The Golden Lily Chapter 6

â€Å"YOU SHOOK HIS HAND?† Adrian asked incredulously. I shot an accusing look at Eddie and Angeline. â€Å"Is nothing private around here?† â€Å"No,† said Angeline, as bluntly honest as ever. Eddie actually chuckled. It was a rare moment of camaraderie between them. â€Å"Was it supposed to be a secret?† he asked. We were over at Clarence Donahue's house for Jill and Adrian's biweekly blood feedings. Jill was off right now with Clarence's human housekeeper, Dorothy, who doubled as his feeder. I could take a lot of Moroi things in stride now, but drinking blood – human blood – made me shudder every time. My best coping mechanism was trying to forget why we were here. â€Å"No,† I admitted. Julia and Kristin had grilled me for date details a couple of days ago, so I'd given them some. I supposed I had to accept that once I told them anything, it would inevitably get back to everyone in the world. No doubt my Amberwood family had then passed it on to Adrian. â€Å"Really?† Adrian was still hung up on the end of my date. â€Å"His hand?† I sighed and sank back into a sleek leather sofa. Clarence's house always reminded me of some stereotypical haunted manor from the outside – but inside it was modern and well furnished. â€Å"Look, it just happened – okay, you know what? Never mind. This is none of your business. Just let it go.† But something in Adrian's expression told me he would not, in fact, be letting it go anytime soon. â€Å"With all that red-hot passion, it's a wonder you guys can stay away from each other,† said Adrian, deadpan. â€Å"Is there going to be a second date?† Eddie and Angeline looked at me expectantly. I hesitated. This was information I hadn't given up to Julia and Kristin, largely because it had only just been arranged. â€Å"Yes,† I said at last. â€Å"We're going on a, um, windmill tour later this week.† If I'd wanted to shut them all up, I'd definitely succeeded. They all looked stunned. Adrian spoke first. â€Å"I'm going to assume that means he's flying you to Amsterdam on his private jet. If so, I'd like to come along. But not for the windmills.† â€Å"There's a huge windmill farm north of Palm Springs,† I explained. â€Å"It's one of the only ones in the world that does public tours.† More blank looks. â€Å"Wind energy is a powerful renewable resource that could have a huge impact on our country's future!† I said in exasperation. â€Å"This is a cool thing.† â€Å"‘Cool,'† said Adrian. â€Å"‘Wind.' I see what you did there, Sage. Pretty clever.† â€Å"It wasn't meant to be a – â€Å" The sitting room's stained glass French doors opened, and Dimitri and Sonya entered with our host Clarence in tow. I hadn't seen him since I arrived and gave him a polite smile, glad for the distraction from my so-called love life. â€Å"Hello, Mr. Donahue,† I said. â€Å"It's nice to see you again.† â€Å"Eh?† The elderly Moroi man squinted in my direction, and after a few moments, recognition lit his features. He had white hair and always dressed as though he were at a formal dinner party from about fifty years ago. â€Å"There you are. Glad you could stop by, my dear. What brings you over?† â€Å"Jill's feeding, sir.† We did this two times every week, but Clarence's mind wasn't quite what it used to be. He'd been pretty scattered since we first met, but the death of his son, Lee, had seemed to push the old man even farther over the edge – particularly since he didn't seem to believe it. We'd told him gently – a number of times – that Lee had died, leaving out the Strigoi part. Each time we did, Clarence insisted Lee was just â€Å"away right now† and would be back. Scattered or not, Clarence was always kind and relatively harmless – for a vampire, of course. â€Å"Ah, yes, naturally.† He settled into his massive armchair and then glanced back toward Dimitri and Sonya. â€Å"So you'll be able to fix the window locks?† There had apparently been some other discussion going on before they joined us. Dimitri seemed to be trying to find a nice way to respond. He was as amazing to look at as ever, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, with a long leather duster over it all. How anyone could survive wearing a coat like that in Palm Springs was beyond me, but if anyone could, I supposed it was him. Usually he only wore it inside, but sometimes, I'd see it outside too. I'd mentioned this odd wardrobe choice to Adrian a couple of weeks ago: â€Å"Isn't Dimitri hot?† Adrian's response hadn't been entirely unexpected: â€Å"Well, yeah, according to most women, at least.† Dimitri's face was the picture of politeness as he addressed Clarence's concerns. â€Å"I don't believe there's anything wrong with the ones you have,† Dimitri said. â€Å"Everything is sealed up pretty tightly.† â€Å"So it seems,† said Clarence ominously. â€Å"But you don't know how resourceful they are. I'm not behind the times, you know. I know there are all sorts of technologies out there that you can put in. Like lasers that tell you if someone's breaking in.† Dimitri arched an eyebrow. â€Å"You mean a security system?† â€Å"Yes, exactly,† said Clarence. â€Å"That'll keep the hunters out.† This turn in conversation wasn't exactly a surprise to me. Clarence's paranoia had also increased recently – and that was saying something. He lived in constant fear of what he claimed were vampire hunters, humans who†¦ well, hunted vampires. For the longest time, he'd claimed they were responsible for his niece's death and that reports of her being killed by a Strigoi were incorrect. It turned out he was half-right. Her death hadn't been the result of a Strigoi attack – it had been caused by Lee, in a desperate attempt to change back from a Moroi to a Strigoi. Clarence refused to accept that, however, and persisted in his beliefs about the hunters. My assurances that the Alchemists had no records of any groups like that existing since the Middle Ages hadn't gone very far. Consequently, Clarence was always making people do â€Å"security checks† of his house. Since Sonya a nd Dimitri were actually staying with him throughout the experimentation, that tedious task often fell to them. â€Å"I'm not really qualified to install a security system,† said Dimitri. â€Å"Really? There's something you can't do?† Adrian's voice was so soft that I could barely hear him, and he was sitting right next to me. I doubted even the others, with their superior hearing, could've made out his words. Why does he still let Dimitri get to him? I wondered. â€Å"You'd have to call professionals,† Dimitri continued to Clarence. â€Å"I'm guessing you wouldn't want a bunch of strangers coming in and out of your house.† Clarence frowned. â€Å"That's true. It'd be very easy for the hunters to infiltrate them.† Dimitri was the picture of patience. â€Å"I'll do daily checks of all the doors and windows while I'm here – just to be sure.† â€Å"That would be wonderful,† said Clarence, some of his tension easing. â€Å"Admittedly, I'm not really the hunters' usual type. Not dangerous enough. Not anymore.† He chuckled to himself. â€Å"Still. You never know what could happen. Best to be safe.† Sonya gave him a gentle smile. â€Å"I'm sure everything will be fine. You have nothing to worry about.† Clarence met her eyes, and after a few seconds, a smile slowly spread over his face as well. His rigid posture slackened. â€Å"Yes, yes. You're right. Nothing to worry about.† I shivered. I'd been around Moroi enough to know what had happened. Sonya had just used compulsion – only a whisper of it – to calm Clarence. Compulsion, the ability to force your will on others, was a skill all Moroi possessed to varying degrees. Spirit users were the strongest, rivaling Strigoi. Using compulsion on others was taboo among the Moroi, and there were serious consequences for those who abused it. I was guessing Moroi authorities would overlook her soothing a nervous old man, but the small act still unsettled me. Compulsion in particular had always struck me as one of the most insidious Moroi powers. And had Sonya really needed to use it? She was already so kind and soothing. Wouldn't that be enough for Clarence? Sometimes I wondered if they just used magic for the sake of doing so. Sometimes I wondered if it was being used around me†¦ without me even knowing. Clarence's talk of vampire hunters always triggered a mix of amusement and unease around everyone. With him pacified (even if I didn't like the means), we were all able to relax a little bit. Sonya leaned back against the loveseat, drinking some fruity drink that looked perfect on a hot day like this. From her dirty clothes and haphazard hairstyling, I was willing to bet she'd been outside – not that she still didn't look beautiful. Most Moroi avoided this kind of intense sun, but her love of plants was so great that she'd been risking it to work on some of the ailing flowers in Clarence's garden. Heavy sunscreen could work wonders. â€Å"I'm not going to be around much longer,† she told us. â€Å"A few more weeks at most. I need to go back and work on some wedding plans with Mikhail.† â€Å"When's the big day again?† Adrian asked. She smiled. â€Å"It's in December.† That surprised me until she added, â€Å"There's a huge, tropical greenhouse near the Court that we're going to use. It's gorgeous – not that it matters. Mikhail and I could be married anywhere. All that counts is that we're together. Of course, if we're able to choose, then why not go all out?† Even I smiled at that. Leave it to Sonya to find a spot of green in the middle of a Pennsylvania winter. â€Å"Dimitri may stay on,† she continued. â€Å"But it'd be great if we could make some kind of progress before I go. The aura tests so far have been†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Useless?† suggested Adrian. â€Å"I was going to say inconclusive,† she replied. Adrian shook his head. â€Å"So all that time we spent was wasted?† Sonya didn't answer and instead took another sip of her drink. I was willing to bet it was non-alcoholic – she didn't self-medicate the way Adrian did – and that Dorothy could make me one if I wanted. Yet, I was also willing to bet it was terrible for me. Maybe I'd see if there was any Diet Coke in the kitchen. Sonya leaned forward, an eager glint in her eye. â€Å"Dimitri and I were talking and realized there's something obvious we've been missing. Actually, I should say avoiding, but not pursuing it would be a waste.† â€Å"What's that?† asked Adrian. â€Å"Blood,† said Dimitri. I winced. I didn't like it when this topic came up. It reminded me of exactly what kind of people I was with. â€Å"Obviously, there's something about restored Strigoi that protects them – us,† he said. â€Å"We've looked for magical signs, but the answer might be more physical. And from the report I read, the Strigoi had trouble drinking ll – his blood.