the outcome has destined to a reactant solution of leaded disgorgement that protects and serve its citizens well, thus a community that acquiesce such actions. When any authority unjustly stands in their proposition, ââ¬Å"We the peopleâ⬠, have the right to amend such authority to reform his or her title of position, for a new and profound antipodal. Eccentric sonderling, bribery and tyranny of the supposed individuals, we must form a defense for a call of action to be set in place for restoration. Therefore, to all righteous equal men and women, we call upon an immediate call of action for equal authority. We deem to render a cause opposed to political power along with unethical or authorized biases of social injustice currently taking place in America, today. -TheyShow MoreRelatedLincoln s Emancipation Proclamation : The End Of Slavery935 Words à |à 4 PagesFrom Guezloââ¬â¢s introduction of ââ¬Å"Lincolnââ¬â¢s Emancipation Proclamation: The end of Slavery in Americaâ⬠, he acknowledged that this is one of the representative of President Lincolnââ¬â¢s writings in the history demonstrating his dedication to free ââ¬Å"four million black slavesâ⬠. At the end of Guezloââ¬â¢s introduction, he proposed the idea of how Lincoln would be a white frie nd to African American due to the power, the position he had that can help him to start deliverance. The author stated, ââ¬Å"It would be specialRead MoreLincolns Emancipation of the Slaves Essay1334 Words à |à 6 Pages The Emancipation Proclamation speech was actually intended for most of the people that would free the slaves, not to the slaves. According to Carl Rollyson the Proclamation was not intended for the slave, blacks, or former slaves. The ââ¬Å"Emancipation Proclamationâ⬠speech was during the Antislavery Movement or what some people call the Abolitionist Movement, during the 1860s. The main leaders of the abolitionist movement were Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. The point of Lincoln writing theRead MoreAnalysis of the Emancipation Proclamation Speech1339 Words à |à 6 Pages The Emancipation Proclamation speech was actually intended for most of the people that would free the slaves, not to the slaves. According to Rollyson the proclamation was not int ended for the slave, blacks, or former slaves. The ââ¬Å"Emancipation Proclamationâ⬠speech was during the Antislavery Movement or what some people call it the Abolitionist Movement, during the 1960s. The main leaders of the abolitionist movement were Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. The point of Lincoln writing the speechRead MoreLincoln s Rights Of Slavery1730 Words à |à 7 Pagesconstitution protected slavery, yet he interfered with this institution after his 1860 election. Though Lincoln had no plan ââ¬Å"to interfereâ⬠with slavery when the war started, by 1862 Lincoln understood that in order to save the Union and win the war, he had authority as commander in chief to emancipate all the slaves in the Confederate States, where the states were in a status of rebellion. Abraham Lincoln naturally hated slavery yet he believed he could not do anything about where it already existed; his onlyRead MoreThe Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings Speech895 Words à |à 4 PagesAmericans. His dream for African Americans to be equal, appealed to the emotions of his audience. The desire to live a civil life and not be oppressed was felt by many. Martin Luther King delivered a speech that would immensely make an impact on the country. Summary and background Martin Luther King introduces his speech by acknowledging the efforts of a monumental president (Abraham Lincoln) to end slavery and pass the emancipation proclamation. Throughout the speech King uses metaphors to describeRead MoreProclamation of the Irish Republic1131 Words à |à 5 PagesRAÃÅ¡L MUÃâOZ RODRà GUEZ CORREO - E: irokuoiraul@yahoo.es rmunoz62@alumno.uned.es COMMENTARY TEXT Proclamation of the Irish Republic, 24 April 1916 ââ¬Å"Proclamation of the Irish Republicâ⬠was one of the more important aspects in the Easter Rising. Ità ´s a historic ââ¬â circumstantial text. In order to maintain secrecy the Proclamation of the Irish Republic was printed out on a hand press a few hours before the Rising. It was produced in two sections and due to the shortage of lettering, theRead MoreRacism And The United States1178 Words à |à 5 Pages America is internationally viewed as a land where all races, ethnicities and people have equal representation and freedom of equality. Not only, is this international recognition what makes the United States a divergent society, but it is the principles that we were established on that makes us a well-functioning society. Although, these American principles elude to a liberating, symbolic, and personal appeal, it is internally flawed by governments beyond the beltway. Corruption is the root of allRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Abolition Of Slavery879 Words à |à 4 Pagesequality and freedom above all as a basis for a united nation because he wrote the Gettysburg Address at a crucial time during the civil war to earn favor among freed slaves and to those opposed to slavery in the North and he decreed the Emancipation Proclamation as a stepping stone to achieve his ultimate goal. Lincoln had deep feelings on the subject of liberty. He knew it was a vital but delicate concept, which needed to be cared for. Nearly a ten years earlier, in the midst of agitation over the Kansas-NebraskaRead MoreLincoln, Race, And The Spirit Of The 761247 Words à |à 5 Pagesdone during his presidency was writing the Emancipation Proclamation. The idea of Lincoln trying to declare all slaves free in the Confederacy was thought about in the summer of 1862. In Christopher E. Henryââ¬â¢s, Forever Free, he indicates that, ââ¬Å"With the Southââ¬â¢s surrender in 1865, however, all slaves in the old Confederacy were automatically freeâ⬠(67). By having Christopher E. Henry express ââ¬Å"surrenderâ⬠shows how the Emancipation Proclamation could help transform slavery. This shows how the south isRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Greatest Presidents1671 Words à |à 7 PagesAbraham Lincoln was one of Americaââ¬â¢s greatest presidents was that Paludan stated Lincoln was a p resident who wanted to defend and uphold the constitution of the United States, especially since President Lincoln always stated that all men are created equal and that meant blacks to in his opinion. He was the type of person who talked to the people not at the people when he spoke. Paludan believes Lincoln was a president that was greater than any other President in history. He feels that Lincoln wanted