† Dimitri had been about to say Lee, but had amended his choice out of respect for Clarence. The old man's dazed, happy look made it hard to tell if he understood what we were discussing at all. â€Å"They complained about it,† I agreed. â€Å"But that didn't seem to stop them from drinking it.† Strigoi could be forcibly created if a Strigoi drained a victim's blood and then fed Strigoi blood back to him or her. Lee had asked Strigoi to do this for him, but all draining him had achieved was death. â€Å"We'd like to take a sample of Dimitri's blood and then compare it to yours, Eddie,† said Sonya. â€Å"Blood can hold all sorts of magical properties, which might show us how to fight Strigoi.† I kept my face as blank as possible, praying no one would notice me. Blood can hold all sorts of magical properties. Hopefully, in all this talk, no one would recall the mystery of why my blood was inexplicably revolting to Strigoi. And really, why should they? I'd never been restored. I wasn't a dhampir. There was no reason at all they'd want me in these experiments. And yet, if that was true, why was I suddenly sweating? â€Å"We can send it to a lab for the chemical part and try to read any magical properties off it too,† Sonya continued. She sounded apologetic, but Eddie didn't look concerned. â€Å"No problem,† he said. â€Å"Whatever you need.† He meant it too, I knew. Losing blood was a million times easier for him than being inactive. Besides, he probably lost more blood in daily practice than he'd even need to give up for this experiment. â€Å"If you need another dhampir,† said Angeline. â€Å"You can use me too. Me and Eddie could help you. We'd be a team. Sydney wouldn't have to keep coming along, especially now that she's got a boyfriend.† There were so many things wrong with that, I didn't know where to start. The confidence Eddie had shown over giving blood vanished at â€Å"we'd be a team.† â€Å"We'll consider it,† said Sonya. There was a sparkle in her eye, and I remembered her saying she could see affection in auras. Could she detect Angeline's crush? â€Å"For now, I'd rather not take you away from your schoolwork. It's less important for Eddie since he's already graduated, but you should keep up with it.† Angeline looked unhappy about that. She'd had a number of difficulties with her classes, not to mention some outright embarrassments – like when she'd been asked to create a map of Central America and had shown up with one of Nebraska and Kansas. She put on a cocky face, but I knew Amberwood overwhelmed her sometimes. Jill joined us, looking bright and refreshed. Ideally, Moroi drank blood every day. They could survive on this twice-a-week schedule, but I'd noticed that Jill grew tired and rundown the farther she got from feedings. â€Å"Your turn, Adrian,† she said. He was yawning and looked startled at being noticed. I don't think he'd really been interested in Sonya's blood experiments. As he stood up, he glanced over at me. â€Å"Will you walk with me a sec, Sage?† Before I could even lodge my protest, he said, â€Å"Don't worry, I'm not taking you to the feeding. I just want to ask you a quick question.† I nodded and followed him out of the room. As soon as we were away from the others, I said, â€Å"I do not want to hear any more ‘witty' commentary on Brayden.† â€Å"My commentary's hilarious, not witty. But that's not what I wanted to talk about.† He came to a halt in the hallway, outside what I suspected was Dorothy's room. â€Å"So, it seems my old man's coming to San Diego on business next weekend.† I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms, already getting a bad feeling about this. â€Å"He doesn't know why I'm here, of course, or that I'm with Jill. He doesn't even know what city I'm in. He just thinks I'm partying in California, up to no good as usual.† I wasn't surprised that Mr. Ivashkov wouldn't know the true reason for Adrian being here. Jill's â€Å"resurrection† was top secret, as were her whereabouts. We couldn't risk any extra people – not even someone who might not mean her harm – finding out where she was. What did surprise me was that Adrian was working so hard to act like he didn't care what his father thought – but he obviously did. Adrian's face was convincing, but there was a note of bitterness in his voice that gave him away. â€Å"Anyway,† Adrian continued, â€Å"he said he'd meet me for lunch if I wanted. Normally, I'd blow it off†¦ but I'd kind of like to know what's going on with my mom – they never tell me when I call or e-mail.† Again, I picked up mixed emotions from him. Adrian's mother was serving time in a Moroi prison for crimes of intrigue. You wouldn't know it by his cocky attitude and sense of humor, but it must have been hard on him. â€Å"Let me guess,† I said. â€Å"You want to borrow my car.† I was sympathetic to those with difficult fathers, even Adrian. But my compassion only went so far and didn't extend to Latte. I couldn't risk any dents. Besides, the idea of being stuck without any way to get around scared me, especially when vampires were involved. â€Å"No way,† he said. â€Å"I know better than that.† He did? â€Å"Then what do you want?† I asked, surprised. â€Å"I was hoping you'd drive me.† I groaned. â€Å"Adrian, it takes two hours to get there.† â€Å"It's pretty much a straight shot down the highway,† he pointed out. â€Å"And I figured you'd drive a four-hour round-trip before giving up your car to someone else.† I eyed him. â€Å"That's true.† He took a step closer, a disconcertingly earnest expression all over his face. â€Å"Please, Sage. I know it's a lot to ask, so I'm not even going to pretend you'd benefit. I mean, you can spend the day in San Diego doing whatever you want. It's not the same as going to see solar panels or whatever with Brady, but I'd owe you – literally and figuratively. I'll pay you gas money.† â€Å"It's Brayden, and where in the world would you get gas money?† Adrian lived on a very tight allowance his father gave him. It was part of why Adrian was taking college classes, in the hopes that he'd get financial aid next semester and have a bit more of an income. I admired that, though if we were all actually still in Palm Springs come January, it'd mean the Moroi had some serious political problems. â€Å"I†¦ I'd cut back on things to come up with the extra money,† he said after a few moments of hesitation. I didn't bother hiding my surprise. â€Å"Things† most likely meant alcohol and cigarettes, which was where his meager allowance usually went. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"You'd give up drinking to go see your dad?† â€Å"Well, not permanently,† he said. â€Å"That'd be ridiculous. But maybe I could switch to something slightly cheaper for a while. Like†¦ slushes. Do you know how much I love those? Cherry, especially.† â€Å"Um, no,† I said. Adrian was easily distractible by wacky topics and shiny objects. â€Å"They're pure sugar.† â€Å"Pure deliciousness, you mean. I haven't had a good one in ages.† â€Å"You're getting off topic,† I pointed out. â€Å"Oh. Right. Well, whether I have to go on a slush-based diet or whatever, you'll get your money. And that's the other reason†¦ I'm kind of hoping the old man might agree to up my income. You probably don't believe it, but I hate always borrowing from you. It's easy for my dad to dodge phone calls, but face-to-face? He can't escape. Plus, he thinks it's more ‘manly' and ‘respectable' to ask for something directly. Classic Nathan Ivashkov honor.† Once again, the bitterness. Maybe a little anger. I studied Adrian for a long time as I thought about my next response. The hall was dim, giving him the advantage. He could probably see me perfectly while some details were more difficult for me. Those green, green eyes I so often admired in spite of myself simply looked dark now. The pain on his face, however, was all too apparent. He hadn't yet learned to hide his feelings from Jill and the bond, but I knew he kept that lazy, devil-may-care attitude on for the rest of the world – well, for everyone except me lately. This wasn't the first time I'd seen him vulnerable, and it seemed weird to me that I, of all people, was the one he kept baring his emotions to. Or was it weird? Maybe this was just my social ineptitude confusing me again. Regardless, it pulled at something within me. â€Å"Is that really what this is about? The money?† I asked, tucking my other questions aside. â€Å"You don't like him. There has to be something more here.† â€Å"The money's a big part. But I meant what I said earlier†¦ about my mom. I need to know how she is, and he won't tell me about her. Honestly, I think he just wants to pretend it never happened – either for that reputation of his or maybe†¦ maybe because it hurts him. I don't know, but like I said, he can't dodge if I'm right there. Plus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Adrian glanced away a moment before mustering the courage to meet my eyes again. â€Å"I don't know. It's stupid. But I thought†¦ well, maybe he'd be impressed that I was sticking to college this time. Probably not, though.† My heart ached for him, and I suspected that last part – earning his dad's approval – was bigger than Adrian was letting on. I knew all about what it was like to have a father who continually judged, whom nothing was ever good enough for. I understood as well the warring emotions†¦ how one day you could say you didn't care, yet be yearning for approval the next. And I certainly understood motherly attachment. One of the hardest parts of being in Palm Springs was the distance from my mom and sisters. â€Å"Why me?† I blurted out. I hadn't meant to touch on those earlier questions, but I suddenly couldn't help myself. There was too much tension here, too much emotion. â€Å"You could've asked Sonya or Dimitri to drive you. They probably would've even let you borrow their rental car.† The ghost of a smile flashed across Adrian's face. â€Å"I don't know about that. And I think you know why I don't want to risk being trapped in a car with our Russian friend. As for the rest†¦ I don't know, Sage. There's something about you†¦ you don't judge like the others. I mean, you do. You're more judgmental than any of them in some ways. But there's an honesty to it. I feel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smile left his face as he faltered for words. â€Å"Comfortable around you, I guess.† There was no way I could stand against that, though I find it ironic he was allegedly most comfortable around me when Moroi gave me panic attacks half the time. You don't have to help, an inner voice warned me. You don't owe him anything. You don't owe any Moroi anything that isn't absolutely necessary. Have you forgotten Keith? This isn't a part of your job. The bunker came back to me, and I recalled how one vampire deal had landed Keith in Reeducation. How much worse was I? Social interaction was an inevitable part of this assignment, but I was blurring all the lines around it again. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I'll do it. E-mail me what time you need to leave.† That's when the funniest part came. He looked totally floored. â€Å"Really?† I couldn't help but laugh. â€Å"You gave me that whole pitch and didn't really think I'd agree, did you?† â€Å"No,† he admitted, still clearly amazed. â€Å"I can't always tell with you. I cheat with people, you know. I mean, I'm good at reading faces, but I pick up a lot from auras and act like I just have amazing insight. I haven't learned to totally understand humans, though. You've got the same colors but a different feel.† Auras didn't weird me out as much as other vampire magic, but I still wasn't entirely comfortable with them. â€Å"What color is mine?† â€Å"Yellow, of course.† â€Å"Of course?† â€Å"Smart, analytic types usually have yellow. You've got a little purple here and there, though.† Even in the dimness, I could see a mischievous spark in his eyes. â€Å"That's what makes you interesting.† â€Å"What's purple mean?† Adrian put his hand on the door. â€Å"Gotta go, Sage. Don't want to keep Dorothy waiting.† â€Å"Come on. Tell me what purple is.† I was so curious, I nearly grabbed his arm. He turned the knob. â€Å"I will if you want to join us.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" Laughing, he disappeared inside the room and shut the door. With a shake of my head, I started to return to the others and then decided to seek out my Diet Coke after all. I lingered with it in the kitchen for a while, leaning against the granite countertops and staring absentmindedly at the brilliant copper pots hanging from the ceiling. Why had I agreed to drive Adrian? What was it about him that managed to crack all the propriety and logic I built my life around? I understood why I often had a soft spot for Jill. She reminded me of my younger sister, Zoe. But Adrian? He wasn't like anyone I knew. In fact, I was fairly certain there was no one in the entire world quite like Adrian Ivashkov. I delayed so long that when I returned to the living room, Adrian was on his way back too. I sat down on the couch, nursing the last of my Diet Coke. Sonya brightened upon seeing me. â€Å"Sydney, we just had a wonderful idea.† Maybe I wasn't always the quickest in picking up social cues, but I did notice this wonderful idea was addressed to me, and not Adrian and me. â€Å"We were just talking about the reports from the night of the†¦ incident.† She gave Clarence a meaningful look, and I nodded in understanding. â€Å"Both the Moroi and the Alchemists said the Strigoi had trouble with your blood too, correct?† I stiffened, not liking this at all. It was a conversation I'd lived in fear of. The Strigoi who'd killed Lee hadn't just had â€Å"trouble† with my blood. Lee's had tasted strange to them. Mine had been disgusting. The one who'd tried to drink from me hadn't been able to tolerate it at all. She'd even spit it out. â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said carefully. â€Å"Obviously, you're not a restored Strigoi,† said Sonya. â€Å"But we'd like to take a look at your blood too. Maybe there's something about it that could help us. A small sample should suffice.† All eyes were on me, even Clarence's. The room started to close in as a familiar panic filled me. I had thought a lot about why the Strigoi hadn't liked my blood – actually, I'd tried to avoid thinking about it. I didn't want to believe there was anything special about me. There couldn't be. I didn't want to attract anyone's attention. It was one thing to facilitate these experiments and another to actually be a subject. If they wanted me for one test, they might want me for something else. And then something else. I'd end up locked away, poked and prodded. There was also the fact that I just didn't want to give up my blood. It didn't matter that I liked Sonya and Dimitri. It didn't matter that the blood would be drawn with a needle, not teeth. The basic concept was still there, a taboo stemming from the most rudimentary of Alchemist beliefs: giving blood to vampires was wrong. It was my blood. Mine. No one – especially vampires – had any business with it. I swallowed, hoping I didn't look like I wanted to bolt. â€Å"It was only one Strigoi's opinion. And you know they don't like humans as well as†¦ you guys.† That was part of why the Moroi lived in such fear and had seen their numbers reduced over time. They were the creme de la creme of Strigoi cuisine. â€Å"That's probably all it was.† â€Å"Perhaps,† said Sonya. â€Å"But there's no harm done in checking.† Her face was alight with this new idea. I hated turning her down†¦ but my principles on this matter were too strong. It was everything I'd been raised to believe. â€Å"I think it's a waste of time,† I said. â€Å"We know spirit has to be involved, and I have no connection to that.† â€Å"I do think it would be helpful,† she said. â€Å"Please.† Helpful? From her point of view, yes. She wanted to rule out every possibility. But my blood had nothing to do with Strigoi conversions. It couldn't. â€Å"I†¦ I'd rather not.† A tame response, considering the emotions churning inside me. My heart was starting to race, and the walls were still closing in on me. My anxiety increased as I was visited by an old feeling, the awful realization that I was outnumbered here at Clarence's. That it was me and a roomful of vampires and dhampirs. Unnatural creatures. Unnatural creatures who wanted my blood†¦ Dimitri studied me curiously. â€Å"It won't hurt, if that's what you're afraid of. We don't need any more than what a doctor would take.† I shook my head adamantly. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Both Sonya and I have training in this sort of thing,† he added, trying to reassure me. â€Å"You don't have to worry about – â€Å" â€Å"She said no, okay?† All the eyes that had been on me suddenly jerked toward Adrian. He leaned forward, fixing his gaze on Sonya and Dimitri, and I saw something in those pretty eyes I'd never seen before: anger. They were like emerald fire. â€Å"How many times does she have to refuse?† Adrian demanded. â€Å"If she doesn't want to, then that's all there is to it. This has nothing to do with her. This is our science project. She's here to protect Jill and has plenty to do there. So stop harassing her already!† â€Å"‘Harassing' is kind of a strong word,† Dimitri said, calm in the face of Adrian's outburst. â€Å"Not when you keep pushing someone who wants to be left alone,† countered Adrian. He shot me a concerned look before fixing his anger back on Sonya and Dimitri. â€Å"Stop ganging up on her.† Sonya glanced uncertainly between us. She looked legitimately hurt. As astute as she was, I don't think she'd realized how much this bothered me. â€Å"Adrian†¦ Sydney†¦ we aren't trying to upset anyone. We just really want to get to the bottom of this. I thought all of you did too. Sydney's always been so supportive.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† growled Adrian. â€Å"Take Eddie's blood. Take Belikov's blood. Take your own for all I care. But if she doesn't want to give hers, then that's all there is to it. She said no. This conversation is done.† Some distant part of me noticed that this was the first time I'd ever seen Adrian stand up to Dimitri. Usually, Adrian simply tried to ignore the other man – and hoped to be ignored in return. â€Å"But – † began Sonya. â€Å"Let it go,† said Dimitri. His expression was always difficult to read, but there was a gentleness in his voice. â€Å"Adrian's right.† Unsurprisingly, the room was a little tense after that. There were a few halting attempts at small talk that I hardly noticed. My heart was still in overtime, my breath still coming fast. I worked hard to calm down, reassuring myself that the conversation was done, that Sonya and Dimitri weren't going to interrogate me or forcibly drain my blood. I dared a peek at Adrian. He no longer looked angry, but there was still a fierceness there. It was almost†¦ protective. A strange, warm feeling swirled in my chest, and for a brief moment, when I looked at him, I saw†¦ safety. That wasn't usually the first sentiment I had around him. I shot him what I hoped was a grateful look. He gave me a small nod in return. He knows, I realized. He knows how I feel about vampires. Of course, everyone knew. Alchemists made no secret about how we believed most vampires and dhampirs were dark creatures who had no business interacting with humans. Because I was with them so often, however, I didn't think my cohort here in Palm Springs really understood how deeply that belief ran. They understood it in theory but didn't really feel it. They had no reason to since they hardly ever saw any evidence of it in me. But Adrian understood. I didn't know how, but he did. I thought back on the handful of times I'd freaked out around them since being in Palm Springs. Once had been at a mini-golf course when Jill had used her water magic. Another time had been with the Strigoi and Lee, when Adrian had offered to heal me with his magic. Those were small lapses of control for me, ones none of the others had even noticed. Adrian had. How was it that Adrian Ivashkov, who never seemed to take anything seriously, was the only one among these â€Å"responsible† people who had paid attention to such small details? How was he the only one to really understand the magnitude of what I was feeling? When the time came to leave, I drove Adrian home along with the rest of us Amberwood students. More silence persisted in the car. Once Adrian had been dropped off, Eddie relaxed and shook his head. â€Å"Man. I don't think I've ever seen Adrian so mad. Actually, I've never seen Adrian mad at all.† â€Å"He wasn't that mad,† I said evasively, eyes on the road. â€Å"He seemed pretty mad to me,† said Angeline. â€Å"I thought he was going to jump up and attack Dimitri.† Eddie scoffed. â€Å"I don't think it was going to quite reach that point.† â€Å"I dunno,† she mused. â€Å"I think he was ready to take on anyone who messed with you, Sydney.† I continued staring ahead, refusing to look at any of them. The whole encounter had left me feeling confused. Why had Adrian protected me? â€Å"I offered to do him a favor next weekend,† I said. â€Å"I think he feels like he owes me.† Jill, sitting beside me in the passenger seat, had been quiet thus far. With the bond, she might know the answer. â€Å"No,† she said, a puzzled note in her voice. â€Å"He would have done it for you regardless.†

“What Factors Contribute to Infant Mortality in Developed and Less Developed Countries?”

â€Å"What factors contribute to infant mortality in developed and less developed countries? † â€Å"Infant mortality is the number of deaths among live-born infants from birth to under age one† (Sidscenter. org, n. d. ). According to a National Vital Statistics Report in 2006, the leading causes of Infant Mortality in the U. S. were deformities, low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, maternal complications, unintentional injuries, respiratory distress of the newborn, bacterial sepsis, neonatal haemorrhage and diseases of the circulatory system (Heron, M. P. , Murphy, S. L. , Xu, J. Q. , Kochanek, K. D. , & Tejada-Vera, B. , 2006). Studies show that in less developed countries around the world some factors contributing to infant mortality are economic development, level of educational attainment, level of female educational attainment and level of expenditure on public health (Nobles, J. , Shandra, J. M. , & London, B. , 2003). In underdeveloped countries around the world, many actions need to be taken to decrease the infant mortality rate. Because of low female education about pregnancy, unlike in developed nations, women are not aware of the importance of breastfeeding in the first six months of a newborn’s life, vital antibodies are given to the child through breastfeeding. Babies in underdeveloped countries who are supplemented with tap water are at risk of infection because of contamination due to the lack of sanitation systems, this means children can die from infection, or, more commonly, dehydration from diarrhoea. In countries with malaria carrying mosquitos and other disease carrying insects, the use of insecticide sprayed sleeping nets is available, but due to low income, the cost of these nets, around five dollars, is a large percentage of many people’s gross incomes (Balbierz, A. N. n. d. ). â€Å"The goal of these nets is the protection of sleeping infants from contractile diseases† (Balbierz, A. N. n. d. ). Vaccination is another important way to prevent disease and therefore, infant mortality. UNICEF developed a network of vaccine refrigerators and trained health care workers that were strategically placed in disease stricken areas of developing countries. † (Peck, P. , 2003). Nutrition for all people as well as mothers and infants needs to be addressed in these underdeveloped nations, prenatal and postnatal care, vaccination and health promotion would all help in reducing the infant mortality rate in many countries around the orld, as well as increasing the health a nd quality for life for all the people in these countries (Peck, P. , 2003). The Academy for Educational Development, AED, is an organization that is working hard to make infant mortality rates decrease, â€Å"each day 80 newborns die in Mali, every three hours a woman in Mali dies due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth† (Academy for Educational Development [AED], 2004). The AED has created a team of 20 people; including a mid-wife, paediatrician, statistician, economist, sociologist, and educator; these people have â€Å"reviewed both local and international surveys, studies, and reports to estimate the cost of inadequate maternal and newborn health services in terms of the number of lives lost and the economic impact on their country† (AED, 2004). Two ways this team of professionals plans to address infant mortality in Mali is by the ‘Reduce’ and ‘Alive’ approaches. The ‘Reduce’ strategy will look at mothers not seeking help in time, not being able to reach health care services due to lack of transportation, and the delay of help when they do reach hospitals or clinics. The ‘Alive’ strategy will look at the cleanliness of the delivery and the cutting of the umbilical cord, the wrapping of the baby in blankets and the cleaning of the baby after delivery, and breastfeeding lessons soon after birth. Breastfeeding is one of the most important factors in this strategy, especially because of the Colostrum which is produced in the mother’s mammary glands which helps build the infants immunity. Income, education and medical care are key factors in the infant mortality rate in underdeveloped countries, as well as community influence and its social and economic wellbeing, an infant needs support from family, community and the government to ensure infant survival (Buckely, K. A. , Koontz, A. M. , & Casey, S. , 1998). Infant mortality in developed countries is declining in recent years, in Australia the Infant Mortality Rate is higher due to the deaths among Indigenous infants. The decrease in the amount of deaths is largely due to improvements in social public health conditions, immunisation, and antibiotics. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has been reduced due to the education of mothers in wrapping their children tightly and placing them on their back or side when sleeping (New South Wales Department of Health, 2008). The main causes of Infant Mortality in developed countries is eformities that develop during the growth of the foetus in the womb, disorders developed due to premature births and low birth weights, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, maternal complications during pregnancy, and respiratory distress in a newborn (International Medical News Group, 2004). Unlike in underdeveloped countries, lack of education and poverty is not as much of a prevalent cause for the death of infants, developed c ountries also have less exposure to diseases, especially ones carried by insects etc. However, when we look at the highest Infant Mortality Rates around the world, and discover that they are highest in poor and underdeveloped countries, we cannot assume its causes are only present in here. For example: the Indigenous people of Australia have higher Infant deaths because they are not educated as well as caucasian citizens, their involvement in the education system is often small and their socio-economic status is often low (Richer, K. , Godfrey, J. , Partington, G. , Harslett, M. , & Harrison, B. , 1998). All around the world developed countries have ghettos or poor areas, and in these areas similar conditions could be causes of Infant Mortality like in underdeveloped nations. Infant Mortality cannot be eliminated, but it can be combated and reduced significantly worldwide. Public Health issues are highly affected by poverty, to which there is no solution. Even though poverty does make the Infant Mortality Rate a lot higher, it does not mean the mortality rate discriminates to one class of people either. Infant Mortality is found in all income levels, urban and rural areas, in all countries all over the world. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine said that â€Å"a lack of health insurance coverage causes 18,000 unnecessary deaths per year† (James, J. S. , 2010) in the U. S. alone. This could be reduced significantly, and with volunteers and international cooperation, Infant Mortality Rates can be reduced. BIBLIOGRAPHY Academy for Educational Development. AED Advocacy Models Help Combat Infant and Maternal Mortality. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. aed. org/News/Stories/reduce-and-alive. cfm Balbierz, A. N. (n. d. ). Infant Mortality. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. cwru. du/med/epidbio/mphp439/Infant_Mortality. htm Buckely, K. A. , Koontz, A. M. , & Casey, S. (1998). Fetal and Immortality Review. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. acog. org/departments/dept_notice. cfm? recno=10&bulletin=4752 Heron, M. P. , Murphy, S. L. , Xu, J. Q. , Kochanek, K. D. , & Tejada-Vera, B. Deaths: Final data for 2006. National Vital Statistics Reports, 57(14). International Medical News Group. (2004). Top five causes for infant mortality. OB/GYN News. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0CYD/is_10_39/ai_n6078883/ James, J. S. (2010). Institute of Medicine Calls for Universal Health Insurance by 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. aidsnews. org/2004/01/IOM. html National Sudden and Unexpected Infant/Child Death & Pregnancy Loss Resource Center. Definitions. Retrieved March 28, 2010, from http://www. sidscenter. org/definitions. html New South Wales Department of Health. (2008). International rankings of infant mortality. Sydney: Report of the Chief Health Officer. Nobles, J. , Shandra, J. M. , & London, B. (2003). â€Å"Dependency, Democracy, Education, and Infant Mortality: A Quantitative, Cross-National Analysis of Less Developed Countries†. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta Hilton Hotel, Atlanta, GA Online . 2009-05-26 from http://www. allacademic. com/meta/p107575_index. html Peck, P. (2003). 11 Million Forgotten Children. Retrieved March, 29, 2010, from http://www. countercurrents. org/archive02-01150703. htm Richer, K. , Godfrey, J. , Partington, G. , Harslett, M. , Harrison, B. (1998). Attitudes of Aboriginal students to further education. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. aare. edu. au/98pap/ric98095. htm