Monday, December 9, 2019
The Role of Project Management in Todays Business Environment
Question: Discuss about The Role of Project Management in Todays Business Environment. Answer: In my opinion project management is actually a discipline. A discipline that requires careful planning, initiating, executing, closing, and controlling the operation of a group or team of professionals engaged in particular job oriented to achieve definite goals and success criteria. A project is a temporary or short term endeavor set by most businesses these days for the purpose of attaining certain stipulated goals (A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide), 2004). These goals may be oriented towards production of goods, or catering services which further have a definite beginning and an end time stipulated prior to the commencement of the project. According to me project management is an efficient discipline which can be implemented in business operations from time to time with the aim to bring about an added value to the business or beneficial change. The provisional nature of the projects contrasts the perpetual operations of the businesses and requires much more efficiency in regards to managing the activities involved (Graham, 2011). I believe the chief reason that present day businesses require project management is because of the changing nature of the people across the world around which a business revolves. With proper implementation of project management businesses would not only be able to meet with their customers changing demands but also will be able to meet those demands efficiently and in due time. In my experience I have gathered that the core framework of the project management is that it allows me make use of the time more efficiently. In addition, I found it to be more useful in ensuring that the achievement of the goals stipulated prior to the commencement of the project is certain (Heaslip, 2014). The importance of project management in contemporary businesses is very important as it helps businesses to cope with their shortcomings effectively and positively. The day to day business operations often fail to achieve the daily targets which result in the shortcomings in the first place. Furthermore, with an appropriate project management framework I am able to convert the day to day business operations into short term projects. For instance, declaring a certain months operation to be a project I am able to achieve a better success rate than a regular operational month (Kerzner, 2001). This is due to the series of planning that is involved with the project. Before initiation a project requires a great deal of planning, significantly setting the targets to be accomplished and the way the project is about to be carried out. This will involve in setting individual roles for each of the members of the group involved in the project. Subsequent to this a definite time period will be set for the project. Now, the members involved in the project will have a clear perspective in regards to their role in regards to what they have to achieve and the ti me period in which they have to achieve. Most importantly as a result of the short term nature of the projects members involved in projects operate in a highly motivated manner, this is because that they are aware that work pressure is temporary and as per the targets and job responsibilities are previously stipulated they will get paid accordingly, resulting in a higher rate in employee satisfaction and successful conclusion of the project (Kerzner, n.d.). In my opinion when it comes initiating a project I would rather hire a team of professionals as per the nature of the project than carry out the project with my regular work staffs. This I feel because professional project management teams have higher proficiency in terms of controlling, managing, executing and completing the project goals. If I am able to achieve an aggregate of 70% out of the project with the regular staff I would be able to increase my success rate to 15-25% more with the help of professional teams (Lock, 2007). Most of the reputed corporate businesses like Apple, IBM, and Microsoft have their very own project management teams which they use to coordinate various projects that help the company accomplish a little more extra. For instance, the game developing department of Microsoft uses their project management teams to sort out bugs and glitches in the new games they launch, while their team of developers works on other stuff. This helps the company to motivate i ts staffs to their originally designated works, and the project management teams carry out the work which could have hindered the business operations. I feel that businesses should incorporate project management in their infrastructure more and often (Organizational learning and knowledge, n.d.). This would not only help the businesses to achieve more out of their operations but also will enable them to understand the potential of the business they are carrying on.