Adidas Marketing Plan

(Adidas Group Annual Report, 2008) This marketing plan will focus on the Adidas brand. While research indicates there’s a belief that Adidas makes better footwear than Nike (Vertical Ascent Website), it has been unsuccessful in penetrating the young hip-hop crowd. With a generation that has grown up with i-pods, blogs and video games, Adidas is looking to appeal to his younger generation through technology that they have become used to using. (Marina, 2009) Adidas 1, claimed to be the world’s first computerized smart shoe, went on sale March 18, 2005. Adidas has long focused on being the footwear for sports and high performance with its core base being sports. According to the Adidas Group 2008 Annual Report, the company targets three brands: sports performance, sports heritage and sports styles. It’s known for its technological innovation and cutting edge design, with its mission being to challenge and lead through creativity. Adidas has positioned itself as a leader in professional and competitive sports, notably soccer, basketball, and running. As the technology permeates everyday life, Adidas hopes to live up to their changing expectations and deliver the best consumer experience through using creative new initiatives including interactive fitting footwear for peak performance and fit. With that focus on technological innovation, Adidas is going high tech, with everything from high tech sneakers, high tech virtual stores, and high tech promotion. This high tech is not just for show or glitz. It has a purpose – to deliver the best fitting, and best performing footwear tailored to the consumer’s individual needs. Adidas is hoping the high tech approach will eliminate potential customer dissatisfaction through virtual fitting. This eliminates producing shoes that don’t fit properly or perform well. It also leads to the best fit for the best performance out of footwear, something desired by professional or amateur athletes, as well as anyone embarking upon a running or fitness program. Adidas is looking at the changing interests of the up and coming market who also have i-pods, video games, email, internet, youtube and other highly technological devises as a way of life rather than traditional television or print media. With this change in media delivery, there’s also a change from it being one way to two-way communication, and with rapid advances in technology, they expect new and different things, and new and different footwear and sportswear is a way to reach that market. With an emphasis on fitness in today’s world, Adidas must create an image that Adidas footwear excels for everyone who is looking to improve their health. The goal is to maintain its traditional base as well while developing a technological environment that will broaden appeal to a younger consumer. Adidas’ strategy is to come up with a technology that meets a consumer need – excellent fitting footwear that has top notch performance. By having technology where one is not just fitted for the footwear, but also can gauge them for exact pressure and running posture, the company continues to follow its positioning as being the world’s favorite footwear for sports, and setting the pace for their footwear to meet their customer’s performance needs. The company is taking that image to its traditional promotional use of television and print advertising, as well as its exclusivity banners at major sporting events, especially European soccer matches. It also has made deals with professional football players and the New York Yankees to endorse Adidas. The company is the official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics that will reach millions, billions, and potentially open up strong Chinese Markets, and renew interest in sports performance which will lead to increased sales Adidas is distributed in corporate stores, throughout the web, high end sporting stores, the internet, and more limitedly in sporting goods stores throughout the US and Europe. It is also rethinking its distribution practices after last year’s purchase of Reebok and will close Reebok sports apparel and sneaker distribution centers in Massachusetts, Tennessee and Kentucky, and move those operations to an expanded center in South Carolina. Spartanburg was chosen for the two brands’ consolidated distribution center in part because it’s close to the two brands’ product shipping locations and to many customers (The Associated Press, 2008) Adidas high tech strategy is moving into its internal operations departments, adopting a better delivery system, increasing retail distribution, and taking customer service to a new level, beyond satisfaction to delight, thus trying to obtain return and possibly ifetime customers, something that would be very profitable for the company. The company can benchmark its success by measuring sales, web traffic to its innovative color based on-line advertisements that never mention the product, the number of downloaded pod casts and the number of visits to their Paris high-tech store. Works Cited http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/2005-03-02-smart-usat_x.htm Adidas Marketing Plan (Adidas Group Annual Report, 2008) This marketing plan will focus on the Adidas brand. While research indicates there’s a belief that Adidas makes better footwear than Nike (Vertical Ascent Website), it has been unsuccessful in penetrating the young hip-hop crowd. With a generation that has grown up with i-pods, blogs and video games, Adidas is looking to appeal to his younger generation through technology that they have become used to using. (Marina, 2009) Adidas 1, claimed to be the world’s first computerized smart shoe, went on sale March 18, 2005. Adidas has long focused on being the footwear for sports and high performance with its core base being sports. According to the Adidas Group 2008 Annual Report, the company targets three brands: sports performance, sports heritage and sports styles. It’s known for its technological innovation and cutting edge design, with its mission being to challenge and lead through creativity. Adidas has positioned itself as a leader in professional and competitive sports, notably soccer, basketball, and running. As the technology permeates everyday life, Adidas hopes to live up to their changing expectations and deliver the best consumer experience through using creative new initiatives including interactive fitting footwear for peak performance and fit. With that focus on technological innovation, Adidas is going high tech, with everything from high tech sneakers, high tech virtual stores, and high tech promotion. This high tech is not just for show or glitz. It has a purpose – to deliver the best fitting, and best performing footwear tailored to the consumer’s individual needs. Adidas is hoping the high tech approach will eliminate potential customer dissatisfaction through virtual fitting. This eliminates producing shoes that don’t fit properly or perform well. It also leads to the best fit for the best performance out of footwear, something desired by professional or amateur athletes, as well as anyone embarking upon a running or fitness program. Adidas is looking at the changing interests of the up and coming market who also have i-pods, video games, email, internet, youtube and other highly technological devises as a way of life rather than traditional television or print media. With this change in media delivery, there’s also a change from it being one way to two-way communication, and with rapid advances in technology, they expect new and different things, and new and different footwear and sportswear is a way to reach that market. With an emphasis on fitness in today’s world, Adidas must create an image that Adidas footwear excels for everyone who is looking to improve their health. The goal is to maintain its traditional base as well while developing a technological environment that will broaden appeal to a younger consumer. Adidas’ strategy is to come up with a technology that meets a consumer need – excellent fitting footwear that has top notch performance. By having technology where one is not just fitted for the footwear, but also can gauge them for exact pressure and running posture, the company continues to follow its positioning as being the world’s favorite footwear for sports, and setting the pace for their footwear to meet their customer’s performance needs. The company is taking that image to its traditional promotional use of television and print advertising, as well as its exclusivity banners at major sporting events, especially European soccer matches. It also has made deals with professional football players and the New York Yankees to endorse Adidas. The company is the official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics that will reach millions, billions, and potentially open up strong Chinese Markets, and renew interest in sports performance which will lead to increased sales Adidas is distributed in corporate stores, throughout the web, high end sporting stores, the internet, and more limitedly in sporting goods stores throughout the US and Europe. It is also rethinking its distribution practices after last year’s purchase of Reebok and will close Reebok sports apparel and sneaker distribution centers in Massachusetts, Tennessee and Kentucky, and move those operations to an expanded center in South Carolina. Spartanburg was chosen for the two brands’ consolidated distribution center in part because it’s close to the two brands’ product shipping locations and to many customers (The Associated Press, 2008) Adidas high tech strategy is moving into its internal operations departments, adopting a better delivery system, increasing retail distribution, and taking customer service to a new level, beyond satisfaction to delight, thus trying to obtain return and possibly ifetime customers, something that would be very profitable for the company. The company can benchmark its success by measuring sales, web traffic to its innovative color based on-line advertisements that never mention the product, the number of downloaded pod casts and the number of visits to their Paris high-tech store. Works Cited http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/2005-03-02-smart-usat_x.htm

Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Popular Culture - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the role of culture is to struggle and win consent of the players by the civil society. The popular culture acts as a source of pleasure and the human desire will make us always seek for it. The mediums such as books have enhanced this. For example the American youths girls read romance books and get different experience and behaviours.They find sources of encouragement, strength and pleasures that change their ideologies and reasoning. Therefore, the culture that emanates from the reading the romance books brings contradictory effects that enable the youths enter into uncouth and unacceptable behaviors.  This discussion highlights that  the youth have a role to create popular culture while engaging cultural citizenship. Ordinarily, the cultural practices have power to create social change and alter the social condition and foundations of people’s lives. Instead of the youths accepting the education they are refusing to school because of the structures that are in place. The challenge in social formation and the quest for democracy and freedom by the youths makes them to resist institution of schooling only to look for jobs so as to be in working class. They therefore follow their parents into manual labor jobs so as to earn a living.  For the youths to be effective in popular culture, cultural citizenship and radical democracy, they should take part in public sphere and politics for they would be practicing cultural citizenship.

Rising china or peaceful rise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rising china or peaceful rise - Essay Example China's rise can directly be linked to the opening up of its economy, which has resulted in a transformation of every aspect of China's interaction with the world. From exclusion from the United Nations to participation in over 150 international organisations, including the China sponsored and driven Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; from a closed economy to $ 300 billion in foreign direct investment; and from self-isolation and suspicion to one of openness and integration. All this has resulted in the Chinese economy becoming the world's fourth largest economy in 2006, with many experts predicting that, " the Chinese economy will be second only to the United States by 2020 and possibly surpass it by 2050".1 What does the future hold for China and the world Will a resilient economy enable China to ease itself benignly into the international power equation, being called a 'Peaceful Rise' by Chinese leaders keen to play down the obvious ramifications of China's growing economic clout Or are there any threats - both internal and external - to Rising China that can undermine the whole process, and the stated Chinese aim of becoming an intermediate developed nation by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China China's eventual rise to global power status and the path it then adopts to achieve its national goals is difficult to predict given the inscrutable nature of the Chinese character. Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment has this to say, "Will China's rise trigger regional counterbalancing The answer is "yes." The long answer is "yes, possibly"; and the real answer is "yes, possibly, but we can't be entirely sure."2 Pei seems to challenge the accepte d hype over China being both the world's largest manufacturer as well as the world's biggest market simultaneously. Pei feels that China's current policies, " [are] spawning a dangerous mix of crony capitalism, rampant corruption and widening inequality [and that policies]adopted to generate high economic growth are compounding the political and social ills that threaten its long term survival".3 Be that as it may, it may be surmised that latent impulses to become a global power and a direct challenge to the supremacy of the United States would emerge as a consequence of its Comprehensive National Power, driven by its rapidly expanding economy, backed by a modern military machine. Internal Challenges to China's Peaceful Rise China is conscious of the fact that its geo-political power is directly tied to its economic growth, which requires a stable internal and external environment. Since the present global balance of power is not in its favour, and since this balance is unlikely to change in the mid-term, it has limited its geo-political ambitions while it goes about quietly building up its Comprehensive National Power. While other countries would seek to contain China's attempts to become the sole power in Asia, there are several domestic liabilities that China must address before its can aspire to that exalted status. These liabilities according to some analysts have reached, or are at the point of reaching critical mass, and under such circumstances, China might not be able to withstand a crisis situation

A Just War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Just War - Essay Example The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition. These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine. The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good. The first question the definition brings is who has "the responsibility for the common good" This is Catholic Doctrine so one would assume that the leadership of the Catholic Church is responsible for defining it for the Catholic community. The doctrine does put the responsibility on the leadership of the Catholic Church and that would be the Pope. But, the Catholic Church turns that responsibility back to the people when they ask the community to keep them informed (Catholic Answers). The Pope and the Church pass some of this responsibility to the members of the Church by educating the people of the church (using the Catechism). The idea of condoning a war would seem to be in direct conflict with many of the scriptures and teachings of the Catholic Church and the Bible. ... This gives the impression that when challenged one should not react in an aggressive manner (according to the Bible). This contradicts Catholic doctrine that allows for the evaluation of war as just or unjust. To condone war would mean acceptance, to some extent, of Catholic Doctrine over the writings of the Bible. In order to evaluate the Iraq war as just or unjust according to Catholic Doctrine (Catechism) the teachings of the Bible need to be set aside as not relevant. The Catholic Church is assumed to have evaluated it all for its congregation and given its rulings in its Catechism (like a judge interprets the law when making a ruling in a court case). Evaluating the Iraq War will be done assuming the Catholic Catechism is the law. 2. Just or Unjust War The first part of the Catechism to be examined is this: "the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain."(Catholic Catechism paragraph 2309). This question challenges whether the Iraqi leadership (or the country itself) is expected to cause lasting, grave, and certain damage to the community of nations. During the first Gulf War it was evident that Iraq (the country) intended to take over Kuwait and cause great harm to Israel and any other country that was part of the coalition forces that liberated Kuwait. When the World Trade Center was bombed it was clear that it was an attack on the United Statesbut initially unclear who was responsible. The men who carried out the attacks on 9-11 were from the Middle East and were apparently funded by Osama Bin Laden. "Osama bin Laden Promises More Attacks on United States" (ABC News,

Gun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Gun control - Research Paper Example Many cases of gun related crimes and fatalities have been reported within the country which indicates that public access to guns may be more harmful that beneficial. In this way, the society should understand the important of gun control laws and limiting access to citizens that access guns while addressing arguments opposing them as a way of saving lives. Gun violence is a common phenomenon in the American society and the National Victimization Survey showed that 467, 321 people died in 2011 as a result of criminal activities using firearms. The FBI generated a report in 2011 that testified that 68% of homicides and 41% of violent robberies as well as 21% of aggravated attacks are done using guns. In addition, hand guns are the most common firearms that are used in criminal activities especially homicides committed each year. This research shows that gun violent is a reality within the society and many people use them to intimidate victims. It is also clear that most hand guns are involved in criminal activities like assault, in various threats that are done without injury, and in many cases of rape or robbery (Zimring 723). Gun ownership is another apparent issue in the United States with findings showing that more than 200 million firearms were in private ownership in the 1990s. Through the years guns among private ownership have increased especially due to creation of new households and more wealthy people who needed to acquire firearms. In other areas, the increasing crime rates within the country motivated citizens who initially did not have guns to acquire them in a bid to seek protection. It is evident however that the reason that people own guns is more related to crime rates compared to having more wealth. Nonetheless, it is also evident that many firearms, specifically the long guns are acquired for recreational activities like hunting which is not related to

The Failures of Jamestown Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Failures of Jamestown - Case Study Example Its discovery established a permanent foothold for England to North America and concurrent to this, for purposes of a quick profit for investors from gold mining exploits. There have been noted ignominies and failures at Jamestown. It was evident from several accounts that seemingly the Englishmen were unwilling or incapacitated to feed themselves. Mostly, Jamestown suffered from poor and corrupt leadership and a population of men that were almost unfit for life in the wasteland. Moreover, explanations were provided as to why they destroyed the corn that might have fed them and committed atrocities upon the people who grew it. What are the reasons behind these mishaps' One thing that can be accounted for was the colony's poor organization and direction. The government approved by the charter places full powers in a council appointed by the king, with a president voted upon by the other members. The president had virtually no authority of his own; and while the council lasted, the members spent most of their time dealing with internal strife and intriguing against each other and especially against the one man who had the experience and the assurance to take command. Another explanation, for Jamestown's early troubles, and especially for its failure to feed itself, is the collective organization of labor in the colony. All the early settlers were expected to work together in a single society effort, to produce both their food and the exports that would make the company flourish. Those who held shares would eventually get a share of the profits, but for the time being the inducements of private enterprise were deficient. The work one man did is not commensurate to his reward. The slacker would get a large share in the end compared to the man who worked harder. Still another explanation for the squandering of Virginia's pioneers is one that John Smith often laid emphasis on, and that is the character of the immigrants. They were certainly an odd group of people, for the most noticeable group among them was unusual number of gentlemen. Virginia, as a patriotic enterprise, had stimulated the imagination of England's nobility and gentry. Gentlemen, by definition, had no manual skill; neither could they be expected to work at normal labor. They were expected to be useful for the force of knowledge, the exercise of counsel; but to have ninety-peculiar wise men offering advice while a couple of hundred did the work was discouraging, especially when the wise men included many unruly individuals joined with the friends to merely escape their ill destinies in England. John Smith complained that he could never get any real work from more than thirty out of two hundred, and he later disputed that of all who were sent to Virginia, a hundred good labor ers would been beneficial than most of those who went. Furthermore, if the company had succeeded in filling the early ships with a great diversity of specialized craftsmen as what was hoped for, the result might possibly have been worse than they were. The first settlers in 1608 had six tailors, two goldsmiths, two apothecaries, a blacksmith, two refiners, a gunner, a cooper, a jeweler, a tobacco pipe maker, and a perfumer. Without a doubt, being skilled would mean they greatly expected to be paid and be fed for doing the work for which they are hired for. Some may have been useful but others found themselves without means to use their special talents. They did not also intend to use their hands for any other tasks. In addition to this, the men devoted more time to rest during pastimes and merry making. None among the

Compare the scandal involving President Clinton with Nixon's Research Paper

Compare the scandal involving President Clinton with Nixon's Watergate. What were the key similarities and differences - Research Paper Example In June 1995, a scandal began during the latter half of his second term involving Monica Lewinsky, 21, who came to the White House as an unpaid intern in the office of White House Chief of Staff, Leon Panetta. In November 1995, she got involved in a sexual relationship with President Clinton. Barely a month into the relationship, Lewinsky was moved to a paid position in the Office of Legislative Affairs, handling letters from members of Congress. She frequently ferried mail to the Oval Office. Around April, 1996, Lewinsky was transferred to a job as an assistant to Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon, by Evelyn Lieberman who was then the Deputy White House Chief of Staff. Lieberman told the New York Times later that the move was due to â€Å"inappropriate and immature behavior† and that Lewinsky demonstrated a lack of attention to work. At the Pentagon, Lewinsky met Linda Tripp, a career government employee. Around summer 1996, Lewinsky began telling Tripp during casual conversations about her relationship with President Clinton. Tripp reported these conversations to literary agent Lucianne Goldberg, who advised her to secretly record them. Tripp convinced Lewinsky to save the gifts she received from the President and the dress that got stained during one of her sexual encounters. About a year later, in the fall of 1997, when the relationship was over, Tripp secretly began taping the conversations with Lewinsky in which she explicitly talked about her alleged affair. Around October 1997, Tripp, with help from Lucianne Goldberg, met with Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff, Kucianne & Jonah Goldberg at Jonah’s apartment in Washington, where they listened to a tape with the Tripp/Lewinsky conversation. In October 1997, Lewinsky interviewed with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Bill Richardson for a low level public affairs position in New York. She was offered a job but she declined. In early December that year, Lewinsky left the Pentagon. Later that month, Bett ie Currie, President Clinton’s personal secretary, got in touch with Vernon Jordan, a friend of Clintons, to place Lewinsky in New York. Vernon Jordan obliged and introduced Lewinsky to several leads. Lewinsky allegedly had over 9 sexual encounters with the President in the Oval Office during the period between November 1995 and March 1997. On December 17, 1997, Lewinsky was subpoenaed by lawyers for Paula Jones, who was suing the President on sexual harassment charges. She submitted an affidavit in which she declared that she never had any sexual relationship with the President. She also, allegedly attempted to persuade Tripp to lie under oath in the Jones case. Tripp, instead, gave the tapes to Kenneth Starr, who was the Independent Counsel investigating the Whitewater & Paula Jones case. Lewinsky made her final visit to the White House on December 28, 1997, when she and the President had a private meeting. During this meeting, the President allegedly encouraged Lewinsky to be as evasive as possible in her responses to any of the questions in the Jones’ lawsuit. On January 16th 1998, Kenneth Starr contacted United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, seeking permission to expand his probe to investigate possible impropriety on the part of the President. The Attorney General gave her consent and submitted a request to a panel of three Federal judges. The judges agreed to allow Kenneth Starr to formally investigate the possibility of subornation of perjury and obstruction of justice

Interest in pursuing graduate studies(Masters, Business Information Essay

Interest in pursuing graduate studies(Masters, Business Information Technology) - Essay Example As a child, I was deeply interested in technology and its applications in the daily life of people. How comfortable it made everyone's life! During my teenage days, the computer boom occurred and just about overnight, everyone owned a PC- and they refused to ever shut it down! My first computer was brought in the house amid huge excitement; everybody was amazed by the functions a simple dull-grey box could perform at the click of the button. Perhaps it was due to such an introduction that my interest for 'technology' soon developed into a curiosity for exploring the world of 'information technology' in particular. With encouragement from my parents, and a determination to take my interest to another level, I undertook several courses to develop skills in this field, many of which were far beyond my academic curriculum. I armed myself with knowledge of Microsoft Office, Visio, and Kofax Ascent Capture. I mastered languages like C, C++, HTML and XML. The more I studied it, the more pas sionate I become for this field. When the time came, I had no doubts deciding to pursue IT for undergraduate school. But that was not my sole career aim. As much as I wanted to contribute to IT, I wanted to venture into the business world and manage a company of my own. Thus, besides doing a Bachelors of Commerce Degree in IT Management at college, I successfully completed a Diploma in Business Management.

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas A. Khun Essay Example for Free