Monday, December 2, 2019
The Jewish Revolt Led By Bar Kochba In 132 AD Was Not The Work Essays
The Jewish revolt led by Bar Kochba in 132 AD was not the work of a single if a single radical revolutionary. It was the inevitable result of years of promises not kept to the Jews, and laws which suppressed the basis of Jews as a nation. To understand the reason for Bar Kochbas Revolt one must go back many years even before the war. Prior to Hadrian, an emperor by the name of Trajan was the ruler of the Roman empire. Due to the rebellion of the Jews in the Diaspora to the east and the west of them, Trajan, in order to keep the Jews in Palestine from rebelling he had to send a great general to be governor of the Jews in Palestine, a general who was well with the harshness in which he treated people. This generals name was Tineius Rufus, he was the general that put down the uprising of the Jews in Parthia. Because of Rufus reputation of his severity to the Jews, he uprooted any thought of the Jews in Palestine to rebel against Rome at that time. The Jews did not want to rebel anyway. Trajan had promised the Jews that he would rebuild the asenv ,hc, the Jews assumed this also meant to rebuild Jerusalem. The Pagans in Palestine did not want the asenv ,hc to be rebuilt, they thought that if it was rebuilt it would be the rebirth of the Jewish nation. Also, in addition, Trajan, the Emperor who made this promise died and was succeeded by Hadrian. The Jews were unsure if Hadrian would keep the promise that Trajan once made. Hadrian wanted to go to Jerusalem to see what he was rebuilding before he started the construction. When Hadrian got there he was awed by the sight of a once desolate and fruitful city in ruins. He immediately wanted to start the reconstruction. However later the Jews were surprised and disappointed to discover that Hadrian wanted to rebuild Jerusalem not as a city for the Jews to restart in, but as a Pagan city sanctified to the Pagan G-d Jupiter. He was going to put an alter where the Jews asenv ,hc once stood. Hadrian was to be the high priest. What once was called Jerusalem would now be called Aelia Capitolina. This was a mockery to the Jews. The Jews waited sixty years from the destruction of the Second asenv ,hc for Rome to restore it to them. The Jews held themselves back from Rebelling with their neighboring Jews in Diaspora because they held onto, and believed that Trajans promise would be kept. Furthermore, Hadrian later made a prohibition of circumcision. "Consequently the Jews saw in Hadrian another Antiochus Epiphanes. And where there was an Antiochus, a Maccabee was bound to arise." THE JEWS HAD TO REVOLT. The Romans had by now either banned or mocked some of the most important beliefs in Judaism. If they did not revolt against the Romans they would have died, in a spiritual sense. Even if the Romans didnt kill them, they would not really be Jewish anymore. Circumcision, which was the physical difference between them as Jews and, as well as a basic premise of their Jewish beliefs. Their only choice was to gain their independence. Rabbi Akiva, a great scholar of his day, also once believed in Tarsus promise. He had also been led astray. Therefore, the great Rabbi helped organize thousands of soldiers to fight for the independence and welfare of the Jewish people. Rabbi Akiva also picked a man named Shimon Bar Kochba to lead his army. Rabbi Akiva was sure that Bar Kochba would turn out to be "A second Judah the Maccabee." Rabbi Akiva was so sure of this that he called Bar Kochba the jhan. His name alone was a reference to him being the jhan, his name Bar Kochba means "Son of a Star" from the word Kochab which means star. There was also a sentence in the Torah which stated, "A star has come forth from David." Both times a star is mentioned. This is a direct referral to him being the jhan. Bar Kochba had to make sure his army was ferocious and unstoppable. To make sure that his army only consisted of the strongest warriors, he said that only men who would bite a finger off his right hand would merit to be in his army, 200,000 people passed this test. The Rabbis objected to this manner of testing Jews. They said to Bar Kochba, "How long are you going to turn Jews into ohnun
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