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas A. Khun Essay In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas A. Khun argues that scientific progress is not a matter of the slow, steady accumulation of knowledge over time but, rather, that it is characterized by long-standing beliefs about the world being radically overturned by the discovery of new information that fails to conform to existing frameworks. He also argues that the nature of the progress of science tends to be mischaracterized in textbooks and in educational practices, which typically cast the progress of science as a cumulative acquisition of knowledge where one breakthrough follows logically from the last.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the essay, Khun uses the term â€Å"paradigm† to describe what science at large currently holds to be true about nature. The definition of a paradigm is a temporal one subject to change and any given paradigm only survives so long as it is useful to the working scientist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"These [paradigms] I take to be universally recognized scientific achievements that for a time provide model problems and solutions to a community of practitioners† (p. ix), he states in the book’s foreword.   This   definition of a scientific paradigm is essential to Khun’s reasoning. Kuhn goes on to deconstruct the process by which revolutions take place, how they are generally brought to be accepted and how they influence the work and attitudes of the scientists that work within their parameters. For Kuhn, a revolution in paradigm equals a revolution in science.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The paradigm is central to the work of what Khun calls â€Å"normal science†   which he defines as â€Å"†¦firmly based upon one or more past scientific achievements, achievements that some particular scientific community acknowledges for a time as supplying the foundation for its further practice. (p. 10)† This is the stuff of text books, the academy and what forms the majority of scientific research. Much of normal science concerns itself with fitting what information is gathered by practitioners into the predefined â€Å"box† provided by the current paradigm. Described by the author as â€Å"mopping up† operations, these endeavors occupy the working lives of most scientist. Practitioners of normal science are not concerned with the discovery of new information that fails to fit the existing paradigm (p. 24).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the workplace, the word â€Å"paradigm† has taken on a much less structured definition than that used by Kuhn. A paradigm may well describe a current consensus of scientific thought and practice or it might describe a series of results expected of the practitioner by they who fund the experiments. It could describe a corporate paradigm—a word that corporations do not hesitate to use and stretch to the point of nonsense-that serves as a working model for how the business at hand ought to be carried out. The use of the word paradigm in the workplace differs significantly from Khun’s. Where Kuhn is careful to offer a clear, concise definition of the term, in the casual language of the workplace a â€Å"paradigm† can refer to almost anything that serves as a model from which something is expanded.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story of the evolution of science is   a story of one paradigm being replaced by another. For a new paradigm to emerge, it must be so compelling and so better-suited to explaining the observed universe that it draws scientists away from the old paradigm which preceded it. It also must leave enough to be discovered that those who engage in research are compelled to embrace the new paradigm (p. 10). Once the new paradigm becomes the establishment view, the work of normal science becomes concerned with refining the empirical research that necessitated the creation of the new paradigm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The work of gathering factual information about the universe and the influence of the current paradigm on that gathering is a defining characteristic of normal science. Kuhn breaks the process of fact gathering into three distinct categories: the gathering of facts that the paradigm shows to be particularly revealing; the gathering of facts that can be compared to the predictions of the theory; and, the gathering of facts which allow the resolution of ambiguities in the existing paradigm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first type of fact gathering often concerns itself with refining data to a greater degree of accuracy than was previously possible. The accuracy of the data scientists are able to gather using a refractor telescope   is far exceeded by the accuracy of the information they are able to gather with a radio telescope. The pursuit of such refinements takes up a great deal of the resources of normal science. It is precisely because the existing paradigm holds that the accuracy of data describing the position and movement of stellar objects is of the utmost importance that resources are committed to such pursuits. In the field of normal science, a practitioner may become regarded as particularly accomplished through these endeavors. As Kuhn puts it: From Tycho Brahe to E.O. Lawrence, some scientists have acquired great reputations, not from any novelty of their discoveries, but from the precision, reliability, and scope of the methods they developed for the redetermination of a previously known sort of fact . (p. 26) In this instance, normal science seeks not to innovate, but to refine the means by which the paradigm is validated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is also imperative for the paradigm to more accurately make useful predictions and a second focus of normal science concerns itself with this. To this end, specialized equipment is created that allows more precise measurements of natural phenomena which serves to bring data more in line with the predictions of the paradigm. In these cases, the paradigm not only dictates the question, but the methodology by which the answer is to be obtained. The existence of the paradigm sets the problem to be solved; often the paradigm theory is implicated directly in the design of the apparatus able to solve the problem (p. 27).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Kuhn sees it, the machinery, method and the question itself all owe their design, and the nature of their application, to the paradigm they are intended to investigate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kuhn’s third class of fact-gathering endeavors concerns itself with further refining the paradigm itself.   This is the most important class of fact-gathering in normal science (p. 27) and Kuhn divides it into subtypes, being those which seek to establish a mathematical constant, those which aim toward the creation of qualitative laws and those which aim to articulate a paradigm in ways that describe phenomena closely-related to those which the paradigm was originally designed to describe. He describes this third class of data-gathering activities as more closely resembling exploration than the others (p. 29).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kuhn observes that normal science finds itself with a lot of mopping up to be done on behalf of the paradigm. Mopping up can be understood as the work necessary to make findings fit the paradigm.   Mopping up can also be understood by what it does not endeavor to do. Normal science, in its mop up efforts, does not strive to find anomalies and novelties that do not fit within the relevant paradigm, nor does it tend to pay much attention to those anomalies it does discover. Normal scientists don’t concern themselves with inventing new paradigms nor are they particularly tolerant of those who do (p. 24).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While this could be interpreted as an excessively narrow, almost dogmatic, situation, Kuhn holds that such experimentation facilitates advancement within the paradigm and, thus, the advancement of science as a whole. Even though the work may be being done in the service of the paradigm more than in the interest of novel discovery, it still serves a useful purpose. As in many other instances in the book, Kuhn gives an historical example to shore up his argument. †¦ the men who designed the experiments that were to distinguish between the various theories of heating by compression were generally the same men who had made up the versions being compared. They were working both with fact and with theory , and their work produced not simply new information but a more precise paradigm, obtained by the elimination of ambiguities that the original from which they worked had retained(p. 34).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this way, normal science working under a paradigm does increase the accuracy and understanding of the natural world, however inflexible the basis for that work may be. An element of normal science that Khun finds characteristic is that it contains an aspect of   Ã¢â‚¬Å"puzzle-solving†(p. 36).   Puzzles are a category of problems that require one to think creatively to find a solution. What makes puzzles particularly relevant is that there is only one correct answer to the puzzle. While a puzzle-solver may find a novel way to fit together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, it would be judged as wrong if that novelty did not result in the picture offered as the correct solution. Similarly, much of normal science concerns itself with finding answers which are known in advance of whatever effort is made to find them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A practitioner of normal science seldom sets out to conduct an experiment for which he does not already suspect he has the result. The power of the paradigm is to make those predictions accurately and the lure of the puzzle is that it presents a problem where the skill of the scientist can be ascertained by their ability to find answers that may have eluded previous researchers (p. 38). There is a certain addictive property in this, to be sure, particularly to those with the sort of curiosity-driven personality that lends itself to the practice of science.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã¢â‚¬Å"There must also be rules that limit both the nature of acceptable solutions and the steps by which they are to be obtained† (p. 38) .   Again, the box with all its rigidity serves to paradoxically advance understanding the universe through its restrictions. There must be expectations for without expectations there is no way to define what is anomalous; no way to determine what is novel. Kuhn uses the example of a machine that measures wavelengths of light. The machine’s designer must demonstrate that they are, indeed, measuring the wavelengths of light as they are understood by current theory. Any unexplained anomalies that fail to fit with what is expected are likely to be seen as a flaw in the design of the experiment that renders its findings essentially useless (p. 39).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is an obvious workplace connection to Kuhn’s description of how a paradigm functions to at once restrict and advance science. Were an anomaly to become commonplace enough that it merited investigation, then perhaps resources and time will be allocated to that pursuit. However, the tendency of normal science being to ignore or suppress anomalous findings, it is more likely that those anomalies will be disregarded altogether for cause of their adding nothing to the existing paradigm under which the scientists, and thus the workplace, operate. But, in cases where those anomalies cannot be ignored, where they are not truly anomalous but, rather, repeatedly-observed novel facts, the seeds for innovation are sewn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A novel discovery can shatter a scientific paradigm and bring about changes that could have never been expected. â€Å"After they [novelties] have become parts of science, the enterprise, at least of those specialists in whose particular field the novelties lie, is never quite the same again† (p.52)   .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a discovery to be truly novel, it must satisfy two criteria: it must not be predicted by the current paradigm and it must be something for which the scientist was not prepared. When this situation occurs, the paradigm cannot simply be added to in order to explain the novelty. The scientist must â€Å"learn to see nature in a different way† (p. 53) before the fact becomes a scientific fact.   Seeing nature in a different way, however, presents a crisis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the anomaly, upon investigation, becomes recurrent, a process starts where it becomes clear the that the paradigm must change. This cause a great deal of anxiety in the scientific community as a paradigm shift inevitably means that the techniques and foundations of science need rewritten. Kuhn remarks: â€Å"As one might expect, that insecurity is generated by the persistent failure of the puzzles of normal science to come out as they should. Failure of existing rules is the prelude to a search for new ones† (p. 68). This is an important observation for the practicing scientist. While it is easy enough to regard anomalies as a failure of equipment design or of the practitioner, keeping one’s mind open to the possibility that a novel, and potentially important, phenomena has been observed is imperative to the progress of science. Further study within the paradigm may serve to identify the anomalous as the norm and thereby advance the paradigm as a whole. The study of the anomalies within the paradigm is, perhaps ironically, the best way to advance the paradigm itself. â€Å"So long as the tools a paradigm supplies continue to prove capable of solving the problems it defines, science moves fastest and penetrates most deeply through confident employment of those tools† (p. 76).   Khun regards the crisis as an opportunity. â€Å"The significance of crises is the indication they provide that an occasion for retooling has arrived† (p. 76) . Now that the crisis is at hand, what remains to be seen is how the scientific community will act toward it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It may seem that Kuhn is sometimes disparaging toward science for its rather strict adherence to its guiding paradigms. However, there are counterinstances to any paradigm that occur in most any research and, therefore, any research presents crisis (p. 81). Normal science does well to be pragmatic in the face of anomalous data, if only for the sake of saving time and money that can be directed toward more useful research. Scientists generally do not line up to renounce their existing paradigm in the face of anomalies.   Even persistent anomalies that cannot be explained by a mistake do not generally present a crisis (p. 81). Oftentimes, continued work within the existing paradigm will serve to resolve the anomalies. Sometimes these counterinstances are set aside to be resolved later if they prove not particularly disruptive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The process of a paradigm being rewritten has its own historical pattern. â€Å"All crises begin with the blurring of a paradigm and the consequent loosening of the rules for normal research† (p. 84) . When this occurs, science returns to a state similar to that which existed before the creation of the paradigm now in question. There is ambiguity, the opportunity for innovation and creativity but within a small, clearly defined area. This situation, however, is where revolution is fermented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The construction of the new paradigm is not a slow, cumulative process, it is a complete â€Å"reconstruction of the field from new fundamentals† (p. 85). There will be a period where both paradigms are used to solve problems but the difference between the means by which the problem is solved will be decidedly different in each model. The process of redefining the paradigm is part of extraordinary science. When scientists are confronted with crises, they react by embracing different attitudes toward the existing paradigm. The proliferation of competing articulations, the willingness to try anything, the expression of explicit discontent, the recourse to philosophy and to debate of fundamentals, all these are symptoms of a transition from normal to extraordinary research (p. 91).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After setting up the playing field, Kuhn begins to describe the actual process by which a revolution takes place. He references the nature of political revolution as a parallel. â€Å"Political revolutions are inaugurated by a growing sense, often restricted to a segment of the political community, that existing institutions have ceased adequately to meet the problems posed by an environment that they have in part created† (p. 92) . Possibly more than in any other part of the essay, Kuhn start to flex his intellectual power in this chapter. He uses as one example of the parallel the discovery of the X-ray. For most astronomers, x-rays presented no real problem and were easily enough assimilated into their existing paradigm. For a particular group of scientists, however, specifically those who worked with radiation theory or whose work involved the use of cathode ray tubes, x-rays violated the laws of the paradigm under which they worked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like a political revolution, the new paradigm seeks to replace the old in part because the old paradigm does not allow for the existence of the new. They are not compatible in the same way that ruler by a hereditary monarch was not compatible with the new paradigm of representative democracy that characterized the American revolution. For there to be a need for a new paradigm, the old must be logically incapable of providing an explanation for the anomaly, or anomalies, that served as the impetus for its being questioned.    It follows that the new paradigm must make predictions that are inherently different from those of its predecessor (p. 97). For the new to come into its own, parts of the old must be sacrificed (p. 93). As the crisis deepens, competing camps vie for relevance, each offering its own solution to the problem at hand. They each attract their adherence and the auspices of the old paradigm are no longer sufficient to unite the divided camps. As is the case with political revolutions, there is a freewheeling period where there is no clear authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The debate between the new paradigms is essential.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each one lures adherents with its promises of usefulness and its vision of life under the new paradigm.   Scientists do not leave their paradigms easily. In fact, rather than being left out in the cold, most scientists will not reject their existing paradigm until a viable alternative is offered (p. 77).   Kuhn holds that the study of persuasive argument is as important as the study of logical and reasoned argument in periods during which practitioners are undertaking the process of finding a viable alternative to a no-longer adequate paradigm (p. 94).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kuhn holds that scientific revolutions invariably resolve with the world view of the scientific community having been forever changed (p. 111). What was once familiar is now new, what was once established as accurate is now proven to be something less than that by the new paradigm. Paradoxically, the new perception depends upon the new paradigm just as the old mode of seeing the world depended upon adherence to the discarded paradigm. Without a point of reference, the world becomes incoherent. Where scientific revolutions are concerned, there may be a shift in paradigm but there is always a paradigm, whether it be contemporary or past its relevance. As Kuhn argues in previous chapters, it is from this structure that innovation flows and, therefore, the constant presence of a paradigm is not necessarily a failing on the part of science.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though the world of science may have been turned on its ear, one is unlikely to ever get this impression from textbooks and courses. The paradigm, once established, becomes victim to what Khun calls the â€Å"invisibility† of scientific revolutions. This could be seen as a true weakness in the scientific community. Like those that ferment and enable political revolutions, scientists tend to rewrite history in such a way that omits the conflict, controversy and creativity that led to the revolution that gave birth to the current paradigm. †¦scientists are more affected by the temptation to rewrite history, partly because the results of scientific research show no obvious dependence upon the historical context of the inquiry, and partly because, expect during crisis and revolution, the scientist’s contemporary position seems so secure (p. 138).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, this remarkable history of revolution in thought, in practice and in humankind’s knowledge of the universe is glossed over in textbooks. The revolutions that once turned the world on its ear, at least for scientists, become the realm of normal science and the practitioners go back to mopping up reality to make it conform to the predictions of the new paradigm just as they did in the service of the old. Kuhn makes his case mostly by citing textbooks as an example of how history is rewritten but, since text books are the tool of the trade where the teaching of science is concerned, the significance is obvious.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the way in which the paradigm is regarded has its advantages. †¦once the acceptance of a common paradigm has freed the scientific community from the need constantly [sic] re-examine its first principles, the members of that community can concentrate exclusively upon the subtlest and most esoteric of the phenomena that concern it. Inevitably, that does increase both the effectiveness and the efficiency with which the group as a while solves new problems (p. 164) . Here, again, is the theme of the â€Å"box† of the paradigm allowing scientists to explore beyond its limits. The efficiency with which scientists can work under a shared paradigm and the reliable set of tools with which it provides them are priceless. Perhaps, this is the reason the scientific community works so hard to preserve whatever paradigm is relevant at the time; it is not the fear of the new but the fear of the loss of what has proven itself valuable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is interesting about Kuhn’s essay is that he does not use the word â€Å"truth†-excepting in a quotation from Francis Bacon—a fact that he point out himself (p. 170). Kuhn holds that there may not be a need for any such lofty goal. â€Å"Can we not account for both science’s existence and its success in term of evolution from the community’s state of knowledge at any given time?† (p. 171)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is a powerful idea. Perhaps, a better understanding of the universe is not a goal but a thing better defined-and accomplished-if it is understood to be an ongoing process. Kuhn also provides a powerful question for those who would regard, or characterize, science as a form of dogma: â€Å"Does it really help to imagine that there is some one full, objective, true account of nature and that the proper measure of scientific achievement is the extent to which it brings us closer to that ultimate goal?† (p. 171)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A poignant question, indeed. Is there an endpoint to science? Is there a point where there will be nothing left to learn, nothing left to explore and when the collected work of science will entail all that there is to know about the universe? If history is any indication, such a situation is unlikely. The story of science, and Kuhn argues this convincingly, can be seen as a continuing process without any particular goal in site. There may be the subset of goals toward which the practitioner of normal science works, but these are simple goals relating to the desired outcome for one experiment or another, not goals set for science as a whole. That is to say, to work toward a better understanding of the orbit of Jupiter is not to work toward anything so esoteric as a better understanding of the universe, it is to simply add to the ongoing process of scientific revolution by examining one subset of data within a paradigm. The value of Kuhn’s essay extends beyond what value it may have to practitioners of science. It provides a framework that can help anyone, scientist or not, understand the means by which science determines what is an accurate description of the natural world. Science currently finds itself challenged on many fronts for many reasons, most of them having little to do with science and a great deal to do with politics and theology. Kuhn’s essay provides a potent reply to the casting of science as dogmatic or religious in nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Personally, I feel that this book is of the utmost value to anyone engaged in the practice of science at any level. What Kuhn manages to do in this essay is to communicate what amounts to an understanding of understanding itself. The scientific method has proven over and over again to be the most accurate means that humanity has devised to make sense of the universe. But science must strive to understand itself as much as it strives to understand the universe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The only sure protection against dogmatism is the acknowledgement that all theories are temporal, subject to unexpected and radical change and that they function to explain nature as it is currently understood. There is an important distinction between our current understanding of the universe, our paradigm, and the reality of the universe. Our understanding is always limited to the cumulative experiences of scientists past and present, which, along with those significant moments of revolution have provided the best means available to make accurate and useful predictions. The nature of science, however, is one of constant evolution. As Kuhn argues, this evolution is not a process remarkable for its consistency so much as it is a process remarkable for being punctuated by research and discoveries that cause huge leaps forward in understanding. A scientist who does not understand this may well find themselves consigned to a life of puzzle-solving exercises designed to confirm what is already known rather than experiencing what I would submit is the true passion-inducing aspect of science, the discovery of novel facts that turn the world of science upside down and test the limits of the scientific community’s ability to assimilate and understand those discoveries. Probably the most radical contrast between science and dogma is that science, in its best practice, never shies away from examining itself, its conclusions and the accuracy of the beliefs it encourages. It may not submit itself easily to such tests but it will given time and the impetus of novelty. Kuhn’s essay provides a means by which one might acquire much insight into the workings of science and the scientific community and it provides a celebration of the many crises that have pushed science, and therefore humanity, forward in thought and understanding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I find myself in agreement with Kuhn’s conclusions about the ways in which the scientific community reacts to and eventually assimilates novel discoveries. Science, indeed, has been forced to concede long-held beliefs about the universe in the presence of new evidence which did not fit with old paradigms. The case of the evolution of life, where scientists once worked mightily to ensure that there was some room for theology, is one such instance. In the face of Darwin’s observations, science was forced to accept a new paradigm where the nature of living organisms was changed not by providence but by the environments in which they lived. More importantly than Darwin’s impact on theological theories of evolution, or the lack thereof, however, was the concept that evolution was not a goal-driven process (p. 171). This conflicted not only with the theologians of Darwin’s time, but with the accepted scientific theories, the paradigm, of biology as well. No longer was the march of life seen as a march forward toward any particular destination. It had now been more accurately described as a process dictated by the situations of individual organisms rather than the result of some grand design. There was no particular better or worse aspect to the wildlife on the Galapagos evolving to fit the islands on which they lived, the modifications inherited by way of natural selection simply flowed from the natural environment and, given a different environment, they would change again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From that new paradigm and from the practitioners of normal science who worked and continue to work within it came modern medicine, agricultural practices and many, many more achievements that are directly traceable to the current paradigm where life is believed to have evolved into its present state over billions of years of slow, cumulative changes. Without the flexibility to change the existing paradigm, we may have found ourselves unavailed of the knowledge of the double-helix, the methods by which bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and the roots of genetic disease. As Kuhn points out, a radical paradigm shift such as that started by Darwin is necessary for a scientific revolution but the work of those practicing normal science, the geneticist working in the lab, the geologist using the paradigm that explains how a layer of rock strata may be assigned a probable age, the physicist whose work allows for technology such as carbon dating, are all as necessary for the acquisition of a better and more accurate understanding of the universe as is the revolution itself. And, further, that paradigm-driven research is the usual means by which revolutions in the scientific paradigm come to pass.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That puzzle-solving work of the normal scientist will always draw some to the practice of science. The allure of finding a solution, of one’s research becoming part of the evidence that defines the current scientific understanding of the universe is a powerful one and one that should be encouraged. Normal science may have its elements of drudgery and it could be characterized as only confirming what is already known but that would be inaccurate. Science forms theories based on facts. The power of science to constantly discover new facts about our universe has for a long time been a source of hope and inspiration to humanity as a whole. However, the work of better refining our understanding is of equal value. Science must keep an open mind while continuing to adhere to the paradigms that have provided the best answers. Kuhn’s observant, thoughtful and enlightening essay provides a means for practitioners to better understand the importance of both. References Kuhn, T. (1991). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 3rd Ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.